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There were half a dozen men in the ante-room besides the king and queen. They had arrived there by another door, summoned by Rutzstin. They were the leaders of the revolutionary movement. There were men of all ages, and more than one of them shifted his ground and looked down as King Fritz and his consort entered. And every one of them carried arms. The rifles looked strangely out of place with court dress and the ribands of their various orders.
"What is the meaning of this, gentlemen?" the king demanded. "We had not looked forward to receiving a deputation. Rutzstin, will you kindly explain?"