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"Who is coming?" asked Ludwig, surveying the young girl in surprise. "Who? Why, the lady who is to be my mother the beautiful lady from the manor." "What nonsense, Marie! How can you give voice to such impossible nonsense?" "But the vice-palatine would not be returning to the castle in two carriages!" persisted the maid. "Come and see them for yourself!"
Is not this the angel who has been called to destroy the Leviathan of the Apocalypse?" The vice-palatine gazed in perplexity at the young girl, then said in a low tone: "She is the image of the unfortunate Queen, Marie Antoinette, who looked just like that when she was a bride." Involuntarily Marie lifted her hands and hid her face behind them.
"Thy place is here by my side," said the baroness, mindful of the "thee-and-thou" compact with Herr Bernat. The vice-palatine, remembering his spouse, sought to modify the familiarity. "I forgot to tell you, baroness," he observed, as he seated himself in the chair beside her own, "that with us in this region 'thou' is used only by children and the gypsies.
The count did not stop to question her, but went on into the adjoining room, whence proceeded the sound of voices, and here he found three acquaintances the vice-palatine, Dr. Tromfszky, and the surveyor, Herr Doboka. The three started in alarm when they beheld Vavel.
"That he will!" promptly assented Herr Bernat. "I am not only the vice-palatine of your county: I am also the colonel of your regiment." "And I want you to add still another office to the two you fill so admirably: that of matrimonial emissary!" added Count Vavel. "In this patriarchal land I find that the custom still obtains of sending an emissary to the lady one desires to marry.
Halberds against them? Do you take me to be a fool, Herr Vice-palatine?" He sprang to his feet and began to pace the floor excitedly, his guest meanwhile eying him with a roguish glance. "There!" at last exclaimed Herr Bernat, "I will not tease you any longer.
"Are you satisfied with my preparations for war?" he asked. "I can only reply as did the poor little Saros farmer when his neighbor, a wealthy landowner, told him he expected to harvest two thousand yoke of wheat: 'That is not so bad." "Now I intend to hold a Lustration, Herr Vice-palatine," resumed the count. "Here are weapons. Are enough men and horses to be had for the asking?"
"Here, help yourself, Herr Vice-palatine!" he added, waving his hand toward the contents of the chest. It was a more wonderful sight than the arsenal itself. Rolls of gold coin, sacks of silver, filled the chest to the brim. Herr Bernat could only stare in speechless amazement.
Said clause required the vice-palatine to call in person on those "high and mighty persons" who, instead of appearing with their horses at the Lustrations, according to Section 17 of Article III., preferred to send the fine of fifty marks for non-attendance. Among these absentees from the county meetings was Count Ludwig Vavel.
The count challenges to a duel every one who inquires after the countess." The voices ceased. The vice-palatine opened wide his eyes, and muttered: "May the devil fly away with him! He wants to fight a duel, does he? I am not afraid of his pistols; I have one, too, and a sword into the bargain. But it 's a silly business altogether! I am to fight about a woman I have n't even seen!
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