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The　footman　opened　the　door　with　a　rapidity　indicating　that　his　ears
probably　had　not　been　very　far　from　the　keyhole。

〃John；〃　said　Gentz；　〃accompany　this　gentleman　to　the　house　of
Minister　Schulenburg…Kehnert；　and　wait　at　the　door　for　the　reply　he
will　repeat　to　you。　And　now；　Mr。　Werner；　good…by；　you　see　I　have
done　all　I　can；　and　I　hope　you　will　remember　that　in　future；　and　not
make　so　much　noise　for　the　sake　of　a　few　miserable　dollars。　Good
gracious；　if　I　did　not　owe　any　one　more　than　you；　my　creditors　might
thank　their　stars〃

〃Poor　creditors！〃　sighed　Mr。　Werner；　saluting　Gentz；　and　left　the
room　with　the　footman；　holding　the　letter　like　a　trophy　in　his　hand。




CHAPTER　XIII。

THE　INTERVIEW　WITH　THE　MINISTER　OF　FINANCE。


〃Well；　I　am　really　anxious　to　know　whether　the　minister　will　give　me
the　money；〃　murmured　Gentz；　〃his　reply　will　indicate　to　me；　if　the
letter　to　the　king　I　intrusted　yesterday　to　Menken；　has　made　a
favorable　impression；　and　if　I　may　hope　at　length　for　promotion　and
other　favors。　My　God；　I　am　pining　away　in　my　present　miserable　and
subordinate　position！　I　am　able　to　accomplish　greater　things。　I　am
worth　more　than　all　these　generals；　ministers；　and　ambassadors；　who
are　so　proud　and　overbearing；　and　dare　to　look　down　upon　me　as
though　I　were　their　inferior。　Ah！　I　shall　not　stoop　so　low　as　to
knuckle　to　them　and　flatter　them。　I　don't　want　to　be　lifted　up　by
them；　but　I　will　be　their　equal。　I　feel　that　I　am　the　peer　of　the
foremost　and　highest　of　all　these　so…called　statesmen。　I　do　not　need
them；　but　they　need　me。　Ah；　my　God！　somebody　knocks　at　the　door
again；　and　John　is　not　at　home。　Good　Heaven；　if　it　should　be　another
of　those　noisy；　impertinent　creditors！　I　am　indebted　to　Julia　for
all　these　vexations。　Because　her　things　are　being　sent　away；　every
door　in　the　house　is　open；　and　every　one　can　easily　penetrate　into
my　room。　Yes；　yes；　I　am　coming。　I　am　already　opening　the　door。〃

He　hastened　to　the　door　and　unlocked　it。　This　time；　however；　no
creditor　was　waiting　outside；　but　a　royal　footman；　who　respectfully
bowed　to　the　military　counsellor。

〃His　royal　highness　Prince　Louis　Ferdinand；〃　he　said；　〃requests　Mr。
Counsellor　Gentz　to　dine　with　him　to…morrow。〃

Gentz　nodded　haughtily。　〃I　shall　come；〃　he　said　briefly；　and　then
looked　inquiringly　at　his　own　footman　who　had　just　entered　the　other
room。

〃Well；　John；　what　did　the　minister　reply？〃

〃His　excellency　requests　Mr。　Counsellor　Gentz　to　call　on　him　in　the
course　of　an　hour。〃

〃All　right！〃　said　Gentz；　and　an　expression　of　heart…felt
satisfaction　overspread　his　features。　He　closed　the　door；　and
stepped　back　into　his　study；　and；　folding　his　hands　on　his　back；
commenced　pacing　the　room。

〃He　is　going　to　receive　me　in　the　course　of　an　hour；〃　he　murmured。
〃I　may　conclude；　therefore　that　the　king　was　pleased　with　my　letter；
and　that　I　am　at　last　to　enter　upon　a　new　career。　Ah；　now　my　head　is
light；　and　my　heart　is　free；　now　I　will　go　to　work。〃

He　sat　down　at　his　desk　and　commenced　writing　rapidly。　His　features
assumed　a　grave　expression；　and　proud　and　sublime　thoughts　beamed　on
his　expansive　forehead。

He　was　so　absorbed　in　his　task　that　he　entirely　forgot　the　audience
the　minister　had　granted　to　him；　and　his　footman　had　to　come　in　and
remind　him　that　the　hour　for　calling　upon　his　excellency　was　at
hand。

