Part 23 (1/2)
”You are no longer Adelheid Stahlberg, but the Baroness Wallmoden”--the baron's voice had a.s.sumed a sudden sharpness. ”And you, yourself, will be forced to admit that when a woman has married into a family of the old n.o.bility, it is hardly fitting for her to sneer at the n.o.bles.”
The young wife's lips were drawn in with a bitter expression. Although she had been speaking in a subdued tone, she dropped her voice still lower, as she said now: ”Have you forgotten, Herbert, why I gave you my hand?”
”Perhaps you have had cause to regret it?” he said, questioning instead of answering.
”No,” said Adelheid with a deep breath.
”I thought you were perfectly contented with the position to which you had attained by marrying me. As for the rest you know I exercised no control over you. I left it to your own free will.”
His wife was silent, but the bitter expression was yet on her lips.
Wallmoden rose and offered her his arm.
”You must permit me, my child, to help you at times, for you are inexperienced,” he said in his wonted polite tone. ”I have had every reason to be contented with your tact and discretion, but to-day I thought it necessary to give you a hint. Will you take my arm?”
”I will remain here a few minutes if you please,” said Adelheid. ”It is so stifling in the saloon.”
”As you please. But I must beg you to come back soon, otherwise your absence will be noticed.”
He saw that she was vexed and disturbed, but he thought best to take no notice of it. He knew well what was expected from them both in their little world, and felt for both their sakes it was better to educate his wife from the start in those matters which she did not seem to grasp fully.
He left her now, and Adelheid leaned back in her chair and gazed fixedly at the flowering plants which were grouped by her side, but under her breath she whispered with a gasp:
”_My own free will. O my G.o.d!_”
Prince Adelsberg and his friend had, in the meantime, been dismissed, and had made profound bows before the princess as she rose to leave the room. The sharp features of her highness wore an unusually mild expression, and Rojanow was favored with a very gracious smile as she departed.
”Hartmut, I believe you are a witch,” said Egon, half aloud. ”I have had proof many times that you are irresistible, but this last effort of yours throws all others in shadow. For my gracious aunt to have so prolonged an attack of amiability is unknown in the annals of the family.”
”Well, my reception was ungracious enough. Your aunt seemed to think at first that I was a full-fledged brigand.”
”But it only took ten minutes to win her smiles and make you a declared favorite. What is it you have about you, old fellow, which wins on every one? It makes one believe in the old fable of the rat-catcher.”
The old scornful expression, which effaced all his beauty, swept across Hartmut's face now, as he said contemptuously:
”I understand how to sing to tickle the ears of my hearers. You have to strike the chords according to the taste of your listener, but after you have learned that secret no one can withstand you.”
”No one?” repeated Egon, as his eye glanced over the room.
”No, not a single soul, I a.s.sure you.”
”Oh, you're a pessimist with all your inferences. I only wish I knew where Frau von Wallmoden was, but I don't see her in any place.”
”His excellency was reading her a little sermon on her undiplomatic utterances in the other room a short time ago.”
”Why, did you hear what she said?” asked Egon, surprised.
”Certainly, I was standing by the door.”
”Well, I'm glad enough my wors.h.i.+pful aunt was given a snub, and wasn't she furious over it, though; but do you believe that the amba.s.sador would take his wife to task for--hush, here he is himself.”