"I mean to," replied Waldemar, shortly. "I have written to my agent that he is to place himself at your service until I arrive. You have only to give your orders. I have provided for their being obeyed."
The Princess would have expressed her thanks, but she could not bring herself to articulate them. She knew so well that this generous consideration was not shown her for her own sake, and the particularly cold manner in which the obligation was conferred made it incumbent on her to accept it with equal reserve, if she would not incur a humiliation.
"So we may certainly expect you," she said. "As for Leo ..."
"Leo is sulky still, because of our quarrel the day before yesterday," interrupted Waldemar. "When I arrived just now, he turned off very demonstratively towards the shore, pretending not to see me."
The Princess knitted her brows. Leo had received strict orders to meet his brother in a friendly manner, and now he was showing this rebellious spirit at a most inopportune moment.
"Leo is often hasty and thoughtless. I will see that he makes the first advances towards a reconciliation."
Waldemar declined coolly. "No, no, we shall settle it better between ourselves. You need not be uneasy."
They went back into the drawing-room, where Wanda meanwhile had been amusing herself by sending Dr. Fabian from one stage of embarrassment to another. The Princess now released him. She wished thoroughly to discuss the plan of her son's studies, and he was obliged to follow her into her private room.
"Poor Doctor!" said Wanda, looking after him. "It seems to me you have quite reversed your rôles. You have not a particle of respect for your teacher, but he stands in unbounded awe of you."
Waldemar did not contradict this assertion, which was but too just; he merely remarked--