ight and his eyes sparkled.

"Yes, I have this belief; and why should I not have it, as my own heart
had stood the trial? I have not seen her for twelve days, have not heard
of her, and still my love is as great and as ardent as ever. Yes, I
believe that at the thought of her my heart beats more quickly, more
longingly than if I had her in my arms."

"The reason of this," said Pollnitz, almost sympathetically, "is that it
is your first love."

Prince Henry looked at him angrily.

"You are wrong and most unjust to this beautiful woman, who remained
good and pure in the midst of the corrupting and terrible circumstances
in which destiny placed her. She preserved a chaste heart, an unspotted
soul. Her misfortunes only refined her, and therefore I love her,
and believe that God has placed me in her way that, after all her
sufferings, I might make her happy. Oh, precisely because of her
sorrows, the shameful slanders with which she is pursued, and all for
which she is reproached, I love her."

"Well, my prince," sighed Pollnitz, with a tragical expression, "I never
saw a bolder hero and a more pious Christian than your highness."

"What do you mean by that, Pollnitz?"

"That an enormous amount of bravery is necessary, prince, to believe
Madame von Kleist chaste and innocent, and that only a pious Christian
can count himself so entirely among those of whom Christ says, 'Blessed
are they that have not seen and yet have believed.' May a good fairy
long preserve you your bravery and your Christianity! But surely your
highness must have important and convincing proofs to believe in the
innocence and faithfulness of this woman. I confess that any other man
would have been discouraged in his godlike belief by facts. It is a fact
that for twelve days Madame von Kleist has sent you no message through
me; it is a fact that she was not at the masked ball; that as often as
I have been to her in these last days, to deliver letters for your
highness, and to obtain hers in return, she has never received me,
always excused herself; and, therefore, I could not receive her letters,
nor deliver those of your highness."

"And were you not in Berlin early this morning! Did you not go to her as
I ordered you, and tell her she might expect me this evening?"

"I went to her house, but in vain; she was with the queen-mother, and
I was told that she would not return until late in the evening, I
therefore could not deliver the message, your