But I should do this, Leonore, if I renounced the goals and efforts of my whole past life, and turned from what I have hitherto regarded as the most sacred purpose of my existence.  You yourself, Leonore, cannot wish it, for then how could you trust my fidelity, my love, if, for your sake, I could be untrue to my native land, my sacred duty.  No, Leonore, my heart is yours, but my brain and life belong to my country.  I came to Vienna to serve it.  The great patriots of Poland sent me here.  ’Go to Austria, they said, and serve there the sacred cause of freedom and human dignity.’  And I went, and am here to serve it.  Many are in the league with me, struggling with me toward the same goal.  No one knows the others, but in the decisive hour we shall all work together for the one great object.  And this hour will soon come; all the preparations are made, all the plans are matured.  It is approaching.  The great hour of sacred vengeance is approaching.  You do not wish me to initiate you into my secrets, Leonore, and I now feel that you are right, for every sharer in these secrets is imperiled by them, and I will not draw you, my beloved one, into the dangerous circle, where I am bound.  But if a gracious destiny grants our plans success, if the great venture which we have determined upon succeeds, then, Leonore, I will come to you, hold out my hand, and exultingly repeat the question which to-day I dare only to whisper timorously:  Leonore, will you be my wife?”

She did not answer immediately, but covered her glowing face with her hands, while her whole frame trembled with emotion.  “Oh,” she groaned sorrowfully, “you will never repeat the question, for you will perish in the dangers which you are preparing for yourself.”

“No,” he cried joyously, “I shall not perish in them, and I shall come to repeat my question.  Believe me, love, and be glad and strong.  Do not fear for me, and forgive me if, during the next few days, I keep away from you.  The last preparations for our great enterprise are to be made; all my strength of mind, all the courage of my soul must be summoned, and perhaps I might be cowardly and weak if I should see you, gaze into your beloved face, and think of the possibility that I was beholding it for the last time; that death might clasp me in his arms ere I again pressed you to my heart.  So I will bid you farewell, my dearest, farewell for a week.  During this time, remember me, pray for me, and love me.  A week, my dear one, then I will return to you; and then, oh, then may I be permitted never to leave you again; then perhaps we shall make the dream of your heart a reality, and in some valley of the New World seek for ourselves a new world of happiness.”

He again pressed her closely in his arms and imprinted a long, ardent kiss upon her lips.  “Farewell, beloved, farewell for a week, an eternity.”

“Do not say that; do not talk so!” she cried, trembling, as she threw her arms around his neck and clung closely to him.  “Oh, do not speak of an eternity of separation, as you bid me farewell, or my arms will hold you to draw you by force from the dangers that threaten you; my lips will betray you by calling for help and accusing you of a conspiracy, merely to save you—­compel you to renounce your perilous plans.”