re　give　more　encouragement　to　a　cavalier　than　I　manifest　to　your　royal　highness。〃
  〃You　are　more　friendly　to　all　the　world　than　to　me；　Wilhelmina；〃　said　the　prince；　angrily。　〃You　have　a　kindly　word；　a　magic　glance；　a　gracious　reception　for　all　others　who　approach　you。　To　me　alone　are　you　cold　and　stern；　your　countenance　darkens　as　soon　as　I　draw　near；　the　smile　vanishes　from　your　lips；　your　brow　is　clouded　and　your　eyes　are　fixed　upon　me　with　almost　an　expression　of　contempt。　I　see；　madame；　that　you　hate　me！　Well；　then；　hate　me；　but　I　do　not　deserve　your　contempt；　and　I　will　not　endure　it！　It　is　enough　that　you　martyr　me　to　death　with　your　cutting　coldness；　your　crushing　indifference。　The　world；　at　least；　should　not　know　that　you　hate　me；　and　I　will　not　be　publicly　humiliated　by　you。　What　did　I　do　this　morning；　for　example？　Why　were　you　so　cold　and　scornful？　Wherefore　did　you　check　your　gay　laugh　as　I　entered　the　room？　wherefore　did　you　refuse　me　the　little　flower　you　held　in　your　hand；　and　then　throw　it　carelessly　upon　the　floor？〃
  The　princess　looked　at　him　with　flashing　eyes。
  〃You　ask　many　questions；　sir；　and　on　many　points；〃　said　she；　sharply。　〃I　do　not　think　it　necessary　to　reply　to　them。　Let　us　join　our　company。〃　She　bowed　proudly　and　advanced；　but　the　prince　held　her　back。
  〃Do　not　go；〃　said　he；　entreatingly；　〃do　not　go。　Say　first　that　you　pardon　me；　that　you　are　no　longer　angry。　Oh；　Wilhelmina；　you　do　not　know　what　I　suffer；　you　can　never　know　the　anguish　which　tortures　my　soul。〃
  〃I　know　it　well；　on　the　day　of　our　marriage　your　highness　explained　all。　It　was　not　necessary　to　return　to　this　bitter　subject。　I　have　not　forgotten　one　word　spoken　on　that　festive　occasion。〃
  〃What　do　you　mean；　Wilhelmina？　How　could　I；　on　our　wedding…day；　have　made　known　to　you　the　tortures　which　I　now　suffer；　from　which　I　was　then　wholly　free；　and　in　whose　possibility　I　did　not　believe？〃
  〃It　is　possible　that　your　sufferings　have　become　more　intolerable；〃　said　the　princess；　coldly；　〃but　you　confided　them　to　me　fully　and　frankly　at　that　time。　It　was；　indeed；　the　only　time　since　our　marriage　we　had　any　thing　to　confide。　Our　only　secret　is　that　we　do　not　love　and　never　can　love　each　other；　that　only　in　the　eyes　of　the　world　are　we　married。　There　is　no　union　of　hearts。〃
  〃Oh；　princess；　your　words　are　death！〃　And　completely　overcome；　he　sank　upon　a　chair。
  Wilhelmina　looked　at　him　coldly；　without　one　trace　of　emotion。
  〃Death？〃　said　she；　〃why　should　I　slay　you？　We　murder　only　those　whom　we　love　or　hate。　I　neither　love　nor　hate　you。〃
  〃You　are　only；　then；　entirely　indifferent　to　me；〃　asked　the　prince。
