。　Now　they　were　in　her　cabinetin　this　quiet；　confidential　family　room；　where　Prince　Henry　had　passed　so　many　happy　hours　with　his　beloved　Wilhelmina。　Now　he　stood　before　her；　with　a　cold；　contemptuous　glance；　panting　for　breath；　too　agitated　to　speak。
  The　princess　was　pale　as　death；　unspeakable　anguish　was　written　in　her　face。　She　dared　not　interrupt　this　fearful　silence；　and　appeared　to　be　only　occupied　in　arranging　her　toilet；　she　took　off　her　hat　and　velvet　mantle。
  〃Madame；〃　said　the　prince　at　last；　gasping　at　every　word；　〃I　am　here　to　make　a　request　of　you！〃
  Wilhelmina　bowed　coldly　and　ceremoniously。　〃You　have　only　to　command；　my　husband！〃
  〃Well；　then；　〃said　he；　no　longer　able　to　maintain　his　artificial　composure。　〃I　command　you　to　show　me　the　letter　you　have　hidden　in　your　bosom。〃
  〃What　letter；　prince？〃　stammered　she；　stepping　back　alarmed。
  〃The　letter　which　Count　Kalkreuth　gave　you　in　the　garden。　Do　not　utter　a　falsehood；　do　not　dare　to　deny　it。　I　am　not　in　a　mood　to　be　restrained　by　any　earthly　consideration。〃
  As　he　stood　thus；　opposed　to　her；　with　flashing　eyes；　with　trembling　lips；　and　his　arm　raised　threateningly；　Wilhelmina　felt　that　it　would　be　dangerous；　indeed　impossible　to　make　any　opposition。　She　knew　that　the　decisive　moment　had　arrived；　the　veil　must　be　lifted；　and　that　deception　was　no　longer　possible。
  〃The　letter！　give　me　the　letter！〃　cried　the　prince；　with　a　menacing　voice。
  Wilhelmina　gazed　at　him　steadily；　with　eyes　full　of　scorn　and　hatred。
  〃Here　it　is；〃　taking　the　letter　calmly　from　her　bosom；　and　handing　it　to　the　prince。
  He　snatched　it　like　a　tiger　about　to　tear　his　prey　to　pieces；　but　when　he　had　opened　it　and　held　it　before　him；　the　paper　trembled　so　in　his　hands；　he　was　scarcely　able　to　read　it。　Once　he　murmured：　〃Ah！　he　dares　to　say　thou　to　you；　he　calls　you　his　'adored　Wilhelmina！'〃　He　read　on；　groaning；　sometimes　crying　out　aloud；　then　muttering　wild　imprecations。
  The　princess　stood　in　front　of　him；　pale　as　death；　trembling　in　every　limb；　her　teeth　were　chattering；　and　she　was　forced　to　lean　against　her　chair　to　keep　from　falling。
  When　the　prince　had　finished　reading　the　letter；　he　crushed　it　and　thrust　it　in　his　bosom；　then　fixed　his　eyes　upon　his　wife　with　an　expression　of　such　intense；　unspeakable　misery；　that　the　princess　felt　her　heart　moved　to　its　profoundest　depths。
  〃Oh；　my　husband；〃　she　said；　〃curse　me！murder　me！but　do　not　look　upon　me　thus。〃　She　then　sank　as　if　pressed　down　by　an　invisible　power；　to　her　knees；　and　raised　her　hands　to　him　imploringly。
  The　prince　laughed　coarsely；　and　stepped　back。　〃Rise；　madame；〃　said　he；　〃we　are　not　acting　a　comedyit　is　only　your　husband　who　is　speaking　with　you。　Rise；　madame；　and　give　me　the　key　to　your　secretary。　You　will　understand　that　after　having　read　this　letter　I　desire　to　see　the　others。　As　your　husband；　I　have　at　least　the　right　to　know　how　much　confidence　you　have　placed　in　your　lover；　and　how　far　you　return　his　passion。〃
  〃You　despise　me；〃　cried　Wilhelmina；　bursting　into　tears。
  〃I　think　I　am　justified　in　doing　so；〃　said　he；　coldly。　〃Stand　up；　and　give　me　the　key。〃
