Читать книгу The Sign of Flame - E. Werner - Страница 12

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Herr von Schonan was already in advance and just descending the wide stone steps which led to the castle court, when a man emerged from one of the side buildings and came to a standstill, bowing his greeting respectfully.

"Hallo, Stadinger; what are you doing at Furstenstein?" cried the Chief Forester. "Come up here."

The man obeyed the command. He walked actively with firm, erect carriage, in spite of his snow-white hair, and a pair of keen, dark eyes shone from his tanned face.

"I have been with the Herr Steward, Herr Oberforstmeister," he replied, "to ask if he could not let me have a few of his people to help me, for everything is topsy-turvy with us at Rodeck just now. We have not hands enough for the work."

"Ah, yes; Prince Egon has returned from his travels in the Orient; I heard of it," said Schonan. "But how does it happen that he comes to Rodeck this time, this small forest nook which offers neither room nor comforts?"

"Heaven alone knows that; one never dares ask why with our young Highness. The news came one morning, and the castle had to be put in order, good or bad. I have had pains and worry enough to get ready in two days."

"I believe that. Rodeck has not been inhabited for years, but now there will be life once more in the old walls."

"But the old walls will be stood on their head with it all," grumbled the castle keeper. "If you only knew how it looks there, Herr Oberforstmeister. The whole hunting hall is packed full of lion and tiger skins and all manner of mounted animals, and the live parrots and monkeys sit about in every room. There is such a noise and making of faces that one cannot hear a word at times; and now His Highness has announced to me, besides, that a whole herd of elephants and a large sea serpent are on their way here. I think apoplexy will overtake me."

"What is on the way here?" demanded Schonan, who could not believe his ears.

"A sea serpent and a dozen elephants. I have remonstrated with might and main. 'Your Highness,' I have said, 'we cannot house any more of the beasts, particularly not the sea serpent, for such a beast needs water, and we have no pond at Rodeck. As to the elephants--well, we will just have to tie them to the trees in the forest. If we cannot do that, I do not know what to do.' 'Good,' says His Highness, 'we will tie them to the trees, it will be a picturesque sight; and we will send the sea serpent to board at Furstenstein. That pond is large enough.' I beg of you, Herr Oberforstmeister, he will populate the whole neighborhood with those awful beasts."

The Chief Forester laughed aloud and patted the shoulder of the old man, who seemed to enjoy his special favor.

"But, Stadinger, did you really take that in earnest? Don't you know your Prince? It seems that he has not become more settled by his absence."

"No, really not," sighed Stadinger, "and what His Highness does not know, Herr Rojanow will surely find out. He makes it ten times worse. Oh, dreadful that such a madcap should fall to our lot!"

"Rojanow? Who is that?" asked Schonan, becoming attentive.

"Yes, that is what nobody knows exactly, but he is everything with us since His Highness cannot live without him. He found this friend somewhere back there in the heathen lands. The friend himself may be half a heathen or a Turk; he looks just like it, with his dark hair and his fiery eyes, and he knows how to command from the very bottom. He sometimes drives all the servants helter-skelter with his orders and actions, as if he was lord and master of Rodeck. But he is handsome as a picture--almost more so than our Prince, who has given strict orders that his friend has to be obeyed like himself."

"Probably some adventurer who takes advantage of the Prince. I can imagine that," muttered Schonan, continuing aloud: "Well, may God help you, Stadinger! I must go now to meet my brother-in-law. Do not let any gray hairs grow on account of the sea-serpent. If His Highness threatens you with it again, just tell him I would offer the Furstenstein pond with pleasure, but I must see it alive before me first."

He nodded laughingly at the old man, who looked much comforted, and walked toward the entrance portal.

Frau von Eschenhagen and her niece had also appeared, and the carriage now came in sight upon the broad forest road of the castle mount, rolling, a few minutes later, into the castle court.

Regine was the first to greet them. She shook her brother's hand so heartily that he drew back with a slight shudder. The Chief Forester remained in the background; he stood somewhat in awe of his diplomatic brother-in-law, whose sarcasm he secretly feared; while Toni allowed neither her uncle, His Excellency, nor his beautiful wife to rouse her from her composed deliberation.

The years had not passed Herbert von Wallmoden by as lightly as they had his sister; he had aged considerably; his hair had turned quite gray, and the sarcastic lines around his mouth had become more pronounced; otherwise he was still the cool, aristocratic diplomat--perhaps a few degrees cooler and more reticent than formerly. The superiority which he had borne to his surroundings seemed to have grown with the high position which he filled at present.

The young wife at his side would probably have been taken by every stranger for his daughter. He had truly shown good taste in his choice.

Adelaide von Wallmoden was, indeed, beautiful, although of that composed, serious beauty which usually aroused only calm admiration, but she seemed equal in every respect to the high position in life brought her by this marriage.

The young wife, scarcely nineteen years old, and who had been married but six months, showed perfect ease of manner--an unexceptional mastery of all forms, as if she had lived for years beside her elderly husband.

To his wife Wallmoden was politeness and attention personified. He now offered his arm to lead her to her room, returning in a few minutes to join his sister, who awaited him on the terrace.

