'Mademoiselle de Graevenitz, you have ruined his Highness!' shouted Forstner; 'he is untrue to all his vows: you are a ----'; but his words are unrepeatable, even Wilhelmine shrank back. Eberhard Ludwig drew his sword and forced his over-zealous friend through the door. A moment afterwards his Highness returned and, flinging himself upon his knees before the Graevenitz, poured forth a torrent of adoring words, but the lady remained impervious to his pleading. 'I cannot suffer such treatment,' she answered; 'I can but beg your Highness to depart from me for ever. I shall reside here, drag out a solitary existence in this refuge which my friend Monseigneur de Zollern has given me! Your Highness cannot defend me from insult, and I do not choose to be flaunted as a wanton.' 'Alas, what can I do? I will give you all, but I have not the power to legalise your position.' 'So I see, Monseigneur, and therefore I beg you to depart.' 'Wilhelmine, do you love me? Alas! alas!' 'I love you, mon Prince, but these taunts are unbearable. I have no one to protect me--you cannot, for you yourself are the cause of all the indignities heaped upon me.' 'Ah, would that I could make you Duchess, my wife, safe from insult!' 'You dare not, though other princes have had the courage thus to shield those they loved.' 'I dare not? I? God! who shall tell me that I dare not?' he cried. 'You dare not,' she answered, and again as she swept from the room, over her shoulder she flung scornfully: 'You dare not!' * * * * *