PRINCE.

Surely this castle is haunted!

[_He slips into the door at the right_.]

KING (_knocking again, still outside_).

Eversmann! Doesn't the fellow hear?

EVERSMANN (_coming in hurriedly_).

The door is open, Your Majesty. [_Goes to centre door, opens it_.]

PRINCE (_looking in at his door_).

Your Majesty? Is that the King?

KING (_in corridor but not yet visible_).

Eversmann, have you forgotten that this is the day for revising the books?

EVERSMANN.

No, indeed, Your Majesty. I was occupied in balancing the books of Her Majesty the Queen.

QUEEN (_comes out from her door, listens timidly_).

Was that the King's voice?

KING (_outside_).

Eversmann, tell the castellan that eleven o'clock is closing hour for my wife's apartment, and that, if I see a light again in her rooms until after midnight, I will come over myself at the stroke of twelve to search into every corner and to discover what political plot is brewing there. You'd better tell my wife yourself, sirrah--so that she may obey orders.

EVERSMANN.

So that she may obey orders.

QUEEN.

Miserable lackey! [_Goes out_.]

PRINCE (_aside_).

Will he go now?

KING (_outside_).

Eversmann!

EVERSMANN.

Your Majesty!

KING.

Now go to my daughter too, the Princess Wilhelmine--

[WILHELMINE _opens her door softly_.]

EVERSMANN.

To Her Royal Highness--

KING.

And tell her to have a care--this Laharpe--is a rascal.

WILHELMINE (_aside_).

Laharpe?

PRINCE (_aside_).

What's that?

KING.

Laharpe is a rascal, I say.

EVERSMANN.

A rascal.

KING.

And tell my daughter that I will teach a lesson to the Crown Prince for sending these French vagabonds here, who pretend to be teachers of the language and are merely ordinary, good-for-nothing wigmakers.

WILHELMINE.

How disgusting!

[_She goes out_.]

PRINCE (_aside_).

Wigmakers?

KING (_still outside_).