Letthissuffice,oftheconversation.Itisenoughforustoknowthattheprayers,theentreatiesandthetearsofthegentle-naturedgirlavailednothing.TheynoranythingcouldmovethestoutoldlordofKlugenstein.Andso,atlast,withaheavyheart,thedaughtersawthecastlegatesclosebehindher,andfoundherselfridingawayinthedarknesssurroundedbyaknightlyarrayofarmed,vassalsandabravefollowingofservants.
　　Theoldbaronsatsilentformanyminutesafterhisdaughter'sdeparture,andthenheturnedtohissadwifeandsaid:
　　"Dame,ourmattersseemspeedingfairly.ItisfullthreemonthssinceI
　　senttheshrewdandhandsomeCountDetzinonhisdevilishmissiontomybrother'sdaughterConstance.Ifhefail,wearenotwhollysafe;butifhedosucceed,nopowercanbarourgirlfrombeingDuchesse'enthoughill-fortuneshoulddecreeshenevershouldbeDuke!"
　　"Myheartisfullofbodings,yetallmaystillbewell."
　　"Tush,woman!Leavetheowlstocroak.Tobedwithye,anddreamofBrandenburghandgrandeur!"
　　CHAPTERII.
　　FESTIVITYANDTEARS
　　Sixdaysaftertheoccurrencesrelatedintheabovechapter,thebrilliantcapitaloftheDuchyofBrandenburghwasresplendentwithmilitarypageantry,andnoisywiththerejoicingsofloyalmultitudes;
　　forConrad,theyoungheirtothecrown,wascome.TheoldDuke's,heartwasfullofhappiness,forConrad'shandsomepersonandgracefulbearinghadwonhisloveatonce.Thegreathallsoftiepalacewerethrongedwithnobles,whowelcomedConradbravely;andsobrightandhappydidallthingsseem,thathefelthisfearsandsorrowspassingawayandgivingplacetoacomfortingcontentment.
　　Butinaremoteapartmentofthepalaceasceneofadifferentnaturewas,transpiring.ByawindowstoodtheDuke'sonlychild,theLadyConstance.Hereyeswereredandswollen,andfulloftears.Shewasalone.Presentlyshefelltoweepinganew,andsaidaloud:
　　"ThevillainDetzinisgone——hasfledthedukedom!Icouldnotbelieveitatfirst,butalas!itistootrue.AndIlovedhimso.IdaredtolovehimthoughIknewtheDukemyfatherwouldneverletmewedhim.
　　Ilovedhim——butnowIhatehim!Withall,mysoulIhatehim!Oh,whatistobecomeofme!Iamlost,lost,lost!.Ishallgomad!
　　CHAPTERIII.
　　THEPLOTTHICKENS.
　　Fewmonthsdriftedby.AllmenpublishedthepraisesoftheyoungConrad'sgovernmentandextolledthewisdomofhisjudgments,themercifulnessofhissentences,andthemodestywithwhichheborehimselfinhisgreatoffice.TheoldDukesoongaveeverythingintohishands,andsatapartandlistenedwithproudsatisfactionwhilehisheirdeliveredthedecreesofthecrownfromtheseatofthepremier.
　　ItseemedplainthatonesolovedandpraisedandhonoredofallmenasConradwas,couldnotbeotherwisethanhappy.Butstrangeenough,hewasnot.ForhesawwithdismaythatthePrincessConstancehadbeguntolovehim!Theloveof,therestoftheworldwashappyfortuneforhim,butthiswasfreightedwithdanger!Andhesaw,moreover,thatthedelightedDukehaddiscoveredhisdaughter'spassionlikewise,andwasalreadydreamingofamarriage.Everydaysomewhatofthedeepsadnessthathadbeenintheprincess'facefadedaway;everydayhopeandanimationbeamedbrighterfromhereye;andbyandbyevenvagrantsmilesvisitedthefacethathadbeensotroubled.
