" But then she broke off, crying, "But don't tell him I said
that. He'd be grieved if I doubted his love. I don't doubt it; I
don't, indeed; but still tell me how he looks when you speak of
me, won't you, Fritz? See, here's the letter."
Taking it from her bosom, she kissed it before she gave it to me.
Then she added a thousand cautions, how I was to carry her
letter, how I was to go and how return, and how I was to run no
danger, because my wife Helga loved me as well as she would have
loved her husband had Heaven been kinder. "At least, almost as I
should, Fritz," she said, now between smiles and tears. She would
not believe that any woman could love as she loved.
I left the queen and went to prepare for my journey. I used to
take only one servant with me, and I had chosen a different man
each year. None of them had known that I met Mr. Rassendyll, but
supposed that I was engaged on the private business which I made
my pretext for obtaining leave of absence from the king. This
time I had determined to take with me a Swiss youth who had
entered my service only a few weeks before. His name was Bauer;
he seemed a stolid, somewhat stupid fellow, but as honest as the
day and very obliging.
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