"Yet papa wishes you to marry as soon as possible. He wants a grandson...."
He made no reply; a look of suffering passed over his face. The queen perceived it:
"But you're right," she replied, giving way. "It would be too cruel. Valérie, I may tell you, is bearing up wonderfully. That's how a future Empress of Liparia ought to be...."
He still made no reply and walked silently beside her; her arm lay in his; she felt his arm tremble:
"Come," she said, gently, "let us go in; walking up and down like this is fatiguing...."
6
Ducardi, Dutri, Leoni and Thesbia arrived at Altseeborgen; they were to accompany Othomar on his official journey through Europe.
It was one of the last days, in the morning, when Othomar was walking with Herman towards the woods. The sun was shining, the woods were fragrant, the foot slid over the smooth pine-needles. The princes sat down on the ground, near a great pool of water; around them rose the straight pine-trunks, with their knotty peaks of side-branches; the sky faded into the distance with blue chinks showing between the projecting foliage of needles.
Herman leant against a tree-trunk; Othomar stretched himself flat on his back, with his hands beneath his head:
"It will soon be over now," he said, softly.