nish　you。　I　leave　that　to　God　and　your　conscience。　I　wish　only　to　arrange　with　you　the　details　of　our　future　life。　I　locked　the　door；　as　I　do　not　wish　to　be　disturbed。〃
  〃What　are　these　details？〃　said　the　princess。
  〃We　will　speak　of　them　hereafter；　madame。　Will　you　first　do　me　the　honor　to　read　this　letter　I　have　just　received　from　the　king　in　answer　to　mine？　Have　the　kindness　to　read　it　aloud。〃
  The　princess　received　the　letter　and　read：
  〃MY　DEAR　BROTHERYour　letter　has　been　a　great　source　of　consolation　to　me；　for　it　assures　me　that　you　are　again　a　man；　and　have　overcome　your　grief。　It　is　not　your　lot　to　be　only　a　tender　or　an　avenging　husband。　You　are；　before　all　else；　a　prince　and　a　man。　Both　qualifications　have　duties　forcing　you　to　submit　to　life　and　to　become　worthy　of　it。　There　is　still　much　to　be　done　in　this　world　by　both　of　us；　and　a　true　man　should　not　be　turned　from　his　path　because　a　foolish　woman　places　a　few　thorns　beneath　his　pillow。　Stifling　his　pain；　he　continues　his　road　quietly。　I　am　glad　this　is　also　your　opinionthat　you　have　given　up　all　thought　of　a　public　scandal　and　denunciation。　In　relation　to　the　princess。　I　give　you　full　power　to　make　any　and　every　arrangement　you　see　fit。　As　to　Kalkreuth；　he　shall　receive　the　place　you　mentioned。　I　have　appointed　him　lieutenant…general　of　the　third　army　corps　in　Prussia。　He　will　leave　here　at　once。　I　desire　you　to　inform　him　of　his　promotion。　As　soon　as　you　dismiss　him；　send　him　to　me　at　Sans…Souci。　You　tell　me　you　are　about　to　give　a　feast。　That　pleases　me　right　well。　It　is　better　to　stifle　your　pain　with　bright　flowers　and　gay　music；　than　to　tear　out　your　hair　and　retire　to　a　convent。　May　your　feast　be　a　bright　one；　and　may　it　last　forever！　FREDERICK。〃　Princess　Wilhelmina；　having　finished　the　letter；　handed　it　to　her　husband。　〃I　see；〃　whispered　she；　softly；　〃that　you　have　been　noble　and　generous；　my　husband。　You　shower　benefits　upon　us　instead　of　just　anger。〃
  〃I　do　neither　the　one　nor　the　other；〃　said　the　prince；　coldly；　〃I　simply　wish　to　pass　a　peaceful　life；　and　above　all　things　I　would　not　have　the　world　think　me　unhappy；　for　unhappy　I　am　not　nor　ever　mean　to　be。〃
  The　princess　gave　a　timid　glance　at　his　countenance；　so　at　variance　with　his　words。　The　last　three　days　had　worked　such　a　fearful　change。　His　cheeks　were　thin　and　pale；　his　brow　dark　and　clouded　about　his　mouth　were　deep　lines　of　care　never　more　to　be　effaced。　Princess　Wilhelmina　was　deeply　touched　when　she　saw　this　change。
  〃My　husband；〃　said　she　softly；　raising　her　hands　imploringly　to　him；　〃have　pity　on　yourselfon　me。　Hear　me　before　you　decide。　I　feel　that　I　have　sinned　heavily　against　you；　but　I　will　endeavor　to　expiate　my　sin。　In　looking　at　you　and　seeing　how　much　you　have　suffered；　the　pain　that　almost　bursts　my　heart　tells　me　how　dear　you　are　to　me。　I　repentI　repent；　my　husband。　I　will　force　my　heart　to　love　you；　and　you　alone。　From　now　on；　I　will　be　a　faithful　wife；　the　one　aim　of　my　life　shall　be　to　make　you　happy。　Here　I　swear；　as　before　God's　altar；　that　I　will　love　and　obey　you　as　my　husband　and　master。　Will　you　accept　this　heart；　that　comes　to　you　full　of　repentance？　Henry；　will　you？〃
