“Oh, Max, this is terrible!” exclaimed his friend. “To think that they should dare do such a thing! Have you any idea who it was that sent him there?”
Maximilian shook his head.
“I can prove nothing,” he said despairingly. “I suspect the Chancellor and Moritz. But even if I were sure, what could I do? The mere fact of their venturing on such a step would convince everybody that there were some grounds for it. And then the fact of my presence at the Socialist meeting—all would tell against me!” He broke off abruptly, struggled with his emotions for some few moments, then broke down, and flung himself into his friend’s arms, crying wildly—
“Auguste! Stand by me! I have no one I can trust but you!”
The last reserve of Bernal appeared to give way before this appeal. He folded the King in an affectionate embrace, which seemed to give him greater consolation than any words. In a few minutes the fit passed off, and they were quietly discussing affairs in the Castle.
It was thus that Maximilian learned to his astonishment that Dorothea had been for the last three days a member of the Princess Hermengarde’s suite. Maximilian’s royal instinct rose in arms at the idea that the Princess had dared to interfere in his affairs without his permission, and he at once declared his resolve to go and demand an explanation of her conduct.
At the same time that Maximilian was holding this conversation with his friend, the Princess was giving secret audience to the Court physician himself.
The Chancellor was also present. He had been careful to intercept the physician on his arrival at the Castle, and after hastily exchanging a few words with him, had conducted him by the back staircase into Hermengarde’s presence.
The restrained air with which Von Sigismark saluted her warned the Princess immediately that some communication had already passed between the two. She was quick to perceive that all was not going well with her projects, and almost involuntarily hardened her face into a frown as she composed herself to hear the specialist’s report.
Dr. Krauss proceeded, in as calm a manner as if he were discussing the case of an ordinary patient, with his friends, to describe the stratagem by which he had been mingled among the victims of the police raid and introduced into the King’s presence. He added the information of the King’s subsequent release and return to Neustadt by the same train as himself.