“Yes; were I sure the signature was genuine.”

“Ah, there you go again!  Always a loophole!”

The young man spoke in accents of such genuine despair that his host was touched despite his incredulity.

“Look you here,” he said, bending across the table.  “There is, of course, one chance in ten thousand that you are what you say.  I have never seen the signature of the Empress, and such a missive could easily be forged by a scholar, which I take you to be.  If, then, you wish to convince me, I’ll put before you a test which will be greatly to your advantage, and which I will accept without the loophole.”

“In Heaven’s name, let’s hear what it is.”

“There is something that you cannot forge:  the Great Seal of the Realm, attached to all documents signed by the Emperor.”

“I have had no dealings with my father for years,” cried the young man.  “I have not even seen him these many months past.  I can obtain the signature of my mother to anything I like to write, but not that of my father.”

“Patience, patience,” said the merchant, holding up his hand. “’Tis well known that the Empress can bend the Emperor to her will when she chooses to exert it.  You see, in spite of all, I am quite taking it for granted that you are the Prince, otherwise ’twere useless to waste time in this talk.  You display all the confidence of youth in speaking of the exploits you propose, and, indeed, it is cheering for a middle-aged person like myself to meet one so confident of anything in these pessimistic days.  But have you considered what will happen if something goes wrong during one of your raids?”

“Nothing can go wrong.  I feel no fear on that score.”

“I thought as much.  Very well, I will tell you what could go wrong.  Some Baron may entrap you and your score, and forthwith hang you all from his battlements.  Now, it is but common sense to prevent such a termination, if it be possible.  Therefore seek out the Empress.  Tell her that you and your twenty companions are about to embark on an enterprise greatly beneficial to the land.  Say that you go incognito, and that, even should you fail, ’twill bring no discredit to your Royal House.  But point out the danger of which I forewarn you.  Ask her to get the signature of the Emperor attached to a safe-conduct, together with the device of the Great Seal; then if the Baron who captures you cannot read, he will still know the potency of the picture, and as there is no loophole to my acceptance of this proof, I will, for your convenience, and for my own protection, write the safe-conduct on as sound a bit of parchment as ever was signed in a palace.”

Saying this, Herr Goebel rose, and went to his desk in a corner of the room, where he indited the memorial he had outlined, and, after sprinkling it with sand, presented it to Roland, who read: 

“These presents warn him to whom they are presented that Roland the bearer is my son, and that what he has done has been done with my sanction, therefore he and his twenty comrades are to be held scathless, pending an appeal to me in my capital city of Frankfort.