“Herr Rojanow—­”

“Your Excellency!”

“I would like to speak to you alone for a few minutes.”

“I am at your service.”

Wallmoden stepped forward into the room now, but he took up his position so that he could keep his eye on the entrance.

It was scarcely necessary, for the doors into the dining-hall were just opened, and the room adjoining the tower-chamber was deserted.

“I am surprised to see you here,” began the ambassador, in the subdued, but severely cold tone which he had used the day of their first meeting at Hochberg, and it brought the blood to the younger man’s brow to-day, as it had done then.  He straightened himself proudly as he answered: 

“And why, your Excellency?”

“That question is superfluous; in any case I did not imagine that I should be forced into the position of being presented to you by Prince Adelsberg.”

“It was I who was forced,” answered Hartmut, sharply and promptly.  “I do not suppose you consider me an intruder?  You know full well that I have a right to be here.”

“Hartmut von Falkenried certainly had a right—­but all that is changed.”

“Herr von Wallmoden!”

“Pardon me, but not so loud,” interrupted the ambassador.  “We can be heard here easily, and you would certainly not like strange ears to hear the name which I have just spoken.”

“I am bearing my mother’s name at present, to which I have certainly a right.  When I laid aside the other, it was out of respect—­”

“To your father,” interrupted Wallmoden, impressively.

That was an admonition which Hartmut found hard to bear.  “Yes,” he answered curtly, “and I confess it would be painful to me if I should be forced to mention—­”

“And with reason; your role here would, in that event, be played to the end.”

Rojanow stepped close to the ambassador with an angry movement, as he retorted: 

“You are the friend of my father’s youth, Herr von Wallmoden, and I, in my boyhood days, called you uncle.  But you forget that I am no longer the boy whom you could order about and censure at pleasure.  The man looks on all that as an insult.”

“I purpose neither to insult you, nor to make mention of former associations which have no longer any existence for either of us,” said the ambassador.  “I sought this interview in order that I might explain to you that it is not possible for me, in my official position, to see you in constant intercourse with the Court and keep silence.  It will be my duty to explain all to the duke.”

“Explain all?  All what?”

“Many things about which none of the people here, not even your friend Prince Adelsberg, know.  Listen to me, Herr Rojanow.  I will not do this except it is forced upon me, for I have an old and dear friend to spare.  I know how a certain occurrence struck him down ten years ago, an occurrence which is buried and forgotten these many years in our country now; but if all this was brought up and gossiped over again—­Colonel Falkenried would die.”