‘I am here as the agent of the Federal Council,’ I declared. The
Federal Council, as most readers will remember, is the Senate of
the German Empire. It represents more especially the dynasties of
Bavaria, Saxony, and the other small kingdoms united with Prussia to
form the modern Empire.
Wilhelm II. started as I pronounced the name of this body. It is well
known that his Imperial Majesty does not enjoy the full confidence
of some of his satellite kings. In the army there has been a good
deal of friction beneath the surface. It was therefore not at all
improbable that the lesser royalties of Germany should have employed
a spy to detect the designs of their erratic and overbearing suzerain.
‘Did you tell this to Herr Finkelstein?’ was the next question.
‘No, sire.’ I was anxious to save the Director from the Imperial
wrath. ‘I persuaded him that I was your Majesty’s confidential agent.’
The Kaiser glared at me, and muttered an exclamation which I need not
repeat.
‘How do I know that you are telling the truth to me, any more than
you did to him?’ he cried.
‘Your Majesty cannot know it,’ I answered coldly. ‘The Council, of
course, will disown me.’
‘You are a cool hand,’ Wilhelm commented, gnawing his moustache. ‘It
seems to me that I can do nothing with you, except shoot you.’
‘That will be much the simplest course,’ I replied. I saw that it
would be a contest between the Emperor’s curiosity and his vengeance,
and already I began to hope.
His Majesty gave the signal, and I was led out into the courtyard,
where I found six men under the command of an officer, drawn up in
line.
I was placed in front of them, and as I looked down the rifle-barrels
already pointed at my heart I felt really nervous for a moment. The
scene was illuminated by a solitary lamp fixed over the gateway, and
its rays broke against the row of steel tubes which held death.
‘Now,’ said the Kaiser, stepping close to my side, ‘tell me the
truth--the real truth, mind--and I will spare your life.’
I tried to think of something which Wilhelm II. would be likely
to believe. In the meantime, I congratulated myself on not having
disclosed my identity, as in that case, of course, it would not
have occurred to his Majesty that I could be induced to betray my
employer.
He saw that I was hesitating, and fortunately mistook the reason.
‘I will not only spare your life, but I will send you across the
frontier under an escort, and let you go free,’ his Majesty declared.