“Well, I might have known that the king, whom you hate so bitterly, had waited in vain at your door, had been turned away by the proud dancer as a common man; this was, indeed, a triumph of revenge,” said Marietta, smiling.

“I did not turn him away,” said Barbarina, with embarrassment.

“No! you drew your bolt on the inside, nothing more.”

CHAPTER XIV.

The studio.

Barbarina was right; the wound in her foot was not dangerous.  She was ordered to be quiet for some days, and give up dancing.  The physician to whom she showed her foot, and declared that she had only just discovered the cause of her sudden swoon, examined the wound with an incredulous smile, and asked to see the shoe, the sole of which must also be necessarily cut, he said; in this way only could he tell if the wound had been inflicted by a piece of glass or nail, and know the size and sharpness of the instrument.  Barbarina blushed, and ordered Marietta to bring the shoe; she returned immediately with a slipper, showing a sharp cut in the sole.  The physician examined it silently, and then declared that it was a piece of glass which had caused the fainting of the signora; he ordered cooling applications and perfect quiet, and promised restoration in a few days.

The king had commanded the physician to come to him immediately after his visit to Barbarina.  He was announced, and as he entered, Frederick advanced to meet him.

“Well,” said he, “is the wound dangerous? will the signora be obliged to give up the stage?”

“Ah, surely your majesty cannot believe that the Barbarina has given herself a wound which will destroy her fame and fortune!”

“I do not understand you,” said Frederick, impatiently; “do not speak in riddles.”

“I repeat, your majesty, the signora would not intentionally have wounded her foot seriously, and thereby destroyed her art.”

“Do you believe that she wounded herself voluntarily?”

“I am convinced of it, sire.  The signora declares that she stepped upon a piece of glass.  I desired to see the slipper; Marietta brought me one, in the sole of which I discovered a cut, but it did not correspond at all with the wound in the foot, and had been evidently just made with a knife.  Certainly Barbarina was not wounded while she wore that shoe; moreover, I affirm that the wound was not inflicted by a piece of glass or a nail, but by a stiletto; the wound is three-sided; I am confident she wounded herself with a stiletto I saw in her room.”

The king’s face grew dark while the physician spoke; he pressed his lips together:  this was ever a sign that a storm was raging in his breast which he wished to control.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“That is all, sire.”

“Good!  You will visit the signora to-morrow, and bring me news of her.”