"That an enormous amount of bravery is necessary, prince, to believe
Madame von Kleist chaste and innocent, and that only a pious
Christian can count himself so entirely among those of whom Christ
says, 'Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed.'
May a good fairy long preserve you your bravery and your
Christianity! But surely your highness must have important and
convincing proofs to believe in the innocence and faithfulness of
this woman. I confess that any other man would have been discouraged
in his godlike belief by facts. It is a fact that for twelve days
Madame von Kleist has sent you no message through me; it is a fact
that she was not at the masked ball; that as often as I have been to
her in these last days, to deliver letters for your highness, and to
obtain hers in return, she has never received me, always excused
herself; and, therefore, I could not receive her letters, nor
deliver those of your highness."

"And were you not in Berlin early this morning! Did you not go to
her as I ordered you, and tell her she might expect me this
evening?"

"I went to her house, but in vain; she was with the queen-mother,
and I was told that she would not return until late in the evening,
I therefore could not deliver the message, your highness."

The prince stamped his foot impatiently, and walked hastily to and
fro; his brow was clouded, his lips trembled with inward emotion.
The sharp eye of the baron followed with an attentive, pitiless
glance every movement of his face, noted every sigh that came from
his anxious heart, that he might judge whether the seeds of mistrust