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midst　of　a　desultory　conversation；　he　paused；　embraced　me
passionately；　and　exclaimed：　'Be　not　so　kind；　so　courteous；　and
gentle　toward　me；　for　I　hate　you；　I　detest　youbecause　I　hate　every
thing　keeping　me　back　from　her；　I　detest　every　thing　that　prevents
me　from　joining　HER！　Forgive　my　love　for　her　and　my　hatred　toward
you；　I　feel　both　in　spite　of　myself。　If　you　were　not　her　husband；　I
should　love　you　like　a　friend；　but　that　accursed　word　renders　you　a
mortal　enemy　of　mine。　And　still　I　bow　to　you　in　humilitystill　I
implore　you　to　be　generous；　do　not　banish　me　from　your　house；　from
HER；　for　I　should　die　if　I　were　not　allowed　to　see　her　every　day！'〃

Fanny　had　listened　to　him　with　blushing　cheeks　and　in　breathless
suspense。　Her　whole　soul　was　speaking　from　the　looks　which　she　fixed
on　her　husband；　and　with　which　she　seemed　to　drink　every　word；　like
sweet　nectar；　from　his　lips。

〃And　what　did　you　reply　to　him？〃　she　asked；　in　a　dry　and　husky
voice；　when　the　baron　was　silent。

〃I　replied　to　him　that　you　alone　had　to　decide　who　should　appear　at
our　parties；　and　that　every　one　whom　you　had　invited　would　be
welcome　to　me。　I　further　told　him　that　his　admiration　for　you　did
not　astonish　me　at　all；　and　that　I　would　readily　forgive　his　hatred；
for〃

The　baron　paused　all　at　once　and　looked　at　his　wife　with　a　surprised
and　inquiring　glance。　She　had　started　in　sudden　terror；　a　deep　blush
was　burning　on　her　cheeks；　and　her　eyes；　which　had　assumed　a
rapturous　and　enthusiastic　expression；　turned　toward　the　door。

The　baron's　eyes　followed　her　glance；　and　he　heard　now　a　slight
noise　at　the　door。

〃I　believe　somebody　has　knocked　at　the　door；〃　he　said；　fixing　his
piercing　eyes　on　his　wife。　　She　raised　her　head　and　whispered；　〃Yes；
I　believe　so。〃

〃And　it　is　the　second　time　already；〃　said　the　baron；　calmly。　〃Will
you　not　permit　the　stranger　to　walk　in？〃

〃I　do　not　know；〃　she　said；　in　great　embarrassment；　〃I〃

Suddenly　the　door　opened；　and　a　young　man　appeared　on　the　threshold。

〃Ah；　the　Prince　von　Lichtenstein；〃　said　the　baron；　and　he　went　with
perfect　calmness　and　politeness　to　meet　the　prince　who；　evidently　in
great　surprise；　remained　standing　in　the　door；　and　was　staring
gloomily　at　the　strange　and　unexpected　group。

〃Come　in；　my　dear　sir；〃　said　the　baron；　quietly；　〃the　baroness　will
be　very　grateful　to　you　for　coming　here　just　at　this　moment　and
interrupting　our　conversation；　for　it　referred　to　dry　business
matters。　I　laid　a　few　old　accounts；　that　had　been　running　for　five
years；　before　the　baroness；　and　she　gave　me　a　receipt　for　them；　that
was　all。　Our　interview；　moreover；　was　at　an　end；　and　you　need　not
fear　to　have　disturbed　us。　Permit　me；　therefore；　to　withdraw；　for
you　know　very　well　that；　in　the　forenoon；　I　am　nothing　but　a　banker；
a　business　man；　and　have　to　attend　to　the　affairs　of　our　firm。〃

He　bowed　simultaneously　to　the　prince　and　to　his　wife；　and　left　the
room；　as　smiling；　calm；　and　unconcerned　as　ever。　Only　when　the　door
had　closed　behind　him；　when　he　had　satisfied　himself　by　a　rapid
glance　through　the　reception…room　that　nobody　was　there；　the　smile
disappeared　from　his　lips；　and　his　features　assumed　an　air　of
profound　melancholy。

〃She　loves　him；〃　he　muttered；　〃yes；　she　loves　him！　Her　hand　trembled
in　mine　when　I　pronounced　his　name；　and　oh！　how　radiant　she　looked
when　she　heard　him　come！　Yes；　she　loves　him；　and　I？I　will　go　to　my
counting…house！〃　he　said；　with　a　smile　that　was　to　veil　the　tears　in
his　eyes。




