Adelaide von Wallmoden, who had just entered in company with Prince
Adelsberg, bowed her recognition of the Princess' notice.
She made, indeed, a brilliant picture to-night, for the splendid court
toilet enhanced her beauty triumphantly. The costly brocade of the
white dress, which fell to her feet in heavy folds, suited the slender
figure admirably. The pearls encircling her throat and the diamonds
which sparkled in her blond hair were perhaps the most costly of any
worn to-night; but more sharply than ever appeared the cold and serious
expression of the young wife. She did not in the least resemble others
of her age who were also married, but who claimed the right of youth to
dress in dainty laces and flowers. She possessed nothing of their
brightness--the urbane amiability which was so fully brought to view in
them. The severe, serious expression which was an inheritance from her
father, and so indelibly stamped in her nature, betrayed itself in her
character.
Egon kissed his exalted aunt's hand, and had been honored with a few
gracious words, but from the first, the amiable attention of Her
Highness was quite taken up by the young Baroness, who was immediately
drawn into conversation.
"I was just expressing my pleasure to His Excellency that you find
yourself so quickly at home in our court circle, dear Baroness. You
enter these circles to-day for the first time, if I understand aright,
and have lived hitherto in entirely different surroundings. You were
born a----"
"Stahlberg, Your Highness," was the calm rejoinder.
"Quite right. I remember the name, which has been spoken several times
in my presence. It is honorably known in your native town, I presume."
"Most gracious aunt, you must permit me to inform you better," joined
in Prince Adelsberg, who seldom permitted an opportunity of vexing his
most gracious aunt to pass by. "The factories of Stahlberg are
world-renowned. They are as well known across the ocean as they are
here. I had an opportunity to learn all about them when I was in
Northern Germany several years ago, and I can assure you that those
works those iron foundries and factories, with their colonies of
officers and their army of workmen, can well vie with many a small
principality, whose sovereign, though, is not such an absolute ruler as
was the father of Her Excellency."
The Princess cast anything but a friendly glance at her nephew; his
interference was not desired.
"Indeed! I had no idea of such magnificence," she said in her most
caustic tone. "We may, perhaps, then greet His Excellency as such a
ruler?"
"Only as administrator, Your Highness," rejoined the Ambassador. "I am
only the executor of my father-in-law's will, and guardian of my young
brother-in-law, to whom the works will go when he attains his
majority."
"Ah, so? The son will probably know how to keep the inheritance. It is
really astonishing what the energy of a single man can do in these
days, and it is so much more praiseworthy if he, like the father of our
dear Baroness, has come from humble circles. At least I believe I have
heard so, or am I mistaken?"
Princess Sophie knew very well that these remarks about the origin of
his father-in-law were unpleasant to the Ambassador, a man of old
Prussian nobility, and it caused her great satisfaction that the
surrounding circle did not lose a word of the conversation, which was
intended principally to humble the lady of burgher descent.
But she was mistaken if she counted upon the Baroness falling into
embarrassment or evasion. Instead of that she drew herself up in all
her pride.
"Your Highness is quite correctly informed. My father came to the
Capital a poor boy without means. He had to struggle hard, and worked
for years as a humble laborer, before he laid the foundation to his
later enterprises."
"How proudly Frau von Wallmoden says that!" cried the Princess,
smiling. "Oh, I love this filial attachment above everything. So Herr
Stahlberg--or perhaps _von_ Stahlberg?--the large manufacturers often
bear a title----"
"My father did not bear it, Your Highness," replied Adelaide, meeting
the glance of the royal lady calmly and openly. "A title had indeed
been offered him, but he refused it."
The Ambassador pressed his thin lips together. He could but find the
remark of his wife very undiplomatic. The features of the Princess
assumed an angry expression, and she returned with biting sarcasm:
"Well, then, it is a good thing that this aversion has not descended to
the daughter. His Excellency will know how to value it. I beg your
escort, Egon. I should like to look for my brother."
