“But I am too long in justifying myself concerning your accusations in your other letter. Please explain, for I do not understand. You speak as if I had done something foolish, or, if I were too far away, I nevertheless wished to do it. If you did not receive my letters for a week it was not my fault. I wrote to you secretly from Celle by the post which was to leave after me, and I wrote to you on the journey. It is true I only wrote once, but it was impossible for me to do so oftener. You must have had the spleen very badly to wish you were shot in the battle. I am anxious to hear what new fabrications they have told you about me; I cannot imagine what they can be. I am wholly innocent. I went over everything in my mind last night to see if any one could have given a crooked turn to any of my actions; but they have been all so straight that they could not have been maligned. The talebearers must have simply invented lies on purpose to make you quarrel with me. Alas! I see too well that they wish to estrange us, and you are simple enough to fall into the trap. It is very hard that, however much I may strive to prove my love and devotion, you blindly believe all these foolish tales. I should be mad if I were to give you the least cause to complain about me, for I would rather die than do it. There is madness indeed in the passion I have for you. I cannot understand how any one can love as I love; you will never feel or experience it unless you ‘build on sand,’ as you say you do when you trust me. Only be to me as I am to you; I ask no other happiness.” [Illustration: [PHILIP CHRISTOPHER COUNT KÖNIGSMARCK. _From a painting in the possession of Count Gustav Lewenhaupt._ ] _Königsmarck to the Princess._ “DEINZE, _September_ 3. “I have received the letter you wrote from Eimbeck. I see in it, with much joy, that you have not forgotten me yet. I greatly wish, on your return, you may be able to say the same things to me; but alas! what have I not to fear? You always speak of my not exposing myself to danger, but you are exposed to the eyes of many handsome cavaliers. Who knows but that among the crowd at the fair you will see some one who may wound you. The sharper the attack the greater the danger. _Mon Dieu!_ if you are wounded what shall I do? Where shall I turn? Why are you so lovely?