s ever, Countess."

The compliment did not lighten her features. They looked haggard,
almost their real age.

"It is not the moment for petticoats--with the chance of your life
before you and months of imprisonment hanging over your head."

"Oh, I am certain my appeal will get me off with a fine at most. You
must remember, Countess, that only once in my life, despite incessant
snares, have the fowlers really caged me. And even then I was let out
every time I had to plead in one of your cases. It was quite illegal,"
and he laughed at the recollection of the many miracles his eloquence,
now insinuating, now menacing, had achieved.

"Yes, you are marvellous."

"I marvel at myself."

"Let me see your new 'Open Sesame.' Is it ready?"

"No, no, Sophie," he said banteringly. "You know you mean you want to
see your namesake's letter."

"That is not my concern."

"O Countess!" He tendered the letter.

"Hum," she said, casting a rapid eye over it. "Then you wrote her
first."

"Only because the letter was wanted for the new edition of Heine, and
I had no copy of it.".

"But I have a copy."

"You? Where?"

"In my heart, _mon cher enfant_. Why should I not remember the great
poet's words? 'Dearest brother-in-arms--Never have I found in any
other but you so much passion united with so much clairvoyance in
action. You have truly the divine right of autocracy. I only feel a
humble fly....'" She paused and smiled at him. "You see."

"Perfect," cried Lassalle, who had been listening complacently. "But
it's not that letter. The letter of introduction he gave me to
Varnhagen von Ense when I was a boy of twenty--in the year we met."

"How should I not remember that? Was it not the first you showed me?"

A sigh escaped her. In that year when he had won her love, she had
been just twice as old as he. Now, despite arithmetic, she felt three
times his age.

"I will dictate it to you," she went on; "and you can send it to the
publisher and be done with it."

"My rare Countess, my more than mother," he said, touched, "that you
should have carried all that in your dear, wise head."

"'My friend, Herr Lassalle, the bearer of this letter, is a young man
of extraordinary talent. To the most profound erudition and the
greatest insight and the richest gifts of expression, he unites--'"

"Doesn't it also say, 'that I have ever met?'"

"Yes, yes; my head is leaving me. Put it in after 'insight.' 'He
unites an energy of will