oral Prince?"

"No, I see him nowhere."

"He has fled, your excellency. He is the murderer of the Electoral Prince,
who is borne out senseless."

"Of the Electoral Prince? Conrad the Third, you mean! For was it not the
murder of the last of the Hohenstaufens which you promised me?"

"Yes, your excellency, and I will perform my promise if the sketch pleases
you."

"It pleases me very much, and it suits me perfectly," replied the count,
whose glance remained ever directed to the two sketches. "Yes, yes," he
continued slowly, "I understand, and the design has my approval, for it is
simple and natural. You have your plan complete in your head?"

"Quite complete, your excellency."

"Then it is not necessary to talk any more about it, or to preserve the
sketches," said the count, slowly tearing the two papers into little bits.

"You are right, count, it is not necessary to preserve the sketches, since
I soon expect to carry them out on a large scale. But we have something
else to talk about, your excellency."

Schwarzenberg looked in amazement at the painter, whose voice had now lost
its reverential expression, and was very firm and determined.

"We have only to speak upon such subjects as I may choose, master," he
said haughtily.

"No, Sir Count," retorted Nietzel decidedly; "but we have to speak about
what follows the completion of my painting. We must speak of _that_, even
should it not please your excellency. On Sunday your banquet takes place;
on that day I should like to set off for Italy with my wife and child,
and leave Germany forever."

"Do so, Master Nietzel, I strongly advise you to do so."

"Will your excellency condescend to assist me thereto?"

"Joyfully, from the bottom of my heart, my dear Nietzel. You would travel
to Italy. First of all you want funds for your journey, I suppose. Here,
Master Nietzel, here I transmit to you a pocketbook containing twelve
hundred dollars--your pension, which I pay you in advance for two years."

"I thank your excellency," said Gabriel, taking the pocketbook. "The
principal thing, though, is, how am I to get at my wife and child? Am I to
come here to fetch them away?"

"Not so, Master Nietzel. I shall send Rebecca and the child to you at your
lodgings in Berlin."

"Before or after the banquet?"

"After the banquet, of course."

"But if you do not do so, your excellency. If you should forget your
promise to poor Gabriel Nietzel?"

"Ah! you mistrust me,