172 MARK TWAIN'S SKETCHES. 



" My daughter, the time is come for the revealing of the mystery that hath 

 puzzled all your young life. Know, then, that it had its birth in the matters which 

 I shall now unfold. My brother Ulrich is the great Duke of Brandenburgh. Our 

 father, on his deathbed, decreed that if no son were born to Ulrich the succession 

 should pass to my house, provided a son were born to me. And further, in case no 

 son were born to either, but only daughters, then the succession should pass to 

 Ulrich's daughter if she proved stainless ; if she did not, my daughter should 

 succeed if she retained a blameless name. And so I and my old wife here prayed 

 fervently for the good boon of a son, but the prayer was vain. You were born to 

 us. I was in despair. I saw the mighty prize slipping from my grasp — the splendid 

 dream vanishing away ! And I had been so hopeful ! Five years had Ulrich lived 

 in wedlock, and yet his wife had borne no heir of either sex. 



"'But hold,' I said, 'all is not lost.' A saving scheme had shot athwart my 

 brain. You were born at midnight. Only the leech, the nurse, and six waiting- 

 women knew your sex. I hanged them every one before an hour sped. Next 

 morning all the barony went mad with rejoicing over the proclamation that a son 

 was born to Klugenstein — an heir to mighty Brandenburgh ! And well the secret 

 has been kept. Your mother's own sister nursed your infancy, and from that time 

 forward we feared nothing. 



" When you were ten years old a daughter was born to Ulrich. We grieved, but 

 hoped for good results from measles, or physicians, or other natural enemies of 

 infancy, but were always disappointed. She lived, she throve — Heaven's malison 

 upon her ! But it is nothing. We are safe. For, ha! ha! have we not a son.-* 

 And is not our son the future Duke .' Our well-beloved Conrad, is it not so.? — for 

 woman of eight-and-twenty years as you are, my child, none other name than that 

 hath ever fallen to you.' 



" Now it hath come to pass that age hath laid its hand upon my brother, and he 

 waxes feeble. The cares of state do tax him sore, therefore he wills that you shall 

 come to him and be already Duke in act, though not yet in name. Your servitors 

 are ready — you journey forth to-night. 



" Now listen well. Remember every word I say. There is a law as old as Ger- 

 many, that if any woman sit for a single instant in the great ducal chair before she 



