Syria, however, in her
exuberant love of life, had begged them to stay longer. They had
consented. Had they left at one o'clock, the explosion would have taken
place at the moment when Oscar would probably just have entered his
apartments. They had first talked of the anterooms only: but it would
now appear that great damage had also been done to the emperor's own
room.

Supper began. They supped in a large hall; from every table rose a
palm-tree and the hall was thus turned into a forest of palms. The floor
was strewn with gold sand, which powdered the trains as their wearers
walked upon it. Electric light shone through the long leaves like
moonlight. In this moonlight the faces remained deadly white, like
patches of chalk, above the glittering crystal and all the gold plate.
The music clattered with great cymbal-strokes of brass.

5

"To HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF GOTHLAND.

"IMPERIAL,
"LIPARA,
"--_May_, 18--.

"MY DEAREST SISTER,

"At last I can find time to write to you. The excitement of the visit of
our good Syrians is over and Lipara has calmed down. But my reflections
are nothing but sadness. And this is why, Olga.

"I fear that Othomar is much more ill than the doctors perceive. He has
become thinner and looks very bad. He never complains much, but yet he
told me lately that he often felt tired. The doctors think that he needs
a rest and recommend a long sea-voyage. His journey through Europe,
about which I wrote to you in my last, will have to be postponed. And
now I want to ask you a favour.

"I know that Herman is soon going to take a long voyage on the _Viking_
to India, Japan and America; and it would be my fondest wish at this
moment that Othomar might accompany him. When the doctors advised a
sea-voyage, I discussed the matter to Oscar, but we came to no decision.
My boy, you must know, Olga, has no friend of his own age; and this made
me so sad and we did not know how nor with whom to send him on this
voyage in a way which would be pleasant for him and which would not
involve a solitary banishment from our home-circle. He is on excellent
terms with his equerries, but yet that is not what I should desire: a
cordial, mutual, confidential friendship with some one of his own age
with whom he could spend a certain time, solely with a view to enjoyment
and relaxation.

"I know quite well that it is to some extent