McClure's Magazine December, 1895

a royal house in Europe, and had found none to equal Osra. Therefore the prince came to Strelsau with a great retinue, and was lodged in the White Palace,

ent with his sister when she hesitated to accept Ludwig's hand, alleging that she felt for him no more than a kindly esteem, and, what was as much to the purpose, that he felt no more for her. For although the prince possessed most courteous and winning manners, and was very accomplished both in learning and in exercises, yet he was a grave and pensive young man, rather st

he is here he kisses my hand as though it were a statue's hand; and-and

the king. "This is such love as a princ

love at all," said

and told her, with grave courtesy, that his p

ing my face;" and then, asham

and it was with a sigh that he said: "M

him with flushed che

er it were spent in

ey parted, he back to his palace, she to her chamber, where she sat, asking again: "Is this love?" and crying: "He does not

n grew weary of such wooing, and loved to be easy and merry; for thus she hoped to sting him, so that he would either disclose more warmth, or for

y in everything. Therefore, when he still persisted, and Rudolf and the queen urged her, telling her (the king mockingly, the queen with a touch of sadness) that she must not look to find in the world such love as romantic girls d

airest lady in the world. B

it, thanking him for his help and approval, and expressing h

h me and find her?" cried

e princess to forgive me. This afternoon I will crave

curling on his lips; and he said,

ould talk about gratitude, and business, and the af

nd glancing at him with most friendly eyes. "Indeed, dear friend,

me, after his business was transacted, that afternoon. But Osra, having given her hand, would now admit no fault in the man she had chosen, a

vers, sister Osra, an

atching swiftly at his hand; and her

king, knitting his brows and seeming t

hispered. "Should I be f

her to him, and gave her a hearty brother's kiss, telling her to take heart. "You'll thaw the fellow yet," said th

nd kissed her hand. Then he rose, and declared his thanks, and promised his devotion; but as he spoke the flush faded, and the light died from her eyes; and when at last he drew near to her, and offered to kiss her cheek, her eyes were dead, and her face pale and cold as she suffered him to touch it. He was content to touch it but once, and seemed not to know how cold it was; and so, after more talk of his father's pleasure and his pride, he took his leave, promising to come again the next day. She

honor would not let him break; for nothing short of that, said he, should have kept him from her side. There followed some lover's phrases, scantily worded, and frigid in an assumed passion. But Osra smiled graciously, and sent back a message, readily accepting all that the prince urged in excuse. And she told what had passed to the king, with her head high in the air, and a careless haughtiness, so that even the king did not rally her,

ay nothing of it. Yet, impelled by his anger, he had set himself to watch the prince very closely; and thus he had, as he conceived, discovered something that brought a twinkle into his eye and a triumphant smile to his lips as he rode behind the princess. Some fifteen miles she accompanied her brother, and then, turn

id she, "have you som

ouse that stood among the trees, s

d be here where Christian is, and not there whe

e was a bold fellow, and would not be silenced now that he had begun to speak. He

can get knowledge. So I know that the prince is there. Fo

r to hear what he had learnt from the gossip of the prince's groom, telling it to her in hints and half-spoken sentences, yet so plainly that she could not miss the drift of it. She rode the faster towards Strelsau, at first answering nothing; but at last she turned upon him fiercely, saying that he told a lie, and that she knew it was a lie, since she knew where the prince was and what business had taken him away; and she co

she had accorded to him her full trust. Rising, she paced in pain about the room. She could not rest, and she cried out in longing that her brother were there to aid her, and find out the truth for her. But he was away, and she had none to whom she could turn. So she strove to master her anger and endure her suspense till the next day; but they were too strong for h

essed for riding, and with a sword, and the best horse in his stable. And the bishop came equipped as she bade him and in very great wonder. But when s

hour," she cried. "I

bring you word. You m

id she. "Yes, I will go, and myself

waited for them with the horses, and they came presently, the bishop wearing a great slouched hat, and swaggering like a roystering trooper, while Osra was closely veiled. The bishop again imposed secrecy on Christian, and then, they both being mounted, said t

rself for going, nor any fear of what she might find. But the injury to her pride swallowed every other feeling, and at

t live, if i

peace; yet his blood, also, was hot against

st know of i

a gallop. The moon, breaking suddenly in brightness from behind a cloud, showed the bishop he

e. She knew well tha

me, then! Ki

id the bishop. "I pray

kill him," said Osra; and she turned he

ME, THEN! KI

k from Osra's lips, and she pointed with her whip to the window. Now his own breath came quick and fast, and he prayed to God that he might remember his sacred cha

to the house. Here, having dismounted, and tied their horses to th

lone, madam,

d, and I will go a

and he led the way by the moonlight that bro

ld be mine," she whispered. "Yet

d his head, and prayed again for her and for himself; for he had found his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. And thus, side by side now, they cam

rd; but Osra flung her veil on the ground, and the bishop gripped his arm as with

l of princes. Stand aside!" And before the chamberlain could make up his

up, was a door. By the door stood a groom. This was the man who had treacherously told Christian of his master's doings; but when he saw, suddenly, what had come of his disloyal chattering, the fellow went white as a ghost, and came tottering in stealthy silence down the stairs, his finger on his lips. Neither of them spoke to him, nor he to them. They gave no t

a to the bishop, raising her hand above

man and the voice of a woman. Osra's glance at her companion t

eathed from between her te

ut the woman's answer came no more in words, but in deep, low, passionate sobs, that struck their ears like the distant cry of some brute creat

th a firm step she began to mount the s

ed her ears like knives. Yet they were all sad, speaking of renunciation, not happiness. But at last she heard her own name; then, with a sudden start,

f the door and turned it. Then he flung the door wide open; and at that instant Osra sprang past him, her eyes gleamin

OF GLOTTENBERG; AND ... CLINGING TO HIM ..

grave, sad air. There was no shame on his face, and hardly surprise. Presently he took one arm from about the lady, and, raising it, motioned to them to be still. Osra took one step forward toward where the pair stood; the bishop caught her sleeve, but she shook him off. The lady looked up into the prince's face; with a sudden, startled cry clutched him closer, and turned a terrified face over her sho

r? Or is she one of th

ave pressed it across her scornful mouth, and kept back her bitter words. But she did not

my lord,

op of Modenstein was half