"
"He has betrayed me!" exclaimed Elizabeth, impetuously. "He knew--he
only--that I love, and that my beloved, though of noble, still is
not of princely birth. Yet it was he, as you said yourself, who
moved the king to introduce this paragraph into the act of
succession."
"Then, without doubt, he has wished to save you from an error of
your heart."
"No, he has been afraid of the danger of being privy to this secret,
and at the cost of my heart and my happiness he wanted to escape
this danger. But oh, Catharine, you are a noble, great and strong
woman; you are incapable of such petty fear--such low calculation;
therefore, stand by me; be my savior and protectress! By virtue of
that oath which we have just now mutually taken--by virtue of that
mutual clasp of the hands just given--I call you to my help and my
assistance. Oh, Catharine, allow me this high pleasure, so full of
blessing, of being at some time, perhaps, able to make him whom I
love great and powerful by my will. Allow me this intoxicating
delight of being able with my hand to offer to his ambition at once
power and glory--it may be even a crown. Oh, Catharine, on my knees
I conjure you--assist me to repeal this hated law, which wants to
bind my heart and my hand!"
In passionate excitement she had fallen before the queen, and was
holding up her hands imploringly to her.
Catharine, smiling, bent down and raised her up in her arms.
"Enthusiast," said she, "poor young enthusiast! Who knows whether
you will thank me for it one day, if I accede to your wish; and
whether you will not some time curse this hour which has brought
you, perhaps, instead of the hoped-for pleasure, only a knowledge of
your delusion and misery?"
"And were it even so," cried Elizabeth, energetically, "still it is
better to endure a wretchedness we ourselves have chosen, than to be
forced to a happy lot.
Pages:
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370