THE DECENT SERVITOR "This grows past all bearing," cried the Prince one morning, when he had summoned into his hall the Chancellor Dessauer and myself.

For, though the Prince was still wont to command in person in any important action, and in the general policy of his realm took counsel with none, yet it had somehow come about that we, the old man and the young, had been constituted an informal council of two which was liable to be summoned at any moment, whenever the Prince was weary or troubled.
He struck one clinched hand into the palm of the other before he spoke again.
"Duke Casimir is either in his dotage, or his riders have gotten out of hand since Hugo and you drove the young wolf over to help the old.

Both are likely enough, with a people praying for deliverance and yearning for their Duke's death.

A bare board and an empty treasury may render a new course of plunder necessary abroad, in order to keep his Dukedom from toppling about his ears at home.

After all, 'tis natural enough.