“But not alive?” interrupted his aunt.

“Of course, your highness.”

“The Lord preserve us!  Your life is not safe.”

“Oh, they’re not so dangerous after all.  Only a few of the beasts have broken away; the people are so afraid of feeding them—­but they were caught again and have not done any harm up to this time.”

“Up to this time!  A nice condition of affairs, I must say,” exclaimed the princess angrily, “to keep every one in the region in constant danger of their lives.  The duke ought to forbid you such diabolical amusement.”

“Oh, I trust not, for I’m just trying to tame them.  But I have some domesticated creatures to show, as well.  Among my servants are several lovely girls who are well worth looking at in their picturesque national costumes.”

Egon thought with a shudder, as he made this assertion, of the wretched old woman for whose appearance he had to thank the ever-watchful Stadinger, but he had not miscalculated the effect of his announcement.  His amiable aunt drew herself up with an angry snort, and measured him with no conciliatory glance.

“Oh, you have them at Rodeck also?”

“Yes, indeed; and little Zena, the granddaughter of my old steward, is a lovely little thing, and if you do me the honor of visiting me, dear aunt, I’ll—­”

“I will not go near the place,” his aunt interrupted sharply.  “There must be nice goings on at Rodeck anyway, which keep you there with that young foreigner who is another of the curiosities you brought from the Orient.  He looks like an out and out brigand.”

“My friend Rojanow?  He longs for the honor of being presented to you above all things.  I may introduce him now, may I not?” and without waiting an answer, he hurried away to fetch Hartmut.

“Now its your turn, my boy,” he said, seizing his friend by the arm.  “I have been the sacrificial lamb long enough, and now my angelic aunt must have some one else to turn on the spit.  She wants to marry me off at once, and she thinks you’re a veritable brigand, but, God be praised, she won’t come to Rodeck.  I’ve made that my special care.”

The next moment the two friends were standing before the princess, and Egon presented the latest victim with an amiable smile.

After the princess’s abrupt departure, Herr von Wallmoden remained for a few minutes chatting with the little group which the irate lady had deserted.  Then, offering his wife his arm, he walked slowly through the long salons, greeting an acquaintance here, or saying a word to a friend there, until they had reached the last of the gaily decked suite which happened to be empty.  The tower-room was used generally only as a resting place and a point of observation, from which a very good view of the forest heights could be obtained, but to-day it was richly carpeted and the walls were hung with heavy tapestries, while choice plants were scattered about in artistic groupings and designs, so that the little room was as shaded and picturesque as could be desired, and a rest to both eye and brain, after the glitter and noise and light of the larger ones.  The ambassador had judged aright in thinking he would have an uninterrupted moment with his wife, for whom he now drew forward a low chair.