Then he slowly walked to the house. The castle of Stoltenhof to-night resembled a camp. The hall was arranged with booths and refreshment-stalls like a fair, and civil and military uniforms moved about in the gay throng. The officers of both the Münsterberg and Wartenstein-Uhlan regiments were everywhere very active, rendering the assistance which seemed too much for the legs of the more deliberate country "junkers."
Leo was met by his host, whose copper-coloured countenance, with its record of past pleasures, was beaming with good-humour and self-satisfaction.
"Ha! so you have ventured out of your shell," was his shrill greeting. "Come along, come along, they are breaking their hearts for you in the salon."
"Are your boys there?" Leo asked, longing, but not daring, to inquire for Ulrich.
"Of course! Of course! The young dogs are all there, the whole boiling lot laying siege to your fair cousin."
"Cousin! What cousin?"
"Why, your cousin Felicitas, naturally; you lucky beggar."
Leo was only too glad to forget the relationship. The reminder of it now stabbed him like a knife.
"And I can assure you she is in her old form! For a long time she seemed so altered, and made no disguise of being bored--probably she was grieving. But since the reconciliation between your two families she has been herself again."
Leo bit his lips. So they were talking about that already. Passing a number of hands outstretched to shake his, he made his way to the door of the salon.