f the queen's reproof and scornful of the woman's agitation.
He was also out of temper with Rudolf himself, because the moon took so
long in deciding whether she would make or unmake a king.

"The gardens!" she cried. "Then let us look for him. Oh, you've let him
walk in the gardens alone?"

"What should harm the fellow?" muttered Sapt.

She did not hear him, for she had swept out of the room. Helga went with
her, and we all followed, Sapt behind the rest of us, still very surly.
I heard him grumbling away as we ran downstairs, and, having passed
along the great corridor, came to the small saloon that opened on
the gardens. There were no servants about, but we encountered a
night-watchman, and Bernenstein snatched the lantern from the astonished
man's hand.

Save for the dim light thus furnished, the room was dark. But outside
the windows the moon streamed brightly down on the broad gravel walk,
on the formal flower-beds, and the great trees in the gardens. The queen
made straight for the window. I followed her, and, having flung the
window open, stood by her. The air was sweet, and the breeze struck with
grateful coolness on my face. I saw that Sapt had come near and stood on
the other side of the queen. My wife and the others were behind, looking
out where our shoulders left space.

There, in the bright moonlight, on the far side of the broad terrace,
close by the line of tall trees that fringed its edge, we saw Rudolf
Rassendyll pacing slowly up and down, with his hands behind his back and
his eyes fixed on the arbiter of his fate, on her who was to make him a
king or send him a fugitive from Strelsau.

"There he is, madam," said Sapt. "Safe enough!"

The queen did not answer. Sapt said no more, and of the rest of us none
spoke. We stood watching him as he struggled with his great issue; a
greater surely has seldom fallen to the lot of any man born in a private
station. Yet I could read little of it on the face that the rays of
white light displayed so clearly, although they turned his healthy tints
to a dull gray, and gave unnatural sharpness to his features against the
deep background of black foliage.

I heard the queen's quick breathing, but there was scarcely another
sound. I saw her clutch her gown and pull it away a little from her
throat; save for that none in the group moved. The lantern's light
was too dim to force notice from Mr. Rassendyll. Unconscious of our
presence, he wrestled with fate that