"Oh, your majesty," she
cried imploringly, "listen to me! do not leave me under this cruel
misconception--these insulting suppositions. Do not think I am so
degenerate, so base, so entirely without womanly feeling, as not to
feel myself amenable to the laws of the land and of the Church. Oh,
believe me, the husband of my queen is sacred in my eyes! and even
if I were so unhappy as to love the king, otherwise than as a true,
devoted subject, I would rather die than cast one shadow on the
happiness of your majesty. Unhappy and guilty as I am, I am no
criminal. His majesty never distinguished me by word or look. I
honored him, I revered him, and nothing more."
"Alas!" said the queen, "you are faint-hearted enough to deny him.
You have not the courage to be proud of his love; you must, indeed,
feel guilty."
"My God! my God!" cried Laura, passionately, "she does not believe
me!"
"No, I do not believe you, Laura. I saw how you trembled and paled
when the queen charged you with your love to her son, hut I did not
hear you justify yourself."
"Alas, alas!" murmured Laura, in so low a voice as not to be heard
by the queen, "I did not know her majesty was speaking of her son
Frederick."
"Deny it no longer," said Elizabeth; "acknowledge his love, for
which all women will envy you, and for which I forgive you.
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