The moment I entered the Emperor's countenance showed me that he was very angry. His low-bowing crony, Löhlein, always a subtle adviser, had returned with him, and stood watching the Emperor as the latter impatiently paced the room. I saluted, awaiting orders in silence, as was my habit, but so preoccupied was His Majesty that he did not notice my presence, but continued his outburst of furious wrath. "Only see what Von Hoensbroech has reported!" he cried, suddenly halting against one of those big buhl chests of drawers with grey marble tops--heavy pieces of furniture veneered with tortoise-shell in which the Emperor keeps his official papers. "I am being made a laughing-stock--and you know it, Löhlein! It has been said of us that a woman, a whim, or a word will to-day raise any person to high rank in our Empire! That blackguard, Harden, has actually dared to write it in his journal. Well, we shall see. That woman--she shall----" As the Kaiser uttered those words he suddenly realized that I was present, and hesitated. Next second both his tone and his manner changed. "Heltzendorff--I--I--wish you to go to Dresden and take a private letter. It will be ready in half an hour. Say nothing to anyone concerning your departure, but report to me here at"--and he glanced at the small bronze clock on the overmantel between two elegant candelabra--"at four o'clock." As commanded, I reported, but the Kaiser was with the Empress, who, in one of her private apartments, was holding _petit cercle_, the Princess Luisa being present. Indeed, as I entered that semi-circular salon the Kaiser was standing astride before Luisa's chair laughing gaily with her. Surely none who saw him at that moment would ever have believed that not half an hour before his face had been blanched by anger. He could alter his moods just as he changed his three hundred odd uniforms. There was something mysterious in the wind--of that I felt absolutely convinced. The atmosphere of that faded green upstairs room was always one of confidential conversations, intimate conferences and secret plots--plots despicable and vile, as has since been proved--against the peace of the world. The Emperor, noticing that I had entered the Imperial presence, came forward, and I followed him back into the softly-carpeted corridor. Then his action further aroused my curiosity, for he took from the inner pocket of his tunic an envelope of what you in England call "court" size--linen-lined, as are all envelopes used by the Emperor for his private correspondence. I saw it had been sealed in black by his own hand. Then, as he handed it to me, he said: "Go to Dresden as quickly as possible and obtain a reply to this." I clicked my heels together, and, saluting, left upon my secret mission to the Saxon Court. The letter was addressed to Baron Georg von Metzsch at Dresden.