"
"No matter; be my aide. Come; I offer you a complete revenge for
the treatment you have received at Madame's hands. Your
government shall never know."
Maurice studied the mane of his horse. Suddenly he made a
gesture. This gesture consigned to the four winds his diplomatic
career. "I accept," he said. "You will find me at the
Continental. I confess that I have no love for this woman. She
has robbed me of no little conceit."
"To the palace, then; to the palace! And this hour to-morrow we,
you and I, will drink to her Royal Highness at the Red Chateau.
To the palace!"
Up the Strasse they raced, through the lower town to the upper,
and down the broad asphalt to the palace gates. The prince
rushed his horse to the very bars and shook them in his wild
impatience.
"Ho! open, open!" he called.
Several cuirassiers lounged about. At the sight of these two
hatless, bedraggled men storming the gates, they ran forward
with drawn swords and angry cries. Lieutenant Scharfenstein was
among them. At second glance he recognized Maurice, who hailed
him.
"Open, Lieutenant," he cried; "it is his Highness, Prince
Frederick!"
The bars came down, the gates swung in.
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