The attitude of these two to each other was in many respects a strange one. The brother and sister were of the most pronounced opposites in appearance as well as character, and usually of opinion as well; but the blood relationship gave them, in spite of this difference, a feeling of closest union. This was evident as they sat together now after the long separation.

Although Herbert was somewhat nervous during the conversation, for Regine did not find it necessary to subdue her peculiar manner, causing him embarrassment more than once with her inconsiderate questions and remarks, he had long ago learned to consider that as unavoidable, and surrendered himself to it now with a sigh.

At first they spoke of the coming betrothal of Willibald and Toni, which had Wallmoden's full approval. He thought the match very suitable, and besides, every one in the family had been long acquainted with it.

But now Frau von Eschenhagen began an entirely different subject. "Well, and how do you feel as a husband, Herbert?" she asked. "You have certainly taken your time for it, but better late than never, and to speak the truth, you have had extraordinarily good luck in spite of your gray hair."

The Ambassador did not seem very well pleased at this allusion to his age. He pressed his thin lips together for a moment, and then replied with some sharpness: "You should really be a little more careful in your expressions, dear Regine. I know my age very well, but the position in life which I brought my wife as a wedding gift should counteract the difference of the years somewhat."

"Well, I should think the dowry she brought you was not to be slighted," remarked Regine, quite unconcerned as to the rebuke. "Have you already presented her at court?"

"Yes, two weeks ago, at the Summer Residenz. Mourning for my father-in-law prevented it before. We shall have open house in the winter as my position requires. I was most pleasantly surprised at Adelaide's manner at court. She moved upon the strange ground with an ease and composure which were truly admirable. I saw there again how happy my choice was in every respect. But I wish to inquire after several things at home. First of all, how is Falkenried?"

"Surely you do not need to ask me that? Are you not in regular correspondence with him?"

"Yes, but his letters grow shorter and more monosyllabic. I wrote him at length about my marriage, but received only a very laconic reply. But you must see him frequently, since he has been called to the position of Secretary of War. The city is near."

"You are mistaken there. The Colonel shows himself very rarely at Burgsdorf, and he is becoming more and more reticent and unapproachable."

"I am sorry to hear that; but he used always to make an exception of you, and I hoped much from your influence since he is back in your vicinity. Have you not tried, then, to renew the old intimacy?"

"I did at first, but finally had to give it up, for I saw that it was painful to him. Nothing can be done there, Herbert. Since that unfortunate catastrophe which both of us lived through with him he has changed into stone. You have seen him several times since then and know the ruin that has worked there."

Wallmoden's brow clouded and his voice was harsh as he returned: "Yes, that scoundrel--that Hartmut lies heavy upon his heart, but more than ten years have passed since then, and I hoped that Falkenried would return to sociable life in time."

"I have never had that hope; that blow went to the root of life. I shall never forget that evening at Burgsdorf while I live. How we waited and waited--first with restlessness and anxiety, then with deadly fear. You guessed the truth directly, but I would not permit myself to believe it--and Falkenried! I can see him yet as he stood at the window, looking fixedly out into the night pale as a corpse, with teeth tightly clenched, having for every fear expressed the one reply, 'He will come--he must come. I have his word for it.' And when, in spite of all, Hartmut did not come--when the night wore on and we finally learned upon inquiry at the railroad station that the two had arrived there in a carriage and taken the express train--God in heaven! How the man looked when he turned to leave, so mute and stiff! I made you promise not to leave his side, for I believed that he would blow his brains out."

"You judged him wrongly," said Wallmoden decisively. "A man like Falkenried considers it cowardice to lay hands on his life, even if that life has become torture to him. He stands up even to a lost post. Although what would have happened if they had let him go that time--I do not dare to surmise."

"Yes, I knew that he had asked for his dismissal, because to serve after his son had become a deserter did not accord with his ideas of honor. It was the step of despair."

"Yes, truly; and it was fortunate that his chiefs would not dispense with his military genius and force. The chief of the general's staff took the affair in his own hands and brought it before the king. They concluded finally to treat the whole unfortunate occurrence--at least as far as it could concern the father--as the act of a heedless boy, for which a highly deserving officer could not be held accountable. Falkenried had to take back his request for resignation, was transferred into a far-away garrison, and the affair silenced as much as was possible. It is, indeed, buried and forgotten now after ten years by all the world."

"It is not forgotten by one," finished Regine. "My heart burns sometimes when I think of what Falkenried was once, and what he is now. The bitter experience of his marriage had made him rather serious and unsocial, but occasionally the full charming amiability of his manner would break through, warm and hearty, from his inmost heart--all that is over. He knows now only the iron severity of duty--all else is dead. Even the old friendly relations have become painful to him. One has to let him go his own way."

She broke off with a sigh, which betrayed how near to her heart was the friend of her youth, and laying her hand upon the arm of her brother, she continued: "Perhaps you are right, Herbert, in that one chooses best and most sensibly in late years. You do not need to fear the fate of Falkenried. Your wife comes from a good race. I knew Stahlberg well. He had worked up to the heights of life with firmness and ability, and even as a millionaire he remained the upright man of honor he had ever been. Adelaide is the daughter of her father in every respect. You have chosen well and you my heartfelt wishes for your happiness."