m," said Gondremark, smiling, "here you are beneath yourself.
What is it that feeds their discontent? What but the taxes? Once we have
seized Gerolstein, the taxes are remitted, the sons return covered with
renown, the houses are adorned with pillage, each tastes his little
share of military glory, and behold us once again a happy family! 'Ay,'
they will say in each other's long ears, 'the Princess knew what she was
about; she was in the right of it; she has a head upon her shoulders;
and here we are, you see, better off than before.' But why should I say
all this? It is what my Princess pointed out to me herself; it was by
these reasons that she converted me to this adventure."

"I think, Herr von Gondremark," said Seraphina, somewhat tartly, "you
often attribute your own sagacity to your Princess."

For a second Gondremark staggered under the shrewdness of the attack;
the next, he had perfectly recovered. "Do I?" he said. "It is very
possible. I have observed a similar tendency in your Highness."

It was so openly spoken, and appeared so just, that Seraphina breathed
again. Her vanity had been alarmed, and the greatness of the relief
improved her spirits. "Well," she said, "all this is little to the
purpose. We are keeping Frederic without, and I am still ignorant of our
line of battle. Come, co-admiral, let us consult.... How am I to receive
him now? And what are we to do if he should appear at the council?"

"Now," he answered. "I shall leave him to my Princess for just now! I
have seen her at work. Send him off to his theatricals! But in all
gentleness," he added. "Would it, for instance, would it displease my
sovereign to affect a headache?"

"Never!" said she. "The woman who can manage, like the man who can
fight, must never shrink from an encounter. The knight must not disgrace
his weapons."

"Then let me pray my _belle dame sans merci_," he returned, "to affect
the only virtue that she lacks. Be pitiful to the poor young man; affect
an interest in his hunting; be weary of politics; find in his society,
as it were, a grateful repose from dry considerations. Does my Princess
authorise the line of battle?"

"Well, that is a trifle," answered Seraphina. "The council--there is the
point."

"The council?" cried Gondremark. "Permit me, madam." And he rose and
proceeded to flutter about the room, counterfeiting Otto both in voice
and gesture not unhappily. "What is there to-day, Herr von Gondremark?
Ah, Herr C