Whilst Egon, with Lieschen and Fritz, was taking his ride to the Oster meadows, Herr von Osternau was pacing his room slowly to and fro.
From his window he had observed old Wenzel saddling Soliman, but he had naturally supposed that Albrecht had ordered the horse, and it never entered his mind that the fiery animal had been saddled for the Candidate, or he would have instantly put a stop to it. He was not aware of the true state of the case until the moment when Egon swung himself lightly into the saddle, and then remonstrance was useless. Involuntarily he had uttered an exclamation of dismay, which called Frau von Osternau to his side, and together they had looked on while Egon reduced Soliman to submission. Their horror was speedily transformed to admiration as they saw how firm was the rider's seat, how powerless were Soliman's leaps and plunges to do him any injury.
Not a word was exchanged between them until the riding-party had left the court-yard, when Herr von Osternau first gave utterance to his amazement:
"This surpasses belief. If I had not seen it with my own eyes I never could have believed that a mere Candidate, who one would have supposed had never been on horseback before, could ride Soliman, and ride him in such a fashion! The man is a riddle. If we were not sure from your old friend Kramser's letter that he is a Candidate, I should think it impossible. He is compounded of contradictions, he is never the same for a moment. When I saw him coming across the courtyard this morning I was fairly frightened by his ugliness, I called him a scarecrow, and so did Lieschen when she first saw him, he looked so inconceivably ridiculous and uncouth, but ten minutes had not passed before I changed my mind. As he sat there at the piano, playing in that inspired way, he seemed to me a divinely-gifted artist. He cannot be a mere ordinary Candidate. His carriage and air are those of one used to refined society, and the conventional habits of such society are acquired only by association. Remember his manner to Albrecht in the billiard-room. He demanded satisfaction just as any well-bred gentleman would have done, and received Albrecht's apology in the same way. He speaks English and French with an accent so admirable that he must have had the best instruction in those languages. It requires capital teachers and years of practice to attain such proficiency as he possesses in music, he plays billiards so well as almost to justify Albrecht's sneer about the professional gambler, and, finally, he has just shown himself a first-class horseman. No riding-master could have put Soliman more finely through his paces. The man is a perfect puzzle."
Herr von Osternau had begun to pace the room to and fro as he spoke. He paused and looked inquiringly at his wife. She nodded assent to what he said, and he went on: "The more I think of it the more incomprehensible it is to me that Kramser should have recommended to us just this sort of man, one who in no single particular corresponds to the description contained in Kramser's letter."
"I am quite as much puzzled as yourself," Frau von Osternau said, meekly.
"Go and get Kramser's letter; let us read it once more, and see if it can give us any explanation."
Frau von Osternau brought the letter from her desk and read it aloud to her husband:
"Most Respected Lady,--It has been to me an exceeding great joy that, after the lapse of so many years since the happy season of childhood, you still remember me, and honour me with the great confidence shown in your esteemed epistle. My heart swells with gratitude at the thought of having it in my power to be of service in any way to so highly honoured a lady.
"I have bestowed the gravest reflection upon the choice among my numerous scholars of one possessing the qualifications which you desire for the tutor of your amiable son.