"You made these clippings?"
"At Your Imperial Highness's commands."
"And you think me ninny enough to be satisfied with reading no more than what you consider proper for me to see?"
The Tisch wavered not a bit. "His Majesty the King is served the same fashion."
"No matter. I want my papers whole, and don't you dare to mutilate them." By way of letting her down easier I added: "Don't give yourself the trouble."
"No trouble, I assure your Imperial Highness. With your permission, then, I will continue to clip for Your Imperial Highness."
I rose and, measuring her from head to toe with flaming eyes, I said: "You will do nothing of the kind, do you understand?"
The impertinent cat insisted: "But I think it proper——"
"Have you heard what I said or not, Baroness?"
She tried to save her face by asserting, "I am acting by command of His Majesty."