"

Hammerfeldt was dead; now came William Adolphus. _Il n'y a pas d'homme
necessaire._

"Of course you can do nothing abrupt," he continued. "But I should think
you might gradually----"

"I understand you absolutely," said I, rising to my feet.

"What I mean is----"

"My dear fellow, not another word is needed."

"You don't mind if I mention to Victoria that I have----?"

"Put it in the evening papers, if you like," said I.

"Ha, ha!" he laughed. "That wouldn't be a bad joke, would it?"

What a man! With his little bit of stock wisdom, "You can do nothing
abruptly"! Nothing abruptly! I must not check myself abruptly on the
edge of the precipice, but go quietly down half-way to the gulf, and
then come up again! If I were ever to do anything, it must be done
abruptly--now, to-day; while the strength was on me, while there was
still a force, fresh and vigorous, to match the other great force that
drew me on. And across this consciousness came a queer little remorse
for not having rescued Victoria from this husband whom she sent to teach
me. When Baptiste brought me lunch I was laughing.

That afternoon the thought of Geoffrey Owen was much with me. Perhaps I
summoned it first in a sort of appeal against Hammerfeldt. But I knew in
my heart that the two could not be antagonists here. Geoffrey would wish
me to show favour, or at least impartiality, toward Liberal opinions;
for the sake of such a manifestation he might overlook certain
objections and acquiesce in my giving the Embassy to Wetter. But with
what face would he hear an honest statement of the case--that Wetter was
to have the Embassy because the King desired to please Countess von
Sempach? I smiled drearily as I imagined his incredulous indignation.
No; everybody was against me, saints and sages, Geoffrey and
Hammerfeldt, women and men; even the fools gave no countenance to my
folly. William Adolphus thought that I might gradually----!

At five o'clock I sent for Wetter. He came with remarkable promptness.
He was visibly excited, and could hardly force himself to spend a moment
on the formal and proper expressions of regret for the Prince's death.
He seemed to be watching me closely and eagerly. I made him sit down,
and gave him a cigar. I had meant to approach the matter with a
diplomatic deviousness. I had overrated my skill and self-control.
Wetter made me feel young and awkward. I was like a schoolboy forced to
confess the neglect of his task, and