e you try to govern kingdoms, you should first be
able to behave yourself at home; home is the woman's kingdom.' She
paused and laughed a little, strangely to hear and look upon. 'I will
tell you one of the things,' she said, 'that were to stay unspoken. Von
Rosen is a better women than you, my Princess, though you will never have
the pain of understanding it; and when I took the Prince your order, and
looked upon his face, my soul was melted--O, I am frank--here, within my
arms, I offered him repose!' She advanced a step superbly as she spoke,
with outstretched arms; and Seraphina shrank. 'Do not be alarmed!' the
Countess cried; 'I am not offering that hermitage to you; in all the
world there is but one who wants to, and him you have dismissed! "If it
will give her pleasure I should wear the martyr's crown," he cried, "I
will embrace the thorns." I tell you--I am quite frank--I put the order
in his power and begged him to resist. You, who have betrayed your
husband, may betray me to Gondremark; my Prince would betray no one.
Understand it plainly,' she cried, ''tis of his pure forbearance that you
sit there; he had the power--I gave it him--to change the parts; and he
refused, and went to prison in your place.'

The Princess spoke with some distress. 'Your violence shocks me and
pains me,' she began, 'but I cannot be angry with what at least does
honour to the mistaken kindness of your heart: it was right for me to
know this. I will condescend to tell you. It was with deep regret that
I was driven to this step. I admire in many ways the Prince--I admit his
amiability. It was our great misfortune, it was perhaps somewhat of my
fault, that we were so unsuited to each other; but I have a regard, a
sincere regard, for all his qualities. As a private person I should
think as you do. It is difficult, I know, to make allowances for state
considerations. I have only with deep reluctance obeyed the call of a
superior duty; and so soon as I dare do it for the safety of the state, I
promise you the Prince shall be released. Many in my situation would
have resented your freedoms. I am not'--and she looked for a moment
rather piteously upon the Countess--'I am not altogether so inhuman as
you think.'

'And you can put these troubles of the state,' the Countess cried, 'to
weigh with a man's love?'

'Madame von Rosen, these troubles are affairs of life and death to many;
to the Prince, and perhaps even to yourself