as usual, the Starostine
Krasinska. The prince royal, under the pretext of his health, went
nowhere, and the prince palatine managed our interviews. But a week
since the prince royal began to go out, and paid a visit to my aunt, the
princess. I was in the saloon when he was announced; it was the first
time since our marriage that I had seen him in presence of a third
person, and I found it impossible to hide my confusion. I could not see
and hear him without telling him through my eyes that I loved him.

The princess observed me. When he was gone, she scolded me, and
reproached me with what she called my coquetry and imprudence; I could
not bear her injustice, and very rashly replied, that no one had a right
to blame me when my own conscience absolved me. The prince royal came
again the next day; the princess was abstracted, and a dissatisfaction,
which she strove in vain to disguise, appeared in her whole manner. He
was entirely occupied with me, and did not perceive the storm which was
gathering; not having been able to speak with me alone on that day, he
had written to me, and while pretending to play with my work basket, he
slipped a note into it. The princess saw it, and as soon as he had gone,
seized upon the fatal note, which was addressed to: 'My well beloved.'

I can never describe her anger and indignation. How did I ever live
through that horrible scene!...

'Your _intrigues_,' she cried, 'will never succeed in my house; you are
the horror, the shame, and the ignominy of your family, and you shall
not disgrace my mansion. I have already taken measures to put an end to
your infamous conduct; here is a copy of the letter sent by me this
morning to the minister, Bruhl. I tell him that honor is dearer and more
sacred to me than all family ties, that an ambitious hope will never
induce me to renounce the duties which it imposes upon me, and that I
now esteem it my duty to inform him that the prince royal loves Frances
Krasinska. I conjure the minister to do all in his power to end this
intrigue while there is yet time. I will prove that I have nothing to do
with this abomination, and that if I have been in fault, it was because
I placed such implicit confidence in my niece's virtue. Yes--the king
himself, at this very moment, probably knows the whole extent of your
shame and your insane pride.'

'The king!' I cried, almost out of my senses, 'the king! Ah! Let no one
tell him that I am the prince royal's wife; l