Arrived at the ante-chamber to the
Throne-room, he was surprised to find Prince Humphry there, talking
animatedly to the King's physician, Professor Von Glauben. The Prince
seemed unusually excited; his face was flushed, and his eyes
extraordinarily brilliant, and as he saw the Premier, he came forward,
extending his hand, and almost preventing Lutera's profound bow and
deferential salutation.
"Have you business with the King, Marquis?" enquired the young man with
a light laugh. "If you have, you must do as I am doing,--wait his
Majesty's pleasure!"
The Premier lifted his eyebrows, smiled deprecatingly, and murmuring
something about pressure of State affairs, shook hands with Von
Glauben, whose countenance, as usual, presented an impenetrable mask to
his thoughts.
"It is rather a new experience for me," continued the Prince, "to be
treated as a kind of petitioner on the King's favour, and kept in
attendance,--but no matter!--novelty is always pleasing! I have been
cooling my heels here for more than an hour. Von Glauben, too, has been
waiting;--contrary to custom, he has not even been permitted to enquire
after his Majesty's health this morning!"
Lutera maintained his former expression of polite surprise, but said
nothing. Instinct warned him to be sparing of words lest he should
betray his own private anxiety.
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