There was no child to bridge the gulf
between them, and although she was his queen and his wife, she
grew almost a stranger to him. So he seemed to will that it
should be.
Thus, worse than widowed, she lived for three years; and once
only in each year she sent three words to the man she loved, and
received from him three words in answer. Then her strength failed
her. A pitiful scene had occurred in which the king peevishly
upbraided her in regard to some trivial matter--the occasion
escapes my memory--speaking to her before others words that even
alone she could not have listened to with dignity. I was there,
and Sapt; the colonel's small eyes had gleamed in anger. "I
should like to shut his mouth for him," I heard him mutter, for
the king's waywardness had well-nigh worn out even his devotion.
The thing, of which I will say no more, happened a day or two
before I was to set out to meet Mr. Rassendyll. I was to seek him
this time at Wintenberg, for I had been recognized the year
before at Dresden; and Wintenberg, being a smaller place and less
in the way of chance visitors, was deemed safer. I remember well
how she was when she called me into her own room, a few hours
after she had left the king.
Pages:
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29