This was the secret of Isabel's influence.

She hurriedly took herself off with her cards, but Wilhelm shook his head: "I should not have believed it of my clever Pilar." "What would you have ?" she returned, half-laughing, half-ashamed; "we all of us have some little remnant of superstition in some dark corner of our minds.

And after all, it is very odd that ever since our return she is continually turning up the knave of hearts." And as Wilhelm was obviously still unenlightened, she explained, "Barbarian, don't you know that that always means a sweetheart ?" Pilar arranged their life as if they were on their honeymoon.

Every midday and evening meal was a banquet with flowers, choice dishes, and champagne, till Wilhelm forbade it; every day a drive in an elegant coupe; every evening to some theater in a half-concealed stage box, in which Pilar hid herself in the dim background.

Wilhelm did not care for the theater, but Pilar insisted that he should become acquainted with the French stage.