"You ought to be, sir."
I looked at her quickly. It was said, it seemed to me, a bit sharply;
but she gave me only the usual mocking smile.
"Where shall we go?" I asked.
"You have no choice?"
"None--all roads are alike delightful now. Besides, you forget I came
here only two days ago; this is my first ride since then."
"Then, suppose we go out by the Forge and around by the hill road above
the Palace?"
"You must be the guide," I replied.
"Come along, then; we turn to the right here."
"Only"----I began.
"Oh! I'll have you back in time for breakfast," she cut in. "That was
what you meant?"
"Your Ladyship is a mind reader."
"Nonsense! I'm human enough to have an appetite, too."
"Perhaps there is an inn on the way," I suggested. (There was none six
years ago.)
She shook her head. "There's nothing to eat before Dornlitz, if we go
that route."
"Some day we must find one that has a breakfast on it," said I.
"There are several; I know them well," she said.
"Good; and you will take me to them?"
"It will be jolly."
"I am very lucky to have you in Dornlitz," I said gratefully.
She smiled sweetly. "Maybe I'm lucky, too," she said.
It brought me up with a jerk. It was folly to be serious with her--she
was only bantering as usual.
"It's none of my affair, of course," I said with assumed sadness, "but
I would like to know how many poor devils have gone down before that
smile in the last six years."
"You mean?"
"That you're the most consummate coquette I know."
"Is that a compliment?" she asked.
"That depends."
"Upon what?"
"Upon the way you use your power."
She hesitated a moment. "Have I ever used it improperly to your
knowledge?" she asked.