So Bauer tells you his
master's secrets?"
She acknowledged his raillery with a coquettish laugh. It was not
amiss for the king to see that she had her admirers.
"Well, and where has this foolish count gone to meet me?" asked
Rudolf lightly.
"You haven't seen him?"
"No; I came straight from the Castle of Zenda."
"But," she cried, "he expected to find you at the hunting lodge.
Ah, but now I recollect! The Count of Rischenheim was greatly
vexed to find, on his return, that his cousin was gone."
"Ah, he was gone! Now I see! Rischenheim brought a message from
me to Count Rupert."
"And they missed one another, your Majesty?"
"Exactly, my dear young lady. Very vexatious it is, upon my
word!" In this remark, at least, Rudolf spoke no more and no
other than he felt. "But when do you expect the Count of
Hentzau?" he pursued.
"Early in the morning, your Majesty--at seven or eight."
Rudolf came nearer to her, and took a couple of gold coins from
his pocket.
"I don't want money, your Majesty," she murmured.
"Oh, make a hole in them and hang them round your neck."
"Ah, yes: yes, give them to me," she cried, holding out her hand
eagerly.
"You'll earn them?" he asked, playfully holding them out of her
reach.
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