〃Ah！　to　be　interrupted　in　my　work　for　such　a　miserable　trifle；〃　said
Gentz；　indignantly　laying　down　his　pen　and　rising。　〃Well；　then；　if
it　must　be；　give　me　my　dress…coat。　John；　and　I　will　go　to　his
excellency。〃

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　Counsellor　Frederick　Gentz　entered　the
anteroom　of　Count　Schulenburg…Kehnert；　minister　of　finance。
〃Announce　my　arrival　to　his　excellency；〃　he　said　to　the　footman　in
waiting；　with　a　condescending　nod；　and　then　quickly　followed　him　to
the　door　of　the　minister's　study。

〃Permit　me　to　announce　you　to　his　excellency；〃　said　the　footman；　and
slipped　behind　the　portiere。　He　returned　in　a　few　minutes。

〃His　excellency　requests　Mr。　Gentz　to　wait　a　little　while。　His
excellency　has　to　attend　to　a　few　dispatches　yet；　but　will　very　soon
be　ready　to　admit　Mr。　Gentz。〃

〃Very　well；　I　shall　wait；〃　said　Gentz；　with　a　slight　frown；　and　he
approached　the　splendidly　bound　books　which　were　piled　up　in　gilt
cases　on　the　walls　of　the　room。　The　most　magnificent　and　precious
works　of　ancient　and　modern　literature；　the　rarest　editions；　the
most　superb　illustrated　books　were　united　in　this　library；　and　Gentz
noticed　it　with　ill…concealed　wrath。

〃These　men　can　have　all　these　treasures；　nay；　they　have　got　them；
and　value　them　so　little　as　to　keep　them　in　their　anterooms；〃　he
murmured；　in　a　surly　tone；　forgetting　altogether　that　the　footman
was　present　and　could　overhear　every　word　he　said。　He　had　really
heard　his　remark；　and　replied　to　it；　approaching　Gentz：

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。　Counsellor；　his　excellency　does　not
undervalue　these　treasures；　but　appreciates　them　highly；　and　is
always　glad　enough　when　the　bookbinder　delivers　new　volumes　in
gorgeous　bindings。　For　this　very　reason　his　excellency　has　ordered
the　library　to　be　placed　in　this　anteroom；　so　that　it　also　may
gladden　the　hearts　of　other　people；　and　those　gentlemen　who　have　to
wait　here　may　have　something　wherewith　to　while　away　their　time。〃

〃They　are　permitted；　then；　to　take　the　books　down　and　read　them？〃
asked　Gentz。

The　footman　looked　somewhat　embarrassed。　〃I　believe；〃　he　said；
timidly；　〃that　would　not　be　altogether　agreeable　to　his　excellency；
for　you　see；　Mr。　Counsellor；　all　of　these　beautiful　books　are　gilt…
edged；　and　gilt　edges　suffer　greatly　if　the　books　are　read。　You
cannot　even　open　the　books　without　injuring　them　slightly。〃

〃And　the　gilt　edges　on　this　row　of　the　books　before　me　are　as　good
as　new；　and　perfectly　uninjured；〃　said　Gentz；　gravely。

〃Well；　that　is　easily　explained。　They　have　not　been　disturbed　since
the　bookbinder　brought　them　here；〃　exclaimed　the　footman；　solemnly。
〃No　one　would　dare　to　handle　them。〃

〃Does　not　his　excellency　read　these　books？〃

〃God　forbid！　His　excellency　likes　books；　but　he　has　not　got　time　to
read　much。　But　whenever　his　excellency　passes　through　this　anteroom；
he　pauses　before　his　bookcases；　and　looks　at　them；　and；　with　his　own
hands；　frequently　wipes　off　the　dust　from　the　gilt　edges　of　the
books。〃

〃Indeed；　that　is　a　most　honorable　occupation　for　a　minister　of
finance；〃　said　Gentz；　emphatically。　〃It　is　always　a　great
consolation　to　know　that　a　minister　of　finance　wipes　off　the　dust
from　the　gold。　I　should　be　very　happy　if　his　excellency　should
consent　to　do　that　also　for　me　as　often　as　possible。　But　does　it　not
seem　to　you；　my　dear　fellow；　that　it　takes　his　excellency　a　good
while　to　finish　those　dispatches？　It　is　nearly　half　an　hour　since　I
have　been　waiting　here。〃

