“Well, I cannot help you, Stadinger,” said the younger of the men.  “The new cases must be unpacked and places found for the things.  Where—­that is your business.”

“But, your highness, it is absolutely impossible!” remonstrated Stadinger, in a tone which showed that he was on a pretty sure footing with his young master.  “There’s not an empty corner in all Rodeck.  I have had the greatest trouble already to house all the people your highness brought with you, and every day chests bigger than a house are arriving, and ever the same cry:  ’Unpack that, Stadinger!  Make a place for this, Stadinger.’  And hundreds of rooms empty in the other castles.”

“Stop grumbling, you old ghost of the woods, and make places,” interrupted the prince.  “The chests that have come must be unpacked in Rodeck for the time being at least, and if the worst comes to the worst, you must find room in your own house for them.”

“Yes, indeed, Stadinger has room and to spare in his own house for them,” it was the tall, dark man who spoke now.  “And I’ll superintend the unpacking myself.”

“That’s a good plan,” said the prince, heartily, “and Zena can assist him; she is at home yet, I suppose?”

“No, your highness, she has gone away.”

“Away!” cried prince Egon.  “And where has she gone?”

“To the city,” was the laconic answer.

“That won’t do.  You should keep your grandchild with you here at Rodeck all winter.”

“That matter seems to have arranged itself,” answered the steward with quiet dignity.  “Just now my old sister, Rosa, is at home with me.  If you should come to my humble dwelling, Herr Rojanow, she would feel greatly honored.”

Rojanow gave him a glance which was anything but friendly, and the young prince said sharply: 

“Look here, Stadinger, you are treating us after a most unwarrantable fashion.  You send Zena away, for no reason in the world, and she’s the only one worth seeing about the whole place.  There’s not a woman in Rodeck who isn’t past sixty and whose head doesn’t wobble from side to side, and as to the belles of the kitchen whom you brought from Fuerstenstein to help us out, they’re worse looking than our own people.”

“Your highness need not look at them,” suggested the steward.  “I gave strict orders that none of the maids were to come into the castle, but if your highness goes to the kitchen, as you did the day before yesterday—­”

“Well, I must inspect my domestic arrangements once in a while.  But I won’t go near the kitchen a second time, I promise you that.  But I’m provoked enough at you for having gathered together all the repulsive looking creatures in the neighborhood as soon as you knew I was coming.  You should be ashamed of yourself, Stadinger.”

The old man looked his young master full in the face, and his voice had an impressive sound, as he answered:  “I am not at all ashamed, your highness.  When that prince of blessed memory, your father, assigned me to this peaceful post, he said to me:  ’Keep everything quiet and orderly at Rodeck, Stadinger; remember, I depend upon you.’  Well, I have kept everything in order around this castle for twelve years, and more especially have I guarded those of my own household, and I mean to do so for the future, too.  Has your highness any other orders for me?”