Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/368

378 We are delighted with being at Sorrento. I wonder whether the Princess Elsa thinks about her friend in Ischia?

July 25th.—“If he should—if he will consent to come here for a little while, merely as a friend; as a brotherly friend, and not touch upon that other subject, and not say any thing to me about his feelings,—and if we in this way could become better acquainted with each other, and I could see whether—I could love him—and if he would promise to leave me perfectly free, and not consider me bound to him in any way by his coming here, then”—— It was something in this half dubious manner that the Princess Elsa spoke, a few days since. I afterwards was commissioned to convey these words to Ischia; which shortly brought a kind of noble-minded reply from Hercules. He accepted the test. She should be free, let the result be what it might for himself, and he fixed a day for his arrival. Little Elsa appeared on that day more grave than usual, but in the evening, she was again gay and talkative, and, as it grew late, and the expected visitor did not make his appearance, she grew somewhat saucy, and at eleven o'clock exclaimed:

“Now I promise you, that I will accept him, if he come to-day!” With these words we went to bed, and at half-past eleven he arrived.

“Well, now Elsa?” said I, somewhat significantly the next morning.

She smiled, but not cheerfully, and looked a little perplexed.