"Make haste and summon Struensee, he must come directly," she ordered her women; but they replied that the count had already been removed.
"Betrayed! lost! eternally lost!" the queen exclaimed, with an outburst of despair. "Well," she continued, after a little reflection, "let them come in, the traitors, I am prepared for everything."
When the doors were opened by the women, the queen walked boldly toward the persons entering, and asked them what they wanted. Moved by the young queen's decided behaviour, Rantzau gave her a low bow, then said that he had come by the king's order, read her her consort's note, and handed it to her. She took it, and read it through without displaying any alarm; but then threw it disdainfully on the ground, and trampled upon it.
"Ha!" she said, "in that I recognise the traitors and the king."
Rantzau implored her to submit to the king's orders.
"Orders!" she exclaimed, contemptuously; "orders about which he knows nothing, and which the most shameful treachery has extorted from his imbecility. No, a queen does not obey such commands."
Rantzau looked serious, and said that his duty admitted of no delay.
"I will obey no orders till I have seen the king," the queen answered him; "let me go to him: I must—I will speak to him."
And she advanced some steps toward the door: but Rantzau stepped before her with heightened anger, and his entreaties became menaces.
"Villain!" the impassioned queen cried to him, "is that the language of a servant to his monarch? Go, most contemptible of men. Go, you are loaded with shame and disgrace, but I am not afraid of you."