that he had sown in the breast of the prince would grow. But Prince
Henry was still young, brave, and hopeful; it was his first love
they wished to poison, but his young, healthy nature withstood the
venom, and vanquished its evil effects. His countenance resumed its
quiet, earnest expression, and the cloud disappeared from his brow.

"Do you know," he said, standing before Pollnitz, and looking
smilingly into his cunning face--"do you know that you do not
descend, as the rest of mankind, from Adam and Eve, but in a direct
line from the celebrated serpent? And truly you do honor to your
ancestor! No paradise is holy to you, and to do evil gives you
pleasure. But you shall not disturb my paradise; and as much of the
old Adam as is still in me, I will not be foolish enough to eat of
the bitter fruit that you offer me. No, you shall not succeed in
making me jealous and distrustful; you shall not destroy my faith:
and see you, those that believe are still in paradise,
notwithstanding your ancestor, the serpent."

"My prince," said Pollnitz, shrugging his shoulders, "your highness
looks upon me as a kind of Messiah--at least it pleases you to give
me a mother and no father. But oh, my prince! if you are right about
my descent, philosophers are certainly wrong, for they maintain that
the serpent of paradise left gold as a fearful inheritance to
mankind. I shall accuse my great-grandmother the serpent of
disinheriting me and condemning me to live upon the generosity of my
friends and patrons."

He looked at the prince, with a sly, covetous glance, but he had not
understood him; engaged in deep thought, he had stepped to the
window, and was gazing up at the heavens, where the clouds were