The other sprang from her seat and paced the room to and fro with eyes blazing with excitement. “My Sigismund!” she exclaimed at last with clasped hands and upturned eyes. “My Sigismund, that you also should have apostatized from the true faith! Was it the longing for those possessions on the frontier of Holland which you hoped to secure by your renunciation of your religion, that blinded you? Or, had the Evil One—” “Horrible!” said the Electoress. “You spare neither the dead nor the living, neither friends nor kinsmen. How dare you assert that your husband went over to the Reformed Church for the sake of those possessions? I am as sure that was not the case, as I am that you are standing here.” “Sure,” said the Electoress Anna, “sure! tell me what grounds you have for your certainty.” “They are simple and, I think, convincing. Every one says that when your husband made the change, he intended if possible to acquire those possessions, but was conscious at the same time that he would lose Lutheran Brandenburg. On the one hand, a little gain; on the other, an immense loss. Had he been influenced by material considerations, do you suppose, does any one suppose, that he would not have decided to remain with the Lutherans and secure a great gain, rather than go over to the Reformers and incur a great loss? His action is conclusive proof that his renunciation was a matter of conscience, and conscience alone.” “You may be right,” exclaimed the Electoress Anna, with a sigh. “My husband has told me this and also my son, and yet, and yet—” After a pause she continued: “But grant it were so! Is the power of the Evil One so great that it can thus deceive the conscience?” “We think otherwise,” replied the Electoress. “We hope, if we strive to live rightfully and in accordance with our faith, to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but we do not believe that its doors of mercy are closed against others. We tolerate other beliefs. We do not charge them with being heterodox.” The princely widow came close to the Electoress, looked at her fixedly, and said: “I will tell you just how you stand. You Reformers have a very small following in the country, therefore you are tolerant. Should your numbers increase, then—” “Then, do you mean we will be as intolerant as the Lutherans? Never!” The conversation had taken a turn which did not please the widowed Electoress. She could no longer talk reasonably or dispassionately. She turned suddenly and asked the following questions: “What was your real purpose in calling upon me? Tell me truly. Had you not rather I would leave the castle, the city, and the country? Place your hand upon your heart and tell me no untruth.”