"
The vintner's hand again sought hers, and he sent Grumbach a look which
said: "Smile if you dare!"
But Grumbach did not smile. He was too sad. He fell into a dream, and
the music faded in his ear and the lights of the pavilion grew dim. He
was a boy again, and he was carrying posies to the pretty little
fraeulein in the Adlergasse. Dreams never last, and sometimes they are
rudely interrupted.
A hand was put upon his shoulder authoritatively. The police officer who
had examined his passports that morning stood at Grumbach's elbow.
"Herr Grumbach," he said quietly, "his excellency the chancellor has
directed me to bring you at once to the palace."
"To the palace?" Grumbach's face was expressive of great astonishment.
The officer saw nothing out of the ordinary in this expression. Any
foreigner would have been seized with confusion under like
circumstances. "To the palace?" Grumbach repeated. "My passports were
wrong in some respect?"
"Oh, no, Herr; they were correct."
Grumbach roused his mind energetically. He forced down the fast beating
of his heart, banished the astonishment from his face, and even brought
a smile to his lips.
"But whatever can the chancellor want of me?"
"That is not my business. I was simply sent to find you.
Pages:
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98