  She　held　out　her　hand；　with　a　bright；　beaming　glance；　but　he　did　not　take　it。
  〃No；　it　is　too　late；〃　said　he。　〃I　raised　you　a　temple　in　my　heart。　You　have　destroyed　it；　and　wish　now　to　build　another　with　the　shattered　ruins。　No；　princess；　that　which　the　lightning　has　struck　must　remain　in　ashes。　I　could　never　believe　in　the　stability　of　your　building；　but　would　be　expecting　it　to　fall　daily。　This　temple　can　never　be　rebuilt。　I　forgive；　but　can　never　more　love　you。　We　are　separated　before　God　and　our　own　hearts。　But　to　the　world　we　are　still　wedded。　We　shall　both　inhabit　this　palace；　but　we　shall　seek　never　to　meet　one　another。　On　grand　fete　days；　when　etiquette　demands　it；　we　shall　dine　together；　but　preside　at　separate　tables。　And　you　must　forgive　me　if　I　never　address　you。　We　are　dead　to　one　another；　and　the　dead　do　not　speak。　In　the　summer　I　shall　live　at　Rheinsberg；　the　king　presented　it　to　me　on　my　marriage　with　you；　and　I　think　I　have　paid　dearly　enough　for　it　to　be　allowed　to　spend　my　time　there　alone。　You　will　not　follow　me　there；　but　will　remain　in　Berlin；　or　travel；　as　it　suits　you。　Do　you　accept　my　conditions；　madame？〃
  〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　princess；　proudly。　〃I　accept　them。　We　will　live　like　two　galley…slaves；　bound　together　in　chains；　without　one　thought　or　feeling　in　unison。　You　have　devised　a　severe　punishment　for　me；　my　prince。　My　only　fear　is　that　I　am　not　the　only　victim　that　you　also　suffer？〃
  〃I　told　you　before；　that　I　wished　to　punish　no　one。　All　I　seek　is　a　little　resta　little　peace；　and　your　presence　in　this　palace　cannot　endanger　that；　for　you；　madame；　have　not　only　annihilated　my　love　for　you；　but　also　the　remembrance　of　it。　And　now；　as　you　have　accepted　my　conditions　for　our　future　life；　I　have　nothing　more　to　say　than　farewell；　until　death！　Farewell；　madame；　may　your　life　be　a　happy　one！〃
  〃Farewell；　prince！〃　murmured　Wilhelmina；　in　a　voice　choked　with　tears。　〃Farewell！　and　may　God　teach　your　heart　to　pity　and　forgive！〃
  〃You　will　now　have　the　kindness；　madame；　to　arrange　your　toilet；　then　to　follow　me　with　your　court　to　the　great　reception…room。　We　give　to…day　a　splendid　dinner。　At　this　fete　we　will　take　an　eternal　adieu　of　the　past。　It　will　be　the　last　time　we　dine　together。　Farewell；　madame；　I　await　you。〃
  He　bowed　profoundly；　then　moved　to　the　door。　The　princess　gazed　after　him　breathlessly；　and　the　tears　that　had　long　stood　in　her　eyes　now　rolled　slowly　down　her　cheeks。
  When　the　prince　had　reached　the　threshold；　she　started　forward；　crying　in　a　piteous　voice：
  〃Henry！　oh；　Henry！〃
  The　prince　did　not　turn；　but　opened　the　door　and　passed　out　of　the　room。
