xplain some of our methods."

"Herr Goebel, you may save your breath. Such a recital must not only
fail to interest me, but will bore me extremely. I care nothing for your
mercantile procedure, and, to be quite plain with you, I despise your
trade, and find some difficulty in repressing my contempt for those who
practice it."

"If an emissary of mine," returned Goebel, unperturbed, "approached a
client or customer for the purpose of obtaining a favor, and used as
little tact as you do, I should dismiss him."

"I'm not asking any favors from you."

"You wish me to hand over to you a thousand thalers, otherwise why came
you here?"

"I desire to bestow upon you the greatest of boons, namely to open up
the Rhine, and bring back prosperity to Frankfort, which you brainless,
cowardly merchants have allowed to slip through your fingers, blaming
now the Barons, now the Emperor, now the Electors; censuring everybody,
in fact, except the real culprits ... yourselves. You speak of the money
as a favor, but it is merely an advance for a few weeks, and will be
returned to you; yet because I desire to confer this inestimable gift
upon you and your city, you expect me to cringe to you, and flatter you,
as if I were a member of your own sycophantic league. I refuse to do
anything of the kind, and yet, by God, I'll have the money!"

The merchant, for the first time during their conference, laughed
heartily. The young man's face was aflame with anger, yet the truculent
words he used did more to convince Herr Goebel that he belonged to the
aristocracy than if he had spoken with the most exemplary humility.
Goebel felt convinced he was not the Prince, but some young noble, who,
intimate with the Royal Family, and knowing the Emperor's son to be out
of the way, thought it safe to assume his name, the better to carry
forward his purpose, whatever that purpose might actually be. That it
was to open the Rhine he did not for a moment credit, and that he would
ever see his cash again, if once he parted with it, he could not
believe.

"At the risk of tiring you, I shall nevertheless proceed with what I was
about to say. We merchants, for our own protection, contribute to a fund
which might be entitled one for secret service. This fund enables us to
procure private information that may be of value in our business. Among
other things we need to know are accurate details pertaining to the
intentions and doings of our rulers, for whatever our