"I don't know that, but still I see it," insisted Stadinger. "When Your Highness used to come from Furstenstein, or were up to all sorts of things with Herr Rojanow, you looked different and laughed different, and just now when you looked into the fire it seemed to me as if Your Highness had something very heavy upon your heart."
"Get away with all your observations!" cried Egon, to whom his old Waldgeist was again becoming uncomfortable. "Do you suppose we are always jolly? I should say that when one has the bloody battlefield always before the mind, earnest thoughts come near."
Nothing could be said to that, and Stadinger remained silent, but he could not be deceived. He knew quite well that something was wrong with his young master, and that something was hidden behind this ostensibly exhibited gayety.
CHAPTER LIV.
Lieutenant Waldorf re-entered the room, but left the door open. "Come right in here," he called to the man hesitating outside. "Here is an orderly from the Seventh Regiment with a report. Well, don't you hear, orderly? Come in!"
The repetition of the order sounded very impatient. The soldier who stood upon the threshold hesitated there, and had even made a start back, as if he wished to return to the darkness outside. He now obeyed, but kept close to the door, so that his face remained in the dusk.
"Do you come from the outposts at the Capellenberg?" asked Waldorf.
"At your command, Herr Lieutenant."
Egon, who had turned indifferently, started at the sound of that voice. He made a hasty step forward, then stopped as if suddenly recollecting himself, but his eyes were fixed with an almost terrified expression upon the speaker.
As far as could be discerned in the semi-darkness he was a tall young fellow in the coarse cloak of the common soldier, with helmet upon his closely-cut hair. He stood there, rigidly immovable, and delivered his report correctly, but his voice had a peculiarly choked, hollow sound.