"Not Miss Erna; the other lady--who is never allowed to come when you are here."
"Lydia? Fräulein von Aschhof? Are you mad?"
Bertram turned round with the rapidity of lightning, and now uttered these words in a rough tone, whilst his eyes, generally so gentle, shone out in great anger. Konski was frightened; but his curiosity was greater than his terror. He would gladly have at last learned the real truth about the young lady who was not allowed to come when his master came on a visit to Rinstedt, and whom he had therefore never yet seen, although in the course of years he had accompanied his master half a dozen times. But he was once more doomed to disappointment; his master had suddenly become perfectly calm again, or at least preserved the appearance of perfect calmness, and now asked in his usual voice--
"From whom have you got your information? Of course from Mamsell Christine?"
"From Mamsell Christine, of course," Konski made answer.
"And she got it from My Lady?"
"From her Ladyship direct."
"And when is the lady expected to arrive?"
"This very evening, along with Miss Erna; and there will also come a Baron Lutter or Lotter--I could not quite make the name out; they pronounce things so queerly here in Thuringia."
"Well, well!"