CHAPTER XXVI.

October had come, and autumn began to show its reign in a marked manner. The foliage of the trees bore gay tints; the country was wrapped, morning and night, in mist. The nights sometimes brought frost, while the days were unusually fine and sunny.

With the exception of that large fete which had collected the whole community, and the hunts, which were naturally prominent at this time of the year, no particular festivities took place.

The Duke, as well as his wife, loved to entertain small circles, and did not wish to disturb the quiet and freedom of their autumn visit with brilliant entertainments. On that account excursions were more often taken. The forest hills were being explored on horseback and in carriages, and the ducal table daily held a large number of guests.

Adelaide von Wallmoden belonged to this small circle. The d.u.c.h.ess, who had learned in what manner her sister-in-law tried to make the position of the young Baroness more difficult, counterbalanced it with greater affability, drawing Adelaide into her presence at every opportunity; and the Duke, who wished to distinguish the Amba.s.sador and his wife, was well satisfied with it.

Wallmoden was still in Berlin. The two weeks he had appointed for his trip had pa.s.sed away, and yet nothing was said of his return.

One of the most frequent visitors at Furstenstein was Egon von Adelsberg, the p.r.o.nounced favorite of his princely relatives; and his friend, Rojanow, was always honored with an invitation. The young Prince had prophesied correctly. Hartmut was like a shining meteor, whom all eyes followed with admiration, and of whom it was not expected that he should follow in the old beaten track of Court life.

He had read his Arivana to them at the request of the d.u.c.h.ess, and with it had gained a perfect triumph. The Duke had immediately promised him a performance of the drama in the Court Theatre, and Princess Sophie turned her special favor upon the young poet.

The surrounding Court circle, of course, followed the example of the princely people in this case only too gladly, for the charm he exercised was universal.

The hunting carriage of Prince Adelsberg stood before the castle of Rodeck. It was still early, and the misty October morning seemed to promise a clear, beautiful day. Egon had just appeared upon the terrace in full hunting costume and was speaking with the castle steward, who followed him.

"And so you wish to look at the hunt also?" he asked. "Of course, Peter Stadinger has to be wherever anything is to be seen. My valet has also asked leave of absence, and I believe the whole population of the Wald will turn out to-day to be at the hunting grounds."

"Yes, Your Highness, such things are not often to be seen," said Stadinger. "The great Court and gala hunts have become rare in our Wald. Hunting goes on everywhere, but then the gentlemen are mostly by themselves, like here at Rodeck, and if the ladies are not there----"

"Then it is unbearably tiresome," completed the Prince. "Quite my opinion; but you are otherwise prejudiced against womankind, and cry out if any one who has not reached a good old age comes within the borders of Rodeck. Have you changed your opinion in your old days?"

"I meant the high princely ladies, Your Highness," declared the old servant, with particular emphasis.

"The high princely ladies could only honor me with a visit upon the occasion of a drive. I cannot invite them, as I am a bachelor."

"And why is Your Highness still a bachelor?" asked Stadinger in reproachful tones.

"Man, I believe you also have matrimonial plans for me as well as the world has," laughed Egon. "Spare your pains; I shall not marry."

"That is not right, Your Highness," persisted Stadinger, who gave his master his t.i.tle at least once in every sentence because it was "respectable" so to do, while at the same time he took the liberty of lecturing him upon every occasion; "and it is also unchristianlike, for matrimony is a holy state, in which one feels well off. Your sainted father was married--and so was I."

"Oh, of course, you too. You are even grandfather of a most charming granddaughter, whom you have most cruelly sent off. When does she come back, anyhow?"

The steward thought best to lose the last question, but he remained obstinately at his subject.

"Your Highness, the d.u.c.h.ess and the Princess Sophie are of the same opinion. Your Highness should consider the subject seriously."

"Well, since you exhort so paternally, I will consider it. But, concerning the Princess Sophie, she intends to drive to Bucheneck, which is the meeting place of to-day's hunt; it may be possible she will notice you there and may speak to you."

"Very probable, Your Highness," confirmed the old man, complacently.

"Her Highness always honors me by speaking to me, because she knows me as the oldest servant of the ducal house."

"Very well. If the Princess should ask casually after the snakes and animals which I have brought back from my travels, you say that they have already been sent to one of my other castles."

"It is not necessary at all, Your Highness," Stadinger a.s.sured him, benevolently; "the most ill.u.s.trious aunt already knows all about it."

"Knows all about what? Have you told her anything?"

"At your service. The day before yesterday, when I was at Furstenstein, Her Highness had just returned from a drive and graciously beckoned me to approach and asked me--Her Highness likes to do that----"

"Yes, Heaven knows!" groaned the young Prince, who already scented mischief. "And what did you answer?"

"'Your Highness may rest easy,' I said; 'we have only monkeys and parrots of the live animals in the castle. Serpents have never been there. A large sea serpent, though, was to have arrived, but he died on the voyage, and the elephants tore themselves lose at the embarking and ran back to the palm forests--at least, so His Highness says. To be sure, we have two tigers, but they are stuffed; and of the lions, there is only the skin, which lies in the armory. Therefore Your Highness may see that the beasts cannot break loose and do harm.'"

"Oh, but you have fixed things now with your chattering!" cried Egon, exasperated. "And the Princess, what did she say?"

"Her Highness only smiled and inquired what kind of female servants we had at Rodeck, and if the girls of this vicinity were among them; but I said then"--here Stadinger drew himself up consciously--"'The servants in service at the castle I have hired. They are all industrious and reliable; I have looked out for that. But His Highness runs when he puts eyes on them, and Herr Rojanow runs still more; and the gentlemen have never gone back into the kitchen since the first time they went there.' After that Her Highness was most gracious and condescended to praise me and dismissed me in the very highest satisfaction."

"And I should like to run you to perdition in the very highest dissatisfaction," the Prince burst forth, wrathfully. "You unlucky old Waldgeist, what _have_ you been doing again?"

The old man, who apparently thought that he had done his part extremely well, looked at his master in perplexity.

"But I have only said the truth, Your Highness."

"There are cases where one must not say the truth."

"So? I did not know that till now."

"Stadinger, you have quite an abominable way of answering. Have you told the Princess also that Lena has been in town for the past four weeks?"

"At your service, Your Highness."

"What is the matter with Stadinger again?" inquired Hartmut, who emerged from the castle, also dressed for the hunt, and who had heard the last of the conversation.

"He has committed a first-cla.s.s foolishness," grumbled Egon, but he was met with bad success by the "oldest servant of the ducal house," who drew himself up, deeply offended.

"With your permission, Your Highness, I have not committed the foolishness."

"Do you mean perhaps that I have done it?"

Stadinger looked at his master keenly from the corner of his eye, after which he said deliberately: "That I do not know, Your Highness; but it may be so."

"You are a churl!" cried the Prince, hotly.

"Known for that through all the Wald, Your Highness."

"Come, Hartmut; nothing can be done with the old, grumbling bear to-day," said Egon, half laughing, half vexed. "At first he gets me into sc.r.a.pes, and then he lectures me on top of it. May graciousness help you, Stadinger, if you give any more such reports!"

With which he entered the carriage with Rojanow. Stadinger remained standing in military position and saluted as was demanded by his idea of the respectful, for respect was the main thing, although he did not in the least think of giving in by so doing. His Highness, Prince Egon, had to do that; he could not come up with his Peter Stadinger.

CHAPTER XXVII.