After happily saving Fräulein von Werben from the danger of being
caught by the Princess talking confidentially with a merchant-captain,
Reinhold had returned through the gallery and second room to the
clock-room, in the assured hope of finding his cousin still there. But
in vain did he turn his sharp eyes in all directions, plunging boldly
over the long trains of the ladies, if he saw a brown velvet dress in
the far distance.
After all she could not be far off, and in fact it was more that she
had left him in the lurch than that he had left her. But still his
uneasiness did not decrease when he got to the skylight-room without
finding her. He stood still, doubting whether he should go on or
return, when a hand, encased in a yellow kid glove, touched his
shoulder.
"At last I have found you!"
"Philip!" exclaimed Reinhold, turning round and giving his hand to his
cousin.
"Where is Ferdinanda?"
Reinhold explained his mishap.
"Then we will look for her together," said Philip. "I have just come
out of the middle room, and she was not there; perhaps she is in one of
the last rooms."
He linked his arm in Reinhold's with the familiarity of a cousin and
intimate friend. Reinhold was agreeably touched, and a little ashamed
that in the quarrel between father and son he was conscious of having
already taken the side of the former.
"I really am pleased to see you," said he.
"I don't doubt the reality," answered Philip, laughing, "and only hope
the pleasure will last; at any rate, at least fifty per cent. of the
happiness falls to my share. It is always a good thing to know that the
old man has got a sensible fellow to talk to; and he has always thought
very highly of you--probably only to irritate me; but I don't mind
that."
"I am so new to this state of affairs, my dear Philip----"
"Diplomatic? you need not try that with me. I am a straightforward,
honest fellow, always speaking out what I have in my heart--a foolish
habit; it is just what the old man has never forgiven me. He will not
listen to the truth; the whole world must dance to his pipe--and a
pretty world it would be, heaven knows!"
"But he has already created a little world of his own. I must confess
that his manufactory----"
"Is very fine. He has just been pretty lucky--that is all, I assure
you! Think what any other man might have done who held his cards! But
he never knows what are trumps for the moment, and cannot forgive
another man understanding it better. What has he told you about me?"
"Nothing--on my honour."
"It will come. But I warn you not to believe a word. He looks upon me
as an egotist, a gambler, a speculator, a cut-throat--I don't know what
not! And why? Because I am ten times richer than he is; because I could
put his whole marble trade into my pocket without feeling it; because
I--in a word, because I have been successful. I believe in Bismarck,
whom he hates like sin. Bismarck is my man; I swear by Bismarck; I
would go through thick and thin for Bismarck. He knows what he is
about, and how to do it."
Philip sometimes raised his already loud voice till all the bystanders
could hear him as well as Reinhold himself; and even when he spoke
lower, his lively eyes penetrated the crowd, in which every moment he
greeted some acquaintance with a wave of the gloved hand, or a familiar
nod of the head, or sometimes with "How are you?" "All right?"
"Morning--morning," and such broken sentences.
"Shall you never come back to your father's house?" asked Reinhold.
"No. Why should I?"
"Now, Philip! As if it were the most natural thing in the world for a
son never to enter his father's house!"
"Natural! What do you mean by natural? I call it natural for a man of
my years not to allow himself to be treated like a foolish boy. At the
same time, I have no principles concerned in the matter, just now less
than ever. Only get me an invitation!"
"I will try, on one condition."
"Well?"
"That you do not abuse your father in my presence."
Philip laughed.
"You are too particular, my dear Reinhold; in these times, neither men
nor things must be handled with silk gloves, or you are apt to get a
fall before you are aware. Bismarck does not do that; he grips fast."
"Many things are allowed in politics which are unbecoming in common
life."
"Oh, we have got beyond all that! On the contrary, we have, thank
heaven! arrived at the conviction that, in any circumstances, every
advantage may be taken. Just look at that little dark man with the
great fat wife. Two years ago he was a wretched little stock-jobber,
who did not know from day to day what he had to live on. Now he has got
two millions, and if the 'New' Kaiser-König Iron Company--which is
started tomorrow--pays, he will have three millions this year. The
'Old' stand at 135. I myself am deeply interested, and reckon upon a
dividend of at least 25. I can get you some shares if you like."
"I do not know what I should buy them with."
"You must have made a good lot of money."
"I have laid by a small sum, which I should like to keep."
"Prudence is the mother of wisdom--and the grandmother of poverty."
"Then I am her legitimate grandson."
