childhood I have hated and feared all men! I loathe their presence--
their looks--their voices--their manners,--if one should touch my hand
in ordinary courtesy, my instincts are offended and revolted, and the
sense of outrage remains with me for days. My mother knows of this, and
says I am 'unnatural,'--it may be so. But unnatural or not, it is the
truth; judge therefore the extent of the sacrifice I make to God and
our two countries in giving myself to you!"

The prince stood amazed and confounded. Did she rave? Was she mad? He
studied her with a curious, half-doubting scrutiny, and noted the
composure of her attitude, the cold serenity of her expression,--there
was evidently no hysteria, no sur-excitation of nerves about this calm
statuesque beauty which in every line and curve of loveliness silently
mutinied against him, and despised him. Puzzled, yet fascinated, he
sought in his mind for some clue to her meaning.

"There are women" she went on--"to whom love, or what is called love,
is necessary,--for whom marriage is the utmost good of existence. I am
not one of these. Had I my own choice I would live my life away from
all men,--I would let nothing of myself be theirs to claim,--I would
give all I am and all I have to God, who made me what I am. For truly
and honestly, without any affectation at all, I look upon marriage, not
as an honour, but a degradation!"

Had she been less in earnest, he might have smiled at this, but her
beauty, intensified as it was by the fervour of her feeling, seemed
transfigured into something quite supernatural which for the moment
dazzled him.

"Am I to understand--" he began.