"Yes, that is what nobody knows exactly, but he is everything with us since His Highness cannot live without him. He found this friend somewhere back there in the heathen lands. The friend himself may be half a heathen or a Turk; he looks just like it, with his dark hair and his fiery eyes, and he knows how to command from the very bottom. He sometimes drives all the servants helter-skelter with his orders and actions, as if he was lord and master of Rodeck. But he is handsome as a picture--almost more so than our Prince, who has given strict orders that his friend has to be obeyed like himself."
"Probably some adventurer who takes advantage of the Prince. I can imagine that," muttered Schonan, continuing aloud: "Well, may God help you, Stadinger! I must go now to meet my brother-in-law. Do not let any gray hairs grow on account of the sea-serpent. If His Highness threatens you with it again, just tell him I would offer the Furstenstein pond with pleasure, but I must see it alive before me first."
He nodded laughingly at the old man, who looked much comforted, and walked toward the entrance portal.
Frau von Eschenhagen and her niece had also appeared, and the carriage now came in sight upon the broad forest road of the castle mount, rolling, a few minutes later, into the castle court.
Regine was the first to greet them. She shook her brother's hand so heartily that he drew back with a slight shudder. The Chief Forester remained in the background; he stood somewhat in awe of his diplomatic brother-in-law, whose sarcasm he secretly feared; while Toni allowed neither her uncle, His Excellency, nor his beautiful wife to rouse her from her composed deliberation.
The years had not passed Herbert von Wallmoden by as lightly as they had his sister; he had aged considerably; his hair had turned quite gray, and the sarcastic lines around his mouth had become more pronounced; otherwise he was still the cool, aristocratic diplomat--perhaps a few degrees cooler and more reticent than formerly. The superiority which he had borne to his surroundings seemed to have grown with the high position which he filled at present.
The young wife at his side would probably have been taken by every stranger for his daughter. He had truly shown good taste in his choice.
Adelaide von Wallmoden was, indeed, beautiful, although of that composed, serious beauty which usually aroused only calm admiration, but she seemed equal in every respect to the high position in life brought her by this marriage.
The young wife, scarcely nineteen years old, and who had been married but six months, showed perfect ease of manner--an unexceptional mastery of all forms, as if she had lived for years beside her elderly husband.
To his wife Wallmoden was politeness and attention personified. He now offered his arm to lead her to her room, returning in a few minutes to join his sister, who awaited him on the terrace.