to life. His eyes sparkled,
his lips parted, his cheeks glowed with color--his whole countenance was
eloquent; his tongue alone was silent.

He could not speak. He rushed toward his sword, which was hanging on the
wall, tore it from its sheath, and pressed his lips to the keen blade.
Then he laid it on the table, and dashed like a madman from the
room--down the corridor to Marie's apartment. Without knocking, he
opened the door, rushed toward the young girl, raised her in his arms as
if she were a little child, and, carrying her thus, returned to his
guest. "Here--here she is!" he cried breathlessly. "Behold her! Now you
may look on her face--now the whole world may behold her countenance and
read in it her illustrious descent. This is my idol--my goddess, for
whom I have lived, for whom I would die!"

He had placed the maid on a sort of throne between the two bookcases,
and alternately kissed the hem of her gown and his sword.

"Can you imagine a more glorious queen?" he demanded, in a transport of
ecstasy, flinging one arm over the vice-palatine's shoulder, and
pointing with the other toward the confused and blushing girl. "Is there
anywhere else on earth so much love, so much goodness and purity, a
glance so benevolent--all the virtues God bestows upon his favorites? Is
not this the angel who has been called to destroy the Leviathan of the
Apocalypse?"

The vice-palatine gazed in perplexity at the young girl, then said in a
low tone:

"She is the image of the unfortunate Queen, Marie Antoinette, who looked
just like that when she was a bride."

Involuntarily Marie lifted her hands and hid her face behind them. She
had grown accustomed to the piercing rays of the sun, but not to the
questioning glances from strange eyes.

"What--what does--this mean, Ludwig?" she stammered, in bewilderment. "I
don't understand you."

Count Vavel stepped to the opposite side of the room, where a large map
concealed the wall. He drew a cord, and the map rolled up, revealing a
long hall-like chamber, which, large as it was, was filled to the
ceiling with swords, firearms, saddles, and harness.

"I will equip a company of cavalry, and command it myself. The entire
equipment, to the last cartridge, is ready here."

He conducted the vice-palatine into the arsenal, and exhibited his
terrible treasures.

"Are you satisfied with my preparations for war?" he asked.

"I can only reply as did the poor little Saros farmer when his