Can I give you a lift anywhere?"'
Although Rischenheim had intended to go first to the palace,
Anton's offer seemed to give him a good excuse for drawing the
more likely covert first.
"I was going to the palace to find out where the king is. I want
to see him, if he'll give me a minute or two," he remarked.
"I'll drive you there afterwards. Jump up. That your cab? Here
you are, cabman," and flinging the cabman a crown, he displaced
the bouquet and made room for Rischenheim beside him.
Anton's horses, of which he was not a little proud, made short
work of the distance to my home. The phaeton rattled up to the
door and both young men got out. The moment of their arrival
found the chancellor just leaving to return to his own home.
Helsing knew them both, and stopped to rally Anton on the matter
of his bouquet. Anton was famous for his bouquets, which he
distributed widely among the ladies of Strelsau.
"I hoped it was for my daughter," said the chancellor slyly. "For
I love flowers, and my wife has ceased to provide me with them;
moreover, I've ceased to provide her with them, so, but for my
daughter, we should have none."
Anton answered his chaff, promising a bouquet for the young lady
the next day, but declaring that he could not disappoint his
cousin.
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