Bad news

Even as the Baron turned from the window a despatch rider galloped up the drive. It was the news that the Grand Duke of Pommaine had died. War was now almost certain, if the information about the Dukes will turned out to be true, and he had little doubt that it was given the arrangements made by Pommaine with both Prussia and Alsace.

So the Stadtrat would be summoned and with their agreement the army would be put on a full war footing.