"Ta ta ta ta," said Sturm. "General Manteuffel before leaving gave General Roeder the order to get in these millions. Roeder has ordered the town to pay them. The Senate has chosen to deliberate; that is its own affair. Roeder came round to me about it, it is true; but I told him that it was nothing to worry about. I said. 'The chief of my staff married in Frankfort; he knows the town like his own land, everyone's fortune even to shillings and half-pence. He will indicate five and twenty millionaires.' There are twenty-five of them here, are there not?" "More than that," answered Frederic. "Good; we will commence with them, and if there is a balance the others shall supply it." "And have you reckoned on me to give you the names?" "Certainly. All I require is twenty-five names and five and twenty addresses. Sit down there, my dear fellow, and write them out." Frederic sat down, took a pen and wrote; "Honour obliging me to decline to denounce my fellow citizens, I beg the illustrious Generals von Roeder and Sturm to obtain the desired information elsewhere than from myself. "Frankfort, July 22nd, 1866. "FREDERIC BARON VON BÜLOW." Then, rising and bowing low, he put the paper in the general's hands. "What is this?" he asked. "Read, it, general," said Frederic. The general read it, and gave his chief of the staff a side glance. "Ah! ah!" he said, "I see how I am answered when I ask a favour; let me see how I am answered when I command. Sit there and write--" "Order me to charge a battery, and I will do it, but do not order me to become a tax collector." "I have promised General Roeder to get him the names and addresses and have told him that you will supply them. He will send for the list directly. What am I to say to him?" "You will tell him that I have refused to give it." Sturm crossed his arms and approached Frederic. "And do you think that I will allow a man under my orders to refuse me anything?" "I think you will reflect that you gave me not only an unjust but a dishonouring order and you will appreciate the reason of my refusal. Let me go, general, and call a police officer; he will not refuse you, for it will be all in his work." "Baron," replied Sturm, "I considered I was sending the king a good servant for whom I asked a reward. I cannot reward a man of whom I have to complain. Give me back His Majesty's letter." Frederic disdainfully tossed the letter on the table. The general's face grew purple, livid marks appeared upon it, his eyes flamed. "I will write to the king," he cried furiously, "and he will learn how his officers serve him." "Write your account, sir, and I will write mine," answered Frederic, "and he will see how his generals dishonour him." Sturm rushed and seized his horsewhip. "You have said dishonoured, sir. You will not repeat the word, I trust?" "Dishonoured," said Frederic coldly.