It was a lovely morning in July when Prince Roland walked into the
shadow of the handsome tower which to-day is all that survives of the
Elector's palace at Hochst, on the river Main. He found Greusel there
awaiting him, but none of the others. When the two had greeted one
another, the Prince said:

"Joseph, I determined several days ago to appoint you my lieutenant on
this expedition."

"If you take my advice, Roland, you will do nothing of the kind."

"Why?"

"Because it may be looked upon as favoritism, and so promote jealously
in the ranks, which is a thing to avoid."

"Whom would you suggest for the place?"

"Conrad Kurzbold."

"What! and run the risk of divided authority? I am determined to be
commander, you know."

"Kurzbold, even if made lieutenant, would be as much under your orders
as the rest of us. He is an energetic man, and you may thus direct his
energy along the right path. From being a critic, he will become one of
the criticised, giving him something to think about. Then your
appointment of him would show that you bear no ill-feeling for what he
said last night."

"You appear to think, Greusel, that it is the duty of a commander to
curry favor with his following."

"No; but I regard tact as a useful quality. You see, you are not in the
position of a general with an army. The members of the guild can depose
you whenever they like and elect a successor, or they may desert you in
a body, and you have no redress. Your methods should not be drastic, but
rather those of a man who seeks election to some high office."

"I fear I am not constituted for such a role, Greusel."

"If you are to succeed in the task you have undertaken, Roland, you must
adapt yourself to your situation as it actually is, and not as you would
wish to have it. I stood by you yesterday evening, and succeeded in
influencing the others to do the same, yet there is no denying that you
spoke to those men in a most overbearing manner. Why, you could not have
been more downright had you been an officer of the Emperor himself. What
passed through my mind as I listened was, 'Where did this youth get his
swagger?' You ordered Kurzbold out of the ranks, you know."

"Then why favor my action?"

"Because I was reluctant to see a promising marauding adventure wrecked
at the very outset for lack of a few soothing words."

Roland laughed heartily. The morning was inspiring, and he was in good
fettle.

"Your words to Kurzbold