Part 24 (2/2)

The gentlemen were of a different opinion. They found that His Excellency the Amba.s.sador had proved his talent most strikingly in his own cause. He who already stood upon the border of old age had understood how to gain, with the hand of this young, beautiful wife, a fortune extensive enough in itself, but magnified by rumor into the immeasurable. For this he was envied on all sides.

Wallmoden did not seem at all surprised at the impression which the beauty and stateliness of his wife too apparently caused, but accepted it as something natural. He had expected nothing else; the contrary would have surprised him in the highest degree.

At present he was standing in a window recess with his brother-in-law, the Chief Forester, and after exchanging a few indifferent remarks about the fete and the guests, he asked casually: ”What sort of person is that whom Prince Adelsberg has introduced? Do you know him?”

”You mean the young Roumanian?” said Schonan. ”No; I see him to-day for the first time, but have heard of him before. He is the bosom friend of the Prince, whom he accompanied upon his Eastern travels, and a young man handsome as a picture--his eyes positively sparkle with fire.”

”He impresses me as an adventurer,” remarked Wallmoden coldly. ”How does he happen to have an invitation? Has he been presented to the Duke?”

”Yes, at Rodeck, if I am not mistaken; the Duke was there recently.

Prince Adelsberg loves to throw etiquette aside as much as possible.

But this invitation to-day signifies no acceptance, since everybody has been asked.”

The Amba.s.sador shrugged his shoulders.

”Nevertheless, one should hesitate about bringing such elements near one before they come well recommended.”

”Everything must be certified to with letter and seal with you diplomats,” laughed the Chief. ”This Rojanow has certainly something aristocratic about him, and one is never so strict, anyway, with a foreigner. I can well understand that our sovereigns like to hear and see something different from the usual court circle, which presents the same old tiresome face from year to year. The Duke appears to be quite captivated already with the Roumanian.”

”Yes, it seems so,” muttered Wallmoden, upon whose brow a cloud gathered.

”But why should this concern us?” remarked Schonan. ”I will go now and look for Toni, who has to appear now everywhere without her betrothed.

That was another notion of Regine's. She departed from us with her son like a skyrocket. Your sister cannot be detained as soon as the beloved Burgsdorf is brought into question. If she had only left w.i.l.l.y with us!

Everybody wonders that my future son-in-law should take his departure before the fete. I cannot understand it at all.”

”A stroke of good fortune that they are gone,” thought Wallmoden, as his brother-in-law left him. ”If Willibald had met his former friend and playmate here unexpectedly another scene similar to that upon the Hochberg might have occurred. But who would have thought that Hartmut would carry his defiance so far as to appear in a circle where he was sure to meet the Amba.s.sador?”

Prince Adelsberg, who held in this circle one of the highest positions through his name and relations.h.i.+p to the reigning house, had, indeed, succeeded with the presentation of his friend, and the Duke seemed to have had a very favorable opinion of him from the first meeting at Rodeck, for he now himself presented this young stranger to the d.u.c.h.ess.

This Rojanow, with the captivating charm of his personality and the foreign air which surrounded him, was, indeed, an extraordinary person, who had only to appear to cause general observation.

To-day he displayed lavishly all the brilliant attributes which were at his command. His conversation sparkled with life and spirit, his fiery temperament, which betrayed itself involuntarily, gave to everything he said and did a peculiar charm, while he proved himself in every respect master of society forms and customs. In short, the prophecy of the Prince was fulfilled.

Hartmut knew how to conquer everybody here by storm, and had hardly put his foot upon the soil when he reigned there by the power of his magnetism.

This could not pa.s.s unnoticed by the Amba.s.sador, even if he did not come into direct contact with the Roumanian. It was not difficult to evade each other in the throng of guests, and a meeting was not desired on either side.

Wallmoden walked through a side room, where the Duke's sister, the Princess Sophie, had gathered a large circle around her.

The Princess, who had married the younger son of a princely house, had very early become a widow, and had lived since then at the court of her brother, where she was not in the least popular. While the d.u.c.h.ess charmed everybody who came into her presence by her grace and kindness, the older sister was considered haughty and _intriguante_. Everybody stood in fear of the lady's sharp tongue, which had a habit of saying something disagreeable to each and every one.

Herr von Wallmoden did not escape this fate. He was graciously beckoned to and received flatteries on the beauty of his wife, which was not to be denied.

”I offer you my congratulations, Your Excellency. I was quite surprised when your young wife was presented to me, for I had naturally expected to see an elderly lady.”

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