I felt a thrill of pride, and I saw that Mr. Wentworth's lips had
formed into a "God bless her!"
"It is a question now," said the King, "only of duty."
"And Your Majesty's will regarding my marriage?" put in the Prince,
holding his watch in his hand. It was ten o'clock.
"Well, well! It shall be as you desire." Then to me: "I thank you in
the name of Their Highnesses for your services. And you, Mr.
Wentworth, shall always have the good will of the King for presenting
to his court so accomplished and beautiful a woman as Her Highness the
Princess Elizabeth. Hermann Breunner, return to your inn and remain
there; your countenance brings back disagreeable recollections. I
shall expect Your Highnesses at dinner this evening. Prince, I leave
to you the pleasant task of annulling your nuptial preparations. Good
morning. Ah! these women!" as he passed from the room. "They are our
mothers, so we must suffer their caprices."
And as we men followed him we saw Gretchen weeping silently on
Phyllis's shoulder.
The innkeeper touched the Prince.
"I give you fair warning," he said. "If our paths cross again, one of
us shall go on alone."
"I should be very lonely without you," laughed the Prince. "However,
rest yourself. As the King remarked, your face recalls unpleasant
memories. Our paths shall not cross again."
When the innkeeper and the Chancellor were out of earshot, I said: "She
is mine!"
"Not yet," the Prince said softly. "On Tuesday morn I shall kill you."