"As far as your knightly service to Frau von Wallmoden leaves you time. She will give this chivalry a glowing mention to her husband. You may know him, perhaps?"
"Certainly. I revere him highly as a man, as a diplomat and as His Excellency. Your Highness may believe that."
"I believe you unconditionally, Egon. Your love for veracity is far above any doubts with me," said the lady, with stinging sarcasm. "I just happen to remember speaking the day before yesterday with the steward of Rodeck--the old Stadinger--who is still very active for his years."
"But he suffers seriously from failing memory," the Prince hastened to assure her. "I am sorry to say that Stadinger forgets everything. Is it not so, Hartmut? He positively does not know to-day what he saw yesterday."
"On the contrary, I found that his memory was exceptionally fresh. Besides, he is the oldest and truest servant of your house, reliable--careful----"
"And a churl," interrupted Egon, sighing. "Your Highness, you have no idea of the unlimited gruffness which dwells in this Peter Stadinger. He tyrannizes over Herr Rojanow and me shamefully. I have actually thought of retiring him."
Of course, he did not dream of that. His Highness knew better than to make Peter Stadinger such a proposition, and would have fared badly if he had. But Princess Sophie, who had the reputation of being very haughty and relentless toward her servants, now favored a very mild course.
"You should not do that," she remonstrated. "A man who is now serving the third generation of the ducal family may be pardoned such a thing, particularly considering the somewhat loose housekeeping which the young gentlemen lead at Rodeck. It seems that they do not like to see visitors there, preferring the solitude."
"Ah, yes, the solitude!" sighed Egon, sentimentally. "It does one so much good after the stormy life of travel, and we enjoy it in full draughts. I occupy myself mostly----"
"With the taming of your wild animals," finished the Princess maliciously.