by
a rare conjuncture the hand had found the tool; and from the first I was
confident, as I am confident to-day, that no hereditary trifler has the
power to shatter that alliance."

"I, born to command!" she said. "Do you forget my tears?"

"Madam, they were the tears of Alexander," 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: Gruenewald 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 ente