You not only forgot your duty as a wife and daughter, but also as a mother.

You have deprived your child of a father, you have made her an orphan; you have soiled, almost depraved her young soul; and now, after all this, you wish to be adored and respected as a saint by my poor brother! No, madame! I shall know how to save him from this delusion; I shall tell to him and the world the history of little Louise von Schwerin! Fritz Wendel still lives, and, if you desire it, I can release him, and he may tell his romantic story." "Oh, for the second time to-day I have heard that hateful name!" cried Louise; "the past is an avenger that pursues us mercilessly through our whole lives." "Choose, madame!" said the king, after a pause; "will you announce your betrothal to my brother in a gay and unembarrassed tone, or shall I call Fritz Wendel, that he may sing the unhappy prince to sleep with his romantic history ?" Whilst the king spoke, Louise had raised herself slowly from her knees, and taken a seat upon the divan.

Now rising, and bowing lowly, she said, with trembling lips and tearful voice: "Sire, I am prepared to do all that you wish.

I shall announce my betrothal to the prince cheerfully, and without sighs or tears.

But be merciful, and free me forever from that hideous spectre which seems ever at my side!" "Do you mean poor Fritz Wendel ?" said the king, smiling.
"Well, on the day of your marriage I will send him as a soldier to Poland: there he may relate his love-adventures, but no one will understand him.