Sapt hurried me into the King's room, and I dressed myself in the uniform of a colonel of the Guard, finding time as I slipped on the King's boots to ask Sapt what he had done with the old woman.
"She swore she'd heard nothing," said he; "but to make sure I tied her legs together and put a handkerchief in her mouth and bound her hands, and locked her up in the coal-cellar, next door to the King.

Josef will look after them both later on." Then I burst out laughing, and even old Sapt grimly smiled.
"I fancy," said he, "that when Josef tells them the King is gone they'll think it is because we smelt a rat.

For you may swear Black Michael doesn't expect to see him in Strelsau today." I put the King's helmet on my head.

Old Sapt handed me the King's sword, looking at me long and carefully.
"Thank God, he shaved his beard!" he exclaimed.
"Why did he ?" I asked.
"Because Princess Flavia said he grazed her cheek when he was graciously pleased to give her a cousinly kiss.

Come though, we must ride." "Is all safe here ?" "Nothing's safe anywhere," said Sapt, "but we can make it no safer." Fritz now rejoined us in the uniform of a captain in the same regiment as that to which my dress belonged.