For God's sake take it, and get out of Strelsau!" "I'm ashamed to beg, my dear cousin, but in fact I want a little money until I can contrive to realize my valuable property.

Is it safe, I wonder?
Ah, yes, here it is." He drew from his inner pocket the queen's letter.

"Now if the king hadn't been a fool!" he murmured regretfully, as he regarded it.
Then he walked across to the window and looked out; he could not himself be seen from the street, and nobody was visible at the windows opposite.
Men and women passed to and fro on their daily labors or pleasures; there was no unusual stir in the city.

Looking over the roofs, Rupert could see the royal standard floating in the wind over the palace and the barracks.

He took out his watch; Rischenheim imitated his action; it was ten minutes to ten.
"Rischenheim," he called, "come here a moment.