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"It is about half an hour's walk from here, though." "O, that is nothing. I am grateful to you for guiding me so successfully, but the way is very plain now, and I will trouble you no longer." "I am subject to your orders," said Hartmut coldly. "If you desire to dismiss your guide so summarily, he will no longer force himself upon you." The lady felt the reproof implied in his words.
"No," said Adelheid softly, "one would not say it. I believe in you Hartmut, despite everything." He looked at her, and through the gray hopelessness of despair a gleam of the old light shone forth. "You, Ada? And you tell me this on the very spot where you condemned me? At that time, too, you knew nothing "
Do you not think the view across this far green ocean of forest is unparalleled?" Hartmut did not answer. He seemed to be searching for some particular place through his field glass. "In which direction does Fürstenstein lie? Ah, I see, over yonder. It seems to be an immense old building." "Yes, the castle is well worth seeing," said Prince Adelsberg.
Naturally you know nothing of our great forests, or our people either, I presume." Hartmut smiled with an unmistakable satisfaction. He had succeeded in breaking through this icy reserve.
You certainly had an overwhelming reception to-day." "Yes, and we must go to the court to-night," Hartmut answered in a tired, indifferent tone; evidently the prospect was not an enlivening one. "We must, indeed. The high and mighty desire to do homage to the hero of the hour, my dear aunt at the head of them.
Hartmut was silent. No need to say that had he not been roused it would have been his last. Egon glanced uneasily at him; despite the uncertain light he saw how exhausted and spent the man before him was as he leaned against a pillar as if needing support. "I came with a commission which you can accept or not as you see fit," he began again.
The war had not left him younger, on the contrary he had grown older; his pallid face, and the broad, red scar on his forehead, told a tale of their own. For months after that fearful night he had lain at death's door, but with returning life and strength all traces of the old Hartmut, of Zalika's son, disappeared forever.
It was about noon when the two foresters appeared with their unconscious burden in their arms. Hartmut Rojanow had seen at a glance what was to be done. He had the injured man taken at once to Prince Adelsberg's room, sent off a messenger for the nearest physician, and gave intelligent orders concerning the sick man's treatment until the doctor should arrive.
His eyes were dark, almost threatening, as he replied: "But what if I will go?" "But you won't, for I will hold you closer than ever." Egon laid his arm affectionately on his friend's shoulder. "I wonder how this bad, obstinate Hartmut can answer to his conscience for even thinking of leaving me alone.
Then when they were alone the ambassador explained to Willibald who and what this Hartmut Rojanow was. An adventurer of the lowest and worst type, whom he would soon expose and force to abandon forever the rôle which he was now playing with so little right, but with such signal success. Poor Willibald shook his head in a dazed sort of way over this news.
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