  She　rose　and　staggered　to　the　table。　〃Here　is　the　key。〃
  The　prince　opened　the　secretary。　〃Where　are　the　letters；　madame？〃
  〃In　the　upper　drawer　to　the　left。〃
  〃Ah；〃　said　lie　with　a　rude　laugh；　〃not　even　in　a　secret　compartment　have　you　guarded　these　precious　letters。　You　were　so　sure　of　my　blind　confidence　in　you　that　you　did　not　even　conceal　your　jewels。〃
  Princess　Wilhelmina　did　not　answer；　but　as　the　prince　read　one　after　the　other　of　the　letters；　she　sank　again　upon　her　knees。　〃My　God；　my　God！〃　murmured　she；　〃have　pity　upon　me！　Send　Thy　lightning　and　crush　me。　Oh；　my　God！　why　will　not　the　earth　cover　me　and　hide　me　from　his　glance！〃
  Rivers　of　tears　burst　from　her　eyes；　and　raising　her　arms　to　heaven；　she　uttered　prayers　of　anguish　and　repentance。
  The　prince　read　on；　on；　in　these　unholy　letters。　Once　he　exclaimed　aloud；　and　rushed　with　the　letter　to　the　princess。
  〃Is　this　true？〃　said　he〃is　this　which　you　have　written；　true？〃
  〃What？　Is　what　true？〃　said　Wilhelmina；　rising　slowly　from　her　knees。
  〃He　thanks　you　in　this　letter　for　having　written　to　him　that　you　have　never　loved　any　man　but　himselfhimKalkreuth　alone！　Did　you　write　the　truth？〃
  〃I　wrote　it；　and　it　is　the　truth；〃　said　the　princess；　who　had　now　fully　recovered　her　energy　and　her　composure。　〃Yes；　sir；　I　have　loved　no　one　but　Kalkreuth　alone。　I　could　not　force　my　heart　to　love　youyou　who　in　the　beginning　disdained　me；　then　one　day　in　an　idle　mood　were　pleased　to　love　me；　to　offer　me　your　favor。　I　was　no　slave　to　be　set　aside　when　you　were　in　the　humor；　and　to　count　myself　blessed　amongst　women　when　you　should　find　me　worthy　of　your　high　regard。　I　was　afree　born　woman；　and　as　I　could　not　give　my　hand　to　him　I　loved；　I　gave　my　heartthat　heart　which　you　rejected。　You　have　the　right　to　kill　me；　but　not　to　despise　meto　dishonor　me。〃
  〃Do　I　dishonor　you　when　I　speak　the　truth？〃　cried　the　prince。
  〃You　do　not　speak　the　truth。　I　have　sinned　heavily　against　you。　I　suffered　your　loveI　could　not　return　it。　I　had　not　the　courage　when　I　saw　you；　who　had　so　long　disdained　me；　lying　at　my　feet；　declaring　your　passion　and　imploring　my　love　in　return；　to　confess　to　you　that　I　could　never　love　youthat　my　heart　was　no　longer　free。　This　is　my　crimethis　alone。　I　could　not　force　my　heart　to　love　you；　but　I　could　be　faithful　to　my　duty；　and　I　have　been　so。　It　is　not　necessary　for　me　to　blush　and　cast　my　eyes　down　before　my　husband。　My　love　is　puremy　virtue　untarnished。　I　have　broken　no　faith　with　you。〃
  〃Miserable　play　on　words！〃　said　the　prince。　〃You　have　been　a　hypocriteyour　crime　is　twofold：　you　have　sinned　against　meyou　have　sinned　against　your　love。　You　have　been　a　base　coward　who　had　not　the　courage　to　do　justice　to　the　feelings　of　your　own　heart。　What　mean　you　by　saying　you　have　broken　no　faith　with　me？　You　have　acted　a　daily　lie。　Oh；　madame；　how　have　I　loved　you！　Both　body　and　soul　were　lost　in　that　wild　love。　When　you　stood　with　your　lover　and　listened　well　pleased　to　those　glowing　confessions　of　his　sinful　love；　you　excused　yourself　and　thought；　forsooth；　you　were　breaking　no　faith。　You　have　defrauded　me　of　the　woman　I　loved　and　the　friend　whom　I　trusted。　May　God　curse　you；　even　as　I　do！　May　Heaven　chastise　you；　even　as　I　shall！〃
