ost beside himself. He must have communicated this feeling to
me, for I remember taking him by the arm and laughing loudly, though,
Heaven knows, I was not in the humour to laugh at anything.

"Have you taken leave of your senses?" I inquired scornfully, as soon as
I had somewhat recovered my self-control. "How could he be here now, and
why, since he was then in South America, should he be in Zaarfburg, of
all places in the world?"

But Bertram did not answer. For the moment it looked as if the shock he
had received had been too much for him. Whoever, or whatever, this man
Rodriguez may have been, it is quite certain that the mere thought of
meeting him again was sufficient to exert a powerful influence over
Max's faithful friend. In silence we resumed our walk, and presently
reached the house in which I had, for the time being, taken up my
residence. Two hours later my poor brother's coffin was conveyed from
the clockmaker's house to the city hall, the great council chamber of
which had been converted into an impromptu _chapelle ardente_. A guard
was placed upon it, while additional sentries were posted at the outer
doors.

At the council meeting that evening, it had been arranged that the
remains should be conveyed to Pannonia on the day following, and that I
should accompany them to the capital. Accordingly, at noon, amidst the
thunder of artillery and the respectful homage of the army, we set out,
escorted by a regiment of cavalry, of which Max, as a boy, had been
colonel-in-chief. Bertram, who was now a recognised member of my suite,
accompanied me.

My story has taken so long to tell that I have no time or space left me
in which to do more than briefly summarise that mournful journey. Let it
suffice, therefore, that every hamlet and town through which we passed
received us with tokens of respect and sorrow. Whenever I think of that
mournful time, the picture of our return rises before my mind's eye.
Dusk was falling as we entered our ancient capital--the dusk of a cold,
raw day, quite in keeping with the sorrow which filled our hearts. We
found the streets crowded to their utmost holding capacity. Signs of
mourning were to be observed on every hand. Short though the notice had
been, the majority of the houses were draped in black, while overhead
sounded the mournful tolling of bells. At the entrance to the city I
gave up my horse, and for the remainder of the distance followed the
_cortege_ my suite, the gover