, which he took, although she
always made very bad tea. And for a few moments they discussed things.
Thus: the King's condition; the replanting of the Place with trees;
and the date of bringing out the Princess Hilda, who was still in the
schoolroom.

But the Archduchess suddenly came to business. She was an abrupt person.
"And now, General," she said, "what is it?"

"I am in trouble, Highness," replied the Chancellor simply.

"We are most of us in that condition at all times. I suppose you mean
this absurd affair of yesterday. Why such a turmoil about it? The boy
ran away. When he was ready he returned. It was absurd, and I dare say
you and I both are being held for our sins. But he is here now, and
safe."

"I am afraid he is not as safe as you think, madame."

"Why?"

He sat forward on the edge of his chair, and told her of the students
at the University, who were being fired by some powerful voice; of the
disappearance of the two spies; of the evidence that the Committee of
Ten was meeting again, and the failure to discover their meeting-place;
of disaffection among the people, according to the reports of his
agents. And then to the real purpose of his visit. Karl of Karnia had,
unofficially, proposed for the Princess Hedwig. He had himself broached
the matter to the King, who had at least taken it under advisement. The
Archduchess listened, rather pale. There was no mistaking the urgency in
the Chancellor's voice.

"Madame after centuries of independence we now face a crisis which we
cannot meet alone. Believe me, I know of what I speak. United, we
could stand against the world. But a divided kingdom, a disloyal and
discontented people, spells the end."

And at last he convinced her. But, because she was built of a contrary
mould, she voiced an objection, not to the scheme, but to Karl himself.
"I dislike him. He is arrogant and stupid."

"But powerful, madame. And--what else is there to do?"

There was nothing else, and she knew it. But she refused to broach the
matter to Hedwig.

She stated, and perhaps not without reason, that such a move was to damn
the whole thing at once. She did not use exactly these words, but
their royal equivalent. And it ended with the Chancellor, looking most
ferocious but inwardly uneasy, undertaking to put, as one may say, a
flea into the Princess Hedwig's small ear.

As he strode out, the door into the next room closed quietly.

CHAPTER VII. TEA IN THE SCHOOLROO