"There are cases where one must not say the truth."
"So? I did not know that till now."
"Stadinger, you have quite an abominable way of answering. Have you told the Princess also that Lena has been in town for the past four weeks?"
"At your service, Your Highness."
"What is the matter with Stadinger again?" inquired Hartmut, who emerged from the castle, also dressed for the hunt, and who had heard the last of the conversation.
"He has committed a first-class foolishness," grumbled Egon, but he was met with bad success by the "oldest servant of the ducal house," who drew himself up, deeply offended.
"With your permission, Your Highness, I have not committed the foolishness."
"Do you mean perhaps that I have done it?"
Stadinger looked at his master keenly from the corner of his eye, after which he said deliberately: "That I do not know, Your Highness; but it may be so."
"You are a churl!" cried the Prince, hotly.