Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Victoria began to walk about the room. I endured patiently. My eyes were fixed on Waldenweiter. I wondered idly whether the scene of despair had been enacted yet. "It's not the smallest good making ourselves unhappy about it," Victoria announced, just as she was on the turn at the other end of the room. "Not the smallest," I agreed. "It's much too late." "A great deal too late."
He resumed his hat, put his hands in his pockets, and waited without moving, till I turned my back to him. Having reached the opposite bank, I looked round. He was there still. I waved my hand to him; he returned the signal. Then we both began to climb the hill, I to Artenberg, he to Waldenweiter; he to his misery, I to my happiness. And which is better, who knows?
"Learn it, O King, learn it! On what padded bed falls William Adolphus!" My laugh broke again through the morning loud and harsh. Then I laid myself to the oars, and we shot across to the bank of Waldenweiter. He shook my hand and sprang out lightly. "I must change my clothes and have my scene, and then to Forstadt," said he. "Good-day to you, sire. Yet remember the lesson of the moralist.
"Oh, yes, she was all right then," said William Adolphus. "I suppose," said I, "that I frighten her rather." William Adolphus took a long pull at his cigar, looked at the ash carefully, and then gazed for some moments across the river toward Waldenweiter. It was a beautiful evening, and my eyes followed in the same direction. Thus we sat for quite a long time. Then William Adolphus gave a laugh.
"Let's walk down to the river through the woods," said I. "I'll put you across to Waldenweiter." He acquiesced, and I put my arm through his. Presently he said in a low voice: "The dance, the wine, the night." "Yes, yes, I know," I cried. "My God, I knew even when I spoke to her. She saw that a brute asked her, not a man." "Perhaps, perhaps not; they don't see everything. She shrank from you?"
Now, curiously enough, the report that got about on our bank of the river was, that there was no foundation at all for the assertions of the pamphlet, except in a foolish and ill-mannered persecution to which the Princess had, during a short period, been subjected. After this there could be no question of any invitation passing from Artenberg to Waldenweiter.
"I saw her with Varvilliers on the steps outside the window." I turned in the direction which he indicated, and stepped out through the open window. Day was dawning; I could make out the gray shape of Waldenweiter. Was the scene of despair played there yet? I gave but a passing thought to old Wetter, his mad doings and wry reflections.
He came to Waldenweiter; I jumped to the conclusion that to be near me was his only object. By a stableman's chance remark, overheard as I was looking at my horses, I learned of his presence on the morning of the day when Varvilliers was to arrive at Artenberg. We were coming together again, we three who had met last for pistol practice in the Garden Pavilion.
To be in such a state on Victoria's account was odd and deplorable. Baptiste laid down the sculls and leaned forward smiling. "It is nothing, sire," said he. "It must happen now and again to all of us. M. le Baron will soon be well. Meanwhile he is oh, miserable!" "Is he all alone there?" I asked. "Absolutely, sire. He will see nobody." I looked up at Waldenweiter.
Word Of The Day