passionate boy."

"What lord?" inquired Nicaeus.

"Your friend, the Lord Justinian," answered Iduna. "He could little
anticipate such an abuse of his hospitality."

"My friend, the Lord Justinian!" replied Nicaeus, with a malignant
smile. "I am surprised that a personage of the Lady Iduna's deep
discrimination should so easily be deceived by 'a passionate boy!' Is
it possible that you could have supposed for a moment that there was
any other lord of this castle, save your devoted slave?"

"What!" exclaimed Iduna, really frightened.

"I have, indeed, the honour of finding the Lady Iduna my guest,"
continued Nicaeus, in a tone of bitter raillery. "This castle of
Kallista, the fairest in all Epirus, I inherit from my mother. Of late
I have seldom visited it; but, indeed, it will become a favourite
residence of mine, if it be, as I anticipate, the scene of my nuptial
ceremony."

Iduna looked around her with astonishment, then threw herself upon a
couch, and burst into tears. The Prince of Athens walked up and down
the hall with an air of determined coolness.

"Perfidious!" exclaimed Iduna between her sobs.

"Lady Iduna," said the prince; and he seated himself by her side. "I
will not attempt to palliate a deception which your charms could alone