was beyond my power; but I knew where my wish and longing lay. I had no desire to find means by which Rudolf Rassendyll should escape unknown from Strelsau, the King, although dead, be again in death the King, and the Queen be left desolate on her mournful and solitary throne. It might be that a brain more astute than mine could bring all this to pass. My imagination would have none of it, but dwelt lovingly on the reign of him who was now King in Strelsau, declaring that to give the kingdom such a ruler would be a splendid fraud, and prove a stroke so bold as to defy detection. Against it stood only the suspicions of Mother Holf—fear or money would close her lips—and the knowledge of Bauer; Bauer's mouth could also be shut, aye, and should be before we were many days older. My reverie led me far; I saw the future years unroll before me in the fair record of a great King's sovereignty. It seemed to me that by the violence and bloodshed we had passed through Fate, for once penitent, was but righting the mistake made when Rudolf was not born a king.
For a long while I stood thus, musing and dreaming; I was roused by the sound of the door opening and closing; turning, I saw the Queen. She was alone, and came towards me with timid steps. She looked out for a moment on the Square and the people, but drew back suddenly in apparent
