"You will advance to the middle, wheel to your right, face
the porti??re and stand at attention. You will answer all questions,
but make no comments or queries yourself. I need not enjoin you to
total silence. You understand?"
We bowed. Just then a gong boomed somewhere below us. A last word
from the Count, "Be ready!" He left us. Reappearing almost
immediately, he beckoned us to follow him. We noticed that he seemed
even more grave than usual. Down a flight of stairs along a great
corridor we made our way, no one speaking a word. At the end of the
corridor we saw two sentries; then, a big solid oak door, guarded by
an attendant in the livery of the Royal Household. At a sign from the
Count we halted; he knocked. The door was opened by an officer of the
Erste Gaarde du Corps and, remembering our instructions, we entered
and came to attention in the middle of a large room, facing an
adjoining chamber, the porti??res to which were divided. The room in
which we stood was brilliantly lighted, but the other was dark, save
for a green glow that came from a shaded reading lamp on a big writing
desk. Senden looked at the desk and gave a sort of gasp.
Then I quite understood his emotion. For seated behind that heavy,
old-fashioned desk, was Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany.
We stood at a rigid attention, absolutely silent, for full five
minutes.
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