always be the same: your ruin. Covertly I warned you not to sign;
you laughed and signed. A trap was there, your own hand opened
it. How they must have laughed at you! If you attempt to
repudiate your signature the Diet has power to overrule you.

"Truly, the shade of Macchiavelli masks in the garb of your
cousin. I admire the man's genius. This is his throne by right
of inheritance. I do not blame him. Only, I wish to save you. If
you were alone, why, I do not say that I should trouble myself,
for you yourself would not be troubled. But I have grown to love
that child of yours. It is all for her. Do you now understand
why I make the request? It appears Quixotic? Not at all. Put my
money in jeopardy? Not while the kingdom exists. If you can not
pay back, your kingdom will. Perhaps you ask what is the
difference, whether I or the duke becomes your creditor? This:
in ten years I shall be happy to renew the loan. In ten years,
if I am gone, there will be my son. You wonder why I do this. I
repeat it is for your daughter. And perhaps," with a dry smile,
"it is because I have no love for Josef."

"I will defeat him!" cried the king, a fire at last shining in
his eyes.

"You will not."

"I will appeal to the confederation and inform them of the plot."

"The resource of a child! They would laugh at you for your pains.
For they are too proud of their prowess in statecraft to
tolerate a suspicion that your cousin is a cleverer man than all