"Ah, yes!" laughed the young man. "I cannot but remember thee now; thou hast once more chapter and verse for everything, even as thou hadst then. And said I not that I hoped one day to see thee again, and also make the acquaintance of thy father and brother, and visit you all in your home?"
"Yes, sir, you did indeed," replied Blonda; "and there are my father and brother, sir general; they are standing with Freskel Valden behind your friends of the hunt."
"Come forward, Grubert Reuss, and thy son too," said the young man, raising his voice a little. "Here, my good fellows, you have a daughter and a sister to be proud of. And thou also, thou strange lad, who shrinkest away out of sight, I would speak with thee," he added, beckoning to Freskel. "So Freskel Valden is thy name?"
"Yes, I am Freskel," replied the youth.
"Thou, too, art no stranger to me," said the officer; "long ago this little maid spoke of thee, saying how wise love made thee in many ways. Thou seest, Blondinka, I have not forgotten thy words. Nay, Freskel, hang not thy head. If thou think that thou art scarce deserving of all the kind things our little friend hath spoken of thee, see to it that at least thou deserve them in the future. And now, Grubert Reuss," continued the general, "lead on and show me the way to thy house. Many things have I seen in this part of my—of Finland, but the inside of a woodman's cottage is still to me an undiscovered country. And beside, I would have some further talk with my little friend here."
The elderly gentleman, who seemed to be the next in rank to the general, now ventured a few words of expostulation, which the young man did not take very well.
"Pray, who is master here? Tell me!" he said, drawing himself up haughtily.
"Your im—I beg pardon, general, I forgot; you scarce need to be told that I am always your servant to command."
"Then please to remember that in future," said the young officer sternly. "And now thou and the rest of my company return to Carfoos, unpack the provisions we brought with us, and order the sledges for Klingengolf. There will be no more sport to-day, and to-morrow we go in a different direction. I will join you at Carfoos later. My good friends here will accompany me, and show the way through the forest."
So saying, the young general turned from his own companions, and with Grubert, Tonie and Blonda walked to the cottage.