It was, therefore, natural that, when the king left, all were
anxious to congratulate the young lieutenant, and ask him what the
king had whispered. But Baron Kaphengst avoided, with dignified
gravity, all inquiries, and only whispered to his commander softly,
but loud enough for every one to hear, the words, "State secrets,"
then bowing profoundly, returned with an earnest and grave face to
his dwelling, there to meditate at his leisure upon the king's
words--words both gracious and cruel, announcing his advancement,
but at the same time condemning him to secrecy.

The king's words were: "You are a captain, but he is a scoundrel who
repeats it!"

Thus Baron Kaphengst was captain, but no one suspected it; the
captain remained a simple lieutenant in the eyes of the world.




CHAPTER VI.

THE LEGACY OF VON TRENCK, COLONEL OF THE PANDOURS.


Baron Weingarten, the new secretary of legation of the Austrian
embassy in Berlin, paced the ambassador's office in great
displeasure. It was the hour in which all who had affairs to arrange
with the Austrian ambassador, passports to vise, contracts to sign,
were allowed entrance, and it was the baron's duty to receive them.