“You have no longer any faith in me, M. Fabrice,” said Karl, looking with a smile at the envoy’s perturbed face.
M. Fabrice did not answer, but with a swelling heart turned away.
The King looked at his bloodstained hands with some disgust and was about to call for water, when Ismail Pasha entered, conducting M. Grothusen.
The Swede gave an exclamation on seeing the state of his master.
“It is a shameful thing to leave his Majesty without a sword!” he exclaimed.
“Allah preserve us,” answered Ismail Pasha, “he swore that he would cut off our beards.”
With that he retired, leaving the King and his two friends alone.
As if he wished to prevent M. Grothusen from referring to his present plight, Karl began to speak at once of the arrival of King Stanislaus at Bender.
“I must see him,” said the King. “I must tell him to return at once to Pomerania and fight there to the utmost.”
“Sire,” replied M. Grothusen sadly, “King Stanislaus comes under a military escort, and I do not think that anyone will be allowed to approach him.”