"In all? I think Herr Waltenberg attached another significance to your words; and was he not justified in so doing?"
Erna turned and bestowed upon him a glance of disapproval: "Herr Elmhorst, you evidently consider yourself as already belonging to our family, but I cannot, nevertheless, accord you the right to ask such questions."
The rebuff was sufficiently plain. Wolfgang bit his lip.
"Pardon me, Fräulein von Thurgau, if I was indiscreet; but, from the remarks of my future father-in-law, I judged the matter to be no longer a secret."
"My uncle spoke of it to you? And before his departure?"
"Assuredly. And he also did so three weeks ago, when I was in the city."
A dark flush mounted to the girl's cheek. So the president had even then confided to his prospective son-in-law his plans for disposing of his niece, probably before her personal acquaintance with Waltenberg. All the pride of her nature was in revolt as she replied, "I know my uncle puts a price upon everything, and why not upon my hand? But in this case the decisive word is mine, as both he and you seem to have forgotten."
"I?" said Wolfgang, indignantly. "Can you suppose me to have any share in his plan?"
She looked at him, with a strange expression which he could not unriddle, and there was a shade of scorn in her voice as she replied, "No, certainly not in this plan."
"You would do me gross injustice by such a suspicion. Moreover, I have no liking for Herr Waltenberg, and I feel sure that, despite all his brilliant qualities, he is not fitted to make another human being happy."