His Highness hurried forward to greet her, while Johanna Elizabetha instinctively drew nearer to the Duchess-mother, catching the Erbprinz by the arm. Wilhelmine bent low in an elaborate courtesy. Her Highness held out her hand shyly for her rival to kiss. The Duchess-mother watched the comedy for an instant, then turning to the Duke who stood behind Wilhelmine, nervously fingering his rapier-hilt, she said: 'Serenissimus will have the kindness to present to me the Landhofmeisterin, as I have not the pleasure to know her.' 'Madame, my mother permits me--This is Madame la Comtesse de Wuerben, Landhofmeisterin,' he stammered, and the Duchess-mother threw him a contemptuous glance. 'Ah, Madame de Wuerben! how sad it must be for you to be obliged to leave your husband in Bohemia,' she said. 'Have you good news of him now? I am so interested in illness. Tell me exactly what ails poor Count Wuerben.' Wilhelmine stared at this formidable dame in consternation. Wuerben's fictitious ailments were difficult to name. 'He suffered--from--from--smallpox some years ago, your Highness, and has never recovered his health,' she said haltingly. 'Ah! smallpox; yes, indeed, a terrible malady, and but too common. Did your husband contract it at the same time as you did, Madame? I see you must have been a great sufferer,' said the Duchess-mother, fixing her sharp brown eyes on the few hardly distinguishable pockmarks on Wilhelmine's face. The favourite flushed. 'I was not married to Monsieur de Wuerben at that time, your Highness,' she answered. 'Oh, indeed! Madame, forgive me; I did not know how long you had been married. Have you any children, Madame de Wuerben? No? Ah, a sad pity! The little ones would doubtless have been a consolation to you while you are forced to be absent from your husband; but perhaps we may have the pleasure of seeing Monsieur de Wuerben in Stuttgart before long?' 'I do not know, your Highness,' said Wilhelmine shortly. Each word the Duchess-mother spoke cut her to the quick, and she hated the tall, gaunt old lady as even she had never hated before. 'Well, I hope for you sake, Madame, your husband will be able to reside here soon. It is hard for a young woman to be alone. And besides, really you should pray for a son to succeed to the Wuerben family honours. I used to know a Count Wuerben at Vienna many years ago. A Count Nepomuk Wuerben--'Nepi,' they called him--perhaps an uncle of your husband's?' 'That is my husband's name, your Highness,' replied Wilhelmine in a toneless voice.