  Fifteen　minutes　later；　a　gay　crowd　was　assembled　in　the　reception…　room。　The　prince　received　his　guests　in　his　usual　gay；　cordial　manner。　But　the　princess　was　different。　She　was　more　quiet　and　formal　than　usual。　Her　eyes　did　not　sparkle；　her　cheeks　were　pale　in　spite　of　her　rouge：　her　voice　was　low　and　tremulous；　and　the　smile　she　called　to　her　lip　was　hard　and　forced。　A　still　more　remarkable　change　had　taken　place　in　Count　Kalkreuth's　appearance。　He　who　generally　sparkled　with　gayety　and　wit；　whose　merry　jests　had　been　the　delight　of　the　courthe　who　had　been　the　very　shadow　of　the　princess；　her　most　devoted　cavalierstood　now　pale　and　speechless　at　a　window；　gazing　sadly　at　the　prince；　who　was　laughing　and　talking　with　his　guests；　and　who　had　passed　him　repeatedly　without　turning　his　head。　The　courtiers；　however；　saw　only　the　outward　signs　of　that　agony　that　had　almost　distracted　the　count　in　the　last　four　days。
  For　four　days；　since　their　last　meeting　in　the　garden　of　Rheinsberg；　the　prince　had　not　spoken　to　him。　It　was　in　vain　he　had　written　and　implored　an　audience。　The　prince　returned　his　letters　unopened。　In　vain　that　at　almost　every　hour　during　these　four　wretched　days　he　had　had　himself　announced　to　the　prince。　Prince　Henry　would　not　receive　him。　And　still　he　felt　the　inevitable　necessity　of　having　an　explanation　with　the　prince。　His　heart　craved　it　as　the　dying　man　craves　the　last　consolations　of　religion。　This　friendship　for　the　prince；　notwithstanding　he　had　betrayed　and　wounded　it；　was；　and　had　always　been　to　him　a　sort　of　religion；　he　had　sinned　against　it　in　the　folly　of　his　passion；　but　he　had　now　come　to　his　senses；　and　he　repented　his　guilt　bitterly。　Not　a　thought　of　the　princess　lingered　in　his　heart；　it　was　the　prince　he　yearned　after；　he　must　speak　to　him；　he　must　be　forgiven　by　him。　His　love　for　him　was　greater　than　ever。　Now　that　he　had　turned　from　him；　ho　knew　how　much　he　had　lost。　He　had　not　yet　given　up　the　hope　of　an　interview；　for　this；　alone　had　he　come　to　the　dinner。　But　whenever　he　endeavored　to　approach　the　prince；　he　had　turned　from　him　and　entered　into　earnest　conversation　with　some　bystanders。
  Now　the　prince　stood　alone　at　a　window；　now　or　never　must　the　count　succeed　in　speaking　to　him。　Passing　through　the　room　hastily；　he　stood　before　Prince　Henry。
  〃My　prince；〃　murmured　the　count；　softly；　〃have　pity　on　me。　I　entreat　you　to　listen　to　me　for　fifteen　minutes！〃
  The　prince　fixed　his　piercing　eyes　upon　the　count's　pale；　agitated　countenance；　but　did　not　speak。　Then　passing　proudly　before　him；　he　advanced　to　meet　Prince　Frederick　William；　who　had　just　arrived。
  The　doors　of　the　dining…saloon　were　now　thrown　open；　and　the　guests　approached　the　richly…covered　table；　at　one　end　of　which　sat　the　prince　and　his　wife。　Not　far　from　them　was　Count　Kalkreuth。　For　more　than　two　hours　he　had　borne　the　agony　of　being　near　the　prince　without　being　addressed　by　him。　For　two　hours　he　had　stood　the　inquiring；　malicious　smiles　and　glances　of　the　courtiers；　who　were　looking　on　with　delight　at　his　humiliation。
  His　martyrdom　was　almost　over。　Dinner　was　finished；　and　all　awaited　a　sign　from　the　princely　couple　to　rise　from　the　table。　Prince　Henry　arose；　glass　in　hand；　and　said；　in　a　loud　voice：
  〃And　now；　my　guests；　I　have　pleasant　news　for　you；　as　you　are　all　friends　of　Count　Kalkreuth；　what　is　good　news　to　him　will　be　to　you　also。　His　majesty　has　appointed　him　lieutenant