"Dr. Fabian, my friend and teacher. We saw that the Castle was lighted up, and heard that a great festivity was going on there. I am quite a stranger to my mother's guests, and as my sudden arrival might very naturally have caused some disturbance, we preferred to make a call on your hospitality--at all events, until the visitors take their departure. Besides this, there are some matters I wish to talk over with you, Herr Frank--matters referred to in your letter, which I only received a few days ago. I was travelling, and it was sent on after me from place to place. Could we have half an hour's talk in private?"
Frank opened the door of his study. "May I ask you to step in here?"
Waldemar turned to his friend before going. "Pray wait for me here, Doctor. I trust you are in no danger now of being treated as a conspirator, and I shall soon be back." He bowed slightly to the young girl, and left the room with the steward, having apparently lost sight of the fact of the Assessor's existence.
"Herr Assessor," said Gretchen, going up to that unfortunate representative of the L---- police, "I congratulate you on your promotion."
"Oh, Fräulein!" groaned the unlucky man.
"You will have to acquaint his Excellency the President with the result of your researches, you know, to make a personal report."
"Fräulein Margaret!"
"I have not the eye of a detective, have I?" continued the girl, mercilessly. "Who would have thought that the young heir would have 'conspirator' so legibly, so unmistakably stamped on his countenance?"
It had cost the Assessor a great effort to hold his ground so far. Mockery from those lips was more than he could bear. He rose, stammered an excuse to the Doctor, the principal person concerned being no longer present, and pleaded a feeling of indisposition as a pretext for withdrawing as quickly as possible.
"Fräulein," said Dr. Fabian, rather timidly, but in a compassionate tone, "that gentleman appears to be somewhat eccentric. Is he perhaps ...?" and he touched his forehead with a significant gesture.