  He　raised　both　his　hands　over　her　as　if　he　would　call　down　Heaven's　curse　upon　her　guilty　head；　then　turned　and　left　the　room。
  CHAPTER　XII。
  THE　MORNING　AT　SANS…SOUCI。
  It　was　five　o'clock　in　the　morning。　Deep　silence　reigned；　the　darkness　of　night　still　encompassed　the　world；　the　weary　might　still　sleep　and　rest；　life　had　recommenced　nowhere；　nowhere　except　at　Sans…Souci；　nowhere　except　in　the　apartment　of　the　king；　while　his　people　slept；　the　king　watched；　he　watched　to　work　and　think　for　his　people。　Without　the　wind　howled　and　blew　the　snow　against　his　window；　and　made　even　the　fire　in　his　room　flicker；　but　the　king　heeded　it　not。　He　had　completed　his　toilet　and　drunk　his　chocolate；　now　he　was　working。　It　did　not　disturb　him　that　his　room　was　cold；　that　the　candle　on　his　table　gave　but　a　poor　light；　and　even　seemed　to　increase　the　appearance　of　discomfort　in　his　apartment；　it　gave　sufficient　light　to　enable　him　to　read　the　letters　which　lay　upon　his　table；　and　which　had　arrived　the　previous　day。　His　ministers　might　sleepthe　king　waked　and　worked。　He　read　every　letter　and　petition；　and　wrote　a　few　words　of　answer　on　the　margin　of　each。　After　reading　all　business　communications；　the　king　took　his　own　letters；　those　that　were　addressed　to　him　personally；　and　came　from　his　absent　friends。　His　countenance；　which　before　was　grave　and　determined；　assumed　a　soft　and　gentle　expression；　and　a　smile　played　upon　his　lips。　The　receipts　for　to…day　were　small。　There　were　but　few　letters；　and　the　large　proportion　of　them　came　from　relations　of　the　king；　or　from　distant　acquaintances。
  〃No　letter　from　D'Argens；〃　said　the　king；　smiling。　〃My　ecclesiastic　letter　has　accomplished　the　desired　end；　and　the　good　marquis　will　arrive　here　to…day　to　rail　at；　and　then　forgive　me。　Ah；　here　is　a　letter　from　D'Alembert。　Well；　this　is　doubtless　an　agreeable　letter；　for　it　will　inform　me　that　D'Alembert　accepts　my　proposal；　and　has　decided　to　become　the　president　of　my　Academy　of　Science。〃
  He　hastily　broke　the　seal；　and　while　he　read　a　dark　cloud　overshadowed　his　brow。　〃He　declines　my　offer；〃　he　said；　discontentedly。　〃His　pride　consists　in　a　disregard　for　princes；　he　wishes　posterity　to　admire　him　for　his　unselfishness。　Oh；　he　does　not　yet　know　posterity。　She　will　either　be　utterly　silent　on　this　subject　or；　should　it　be　spoken　of；　it　will　be　considered　an　act　of　folly　which　D'Alembert　committed。　He　is　a　proud　and　haughty　man；　as　they　all　are。〃　He　again　took　the　letter　and　read　it　once　more；　but　more　slowly　and　more　carefully　than　before；　gradually　the　clouds　disappeared　from　his　brow；　and　his　eyes　beamed　with　pleasure。
  〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　misjudged　D'Alembert。　My　displeasure　at　a　disappointed　hope　blinded　me；　D'Alembert　is　not　a　small；　vain　man；　but　a　free　and　great　spirit。　He　now　refuses　my　presidency；　with　a　salary　of　six　thousand　thale