"If any one could succeed under such circumstances, be doubtless is the
man," rejoined Iduna; "but it was indeed an awful crisis in his fate."

"Trust me, dear lady, it is wise to banish gloomy thoughts."

"We can give him only our thoughts," said Iduna, "and when we remember
how much is dependent on his life, can they be cheerful?"

"Mine must be so, when I am in the presence of Iduna," replied Nicaeus.

The daughter of Hunniades gathered moss from the rock, and threw it
into the stream.

"Dear lady," said the Prince of Athens, seating himself by her side,
and stealing her gentle hand. "Pardon me, if an irrepressible feeling
at this moment impels me to recur to a subject, which, I would fain
hope, were not so unpleasing to you, as once unhappily you deemed it.
O! Iduna, Iduna, best and dearest, we are once more together; once
more I gaze upon that unrivalled form, and listen to the music of that
matchless voice. I sought you, I perhaps violated my pledge, but I
sought you in captivity and sorrow. Pardon me, pity me, Iduna! Oh!
Iduna, if possible, love me!"

She turned away her head, she turned away her streaming eyes. "It is
impossible not to love my deliverers," she replied, in a low and
tremulous voice, "even could he not prefer the many other claims to
affection which are possessed by the Prince of Athens. I was not
prepared for this renewal of a most painful subject, perhaps not under
any circumstances, but least of all under those in which we now find
ourselves."