Whilst the steward and hastening servants were endeavoring to recall
him to life, Arwed raised the paper which had fallen from his trembling
hand, and read as follows:

'Alike unworthy to call myself Arwed's wife and your daughter, I have
not courage to meet your just anger. I therefore follow the man whose
wife I already am in the sight of God. By the memory of my noble mother
I conjure you curse me not. May you pardon me in another world!'

'Unhappy parent!' sighed Arwed with deep emotion.

Meantime the strong old man, who had partially recovered, raised
himself up in his chair, and his first glance fell upon Arwed.

'You have read?' he asked, and as Arwed answered in the affirmative, he
stretched out his hand to receive the billet, which Arwed with some
hesitation handed to him. Having motioned to his people to withdraw, he
again read it through.

'No, I will not curse thee, unhappy girl!' said he coldly, and tearing
the note. 'An ungrateful child bears already the curse of heaven in her
heart, and where love is dead the flames of anger find no nourishment.
You hope I shall pardon you in another world! It is possible I may, if
in that world earthly conceptions of honor disappear, and a woman
without virtue is no longer a disgrace to her sex.'

'Will you not make an attempt,' asked Arwed, 'to tear the poor victim
from her seducer? Let us seek her! Your arm reaches further than she
can have flown in the course of the night.'

'Why should I?' said the governor, with listless anger. 'Should I bring
her back, I should be compelled to take the life of the villain, whose
wife she already is in the sight of God, and she would have nothing
left on earth. Let them go!'

A deep and awful silence followed. The clattering steps of Arwed's
horses, which Knut was leading out, awoke the uncle from his
stupefaction.

'Your horses are ready,' said he, rising up. 'Go, and God be with you!'

'It is hard for me to leave you in this state of mind,' said Arwed.

'Your country calls you,' answered the governor, 'and I may venture to
call myself a man. I have given proof of it. I have experienced the
worst that can befall me, and sorrow has not killed me.'

'My noble, my unhappy uncle!' cried Arwed, sinking upon the old man's
bosom.

'Fight bravely, Arwed,' said the uncle, 'but risk not your life with
foolhardiness. You are my only heir. I know your disposition, that you
disregard wealth, but the fact will serve to remind you