w often he has
called me so!--to her fate."

Here she faltered, and her cheeks glowed with excitement as, with her
clinched hand on her brow, she continued: "Must everything be changed
and overturned because this traitor is the Emperor, and the betrayed
only the child of a man who, though plain, is worthy of all honour, and
who, besides, was not found on the highway, but belongs to the class of
knights, from whom even the proudest races of sovereigns descend?
You trample my father and me underfoot, to exalt the grandeur of your
master. You make him the idol, to humble me to a worm; and what you
grant the she-wolf--the right of defence when men undertake to rob her
of her young--you deny me, and, because I insist upon it, I must be a
deluded, unbridled creature."

Here she sobbed aloud and covered her face with her hands; but Dr.
Mathys had been obliged to do violence to his feelings in order not to
put a speedy end to the fierce attack. Her glance had been like that
of an infuriated wild beast as the rage in her soul burst forth with
elementary power, and the sharpness of her hoarse voice still pierced
him to the heart.

Probably the man of honour whom she had so deeply-insulted felt
justified in paying her in the same coin, but the mature and experienced
physician knew how much he must place to the account of the physical
condition of this unfortunate girl, and did not conceal from himself
that her charges were not wholly unjustifiable. So he restrained
himself, and when she had gained control over the convulsive sobbing
which shook her bosom, he told her his intention of leaving her and not
returning until he could expect a less hostile reception. Meanwhile
she might consider whether the Emperor's decision was not worthy
of different treatment. He would show his good will to her anew by
concealing from his Majesty what he had just heard, and what she, at no
distant day, would repent as unjust and unworthy of her.

Then Barbara angrily burst forth afresh: "Never, never, never will that
happen! Neither years nor decades would efface the wrong inflicted upon
me to-day. But oh, how I hate him who makes this shameful demand--yes,
though you devour me with your eyes--hate him, hate him! I do so even
more ardently than I loved him! And you? Why should you conceal it? From
kindness to me? Perhaps so! Yet no, no, no! Speak freely! Yes, you must,
must tell him so to his face! Do it in my name, abused, ill-treated as I
am,