"I shall wait," replied the Prince de Harrai, advancing to a seat. Suddenly he stopped, and looked in astonishment at Count Falkenstein, who, perfectly unconcerned, was sitting in a corner of the room.
"Great Heaven! his majesty, the emperor!" cried he, shocked, but recovering himself sufficiently to make a deep inclination.
"Can your majesty pardon this unheard of oversight!"
"Peace, prince," replied the emperor, smiling; "you will disturb the ministers at their conference."
"Why, man, how is it that his excellency is not apprised of his majesty's presence here?" said the Prince de Harrai to the lackey.
"His excellency never spoke to me of an emperor," stammered the terrified lackey. "He desired me to admit no one except a foreign count, whose name, your highness, I have been so unlucky as to forget."
"Except Count Falkenstein."
"Yes, your highness, I believe—that is, I think it—"
"And you leave the count to wait here in the anteroom!"
"I beg monsieur le comte a thousand pardons. I will at once repair my error."