Thus the honest fellow was anticipating the arrival of the unknown proprietor with a degree of trepidation of which he was quite conscious, when, upon returning at noon from some distant fields, he became aware of a light carriage rolling along the road that led to the manor-house.
The gentleman leaning back in it must, of course, be Herr von Ernau; but no, it was not he. Storting's keen gaze recognized an old acquaintance, in spite of the distance and of the bandage beneath his hat. The pale face in the rapidly-approaching wagon was that of the Candidate Pigglewitch!
The inspector overtook the vehicle as it was turning into the court-yard. "Welcome, Herr Pigglewitch!" he cried, jumping on the step of the light conveyance, and extending his hand to its occupant. "How odd! Yesterday I met Wangen, and to-day you arrive at Plagnitz. This is an unexpected pleasure; you are cordially welcome."
Egon grasped the hand extended to him. "Your hearty greeting shows me that you at least bear me no grudge, Storting," he said, with some emotion. "I trust you will think none the worse of me when I tell you that I have no claim to the name by which you knew me. I am called Egon von Ernau."
Storting's surprise was so unfeigned, and his stare one of such blank amazement, that Egon burst into a laugh. "Why, what's the matter, Storting? Were you so attached to the Candidate with the charming name that his sudden disappearance fills you with dismay? I assure you that Egon von Ernau is excessively like him, except that just at present he is rather shaky from a fall over the Dombrowker Pass, and will thank you to lend him an arm, that he may enter his home with becoming dignity."
The carriage stopped before the principal entrance. Storting opened the door, silently offered his arm to Egon, and conducted him up the steps and into a luxuriously-furnished room.
In truth the lord of Plagnitz had, in his impatience to be really at home, rather overrated his strength. He begged to be left to himself for a while, and throwing himself upon a lounge, fell almost immediately into the profound sleep of exhaustion, from which he did not awake until after several hours. The housekeeper answered his bell, and upon his declaring himself positively famished hurried away to see that dinner was instantly served for the master so anxiously expected. To this Egon did ample justice, and when Storting again made his appearance, just as dessert was placed upon the table, he was eagerly welcomed. Egon told him of the accident of the previous evening, which made it unwise for him to attempt as yet any inspection of his fields and meadows. He regretted this all the more as he was anxious to show Herr Storting that he was now really capable of appreciating his valuable services. "And we should have grown very confidential, Storting, tramping around together. You know, I owe you an explanation of the sudden transformation of your old acquaintance Pigglewitch into Egon von Ernau, and this you shall have, even if I am tied to the house for a day or two. Sit down, take a glass of wine, make yourself comfortable, and we will each unfold the tale of the years that have passed since we last saw each other."
Storting readily complied, and eagerly awaited the solution of the riddle that had frequently occupied him during the past four years. He had, of course, suspected that there was a story attached to the tutor who rode so wonderfully, played billiards with such skill, was so admirable a musician, spoke French, English, and Italian fluently, and was rich enough, although he had as yet received no salary from Herr von Osternau, to remit, after his departure from the castle, the amount of a debt which he had contracted, but it had never entered the inspector's head that the Herr von Ernau, who had been so often and so severely criticised at Osternau, and the Candidate tutor were one and the same.
Egon leaned back in his arm-chair, and after a few moments' pause began his story, and, just as he had done long ago to the wretched Candidate on the shore of the little lake, told of his unhappy childhood and youth, and of his weariness of life. From this he went on to his sudden resolve to purchase the name and papers of the unfortunate Candidate. He condemned in sharp terms his useless, misspent existence before going to Castle Osternau, and spoke with reverential admiration of Herr von Osternau and his family, gratefully acknowledging the influence which the life at the castle had exercised upon his entire manner of thought. He told of his determination to turn his energies to some account, and of his pursuit of the study of agriculture during the past four years. He frankly confessed his faults and failings, and extenuated none of his follies. Upon one point alone he was silent: to no human being could he accord a glimpse of the inner sanctuary of his heart.
"And here you have me," he said, at the end of his story, "with a broken head, to be sure, but perfectly sound in limb, having escaped the death which befell my ill-fated driver, and all ready to begin my life as a country gentleman, in which I rely, Storting, upon your advice and assistance. I have been thus frank with you, because it seemed to me an absolute necessity that you, who once befriended me so unselfishly, should know me as I am. In fact, I should now like, if possible, to obliterate your memory of that aimless, idle, good-for-nothing fellow who came as tutor to Castle Osternau. He had but one good quality: he was not vain, and when he got among really capable, intelligent people he recognized his own worthlessness. He did not deserve such friends, but the ambition to be worthy of them arose within him, giving a new interest to existence. Yes, I learned from you, Storting, and especially from that admirable old Herr von Osternau, how there could be no weariness in a life of constant occupation directed towards worthy aims. I had to begin at the beginning; I attempted no royal road to the knowledge which was to shape my future career. I obtained a subordinate position on an estate in Saxony, and worked my way up. Now I am ready to reap the benefit of these years of hard work,--work that has been a positive blessing to me. And now, enough of myself and my doings, tell me of yourself, and of those among whom I was so happy for a while that I could scarcely carry out my plan of not returning to them. Tell me of Herr von Osternau, Storting, and why you resigned your position with him."