houghts: her eyes fixed
upon the scene, her mind still glancing right and left on the overthrow
of her life and hopes. There was no one left in whom she might confide;
none whose hand was friendly, or on whom she dared to reckon for the
barest loyalty. With the fall of Gondremark, her party, her brief
popularity, had fallen. So she sat crouched upon the window-seat, her
brow to the cool pane; her dress in tatters, barely shielding her; her
mind revolving bitter thoughts.

Meanwhile, consequences were fast mounting; and in the deceptive quiet of
the night, downfall and red revolt were brewing. The litter had passed
forth between the iron gates and entered on the streets of the town. By
what flying panic, by what thrill of air communicated, who shall say? but
the passing bustle in the Palace had already reached and re-echoed in the
region of the burghers. Rumour, with her loud whisper, hissed about the
town; men left their homes without knowing why; knots formed along the
boulevard; under the rare lamps and the great limes the crowd grew
blacker.

And now through the midst of that expectant company, the unusual sight of
a closed litter was observed approaching, and trotting hard behind it
that great dignitary Cancellarius Greisengesang. Silence looked on as it
went by; and as soon as it was passed, the whispering seethed over like a
boiling pot. The knots were sundered; and gradually, one following
another, the whole mob began to form into a procession and escort the
curtained litter. Soon spokesmen, a little bolder than their mates,
began to ply the Chancellor with questions. Never had he more need of
that great art of falsehood, by whose exercise he had so richly lived.
And yet now he stumbled, the master passion, fear, betraying him. He was
pressed; he became incoherent; and then from the jolting litter came a
groan. In the instant hubbub and the gathering of the crowd as to a
natural signal, the clear-eyed quavering Chancellor heard the catch of
the clock before it strikes the hour of doom; and for ten seconds he
forgot himself. This shall atone for many sins. He plucked a bearer by
the sleeve. 'Bid the Princess flee. All is lost,' he whispered. And
the next moment he was babbling for his life among the multitude.

Five minutes later the wild-eyed servant burst into the armoury. 'All is
lost!' he cried. 'The Chancellor bids you flee.' And at the same time,
looking through the window, Seraphina sa