"Yes; after him, what?"
"After him his scoundrelly cousin Francis; and then a stronger than Von
Stroebel might easily fail to hold the _disjecta membra_ of the Empire
together."
"But there are shadows on the screen," remarked Judge Claiborne. "There
was Karl--the mad prince."
"Humph! There was some red blood in him; but he was impossible; he had a
taint of democracy, treason, rebellion."
Judge Claiborne laughed.
"I don't like the combination of terms. If treason and rebellion are
synonyms of democracy, we Americans are in danger."
"No; you are a miracle--that is the only explanation," replied Marhof.
"But a man like Karl--what if he were to reappear in the world! A little
democracy might solve your problem."
"No, thank God! he is out of the way. He was sane enough to take himself
off and die."
"But his ghost walks. Not a year ago we heard of him; and he had a son
who chose his father's exile. What if Charles Louis, who is without
heirs, should die and Karl or his son--"
"In the providence of God they are dead. Impostors gain a little brief
notoriety by pretending to be the lost Karl or his son Frederick
Augustus; but Von Stroebel satisfied himself that Karl was dead.
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