“You swear it?”

“I swear it.”

“Well, then, why did you wound your foot?”

Barbarina trembled and was silent; she had not the courage to raise her eyes from the floor.

“The truth!” said the king, imperiously.

“The truth,” repeated Barbarina, resolved, and she raised her flashing eyes to the king; “I will speak the truth.  I wounded my foot, because—­”

“Because,” said the king, interrupting her fiercely, “because you knew it was a happiness, a life’s joy to the poor, lonely, wearied king to see you dance; because you felt that your appearance was to him as the first golden rays of the sun to one who has been buried alive, and who bursts the bonds of the dark grave.  You hate me so unrelentingly, that even on the evening of my return from an exhausting and dangerous journey, you cruelly resolved to disappoint me.  I hastened to the theatre to see you, Barbarina, you, you alone; but your cruel and revengeful heart was without pity.  You thought of nothing but your pride, and rejoiced in the power to grieve a king, at the sound of whose voice thousands tremble.  Your smiles vanished, your enchanting gayety was suppressed, and you seemed to become insensible.  With the art of a tragedian, you assumed a sudden illness, resolved that the hated king should not see you dance.  Ah!  Barbarina, that was a small, a pitiful role! leave such arts to the chambermaids of the stage.  You are refined in your wickedness; you are inexorable in your hate.  Not satisfied with this pretended swoon, the next evening you wounded yourself; you were proud to suffer, in order to revenge yourself upon me.  You knew that a swoon must pass away, but a wounded foot is a grave accident; its consequences might be serious.  The king had returned to Berlin, and had only a few days to refresh himself, after the cares and exhaustions of a dangerous journey; after his departure you would be able to dance again.  Ah! signora, you are a true daughter of Italy; you understand how to hate, and your thirst for vengeance is unquenchable!  Well, I give you joy!  I will fill your heart with rapture.  You have sworn to hate me; you pray to God to revenge you upon the King of Prussia who has trampled your heart under his feet.  Now, then, Barbarina, triumph! you are revenged.  The king has a heart, and you have wounded it mortally!”

Completely unmanned, the king sprang to his feet, and stepped to the window, wishing to conceal his emotion from Barbarina.  Suddenly he felt his shoulder lightly touched, and turning, he saw Barbarina before him, more proud, more beautiful, more queenly than he had ever seen her; energy and high resolve spoke in her face and in her flashing eyes.