.

"He is really very sick," murmured the chamberlain. "There is nothing for
it but to stay here. He must not be left alone."

"No, Herr von Goetz," said Dietrich, his old face looking perfectly
tranquil and composed--"no; the Prince ordered me to desire you to return
immediately to the party, and not to tarry longer here. My young master
condescendingly owned to me himself that it was actually the strong
Hungarian wine which had occasioned his sickness, and therefore his
highness wishes the Chamberlain von Goetz to return forthwith to the party,
that his gracious mother may not be made uneasy, and imagine that her son
is seriously sick. The Electoral Prince's orders are that you say to his
mother that perhaps he may return himself to the entertainment this
evening, and that she must not allow herself to be at all anxious, for he
will certainly be well again to-morrow."

"That is a fine errand," exclaimed the chamberlain, "and the Electress
will be much comforted by such a message. But, nevertheless, I can not
possibly leave the Electoral Prince alone for the whole evening."

"He is not alone, for I am with him," replied Dietrich, shaking his head.
"I, too, am a man, Chamberlain von Goetze, and such my gracious young
master esteems me, for he gave express orders that I alone should stay
with him, and that nobody else should be admitted until early to-morrow
morning. His grace would sleep soundly he said, and rest was the best
medicine for him."

"But he must take the medicine that the doctor prescribes for him," said
the chamberlain earnestly. "You must insist that the Electoral Prince take
his medicine regularly."

"Dismiss all anxiety, Herr von Goetz," replied Dietrich solemnly; "I shall
see to it that the Prince regularly takes the medicine he needs."

"Here is the prescription!" called out the doctor, entering the chamber
and holding out a long strip of paper. "Hurry with it to the apothecary,
for I fear its preparation may occasion some little delay, since it is a
nice and particular recipe, and consists of fourteen component parts. But
it will surely work a cure and afford his highness relief. I shall come
again this evening and see how my exalted patient is getting on."

And the medical gentleman left the room, followed by the Chamberlain von
Goetz.

"You think then, doctor," asked the latter outside in the passage, "that
the Electoral Prince is not seriously sick?"

"Have you ever had the sickness whi