I am as ignorant as my colleagues regarding the
subjects to be placed before us. I therefore announce to you that we are
prepared to listen."
"I thank you, my Lord of Mayence," began the Prince very quietly. "When
first I had the honor of meeting your three Lordships in the Castle of
Ehrenfels, I signed certain documents, and came to an agreement with you
upon other verbal requests. I am not yet a man of large experience, but
at that time, although comparatively few days have elapsed, I was a mere
boy, trusting in the good faith of the whole world, knowing nothing of
its chicanery. Since then I have been through a bitter school, learning
bitter lessons, but I am nevertheless encouraged, in that for every man
of treachery and deceit I meet two who are trustworthy."
"Pardon me," said Mayence suavely, "I did not understand that the
discourse you proposed was to be a sermon. If your theme is a lecture on
morality, I beg to remind you that this Wahlzimmer is a place of
business, and what you say is better suited to a chapel or even a
church, than to the Election Chamber of the Empire.
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