'My good child!' said Goertz, lifting up her face and looking at her with an expression of unutterable tenderness. 'Thou hast thy mother's eyes,' added he, laying his hand softly upon her cheek. 'I must take a long look that every lineament may remain in my memory. For this enjoyment may never again be allowed to me.'

'This is the only interview which I could prevail upon the inexorable Ribbing to grant,' said Rank sadly. 'They will not, however, refuse you a farewell conversation with your daughters after the trial.'

Goertz kissed the tears from his daughter's eyes. But his parental feelings became too strong for him. 'Leave me!' said he springing up: 'this trial is too great for me!' and he walked up and down the room with hasty strides.

'One satisfaction,' resumed he suddenly, as if wishing to divert his thoughts to other objects by the observation: 'one satisfaction have I yet had in those hours when every one seemed to aim at my utter prostration. Fehmann, my accuser, read, as a proof that I had calumniated his subjects to the king, a letter, in which I had complained to Charles of the neglect of his duty by a governor of a province, and recommended his dismission. When he had read thus far he laid the letter aside. I requested that the remainder might be read; the commission decided in my favor, and Fehmann was now compelled to read a description of himself as an able and faithful man whom I recommended to the king for the place.'

'And did not the wretch throw himself at your feet overwhelmed with shame and contrition?' cried Arwed in a rage.

'My good captain,' answered Goertz, 'the minds of the people who pursue me are so perfectly settled, that they are incapable of such emotions.'

'Can I then do nothing, nothing at all, for you?' sobbed Georgina. 'I will go with Magdalena to all your judges, clasp their knees and entreat for mercy; the prayers and tears of innocent children, whom they are about to make orphans, will, perhaps, move their flinty, hearts.'

'I forbid your doing that!' answered Goertz with decision. 'What you could ask for me has already been attempted by true friends, and attempted in vain.'

At this moment the court scribe held out the watch in his hand, and cried, 'the time has expired!'

'My God! the time has expired!' shrieked Georgina: 'and I had so many things to say, and so many questions to ask you, my father, but your sufferings have put them all out of my head. Have you nothing to charge me with?'