Philip suddenly drew his arm out of Reinhold's, who thought he had
annoyed him by his last remark; but it was only to stand erect and take
off his hat to the Princess, who, with her suite, was passing by.
Reinhold, who was pushed aside by people getting in front of him, could
see the whole party perfectly without being seen himself--the Princess
chatting sometimes with Elsa, who was walking on her left side, and
sometimes with Count Golm, who was a little behind her on the right;
then various ladies and gentlemen, and amongst the latter Ottomar,
talking busily to a lady. The subject of their talk seemed to be
amusing, as she laughed incessantly behind her eye-glasses, which never
left her eyes.
A curious sensation came over Reinhold. His former flight had something
absurd about it from the haste with which it had to be made, and he had
himself laughed heartily about it afterwards. Now he could not laugh.
In the midst of this respectful, bowing crowd, as it made room for the
Princess, he felt the difference of the social position between himself
and the young lady who moved at her side to be quite another thing to
what he had thought before. He belonged to the crowd, not, as she did,
to that select circle--she and Count Golm! Had he made the journey back
with them? Did he follow her? What did it matter?--a Count Golm had but
to come!
He turned with a secret sigh, and close behind him saw Ferdinanda. She
did not see him; her eyes, like every one else's, were turned on the
Princess's party, with a fixedness which curiosity alone could not
explain. Was it displeasure at being so long alone that he saw in the
beautiful gloomy face?
"Ferdinanda!"
She started as if awaking from a dream. A deep glow spread over her
cheeks. Reinhold excused himself as well as he could. Philip joined
them.
"Did you see her? Beautiful woman! I am quite in love with her. The
little Werben girl seems marvellously intimate with her. The man on the
other side, I hear, was Count Golm, grand seigneur, but over head and
ears in debt. Now is the time to save himself if he is clever. I hope
soon we shall do some business together in grand style; don't know him
personally--know his signature very well. And did you see young Werben,
Ferdinanda, with Fräulein von Wallbach? It must be all right there--not
a bad match; she is worth about a hundred thousand; and her brother,
who manages her property, was there too--there, Reinhold--with rather a
bald head, he is not half a bad fellow; and young Werben himself--well,
just now he is rather shaky, but no doubt he will pick up again."
"Shall we go?" said Ferdinanda.
She stepped forward without waiting for any answer, and rather to
Reinhold's horror, right in front of the Princess and her party. The
Princess had, however, again stopped to accost some other important
people who had just arrived. Her attendants had stepped back a little,
and were conversing together in low tones, and so it was to be hoped
that they might slip through unperceived, but just as he was crossing
he caught Elsa's eye, and she nodded to him so cordially, and indeed
heartily, that Count Golm, whose attention was attracted, half turned,
and certainly recognised him, although his light eyes instead of
greeting him, slightly fell, and immediately looked in another
direction; but Reinhold had not observed that Ottomar, who had also
turned, bowed to Ferdinanda, whose dress touched him, with polite
indifference, and immediately continued his interrupted conversation
with Fräulein von Wallbach with increased earnestness, while Ferdinanda
returned his bow with a blank, fixed look.
But the scene had not escaped some one else's eyes, the dark, gleaming,
fiery eyes of the handsome young man, who had already observed from
afar the rendezvous in the gallery. He had been standing now in the
very centre of the dark wall of the room leaning against one of the
columns, and suddenly came forward and stood before the two as they
were going.
"Thank heaven I have found you at last, signora," said he in his soft
voice, which seemed to tremble a little from breathless haste. "I have
looked for you everywhere, to tell you that Signor Anders has not been
able to wait downstairs any longer. He was obliged to keep an
appointment which was settled for two o'clock."
"So much the better," answered Ferdinanda; "I was just starting to go
home."
"It is a pity!" said Philip. "I wanted to hear your opinion of a
wonderful young Bacchus by Müller; Herr Anders has not yet sold his
'Satyr;' I am doubting between the two, perhaps I shall buy both, and
your 'Shepherd Boy' too, Ferdinanda, if you will only put a decent
price on it."
"Are you coming with us, Antonio?" asked Ferdinanda impatiently.
"I think I will stay a little longer," answered the Italian,
hesitating.
"Very well. Come. Addio, Signor Antonio!"
"Addio, signora!"
The Italian remained in the door between the second room and the
clock-room, his black eyes following the receding figures till they
disappeared through the entrance; then they turned back upon the second
room, and remained fixed upon Ottomar with a look of deadly hate.
"Now I know from whom the letters are which she so often reads! You
shall pay for it, per Bacco!" he murmured between his white teeth.