already dreaming of a marriage。 Every day somewhat of the deep sadness
that had been in the princess' face faded away； every day hope and
animation beamed brighter from her eye； and by and by even vagrant smiles
visited the face that had been so troubled。
Conrad was appalled。 He bitterly cursed himself for having yielded to
the instinct that had made him seek the companionship of one of his own
sex when he was new and a stranger in the palacewhen he was sorrowful
and yearned for a sympathy such as only women can give or feel。 He now
began to avoid； his cousin。 But this only made matters worse； for；
naturally enough； the more he avoided her； the more she cast herself in
his way。 He marveled at this at first； and next it startled him。 The
girl haunted him； she hunted him； she happened upon him at all times and
in all places； in the night as well as in the day。 She seemed singularly
anxious。 There was surely a mystery somewhere。
This could not go on forever。 All the world was talking about it。 The
Duke was beginning to look perplexed。 Poor Conrad was becoming a very
ghost through dread and dire distress。 One day as he was emerging from a
private ante…room attached to the picture gallery； Constance confronted
him； and seizing both his hands； in hers； exclaimed：
〃Oh； why； do you avoid me？ What have I donewhat have I said； to lose
your kind opinion of mefor； surely I had it once？ Conrad； do not
despise me； but pity a tortured heart？ I cannot；；cannot hold the words
unspoken longer； lest they kill meI LOVE you； CONRAD！ There； despise
me if you must； but they would be uttered！〃
Conrad was speechless。 Constance hesitated a moment； and then；
misinterpreting his silence； a wild gladness flamed in her eyes； and she
flung her arms about his neck and said：
〃You relent！ you relent！ You can love meyou will love me！ Oh； say you
will； my own； my worshipped Conrad！'〃
〃Conrad groaned aloud。 A sickly pallor overspread his countenance； and
he trembled like an aspen。 Presently； in desperation； he thrust the poor
girl from him； and cried：
You know not what you ask！ It is forever and ever impossible！ 〃And then
he fled like a criminal and left the princess stupefied with amazement。
A minute afterward she was crying and sobbing there； and Conrad was
crying and sobbing in his chamber。 Both were in despair。 Both save ruin
staring them in the face。
By and by Constance rose slowly to her feet and moved away； saying：
〃To think that he was despising my love at the very moment that I thought
it was melting his cruel heart！ I hate him！ He spurned medid this
manhe spurned me from him like a dog！〃
CHAPTER IV
THE AWFUL REVELATION。
Time passed on。 A settled sadness rested once more upon the countenance
of the good Duke's daughter。 She and Conrad were seen together no more
now。 The Duke grieved at this。 But as the weeks wore away； Conrad's
color came back to his cheeks and his old…time vivacity to his eye； and
he administered the government with a clear and steadily ripening wisdom。
Presently a strange whisper began to be heard about the palace。 It grew
louder； it spread farther。 The gossips of the city got hold…of it。 It
swept the dukedom。 And this is what the whisper said： 。
〃The Lady Constance hath given birth to a child！〃
When the lord of Klugenstein heard it； he swung his plumed helmet thrice
around his head and shouted：
〃Long live。 Duke Conrad！for lo； his crown is sure； from this day
forward！ Detzin has done his errand well； and the good scoundrel shall
be rewarded！〃
And he spread； the tidings far and wide； and for eight…and…forty hours no
soul in all the barony but did dance and sing； carouse and illuminate； to
celebrate the great event； and all at proud and happy old Klugenstein's
expense。
CHAPTER V。
THE FRIGHTFUL CATASTROPHE。
The trial was at hand。 All the great lords and barons of Brandenburgh
were assembled in the Hall of Justice in the ducal palace。 No space was
left unoccupied where there was room for a spectator to stand or sit。
Conrad； clad in purple and ermine； sat in the premier's chair； and on
either side sat the great judges of the realm。 The old Duke had sternly
commanded that the trial of his daughter should proceed； without favor；
and then had taken to his bed broken…hearted。 His days were numbered。
Poor Conrad had begged； as for his very life； that he might be spared the
misery of sitting in judgment upon his cousin's crime； but it did not
avail。
The saddest heart in all that great assemblage was in Conrad's breast。
The gladdest was in his father's。 For； unknown to his daughter 〃Conrad；〃
the old Baron Klugenstein was come； and was among the crowd of nobles；
triumphant in the swelling fortunes of his house。
After the heralds had made due proclamation and the other preliminaries
had followed； the venerable Lord Chief justice said：
〃Prisoner； stand forth！〃
The unhappy princess rose and stood unveiled before the vast multitude。
The Lord Chief Justice continued：
〃Most noble lady； before the great judges of this realm it hath been
