ping breath and gnashing teeth--"you
knew that, and yet you dare to speak so, dare to vilify the maiden whom I
love, dare to asperse a pure angel, to call her an outcast! Take back your
words, man, if your life is dear to you--recall them, if you would leave
this room alive!"

"Kill me, Prince, for I do not recall them!" cried Leuchtmar, tranquilly
meeting the flaming glances of the Prince. "No, I do not recall them, and
if you take away my life, I shall give it up in your service and for your
profit. You see very well I attempt no defense, although I am a strong
man, who knows well how to defend his life. But for my own convictions and
for you I die gladly. Kill me then!"

"You do not recall them?" shrieked the Prince. "You maintain all to be
truth that you have said of the order of the Media Nocte? You knew already
before I told you that the Princess Ludovicka Hollandine belongs to it?"

"I knew it, Prince, indeed, I knew it!"

The Prince burst into a wild laugh, and with a sudden jerk thrust
Leuchtmar so violently from him that he reeled backward against the wall.

"No," he said grimly and wrathfully--"no, I will not do you the pleasure
to kill you, for that would turn a wretched farce into a tragedy, and make
a hero of a comedian! You are a good comedian, and you have played your
part well! I can testify to that. Go and claim credit for this with my
father and Count Schwarzenberg!"

"I do not understand you, Prince. What does this mean?"

"It means, Mr. Comedian, it means, that already this morning, while you
supposed I was sleeping, I have had an interview with Gabriel Nietzel, my
mother's court painter. Ah! now start back and be amazed. Yes, Gabriel
Nietzel sat by my bed for more than an hour, and brought me a verbal
message from my mother. She had also intrusted him with a letter for me,
but on his journey here he has been robbed and the letter taken from him.
Oh, I imagine the robbers took much more interest in the letters than in
the effects of the painter, and Count Schwarzenberg and yourself both well
know their contents. But happily my mother gave good Gabriel Nietzel a
message to bring by word of mouth as well, which they could not steal from
him, Baron von Leuchtmar. Can you understand now why I call you a
comedian, who has studied his part well?"

"No, Electoral Prince of Brandenburg, I can not yet."

"Well, sir, then I shall tell you. Your virtuous indignation against the
Media Nocte, your shame