at your feet. One word from you,
and he will be delivered over to a court-martial and be shot. But you
will not speak that word--you are an angel of mercy."

"Speak, sir--speak, sir," said Amelia, breathlessly. "My God! do you not
see that I am dying from agitation?"

"Princess, Trenck lives--he is in chains--he is in a hole under the
earth--but he lives, and as long as he has life, he hopes in you--has
wild dreams of liberty, and his friends think and hope with him. Trenck
has friends who are ready to offer up their lives for him. One of them
is in the fortress of Magdeburg--he is lieutenant of the guard; another
is a Captain Kimsky, prisoner of war; I am a third. I have known Trenck
since my youth. In our beautiful days of mirth and revelry, we swore to
stand by each other in every danger. The moment has come to fulfil my
oath--Trenck is a prisoner, and I must help to liberate him. Our numbers
are few and dismembered--we need allies in the fortress, and still more
in the city. We need powerful assistance, and no one but your highness
can obtain it for us."

"I have an assured and confidential friend in Magdeburg," said the
princess; "at a hint from me he will be ready to stand by you to--"

Suddenly she was silent, and cast a searching, threatening glance at
Ranuzi. She had been too often deceived and circumvented--snares had
been too often laid at her feet--she was distrustful. "No, no," said
she, at last, sternly, rudely--"I will take no part in this folly. Go,
sir--go. You are a poor soothsayer, and I will have nothing to do with
you."

Ranuzi smiled, and drew a folded paper from his bosom, which he handed
to the princess. It contained these words: "Count Ranuzi is an honest
man--he can be trusted unconditionally." Under these words was written:
"Nel tue giorni felici, vicordati da me."

The breast of Amelia heaved convulsively--she gazed at these written
characters; at last her eyes filled with tears--at last her heart was
overcome by those painful and passionate feelings which she had so long
kept in bondage. She pressed the paper, the lines on which were written
with his blood, to her lips, and hot tears gushed from those poor eyes
which for long, long years, had lost the power to weep.

"Now, sir," said she, "I believe in you, I trust you. Tell me what I
have to do."

"Three things fail us, princess: A house in Magdeburg, where Trenck's
friends can meet at all hours, and make all necessary preparation