"Oh, his doctrine swarms with such inconsistencies!" growled Ducardi. "He will tell you of course that, so long as there is nothing better than the house of deputies, he is content to be a member of it. And the crown-prince wants to take notice of what a man like that does!"
Von Fest shrugged his shoulders:
"Let him be, general. The prince is young. He wants to know and see things. That's a good sign."
"But ... the emperor will never approve of it, colonel!" thundered the general, with an oath.
Again Von Fest shrugged his shoulders:
"Nevertheless I should not dissuade him any longer, general. If the prince wants a thing, let him have it, it will do him good.... And, if he gets blown up by his father afterwards, that will do him good too, by way of reaction."
Ducardi looked him straight in the face:
"What do you think of our prince?" he asked, point-blank.
Von Fest returned the general's glance, smilingly, looking straight into his searching eyes. He was honest by nature and upright, but enough of a courtier to be able to dissimulate when he thought necessary:
"A most charming lad," he replied. "But life—or rather he himself—will have to change him very much if he is to hold his own ... later on."