"I have always to seek you nowadays," Noel protested.
Katherine tossed her head, and her tresses trembled like leaves in
the moonlight.
"The world is not yet so old that the wooing must be done by women."
"I am out of favour," Noel complained, "since a fellow from nowhere
plays the fool in high places."
Katherine's eyes showered scorn upon him.
"I do not hate you for railing at him, but it does not help me to
love you."
Noel caught at the word.
"You loved me once," he asserted.
She shook her head pityingly.
"We played with great words as children play with coloured balls. It
is easy to say 'I love you,' and often very sweet; yet the coloured
balls roll into the corner, and the child forgets them when the moon
of childhood wanes."
A wistful irritation puckered Noel's smooth countenance.
"You have outgrown me?" he questioned.
Katherine drew away from him till the moonlight that shone between
them lay wide and white. She answered quietly:
"My soul was in bud a week ago. To-day it is in blossom."
Noel threw up his arms impatiently.
"God have mercy! What can this fellow do that is denied to me? Can
he stride a horse, or fly a hawk better? show a brighter sword in
quarrel, or tune a smoother lute in calm? Can he out-dance me,
out-drink me, out-courtier me, out-soldier me? No, no, no! And must
I now believe that he can out-love me?"
Katherine, weary of the controversy, began to ascend the steps to
the palace.
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