‘I will,’ said Rex, and he did so on the first occasion that offered.
He and Greif went over to Sigmundskron together. Indeed, Rex went for the express purpose of making his speech to Hilda, and Greif occupied the attention of the baroness for a while in order that the two might talk undisturbed.
‘So you have come at last,’ said Hilda. ‘It is long since we have seen you.’
‘Yes, and I have come for an especial purpose,’ answered Rex. ‘It appears that, in the inscrutable ways of fate, I have passed for an ill-mannered barbarian in your eyes, and so I have come to show myself and to tell you what I think on certain points.’
‘You talk very mysteriously,’ said Hilda.
‘The prologue of a tale should always be mysterious. It is only the epilogue that must needs be clear. The story may be between the two. The matter of all three is very simple, because it concerns you and me. To be plain, Fraulein, I have come to justify myself in your eyes, to make an apology, a declaration and a treaty, all at once.’
‘A treaty, at least, must have two sides,’ observed Hilda, for she knew now what he was going to say.
‘So does an apology,’ answered Rex with a laugh. ‘To be brief, I apologise to you for having ever so acted as to make you imagine that I was ill disposed towards you; I hereby declare that, far from being an enemy of yours, I would make any personal sacrifice rather than see your marriage hindered; and I propose that we agree henceforth not to imagine any more such things.’
Hilda was satisfied, for she saw that Greif had put the matter plainly. She hesitated a moment.
‘What is your first name, Herr Rex?’ she asked.