burg, you want me to go back to a throne which I no longer share with her. What interest would all that have for me since I have lost the one who made me want it. It was only over her heart that I wanted to rule. I have lost her and I must follow her. These insolent people defy me. Well, it will be on them that I will cause to fall the effects of my just vengeance. They want war; I will give it to them. I want this country to be reduced to cinders and it will be under the ruins of its proud buildings that I will bury the one they have snatched from me."
Meanwhile preparations were made for the rapid departure of the prince when an individual brought another note. The prince opened it hurriedly and read what follows:
The woman with whom you sought to speak the other day in Saint Mark's Square has the greatest desire to carry on this conversation. Come this evening to the same place and you will meet her. She will be alone and you can talk to her at leisure.
"It is only too true, Mersburg," said the prince, "that they want me to go crazy in this detestable city. What does all that mean? If the woman on Saint Mark's Square was the princess, as I have never doubted, the princess was not in the coffin which we saw on the canal yesterday. And if she were in the coffin, then this note could not have been written for her."
"I don't see how your love can be blind to such a degree," said Mersburg, "that you cannot see through all this. It is only too true that the princess was mixed up in the conspiracy which has just agitated this city and that it is she that the Republic has punished in the frightful manner which your eyes have seen yesterday. As for this note, it is from the adventuress from Naples, and you have heard her described as such by the young men who were there."
"But this so-called Neopolitan has been taken away under our eyes, and you know that the one taken away was the Princess of Saxony going to her punishment."
"Two women could have been taken away at the same instant," said the count, "and you know that the Republic would proceed in such matters with the greatest discretion."
"So be it, but I want to get some more information about this
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