“I—­I am to be the instrument of this miserable plot!” he cried passionately.  “Because I lead a lonely, joyless life.  I am selected to execute this infamy.  Ah, how little do they know me! how slight a knowledge of the human heart have these learned professors!  Eckhof in danger, and I remain silent?  Eckhof threatened, and I not warn him?  That were a treachery against myself, a crime against art and my own poor heart.  If I remain silent, I become an accomplice in this vile conspiracy.”  At this thought, he took his hat, and hurried from the room.

When he reached the door of Eckhof’s lodging, he hesitated.  A profound pallor succeeded a burning glow upon his countenance, and he murmured to himself:  “No, no; I have not the strength to see him to-day.  I should die if his eyes rested upon me.  I will go to Fredersdorf.”

Joseph Fredersdorf was at home, and received Lupinus with astonished delight.

“The holy one trusts himself in the den of the wicked,” he said, with a bright smile.  “This is an unheard-of event, which doubtless indicates something important.”

“You are laughing at me, but you are right.  I am here for a purpose; nothing unimportant would have induced me to come to you after the ungrateful manner in which I declined your friendly advances.  But I am sure you will forgive the intrusion when you become aware of the motive which has led me to you.”

With hurried words and frequent interruptions from Fredersdorf, Lupinus informed his friend of the president’s visit, and its object.

“This is a regular conspiracy,” said Joseph, as Lupinus finished.  “If it succeed, the punishment of the actors will be the result.”

“It must not succeed—­we must prevent that.  The first thing to be done is to gain over the other students to whom the president has intrusted this plot.  We must either do that or prevent them from entering the theatre.”

“But if we can do neither?”

“Then we must allow what we cannot prevent, but we must seek to avert the evil consequences.  We will address ourselves to the king, and inform him who has occasioned this disturbance, and why it was done.”

“The king is just, and happily it is not difficult to see him, especially for me, as my brother is his private secretary.  We must be active, and the victory will be ours.  And now, my dear friend, for you must allow me to call you so from this day, let us go to my master, Eckhof.  He must thank you himself for this kind warning.  Come to Eckhof.”

“No!” said Lupinus, “it is a matter of no importance to Eckhof, who has given the information.  There is much to be done to-day.  I will seek to gain over the students; you must hasten to Eckhof.”

“And will you not accompany me?”

“No, my friend, not to-day.  Let us await the events of this evening.  Perhaps I shall ask you to present me to him to-morrow.”

“Ah, that would be a real triumph for me!”