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even though his head should roll off in consequence; and if a man does not value his own head, how can he be expected to care for the heads of his neighbors?
"I ask you to be seated," said the king, with a wave of his hand.
Now, what should that stubborn fool of a baron do but remain standing when all but Rudolph the king and himself had seated themselves, thus drawing his Majesty's attention directly towards him and making a colloquy between them well nigh inevitable. Those next the ex-chancellor were nudging him, in God's name, to stand also, and open whatever discussion there must ensue between themselves and his Majesty, so that it might be smoothly carried on. But the ex-chancellor was ashen gray with fear, and his hand trembled on the table.
"My Lord of Brunfels," said the king, a smile hovering about his lips. "I see that I have interrupted you at your old pleasure of dicing. While requesting you to continue your game as though I had not joined you, may I venture to hope the stakes you play for are not high?"
Every one held his breath, awaiting with deepest concern the reply of the frowning baron; and, when it came growling forth, there was little in it to ease their disquiet.
"Your Majesty." said Baron Brunfels, "the stakes are the highest that a gambler may play for."
"You tempt me, Baron, to guess that the hazard is a man's soul; but I see that your adversary is my worthy ex-chancellor, and as I should hesitate to impute to him the character of the devil, I am led, therefore, to the conclusion that you play for a human life. Whose life is in the cast, my Lord of Brunfels?"
Before the baron could reply, ex-Chancellor Steinmetz rose with some indecision to his feet. He began, in trembling voice:
"I beg your gracious permission to explain the reason of our gathering—"
"The king stood unmoved as Baron Brunfels was about to rush upon him."
"Herr Steinmetz," cried the king, sternly, "when I desire your interference I shall call for it; and remember this, Herr Steinmetz, the man who begins a game must play it to the end, even though he finds luck running against him."
The ex-chancellor sat down again, and drew his hand across his damp forehead.
"Your Majesty," spoke up the baron, a ring of defiance in his voice, "I speak not for my comrades, but for myself. I begin no game I am afraid to finish. We were about to dice in order to discover whether your Majesty should live or die."
A simultaneous moan seemed to rise from the assembled traitors. The smile returned to the king's lips.
"Baron," he said, "I have ever chided myself for loving you, for you were always a bad example to weak and impressionable natures. Even when your overbearing, obstinate intolerance compelled me to dismiss you from the command of my army, I could not but admire your sturdy honesty. Had I been able to graft your