The Great Impersonation · Chapter
XIV explained
Dominey, as Baron Von Ragastein, travels with Seaman to meet the Kaiser aboard his private train.
What happens
Dominey, as Baron Von Ragastein, travels with Seaman to meet the Kaiser aboard his private train. The Kaiser reprimands him for past transgressions but offers rehabilitation through a new mission in England: to befriend Prince Terniloff and report on English social and political movements. Dominey maintains his impersonation of Sir Everard Dominey, while the Kaiser reveals his contempt for England and his expansionist ambitions.
Themes in this chapter
Identity and Impersonation
Dominey maintains his impersonation of Sir Everard Dominey while being addressed as Baron Von Ragastein by the Kaiser, highlighting the duality of his role.
Espionage and National Loyalty
The Kaiser outlines Dominey's espionage mission in England, emphasizing loyalty to the Fatherland over personal redemption.
Redemption and Transformation
The Kaiser offers Dominey a chance to rehabilitate his reputation through service, transforming his exile into a path back to favor.
Characters to notice
- Sir Everard Dominey
Present as Baron Von Ragastein; receives the Kaiser's orders and maintains his impersonation of the English baronet.
- Mr. Seaman
Accompanies Dominey to the Kaiser's train; observes Dominey's mood and later introduces him to the suite.
- The Kaiser
Holds an audience with Dominey; rebukes him for past crimes but offers a chance at rehabilitation through espionage in England.
- Prince Terniloff
Mentioned as the target of Dominey's mission; the Kaiser describes him as a gullible ambassador of peace.
- Baron Leopold Von Ragastein
Dominey's assumed identity; the Kaiser addresses him by this name throughout the audience.
Key passages
“The morals of my people are as sacred to me as my oath to win for them a mightier empire.”
The Kaiser claims that the moral conduct of his subjects is as important to him as his vow to expand Germany's power.
The Kaiser rebukes Dominey for his past adultery and duel, framing personal morality as integral to national duty.
“If your work in England commends itself to me, the sentence of exile under which you suffer shall be rescinded.”
The Kaiser promises to lift Dominey's exile if his mission in England proves successful.
This conditional offer drives Dominey's motivation and underscores the theme of redemption through service.
“Terniloff is the dove of peace. He carries the sprig of olive in his mouth. My statesmen and counsellors would have sent to London an ambassador with sterner qualities. I preferred not.”
The Kaiser describes Prince Terniloff as a naive peace envoy, chosen deliberately to deceive the English.
Reveals the Kaiser's strategic manipulation of diplomacy and his contempt for England's perceived gullibility.