And I have no
doubt that the hint which I found it necessary to give you, will bear
fruit, and that you will, in future, be guarded in your answers. At any
rate, you must stay here until I return."
Adelheid was silent. She saw that nothing was to be gained by further
speech. Wallmoden stepped back to the writing-table and put aside his
papers, and locked his drawers with his usual precision; then he took up
the two letters, with their red checks, and folded them together.
"One thing more, Adelheid," he said, casually, "Prince Adelsberg was
most noticeable in his attentions to you to-day; he was always near
you."
"Do you wish me to keep him at a distance?" she asked, indifferently.
"No, indeed, only keep him within bounds, so that there will be no
unnecessary talk. No harm will come to you from being in his company. We
do not stand on the same plane as the burgers, and it would be ludicrous
for me, in my position, to enact the jealous husband toward every man
who pays my wife attention. I leave all that to your discretion; I have
unbounded faith in your tact."
This sounded very reasonable, very temperate, and above all, very
indifferent. No one could accuse Herr von Wallmoden of jealousy towards
the young prince, whose undisguised admiration caused him no second
thought; and, as he had just said, he had unbounded faith in his wife's
tact.
Pages:
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230