“Your highness, the Princess Ludovicka Hollandine has voluntarily forsaken her mother and her family, and at first they knew not whither she had gone.”

“And do they know now?”

“The Electress of the Palatinate had received her first letter from the Princess the day before I waited upon her, and, as the Electress had ever honored me with her confidence, she communicated to me the contents of that letter.”

“What were they?  Quick, tell them quickly, that my heart may not break meanwhile.  What was in the letter?”

“It said, most gracious sir, that of her own free will, and out of most tender love for the chosen of her heart, she had forsaken her mother’s house because that Princess had refused her consent to her union with the man—­these were her own words—­with the man whom she loved above all others.  It said, moreover, that the Princess had followed this man, the Count d’Entragues, to France, and that for the present she had withdrawn to a convent, preparatory to professing the Catholic religion and then marrying Count d’Entragues."[33]

The Elector uttered a hollow groan, and, putting both hands before his face, as if he were ashamed of what he felt, sank upon a chair, and sat long thus, breaking the silence with occasional sighs and groans.

Leuchtmar dared not interrupt this sacred silence even by a word, or to offer comfort to the agonized heart of the young Prince by words of consolation.  He knew that strong heart must first vent its grief in order to gain repose, and that only from within could spring up that consolation which strengthens and sustains.

After a long pause, after a bitter inward conflict, Frederick William allowed his hands to drop, revealing a face pale as death and lips whose corners twitched convulsively.

“Leuchtmar,” he said, “this is the baptism by which I am consecrated to my new office.  It is, indeed, a baptism of tears, and has torn my wounded heart, I grant you.  But such a baptism of tears was needed to wash from my heart all that could derogate from the lofty calling to which alone my whole being should be dedicated.  No one on earth can accomplish anything great who has not first received a baptism of grief and tears.  By such baptism the soul extricates itself from earthly wishes and selfish desires, and he who would be a thorough man and accomplish great things must be lord of himself, and have no wishes for himself, but to attain glory and honor!  And so I now shake the past from my soul as a torn and tattered garment, and would despise myself if even a sensation of pain were left behind.  No, no, I am free!  My heart is coffined, and I shall close the lid and bid it an eternal farewell!”

“Your heart coffined, your highness!” said Leuchtmar gently.  “You think so now, but I tell you it will again rise from the dead, and beat with full ardor and glow, for, God be thanked, the heart of man is a tenacious thing, and dies not from one dagger-thrust.  Its wounds can be healed, and then it is so much the stronger because it knows what it can suffer and overcome!”