"The council," he began to dictate--'I withhold all notice of my intervention,' he said, in parenthesis, and addressing himself more directly to his wife; 'and I say nothing of the strange suppression by which this business has been smuggled past my knowledge.

I am content to be in time--"The council,"' he resumed, '"on a further examination of the facts, and enlightened by the note in the last despatch from Gerolstein, have the pleasure to announce that they are entirely at one, both as to fact and sentiment, with the Grand-Ducal Court of Gerolstein." You have it?
Upon these lines, sir, you will draw up the despatch.' 'If your Highness will allow me,' said the Baron, 'your Highness is so imperfectly acquainted with the internal history of this correspondence, that any interference will be merely hurtful.

Such a paper as your Highness proposes would be to stultify the whole previous policy of Grunewald.' 'The policy of Grunewald!' cried the Prince.

'One would suppose you had no sense of humour! Would you fish in a coffee cup ?' 'With deference, your Highness,' returned the Baron, 'even in a coffee cup there may be poison.

The purpose of this war is not simply territorial enlargement; still less is it a war of glory; for, as your Highness indicates, the state of Grunewald is too small to be ambitious.
But the body politic is seriously diseased; republicanism, socialism, many disintegrating ideas are abroad; circle within circle, a really formidable organisation has grown up about your Highness's throne.' 'I have heard of it, Herr von Gondremark,' put in the Prince; 'but I have reason to be aware that yours is the more authoritative information.' 'I am honoured by this expression of my Prince's confidence' returned Gondremark, unabashed.