"What do you want? who are you? whom do you wish to see?" the man again asked.
"I wish to see Herr Sonnenkamp."
"What do you want of him?"
"I would like to introduce myself to him."
"I am he. Who are you?"
"My name is Eric Dournay. Herr von Pranken had the kindness, day before yesterday, to—"
"Ah! are you the man?" Sonnenkamp replied, drawing a long breath. With trembling hands he unfastened the linen sack which he wore over his coat, saying, with a forced smile, "You have surprised me in my working-garb."
Rolling the sack together, and tossing it away, he said, "Was no servant at hand? Do you always wear a uniform?"
It was the uniform then that gave him such a start, thought Eric. And, on looking at the man, he was sure that he could not be his uncle. The likeness of his missing uncle, which still hung in his father's study, was present to his mind; it represented him as a slim, delicate form, with a very prominent aquiline nose, and no trace of resemblance to this athletic personage before his eyes.
"I am very sorry for having disturbed you," Eric resumed, convinced that the first impression had been an unfavorable one. "I beg you indeed to excuse me," he stammered out; "the Count von Wolfsgarten, whose guest I have been, and from whom I bring to you a letter of recommendation, has—"