"Read!"
Schonan obeyed, and now his face also grew red in angry surprise. The article, which was dated from the South German Residenz, read as follows:
"We have just learned that a duel with pistols took place last Monday, very early in the morning, in a remote part of our park. The opponents were a well-known resident, Count W--, and a young North German landowner, W--v. E--, who is visiting his relative here--a high and distinguished diplomat. The cause of the duel is reported to be a member of our Court Theatre, a young singer who bears the best of reputations. Count W-- was injured in the shoulder. Herr v. E-- carried off a slight wound in the hand, and departed immediately."
"Thunder and lightning!" burst forth the Chief Forester, violently. "The betrothed of my Toni has a duel for Marietta's sake! So this is the cause of the injured hand which he brought with him! This is charming, indeed! What else do you know about it, Regine? My paper did not notice it."
"But mine did; it was copied from one of your papers, as you see. I read it yesterday and hastened here at once. I did not even stop to see Herbert, who cannot have known anything about it, or he would have notified me."
"Herbert will be here at noon," said Schonan, throwing the paper angrily upon the table. "He is at Ostwalden with Adelaide, and has written that he will return by Furstenstein and stop over a few hours. Perhaps he is coming on this account, but that does not change anything in the matter. Has that boy--that Willibald--gone crazy?"
"Yes, that he has," assented Frau von Eschenhagen in like anger. "You made fun of me, Moritz, when I exhorted you not to let your child associate with an actress. Indeed, I had no idea that matters could take such a turn until the moment I discovered that Willy--that my son--was in love with Marietta Volkmar. I snatched him instantly from the danger and returned to Burgsdorf. This was the reason of our sudden departure, which I kept from you, because I considered Willy's condition as a passing fancy. The boy seemed to have returned to his senses completely. I would not otherwise have permitted him this journey; and to be surer still, I placed him under the protection of my brother. He cannot have been more than three or four days in town, and now we must live to see this!"
Quite exhausted, she threw herself into an arm-chair. The Chief Forester began to stride about the room vehemently. "And this is not the worst yet," he cried. "The worst is the farce which the boy is playing with his betrothed here. My child goes to Waldhofen day after day, consoling and helping wherever she can, and the Herr Willy always runs along, and uses the opportunity as a rendezvous. That is too outrageous! You have raised something nice in that son, Regine."
"Do you think I make excuses for him?" demanded Regine. "He shall answer to us both--I have come for that. He shall learn to know me."
She lifted her hand as if making a vow, and Schonan, who was still racing through the room, repeated angrily: "Yes, he shall learn to know us."