CHAPTER　XXXVIII。

THE　RIVALS。


The　baron　had　no　sooner　closed　the　door　of　the　boudoir　when　the
young　Prince　von　Lichtenstein　hastened　to　Fanny；　and；　impetuously
seizing　her　hand；　looked　at　her　with　a　passionate　and　angry　air。

〃You　did　that　for　the　purpose　of　giving　me　pain；　I　suppose？〃　he
asked；　with　quivering　lips。　〃You　wished　to　prove　to　me　that　you　did
not　confer　any　special　favor　upon　me；　Yesterday　you　were　kind　enough
to　assure　me　that　no　man　ever　had　set　foot　into　this　room；　and　that
I　should　be　the　first　to　whom　it　would　be　opened　today；　and　I　was
such　a　conceited　fool　as　to　believe　your　beatifying　words；　and　I
rush　hither　as　early　as　is　permitted　by　decency　and　respect；　and　yet
I　do　not　find　you　alone。〃

〃It　was　my　husband　who　was　here；〃　said　Fanny；　almost　deprecatingly。

〃It　was　a　man；〃　he　ejaculated；　impetuously；　〃and　you　had　given　me
the　solemn　assurance　that　this　door　had　never　yet　opened　to　any　man。
Oh；　I　had　implored　you　on　my　knees；　and　with　tearful　eyes；　to　allow
me　to　see　you　here　to…day；　it　seemed　to　me　as　though　the　gates　of
paradise　were　to　be　at　last　opened　to　me；　no　sleep　came　into　my　eyes
all　night；　the　consciousness　of　my　approaching　bliss　kept　me　awake；
it　was　over　me　like　a　smiling　cherub；　and　I　was　dreaming　with　open
eyes。　And　now　that　the　lazy；　snail…like　time　has　elapsed；　now　that　I
have　arrived　here；　I　find　in　my　heaven；　at　the　side　of　my　cherub；　a
calculating　machine；　desecrating　my　paradise　by　vile　accounts〃

〃Pray　do　not　go　on　in　this　manner；〃　interrupted　Fanny；　sternly。　〃You
found　my　husband　here；　and　that；　of　course；　dissolves　the　whole
poetry　of　your　words　into　plain　prose；　for　she；　whom　in　your
enthusiastic　strain　you　styled　your　cherub；　is　simply　the　wife　of
this　noble　and　excellent　man；　whom　you　were　free　to　compare　with　a
calculating　machine。〃

〃You　are　angry　with　me！〃　exclaimed　the　young　prince；　disconsolately。
〃You　make　no　allowance　for　my　grief；　my　disappointment；　yea；　my
confusion！　You　have　punished　me　so　rudely　for　my　presumption；　and
will　not　even　permit　my　heart　to　bridle　up　and　give　utterance　to　its
wrath。〃

〃I　did　not　know　that　you　were　presumptuous　toward　me；　and　could　not
think；　therefore；　of　inflicting　punishment　on　you；〃　said　Fanny；　〃but
I　know　that　you　have　no　right　to　insult　the　man　whose　name　I　bear。〃

〃You　want　to　drive　me　to　despair；　then！〃　retorted　the　prince；　wildly
stamping　on　the　floor。　〃It　is　not　sufficient；　then；　that　you　let　me
find　your　husband　here；　you　must　even　praise　him　before　me！　I　will
tell　you　why　I　was　presumptuous。　I　was　presumptuous　inasmuch　as　I
believed　it　to　be　a　favor　granted　to　me　exclusively　to　enter　this
room；　and　you　have　punished　me　for　this　presumption　by　proving　to　me
that　this　door　opens　to　others；　too；　although　you　assured　me
yesterday　that　the　contrary　was　the　case。〃

〃Then　you　question　my　word？〃　asked　Fanny。

〃Oh；〃　he　said；　impetuously；　〃you　do　not　question　what　you　see　with
your　own　eyes。〃

〃And；　inasmuch　as　you　have　satisfied　yourself　of　my　duplicity　with
your　own　eyes；　as　you　have　seen　that　every　one　is　at　liberty　to
enter　this　room；　and　as　you　consequently　cannot　take　any　interest　in
prolonging　your　stay　here；　I　would　advise　you　to　leave　immediately；〃
said　Fanny；　gravely。

