He resolved to go to Vienna and petition for the exemption of his employees from military duty, claiming for them the miners' privileges which they had enjoyed hitherto.
Well acquainted though he had been in government circles in the past, Manasseh now found everything changed and scarcely a familiar face left.
Like the veriest stranger, he was forced to wait with the crowd of other petitioners in the war minister's anteroom until his turn should come.
Much to his surprise, however, the great man's door suddenly opened and Prince Cagliari advanced to meet him with a face all smiles and words of honey on his lips.
"Ah, my dear friend, how glad I am to see you!" began the prince.

"All well at home?
That's good.

And what brings you hither, may I ask?
You come on behalf of your countrymen who were recently drafted?
Ah, yes." (Then in a whispered aside: "We'll soon arrange that; a word from me will suffice.") Again aloud: "A very difficult matter, sir, very difficult indeed! These recent complications in the Orient compel us to raise our army to its highest effective strength." (Once more in a whisper, with a stealthy pressure of the hand: "Pray give yourself not the slightest concern.

I'll speak to his Excellency about it this very minute.") Manasseh was by no means pleased at finding himself placed under obligations to Prince Cagliari, but he could not well refuse such a gracious offer of assistance.

Accordingly, when the prince returned and smilingly informed him that he had put the petition in the minister's hands, and obtained a promise that it should be speedily taken under favourable consideration, Manasseh forced himself to smile in return and to express his acknowledgments to his intercessor as he took leave of him.
The petition was, in fact, taken under early advisement, and three days after Manasseh's return to Toroczko he was summoned to Karlsburg to learn the issue.
"Your memorial has reached us from Vienna with a refusal," was the chilling announcement that greeted him.
"Impossible!" cried Manasseh, in astonishment.