　　Conradwasappalled.Hebitterlycursedhimselfforhavingyieldedtotheinstinctthathadmadehimseekthecompanionshipofoneofhisownsexwhenhewasnewandastrangerinthepalace——whenhewassorrowfulandyearnedforasympathysuchasonlywomencangiveorfeel.Henowbegantoavoid,hiscousin.Butthisonlymademattersworse,for,naturallyenough,themoreheavoidedher,themoreshecastherselfinhisway.Hemarveledatthisatfirst;andnextitstartledhim.Thegirlhauntedhim;shehuntedhim;shehappeneduponhimatalltimesandinallplaces,inthenightaswellasintheday.Sheseemedsingularlyanxious.Therewassurelyamysterysomewhere.
　　Thiscouldnotgoonforever.Alltheworldwastalkingaboutit.TheDukewasbeginningtolookperplexed.PoorConradwasbecomingaveryghostthroughdreadanddiredistress.Onedayashewasemergingfromaprivateante-roomattachedtothepicturegallery,Constanceconfrontedhim,andseizingbothhishands,inhers,exclaimed:
　　"Oh,why,doyouavoidme?WhathaveIdone——whathaveIsaid,toloseyourkindopinionofme——for,surelyIhaditonce?Conrad,donotdespiseme,butpityatorturedheart?Icannot——cannotholdthewordsunspokenlonger,lesttheykillme——ILOVEyou,CONRAD!There,despisemeifyoumust,buttheywouldbeuttered!"
　　Conradwasspeechless.Constancehesitatedamoment,andthen,misinterpretinghissilence,awildgladnessflamedinhereyes,andsheflungherarmsabouthisneckandsaid:
　　"Yourelent!yourelent!Youcanloveme——youwillloveme!Oh,sayyouwill,myown,myworshippedConrad!'"
　　"Conradgroanedaloud.Asicklypalloroverspreadhiscountenance,andhetrembledlikeanaspen.Presently,indesperation,hethrustthepoorgirlfromhim,andcried:
　　Youknownotwhatyouask!Itisforeverandeverimpossible!"Andthenhefledlikeacriminalandlefttheprincessstupefiedwithamazement.
　　Aminuteafterwardshewascryingandsobbingthere,andConradwascryingandsobbinginhischamber.Bothwereindespair.Bothsaveruinstaringthemintheface.
　　ByandbyConstanceroseslowlytoherfeetandmovedaway,saying:
　　"TothinkthathewasdespisingmyloveattheverymomentthatIthoughtitwasmeltinghiscruelheart!Ihatehim!Hespurnedme——didthisman——hespurnedmefromhimlikeadog!"
　　CHAPTERIV
　　THEAWFULREVELATION.
　　Timepassedon.AsettledsadnessrestedoncemoreuponthecountenanceofthegoodDuke'sdaughter.SheandConradwereseentogethernomorenow.TheDukegrievedatthis.Butastheweeksworeaway,Conrad'scolorcamebacktohischeeksandhisold-timevivacitytohiseye,andheadministeredthegovernmentwithaclearandsteadilyripeningwisdom.
　　Presentlyastrangewhisperbegantobeheardaboutthepalace.Itgrewlouder;itspreadfarther.Thegossipsofthecitygothold-ofit.Itsweptthedukedom.Andthisiswhatthewhispersaid:
　　"TheLadyConstancehathgivenbirthtoachild!"
　　WhenthelordofKlugensteinheardit,heswunghisplumedhelmetthricearoundhisheadandshouted:
　　"Longlive.DukeConrad!——forlo,hiscrownissure,fromthisdayforward!Detzinhasdonehiserrandwell,andthegoodscoundrelshallberewarded!"
　　Andhespread,thetidingsfarandwide,andforeight-and-fortyhoursnosoulinallthebaronybutdiddanceandsing,carouseandilluminate,tocelebratethegreatevent,andallatproudandhappyoldKlugenstein'sexpense.
　　CHAPTERV.
　　THEFRIGHTFULCATASTROPHE.
　　Thetrialwasathand.AllthegreatlordsandbaronsofBrandenburghwereassembledintheHallofJusticeintheducalpalace.Nospacewasleftunoccupiedwheretherewasroomforaspectatortostandorsit.
　　Conrad,cladinpurpleandermine,satinthepremier'schair,andoneithersidesatthegreatjudgesoftherealm.TheoldDukehadsternlycommandedthatthetrialofhisdaughtershouldproceed,withoutfavor,andthenhadtakentohisbedbroken-hearted.Hisdayswerenumbered.
