My God! Louise do you not see that I am waiting for this sign ?--that you are torturing me ?" Louise raised her head, her heart was melting within her; she forgot her terror, and was ready to resist God, the king, and the whole world, to grasp the noble and unselfish love that the prince offered her.

But her glance fell involuntarily upon the curtain, behind which the king stood, and it seemed to her as if she saw the angry, burning eyes of Frederick threatening to destroy her.

She remembered her daughter, Fritz Wendel, and the world's mocking laughter, and was overcome.
"You are still silent," said the prince; "you give me neither sign nor glance." Louise felt as if an iron hand was tearing her heart asunder.
"I really am at a loss what more to say or do," she said, in a careless tone, that made her own heart shudder.

"It pleases your highness to make a jest of what I say.

I am innocent, my prince, of any double meaning.
Five weeks have passed since I saw you--I believed you had forgotten me; I did not reproach you, neither was I in despair.