  〃I　think；　your　highness；　this　is　what　you　asked　of　me；　on　our　wedding…day。　I　have　endeavored　to　meet　your　wishes；　and　thereby；　at　least；　to　prove　to　you　that　I　had　the　virtue　of　obedience。　Oh；　I　can　never　forget　that　hour；〃　cried　the　princess。　〃I　came　a　stranger；　alone；　ill　from　home…sickness　and　anguish　of　heart；　to　Berlin。　I　was　betrothed　according　to　the　fate　of　princesses。　I　was　not　consulted！　I　did　not　knowI　had　never　seen　the　man　to　whom　I　must　swear　eternal　love　and　faith。　This　was　also　your　sad　fate；　my　prince。　We　had　never　met。　We　saw　each　other　for　the　first　time　as　we　stood　before　God's　altar；　and　exchanged　our　vows　to　the　sound　of　merry　wedding…bells；　and　the　roar　of　cannon。　I　am　always　thinking　that　the　bells　ring　and　the　cannon　thunders　at　royal　marriages；　to　drown　the　timid；　trembling　yes；　forced　from　pallid；　unwilling　lips；　which　rings　in　the　ears　of　God　and　men　like　a　discordlike　the　snap　of　a　harp…string。　The　bells　chimed　melodiously。　No　man　heard　the　yes　at　which　our　poor　hearts　rebelled！　We　alone　heard　and　understood！　You　were　noble；　prince；　you　had　been　forced　to　swear　a　falsehood　before　the　altar；　but　in　the　evening；　when　we　were　alone　in　our　apartment；　you　told　me　the　frank　and　honest　truth。　State　policy　united　us；　we　did　not　and　could　never　love　each　other！　You　were　amiable　enough　to　ask　me　to　be　your　friendyour　sister；　and　to　give　me　an　immediate　proof　of　a　brother's　confidence；　you　confessed　to　me　that；　with　all　the　ardor　and　ecstasy　of　your　youthful　heart；　you　had　loved　a　woman　who　betrayed　you；　and　thus　extinguished　forever　all　power　to　love。　I；　my　prince；　could　not　follow　your　frank　example；　and　give　a　like　confidence。　I　had　nothing　to　relate。　I　had　not　loved！　I　loved　you　not！　I　was　therefore　grateful　when　you　asked　no　love　from　me。　You　only　asked　that；　with　calm　indifference；　we　should　remain　side　by　side；　and　greet　each　other；　before　the　world；　with　the　empty　titles　of　wife　and　husband。　I　accepted　this　proposal　joyfully；　to　remain　an　object　of　absolute　indifference　to　you；　and　to　regard　you　in　the　same　light。　I　cannot；　therefore；　comprehend　why　you　now　reproach　me。〃
  〃Yes！　yes！　I　said　and　did　all　that；〃　said　Prince　Henry；　pale　and　trembling　with　emotion。　〃I　was　a　madman！　More　than　that；　I　was　a　blasphemer！　Love　is　as　Godholy；　invisible；　and　eternal；　and　he　who　does　not　believe　in　her　immortality；　her　omnipresence；　is　like　the　heathen；　who　has　faith　only　in　his　gods　of　wood　and　stone；　and　whose　dull　eyes　cannot　behold　the　invisible　glory　of　the　Godhead。　My　heart　had　at　that　time　received　its　first　wound；　and　because　it　bled　and　pained　me　fearfully；　I　believed　it　to　be　dead；　and　I　covered　it　up　with　bitter　and　cruel　remembrances；　as　in　an　iron　coffin；　from　which　all　escape　was　impossible。　An　angel　drew　near；　and　laid　her　soft；　fine　hand　upon　my　coffin；　my　wounds　were　healed；　my　youth　revived；　and　I　dared　hope　in　happiness　and　a　future。　At　first；　I　would　not　confess　this　to　myself。　At　first；　I　thought　to　smother　this　new　birth　of　my　heart　in　the　mourning　veil　of　my　past　experience；　but　my　heart　was　like　a　giant　in　his　first　manhood；　and　cast　off　all　restraint；　like　Hercules　in　his　cradle；　he　strangled　the　serpents　which　were　hissing　around　him。　It　was　indeed　a　painful　happiness　to　know　that　I　had　again　a　heart；　that　I　was　capable　of　feeling　the　rapture　and　the　pain；　the　longing；　the　hopes　and　fears；　the　enthusiasm　and　exaltation；　the　doubt　and　the　despair　which　make　the　passion　of　love；　and　I　have　to　thank　you；　Wilhelminayou　alone；　you；　my　wife；　for　this　new　birth。　