“Desist!” cried the Prince, with thundering voice, springing toward Leuchtmar and grasping his shoulders with both hands.  Glaring fiercely upon him, he repeated, “Desist, I tell you, Leuchtmar, desist, and recall what you have just said, for it is a libel, a slander!”

“No, it is the truth, Prince!” cried Leuchtmar, emphatically.  “The Media Nocte is a society of the honorless and shameless, and the woman who belongs to it is no longer pure!”

“No further, man, or I shall kill you!” said the Prince, in a high-pitched voice stifled by rage, while his arms clutched Leuchtmar’s shoulders yet more firmly.  “Only hear this:  You know and have long guessed that I love the Princess Ludovicka Hollandine.  Well, now, the Princess Ludovicka Hollandine belongs to the society of the Media Nocte!”

“I knew that, Prince,” said Leuchtmar solemnly.

The Prince gave a scream of rage, and a deadly pallor overspread his cheeks.  He still retained his grasp upon Leuchtmar’s shoulders, his flashing eyes penetrated like dagger points Leuchtmar’s countenance, and on his brow stood great drops of sweat, which gave witness of his inward tortures.

“You knew that,” he said, with gasping breath and gnashing teeth—­“you knew that, and yet you dare to speak so, dare to vilify the maiden whom I love, dare to asperse a pure angel, to call her an outcast!  Take back your words, man, if your life is dear to you—­recall them, if you would leave this room alive!”

“Kill me, Prince, for I do not recall them!” cried Leuchtmar, tranquilly meeting the flaming glances of the Prince.  “No, I do not recall them, and if you take away my life, I shall give it up in your service and for your profit.  You see very well I attempt no defense, although I am a strong man, who knows well how to defend his life.  But for my own convictions and for you I die gladly.  Kill me then!”

“You do not recall them?” shrieked the Prince.  “You maintain all to be truth that you have said of the order of the Media Nocte?  You knew already before I told you that the Princess Ludovicka Hollandine belongs to it?”

“I knew it, Prince, indeed, I knew it!”

The Prince burst into a wild laugh, and with a sudden jerk thrust Leuchtmar so violently from him that he reeled backward against the wall.

“No,” he said grimly and wrathfully—­“no, I will not do you the pleasure to kill you, for that would turn a wretched farce into a tragedy, and make a hero of a comedian!  You are a good comedian, and you have played your part well!  I can testify to that.  Go and claim credit for this with my father and Count Schwarzenberg!”

“I do not understand you, Prince.  What does this mean?”