Part 25 (2/2)
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 admonis.h.i.+ngs 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 a.s.sured 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 d.u.c.h.ess 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----”
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