Eleven men sat around a long table in one of the rooms of the Reist house. They talked only in whispers, and a general air of uneasiness was apparent. It was rumoured that the King was in the city, and these men felt themselves to be conspirators. Domiloff was strangely absent. The Countess of Reist in her own house had omitted to offer them a welcome.
Their suspense was temporarily ended, however. The door opened, and Baron Doxis entered, followed by a foreigner, whom most of them recognized. They rose to their feet. Baron Doxis presented the guest.
“My colleagues,” he announced, “this is Monsieur Gourdolis, the accredited envoy of the Czar to us. He has certain proposals to submit upon which we will at once debate.”
A Counsellor rose up.
“Has the Countess of Reist any message to us from her brother?”
“The Countess of Reist,” Baron Doxis answered, “is unaccountably absent.”
“And Domiloff?” another asked. “It is chiefly owing to his representations that we are assembled here to-day. Is he too absent?”
There was a moment’s silence. Then Gourdolis spoke.