“Enter!” he cried, as some one knocked on the door.

Herbeck came in, as calm, as imperturbable as ever.

“Your highness sent for me?”

“I did.  Why the devil couldn’t you have left well enough alone?  Read this!” flinging the note down on his desk.

Herbeck picked it up and worked out the creases.  When he had read to the final word, his hand, even as the duke’s, closed spasmodically over the stiff paper.

“Well?” The query tingled with rage.

The answer on the chancellor’s lips was not uttered.  Hildegarde came in.  She blew a kiss at her father, who caught the hand and drew her toward him.  He embraced her and kissed her brow.

“What is it, father?”

Herbeck waited.

“Read,” said the duke.

As the last word left Herbeck’s lips, she slipped from her father’s arms and looked with pity at the chancellor.

“What do you think of this, Hildegarde?”

“Why, father, I think it is the very best thing in the world,” dryly.

“An insult like this?” The duke grew rigid.  “You accept it calmly, in this fashion?”

“Shall I weep and tear my hair over a boy I have never seen?  No, thank you.  I was about to make known to you this very evening that I had reconsidered the offer.  I shall never marry his majesty.”

“A fine time!” The duke’s hand trembled.  “Why, in God’s name, did you not refuse when the overtures were first made?  The truth, Herbeck, the whole truth; for there is something more than this.”

Herbeck, in few words and without evasion, explained the situation.

“Your Highness, the regent is really not to blame, for his majesty had given him free rein in the matter; and his royal highness, working as I have been for the best interests of the two countries, never dreamed that the king would rebel.  All my heart and all my mind have been working toward this end, toward a greater peace and prosperity.  The king has been generous enough to leave the publicity in our hands; that is to say, he agrees to accept the humiliation of being rejected by her serene highness.”

“That is very generous of him!” said the duke sarcastically.  “Send for Ducwitz.”

“Ducwitz, your Highness?” cried the chancellor, chilled.

“Immediately!”

“Father!”

“Must I give an order twice?”

“Your Highness, if you call Ducwitz I shall surrender my portfolio to you.”  The chancellor spoke without anger, quietly but firmly.

“Do so.  There are others to take up your work.”  The duke, for the moment, had thrown reason to the winds.  Revenge, the clamor of revenge, was all the voice he heard.

The chancellor bowed, turned to leave the room, when Hildegarde flew to the duke’s side and snatched at his sleeve.

“Father, you are mad!”

“At least I am master in Ehrenstein.  Herbeck, you will have the kindness to summon General Ducwitz.”