Surely this castle is haunted! [_He slips into the door at the right_.] KING (_knocking again, still outside_). Eversmann! Doesn't the fellow hear? EVERSMANN (_coming in hurriedly_). The door is open, Your Majesty. [_Goes to centre door, opens it_.] PRINCE (_looking in at his door_). Your Majesty? Is that the King? KING (_in corridor but not yet visible_). Eversmann, have you forgotten that this is the day for revising the books? EVERSMANN. No, indeed, Your Majesty. I was occupied in balancing the books of Her Majesty the Queen. QUEEN (_comes out from her door, listens timidly_). Was that the King's voice? KING (_outside_). Eversmann, tell the castellan that eleven o'clock is closing hour for my wife's apartment, and that, if I see a light again in her rooms until after midnight, I will come over myself at the stroke of twelve to search into every corner and to discover what political plot is brewing there. You'd better tell my wife yourself, sirrah--so that she may obey orders. EVERSMANN. So that she may obey orders. QUEEN. Miserable lackey! [_Goes out_.] PRINCE (_aside_). Will he go now? KING (_outside_). Eversmann! EVERSMANN. Your Majesty! KING. Now go to my daughter too, the Princess Wilhelmine-- [WILHELMINE _opens her door softly_.] EVERSMANN. To Her Royal Highness-- KING. And tell her to have a care--this Laharpe--is a rascal. WILHELMINE (_aside_). Laharpe? PRINCE (_aside_). What's that? KING. Laharpe is a rascal, I say. EVERSMANN. A rascal. KING. And tell my daughter that I will teach a lesson to the Crown Prince for sending these French vagabonds here, who pretend to be teachers of the language and are merely ordinary, good-for-nothing wigmakers. WILHELMINE. How disgusting! [_She goes out_.] PRINCE (_aside_). Wigmakers? KING (_still outside_). And now get back to the books! EVERSMANN. At once, Your Majesty. KING. Eversmann--one thing more, Eversmann! EVERSMANN. Your Majesty? KING. If you should see the Prince Hereditary of Baireuth-- PRINCE (_aside_). It's my turn now. KING. That French windbag who's been hanging about Berlin since yesterday-- PRINCE (_aside_). Pleasing description! EVERSMANN. I'll tell him Your Majesty will not receive him. PRINCE (_aside_). Rascal! KING. No, Eversmann, tell him I have something very important to say to him--something very confidential. PRINCE (_aside_). Confidential? To me? KING. Concerning an important and pressing matter. EVERSMANN. Oh, yes, I know. KING. You know, sirrah? What do you know? You know nothing at all. EVERSMANN. I thought--one might guess-- KING. Guess? What right have you to guess? You're not to guess at all. Understand? Idiot! Shoulder arms, march! [_As he goes off a short roll of drums is heard_.] PRINCE (_crosses quickly to_ EVERSMANN). What do you know? What do you think it is that the King has to say to me? EVERSMANN. Oh, Your Highness is still here? PRINCE.