"Forever," decreed the princess.
"Oh, your Highness, your reign will not last so long as that," replied the other, with a peculiar smile, adding to himself, "Your reign, my lady, is but a question of a few weeks."
Taking off his hat, he dropped it to the ground, and bowed so low over it as almost to touch the turf with his fingers, herein imitating an old custom of the Polish serf when addressing his lord.
"I kiss the feet of the dainty Lady Natalie," he said.
Then, picking up his hat, the Baron walked off to a little distance, where he stood watching the sequel.
Paul longed to thrash the fellow for his insolence, but prudently refrained from creating a disturbance in Russian territory.
"Trevisa," said the princess, "in remembrance of your many services I remit the penalty due by law, but," and there was genuine sorrow in her tone, "you lose your secretaryship."
"Your Highness," stammered Trevisa, his whole manner showing how deeply he felt the loss of his office. "Fine. Imprisonment. Any punishment but that."
"The cipher, your Highness," murmured Zabern. "The cipher letter! We cannot do without Trevisa."
"Let me intercede for him," said Paul, bending his knee.