'With your Highness's permission,' he said, 'and laying at his feet
my most submiss apologies, I will now hasten to attend his further
orders in the Chancery.'

'Herr Cancellarius, do you see this chair?' said Otto. 'There is
where you shall attend my further orders. O, now, no more!' he
cried, with a gesture, as the old man opened his lips. 'You have
sufficiently marked your zeal to your employer; and I begin to weary
of a moderation you abuse.'

The Chancellor moved to the appointed chair and took his seat in
silence.

'And now,' said Otto, opening the roll, 'what is all this? it looks
like the manuscript of a book.'

'It is,' said Gotthold, 'the manuscript of a book of travels.'

'You have read it, Doctor Hohenstockwitz?' asked the Prince.

'Nay, I but saw the title-page,' replied Gotthold. 'But the roll
was given to me open, and I heard no word of any secrecy.'

Otto dealt the Chancellor an angry glance.

'I see,' he went on. 'The papers of an author seized at this date
of the world's history, in a state so petty and so ignorant as
Grunewald, here is indeed an ignominious folly. Sir,' to the
Chancellor, 'I marvel to find you in so scurvy an employment. On