ant...."

The shot had gone off, into the wall. Blood dripped from Othomar's ear.
The emperor had caught hold of the crown-prince and torn the revolver,
still loaded in five chambers, from him; a second shot went off in that
brief moment of struggle, into the ceiling, Othomar remained standing
vacantly.

"Marquis!" the emperor hissed out at Xardi. "I don't know what you
think, but I tell you this: you've seen nothing, you think nothing. What
happened here before you came in ... did not happen."

He pointed his finger, threateningly at Xardi:

"Should you ever forget, marquis, that it did not happen, then I shall
forget who you are, though your pedigree dates back farther than ours!"

Xardi stood deathly pale before his emperor:

"My God, sir!..."

"What do you mean by entering your sovereign's room in this unmannerly
fashion? Even the Duke of Xara has himself announced, marquis!"

"Sir...."

"What? Speak up!..."

"Her majesty...."

"Well, her majesty?"

"Prince Berengar ... the fever has increased ... he is delirious, sir,
and the doctors ..."

The emperor turned pale:

"Is he dead?" he asked, fiercely. "Tell me at once."

"Not dead, sir, but...."

"But what?"

"But the doctors ... have no hope...."

With an oath of anguish the emperor pushed the aide aside and darted out
of the room.

The prince remained standing. Life returned to him: a reality full of
anguish, born of nightmare. His eyes swam with tears:

"Xardi," he implored, "Xardi ... your house has always been loyal to our
house; swear to me that you will be silent."

The marquis looked at the crown-prince in consternation:

"Highness...."

"Swear to me, Xardi."

"I swear to you, highness," said the aide, subdued; and he stretched out
his fingers to the crucifix hanging on the wall.

Othomar pressed his hand:

"Did Prince Berengar...." He could scarcely speak. "Did Prince Berengar
become so ill suddenly?..."

"The fever is increasing every moment, highness, and he is
delirious...."

"I will go to him," said Othomar.

He wiped the blood from his ear with his handkerchief and held the
cambric, which was at once soaked through, against it.

In the last anteroom he passed the chamberlain and looked at him
askance.

Xardi stopped for a moment:

"The Duke of Xara has hurt himself slightly," he said. "He was examining
the emperor's revolver when I went in and he started: two shots went
off."

"I heard them," whispered the