affixing of the seal appears to me, therefore, to be superfluous. If done
at all, it should have been attended to before the opening of the will."

"It has been delayed, alas!" replied Conrad von Burgsdorf, "and it has
resulted from the fact that since the Stadtholder's death there has been
nobody to issue orders or defend the right. But now, as we have once more
a Stadtholder in the Mark, all will be different, and those who put
themselves in opposition may be on their guard, for we seal not merely
papers, but men. As regards your question, count, the sealing affects your
inheritance only in so far as you have presumed to include among your
estates several districts and domains pertaining to the Elector, and have
been in indecent haste to take possession of them."

"These domains were given in pledge to my father, and never redeemed."

"That remains to be decided, and, for the purpose of setting this as well
as many other matters, the Elector has ordained that a judicial court
shall sit. He himself named the gentlemen who were to constitute this
board of investigation, which will enter upon its duties early to-morrow
morning, and begin by removing the seal from the papers which I am to make
myself master of to-day. The chairman of this committee is the president
of the privy council, von Goetze."

"I know of no President von Goetze."

"Yes, yes, your father deprived Herr von Goetze of his office because he
would not dance to the Stadtholder's piping, and was not his devoted
servant to say yes to everything. But for that very reason our young
Elector has installed him again in his office, and given orders, moreover,
that he be the president of the committee of investigation. And now, as I
have answered all your questions with praiseworthy patience and to my own
satisfaction, let us at last proceed to sealing, and make a beginning in
this very room. Shut the doors, Lieutenant von Metzdorf, and allow no one
to go out who was here at our entrance."

"Colonel," replied the lieutenant, "the high steward von Wallenrodt left
the room a while ago, but, as you had given no orders to that effect, I
could not detain him. He went out just when you took the count up in your
arms."

"Humph! That is the reason why the count wanted to divert my attention for
some minutes, that his steward might have time to execute his secret
commission!" cried the colonel stamping his foot passionately. "We ought
to have reflected that we had sl