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 believe that the Princess meant quite simply he wanted to run round to see her but was too agitated and bewildered. Was this again some feminine extravagance which was not to be taken literally and which he really didn’t understand? While he was reflecting like this Uncle Charles entered, accompanied by Carson. Both looked so official and serious that it flashed through Prokop’s head: “They’ve come to say that they’re sending me away to that fortress; the Princess has been plotting, and now here we are!” He looked round for some weapon, in case it should come to force, selected a marble paper-weight and sat down, mastering the beating of his heart.

Uncle Rohn looked at Carson, and Carson looked at Rohn with the mute question of who was to begin. Then Uncle Rohn said: “What we’ve come to tell you is to a certain extent ” He was beginning as usual hesitatingly, but suddenly he pulled himself together and continued more confidently: “My dear friend, what we have come to tell you is something very important  and discreet. It is not only in your interests that you should do this but on the contrary  To put it shortly, it was first of all her idea and  as far as I am concerned, after careful consideration  in any case we must leave her out of it; she is self-willed and passionate. Apart from that, it appears that she’s taken it into her head in fact from every point of view it would be better to find a suitable way out of the difficulty,” he concluded with relief. “The General Manager will explain the position.”