ander,' cried the Baron. 'They
touched, they thrilled me; I, forgot myself a moment--even I! But do you
suppose that I had not remarked, that I had not admired, your previous
bearing? your great self-command? Ay, that was princely!' He paused.
'It was a thing to see. I drank confidence! I tried to imitate your
calm. And I was well inspired; in my heart, I think that I was well
inspired; that any man, within the reach of argument, had been convinced!
But it was not to be; nor, madam, do I regret the failure. Let us be
open; let me disclose my heart. I have loved two things, not unworthily:
Grunewald and my sovereign!' Here he kissed her hand. 'Either I must
resign my ministry, leave the land of my adoption and the queen whom I
had chosen to obey--or--' He paused again.

'Alas, Herr von Gondremark, there is no "or,"' said Seraphina.

'Nay, madam, give me time,' he replied. 'When first I saw you, you were
still young; not every man would have remarked your powers; but I had not
been twice honoured by your conversation ere I had found my mistress. I
have, madam, I believe, some genius; and I have much ambition. But the
genius is of the serving kind; and to offer a career to my ambition, I
had to find one born to rule. This is the base and essence of our union;
each had need of the other; each recognised, master and servant, lever
and fulcrum, the complement of his endowment. Marriages, they say, are
made in heaven: how much more these pure, laborious, intellectual
fellowships, born to found empires! Nor is this all. We found each
other ripe, filled with great ideas that took shape and clarified with
every word. We grew together--ay, madam, in mind we grew together like
twin children. All of my life until we met was petty and groping; was it
not--I will flatter myself openly--it _was_ the same with you! Not till
then had you those eagle surveys, that wide and hopeful sweep of
intuition! Thus we had formed ourselves, and we were ready.'

'It is true,' she cried. 'I feel it. Yours is the genius; your
generosity confounds your insight; all I could offer you was the
position, was this throne, to be a fulcrum. But I offered it without
reserve; I entered at least warmly into all your thoughts; you were sure
of me--sure of my support--certain of justice. Tell me, tell me again,
that I have helped you.'

'Nay, madam,' he said, 'you made me. In everything you were my
inspiration. And as we prepared our