!"

"My child, do not promise too much. Engagements made in a moment of
enthusiasm or sentiment are speedily forgotten; but there is one
promise I would have from you. There is one man whom you must give
your word to me that you will _never_ receive--that you will never
break the seal of a letter that comes from him; that you will never
accept a present from him, never take up a bouquet he may throw you,
never notice his applause. This man must not exist for you; you must
take as little notice of him as if he were a crossing-sweeper. This
man is Prince Waldemar."

"Oh, sir, I already hate him. I shudder at his approach."

"I am glad to hear it. He deserves every good woman's hatred; but he
is rich, young, handsome. He raves of you. Women are flattered by the
love of such as he; and circumstances may arise to alter your ideas.
Wealth has a wonderful attraction, and poverty is a great temptation.
The time must come when I shall no longer be here. You must swear to
me that when I am dead or removed from you you will keep your oath to
accept nothing from Prince Waldemar."

"I swear it to you by what is most sacred--the memory of my dead
mother."

"Now allow me to kiss your forehead. I am going to Kaulmann to make
the necessary arrangements. I thank you for your remembrance of my
birthday. Your little present has made me rich. I came here in a very
perturbed state of mind; I go away with a tranquil heart. I shall
always be grateful to you. God bless you!"

* * * * *

Some days later Eveline removed to Prince Theobald's palace in the
Maximilian Strasse, where she was surrounded by every splendor and
luxury.

The world supposed--and we must acknowledge there was reason for the
supposition--that Kaulmann's wife was the Prince's mistress. The
prince imagined that he would frighten the Countess Angela and bring
her to reason, and Eveline thought she was fulfilling her duty as a
wife when she obeyed her contemptible husband by sacrificing her good
name to further his ambitious schemes.

* * * * *

At this time, and as the result of Eveline's obedience, the
Joint-Stock Mining Company received the assent of Prince Theobald
Bondavary to the contract already signed by his sister, Countess
Theudelinde.

And in this manner the Bondavara property passed away from the last
two possessors. If Countess Angela had followed Ivan Behrend's advice
this would not have