heir husbands; though they love us, yet we are always in some sort the
common enemy, against whom they join hands. Well, I would not look too
far into such secrets, for to know must be, I suppose, to blame, and who
is himself so blameless that in such a case he would be free with his
censures?

Yet much cannot have passed, for almost close on their talk about the
dream came Colonel Sapt, saying that the guards were in line, and all
the women streamed out to watch them, while the men followed, lest the
gay uniforms should make them forgotten. Certainly a quiet fell over
the old castle, that only the constable's curt tones broke, as he bade
Rudolf come by the back way to the stables and mount his horse.

"There's no time to lose," said Sapt, and his eye seemed to grudge the
queen even one more word with the man she loved.

But Rudolf was not to be hurried into leaving her in such a fashion. He
clapped the constable on the shoulder, laughing, and bidding him think
of what he would for a moment; then he went again to the queen and would
have knelt before her, but that she would not suffer, and they stood
with hands locked. Then suddenly she drew him to her and kissed his
forehead, saying: "God go with you, Rudolf my knight."

Thus she turned away, letting him go. He walked towards the door; but a
sound arrested his steps, and he waited in the middle of the room, his
eyes on the door. Old Sapt flew to the threshold, his sword half-way out
of its sheath. There was a step coming down the passage, and the feet
stopped outside the door.

"Is it the king?" whispered Rudolf.

"I don't know," said Sapt.

"No, it's not the king," came in unhesitating certainty from Queen
Flavia.

They waited: a low knock sounded on the door. Still for a moment they
waited. The knock was repeated urgently.

"We must open," said Sapt. "Behind the curtain with you, Rudolf."

The queen sat down, and Sapt piled a heap of papers before her, that it
might seem as though he and she transacted business. But his precautions
were interrupted by a hoarse, eager, low cry from outside, "Quick! in
God's name, quick!"

They knew the voice for Bernenstein's. The queen sprang up, Rudolf came
out, Sapt turned the key. The lieutenant entered, hurried, breathless,
pale.

"Well?" asked Sapt.

"He has got away?" cried Rudolf, guessing in a moment the misfortune
that had brought Bernenstein back.

"Yes, he's got away. Just as we left the town and reached