of the Muses.  If this secret is whispered of a lady, then we look upon her with admiration, rapture, joy for we know that we have before us one of those choice, enchanting, and rare beings, who are exalted above all prejudice; who believe not, with zealots and ascetics, that we live only to die, but who joyfully acknowledge that we live to live, and, therefore, that the noblest, worthiest task proposed is to render this life as pleasant as possible.”

“Why do you tell me all this, dear count?” asked the Princess impatiently.

“It is true,” replied he, smiling; “why should I tell you what you know already?  I tell it to your highness in order to prove to you that I, thanks to my little magician Ducato, know the secret of the Media Nocte; I tell it to you in order now to whisper a secret in your ear:  the Princess Ludovicka Hollandine belongs to the society, she is a member of the order of the Media Nocte.”

The Princess only with difficulty suppressed a shriek, and stared with horror at the smiling countenance of the young count.

“Hush, gracious lady, hush!” whispered the latter while he took her hand and imprinted a reverential kiss upon the tips of her rosy fingers.  “Why should you wish to deny what is so genial and so delightful?  My magician Ducato always tells me the truth; why should we dispute it?  But it was not that which your highness wished to learn of me.  You would ask me, how I know that the Electoral Prince of Brandenburg loves the beautiful Princess Ludovicka Hollandine, and was to have his first rendezvous with her to-day.  Once more, it is the magician Ducato who has told me that; yes, that good, obliging magician has done yet more for me.  He put into my hands the pretty little note which the Princess Ludovicka sent yesterday through her confidential maid-servant to the confidential valet of the Electoral Prince, before the Prince had read it himself.”

“That is shameful—­that is unheard of!” said the Princess, with glowing cheeks and tears in her eyes.  “It is an abominable piece of deceit on the part of my maid, and she shall pay for it.  To-morrow morning I shall dismiss her, and—­”

“That she may tell all the world the little secrets of her exalted mistress?” asked Count d’Entragues.  “Oh, no, your highness; the maid is perfectly innocent of deceit, and it was only the magician Ducato who played the Princess’s pretty little note into my hands.  And will my sweetest lady know now what I did with the little note?  I read it first, then—­saw there that a rendezvous was granted the Prince at one o’clock.  I took a very small sharp knife and—­”

“And?  My God, go on!  What did you with the knife?”

“I very delicately erased and altered the number from a one into a two.  Then I refolded the note, and handed it to my magician for further preferment to the Prince.”

“The Electoral Prince has received my note, then?” asked the Princess.  “He will consequently—­”