carefully looked over. Perhaps this was done in pity for
the poor, wounded spirit which found distraction in such child's play.
It is certain that when the king wrote to the princess, he thanked her
for her manuscripts, and asked her to continue to send them. [Footnote:
Thiebault, p. 279.] But he also demanded perfect silence as to this
strange correspondence; he feared his enemies might falsely interpret
his consideration for the weakness of the princess; they might suppose
that he needed these prophecies to lead him on to victory, as his
adversaries needed the consecrated sword.

This was one of the days on which the princess was accustomed to receive
her fortune-teller; she had been very angry when told that she was under
arrest; neither the prophet nor the fortune-teller were at liberty, and
the princess was not able to obtain their release. She would, therefore,
have been compelled to forego her usual occupation for the evening, had
not Madame du Trouffle come to her aid. Louise had written that morning
to the princess, and asked permission to introduce a new soothsayer,
whose prophecies astonished the world, as, so far, they had been
literally fulfilled. Amelia received this proposition joyfully, and now
waited impatiently for Madame du Trouffle and the soothsayer; but
she was yet alone, it was not necessary to hide her grief in stoical
indifference, to still the groans of agony which, like the last sighs
from a death-bed, rang from her breast.

The princess suffered not only from mental anguish; her body was as sick
as her soul. The worm gnawing at her heart was also devouring her body;
but neither for body nor soul would she accept a physician, she refused
all sympathy for intellectual and physical pain. Amelia suffered and was
silent, and only when as now she was certain there was no eye to see, no
ear to hear her complaints, did she give utterance to them. And now the
maid entered and announced Madame du Trouffle and the prophet.

"Let them enter," said the princess in a hollow, death-like voice; "let
them enter, and remain yourself, Fraulein Lethow; the soothsayer shall
tell your fortune."

The door opened, and Madame du Trouffle entered. She was gay and lovely
as ever, and drew near the princess with a charming smile. Amelia
returned her salutation coldly and carelessly.

"How many hours have you spent at your toilet to-day?" said she,
roughly; "and where do you buy the rouge with which you have painted