An Imperial Marriage

the difficulties of the problem before me fair

mperial marriage--a matter which a few words of explanation would set right instantly--had developed int

been told, had at once raised my own hopes of being able to win her if only I could clear away the tangle, and at

oof that I must reckon with powerful Court influences; and that if I was not to be beaten

don for Althea's erratic father which was to be

emplated refusal to marry Hagar. Even if that marriage took place and von Felsen were thus unable to marry Althea, the lat

en telling me her story, and my thought had been to get von Felsen so

he had been acting in collusion with the Polish party, and had actually used his position in

again, my talk with Ziegler had made me pr

sat far into the night endeavouring to hit on a scheme by which

through Ziegler; but how to use him without rous

usiness." Glad of the opportunity to see him so soon without having appeared to seek the interview, I sent word I would call in the course of the morni

ed Borsen, whom I knew to be closely in his confidence. He had moreover been friendly with me during my time as newspaper correspondent. He received me very pleasantly, and shook ha

not exactly informal

ndon I should have dropped in on you without any invitation at all, b

see you in Berlin, also," I lau

and I might have been

ft of the brows. "Ah, let us be

Will you l

rper is in your house." He paus

uld certainly know it. My

t?" he interrupted

r tell me first w

no one could recognize her. The dark young lady drove with you to your house. Your German servant, Gretchen, I think her name is, saw her on her arrival. You discharged that most worthy yo

evidence. Herr Dormund came yesterday to see my sister, and would instantly have recognized her as

s?" and he went on to tell me what Althea herself had already told me about the Baron von Ringheim, her father, his ill reputation a

means?" I aske

and police methods here in Berlin will render you ex

ing, Borsen; and now suppose we get on

s ever, eh?

le knew it, you'd send straight away and arrest her; and then probabl

ll. But we don't wish to involve you in any bother, you know. And if you were foun

to see me through a little thing like that. Sha

very confidentially with you. The fact is that a marriage has been arrang

at the Count is very anxious to see him settling down a bit; but what I am not so sure about is why a girl like

uch a marriage would be of the greatest advantage to the lady herself. His Majesty would pardon her father, and all the family esta

e, eh?" I said drily. "An

the Emperor were to get wind of that matter, well----"

een kept, at any rate. "And not particularly chivalrous to attack the girl in the case. B

ly do that?" he

ly fail. Now, suppose she did give him up, would th

Majesty does not make terms, he l

atters, and you may find some morning you have driven those two to the altar,"

u are making terms, as if you were a delegate. My instructions are to tell you fr

ink it would be useful to have a delegate? Your own term. All

omacy. Assurance like that would carry you far," he jested. "Well, come and see me

Borsen well enough to feel sure that, although he had referred in a tone of jest to his instructions to send me packing from Berlin, they were genuine

retly and peacefully than by force. He remembered no doubt that in a former matter I had won my way by means of suggestive pa

t use of my time of grace, and I wen

r Bastable," he declared with his customary effusiveness, as

urgent, Ziegler.

uld allow you to be disturbed about. But I want to have a

d a ciga

urious thing has happened. I have not breathed a word to a soul about that talk; but last night one

incidence," I

and appeared to be telling the truth. "You were seen to leave here yesterday, and the question was asked whe

ou say?" I aske

ur expressions

" I q

ands. "You see you have ne

ntion

to know the exten

hy

of your words,

for you to talk, Zi

them rest on me. "You make it difficult; but at

t without my

What if I could get you news which closely concerns your country? You would not refuse to hear

ing until I

s? This Government does not wish it known, because it would prejudice the Kaiser. If I had such information, H

dily. But I mus

st England, and based upon knowledge of the strength of the English navy, its publication would m

I said. "But you'd have

ve the secret pape

ction at this. To make a pause I took my cigar from my lips and pr

lm tone was assumed and he shot a very k

use he would not have anything to do

e will do what I tell hi

are you k

with a power like England?" and he launched into a tirade against the Kaiser and

e of good fortune; and all I had to do was so to arrange matters that

which would incriminate him, except only von Felsen's word; and as he would be the actual thief, his testimony would be entirely discredited. As soon as I perceived this, I offered to take the risk of receiving the papers direct from von F

e secretly, and I was to do the rest. That would fit

ter a pause. "There will be some money to be paid, of course

s to f

t. "It is only equally natural that they would wish to have the p

w m

replied lightly, as if a thousa

ience, and would willingly have paid a much larger sum to gain the end I had in vie

hands in horror at the idea. "Do you think I am

find it in the first

t was comic and I smiled. "And now that settles the whole matter, except that one last little point. You mu

t turn Irreconcilable

hat you are against us. Some hints have been dropped that

ou know better than tha

things if you were to do as I suggest. Secrecy is everything to us; and there are som

take breat

arranged otherwise," he

this particular matter anyhow, and I'll meet any one of

t let anything come in the way of my pl

my power that I could even dictate my terms to his father. For such an