"We have waited long for you, my dear count," continued the prince,
offering his hand to the new-comer, with a smile.

"The old and the sick always have the misfortune to arrive too late,"
said Count Ostermann, "pain and suffering are such hinderances, your
grace. And, moreover, I have only come in obedience to the wishes of
your highness, well knowing that I am superfluous here. What has the
feeble old man to do in the councils of the strong?"

"To represent wisdom in council," said the prince, "and for that, you
are precisely the man, count."

"Ah, Count Ostermann," at this moment interposed Munnich, "it is well
you have come. You will be best able to tell their excellencies whether
I am right or not."

"Field-Marshall Munnich is always right," said Ostermann, with a
pleasant smile. "I unconditionally say 'yes' to whatever you may have
proposed, provided that it is not a proposition of which my judgment
cannot approve."

"That is a very conditional yes!" exclaimed the duchess, laughing.

"A 'yes,' all perforated with little back doors through which a 'no' may
conveniently enter," laughed the prince.

"The back doors are in all cases of the greatest importance," said Count
Ostermann, earnestly. "Through back doors one often attains to the rooms
of state, and had your palace here accidentally had no back door for the