your cheeks?"

"Ah, your royal highness," said Louise, smiling, "Nature has been kind
to me, and has painted my cheeks with her own sweet and cunning hand."

"Then Nature is in covenant with you, and helps you to deceive yourself
to imagine that you are yet young. I am told that your daughter is grown
up and wondrously beautiful, and that only when you stand near her is it
seen how old and ugly you are."

Louise knew the rancor of the unhappy princess, and she knew no one
could approach her without being wounded--that the undying worm in her
soul was only satisfied with the blood it caused to flow. The harsh
words of the princess had no sting for her. "If I were truly old," said
she, "I would live in my daughter: she is said to be my image, and when
she is praised, I feel myself flattered."

"A day will come when she will be blamed and you will also be
reproached," murmured Amelia. After a pause she said: "So you have
brought me another deceiver who declares himself a prophet?"

"I do not believe him to be an impostor, your highness. He has given me
convincing proofs of his inspiration."

"What sort of proofs? How can these people who prophesy of the future
prove that they are inspired?"

"He has not told me of the future, but of the past," said Louise.

"Has he had the courage to recall any portion of your past to you?" said
the princess, with a coarse laugh.

"Many droll and merry portions, your highness, and it is to be regretted
that they were all true," she said, with comic pathos.

"Bring in this soothsayer, Fraulein von Lethow. He shall prophesy of
you: I think you have not, like Madame du Trouffle, any reason to fear a
picture of your past."

The prophet entered. He was wrapped in a long black robe, which was
gathered around his slender form by a black leathern girdle covered with
curious and strange figures and emblems; raven black hair fell around
his small, pale face; his eyes burned with clouded fire, and flashed
quickly around the room. With head erect and proud bearing, he drew near
the princess, and only when very near did he salute her, and in a sweet,
soft, melodious voice, asked why she wished to see him.

"If you are truly a prophet, you will know my reasons."

"Would you learn of the past?" said he, solemnly.

"And why not first of the future?"

"Because your highness distrusts me and would prove me. Will you permit
me to take my cards? If you allow it, I will first prophesy to this