On the point of turning into the great avenue, which led towards the house, he stood suddenly before Gertrud, who seemed to have gone but a few steps. A single glance at her face showed him at once, that in spite of her apparent absence, she had been a witness of a conversation, the subject of which she must have expected, meanwhile he said nothing about it, but coming up asked simply--
"I must beg of you to accept of my companionship to the house, else you might be in danger of meeting Herr von Reinert once more."
As before, she made no reply, but silently assented to his proposal. They went slowly along the avenue; here, under the shade of the great oaks and beeches it was already twilight; high up above, the last golden rays gilded the branches, and here and there a bird still warbled low and dreamily his evening song.
The two walked side by side as distantly, as if, indeed, chance had brought them into a position mutually painful. Count Arnau preserved a consistent silence, Gertrud did not raise her eyes from the ground, and yet now and then his eyes searched her countenance as if with a gloomy question, and her bosom heaved more and more stormily in some hidden conflict, which at last gained the victory over her reserve.
"Herr Graf!"
He stopped at once.
"Mein Fräulein?"
She was still silent an instant, the words would not come to her lips, and it evidently cost her a powerful effort, as she at last asked--
"You have consented to a duel with Herr von Reinert?"
Hermann shrugged his shoulders.