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That was Helga’s wit; and to a point it had succeeded. But where her plan had fallen to pieces was in believing that the Emperor would be so mad as to come and see her in his own august person. The thing was so monstrously absurd that I was surprised such sharp wits as hers had believed it possible and had not suspected some imposture.

That I had not been instantly detected for a fraud was indeed not the least curious feature: and I could only conclude that having once persuaded themselves to believe the thing possible, they were just in the frame of mind which helped the self-deception.

Probably my idea of playing at being myself had helped the deception, because it was naturally a part I could keep up consistently. I had been myself with occasional lapses into the Imperial imposture. And that was all there was to it. What would happen when the deception was discovered I could not even attempt to anticipate.

The evening had effected a great change in myself. The axis of everything had shifted. Helga’s personality and plans had taken Boreski’s place; and whereas I had been anxious to wipe out my old obligation to the Emperor and had had a languid, very languid, willingness to checkmate Boreski, my feelings now were keenly enlisted in Helga’s behalf. Provided I could arrange the affair of the compromising papers, I was ready to throw myself heart and soul into her cause.