He nodded to her, and left the room.
The two ladies were alone again and looked at each other with mournful eyes. Marianne’s face was pale; a gloomy fire was burning in her eyes, and a contemptuous smile was visible on her lips. Josephine seemed greatly embarrassed, and her gentle eyes were filled with tears.
“I am to be transported beyond the frontier like a criminal!” ejaculated Marianne at last, in a voice trembling with anger. “I am to be treated like a dangerous intriguer, and yet I have only delivered a letter which had been intrusted to me by the king.”
“Forgive him,” said Josephine, imploringly. “He has been prejudiced against you, and the numerous plots and conspiracies, which have already been discovered, cause him to deem rigorous precautions altogether indispensable. But I beg you especially not to be angry with me, and pray beseech the Count de Provence not to hold me responsible for the deplorable message you are to deliver to him. I have opened my heart to you, and you know it to be filled with the most faithful devotion and with the most reverential affection for the unfortunate prince, but I am not strong enough to change his fate; I—”
Just then the door opened; M. de Bourrienne, chief of the cabinet of the First Consul, made his appearance and approached the princess with a respectful bow.
“Madame,” he said, “the First Consul sends you word that every thing is ready for your departure, and he has instructed me to conduct you to your carriage.”
Josephine uttered a groan, and, sinking down on a chair, she covered her face with her handkerchief in order to conceal her tears.
Marianne had now recovered her proud and calm bearing, and a bold and defiant smile played again on her lips. She approached Josephine with soft and quiet steps.
“Farewell, madame,” she said. “I shall faithfully report to the Count de Provence every thing I have seen and heard here, and he will venerate and pity you as I shall always do. May the First Consul never regret what he is doing now, and may he not be obliged one day to leave France in the same manner as he compels me to depart from Paris! Come, sir, accompany me, as it cannot be helped!”
And drawing herself up to her full height and as proud as a queen, Marianne, princess of Eibenberg, walked toward the door.