As may be supposed, I paid little heed to them. I sprang out and ran up the steps to the door. I saw my wife’s face at the window: she herself ran to the door and opened it for me.
“Good God,” I whispered, “do all these people know he’s here, and take him for the king?”
“Yes,” she said. “We couldn’t help it. He showed himself at the door.”
It was worse than I dreamt: not two or three people, but all that crowd were victims of the mistake; all of them had heard that the king was in Strelsau—ay, and had seen him.
“Where is he? Where is he?” I asked, and followed her hastily to the room.
The queen and Rudolf were standing side by side. What I have told from Helga’s description had just passed between them. Rudolf ran to meet me.
“Is all well?” he asked eagerly.
I forgot the queen’s presence and paid no sign of respect to her. I caught Rudolf by the arm and cried to him: “Do they take you for the king?”
“Yes,” he said. “Heavens, man, don’t look so white! We shall manage it. I can be gone by to-night.”
“Gone? How will that help, since they believe you to be the king?”