"The daughter of this man thy wife, the mother of thy children? The world is a masquerade."
The words of Fräulein Milch came back to him, and he added to them,—
"And I am not called to tear off the mask from the faces of the maskers?"
Inwardly composed he went to the villa.
CHAPTER VII.
A MILLION OF POUNDS IN HAND, AND A UNIFORM TO BACK IT.
When Roland came to the Villa, he was at once summoned to his father; and as he approached him, Sonnenkamp exclaimed:—
"My son! my son! it is thou indeed! everything for thee; thou art forever secure, and elevated forever. My beloved son! Everything for thee!"
The strong man now raised up the youth like a child, and exclaimed:—"Roland, it is accomplished; forget not this moment, the crowning moment of my whole life, crowded as it has been with dangers and wanderings. My son, from this day forth, you are to be called Roland von Lichtenburg."
Roland stood once more on the floor, and trembled as he cast an involuntary glance into the large mirror.