it save me. Here is the
note; I offer it to you. Take it, tear it up, and then decide!"

With outstretched hands he held out the paper, but she took it not, and
quickly stepped back.

"Keep the paper," she said. "Why should I ask whether you will turn it
into a weapon against me? I will accept no favor or advantage from you.
Only let it be known at the imperial court, to the whole world, that I
loved you; show this paper everywhere, and all will turn from you, all
women will despise you, and all men blush for the traitor to love!"

"No one shall despise me, no one shall turn, from me!" cried the count,
springing to his feet. With trembling hands he tore the paper into little
bits, and threw them on the floor.

"There lies the secret, Princess! Now I am entirely in your power! Now I
have no weapon of defense. Call Burgsdorf, your highness, have me
arrested, if it seems good to you, I renounce the Emperor's safe conduct,
as I just now renounced your sister's letter."

"We accept no act of generosity or renunciation from you," replied the
Elector with dignity. "The Emperor's safe conduct I shall respect, and as
I allowed you to speak quietly to my sister, although you misrepresented
much and put matters in a false light, so I will allow you to depart
unmolested. As regards the love letter, your excuse for demanding my
sister's hand, the fragments testify as strongly against you as the letter
itself. My sister alone has to reply to your offer."

"I have no answer to give this man, for he dare not ask anything more of
me," said the Princess proudly. "He who can betray the secrets of the
heart degrades himself. The man who boasts of a favor received is unworthy
of it, and every woman will despise him. Not merely now, in the hour of
danger, have you bethought yourself of my letter, Count Adolphus
Schwarzenberg, but you had spoken of it previously to your father. You
have turned a young girl's letter into a political bond, which, as a
cunning merchant, was to be redeemed and converted into money. Now you
have redeemed it; there lies the letter! I give you for it my contempt."

"I think you have now received my sister's answer," said the Elector, "and
we have nothing more to say to one another, for the courts must settle
other subjects of dispute between us. Go, Count Schwarzenberg, return home
to Vienna, for your mission is ended. You are dismissed."

The count answered not a word. One long glance of grief and rage he ca