At length the door opened again, and the physician appeared on the
threshold. "High-Chamberlain von Schladen," he said aloud, "come in;
Baron von Stein awaits you."
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE PATRIOT
High-chamberlain von Schladen entered the sick-room on tiptoe, preceded
by the Baroness von Stein, who, hastening to her husband, looked at him
anxiously. In fact, the baron looked very ill. His cheeks were hollow
and deadly pale; his eyes lay deep in their sockets, and were flashing
with that peculiar light emanating from the fever; his thin lips were
parched, and he constantly tried to moisten them with his tongue, while
his breathing was very painful.
M. von Schladen looked in profound emotion at the patient, and a feeling
of melancholy was apparent. He was obliged to acknowledge that the
baroness was right, and that this wasted form was not able to rise to
obey the king's call; he believed that he had come in vain, and would be
compelled to leave without having accomplished any thing, and this
conviction was accompanied with a sigh. The sick man heard it, and a
faint smile passed over his features. "You find me very ill then, M. von
Schladen?" he asked in a tremulous voice. "I suppose I am but the shadow
of the healthy, vigorous man who took leave of you at Koenigsberg a few
months since? You see, I am still unable to give up my sympathies for
Prussia; indeed, I am like her in every respect.
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