〃You　show　me　the　door？　You　turn　me　out！〃　exclaimed　the　prince；
despairingly。　〃Oh；　have　mercy　on　me！　No；　do　not　turn　away　from　me！
Look　at　me；　read　in　my　face　the　despair　filling　my　soul。　What；　you
still　avert　your　head？　I　beseech　you　just　grant　me　one　glance；　only
tell　me　by　the　faintest　smile　that　you　will　forgive　me；　and　I　will
obey　your　orders；　I　will　go；　even　if　it　should　be　only　for　the
purpose　of　dying；　not　here　before　your　eyes；　but　outside；　on　the
threshold　of　your　door。〃

〃Ah；　as　if　it　were　so　easy　to　die！〃　ejaculated　Fanny；　turning　her
face　toward　the　prince。

〃You　look　at　meyou　have　forgiven　me；　then！〃　exclaimed　the　young
man；　and　impetuously　kneeling　down　before　her；　he　seized　her　hands
and　pressed　them　to　his　lips。

〃Rise；　sir；　pray　rise；〃　said　the　baroness；　〃consider　that　somebody
might　come　in。　You　know　now　that　everybody　is　permitted　to　enter
this　room。〃

〃No；　no。　I　know　that　nobody　is　permitted　to　enter　here！〃　he
exclaimed；　fervently；　〃I　know　that　this　room　is　a　sanctuary　which　no
uninitiated　person　ever　entered；　I　know　that　this　is　the　sacred　cell
in　which　your　virgin　heart　exhaled　its　prayers　and　complaints；　and
which　is　only　known　to　God；　I　know　that　no　man's　foot　ever　crossed
this　threshold；　and　I　remain　on　my　knees　as　if　before　a　saint；　to
whom　I　confess　my　sins；　and　whom　I　implore　to　grant　me　absolution。
Will　you　forgive　me？〃

〃I　will；〃　she　said；　smilingly；　bending　over　him；　〃I　will；　if　it　were
only　to　induce　you　to　rise　from　your　knees。　And　as　you　now　perceive
and　regret　your　mistake；　I　will　tell　you　the　truth。　It　was　an
accident　that　the　baron　entered　this　room　to…day；　and　it　was　the
first　time；　too；　since　we　were　married。　Nor　did　he　come　here；　as　he
said；　in　delicate　self…derision；　for　the　purpose　of　settling
accounts　with　me；　but　in　order　to　fulfil　a　promise　which　he　gave　me
five　years　ago；　and　which；　I　confess　to　my　shame；　I　had　forgotten；
so　that；　instead　of　expecting　my　husband；　I　permitted　you　to　come　to
me。〃

〃I　thank　you　for　your　kind　words；　which　heal　all　the　wounds　of　my
heart　like　a　soothing　balm；〃　replied　the　prince。　〃Oh；　now　I　feel
well　again；　and　strong　enough　to　conquer　you　in　spite　of　the
resistance　of　the　whole　world。〃

〃And　do　you　know；　then；　whether　you　will　be　able　to　conquer　me　in
spite　of　my　resistance？〃　asked　Fanny；　smiling。

〃Yes！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I　know　it；　for　in　true　love　there　is　a
strength　that　will　subdue　and　surmount　all　obstacles。　And　I　love　you
truly；　you　know　it；　you　are　satisfied　of　it。　You　know　that　I　love
you；　every　breath；　every　look；　every　tremulous　note　of　my　voice
tells　you　so。　But　you？　do　you　love　me？　Oh；　I　implore　you；　at　length
have　mercy　on　me。　Speak　one　word　of　pity；　of　sympathy　I　Let　me　read
it　at　least　in　your　eyes；　if　your　lips　are　too　austere　to　utter　it。
I　have　come　to…day　with　the　firm　determination　to　receive　at　your
hands　my　bliss　or　my　doom。　The　torment　of　this　incertitude　kills　me。
Fanny；　tell　me；　do　you　love　me？〃

Fanny　did　not　answer　at　once；　she　stood　before　him；　her　head
lowered；　a　prey　to　conflicting　emotions；　but　she　felt　the　ardent
looks　which　were　resting　on　her；　and　her　heart　trembled　with　secret
delight。　She　made　an　effort；　however；　to　overcome　her　feelings；　and；
raising　her　head；　she　fixed　her　eyes　with　a　gentle　yet　mournful
expression　upon　the　young　man；　who；　breathless　and　pale　with
anxiety；　was　waiting　for　her　reply。

〃You　ask　me　if　I　love　you；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　but　firm　v