It was in truth Queen Sophia Dorothea, who had dismissed her
attendants and come alone to the conservatory at this unusual hour.
This was the time at which the queen's maids of honor were not on
service, and were at liberty to do as they pleased. The queen had
been in the habit of reposing at this time, but to-day she could not
find rest; annoyed at her sleeplessness, she had arisen, and in
walking up and down had stepped to the window and looked dreamily
down into the still and desolate garden. Then it was that she
thought she saw a female figure passing hurriedly down the avenue.
It must have been one of her maids of honor; and although the queen
had not recognized her, she was convinced that it was none other
than Laura von Pannewitz, and that she was now going to a rendezvous
with her unknown lover, whom the queen had hitherto vainly
endeavored to discover. The queen called her waiting-maids to her
assistance, and putting on her furs and hood, she told them she felt
a desire to take a solitary walk in the garden, and that none of her
attendants should be called, with which she hurried into the garden,
following the same path which the veiled lady had taken. She
followed the foot-tracks in the snow to the conservatory, and
entered without hesitation, determined to discover the secret of her
maid of honor, and to punish her.
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