Her voice stirred all my old love within me, and her grief became painfully sympathetic. I took her soft velvet hands in mine. She allowed me to retain them, and, fortunately, where we stood no eye could overlook us. I was about to yield to the intoxication of the moment, and press her to my breast, when a step rang on the gravel, and the little Duke came running back in high glee to announce that his 'ship was afloat, and that we could see her by simply looking over the parapet.' 'Ah! M. le Chatelain,' said he, joyously, 'I see you are very fond of talking to Madame la Duchesse. So am I, for since I lost my mother, no lady has been so kind to me as dear Louise. I am her husband, to be sure, but you see, monsieur, that I am still a very little boy. Do you love my wife? I am sure that _I_ do; but she weeps often, and that makes me sad. I wish monsieur could cure her of weeping. She kisses me at night, when the master of the household puts me to bed in yonder lonely turret; but I always steal to her room in the morning, though I am sure to find her weeping.' 'You perceive, Arthur, that even this child observes my misery.' I pressed her hands, and felt almost stifled by her emotions and my own. 'See, madame! see, M. le Chatelain, how bravely my ship crosses the lake!' exclaimed the little Duke, while clapping his hands in boyish glee he left us, and rushed again to the postern gate, which opened close to the water. 'Leave me now, Arthur; what more could you eay to me now, now when--all is over?' 'My God! I know not unless--' 'Unless what?' 'That I have the misfortune to be one of those, who, if noticed by princesses, are seldom happy enough to be long remembered by them.' 'Ah! why did you come near me again--and with these reproaches, too?' 'We cannot at all times control our hearts; and though mine is all but broken, I cannot remain separate from her who wrought me all this suffering and calamity.' 'Do you forgive me?' she sobbed. 'Forgive you--Oh, Marie Louise!' 'Alas, Arthur--you must--you would, indeed, if you knew all I have undergone.' To resist the impulse that inspired us both to indulge in one mute embrace, was impossible; but how terribly was it interrupted! At that moment there was a piercing cry from the rocks below. I sprang upon the parapet, and saw the little Duke d'Alsace struggling wildly with the waters of the lake into which he had fallen from a point of rock, when stooping over it, to land that fatal toy, his ship. The soldier who had accompanied him was hallooing vehemently for assistance, and a loud uproar of voices shook the whole castle. The Duke was fully three hundred yards from me, and I stood gazing at him, overwhelmed by many terrible emotions.