"But indeed Soliman is too dangerous, I cannot have him saddled for you," said Lieschen.
"If there were any real danger it would but make the temptation to ride him greater. Surely one ought eagerly to seek occasion for investing our commonplace existence with interest by means of physical and mental exertion. One might perhaps find life attractive if one had to struggle for it, it would then cease to be such an intolerable bore."
"I do not understand you, Herr Pigglewitch," Lieschen replied, staring at Egon in wide-eyed wonder. "What wicked nonsense are you talking? I cannot comprehend your meaning perfectly, but I can see that you are wrong in speaking thus before Fritz."
Here was another deserved reproof! But it did not offend Egon. The youthful moralist, with her dark, reproachful eyes raised to his, was so very charming. She was a lovely fairy when she laughed, but an angel when she spoke so gravely.
"I will try to improve, and to set a watch upon my tongue," Egon rejoined, humbly. "If you had not spoken of danger, Fräulein Lieschen, I should not have exposed myself to your censure. There is really no danger for me in riding an unruly horse. I assure you that I can control him."
Lieschen was hard to convince, but the certainty of power shown in Egon's continued persuasions to be permitted to ride Soliman had its effect at last. Fritz was sent to order Soliman, with his sister's mare and his own Shetland pony, to be brought round, and Lieschen ran off to put on her habit, assuring Herr Pigglewitch that she would meet him at the side-entrance from the court-yard in five minutes.
Fritz fulfilled his commission with delight, but old Wenzel, the groom, shook his head dubiously when he heard that Soliman was to be saddled for the Herr Candidate. No good would come of it, he said; but since Fräulein Lieschen had ordered it, it must be done. He was just leading the restless, dancing animal from his stall when the Lieutenant, on his return from the meadow, rode into the court-yard.
"Halloo, Wenzel! what are you about?" he called out. "Are you saddling Soliman? Who is going to ride the brute? I hope my cousin has no idea of such a thing?"
"No, Herr Lieutenant, the master is not well enough to ride at all to-day. The Herr Candidate is to ride Soliman."
"What! he? Nonsense! Who ordered him saddled?"