ted the obsequious
Chancellor, and again made fast the door.

Greisengesang clumsily revolved among the wings of the curtain, so that
she was clear of it as soon as he.

'My God!' he cried 'The Baron!'

'I have killed him,' she said. 'O, killed him!'

'Dear me,' said the old gentleman, 'this is most unprecedented. Lovers'
quarrels,' he added ruefully, 'redintegratio--' and then paused. 'But,
my dear madam,' he broke out again, 'in the name of all that is
practical, what are we to do? This is exceedingly grave; morally, madam,
it is appalling. I take the liberty, your Highness, for one moment, of
addressing you as a daughter, a loved although respected daughter; and I
must say that I cannot conceal from you that this is morally most
questionable. And, O dear me, we have a dead body!'

She had watched him closely; hope fell to contempt; she drew away her
skirts from his weakness, and, in the act, her own strength returned to
her.

'See if he be dead,' she said; not one word of explanation or defence;
she had scorned to justify herself before so poor a creature: 'See if he
be dead' was all.

With the greatest compunction, the Chancellor drew near; and as he did so
the wounded Baron rolled his eyes.

'He lives,' cried the old courtier, turning effusively to Seraphina.
'Madam, he still lives.'

'Help him, then,' returned the Princess, standing fixed. 'Bind up his
wound.'

'Madam, I have no means,' protested the Chancellor.

'Can you not take your handkerchief, your neck-cloth, anything?' she
cried; and at the same moment, from her light muslin gown she rent off a
flounce and tossed it on the floor. 'Take that,' she said, and for the
first time directly faced Greisengesang.

But the Chancellor held up his hands and turned away his head in agony.
The grasp of the falling Baron had torn down the dainty fabric of the
bodice; and--'O Highness!' cried Greisengesang, appalled, 'the terrible
disorder of your toilette!'

'Take up that flounce,' she said; 'the man may die.'

Greisengesang turned in a flutter to the Baron, and attempted some
innocent and bungling measures. 'He still breathes,' he kept saying.
'All is not yet over; he is not yet gone.'

'And now,' said she 'if that is all you can do, begone and get some
porters; he must instantly go home.'

'Madam,' cried the Chancellor, 'if this most melancholy sight were seen
in town--O dear, the State would fall!' he piped.

'There is a litter in the P