"I beg of Your Highness," Adelaide commenced again, "to tell me the truth--the whole truth. You said that Herr Rojanow had returned to join the army. I had thought he would--had expected it--for it is the only thing by which he can atone for his old guilt. Has he joined the standard already?"
"Happily it has not gone so far, and that has spared me a heavy responsibility," said Egon, with supreme bitterness. "He reported to several regiments, but was refused everywhere."
"Refused! But why?"
"Because he did not dare to confess himself a German, and because a very just suspicion was raised toward the strange Roumanian. One has to be cautious at the present time that no--spies may force their way into the ranks of our armies."
"For God's sake, what do you mean?" cried Adelaide, who began now to comprehend the situation.
Egon sprang up in great excitement and drew nearer.
"If you wish, then, to know it, gracious lady--listen. Hartmut came to me and requested me to use my influence to make the entrance into one of our regiments possible to him. I refused at first, but he forced me to consent by a threat which was hardly meant seriously. I kept my word and asked one of our higher officers, whose brother was secretary to our embassy at Paris and who had just returned from there with him. This gentleman was present at our interview. He heard the name, Rojanow--inquired further into the matter and gave me disclosures; I cannot repeat them. I have loved Hartmut as I have nothing else upon this earth--have almost idolized him. I let myself be carried away by the force of his genius, and now I learn that the friend who was everything to me is a monster; that he and his mother did service as spies at Paris. Perhaps he wished to do the same in our army!"
He covered his eyes with his hand, and there was something awful in the agony of the young man whose idol had been so ruthlessly shattered.
Adelaide had risen, and the hand with which she leaned upon the back of the chair trembled.
"And what have you--has he--answered to that?"