They were conversing loudly about the attempted assassination, and I naturally listened." "It does not appear to me so very natural," commented the lieutenant dryly.
The informer was a trifle disconcerted, but he soon recovered himself, and proceeded in a declamatory manner: "The younger gentleman--the dark one--expressed himself in very unbecoming terms with regard to his majesty the emperor, and said among other things, that the outrage was of no real importance.

I am a patriot, I have served his august majesty; if his majesty--" "That will do," the lieutenant broke in, ruthlessly interrupting the retired non-commissioned officer's flow of language, which he accompanied with a dramatic waving of the right arm.

"Can you repeat the 'unbecoming terms' of which, according to your account, this gentleman made use ?" "I cannot remember the exact words.

I was too excited.

So much, however, I remember distinctly--he declared the attempt upon his majesty's life to be an occurrence of no importance." Wilhelm now broke in.
"Not a word of that is true," he said quietly.