-until he has a right to
know. Once he has my secret. Love is robbed of his best treasure.
Mon Dieu! I wish to tell him myself, sometime, if he ever has the
courage to take command of me. I warn you, Therese, if I think he
knows--when I see him--I shall be cruel to him; I shall make him
hate me. So you see I will not be cheated of my wooing, and I know
you would not endanger my life's happiness. I have written a
little song--for him. Well, some day I shall sing it to him, and
will he not be glad to know I could do it? Here are the first
lines to give you the idea:--

My emperor! my emperor!
Thy face is fair to see;
Thy house is old, thy heart is gold,
Oh, take command of me!

O emperor! my emperor!
Thy sceptre is of God;
Through all my days I'll sing thy praise,
And tremble at thy nod.

But, dear Therese, you ought to hear the music; I have quite
surprised myself. Indeed, love is a grand thing; it has made me
nobler and stronger. They really say I am not selfish any more.
But I am weary of waiting here, and so eager to get home. You are
in love, and you have been through this counting of the hours. We
are very comfortable here, and they let us go and come as we like
inside the high walls. I have told you there is a big, big grove
and garden.

"We saw nothing of 'his Lordship' for weeks until three days ago,
when they brought him here wounded. That is the reason we could
not send you a letter before now. You know he has to see them all
and arrange for their delivery. Well, he sent for Louise that day
he came. She went to him badly frightened, poor thing! as, indeed,
we all were. He lay in bed helpless, and wept when he saw her.
She came back crying, and would not tell what he had said. I do
think he loves her very dearly, and somehow we are all beginning to
think better of him. Surely no one could be more courteous and
gallant. Louise went to help nurse him yesterday, dear, sweet
little mother! Then he told her the good news of our coming
release, where your men would meet us, and all as I have written.
He is up in his chair to-day, the maid tells me. I joked Louise
about him this morning, and she began to cry at once, and said her
heart was not hers to give. The sly thing! I wonder whom she
loves; but she would say no more, and has had a long face all day.
She is so stubborn! I have sworn I will never tell her another of
my secrets. You are to answer quickly,