foresight; they were ripe for action; and then--" she
choked--"then you return--for a forenoon--to ruin all! To-morrow you
will be once more about your pleasures; you will give us leave once more
to think and work for you; and again you will come back, and again you
will thwart what you had not the industry or knowledge to conceive. O!
it is intolerable. Be modest, sir. Do not presume upon the rank you
cannot worthily uphold. I would not issue my commands with so much
gusto--it is from no merit in yourself they are obeyed. What are you?
What have you to do in this grave council? Go," she cried, "go among
your equals! The very people in the streets mock at you for a prince."

At this surprising outburst the whole council sat aghast.

"Madam," said the Baron, alarmed out of his caution, "command yourself."

"Address yourself to me, sir!" cried the Prince. "I will not bear these
whisperings!"

Seraphina burst into tears.

"Sir," cried the Baron, rising, "this lady----"

"Herr von Gondremark," said the Prince, "one more observation, and I
place you under arrest."

"Your Highness is the master," replied Gondremark, bowing.

"Bear it in mind more constantly," said Otto. "Herr Cancellarius, bring
all the papers to my cabinet. Gentlemen, the council is dissolved."

And he bowed and left the apartment, followed by Greisengesang and the
secretaries, just at the moment when the Princess's ladies, summoned in
all haste, entered by another door to help her forth.

CHAPTER VIII

THE PARTY OF WAR TAKES ACTION

Half an hour after, Gondremark was once more closeted with Seraphina.

"Where is he now?" she asked, on his arrival.

"Madam, he is with the Chancellor," replied the Baron. "Wonder of
wonders, he is at work!"

"Ah," she said, "he was born to torture me! O what a fall, what a
humiliation! Such a scheme to wreck upon so small a trifle! But now all
is lost."

"Madam," said Gondremark, "nothing is lost. Something, on the other
hand, is found. You have found your senses; you see him as he is--see
him as you see everything where your too-good heart is not in
question--with the judicial, with the statesman's eye. So long as he had
a right to interfere, the empire that may be was still distant. I have
not entered on this course without the plain foresight of its dangers;
and even for this I was prepared. But, madam, I knew two things; I knew
that you were born to command, that I was born to serve; I knew that