〃I　am　sure　his　excellency　will　soon　ring　the　bell。〃

〃Ring　the　bell？〃　asked　Gentz；　uneasily；　〃for　whom？〃

〃Why；　for　myself；　in　order　to　notify　me　to　admit　you；　Mr。
Counsellor。〃

〃Ah；　for　you？〃　asked　Gentz；　drawing　a　deep　breath；　and　turning　once
more　to　the　books　in　order　to　while　away　the　time　by　reading　at
least　the　titles；　as　he　was　not　permitted　to　take　down　and　open　one
of　the　magnificent　volumes。

Time　passed　on　in　this　manner；　and　Gentz　was　walking　up　and　down
near　the　bookcases；　studying　the　titles；　and　waiting。　The　footman
had　withdrawn　into　the　most　remote　window；　and　was　waiting　likewise。

Suddenly　the　large　clock　commenced　striking　solemnly　and　slowly；　and
announced　to　Gentz　that　he　had　been　a　whole　hour　in　his　excellency's
anteroom。　And　his　excellency　had　not　yet　rung　the　bell。

At　this　moment　Gentz　turned　toward　the　footman　with　a　gesture　of
indignation　and　impatience。

〃I　am　satisfied　that　his　excellency　has　entirely　forgotten　that　I　am
waiting　here　in　the　anteroom；〃　he　said；　angrily。　〃The　dispatches
must　be　quite　lengthy；　for　I　have　been　here　now　for　an　hour　already！
Hence　I　must　beg　you　to　inform　the　minister　that　I　cannot　wait　any
longer；　for　I　am　quite　busy　too；　and　have　to　return　to　my　study。
Please　say　that　to　his　excellency。〃

〃But　can　I　dare　to　disturb　his　excellency？〃　asked　the　footman；
anxiously。　〃He　has　not　rung　the　bell；　sir。〃

〃Well；　you　must　be　kind　enough　to　disturb　him　and　tell　him　I　must
leave　unless　he　can　admit　me　at　once；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；
energetically。　〃Go；　sir；　go！〃

The　footman　sighed　deeply。　〃Well；　I　will　do　so　at　your　risk；　Mr。
Counsellor；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice；　stepping　behind　the　portiere。
He　soon　returned；　a　malicious　smile　playing　on　his　lips。

〃His　excellency　regrets　that　you　cannot　wait　any　longer；　Mr。
Counsellor；〃　he　said。　〃His　excellency　being　so　busy　that　he　cannot
be　disturbed；　he　requests　you　to　call　again　to…morrow　at　the　same
hour。〃

〃So　his　excellency　dismisses　me　after　detaining　me　here　in　the
anteroom　for　more　than　an　hour？〃　asked　Gentz；　incredulously。

〃His　excellency　is　overwhelmed　with　unexpected　business；〃　said　the
footman；　with　a　shrug　of　his　shoulders。　〃His　excellency　therefore
requests　you；　Mr。　Counsellor；　to　call　again　to…morrow。〃

Gentz　cast　upon　the　footman　a　glance　which　would　have　shivered　him
like　a　thunderbolt　if　he　had　not　been　a　man　of　stone。　But　being　a
man　of　stone；　the　thunderbolt　harmlessly　glanced　off　from　him。　With
a　peculiar　smile；　he　assisted　the　enraged　counsellor　in　putting　on
his　cloak；　handed　him　his　hat　with　a　polite　bow；　and　then　hastened
to　the　door　in　order　to　open　it　to　him。

At　this　moment　the　minister　in　his　study　rang　the　bell　loudly　and
violently。　The　footman　quickly　opened　the　door　leading　to　the　hall；
and；　with　a　polite　gesture；　invited　Gentz　to　step　out。　The　latter；
however；　did　not　stir。　He　had　hastily　placed　his　hat　on　his　head　and
was　now　putting　on　his　gloves　with　as　grave　an　air　as　if　they　were
gauntlets　with　which　he　was　going　to　arm　himself　for　the　purpose　of
stepping　out　into　the　arena。

The　minister's　bell　resounded　even　louder　and　more　violently　than
before。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。　Counsellor；〃　the　footman　exclaimed；
impatiently；　〃his　excellency　is　calling　me。　Be　kind　enough　to　close
the　door　when　you　leave。　I　must　go　to　his　excellency。〃

He　hurriedly　crossed　the　room　and