Fiction > Book editions > London, 1885 - Prince Otto

74 PRINCE OTTO
whether all was quiet ; do me the pleasure to
reply.'
' Perfectly — 0, perfectly quiet,' jerked the
ancient puppet, with every signal of untruth.
' I make a note of these words,' said the
Prince, gravely. • You assure me, your sovereign,
that since the date of my departure nothing has
occurred of which you owe me an account.'
'I take your Highness, I take the Herr
Doctor to witness,' cried Greisengesang, ' that I
have had no such expression.'
' Halt ! ' said the Prince ; and then, after a
pause : ' Herr Greisengesang, you are an old
man, and you served my father before you
served me,' he added. ' It consists neither with
your dignity nor mine, that you should babble
excuses and stumble possibly upon untruths.
Collect your thoughts ; and then categorically
inform me of all you have been charged to hide.'
Gotthold, stooping very low over his .desk,
appeared to have resumed his labours ; but his
shoulders heaved with subterranean merriment.
The Prince waited, drawing his handkerchief
quietly through his fingers.
' Your Highness, in this informal manner,'
said the old gentleman at last, ' and being un-
avoidably deprived of documents, it would be
difficult, it would be impossible, to do justice to
the somewhat grave occurrences which have
transpired.'