Princess Ludovicka Hollandine has voluntarily forsaken
her mother and her family, and at first they knew not whither she had
gone."

"And do they know now?"

"The Electress of the Palatinate had received her first letter from the
Princess the day before I waited upon her, and, as the Electress had ever
honored me with her confidence, she communicated to me the contents of
that letter."

"What were they? Quick, tell them quickly, that my heart may not break
meanwhile. What was in the letter?"

"It said, most gracious sir, that of her own free will, and out of most
tender love for the chosen of her heart, she had forsaken her mother's
house because that Princess had refused her consent to her union with the
man--these were her own words--with the man whom she loved above all
others. It said, moreover, that the Princess had followed this man, the
Count d'Entragues, to France, and that for the present she had withdrawn
to a convent, preparatory to professing the Catholic religion and then
marrying Count d'Entragues."[33]

The Elector uttered a hollow groan, and, putting both hands before his
face, as if he were ashamed of what he felt, sank upon a chair, and sat
long thus, breaking the silence with occasional sighs and groans.

Leuchtmar dared not interrupt this sacred silence even by a word, or to
offer comfort to the agonized heart of the young Prince by words of
consolation. He knew that strong heart must first vent its grief in order
to gain repose, and that only from within could spring up that consolation
which strengthens and sustains.

After a long pause, after a bitter inward conflict, Frederick William
allowed his hands to drop, revealing a face pale as death and lips whose
corners twitched convulsively.

"Leuchtmar," he said, "this is the baptism by which I am consecrated to my
new office. It is, indeed, a baptism of tears, and has torn my wounded
heart, I grant you. But such a baptism of tears was needed to wash from my
heart all that could derogate from the lofty calling to which alone my
whole being should be dedicated. No one on earth can accomplish anything
great who has not first received a baptism of grief and tears. By such
baptism the soul extricates itself from earthly wishes and selfish
desires, and he who would be a thorough man and accomplish great things
must be lord of himself, and have no wishes for himself, but to attain
glory and honor! And so I now shake the past from my soul as a tor