You　turn　away　your　head；　Wilhelmina！　You　smile　derisively！　It　is　true　I　have　not　the　right　to　call　you　my　wife。　You　are　free　to　spurn　me　from　you；　to　banish　me　forever　into　that　cold；　desert　region　to　which　I　fled　in　the　madness　and　blindness　of　my　despair。　But　think　well；　princess；　if　you　do　this；　you　cast　a　shadow　over　my　life。　It　is　my　whole　future　which　I　lay　at　your　feet；　a　future　for　which　fate　perhaps　intends　great　duties　and　greater　deeds。　I　cannot　fulfil　these　duties；　I　can　perform　no　heroic　deed；　unless　you；　princess；　grant　me　the　blessing　of　happiness。　I　shall　be　a　silent；　unknown；　and　useless　prince；　the　sad　and　pitiful　hanger…on　of　a　throne；　despised　and　unloved；　a　burden　only　to　my　people；　unless　you　give　freedom　and　strength　to　my　sick　soul；　which　lies　a　prisoner　at　your　feet。　Wilhelmina；　put　an　end　to　the　tortures　of　the　last　few　months；　release　me　from　the　curse　which　binds　my　whole　life　in　chains；　speak　but　one　word；　and　I　shall　have　strength　to　govern　the　world；　and　prove　to　you　that　I　am　worthy　of　you。　I　will　force　the　stars　from　heaven；　and　place　them　as　a　diadem　upon　your　brow。　Say　only　that　you　will　try　to　love　me；　and　I　will　thank　you　for　happiness　and　fame。〃
  Prince　Henry　was　so　filled　with　his　passion　and　enthusiasm；　that　he　did　not　remark　the　deadly　pallor　of　Wilhelmina's　facethat　he　did　not　see　the　look　of　anguish　and　horror　with　which　her　eyes　rested　for　one　moment　upon　him；　then　shrank　blushingly　and　ashamed　upon　the　floor。　He　seized　her　cold；　nerveless　hands；　and　pressed　them　to　his　heart；　she　submitted　quietly。　She　seemed　turned　to　stone。
  〃Be　merciful；　Wilhelmina；　say　that　you　forgive　methat　you　will　try　to　love　me。〃
  The　princess　shuddered；　and　glanced　up　at　him。　〃I　must　say　that；〃　murmured　she；　〃and　you　have　not　once　said　that　you　love　me。〃
  The　prince　shouted　with　rapture；　and；　falling　upon　his　knees；　he　exclaimed；　〃I　love　you！　I　adore　you！　I　want　nothing；　will　accept　nothing；　but　you　alone；　you　are　my　love；　my　hope；　my　future。　Wilhelmina；　if　you　do　not　intend　me　to　die　at　your　feet；　say　that　you　do　not　spurn　meopen　your　arms　and　clasp　me　to　your　heart。〃
  The　princess　stood　immovable　for　a　moment；　trembling　and　swaying　from　side　to　side；　her　lips　opened　as　if　to　utter　a　wild；　mad　cry　pain　was　written　on　every　feature。　The　prince　saw　nothing　of　this　his　lips　were　pressed　upon　her　hand；　and　he　did　not　look　uphe　did　not　see　his　wife　press　her　pale　lips　tightly　together　to　force　back　her　cries　of　despairhe　did　not　see　that　her　eyes　were　raised　in　unspeakable　agony　to　heaven。
  The　battle　was　over；　the　princess　bowed　over　her　husband；　and　her　hands　softly　raised　him　from　his　knees。　〃Stand　up；　princeI　dare　not　see　you　lying　at　my　feet。　You　have　a　right　to　my　loveyou　are　my　husband。〃
  Prince　Henry　clasped　her　closely；　passionately　in　his　arms。
  CHAPTER　IV。
  THE　FETE　IN　THE　WOODS。
  No　fete　was　ever　brighter　and　gayer　than　that　of　Rheinsberg。　It　is　true；　the　courtly　circle　waited　a　long　time　before　the　beginning　of　their　merry　sports。　Hours　passed　before　the　princely　pair　joined　their　guests