Wilhelm was enagaged in studying this face, with its fashionably twirled mustache, when Pilar entered the room.

“You have changed your dress?” cried Wilhelm, surprised; for she had donned an emerald-green velvet tea-gown, with a long train, and her hair was hanging down.

“Yes,” said she, as she kissed him fondly, “for we are not going away again just yet.  You will stay and dine with me—­I have given the necessary orders.  You must be quite sick of the monotonous hotel meals.  For my part, I simply yearn to eat at my own table with you.”

So saying, she took his hat out of his hand, coaxingly relieved him of his greatcoat, then rang and ordered Auguste to take them away.  Taking advantage of this distraction of Wilhelm’s attention, she rapidly snatched up the photograph he had been examining when she came in, and hid it under the piano-cover.  She then opened the piano, seated herself, and gazing passionately over her shoulder at Wilhelm standing behind her, she began playing the Wedding March out of “Midsummer Night’s Dream.”  The melodious sounds rushed from under her fingers like a flight of startled doves, and fluttered about her, joyous and exultant.  She went on with immense power and brilliancy till she came to the first repetition of the triumphant opening motif, with its jubilant blare of trumpets, then stopped abruptly, and jumping up and throwing her arms round Wilhelm: 

“Isn’t it that, my one and only Wilhelm?” she said, with a beaming look.

“My sweetest Pilar,” he answered, and clasped her to his breast.  His heart was really full to overflowing at that moment She took his arm and proceeded to lead him about the room, showing and explaining the various objects to him.  “This is my mamma as she looked twenty-five years ago, when she went to the Feria at Seville.  That is a sort of fair at Easter, and one of the most famous popular festivals of Spain.  We must go to it some day together.  And that is my late father as major-general.  Here he is in the robes of a Knight of San Iago, one of our highest military orders.  It has existed since the twelfth century, and, strangely enough, one of my ancestors was among its first members.  These are my father’s decorations and badges of office.  Come and look at this clock, it is quite unique.  The province of Gordova had it made, and presented it to my father when he gave up his command there.  I suppose you recognized this pastel.  It is a very good likeness.  Do you think it pretty?”

“Pretty!  The word is a gross injustice.  Say rather exquisitely, ravishingly beautiful.”

“Thanks, my Wilhelm.  And if you had known me then, you would have loved me and wanted to marry me, would you not?”

“But you would hardly have wanted to marry me, a poor devil of a plebeian, who was badly dressed and did not even know how to dance.”