When the two young women had sobbed out their hearts to each other, they began to laugh and jest. Was not the mother still a girl, like the daughter?
"You must come with me to the manor?" said Katharina, as, with arms entwined about each other, they entered the castle. "I shall not allow you to stop longer in this lonely place."
"I wish you would take me with you," responded Marie. "I shall be very obedient and dutiful. If I do anything that displeases you, you must scold me, and praise me when I do what is right."
"And I am not to be asked if I consent to this abduction of my ward?" here smilingly interposed Count Vavel.
"Why can't you come with us?" innocently inquired Marie.
The other young woman laughed merrily.
"He may come for a brief visit; later we will let him come to stay always." Then she added in a more serious tone: "Count Vavel, you may rest perfectly content that your treasure will be safe with me. My house is prepared for assault. My people are brave and well armed. There is no possible chance of another attack from robbers like that from which you delivered me."
"Ludwig delivered you from robbers?" repeated Marie, in astonishment. "When? How?"
"Then he did not tell you about his adventure? What a singular man!"
Here the vice-palatine interposed with: "What is this I hear? Robbers? I heard nothing about robbers."