But Delmar never seemed to hear Uncle Balthasar's mistakes either of grammar or pronunciation; he treated him with all the respectful courtesy due from a young man to one much older, thereby taking the kindly old man's heart by storm.
A couple of hours flew swiftly by; the sun had long set behind the mountains, the valley of the Schwarzenbach lay in dim shadow, from which only the distant peaks of the Weisshorn emerged, glowing in crimson light; soon it, too, faded, and a dull ashen gray followed upon the last shimmer of departed day. The increasing darkness warned Eva that it was time to leave the balcony, and she arose. "We must not leave Aunt Minni alone any longer," she said. "She will certainly be waiting for us at her tea-table."
Uncle Balthasar was enjoying himself hugely,--he would have liked to spend another hour upon the balcony,--but he followed Eva's lead immediately, and took leave of Delmar and Herwarth, assuring Paul that it was too delightful to find such entertaining society in Tausens, and that he only regretted that "the dear Guido"--it was thus he spoke of Herr von Bertram--was prevented by headache from taking part in the delightful conversation.
The name of Guido again provoked on Delmar's face the sarcastic smile which had vanished from it during the last two hours. "Do you share this regret, Fräulein Schommer?" he asked hardily.
"No! Good-night," was the brief reply, as, taking her uncle's arm and followed by Aline, Eva left the balcony.
After the ladies had left, Paul walked to the balustrade and, leaning upon it, gazed thoughtfully abroad upon the landscape now fading quickly into the gloom of night.
Kuno, occupied in reflecting upon the last few hours, and upon many a gentle word of Aline's, did not disturb his revery, which had been prolonged for nearly half an hour, when suddenly Delmar turned to the lieutenant and said, "Do you know, noble knight, that I have just made a discovery which will not be half as new to you as it is humiliating to me?"
"What have you discovered?" Kuno asked.
"That I have been a confounded ass, a stupid, addled ass! And it is all the more humiliating to find this out just when I thought myself so very wise."
"Confessions of a fair soul!" Kuno laughed. "May I ask what has led you to so unflattering a discovery with regard to yourself?"