any you!'

'Let us not revive our former sad strife,' said she sorrowfully. 'I
must not become yours. You may pain me, but you cannot shake my
determination, which is as unmovable as are my misfortunes.'

'Georgina!' implored Arwed, clasping her knees. 'You have always
conducted towards me with such a knightly delicacy, my Arwed,' said
Georgina, laying her cold hand upon his heated brow, 'that I may safely
compare you with any of the lofty exemplars of former times. My love
for you is, indeed, yet stronger than in the moments of its first
confession,--but the blot which rests upon my name forbids my uniting
myself with the son of him who sentenced my innocent father to a
criminal's death. Believe me, even were I weak enough to yield to your
request, we could not be happy together. The remembrance of all that
has occurred would, like a fearful spectre, stand between us, and
self-contempt would follow me even to your arms. Now, the consciousness
of having offered up my love upon the altar of duty, will raise me
above myself and give me strength worthily to bear the afflictions laid
upon me by my God. Wherefore, my friend, I demand of you our separation
as your last love-service, and a true knight must obey his mistress,
when with tearful eyes and broken accents she says to him, _Let us
part!_'

'I go!' exclaimed Arwed, clasping Georgina once more to his bosom and
to his lips, and rushing forth.

'That was the death of the heart!' cried the unhappy maiden, pressing
her clasped hands upon her bosom.--' What may hereafter come is not
worth consideration. Let me but satisfy the world of my father's
innocence, just God, and then take me to thyself and to him in thy
heavenly kingdom.'

CHAPTER XXVI.

The next morning, as lieutenant general Rank was mounting the steps to
Arwed's quarters, the latter, coming furiously out, rushed directly
against him.

'Whither so hasty, my good Gyllenstierna?' cried Rank, grasping his
arm. 'I was coming to seek you, and have something of importance to
say.'

'And I have something of yet greater importance to do, sir general,'
answered Arwed in a singular tone. 'I shall take upon myself to act as
a lawyer, and talk to the judges about a second appeal.'

'I fear you are planning some evil, and shall not suffer you to go
out!' cried Rank, dragging the youth entirely up the steps. When they
had reached his room he gave him a searching look. From Arwed