Hartmut drew his hand across his brow as if to smooth out something, then he answered with a gasp:
"Because it means deliverance or—death."
"You return as great a mystery as when you went away," said Egon, shaking his head. "You have avoided my questionings; can you not tell me your secret now?"
"Only get me into the army and I'll tell you everything!" cried Rojanow, feverish with excitement. "I care not under what conditions, only get me in the army. Don't speak to the duke or to any of the generals, only get me into some subordinate command. Your name, your kinship to the reigning house will make your recommendation of great value. They will not be captious when Prince Adelsberg solicits a place for a friend."
"But they'll be sure to ask me the same questions they asked you. You are a Roumanian—"
"No, no!" exclaimed Rojanow, passionately. "Have you never seen, never felt that—I am a German?"
The effect of this declaration was not so great as Hartmut had feared.
The prince looked steadily at him for a minute, then he said:
"I have thought that for some time. The man who wrote 'Arivana' never learned the German language as part of his education; it was born in him. But you bear the name of Rojanow—"
"That was my mother's name, she belonged to a Roumanian Bojarin family. My own name is—Hartmut von Falkenried."