"Professor," he hissed, "we thank you. Stay at Lipara till to-morrow, so as to observe his highness once more."
"I will obey your majesty's commands," said Barzia.
He bowed, the physicians bowed; they withdrew. Left alone with the empress and the imperial chancellor, Oscar no longer restrained his rage. Like a beast foaming at the mouth, he walked fiercely up and down with heavy steps, gurgling as though the breath refused to come through his constricted throat:
"Oh!" he gnashed between his teeth, bursting out at last. "That boy, that boy!... He's not even fit to get married! His duchess: he was able to get married to her! And that boy, oh, that boy is to succeed me, me!..."
A furious laugh of contempt grated from between his large, white teeth, with biting irony.
The empress rose:
"Count Myxila," she said, trembling, "may I beg your excellency to come with me?"
She turned to leave the room. Myxila, hesitating, was already following her to the door.
"What for?" roared the emperor. "What's the reason of that? I have something more to say to Myxila."
The empress gave the emperor a look as cold as ice: