~1~
The Chemical Staff called for me at my laboratory to conduct me to the presence of the Emperor. At the elevator we were met by an electric vehicle manned fore3 and aft by pompous4 guards. Through the wide, high streets we rolled noiselessly past the decorated facades5 of the spacious6 apartments that housed the seventeen thousand members of the House of Hohenzollern.
At times the ample streets broadened into still more roomy avenues where potted trees alternated with the frescoed7 columns, and beyond which were luxurious8 gardens and vast statuary halls. On the Level of Free Women the life was one of crowded revelry, of the bauble9 and delights of carnival10, but on the Royal Level there was an atmosphere of luxurious leisure, with vast spaces given over to the privacy of aristocratic idleness.
An occasional vehicle rolled swiftly past us on the glassy smoothness of the pavement; more rarely lonely couples strolled among the potted trees or sat in dreamy indolence beside the fountains. There was no crowding, no mass of humanity, no narrow halls, no congested apartments. All structure here was on a scale of magnificent size and distances, while by comparison the men and women appeared dwarfed11, but withal distinctive12 in their costumes and regal in their leisurely13 idleness.
After some kilometres of travel we came to His Majesty14's palace, which stood detached from all other enclosed structures and was surrounded on all sides by ever-necessary columns that seemed like a forest of tree trunks spaced and distanced in geometrical design.
As we approached the massive doorway15 of the palace, our party paused, and stood stiffly erect16. Before us were two colossal17 statues of glistening18 white crystal. My fellow scientists faced one of the figures, which I recognized as that of William II, and I, a little tardily19, saluted20 with them. And now we turned sharply on our heels and saluted the second figure of these twin German heroes. For German it was unmistakably in every feature, save for the one oddity that the Teutonic face wore a flowing beard not unlike that of Michael Angelo's Moses. As we moved forward my eye swept in the lettering on the pedestal, "Unser Alte Deutche Gott," and I was aware that I had acknowledged my allegience to the supreme22 war lord--I had saluted the Statue of God.
Entering the palace we were conducted through a long hall-way hung with floral tapestries23. We passed through several great metal doors guarded by stalwart leaden-faced men and came at last into the imperial audience room, where His Majesty, Eitel I, satellited by his ministers, sat stiff and upright at the head of the council table.
Though he had seemed a small man when I had seen him in the dazzling beam of the reflected sunlight, I now perceived that he was of more than average stature24. He wore no crown and no helmet, but only a crop of stiff iron grey hair brushed boldly upright. His face was stern, his nose beak-like, and his small eyes grey and piercing. Over the high back of his chair was thrown his cape25, and he was clad in a jacket of white cellulose velvet26 buttoned to the throat with large platinum27 buttons.
Formally presented by one of the secretaries we made our stiff bows and were seated at the table facing His Majesty across the unlittered surface of black glass.
The Emperor nodded to the Chief of the Chemical Staff who arose and read the report of my solution of the protium problem. He ended by advising that the process should immediately replace the one then in use in the extraction of the ore in the industrial works and that I was recommended for promotion28 to the place to be vacated by the retiring member of the Chemical Staff and should be given full charge of the protium industry.
Emperor Eitel listened with solemn nods of approval. When the reading was finished he arose and proclaimed the retirement29 with honour, and because of his advanced age, of Herr von Uhl. The old chemist now stepped forward and the Emperor removed from von Uhl's breast the insignia of active Staff service and replaced it with the insignia of honourable30 retirement.
In my turn I also stood before His Majesty, who when he had pinned upon my breast the Staff insignia said: "I hereby commission you as Member of the Chemical Staff and Director of the Protium Works. Against the fortune, to be accredited31 to you and your descendants, you are authorized32 to draw from the Imperial Bank a million marks a year. That you shall more graciously befit this fortune I confer upon you the title of 'von' and the social privilege of the Royal Level."
When the formal ceremonies were ended I again arose and addressed the Emperor. "Your Majesty," I said, as I looked unflinchingly at his iron visage, "I beg leave to make a personal petition."
"State it," commanded the Emperor.
"I wish to ask that you restore to the Royal Level a girl who is now in the Level of the Free Women, and known there as Marguerite 78 K 4, but who was born on the Royal Level as a daughter of Princess Fedora of the House of Hohenzollern."
A hush33 of consternation34 fell upon those about the table.
"Your petition," said the Emperor, "cannot be granted."
"Then," I said, speaking with studied emphasis, "I cannot proceed with the work of extracting protium."
An angry cloud gathered on the face of Eitel I. "Herr von Armstadt," he said, "the title and awards which have just been conferred upon you are irrevocable. But if you decline to perform the duties of your office those duties can be performed by others."
"But others cannot perform them," I replied. "The demonstration35 I conducted was genuine, but the formulas I have given were not genuine. The true formulas for my method of extracting protium are locked within my brain and I will reveal them only when the petition I ask has been granted."
At these words the Emperor pounded on the table with a heavy fist. "What does this mean?" he demanded of the Chemical Staff.
"It is a lie," shouted the Chief of the Staff. "We have the formulas and they are correct, for we saw the demonstration conducted with the ingredients stated in the formulas which Armstadt gave us."
"Very well," I cried; "go try your formulas; go repeat the demonstration, if you can."
The Emperor, glaring his rage, punched savagely36 at a signal button on the arm of his chair.
Two palace guards answered the summons. "Arrest this man," shouted His Majesty, "and keep him in close confinement37; permit him to see no one."
Without further ado I was led off by the guards, while the Emperor shouted imprecations at the Chemical Staff.
~2~
The place to which I was conducted was a suite38 of rooms in a remote corner of the Royal Palace. There was a large bedroom and bath, and a luxurious study or lounging room. Here I found a case of books, which proved to be novels bearing the imprint39 of the Royal Level.
Despite the comfortable surroundings, it was evident that I was securely imprisoned40, for the door was of metal, the ventilating gratings were long narrow slits41, and the walls were of heavy concrete--and there being no windows, no bars were needed. Any living apartment in the city would have served equally well the jailor's purpose; for it were only necessary to turn a key from without to make of it a cell in this gigantic prison of Berlin.
The regular appearance of my meals by mechanical carrier was the only way I had to reckon the passing of time, for it had chanced that I had forgotten my watch when dressing42 for the audience with His Majesty. I wrestled43 with unmeasured time by perusing44 the novels which gave me fragmentary pictures of the social life on the Royal Level.
As I turned over the situation in my mind I reassured45 myself that the secrecy46 of my formulas was impregnable. The discovery of the process had been rendered possible by knowledge I had brought with me from the outer world. The reagents that I had used were synthetic47 substances, the very existence of which was unknown to the Germans. I had previously48 prepared these compounds and had used and completely destroyed them in making the demonstration, while I had taken pains to remove all traces of their preparation. Hence I had little to fear of the Chemical Staff duplicating my work, though doubtless they were making desperate efforts to do so, and my imprisonment49 was very evidently for the purpose of permitting them to make that effort.
On that score I felt that I had played my cards well, but there were other thoughts that troubled me, chief of which was a fear that some investigation50 might be set on foot in regard to Marguerite and that her guardianship51 of the library of forbidden books might be discovered. With this worry to torment52 me, the hours dragged slowly enough.
I had been some five days in this solitary53 confinement when the door opened and a man entered. He wore the uniform of a physician and introduced himself as Dr. Boehm, explaining that he had been sent by His Majesty to look after my health. The idea rather amused me; at least, I thought, the Emperor had decided54 that the secrets of my brain were well worth preservation55, and I reasoned that this was evidence that the Chemical Staff had made an effort to duplicate my work and had reported their failure to do so.
The doctor made what seemed to me a rather perfunctory physical examination, which included a very minute inspection56 of my eyes. Then he put me through a series of psychological test queries57. When he had finished he sighed deeply and said: "I am sorry to find that you are suffering from a disturbed balance of the altruistic58 and the egotistic cortical impulses; it is doubtless due to the intensive demands made upon the creative potential before you were completely recovered from the sub-normal psychosis due to the gas attack in the potash mines."
This diagnosis59 impressed me as a palpable fraud, but I became genuinely alarmed at the mention of the affair at the potash mines. I was somewhat reassured at the thought that this reference was probably a part of the record of Karl Armstadt, which was doubtless on file at the medical headquarters, and had been looked up by Dr. Boehm who was in need of making out a plausible60 case for some purpose--perhaps that of confining me permanently61 on the grounds of insanity62. Whatever might be the move on foot it was clearly essential for me to keep myself cool and well in hand.
The doctor, after eyeing me calmly for a few moments, said: "It will be necessary for me to go out for a time and secure apparatus63 for a more searching examination. Meanwhile be assured you will not be further neglected. In fact, I shall arrange for the time to share your apartment with you, as loneliness will aggravate64 your derangement65."
In a few hours the doctor returned. He brought with him a complicated-looking apparatus and was followed by two attendants carrying a bed.
The doctor pushed the apparatus into the corner, and, after seeing his bed installed in my sleeping chamber66, dismissed the attendants and sat down and began to entertain me with accounts of various cases of mental derangement that had come under his care. So far as I could determine his object, if he had any other than killing67 time, it was to impress me with the importance of submitting graciously to his care.
Tiring of these stories of the doctor's professional successes with meek68 and trusting patients, I took the management of the conversation into my own hands.
"Since you are a psychic expert, Dr. Boehm, perhaps you can explain to me the mental processes that cause a man to prize a large bank credit when there is positively69 no legal way in which he can expend70 the credit."
The doctor looked at me quizzically. "How do you mean," he asked, "that there is no legal way in which he can expend the credit?"
"Well, take my own case. The Emperor has bestowed71 upon me a credit of a million marks a year. But I risked losing it by demanding that a young woman of the Free Level be restored to the Royal Level where she was born."
"Of this I am aware," replied the psychic physician. "That is why His Majesty became alarmed lest your mental equilibrium72 be disturbed. It seems to indicate an atavistic reversion to a condition of romantic altruism73, but as your pedigree is normal, I deem it merely a temporary loss of balance."
"But why," I asked, "do you consider it abnormal at all? Is there evidence of any great degree of unselfishness in a man desiring the bestowal74 of happiness upon a particular woman in preference to bank credit which he cannot expend? What should I do with a million marks a year when I have been unable to expend the ten thousand a year I have had?"
"Ah," exclaimed the doctor, the light of a brilliant discovery breaking over his countenance75. "Perhaps this in a measure explains your case. You have evidently been so absorbed in your work that you have not sufficiently76 developed your appetite for personal enjoyment77."
"Perhaps I have not. But just how should I expend more funds; food, clothing, living quarters are all provided me, there is nothing but a few tawdry amusements that one can buy, nor is there any one to give the money to--even if a man had children they cannot inherit his wealth. Just what is money for, anyway?"
The doctor nodded his head and smiled in satisfaction. "You ask interesting questions," he said. "I shall try to answer them. Money or bank credit is merely a symbol of wealth. In ancient times wealth was represented by the private ownership of physical property, which was the basis of capitalistic or competitive society. Racial progress was then achieved by the mating of the men of superior brain with the most beautiful women. Women do not appreciate the mental power of man in its direct expression, or even its social use; they can only comprehend that power when it is translated into wealth. After the destruction of private property women refused to accept as mates the men of intellectual power, but preferred instead men of physical strength and personal beauty.
"At first this was considered to be a proof of the superiority of the proletariat. For, with all men economically equal, the beautiful women turned from the anemic intellectual and the sons of aristocracy, to the strong arms of labour. Believing themselves to be the source of all wealth, and by that right vested with sole political power, and now finding themselves preferred by the beautiful women, the labourer would soon have eliminated all other classes from human society. Had unbridled socialism with its free mating continued, we should have become merely a horde78 of handsome savages79.
"Such would have been the destiny of our race had not William III foreseen the outcome and restored war, the blessings80 of which had been all but lost to the world. The progress of peace depended upon the competition of capitalism81, but in peace progress is incidental. In war it is essential. Because war requires invention, it saved the intellectual classes, and because war requires authority it made possible the restoration of our Royal House. Labour, the tyrant82 of peace, became again the slave of war, and under the plea of patriotic83 necessity eugenics was established, which again restored the beautiful women to the superior men. And thus by Imperial Socialism the race was preserved from deterioriation."
"But surely," I said, "eugenics has more than remedied this defect of socialism, for the selection of men of superior mentality85 is much more rigid86 than it could have been under the capricious matings of capitalistic society. Why then this need of wealth?"
"Eugenics," replied Boehm, "breeds superior children, but eugenic84 mating is a cold scientific thing which fails to fan the flame of man's ambition to do creative work. That is why we have the Level of Free Women and have not bred the virility87 out of the intellectual group. That is also the reason we have retained the Free Level on a competitive commercial basis, and have given the intellectual man the bank credit, a symbol of wealth, that he may use it, as men have always used wealth, for the purpose of increasing his importance in the eyes of woman. This function of wealth is psychically88 necessary to the creative impulse, for the power of sexual conquest and the stimulus89 to creative thought are but different expressions of the same instinct. Wealth, or its symbol, is a medium of translating the one into the other. For example, take your discovery; it is important to you and to the state. Your fellow scientists appreciate it, His Majesty appreciates it, but women cannot appreciate it. But give it a money value and women appreciate it immediately. They know that the unlimited90 bank credit will give you the power to keep as many women on your list as you choose, and this means that you can select freely those you wish. So the most attractive women will compete for your preferment. We bow before the Emperor, we salute the Statue of God, but we make out our checks to buy baubles91 for women, and it is that which keeps the wheels of progress turning."
"So," I said, "this is your philosophy of wealth. I see, and yet I do not see. The legal limit a man may contribute to a woman is but twenty-four hundred marks a year, what then does he want with a million?"
"But there is no legal limit," replied the Doctor, "to the number of women a man may have on his list. His relation to them may be the most casual, but the pursuit is stimulating92 to the creative imagination. But you forget, Herr von Armstadt, that with the compensation that was to be yours goes also the social privilege of the Royal Level. Evidently you have been so absorbed in your research that you had no time to think of the magnificent rewards for which you were working."
"Then perhaps you will explain them to me."
"With pleasure," said Dr. Boehm; "your social privilege on the Royal Level includes the right to marry and that means that you should have children for whom inheritance is permitted. How else did you suppose the ever-increasing numbers of the House of Hohenzollern should have maintained their wealth?"
"The question has never occurred to me," I answered, "but if it had, I should have supposed that their expenses were provided by appropriations93 from the state treasury94."
Dr. Boehm chuckled95. "Then they should all be dependents on the state like cripples and imbeciles. It would be a rather poor way to derive96 the pride of aristocracy. That can only come from inherited wealth: the principle is old, very old. The nobleman must never needs work to live. Then, if he wishes to give service to the state, he may give it without pay, and thus feel his nobility. You cannot aspire97 to full social equality with the Royal House both because you lack divinity of blood and because you receive your wealth for that which you have yourself given to the state. But because of your wealth you will find a wife of the Royal House, and she will bear you children who, receiving the divine blood of the Hohenzollerns from the mother and inherited wealth from the father, will thus be twice ennobled. To have such children is a rare privilege; not even Herr von Uhl with his thousands of descendants can feel such a pride of paternity.
"It is well, Herr von Armstadt, that you talked to me of these matters. Should you be restored to your full mental powers and be permitted to assume the rights of your new station, it would be most unfortunate if you should seem unappreciative of these ennobling privileges."
"Then, if I may, I shall ask you some further questions. It seems that the inherited incomes of the Royal Level are from time to time reinforced by marriage from without. Does that not dilute98 the Royal blood?"
"That question," replied Dr. Boehm, "more properly should be addressed to a eugenist, but I shall try to give you the answer. The blood of the House of Hohenzollern is of a very high order for it is the blood of divinity in human veins99. Yet since there is no eugenic control, no selection, the quality of that blood would deteriorate100 from inbreeding, were there no fresh infusion101. Then where better could such blood come than from the men of genius? No man is given the full social privilege of the Royal Level except he who has made some great contribution to the state. This at once marks him as a genius and gives his wealth a noble origin."
"But how is it," I asked, "that this addition of men from without does not disturb the balance of the sexes?"
"It does disturb it somewhat," replied the doctor, "but not seriously, for genius is rare. There are only a few hundred men in each generation who are received into Royal Society. Of course that means some of the young men of the Royal Level cannot marry. But some men decline marriage of their own free will; if they are not possessed102 of much wealth they prefer to go unmarried rather than to accept an unattractive woman as a wife when they may have their choice of mistresses from the most beautiful virgins103 intended for the Free Level. There is always an abundance of marriageable women on the Royal Level and with your wealth you will have your choice. Your credit, in fact, will be the largest that has been granted for over a decade."
"All that is very splendid," I answered. "I was not well informed on these matters. But why should His Majesty have been so incensed104 at my simple request for the restoration of the rights of the daughter of the Princess Fedora?"
"Your request was unusual; pardon if I may say, impudent105; it seems to imply a lack of appreciation106 on your part of the honours freely conferred upon you--but I daresay His Majesty did not realize your ignorance of these things. You are very young and you have risen to your high station very quickly from an obscure position."
"And do you think," I asked, "that if you made these facts clear to him, he would relent and grant my request?"
Dr. Boehm looked at me with a penetrating107 gaze. "It is not my function," he said, "to intercede108 for you. I have only been commissioned to examine carefully the state of your mentality."
I smiled complacently109 at the psychic expert. "Now, doctor," I said, "you do not mean to tell me that you really think there is anything wrong with my mentality?"
A look of craftiness110 flashed from Boehm's eyes. "I have given you my diagnosis," he said, "but it may not be final. I have already communicated my first report to His Majesty and he has ordered me to remain with you for some days. If I should alter that opinion too quickly it would discredit111 me and gain you nothing. You had best be patient, and submit gracefully112 to further examination and treatment."
"And do you know," I asked, "what the chemical staff is doing about my formulas?"
"That is none of my affair," declared Boehm, emphatically.
There was a vigour113 in his declaration and a haste with which he began to talk of other matters that gave me a hint that the doctor knew more of the doings of the chemical staff than he cared to admit, but I thought it wise not to press the point.
~3~
The second day of Boehm's stay with me, he unmantled his apparatus and asked me to submit to a further examination. I had not the least conception of the purpose of this apparatus and with some misgivings114 I lay down on a couch while the psychic expert placed above my eyes a glass plate, on which, when he had turned on the current, there proceeded a slow rhythmic115 series of pale lights and shadows. At the doctor's command I fixed116 my gaze upon the lights, while he, in a monotonous117 voice, urged me to relax my mind and dismiss all active thought.
How long I stood for this infernal proceeding118 I do not know. But I recall a realization119 that I had lost grip on my thoughts and seemed to be floating off into a misty120 nowhere of unconsciousness. I struggled frantically121 to regain122 control of myself; and, for what seemed an eternity123, I fought with a horrible nightmare unable to move a muscle or even close my eyelids124 to shut out that sickening sequence of creeping shadows. Then I saw the doctor's hand reaching slowly toward my face. It seemed to sway in its stealthy movement like the head of a serpent charming a bird, but in my helpless horror I could not ward21 it off.
At last the snaky fingers touched my eyelids as if to close them, and that touch, light though it was, served to snap the taut125 film of my helpless brain and I gave a blood-curdling yell and jumped up, knocking over the devilish apparatus and nearly upsetting the doctor.
"Calm yourself," said Boehm, as he attempted to push me again toward the couch. "There is nothing wrong, and you must surrender to the psychic equilibrator so that I can proceed with the examination."
"Examination be damned," I shouted fiercely; "you were trying to hypnotize me with that infernal machine."
Boehm did not reply but calmly proceeded to pick up the apparatus and restore it to its place in the corner, while I paced angrily about the room. He then seated himself and addressed me as I stood against the wall glaring at him. "You are labouring under hallucinations," he said. "I fear your case is even worse than I thought. But calm yourself. I shall attempt no further examination today."
I resumed a seat but refused to look at him. He did not talk further of my supposed mental state, but proceeded to entertain me with gossip of the Royal Level, and later discussed the novels in the bookcase.
It was difficult to keep up an open war with so charming a conversationalist, but I was thoroughly126 on my guard. I could now readily see through the whole fraud of my imputed127 mental derangement. I knew my mind was sound as a schoolboy's, and that this pretence128 of examination and treatment was only a blind. Evidently the Chemical Staff had failed to work the formulas I had given them and this psychic manipulator had been sent in here to filch129 the true formulas from my brain with his devilish art. I knew nothing of what progress the Germans might have made with hypnotism, but unless they had gone further than had the outer world, now that I was on my guard, I believed myself to be safe.
But there was yet one danger. I might be trapped in my sleep by an induced somnambulistic conversation. Happily I was fairly well posted on such things and believed that I could guard against that also. But the fear of the thing made me so nervous that I did not sleep all of the following night.
The doctor, evidently a keen observer, must have detected that fact from the sound of my breathing, for the lights were turned out and we slept in the pitchy blackness that only a windowless room can create.
"You did not sleep well," he remarked, as we breakfasted.
But I made light of his solicitous130 concern, and we passed another day in casual conversation.
As the sleeping period drew again near, the doctor said, "I will leave you tonight, for I fear my presence disturbs you because you misinterpret my purpose in observing you."
As the doctor departed, I noted131 that the mechanism132 of the hinges and the lock of the door were so perfect that they gave forth133 no sound. I was very drowsy134 and soon retired135, but before I went to sleep I practised snapping off and on the light from the switch at the side of my bed. Then I repeated over and over to myself--"I will awake at the first sound of a voice."
This thought ingrained in my subconscious136 mind proved my salvation137. I must have been sleeping some hours. I was dreaming of Marguerite. I saw her standing138 in an open meadow flooded with sunlight; and heard her voice as if from afar. I walked towards her and as the words grew more distinct I knew the voice was not Marguerite's. Then I awoke.
I did not stir but lay listening. The voice was speaking monotonously139 and the words I heard were the words of the protium formulas, the false ones I had given the Chemical Staff.
"But these formulas are not correct," purred the voice, "of course, they are not correct. I gave them to the Staff, but they will never know the real ones--Yes, the real ones--What are the real ones? Have I forgotten--? No, I shall never forget. I can repeat them now." Then the voice began again on one of the fake formulas. But when it reached the point where the true formula was different, it paused; evidently the Chemical Staff had found out where the difficulty lay. And so the voice had paused, hoping my sleeping mind would catch up the thread and supply the missing words. But instead my arm shot quickly to the switch. The solicitous Doctor Boehm, flooded with a blaze of light, glared blinkingly as I leaped from the bed.
"Oh, I was asleep all right," I said, "but I awoke the instant I heard you speak, just as I had assured myself that I would do before I fell asleep. Now what else have you in your bag of tricks?"
"I only came--" began the doctor.
"Yes, you only came," I shouted, "and you knew nothing about the work of the Chemical Staff on my formulas. Now see here, doctor, you had your try and you have failed. Your diagnosis of my mental condition is just as much a fraud as the formulas on which the Chemical Staff have been wasting their time--only it is not so clever. I fooled them and you have not fooled me. Waste no more time, but go back and report to His Majesty that your little tricks have failed."
"I shall do that," said Boehm. "I feared you from the start; your mind is really an extraordinary one. But where," he said, "did you learn how to guard yourself so well against my methods? They are very secret. My art is not known even to physicians."
"It is known to me," I said, "so run along and get your report ready." The doctor shook my hand with an air of profound respect and took his leave. This time I balanced a chair overhanging the edge of a table so that the opening of the door would push it off, and I lay down and slept soundly.
~4~
I was left alone in my prison until late the next day. Then came a guard who conducted me before His Majesty. None of the Chemical Staff was present. In fact there was no one with the Emperor but a single secretary.
His Majesty smiled cordially. "It was fitting, Herr von Armstadt, for me to order your confinement for your demand was audacious; not that what you asked was a matter of importance, but you should have made the request in writing and privately140 and not before the Chemical Staff. For that breach141 of etiquette142 I had to humiliate143 you that Royal dignity might be preserved. As for the fact that you kept the formulas secret, none need know that but the Chemical Staff and they will have nothing further to say since you made fools of them." His Majesty laughed.
"As for the request you made, I have decided to grant it. Nor do I blame you for making it. The Princess Marguerite is a very beautiful girl. She is waiting now nearby. I should have sent for her sooner, but it was necessary to make an investigation regarding her birth. The unfortunate Princess Fedora never confessed the father. But I have arranged that, as you shall see."
The Emperor now pressed his signal button and a door opened and Marguerite was ushered144 into the room. I started in fear as I saw that she was accompanied by Dr. Zimmern. What calamity145 of discovery and punishment, I wondered, had my daring move brought to the secret rebel against the rule of the Hohenzollern?
Marguerite stepped swiftly toward me and gave me her hand. The look in her eyes I interpreted as a warning that I was not to recognize Zimmern. So I appeared the stranger while the secretary introduced us.
"Dr. Zimmern," said His Majesty, "was physician to Princess Fedora at the time of the birth of the Princess Marguerite. She confessed to him the father of her child. It was the Count Rudolph who died unmarried some years ago. There will be no questions raised. Our society will welcome his daughter, for both the Count Rudolph and the Princess Fedora were very popular."
During this speech, Dr. Zimmern sat rigid and stared into space. Then the secretary produced a document and read a confession146 to be signed by Zimmern, testifying to these statements of Marguerite's birth.
Zimmern, his features still unmoved, signed the paper and handed it again to the secretary.
His Majesty arose and held out his hand to Marguerite. "I welcome you," he said, "to the House of Hohenzollern. We shall do our best to atone147 for what you have suffered. And to you, Herr von Armstadt, I extend my thanks for bringing us so beautiful a woman. It is my hope that you will win her as a wife, for she will grace well the fortune that your great genius brings to us. But because you have loved her under unfortunate circumstances I must forbid your marriage for a period of two years. During that time you will both be free to make acquaintances in Royal Society. Nothing less than this would be fair to either of you, or to other women that may seek your fortune or to other men who may seek the beauty of your princess."
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salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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psychic
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| n.对超自然力敏感的人；adj.有超自然力的 | |
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fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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pompous
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的 | |
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facades
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| n.（房屋的）正面( facade的名词复数 )；假象，外观 | |
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spacious
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| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
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frescoed
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| 壁画( fresco的名词复数 )； 温壁画技法，湿壁画 | |
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luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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bauble
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| n.美观而无价值的饰物 | |
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carnival
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| n.嘉年华会，狂欢，狂欢节，巡回表演 | |
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dwarfed
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| vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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12
distinctive
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| adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的 | |
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13
leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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14
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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15
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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16
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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17
colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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18
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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19
tardily
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| adv.缓慢 | |
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20
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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21
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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22
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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23
tapestries
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| n.挂毯( tapestry的名词复数 )；绣帷，织锦v.用挂毯（或绣帷）装饰( tapestry的第三人称单数 ) | |
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24
stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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25
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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26
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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27
platinum
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| n.白金 | |
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28
promotion
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| n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传 | |
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29
retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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30
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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31
accredited
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|
| adj.可接受的；可信任的；公认的；质量合格的v.相信( accredit的过去式和过去分词 )；委托；委任；把…归结于 | |
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32
authorized
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| a.委任的，许可的 | |
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33
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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34
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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35
demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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36
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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37
confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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38
suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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39
imprint
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| n.印痕，痕迹；深刻的印象；vt.压印，牢记 | |
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40
imprisoned
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| 下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
slits
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|
| n.狭长的口子，裂缝( slit的名词复数 )v.切开，撕开( slit的第三人称单数 )；在…上开狭长口子 | |
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42
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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43
wrestled
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| v.（与某人）搏斗( wrestle的过去式和过去分词 )；扭成一团；扭打；（与…）摔跤 | |
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44
perusing
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| v.读（某篇文字）( peruse的现在分词 )；（尤指）细阅；审阅；匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览（某篇文字） | |
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45
reassured
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|
| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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46
secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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47
synthetic
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| adj.合成的，人工的；综合的；n.人工制品 | |
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48
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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49
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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50
investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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51
guardianship
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| n. 监护, 保护, 守护 | |
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52
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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53
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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54
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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55
preservation
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| n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持 | |
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56
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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57
queries
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| n.问题( query的名词复数 )；疑问；询问；问号v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的第三人称单数 )；询问 | |
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58
altruistic
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|
| adj.无私的，为他人着想的 | |
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59
diagnosis
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| n.诊断，诊断结果，调查分析，判断 | |
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60
plausible
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| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
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61
permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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62
insanity
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| n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐 | |
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63
apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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64
aggravate
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| vt.加重(剧)，使恶化；激怒，使恼火 | |
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65
derangement
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| n.精神错乱 | |
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66
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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67
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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68
meek
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| adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的 | |
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69
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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70
expend
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| vt.花费，消费，消耗 | |
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71
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
equilibrium
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| n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静 | |
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73
altruism
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| n.利他主义，不自私 | |
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74
bestowal
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| 赠与，给与； 贮存 | |
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75
countenance
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|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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76
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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77
enjoyment
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|
| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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78
horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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79
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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80
blessings
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|
| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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81
capitalism
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|
| n.资本主义 | |
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82
tyrant
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|
| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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83
patriotic
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|
| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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84
eugenic
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| adj.优生的 | |
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85
mentality
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| n.心理，思想，脑力 | |
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86
rigid
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|
| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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87
virility
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| n.雄劲，丈夫气 | |
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88
psychically
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| adv.精神上 | |
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89
stimulus
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| n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物 | |
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90
unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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91
baubles
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|
| n.小玩意( bauble的名词复数 )；华而不实的小件装饰品；无价值的东西；丑角的手杖 | |
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92
stimulating
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|
| adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的 | |
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93
appropriations
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| n.挪用（appropriation的复数形式） | |
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94
treasury
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|
| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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95
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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96
derive
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| v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自 | |
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97
aspire
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| vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于 | |
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98
dilute
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|
| vt.稀释，冲淡；adj.稀释的，冲淡的 | |
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99
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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100
deteriorate
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|
| v.变坏；恶化；退化 | |
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101
infusion
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| n.灌输 | |
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102
possessed
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|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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103
virgins
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| 处女，童男( virgin的名词复数 )； 童贞玛利亚（耶稣之母） | |
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104
incensed
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| 盛怒的 | |
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105
impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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106
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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107
penetrating
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|
| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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108
intercede
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| vi.仲裁，说情 | |
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109
complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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110
craftiness
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| 狡猾，狡诈 | |
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111
discredit
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| vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑 | |
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112
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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113
vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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114
misgivings
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
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115
rhythmic
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| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 | |
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116
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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117
monotonous
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|
| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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118
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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119
realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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120
misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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121
frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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122
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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123
eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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124
eyelids
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|
| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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125
taut
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| adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的 | |
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126
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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127
imputed
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| v.把（错误等）归咎于( impute的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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128
pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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129
filch
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| v.偷窃 | |
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130
solicitous
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| adj.热切的，挂念的 | |
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131
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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132
mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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133
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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134
drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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135
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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136
subconscious
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| n./adj.潜意识(的)，下意识(的) | |
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137
salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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138
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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139
monotonously
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| adv.单调地，无变化地 | |
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140
privately
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|
| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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141
breach
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|
| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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142
etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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143
humiliate
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| v.使羞辱，使丢脸[同]disgrace | |
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144
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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145
calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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146
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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atone
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| v.赎罪，补偿 | |
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