'Where is
Gondremark?'

'The Prime Minister? In the prime-ministry, no doubt,' said Otto.

'Precisely,' said the Countess; and she pointed with her fan to the door
of the Princess's apartments. 'You and I, _mon Prince_, are in the
ante-room. You think me unkind,' she added. 'Try me and you will see.
Set me a task, put me a question; there is no enormity I am not capable
of doing to oblige you, and no secret that I am not ready to betray.'

'Nay, madam, but I respect my friend too much,' he answered, kissing her
hand. 'I would rather remain ignorant of all. We fraternise like foemen
soldiers at the outposts, but let each be true to his own army.'

'Ah,' she cried, 'if all men were generous like you, it would be worth
while to be a woman!' Yet, judging by her looks, his generosity, if
anything, had disappointed her; she seemed to seek a remedy, and, having
found it, brightened once more. 'And now,' she said, 'may I dismiss my
sovereign? This is rebellion and a _cas pendable_; but what am I to do?
My bear is jealous!'

'Madam, enough!' cried Otto. 'Ahasuerus reaches you the sceptre; more,
he will obey you in all points. I should have been a dog to come to
whistling.'

And so the Prince departed, and fluttered round Grafinski and von
Eisenthal. But the Countess knew the use of her offensive weapons, and
had left a pleasant arrow in the Prince's heart. That Gondremark was
jealous--here was an agreeable revenge! And Madame von Rosen, as the
occasion of the jealousy, appeared to him in a new light.

CHAPTER V--. . . GONDREMARK IS IN MY LADY'S CHAMBER

The Countess von Rosen spoke the truth. The great Prime Minister of
Grunewald was already closeted with Seraphina. The toilet was over; and
the Princess, tastefully arrayed, sat face to face with a tall mirror.
Sir John's description was unkindly true, true in terms and yet a libel,
a misogynistic masterpiece. Her forehead was perhaps too high, but it
became her; her figure somewhat stooped, but every detail was formed and
finished like a gem; her hand, her foot, her ear, the set of her comely
head, were all dainty and accordant; if she was not beautiful, she was
vivid, changeful, coloured, and pretty with a thousand various
prettinesses; and her eyes, if they indeed rolled too consciously, yet
rolled to purpose. They were her most attractive feature, yet they
continually bore eloquent false witness to her thoughts; for while she
herself, in the d