Havoc | Page 8

there I could hear loud
voices in the inner chamber and I knew that something was up.
Presently a little fellow came out to me - a dark-bearded chap with
gold-rimmed glasses. He was very polite, introduced himself as the
Chancellor's physician, regretted exceedingly that the Chancellor was

unwell and could see no one, - the excitement and hard work of the last
few days had knocked him out. Well, I stood there arguing as
pleasantly as I could about it, and then all of a sudden the door of the
inner room was thrown open. The Chancellor himself stood on the
threshold. There was no doubt about his being ill; his face was as pale
as parchment, his eyes were simply wild, and his hair was all ruffled as
though he had been standing upon his head. He began to talk to the
physician in German. I didn't understand him until he began to swear, -
then it was wonderful! In the end he brushed them all away and, taking
me by the arm, led me right into the inner room. For a long time he
went on jabbering away half to himself, and I was wondering how on
earth to bring the conversation round to the things I wanted to know
about. Then, all of a sudden, he turned to me and seemed to remember
who I was and what I wanted. 'Ah!' he said, 'you are Dorward, the
American journalist. I remember you now. Lock the door.' I obeyed
him pretty quick, for I had noticed they were mighty uneasy outside,
and I was afraid they'd be disturbing us every moment. 'Come and sit
down,' he ordered. I did so at once. 'You're a sensible fellow,' he
declared. 'To-day every one is worrying me. They think that I am not
well. It is foolish. I am quite well. Who would not be well on such a
day as this?' I told him that I had never seen him looking better in my
life, and he nodded and seemed pleased. 'You have come to hear the
truth about the meeting of my master with the Czar and the Emperor of
Germany?' he asked. 'That's so,' I told him. 'America 's more than a
little interested in these things, and I want to know what to tell her.'
Then he leaned across the table. 'My young friend,' he said, 'I like you.
You are straightforward. You speak plainly and you do not worry me.
It is good. You shall tell your country what it is that we have planned,
what the things are that are coming. Yours is a great and wise country.
When they know the truth, they will remember that Europe is a long
way off and that the things which happen there are really no concern of
theirs.' 'You are right,' I assured him, - 'dead right. Treat us openly,
that's all we ask.' 'Shall I not do that, my young friend?' he answered.
'Now look, I give you this.' He fumbled through all his pockets and at
last he drew out a long envelope, sealed at both ends with black sealing
wax on which was printed a coat of arms with two tigers facing each
other. He looked toward the door cautiously, and there was just that

gleam in his eyes which madmen always have. 'Here it is,' he whispered,
'written with my own hand. This will tell you exactly what passed this
afternoon. It will tell you our plans. It will tell you of the share which
my master and the other two are taking. Button it up safely,' he said,
'and, whatever you do, do not let them know outside that you have got
it. Between you and me,' he went on, leaning across the table,
'something seems to have happened to them all to-day. There's my old
doctor there. He is worrying all the time, but he himself is not well. I
can see it whenever he comes near me.' I nodded as though I
understood and the Chancellor tapped his forehead and grinned. Then I
got up as casually as I could, for I was terribly afraid that he wouldn't
let me go. We shook hands, and I tell you his fingers were like pieces
of burning coal. Just as I was moving, some one knocked at the door.
Then he began to storm again, kicked his chair over, threw a
paperweight at the window, and talked such nonsense that I couldn't
follow him. I unlocked the door myself and found the doctor there. I
contrived to look as frightened as possible. 'His Highness is not well
enough to talk to me,' I whispered. 'You had better look after him.' I
heard a shout behind and a heavy fall. Then I closed the