Part 15 (1/2)

”Read the address,” he said, showing the letter to Mr. Werner.

”To his excellency the minister of the treasury, Count von Schulenburg-Kehnert, general of artillery,” read Werner, with a hesitating tongue, and casting astonished and inquisitive glances upon Gentz. ”And this is the distinguished gentleman to whom you apply for the money. Mr. Counsellor?”

”Yes, my friend; and you must confess that a minister of finance is the best man to apply to for money. I have written to his excellency that I stand in urgent need of five hundred dollars today, and I request him to extricate me from my embarra.s.sment. I ask him to appoint an hour during the forenoon when I may call upon him and get the money.”

”And you really believe that he will give you the money?”

”My dear sir, I am perfectly sure of it, and in order to satisfy you likewise, I will make a proposition. Accompany my footman to the minister's house, carry the letter to him yourself, and hear his reply.

You may then repeat this reply to my footman, go home in good spirits, and wait there until I bring you the money.”

”And if you should fail to come?” asked Werner.

”Then that last remedy you alluded to, suicide, always remains to you.

Now go, my dear sir. John! John!”

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 G.o.d, 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 amba.s.sadors, 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 G.o.d!

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.”