Page:Libussa, Duchess of Bohemia; also, The Man Without a Name.djvu/124

108 herself, to know if she was in duty bound to forget him or not, and through that very reason he had never for a moment escaped her thoughts. His image was always hovering around her, and, above all, the god of dreams seemed to be his special patron; for the innumerable dreams of the young lady during his absence invariably tended to defend and exculpate him.

The stately colonel, whose dignified position made the mother somewhat relent in her severe keeping, soon found occasion to try the apparent coldness of his beloved in a tête-à-tête. He revealed to her the horrid adventure of the elopement, and she confessed to him candidly the painful suspicion she had of his having broken the oath of fidelity. Both lovers agreed to extend the circle of the secret, and to take mamma into their confidence.

The good lady was as much surprised at the disclosure of the state of affections of the sly puss Emily, as she was astounded at the communication of the facts relating to the elopement. She thought it but right that so hard a trial of love should be rewarded. She, however, objected to “a man without a name.” But when the young lady explained to her, that it was far preferable to marry a man without a name, than a name