charged and proven that out of holy wedlock your Grace hath given birth
unto a child；； and by our ancient law the penalty is death； excepting in
one sole contingency； whereof his Grace the acting Duke； our good Lord
Conrad； will advertise you in his solemn sentence now； wherefore； give
heed。〃
Conrad stretched forth the reluctant sceptre； and in the self…same moment
the womanly heart beneath his robe yearned pityingly toward the doomed
prisoner； and the tears came into his eyes。 He opened his lips to speak；
but the Lord Chief Justice said quickly：
〃Not there； your Grace； not there！ It is not lawful to pronounce
judgment upon any of the ducal line SAVE FROM THE DUCAL THRONE！〃
A shudder went to the heart of poor Conrad； and a tremor shook the iron
frame of his old father likewise。 CONRAD HAD NOT BEEN CROWNEDdared he
profane the throne？ He hesitated and turned pale with fear。 But it must
be done。 Wondering eyes were already upon him。 They would be suspicious
eyes if he hesitated longer。 He ascended the throne。 Presently he
stretched forth the sceptre again； and said：
Prisoner； in the name of our sovereign lord； Ulrich； Duke of
Brandenburgh； I proceed to the solemn duty that hath devolved upon me。
Give heed to my words。 By the ancient law of the land； except you
produce the partner of your guilt and deliver him up to the executioner；
you must surely die。 Embrace this opportunitysave yourself while yet
you may。 Name the father of your child！〃
A solemn hush fell upon the great courta silence so profound that men
could hear their own hearts beat。 Then the princess slowly turned； with
eyes gleaming with hate； and pointing her finger straight at Conrad；
said：
〃Thou art the man！〃
An appalling conviction of his helpless； hopeless peril struck a chill to
Conrad's heart like the chill of death itself。 What power on earth could
save him！ To disprove the charge； he must reveal that he was a woman；
and for an uncrowned woman to sit in the ducal chair was death！ At one
and the same moment； he and his grim old father swooned and fell to； the
ground。
＇The remainder of this thrilling and eventful story will NOT be found in
this or any other publication； either now or at any future time。＇
The truth is； I have got my hero （or heroine） into such a particularly
close place； that I do not see how I am ever going to get him （or her）
out of it againand therefore I will wash my hands of the whole
business； and leave that person to get out the best way that offersor
else stay there。 I thought it was going to be easy enough to straighten
out that little difficulty； but it looks different now。
PETITION CONCERNING COPYRIGHT
TO THE HONORABLE THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED：
Whereas； The Constitution guarantees equal rights to all； backed by the
Declaration of Independence； and
Whereas； Under our laws； the right of property in real estate is
perpetual； and
Whereas； Under our laws； the right of property in the literary result of
a citizen's intellectual labor is restricted to forty…two years； and
Whereas； Forty…two years seems an exceedingly just and righteous term；
and a sufficiently long one for the retention of property；
Therefore； Your petitioner； having the good of his country solely at
heart； humbly prays that 〃equal rights〃 and fair and equal treatment may
be meted out to all citizens； by the restriction of rights in all
property； real estate included； to the beneficent term of forty…two
years。 Then shall all men bless your honorable body and be happy。 And
for this will your petitioner ever pray。
MARK TWAIN。
A PARAGRAPH NOT ADDED TO THE PETITION
The charming absurdity of restricting property…rights in books to
forty…two years sticks prominently out in the fact that hardly any man's
books ever live forty…two years； or even the half of it； and so； for the
sake of getting a shabby advantage of the heirs of about one Scott or
Burns or Milton in a hundred years； the lawmakers of the 〃Great〃 Republic
are content to leave that poor little pilfering edict upon the
statute…books。 It is like an emperor lying in wait to rob a Phenix's
nest； and waiting the necessary century to get the chance。
AFTER…DINNER SPEECH
＇AT A FOURTH OF JULY GATHERING； IN LONDON； OF AMERICANS＇
MR。 CHAIRMAN AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN： I thank you for the compliment
which has just been tendered me； and to show my appreciation of it I will
not afflict you with many words。 It is pleasant to celebrate in this
peaceful way； upon this old mother soil； the anniversary of an experiment
which was born of war with this same land so long ago； and wrought out to
a successful issue by the devotion of our ancestors。 It has taken nearly
a hundred years to bring the English and Americans into kindly and
mutually appreciative relations； but I believe it has been accomplished
at last。 It was a great step when the two last misunderstandings were
settled by arbitration instead of cannon。 It is another grea