Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-24
CHAPTER XXI.
HOW Wilhelm Received the New

men laid their heads together ana WINS
pered and smiled. But there was one man
who heard nothing of 1.-THE Emperor Will
helm
When he did hear, as undoubtedly he
must. what would he say? That became
the question And also this: Who should
undertake to tell him?
What really happened was this: Wilhelm
suddenly found himself the object of the
steady persecution of all the men around
him who could by any means get at his
ear.
To exclude ones self from the atmos-
phere is not easy. And his prosecutors in
sisted upon him with the pertinacity and
the omnipreseuce of the atmosphere
1t began in this way:
About the same hour of the evening as
that when the event happened at the inn
of Wines but on the following night. Won
Gosssr was alone with Wilhelm 1t was in
an apartment Of the Hotel de Vile at Metz
Wilhelm CURED with hand the upward
tending are OF his aggressive mustache,
while a finger Of the other pointed to spot
on the map which lay open on the long,
baize-COVeTed table in the room.
You understand, then he said, lit is
here-here, about three miles east of Con-
fans, where the hills open. What the
Americans plans may be-
Now vas Won GOssIer's chance.
The truth is, sire that at the moment,
If rumor be correct, the American has no
plans
Wilhelm glanced quickly up.
What do you mean?
II mean sire. that something has hap
peHeI to him which units him to manage
any affair which even child might direct
The general sought to read kecnly the
face Of the emperor. Wilhelms eyes were
cast down and hidden. For ten seconds
there was silence.
What something
His wife, sire-his wife has been kid
naped."
The emperor knew and felt that the eyes
of the general were riYeted upon his face,
and felt. too, that from it every sign of
color had faded. But he did not speak
The clock licked sixty seconds, and sixty
more. filling a perfect silence, and during
that silence the devils were busy in the
room.
When Wilhelm raised his head he was
still very pale. He said:
You understand. then; it is here-here
about three miles east of Contains, where
the hills open
Yes. sire" returned Won Gossler; that
is quite plain. The idea arose in the
What idea. sir?''
The idea of kidnapping Mrs. Vansittart,
sire. Ii arose in the brain
1t has nothing to do with me, general.
1T seems to me a piece Of superb strate-
gy. sire. The man who conceived it
Deserves to be hanged. sir! However, it
was no one in the pay of Germany. 1t has
nothing whatever to do with me-
But. sire. l was going TO tell you. the
man in whose brain the scheme originated
is as d matter of fact"
Not what he ought to be, Gen. Won
Gosslcr- Pray let the subject drop. 1 de-
sire now to discuss with you the relative
Importance of these two hills here"
The two heads went together over the
map in Il long cOllOluy. After an hour Won
GossleT arose In the very act of his final
bow. he said. a man who bursts with
words and cannot be silent:
4 may WliSDer-in your majeSty's ears
that ne is said to be utterly Frustrated"
He| Who, genera!?'
Mr. NarSitt4rt
What abCut?'
Well. your ma jesty, about the disap-
pearanca Of his wife"
Now Wilhelm lost his temper.
God in heaven. general he cried. cant
You let me alone with this man and his
wife? Is il my fault il this mans wife is
stolen, OF hanged, or luartered. or the
deuce knows what? Where is your tact,
Your penetTati0n2 Why should / be com
PEELED against my will. Confound You,
man, Is IL my fault?
Wilhelm stamped his foot Won Gossler
covered backward. and was silent. With
bowed head he walked from the room. At
last he understood Wilhelm; not fully for
tn mans nature was not cast in so good a
mold as hat of his master. Yet dimly, he
understood that here was a noble soul in
the throes of struggle with huge temp
tatiJn. and it was clear that the soul had
sUccumb-d.
At last. on the second day. the situation
became into!erahle. and Wilhelm was COM
PEELED to acknowledge TO himself the inner
motive Of his constant interruptions.
He was then. early in the morning. riding
down the Rue des Ciercs toward the out
works in company with a bevy Of officers.
The mass Of horses came with a slow Clat-
ter behind. he himself rode somewhat in
advance, in company with Teilungs ma
jOr-
The two had been discussing for some
minutes Nansittart's device of presenting
infantry before artillery.
1t has only one element to recommend
II, sire" the major had said. and that is
its success
major. Wilhelm answered. The tricks
OF an Upstart are one thing. and the rules
Of tactics are another The upstart may
succeed once. twice. thrice; but tactics
Will tell in the end
He is said to be very low. sire"
Here was Wiihelms sore point He
flushed
VINO. sir?'' he asked. with averted head
Mr.. Eansittart. sire
Wilhelm did not reply. There was min
utv.s silence Then the Teilungs major
cleared his throat He said:
We need have little Sear sire of further
novelties proceeding from that head.
Which headT'
Mr. Vansittart's sire"
Would the man keep on repeating the
same thing in infinite iteration. Wilhelm
wondered.
Il care nothing about his head, major"
said Wilhelm
There WAS pause; there was embarrass-
meut
Then the major said:
No doubt you have heard. sire
Wilhelm had heard: Wilhelm objected
strongly to hearing again. He turned
Sharply in his saddle like horse pricked
BY a sudden spur. saying loudly:
Hear what. maior?'
That Mrs Vlnsittart-"
What abou: herr
Has heen-'
You lie. sir he shouted. all encrim-
sOn II with sudden rage. 5rdndishinS his
fist. At once he stopped his horse turned
rOuni and pranced INTO the midst Of the
beVy Of pncomins horses. Then ne lifted
his voice. and torrent of invectiyes came
from him
The officers round hung their heads in
Authenticated awe at this wholly unex-
pecteI outbreak. As Wilhelm once more
turned mis- horses head and the procession
moved on the guilty major skunk quietly
behind
Thus did Wilhelm securely seal his ears
against the truth. Later in the day II be-
came widely known that no whisper of the
tdCts was to be permitted TO reach the
monarch. Wilhelm had crushed his nest
OF ants
But In doing so he had definitely admitted
TO himself that he had motive for this
imposition of silence, and that the motive