Page:Marquis de Sade - Adelaide of Brunswick.djvu/153

 effort to hide it even from himself. In making you come out of that coffin in which I put you in Venice, I noticed at once that expression of sentiment which is love, perhaps, mixed with jealousy and revenge."

"Will I see Thuringia before I see my husband?"

"You want it as much as I do, but perhaps this eagerness might jeopardize the main plan of reconciliation."

"In that case, I shall not see him."

"Remain here in your room as much as possible and if you have to go down to the dining room pick an hour when very few people are there or have your meals served up here if you can. I will come to see you tomorrow fairly early and I will tell you then of all the arrangements I have made."

It can easily be imagined how troubled Adelaide was until the reappearance of the count which was not until late in the evening.

"You are going to see Thuringia," he said to her with excitement in his voice.

"In truth, I am already sorry I said anything about seeing him. It gives me remorse."

"Such remorse is without foundation. Can one be the master of his own heart? The choice you have made of Thuringia is the work of a sensitive heart. Politics have chained you to Frederick. Should you hesitate an instant? Moreover, the ways of your husband have not attached you to him. What has he offered you since your fate has been linked to his?… cruelty, jealousy and imprisonment. He has exposed you to great unhappiness by forcing you to flee. If you had perished, as it might well have happened, he would have had your death on his conscience. Do you think you owe anything to such a man?… Come in," he suddenly said to Thuringia seeing him at the door, "you will help me to overcome the prejudices of a woman who adores you and who does not dare say so to you or to admit it to herself."

Then Thuringia fell on one knee before the princess and took her hand in his and pressed it respectfully to his lips.

"Oh, divine object of my dearest thoughts," he said tenderly, "you whom I have never ceased to adore, is it true that you