"Madman that you are!" M. de Kempelen exclaimed, startled by the excitement of the impetuous insurgent. "Remember, that we may be discovered, and you will lose your life, while I shall be sent to Siberia."
"Impossible!" Worousky quietly replied; "your ingenious machine has already deceived so many skillful persons, that I am convinced we shall soon have one dupe more. Besides, what a glorious reminiscence, what an honor it will be to us, if we can say some day that the Empress Catherine II., the haughty Czarina, whom her courtiers proclaim the most intellectual person in her vast empire, was deceived by your genius, and conquered by me!"
Kempelen, though not sharing Worousky's enthusiasm, was obliged to yield. Hence, they set off without further argument; the journey was very long and fatiguing, but Kempelen did not quit his companion for a moment, and did all in his power to ameliorate his position. At length they reached their journey's end, but though they had travelled as fast as they could, Catherine, on receiving Kempelen, appeared rather angry.
"My roads must be very bad, sir, if you require fifteen days to travel from Vitebsk to St. Petersburg."
"Will your majesty," the crafty mechanician replied, "allow me to make a confession which will serve as my excuse?"
"Do so," Catherine replied, "provided it be not a confession of the incapacity of your marvellous machine."
"On the contrary, I would confess that, being aware of your majesty's skill at chess, I desired to offer you a worthy opponent. Hence, before starting, I made some additions which were indispensable for so important a game."
"Ah!" the empress said, with a smile, smoothed down by this flattering explanation. "And you fancy these new arrangements will enable your automaton to beat me?"
"I should be much surprised were it otherwise."
"Well, we shall see, sir," the empress continued, nodding her head ironically. "But," she added, in the same tone, "when will you bring my terrible opponent before me?"
"If that is the case, I am so impatient to measure my strength with the conqueror of the most skillful players in my country, that I will receive him this very evening in my library. Put up your machine there, and at eight o clock I will join you. Be punctual!"