"Sire," said the Prince, rising, "I request a favor."
"And it shall be granted," said the King, "this being your wedding day."
It was Gretchen who now paled; the hands of the innkeeper closed; I
clutched the chair, for my legs trembled. To lose, after all!
"Ah," said the Prince, "I thank Your Majesty. The favor I ask is that
you will postpone this marriage--indefinitely."
"What!" cried the King. He was amazed. "Have I heard you aright, or
do my ears play me false?"
"It is true. I thank Your Majesty again," said the Prince, bowing.
"But this is beyond belief," cried the King in anger. "I do not
understand. This marriage was at your own request, and now you
withdraw. Since when," proudly, "was the hand of the Princess
Hildegarde to be ignored?"
"It is a delicate matter," said the Prince, turning the ring on his
finger. "It would be impolite to state my reasons before Her Highness.
Your Highness, are you not of my opinion, that, as matters now stand, a
marriage between us would be rather absurd?"
"Now, as at all times," retorted Gretchen, scornfully. "It has never
been my will," a furtive glance at the King.
"But--" began the King. He was wrathful.
"Your Majesty," said the innkeeper, "you are a great King; be a
generous one."
All looked at him as though they expected to see the King fly at him
and demolish him--all but I. The King walked up to the bold speaker,
took his measure, then, with his hands clasped behind his back, resumed
his pacing. After a while he came to a standstill.
"Your Highness," he said to Phyllis, "what shall I do with this man who
has so grossly wronged you?"
"Forgive him."
The King passed on. I was not looking at him, but at the innkeeper. I
saw his lip tremble and his eyes fill. Suddenly he fell upon his knees
before Phyllis and raised her hand to his lips.
"Will Your Highness forgive a sinner who only now realizes the wrong he
has done to you?"
"Yes, I forgive you," said Phyllis. "The only wrong you have done to
me is to have made me a Princess. Your Majesty will forgive me, but it
is all so strange to me who have grown up in a foreign land which is
dearer to my heart than the land in which I was born."