Part 24 (1/2)
”And so you are going to leave us?” she asked.
He looked at her with a smile:
”You know I am, aunt; with much regret. I shall often long for Altseeborgen, for all of you. I feel so much at home in your circle. But yet I am anxious to see mamma again: it's nearly four months since I saw her last.”
”And are you feeling better?”
”How could I but feel better, aunt? The voyage with Herman made me ever so much stronger; and living here with you has been a delightful after-cure. A delightful holiday.”
”But your holiday will soon be over. Will you now be able to play your part again?”
He smiled, while his sad eyes expressed calm resignation:
”Certainly, aunt. Life can't be always holidays. I should think I had had my fill of them, doing nothing for six weeks except lie on the sand, or in the woods, or in that most comfortable wicker chair of Herman's!”
”Have you done nothing besides?” she said, playfully.
”How do you mean?”
”Saved Valerie's life, for instance?”
He gave a slight movement of gentle impatience: ”But, aunt, I didn't really. I suppose the papers will go and say I did, but there was really no saving in the matter. Valerie knows how to swim and she was close to the sh.o.r.e.”
”I've had a letter from papa, Othomar.”
”From papa?”
”Yes.... Have you never thought of ... Valerie?”
He reflected for a second:
”Perhaps,” he laughed.
”Do you feel no affection for her?”
”Certainly, aunt.... I thought papa preferred the Grand-d.u.c.h.ess Xenia?”
The queen shrugged her shoulders:
”There's the question of her religion, you know. And papa would be just as glad of an Austrian alliance.... How do you propose to make the journey? And when do you start?”
”Ducardi and the others will be here this week. Towards the end of the week. First to Copenhagen, London, Brussels, Berlin and then to Vienna.”
”And to Sigismundingen.”
”Yes, Sigismundingen, if papa wishes.”
”But what do you wish, Othomar?”
He looked at her gently, smiling, shrugged his shoulders: