The count obeyed in that shy, reverential manner in which he was
accustomed to speak. He charmed him by relating the many
difficulties he had overcome to obtain this wine from the Cape of
Good Hope, which had to cross the line twice to arrive at its
highest perfection. He said that for two years he had been thinking
of this gloriously happy day, and had had a ship upon the sea for
the purpose of perfecting this wine. He bade the king notice the
strangely formed fish, which could only be obtained from the Chinese
sea. Then, following up the subject, he spoke of the peculiar and
laughable customs and habits of the Chinese, thus causing even the
proud queen to laugh at his humorous descriptions.
Count Bruhl was suddenly interrupted in an unusual manner.
His secretary, Willmar, approached the royal table, and without a
word of excuse, without greeting the king, handed the count a sealed
package!
This was such a crime against courtly etiquette that the count, from
sheer amazement, made no excuses to the king; he only cast a
threatening look at the secretary. But as he encountered Willmar's
pale, terrified countenance, a tremor seized him, and he cast an
eager glance upon the papers in his hand, which, no doubt, contained
the key to all this mystery.
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