, she could only be the wife of his
highness.

This exalted flight of ambition stupefied the doctor, who had never
imagined that Sarah's imagination soared so high. A marriage surrounded
by numberless difficulties and dangers appeared impossible to Polidori,
and he frankly told Seyton the reasons why the Grand Duke would never
submit to such a union. Seyton agreed in the importance of the reasons,
but proposed, as a _mezzo termini_ which should meet all objections, a
marriage, which, although secret, should be legal, and only avowed after
the decease of the Grand Duke. Sarah was of a noble and ancient house,
and such a union was not without precedent. Seyton gave the prince eight
days to decide; his sister could not longer endure the cruel anguish of
uncertainty, and, if she must renounce Rodolph's love, she must act up
to her painful resolve as promptly as might be.

Certain that he could not mistake Sarah's views, the doctor was sorely
perplexed. He had three ways before him,--to inform the Grand Duke of
the matrimonial project, to open Rodolph's eyes as to the manoeuvres
of Tom and Sarah, to lend himself to the marriage. But to inform the
Grand Duke would be to alienate from him for ever the heir presumptive
to the throne. To enlighten Rodolph on the interested views of Sarah was
to expose himself to the reception which a lover is sure to give when
she whom he loves is depreciated in his eyes; and then, what a blow for
the vanity or the heart of the young prince, to let him know that it was
for his royal rank alone that the lady was desirous to wed him! On the
other hand, by lending himself to this match, Polidori bound Rodolph and
Sarah to him by a tie of the strongest gratitude, or, at least, by the
complicity of a dangerous act. No doubt, all might be discovered, and
the doctor exposed to the anger of the Grand Duke, but then the marriage
would have been concluded, the union legal. The storm would blow over,
and the future sovereign of Gerolstein would become the more bound to
Polidori, in proportion as the doctor had undergone greater dangers in
his service. After much consideration, therefore, he resolved on serving
Sarah, but with a certain qualification, which we will presently refer
to.

Rodolph's passion had reached a height almost of frenzy. Violently
excited by constraint, and the skilful management of Sarah, who
pretended to feel still more than he did the insurmountable obstacles
which honour and duty