The Kaiser had always kept a secret affection for
his former chum. Everybody remembered his dance, "The Caprices of
Scheherazade," represented with the greatest luxury in Berlin through
the endorsement of his powerful friend, William II. The Count had lived
many years in the Orient. In fact, he was a great gentleman and an
artist of exquisite sensibility as well as a soldier.
Since Desnoyers was now his guest, the Count could not permit him
to remain silent, so he made an opportunity of bringing him into the
conversation.
"Did you see any of the insurrections? . . . Did the troops have to kill
many people? How about the assassination of Poincare? . . ."
He asked these questions in quick succession and Don Marcelo, bewildered
by their absurdity, did not know how to reply. He believed that he must
have fallen in with a feast of fools. Then he suspected that they were
making fun of him. Uprisings? Assassinations of the President? . . .
Some gazed at him with pity because of his ignorance, others with
suspicion, believing that he was merely pretending not to know of these
events which had happened so near him.
His nephew insisted. "The daily papers in Germany have been full
of accounts of these matters. Fifteen days ago, the people of Paris
revolted against the Government, bombarding the Palais de l'Elysee, and
assassinating the President.
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