Tombstone epitaph., 1917-07-15
TheSecrtS Of he HdFnn7d)kmC
STARTLING EXPOSURE INNER OF CROWN PRINCE AS
TOLD BY COUNT ERNST Won HaTZEhDORFF TO WnA1 LEQEX

high appointments the admiral of the
grand fleet believed that war had been
declared; and Insignificant foreign d.
plomats were under the impression
that the emperor had at last deigned
to notice them.
The whole thing was huge joke in
vented by the kaiser on the castle ter
race, and the court and the imperial
family were In fits of laughter over it
for a week.
A Message to the Emperor.
one afternoon when We were back
again at the palace at Potsdam the
emperor was explaining to me GER
tain order he wished carried out. Pres
emily one of the fiunkeys entered with
a private note for his majesty. The
emperor read it, and instantly I saw
that his countenance grew pale and
his manner changed.
He read 1t again, and then re-read
1t. his lips compressed, his eyebrows
narrowed, and his cheeks unduly pale
Afterwards he struck a match and
burned the letter In the crate.
That missive no doubt contained
some grave news, the nature of which
could not guess, because he suddenly
meet him in the study at eight O'Clock
that evening, he strobe out.
When he had gone out / picked up
the blackened tinder and examined II,
but 1t was so charred that / could not
read any word, though from the two
or three marks of the pen l realized
that it had been written by the hand
of a woman.
An hour later I learned that the en-
peror had left Potsdam. He had by
receipt Of that letter evidently become
seriously perturbed.
called the fiunkey who had handed
him the missive and questioned him.
He had received 1t from another serv-
ant who had received II from someone
else. until at last / discovered that IL
had been handed by young girl to
one of the sentries on duty outside the
palace. who In due course had sent II
in TO his majesty.
While passing along one of the cor
ridors that evening I met bald-headed
old Won Klupfel. who was at that time
grand chamberlain, and he beckoned
me into his cozy room. Then, when the
door was closed, he asked
"What has happenedt The emperor
has left incognito and all of sudden.
The state ball tomorrow night has been
cancelled"
Cancelled" / echoed. where has
the emperor gomez"
Nobody knows-except Herman,
his personal valet, whom he has taken
with him.
Curious" / remarked. thinking Of
the letter. though, of course, l told Won
KlupfeI nothing of 1t. Whatever tran
spired within his majesty's study was
always regarded as a strict secret
More than one serious family quarrel
had occurred there in my presence.
swell. something serious has GER
tainly occurred. That is my belief"
declared the old chamberlain. "'Uncle'
Zeppelin was coming to the palace to-
morrow on a visit. and have just sent
him q telegram to postpone his jour
ney"
But his majesty had two important
engagements tomorrow. and In addi-
ton. military parade in Berlin"
said.
"AIl is cancelled. my dear Won Helt-
zendorff," replied the old fellow. "The
emperor has left for destination un-
known. suppose I had better report
his absence to the imperial chancel-
lor?' he added.
"No, If I were you would say moth
ing" / replied. "For some private rea-
son his majesty has evidently been
forced TO go on a journey. Without
doubt I shall hear from him tomorrow.
AS soon as do so will tell you"
A Telephone Message From "Herr
ZeIier."
My expectation was realized, for the
next day just after six O'Clock in the
evening I received a telegram dispatch
ed from Haariem, in Holland. ordering
at once and register there. The con-
Guiding words of the message, sent in
English, were: "You will receive a
telephone call at 10 80 tonight" II
was signed "ZeIler," one Of the names
used by the emperor when he travelled
incognito.
/ ordered the car and drove into Ber-
lin. taking with me small bag, and
engaged a room In Herr Adlon's hotel,
in which was telephone.
Soon after ten O'Clock / told the
telephone operator that IL anyone rang
me up I should be In my room.
Half-past ten came, and then slowly
the hands of the clock passed round to
eleven, and past.
Suddenly there was a sharp ring.
and ! took up the receiver.
A strange voice sounding far away
asked for me. and replied in the af-
firmative.
Then in few seconds another voice
| which instantly recognized as the
emperor'sHasked In English
as that you, Won Heltzendorff?" and
having received my reply. he said: 81
am Zeller, speaking from the Hotel
/ des hides, at The Hague VIII you
{ tell madame I am here? Instruct
! Klupfel to cancel all my engagements
7 for the next fortnight, and tomorrow
night come here and bring any papers