"Are you at work on the cards?"
"Head over heels," lied Phili.
"And in this connection—has nothing occurred to you?"
The obsequious courtier was in a quandary. Woe to him if he attempted to be wiser than his master!
"The old story; I have to think of everything," the War Lord thundered. "Can't you see you must take your selection of names to Bülow and pretend to get advice on the candidates from him? If you don't, he will be offended."
"Like the old woman he is," ventured Eulenburg.
"Don't you criticise my Chancellor." There was a brutal emphasis on the "my," and Phili stuttered a dozen excuses for his slip of the tongue.
"Never mind, to work, Prince! It was Louis XIV. who almost waited on one particular occasion. Remember, Phili, I don't want to repeat his experience."
Phili rang for Jaroljmek, his secretary.
"I do wish Majesty could get along without me for a day or two," he said. "More pressing business. All the young men in the diplomatic service to be inquired into, liver and kidneys. At once, of course! Beastly bore unless I may count on your assistance."