The princess saw it, and as soon as he had gone,
seized upon the fatal note, which was addressed to: 'My well beloved.'
I can never describe her anger and indignation. How did I ever live
through that horrible scene!...
'Your _intrigues_,' she cried, 'will never succeed in my house; you are
the horror, the shame, and the ignominy of your family, and you shall
not disgrace my mansion. I have already taken measures to put an end to
your infamous conduct; here is a copy of the letter sent by me this
morning to the minister, Bruhl. I tell him that honor is dearer and more
sacred to me than all family ties, that an ambitious hope will never
induce me to renounce the duties which it imposes upon me, and that I
now esteem it my duty to inform him that the prince royal loves Frances
Krasinska. I conjure the minister to do all in his power to end this
intrigue while there is yet time. I will prove that I have nothing to do
with this abomination, and that if I have been in fault, it was because
I placed such implicit confidence in my niece's virtue. Yes--the king
himself, at this very moment, probably knows the whole extent of your
shame and your insane pride.'
'The king!' I cried, almost out of my senses, 'the king! Ah! Let no one
tell him that I am the prince royal's wife; let no one tell him that, or
I shall die at your feet!'
Lost to all memory, all sense, except that of the fearful abyss just
opened before me, I thus confessed the secret which no personal
invective or humiliation could have drawn from me.
Pages:
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92