those occupied by Her Majesty.

And Frederick Augustus! He will miss me in his way.

* * * * *

Ten more minutes. I hear the distant clatter of a carriage. Richard
driving to our rendezvous, two streets north of the palace gate.

Will my limbs carry me to him and liberty? I pace the room to test their
strength.

"Louise," says the voice within,--"your last chance. Your good-natured
husband, your darling children, your old parents, pomp and state and
circumstance, indeed, a crown, you are going to abandon for--what?"

A man whose carnal side only you know, a poor man, an artist without
fame, a professional without future.

Sadly perturbed in mind, I walk to the window. Those of His Majesty's
cabinet, where the family council is in progress, are directly opposite.

Shadows of men and women, rising from a sitting position, are thrown on
the curtains.

One of the shades slowly ascends.

I see the Tisch pointing a bony finger to the windows of my boudoir.
Von Metzsch stands by her side. They grin.

You triumph, wretch and Jezebel?

But when your _sbirri_, in an hour from now, or tomorrow morning early,
invade my rooms, instructed to carry me away--bound hand and foot to a
sofa, or in a straight jacket, perhaps--they will find the Crown
Princess gone--her and her Diary.

Both will be safe on foreign soil ere you can make arrangements for
organized pursuit, for Richard and I will travel by carriage to a
distant suburb, there mount the fast express and keep to our state room,
engaged under an assumed name, until without the sphere of Saxon or
German influence.

* * * * *

A discreet knock. Andrew, my liberator! In his hand a tallow dip to
light this Imperial Highness down back stairs to the new life of her
choice.

"One moment, old man, this book goes into the valise.

"Hand me the blotter, please. Tears won't do.

"And a couple more handkerchiefs from the top of the chiffonier,
please."

FINIS

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Secret Memoirs: The Story of Louise,
Crown Princess, by Henry W. Fischer

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