Be as strong, brave, and wise, as you have always been; forgive me this human weakness. Renounce my love, and accept my friendship--my true, lasting, and imperishable friendship." "Friendship!" she repeated, with mocking laughter. "The word has a freezing sound. You promised me glowing wine, and now you offer to quench the thirst of my heart with cold water." "Of wine we grow weary, Wilhelmine. Heavenly intoxication is followed by highly terrestrial headache; but pure water refreshes and revives without intoxicating; it gives health and tranquillizes the heart." "Or turns it to ice," rejoined Wilhelmine. "Not so, it gives new warmth! And thus it is with friendship also, Wilhelmine." "And all this means," said she, sobbing, "that you intend to drive me from your side, to banish me? I am to be compelled to yield to a rival?" "No, that you shall not do!" he cried with vivacity. "No, you are only to consent to be my friend, to elevate yourself above all petty jealousy, and to wisely and discreetly adapt yourself to the unavoidable. If you should not be able to do this, Wilhelmine, if you should attempt to play the _rôle_ of the jealous Orsina, instead of that of the discreet friend, then only would I, to my own great sorrow, be compelled to separate from you, to renounce the pleasure of associating with my dear friend, and--" "No," she cried in dismay, as she threw her arms around him; "no, I cannot live without you, I will not go into exile with my poor, dear children!" "With your children!" repeated the king. "Who thinks of sending these children into exile?" "Do you not consider it possible that you will send me into exile? And where I am, there my children will also be, of course!" "Where you are, Wilhelmine, there your daughter will be; that is lawful and natural. But the son belongs to the father; and, whatever may divide and separate us, my son Alexander shall not leave me; my bright, handsome boy, remains with his father." It had grown dark, and he could not see the light of the bold resolution Wilhelmine had formed, sparkling in her eyes. She laid her hand on Frederick William's shoulder. "We are standing on the threshold of a new era," said she, "my son shall now decide between you and me. I lay my fate in his hands, and will accept it as if it came from God. We will have him called, and he shall choose between his father and his mother. If he decides to leave me and remain with you, I will bow my head in humility, and will remain, and content myself with your friendship. I will stand in darkness, and view from afar my happy rival sunning herself in your love. But if my son should decide to go with his mother, then, like Hagar, I will wander forth into the desert. But I will not complain, and will not feel unhappy; I will have at my side, my son, the image of his father; the son in whom I love the father!" "So let it be," cried the king. "Our son shall decide. Go, and bring him in."