Part 10 (2/2)
The man obeyed the command. He walked actively with firm, erect carriage, in spite of his snow-white hair, and a pair of keen, dark eyes shone from his tanned face.
”I have been with the Herr Steward, Herr Oberforstmeister,” he replied, ”to ask if he could not let me have a few of his people to help me, for everything is topsy-turvy with us at Rodeck just now. We have not hands enough for the work.”
”Ah, yes; Prince Egon has returned from his travels in the Orient; I heard of it,” said Schonan. ”But how does it happen that he comes to Rodeck this time, this small forest nook which offers neither room nor comforts?”
”Heaven alone knows that; one never dares ask why with our young Highness. The news came one morning, and the castle had to be put in order, good or bad. I have had pains and worry enough to get ready in two days.”
”I believe that. Rodeck has not been inhabited for years, but now there will be life once more in the old walls.”
”But the old walls will be stood on their head with it all,” grumbled the castle keeper. ”If you only knew how it looks there, Herr Oberforstmeister. The whole hunting hall is packed full of lion and tiger skins and all manner of mounted animals, and the live parrots and monkeys sit about in every room. There is such a noise and making of faces that one cannot hear a word at times; and now His Highness has announced to me, besides, that a whole herd of elephants and a large sea serpent are on their way here. I think apoplexy will overtake me.”
”What is on the way here?” demanded Schonan, who could not believe his ears.
”A sea serpent and a dozen elephants. I have remonstrated with might and main. 'Your Highness,' I have said, 'we cannot house any more of the beasts, particularly not the sea serpent, for such a beast needs water, and we have no pond at Rodeck. As to the elephants--well, we will just have to tie them to the trees in the forest. If we cannot do that, I do not know what to do.' 'Good,' says His Highness, 'we will tie them to the trees, it will be a picturesque sight; and we will send the sea serpent to board at Furstenstein. That pond is large enough.' I beg of you, Herr Oberforstmeister, he will populate the whole neighborhood with those awful beasts.”
The Chief Forester laughed aloud and patted the shoulder of the old man, who seemed to enjoy his special favor.
”But, Stadinger, did you really take that in earnest? Don't you know your Prince? It seems that he has not become more settled by his absence.”
”No, really not,” sighed Stadinger, ”and what His Highness does not know, Herr Rojanow will surely find out. He makes it ten times worse.
Oh, dreadful that such a madcap should fall to our lot!”
”Rojanow? Who is that?” asked Schonan, becoming attentive.
”Yes, that is what n.o.body knows exactly, but he is everything with us since His Highness cannot live without him. He found this friend somewhere back there in the heathen lands. The friend himself may be half a heathen or a Turk; he looks just like it, with his dark hair and his fiery eyes, and he knows how to command from the very bottom. He sometimes drives all the servants helter-skelter with his orders and actions, as if he was lord and master of Rodeck. But he is handsome as a picture--almost more so than our Prince, who has given strict orders that his friend has to be obeyed like himself.”
”Probably some adventurer who takes advantage of the Prince. I can imagine that,” muttered Schonan, continuing aloud: ”Well, may G.o.d help you, Stadinger! I must go now to meet my brother-in-law. Do not let any gray hairs grow on account of the sea-serpent. If His Highness threatens you with it again, just tell him I would offer the Furstenstein pond with pleasure, but I must see it alive before me first.”
He nodded laughingly at the old man, who looked much comforted, and walked toward the entrance portal.
Frau von Eschenhagen and her niece had also appeared, and the carriage now came in sight upon the broad forest road of the castle mount, rolling, a few minutes later, into the castle court.
Regine was the first to greet them. She shook her brother's hand so heartily that he drew back with a slight shudder. The Chief Forester remained in the background; he stood somewhat in awe of his diplomatic brother-in-law, whose sarcasm he secretly feared; while Toni allowed neither her uncle, His Excellency, nor his beautiful wife to rouse her from her composed deliberation.
The years had not pa.s.sed Herbert von Wallmoden by as lightly as they had his sister; he had aged considerably; his hair had turned quite gray, and the sarcastic lines around his mouth had become more p.r.o.nounced; otherwise he was still the cool, aristocratic diplomat--perhaps a few degrees cooler and more reticent than formerly.
The superiority which he had borne to his surroundings seemed to have grown with the high position which he filled at present.
The young wife at his side would probably have been taken by every stranger for his daughter. He had truly shown good taste in his choice.
Adelaide von Wallmoden was, indeed, beautiful, although of that composed, serious beauty which usually aroused only calm admiration, but she seemed equal in every respect to the high position in life brought her by this marriage.
The young wife, scarcely nineteen years old, and who had been married but six months, showed perfect ease of manner--an unexceptional mastery of all forms, as if she had lived for years beside her elderly husband.
To his wife Wallmoden was politeness and attention personified. He now offered his arm to lead her to her room, returning in a few minutes to join his sister, who awaited him on the terrace.
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