"Oh yes! unfortunately, too much; that's what makes her so exhausted. She talked for hours, incessantly."
"Was it with you that she talked so much?"
"Oh no!"
"Then it was with the doctor?"
"It was. But pardon me, Your Majesty, it seems to me that his medicines consist of words."
The king remembered that Madame Leoni owned a grudge to the queen, and a still greater one to Gunther, because the position of ayah to the crown prince had been given to Madame von Gerloff, instead of her. He was not disposed to take advantage of this, and only said:
"The physician, dear Leoni, should always be the confidant."
"Certainly, Your Majesty; but our noble queen is so despondent, and it seems to me it would be far better to cheer her up and make her laugh, instead of conversing about such difficult and terrible subjects. Your Majesty will surely not understand me, but I should like to help our noble queen, and her best, indeed her only helper, is Your Majesty. Whoever thrusts himself between you and her does more harm than good."
The king felt concerned. He had never indulged in espionage, and now that he felt himself purified and elevated, was doubly averse to it. Nevertheless, he asked:
"Pray, tell me what has happened!"