The Countess touched a bell, and the Governor appeared.
‘Governor,’ she said, ‘I am going to elope with his Highness. The result of our talk has been a thorough understanding, and the coup d’état is over. Here is the order.’
Colonel Gordon adjusted silver spectacles upon his nose. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘the Princess: very right. But the warrant, madam, was countersigned.’
‘By Heinrich!’ said von Rosen. ‘Well, and here am I to represent him.’
‘Well, your Highness,’ resumed the soldier of fortune, ‘I must congratulate you upon my loss. You have been cut out by beauty, and I am left lamenting. The Doctor still remains to me: probus, doctus, lepidus, jucundus: a man of books.’
‘Ay, there is nothing about poor Gotthold,’ said the Prince.
‘The Governor’s consolation? Would you leave him bare?’ asked von Rosen.
‘And, your Highness,’ resumed Gordon, ‘may I trust that in the course of this temporary obscuration, you have found me discharge my part with suitable respect and, I may add, tact? I adopted purposely a cheerfulness of manner; mirth, it appeared to me, and a good glass of wine, were the fit alleviations.’
‘Colonel,’ said Otto, holding out his hand, ‘your society was of itself enough. I do not merely thank you for your pleasant spirits; I have to thank you, besides, for some philosophy, of which I stood in need. I trust I do not see you for the last time; and in the meanwhile, as a memento of our strange acquaintance, let me offer you these verses on which I was but now engaged. I am so little of a poet, and was so ill inspired by prison bars, that they have some claim to be at least a curiosity.’
The Colonel’s countenance lighted as he took the paper; the silver spectacles were hurriedly replaced. ‘Ha!’ he said, ‘Alexandrines, the tragic metre. I shall cherish this, your Highness, like a relic; no more suitable offering, although I say it, could be made. “Dieux de l’immense plaine et des vastes forêts.” Very good,’ he said, ‘very good indeed! “Et du geôlier lui-même apprendre des leçons.” Most handsome, begad!’