from them. Well, for the present at
least I have rest. Nobody shall disturb me. Nobody shall intrude upon me."

He stepped to the doors leading into his sleeping room and antechamber,
and bolted them both. He did not think of the secret door which led to the
little corridor and thence to the private staircase, and did not bolt
that. Why should he have done so? The steps were so little used, so few
knew of them, so few, of the existence of the little side door which led
to them. It was not necessary to lock that door, for no one would come to
him in that way.

He was alone, God be praised, quite alone! And now again he remembered
the important letter, which he had forgotten while the soldiers' riot was
in progress. There lay his son's letter, on his writing table. He hastened
thither and seated himself in the armchair, taking up the letter and
examining its address. The sight of his son's handwriting rejoiced his
heart, as a greeting from afar.

He drew a deep sigh of relief. All anguish, all cares had left him as soon
as he took his son's letter in his hand. Even the warning voice in his
heart had hushed, even the Fury no longer stood behind his chair; he no
longer heard her death cry. All was silent in that spacious apartment
behind him, on which he turned his back.

He took the letter, broke the seal, and slowly unfolded the paper. But now
he put off reading its contents for one moment more. This sheet of paper
contained the decision of his whole future, it would either exalt him into
a reigning prince by bringing him the Emperor's sanction, or lower him
into an underling of the Elector, making him a nobody, if--But no, it was
impossible! The Emperor would not disavow him! It was folly to think of
such a thing!

He fixed his eyes on the paper and began to read. But as he read, his
breath came ever quicker, his cheeks became more pale, his brow more
clouded. His hands began to tremble so violently that the paper which they
held rattled and shook, and finally dropped on the table.

Motionless and gasping for breath the count sat there, staring at the
letter. Then its contents flashed through him like a sudden shock, and,
collecting his faculties, he once more snatched up the paper.

"It is impossible!" he cried aloud, "I read falsely! That can not be! My
eyes surely deceived me! My ears shall lend their evidence! I will hear my
sentence of condemnation!"

And with loud voice, occasionally interrupted by the con