She bowed to the circle and glided away on the arm of the Prince, whose
bearing plainly said:
"Now comes my turn."
He was not mistaken. Her Highness had no thought of finding the Duke,
but took a seat in the adjoining room with her young relative, whom she
wished to have to herself.
At first her anger burst forth at the unbearably haughty Frau von
Wallmoden, who boasted of her father's burgher pride, while she had
married a Baron from vanity, for she could not possibly feel any
affection for a man old enough to be her father. Egon was silent as to
that, for he had already put the same question to himself, How had this
unequal match come to take place? without finding an answer to it; but
his silence was now an offence.
"Well, Egon, have you nothing to say? But you seem to have sworn
allegiance to this lady; you have been constantly at her side."
"I do homage to beauty wherever I meet it; you know that, most gracious
aunt," expostulated the Prince. But alas! he only called forth another
storm.
"Yes, alas! I know that. In this respect you are of incomprehensible
heedlessness. Perhaps you do not remember all my admonishings and
warnings before your departure?"
"Ah, only too well," sighed Egon, who even now felt quite stifled with
the remembrance of the endless lecture which he had had to endure at
that time.
"Really? But you have not returned any more sensible or sedate. I have
heard things---- Egon, there is only one salvation for you--you must
marry."
"For heaven's sake, anything but that!" Egon started up so terrified
that Princess Sophie opened her fan indignantly.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked in cutting tones.
"Oh, only my un worthiness to enter into that state. Your Highness
yourself have often assured me that I was particularly fitted to make a
wife _unhappy_."
"If the wife does not succeed in bettering you, of course. I do not
despair yet of that. But this is not the place to speak of such things.
The Duchess is planning a visit to Rodeck, and I intend to accompany
her."
"What a charming idea!" exclaimed Egon, who was almost as much
terrified by the proposed visit as by the thought of marriage. "I am
really proud that Rodeck, which is usually such a small, tiresome
forest nook, can just now furnish you with some curiosities. I brought
many things from my travels, among them a lion, two young tigers,
several snakes----"
"But not live ones?" interrupted the horrified lady.
"Of course, Your Highness."
"But, mon Dieu! one is not sure of one's life there."
"Oh, it is not so dangerous, although some of the beasts have broken
away from us already--the people are so careless at feeding time; but
they have always been secured again, and have not done any harm as
yet."
"As yet? That is a charming prospect, indeed," said the Princess
angrily. "You put the whole neighborhood in danger. The Duke ought to
prohibit you such dangerous playthings."
"I hope not, for I am just now seriously occupied in attempting to tame
some of them. But besides these I can show you many domestic things
that are worth looking at. There are several girls among my servants
from this vicinity who look charming in their peasant costumes."
Egon shuddered at the thought of his female servants "with wagging
heads," whom he still employed under Stadinger's careful eye, but he
had speculated correctly. His gracious aunt was indignant and measured
him with an annihilating glance.
"So? You have such as that at Rodeck!"
"Certainly. There is Lena in particular, the granddaughter of my
steward, a charming little thing, and when you give me the honor of
your visit, most gracious aunt----"
"I shall leave it alone," interrupted the incensed lady, using her fan
violently. "It must be a peculiar household which you carry on at
Rodeck with the young foreigner whom you have, perhaps, also brought as
a curiosity from your travels. He has the face of a perfect brigand."
"My friend Rojanow! He has been pining a long time to be presented to
Your Highness. You permit it, I hope?"
Without waiting for an answer he hastened away and took possession of
Hartmut.
"Now it is your turn," he whispered, dragging him along
unceremoniously. "I have been the victim long enough, and my most
precious aunt has to have some one whom she can roast slowly. She
insists upon marrying me off-hand, and you have the face of a perfect
brigand, but, thank God! she does not come to Rodeck. I have taken care
of that!"
In the next moment he stood before Her Highness, introducing his friend
with his blandest smile.