"Whenever you wish to see the gardens," added the princess, "the gates
will be open for you."
As Gretchen went back to the Krumerweg her wooden shoes were golden
slippers and her rough homespun, silk. Rich! Famous! She saw the opera
ablaze with lights, she heard the roll of applause. She saw the horn of
plenty pouring its largess from the fair sky. Rainbow dreams! But
Gretchen never became a prima donna. There was something different on
the knees of the gods.
CHAPTER X
AFFAIRS OF STATE
The grand duke stamped back and forth with a rumble as of distant
thunder. He would search the very deeps of this matter. He was of a
patient mold, but this was the final straw. He would have his revenge if
it upset the whole continent. They would play with him, eh? Well, they
had loosed the lion this time. He had sent his valet to summon her
highness and Herbeck.
"And tell them to put everything else aside."
He kneaded the note in his hand powerfully. It was anonymous, but it
spoke clearly like truth. It had been left with one of the sentries, who
declared that a small boy had delivered it. The sender remained
undiscoverable.
His highness had just that hour returned from the military field. He was
tired; and it was not the psychological moment for a thing like this to
turn up.
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