t. Wilhelmine received a small income, also her food and the services of a waiting-woman of the ducal household. This pers

e breeding, it never was. Maria remained devoted and free spoken, though absolutely respectful. To her the 'Gr?venitzin,' as people began to call Wilhelmine, poured out the story of the numerous petty annoyances which disturbed her, and the peasant girl learned to regard her as a persecuted angel. Though her mistress's violent temper flamed forth if the smallest detail of the toilet went amiss, and often, indeed, for no apparent cause, the next moment the impression was erased and the waiting-maid's heart soothed by some affectionate word or hasty, almost childlike, apology. Fe

me fragrant garden, with Eberhard Ludwig at her side. True, she saw him daily at court; drove with him on his fine coach drawn by eight horses; supped with him, sang to him, knew herself to be his acknowledged mistress. There were stolen interviews in her little room, moments of wondrous rapture and thrilling, passionate surrender. Yet, somehow, she never had the sensation of being entirely undisturbed, of enjoying the delight of solitude with him, safe from possible interruption. She knew that her genuine passion for the Duke was regarded by the court as an ordinary gallant adventure; her relation with him classed among the unlovely liaisons of princes; and, like each woman who considers her personal conduct, she imagined her own love to be a thing utterly dif

nd at will. Certainly she had a vast will-power, and the Duke was subjugated, not alone by love but by that marvellous dominion of mind which is exercised by certain beings over others. He told her often that she was a witch; being doubly a poet since he loved, he raved of the witchery of his mistress; yet had he dreamed for one moment that there could be anything mysterious in her fascination he would have been appalled. He was of his day, and could not explain glibly the mysteries and marvels of personal attraction

retreating form. She flung off her morning gown and began hastily to don a silken bodice, but it took her longer to dress without Maria's help, and it was some time before she stood

Gr?venitz,' said this person, while she

ssed she caught a grin of amusement on the woman's face. Ridicule from any one, but especially from the 'canaille,' as she termed most of the inmates of this world, was a thing which always ra

ng another link in that chain of the witchcraft theory which was

y, Mademoiselle, when I send for my ladies,'

e; it was an unexpected summ

moiselle a little delicate still?' replied Johanna Elizabetha, with

able that, through all her dealings with the Gr?venitz, she never showed any of that fear, which to arouse was one of this mysterious woman's most potent weapons. 'Would it please you were I to give you permission to retire from court for a few months, Mademoise

the studied courtesy of her manner, 'but I find the climate of Stuttgart agrees vastly wel

ves with Eberhard Ludwig goaded J

nswered grimly; 'I intend to commence a large piece of embroidery, and the work will ke

lmine

ghness, who at once busied herself in matching the coloured silks on the design. Seating herself near the window, and settling the frame on a small table before her, she worked steadily for some time in silence, Wilhelmine standing near, not

ns for my decision you know well enough, and, indeed, it were not fitting for me to discuss them with you. If you will resign your charge, and leave the country to-day, promising never to return, I will announce that, to my regret, you have been called back to your home. As I know

; for it was a futile assumption of an authority hers by right, and, in fact, a

art was beating violently; after all, she too was fighting for her life, for all she had found beautiful, for the man she loved, and

t with health, magnificent in her proud decision of being; with head thrown back, hands clasped behind her like a

re. 'God in Heaven! why did you come here? I offer you we

impetuously. 'Yours? You know

her measured correctness, the Duchess became vital, vehement, agonisedly energetic and passionate. She swept past Wilhelmine to the door of her apartment; she flung it open, and called loudly to the sentry who stood below in the courtyard, bidding him summon the captain of the guard and a detachment of men-at-arms. The man's hurried steps rang out as he clattered across the courtyard. Then the silence was only b

e moat, and close the castle door upon her. She shall not e

ghness--' beg

betha; and never had man or woman heard t

lmine; he feared her and dre

aid hesitatingly, 'I must obey; b

the usual courtesy; but the poor Duchess could not see it, for she had hidden her face in her hands, and,

ious of the stirring events of the morning. Stafforth had accompanied the Duke, and she knew Madame de Stafforth would not receive her if she made known the cause of her departure from the castle. She realised, with dismay, that when she went to the Duchess she had, naturally, not taken money with her, so that she could not even seek the shelter of an inn. It was an awkward predicament, and yet so ridicul

she had turned into this shaded gangway to escape from the burning sun. To her horror she felt a curious weakness creeping over her, a booming sounded in her ears, and the veins of her throat seemed to have swelled as though the blood would burst through the skin. She put up her hand to the velvet ribbon which she wore round her neck, and her fingers pulled awkwardly, impatiently, impotently at it. She felt as if her eyeballs were pushed violently outwards by clumsy, heavy finger-tips.

her breast with fragrant freshness. With a sigh, she came back from some dim world and opened her eyes. A strange face bent over her and she stared wonderingly at it. Surely she was dreaming still, for it was the face of a picture she knew. Remembrance came, ere full consciousness grasped sway of her-Savonarola, the Monk of San Marco. She had seen a wood-cut portrait of the inspired fanatic in a book of Eberhard Ludwig's library. She lay, scarcely returned from her unconsciousness, gazing at th

m I?' sh

ray you, rest,' answere

'I will rest; but, at least, tel

en Hazzim, and you fainted a

haughtily. All the unreasoning hatred of the Jewish race lay in her with

and the kind eyes changed to

t I told you I am the widow of Ishakar Ben Hazzim, the son of Israel? and in my house, when I have anointed your head with rare essences to c

I thank you for your cour

ewess in a mollified tone; and again

e time. She was interested, for this was a new and surprising

not you?' returned

you?' the

like beggars, like scum; for ages we have suffered for the acts of our ancestors of hundreds of generations past, and always the Chri

rible wrong,' Wilhelmine inte

be a Charmer who inspired a new religion-yours! and for ever since you Christians who rant of pardon, tenderness, moderation, love of all t

Wilhelmine sm

ic belief of race destiny which lives so strongly in the children of Israel. Wilhelmine, upon whom no hint of power, of fate, or of belief in the unknown, ever failed to

ith her strange instinct for power she scented a possible use to her, if she could count upon the adherence of a silent, secret force like the Jews. The old Jewess told how her people were constantly in communication with their fellow Jews of every land; she said that one who did a service to a Jew was always sure of finding support from the whole race

elp your race, will you vouch me gratitude and support in return?' She spoke lightly, but her eyes were

us a service and you w

d to some inner room, opened, and

venly seraphim, and great beauty of body is his as well.' She whispered the last statement

ifle insolent and hard. He approached Wilhelmine, and bent before her in a salute so ceremonious that it was at once

heimer, musician,'

, laughing. 'Thy profession

ngs before courts, and I shall

uccess pleased her, and his unusual beauty attrac

to know what one wants, to know it decidedly, is the first

d the creed which she enunciated. The old Jewess sent the boy to fetch his gui

d aside his guitar and would have run away had not Wilhelmine, with her easy self-indulgent kindness of heart to those who did not get in her way, called him back and propitiated him with smiling reassurances. The boy seated himself near her and sang. His voice was

o see that jewel again after long years, when humiliation and defeat