"Love and despair will sustain me without the first, and I shall soon acquire the second. How I will upbraid, how I will implore him; but he cannot have deceived me--Hans must be mistaken."
"But if he is not," said Konrad, piqued at the excess of her regard for another.
"Then I will throw myself at the feet of his sovereign; she is a woman, and, feeling as a woman, will do me justice."
"Wherever thou goest, Anna, permit me to be thy protector; and I will go, for am I not wedded to thee in spirit--thy brother, thy friend, if I cannot be thy lover? Unhappy one! thou dost now experience for another, the pangs that I endured for thee; thou who didst betray me, art now in thy turn betrayed. But think not, gentle one, that I upbraid thee," he continued, on seeing that she wept bitterly, "for now I am thy brother, Anna, since God denies me to be more; and by his blessed name I swear that I will lead, protect, and avenge thee! Come--be once again the daughter of stout old Svend of Aggerhuis, the conqueror of Lubeck--be once again a Norwegian!"
Like a ray of sunlight across a cold sky, a faint and sickly smile spread over Anna's face, and she kissed the hand of Konrad, who was deeply moved by the humility of the action.
"In an hour the night will be dark; have all prepared for flight, and then I will meet thee here. Meanwhile I go to Hans."
"Ah! if Hans should be mistaken, and Bothwell returning find me gone."
"Honest Hans is not mistaken; for Bothwell's marriage is known throughout all Scotland and the isles. Bethink thee, Anna! Hans' ship is bound for the Clyde, a river of that country, and he tells me that Bothwell's princely dwelling overlooks that very water; thus, with him, thou goest direct to the castle gates of thy deceiver."
"Enough! enough! Come triumph or death, despair or joy, I will go with thee. Away to Hans; bid him hasten our departure; he knows how well I can reward him when we are at home in dear Norway. In an hour from this time, Konrad, I will meet thee here."
As she hurried away, accompanied by her attendant, who had withdrawn during this painful interview, Konrad gazed wistfully after her, and, clasping his hands, convulsively muttered--
"O Anna! by what fatality did I ever love thee?".......