"It _has_!" cried the Grand Duchess. "Herr von Hagen, are you mad?" "No, Your Highness," replied the little officer, in a low, insistent voice. "My detention ceased this evening." "Ceased!" exclaimed Aurora, beside herself. "Do you realize, Lieutenant, how far this jesting may carry you? Do you know that one thing, and one thing only, can remit a sentence of detention ordered by me?" "I know it, Your Highness," said Hagen. "And that one thing is ..." "--WAR." The officer completed her sentence. It may strike you as highly improbable, but the fact is that in the midst of the series of tragedies which had just taken place at the Court of Lautenburg the great events of the last week of July had passed almost unnoticed. We knew all about the note to Serbia, of course, but since the night in the armoury nothing had existed for us but the events I have described to you, not even the Austrian Ultimatum, or the German "Kriegzustand." Nothing, absolutely nothing. And now that one little word--War. I looked at Hagen in stupefaction. He had exchanged his red cloak for the grey-green field tunic. Checking her surprise and trying to look as unconcerned as possible, Aurora asked: "War! Herr von Hagen? And against whom?" "Russia, probably tonight, Your Highness," said the little officer. "France, tomorrow, almost certainly. The Grand Duke arrived from Berlin an hour ago, bringing with him the mobilization order for the Army Corps." Aurora went to the window and threw it wide open. It was stiflingly hot. "I suppose, Lieutenant, that the Grand Duke commissioned you to convey this important piece of news to me.... In that case I don't see why you needed the escort of the four hussars I see down there at the door." Hagen blushed violently, then turned pale. "Your Highness!" he murmured. "What?" she said, with cold dignity. "I have another duty to perform. Will you excuse me ..." "Come, come, Lieutenant, don't be so nervous. If you are not even capable of telling me your mission you'll never have the strength of mind to carry it out. Tell me I'm a prisoner in my own palace. That is so, isn't it?" "Oh, Your Highness!" cried Hagen. "How could you think such a thing.... _I_, to accept such a ..." "Then what is the trouble?" The officer did not reply, but looked in my direction. "Madam," I said, stepping forward, "please do not torture yourself thus. Really, Herr von Hagen, it's so easy to say that you have been sent to arrest me." There was a pause. "Is that true, sir?" said the Grand Duchess. Hagen hung his head. "Can you explain the reason for this arrest?" "Madam," said Hagen, recovering himself a little, "I am a soldier and can only carry out my orders without questioning them. But it is not difficult to understand. Monsieur Vignerte is French, and moreover, an officer. France is mobilizing against us. We are told that French aviators have already bombed ..."