صفحة 279 من 1118

On the perusal of this letter, the prince saw the way opened to

the furtherance of his views. He sent for Gertrude; she obeyed

the command, and, in his presence, threw herself at his feet, and

had scarcely power to exclaim, "Pardon!" He made a sign to her to

rise, and in a grave voice answered, that it was not enough

merely to confess her fault, and ask forgiveness, but that it was

necessary to merit it. Gertrude asked submissively, "what he

would have her do?" To this the prince did not reply directly,

but spoke at length of the fault of Gertrude: the poor girl

shuddered as at the touch of a hand on a severe wound. He

continued, that even if he had entertained the project of

settling her in the world, she had herself placed an insuperable

obstacle to it; since he could never, as a gentleman of honour,

permit her to marry, after having given such a specimen of

herself. The miserable listener was completely humbled!