While Sapt was making his arrangements, Queen Flavia came to the
room where Rudolf Rassendyll was. It was then nearing twelve, and
young Bernenstein had been gone half an hour. Sapt attended her
to the door, set a sentry at the end of the passage with orders
that her Majesty should on no pretence be disturbed, promised her
very audibly to return as soon as he possibly could, and
respectfully closed the door after she had entered. The constable
was well aware of the value in a secret business of doing openly
all that can safely be done with openness.
All of what passed at that interview I do not know, but a part
Queen Flavia herself told to me, or rather to Helga, my wife; for
although it was meant to reach my ear, yet to me, a man, she
would not disclose it directly. First she learnt from Mr.
Rassendyll the plans that had been made, and, although she
trembled at the danger that he must run in meeting Rupert of
Hentzau, she had such love of him and such a trust in his powers
that she seemed to doubt little of his success. But she began to
reproach herself for having brought him into this peril by
writing her letter. At this he took from his pocket the copy that
Rischenheim had carried.
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