duty causes me to be near him often, and yet to say nothing which can ease his torments."
"Does Thuringia know of the happiness he has in pleasing you so much?"
"I have told him only by my glances; when he looks at me, he must see the intense feeling I have for him."
"If Milady would permit, I would console that uncertain heart."
"By all means, do not, Mersburg; you would only make his unhappiness even greater. No, I am not able to console him; you can see the bonds which hold me. Let's not breathe a word of all this; on the contrary, let's try to stifle this love which would only make him unhappy. Perhaps I can succeed in vanquishing my own love. Sometimes, one must be unhappy in following this path. Perhaps some day fate will reward me."
When the carriages came together at the rendezvous, the conversation had to cease. The count thought that he could see a glimmer of hope for his intrigues. The hunting was delightful; the deer was surrounded, and all the hunters returned to the chateau well satisfied with their ability.
In returning, Mersburg was not in the carriage with the princess, and so he was not able to continue the conversation which had intrigued him so much, and several days passed without his being able to take it up again.
23
