Thus influenced, she yielded. Tears flooded her eyes, and her voice was broken with sobs as she said, “I am ready to sacrifice myself for the peace of the family.” The deputation withdrew, leaving the princess in despair. Baron Grumkow conveyed to the king the pleasing intelligence of her submission. CHAPTER VI. THE MARRIAGE OF WILHELMINA. Wilhelmina’s Letter to her Mother.--Cruel Response.--The Court Festival.--First Interview with the Prince of Baireuth.--His Character and Appearance.--Interview between the King and Fritz.-- The Partial Reconciliation.--Divine Decrees.--The King’s Sense of Justice.--The King’s Discipline of the Judges.--Character of Fritz.--Wilhelmina’s Annoyances.--Her Marriage.--Interview between Wilhelmina and Fritz.--The Departure. Wilhelmina, having thus given her very reluctant assent to her marriage with the Prince of Baireuth, wrote as follows to her mother: “I have hardly strength enough to trace these lines. My state is altogether worthy of pity. It is not through any menaces, however violent they may have been, that I have yielded my consent to the king’s wishes. An interest still more dear to me has determined me to this sacrifice. I have been till now the innocent cause of all the unhappiness which your majesty has endured. My too sensible heart has been penetrated by the touching details you have latterly made of them. “You have been willing to suffer for me. Is it not much more natural that I should sacrifice myself for you, and that I should finish, once for all, this fatal division in the family? Could I balance a moment between the choice of unhappiness for myself and the pardon of my brother? What dreadful discourses have there not been held to me on this subject! I tremble when I think of them. All the objections I could allege against the king’s proposal were refuted to me beforehand. Your majesty yourself had proposed to him the Prince of Baireuth as a fit alliance for me. I can not therefore imagine that you will disapprove of my resolution. Besides, necessity is not to be resisted. I shall have the honor to offer a more circumstantial detail of the whole transaction to your majesty when I shall be permitted to throw myself at your feet. I can understand easily what must be your grief on the occasion. It is that which touches me the most.” The king, in response to the report of Baron Grumkow, which was so gratifying to him, sent the same evening the following note to Wilhelmina: “I am delighted, my dear Wilhelmina, that you are so submissive to the wishes of your father. The good God will bless you for it; and I will never abandon you. I will take care of you all my life, and will endeavor to prove to you that I am your very affectionate father.” The next morning the princess received the following cruel epistle from her mother: