"Listen to me, princess, and think, I conjure
you, that this time a true and sincere friend is speaking to you."
"And how shall I recognize that?" asked the young maiden, with a slight
touch of irony. "How shall I recognize a friend, when, as you say, it is
precisely my pretended friends who are my enemies!"
"Recognize me by this!" said the cardinal, drawing a folded paper from
his bosom and handing it to the princess.
"That is Count Paulo's handwriting!" she joyfully exclaimed.
"Ah, you recognize the handwriting," said the cardinal, "and you see
that this letter is addressed to me. Count Paulo therefore considers me
his friend!"
"May I read this letter?"
"I beg you to do so."
Natalie unfolded the letter and read: "Warn the Princess Tartaroff;
danger threatens her!"
"That is all?" she asked with a smile.
"That is all!" said the cardinal; "but when Paulo considered these few
words of sufficient importance to send them to me, you may well suppose
they are of the utmost significance."
"Count Paulo is in Siberia," said Natalie, shaking her head; "how could
he have written you from thence?"
"How he succeeded in doing so, I know not, but the firm, determined will
of man often conquers supposed impossibilities! Enough--in a mysterious,
enigmatical manner was this letter put into the hands of our ambassador
at St.
Pages:
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502