　　PoorConradhadbegged,asforhisverylife,thathemightbesparedthemiseryofsittinginjudgmentuponhiscousin'scrime,butitdidnotavail.
　　ThesaddestheartinallthatgreatassemblagewasinConrad'sbreast.
　　Thegladdestwasinhisfather's.For,unknowntohisdaughter"Conrad,"
　　theoldBaronKlugensteinwascome,andwasamongthecrowdofnobles,triumphantintheswellingfortunesofhishouse.
　　Aftertheheraldshadmadedueproclamationandtheotherpreliminarieshadfollowed,thevenerableLordChiefjusticesaid:
　　"Prisoner,standforth!"
　　Theunhappyprincessroseandstoodunveiledbeforethevastmultitude.
　　TheLordChiefJusticecontinued:
　　"Mostnoblelady,beforethegreatjudgesofthisrealmithathbeenchargedandproventhatoutofholywedlockyourGracehathgivenbirthuntoachild,;andbyourancientlawthepenaltyisdeath,exceptinginonesolecontingency,whereofhisGracetheactingDuke,ourgoodLordConrad,willadvertiseyouinhissolemnsentencenow;wherefore,giveheed."
　　Conradstretchedforththereluctantsceptre,andintheself-samemomentthewomanlyheartbeneathhisrobeyearnedpityinglytowardthedoomedprisoner,andthetearscameintohiseyes.Heopenedhislipstospeak,buttheLordChiefJusticesaidquickly:
　　"Notthere,yourGrace,notthere!ItisnotlawfultopronouncejudgmentuponanyoftheducallineSAVEFROMTHEDUCALTHRONE!"
　　AshudderwenttotheheartofpoorConrad,andatremorshooktheironframeofhisoldfatherlikewise.CONRADHADNOTBEENCROWNED——daredheprofanethethrone?Hehesitatedandturnedpalewithfear.Butitmustbedone.Wonderingeyeswerealreadyuponhim.Theywouldbesuspiciouseyesifhehesitatedlonger.Heascendedthethrone.Presentlyhestretchedforththesceptreagain,andsaid:
　　Prisoner,inthenameofoursovereignlord,Ulrich,DukeofBrandenburgh,Iproceedtothesolemndutythathathdevolveduponme.
　　Giveheedtomywords.Bytheancientlawoftheland,exceptyouproducethepartnerofyourguiltanddeliverhimuptotheexecutioner,youmustsurelydie.Embracethisopportunity——saveyourselfwhileyetyoumay.Namethefatherofyourchild!"
　　Asolemnhushfelluponthegreatcourt——asilencesoprofoundthatmencouldheartheirownheartsbeat.Thentheprincessslowlyturned,witheyesgleamingwithhate,andpointingherfingerstraightatConrad,said:
　　"Thouarttheman!"
　　Anappallingconvictionofhishelpless,hopelessperilstruckachilltoConrad'sheartlikethechillofdeathitself.Whatpoweronearthcouldsavehim!Todisprovethecharge,hemustrevealthathewasawoman;
　　andforanuncrownedwomantositintheducalchairwasdeath!Atoneandthesamemoment,heandhisgrimoldfatherswoonedandfellto,theground.
　　[TheremainderofthisthrillingandeventfulstorywillNOTbefoundinthisoranyotherpublication,eithernoworatanyfuturetime.]
　　Thetruthis,Ihavegotmyheroorheroineintosuchaparticularlycloseplace,thatIdonotseehowIamevergoingtogethimorher
　　outofitagain——andthereforeIwillwashmyhandsofthewholebusiness,andleavethatpersontogetoutthebestwaythatoffers——orelsestaythere.Ithoughtitwasgoingtobeeasyenoughtostraightenoutthatlittledifficulty,butitlooksdifferentnow.
　　[IfHarper'sWeeklyortheNewYorkTribunedesiretocopytheseinitialchaptersintothe,readingcolumnsoftheirvaluablejournals,justastheydotheopeningchaptersofLedgerandNewYorkWeeklynovels,theyareatlibertytodosoattheusualrates,providedthey"trust."]
　　MARKTWAIN