"It is outrageous! I'll break him! Not another man shall he have if I
must go myself and teach his men their duty!"

Plessen hurriedly left the desk and came to me. His old face was white
and his hands were shaking.

"Get out of here!" he said to me in a fierce undertone. "Wait outside
and I will see you later!" Still, from the desk, resounded that harsh,
strident voice, running on in an ascending scale, pouring forth a
foaming torrent of menace.

I had often heard of the sudden paroxysms of fury from which the Kaiser
was said to suffer of recent years, but never in my wildest daydreams
did I ever imagine I should assist at one.

Gladly enough did I exchange the highly charged electrical atmosphere of
the Imperial study for the repose of the quiet corridor. Its perfect
tranquillity was as balm to my quivering nerves. Of the man in green
nothing was to be seen. Only the trooper continued his silent vigil.

Again I acted on impulse. I was wearing my grass-green raincoat, my hat
I carried in my hand. I might therefore easily pass for one just leaving
the Castle. Without hesitation, I turned to the left, the way I had
come, and plunged once more into the labyrinth of galleries and
corridors and landings by which the man in green had led me. I very soon
lost myself, so I decided to descend the next staircase I should come
to. I followed this plan and went down a broad flight of stairs, at the
foot of which I found a night porter, clad in a vast overcoat bedizened
with eagles and seated on a stool, reading a newspaper.