"I submit to you. I will obey your will in every thing. But will not
your father reject me? I feel that he must hate me for the tears I
have caused you to shed."

"He will love you when he sees that you have taught me to smile once
more," said she gently. "Come to my father."

She wished to draw him along with her. But his consciousness of guilt
held him back. He wanted the daring courage to face this man whom he
had been sent to ruin; and involuntarily he shrank back from his own
deeds. "I dare not go before him so suddenly and unprepared," said he
hesitatingly.

"Then allow me to prepare him for your presence."

"And if he denies his sanction?"

"He will not do it."

"He has sworn never to allow you to marry a Russian."

"Oh, that was long ago," said she, smiling, "when Russia was our
enemy. Now we are at peace. The bloody streams of discord are dried
up, and an angel of peace rules over all countries. Even my father
will feel his influence, and make peace with you and me."

Feodor did not answer immediately. He stood thoughtful and
contemplative, weighing the necessary and unavoidable, and considering
what he should do. One thing only was clear. Neither Elise nor
Gotzkowsky must be allowed to suspect on what extraordinary mission
his empress had sent him thither. Only when Elise was irrevocably
bound to him, when she was his without recall, when Gotzkowsky had
given his consent to their union, then would he dare to disclose it to
him. It was necessary, above all, to postpone the negotiations about
the Russian demands for a day, and therefore he only gave his agents
his instructions, and imposed on them silence and inactivity for a day
longer. The principal thing, however, was to convince Elise and her
father that their union should suffer no delay, because he was only
allowed to remain a few hours. He put his arm around Elise's slender
waist and pressed her to his heart. "Listen to me, my beloved; my time
has been but sparingly dealt out to me. I have come on with courier
horses, so as to allow me more leisure on my return with you. But
to-day we must leave, for the army is on the frontier, equipped and
ready for war. Only out of special favor did the empress allow me a
short leave of absence, to fetch my wife. In her clemency she has
done what she was able to do, and I must now obey her orders to return
speedily, if I do not wish to bring her anger down upon me. That
nothing might prevent or delay us, I