“I saw my brother go in here,” said she. “There—no, that is Herr von Saldern. Never mind, we shall find him presently—and your cousin?”
“She is not here either.”
“Nor does that signify. She is as little likely to be in want of friends as I am. As we are here, let us have a little chat? Or would you rather look at the pictures? There are some very fine Passinis here.”
“I would rather talk.”
“There is no better place for talking than the Exhibition during the first few days. People only come to talk and to see their friends after the long summer, when everyone is away, and to examine the latest fashions which the bankers’ wives and daughters (we army people are not thought much of) have brought from Paris. They have an immense deal to do, and they know the pictures will not run away. My brother tells me you are going to spend the winter here?”
“A few weeks at all events.”
“Then of course you will stay longer. You cannot think how amusing Berlin is in the winter—particularly for you, to whom so many circles are open. Your uncle keeps open house—so says my brother, from whom all my information comes. Artists come and go of course when the daughter of the house is an artist, and so beautiful besides! Is she really so beautiful? I am so curious. At home we are very much quieter and rather monotonous, always the same people—officers; but there are some charming men amongst them whom you would like to talk to; and amongst the ladies are several who are very nice and pretty, both married women and girls. Then Fräulein von Strummin is coming—Meta! She swore it a thousand times at least at Golmberg, and has already written half a dozen letters on the subject. She generally writes every day, sometimes twice a day. The last was all about you.”
“Now I am getting curious.”
“I dare say; but I shall refrain from telling you—you men are quite conceited enough. Papa, too, thinks very highly of you; did you know that?”
“I did not know it; but I do not know anything that would make me prouder.”
“Well, only yesterday evening, when Ottomar was telling us of his meeting with you, and that he had known you before in Orleans, he said what a pity it was you had not stayed in the army. You might have done it so easily, and could reenter it even now.”
“Very kind of him, Fräulein von Werben; and during the war I thought so too, and if it had gone on longer—there is no saying; but in time of peace a sublieutenant thirty years old! That would never do.”
“True! true! But how would it be in the navy? You could rise there, and still keep to your own profession.”
“I do certainly wish to remain in it,” answered Reinhold, “and therefore I am thinking of accepting the proposal which President von Sanden made to me a few days ago, and which would immediately give me a command.”
“A command!” exclaimed Elsa, with astonished eyes.
“As superintendent of pilots.”
“Oh!”
There was a tone of disappointment in the exclamation which did not escape Reinhold. He continued, smiling:
“That is to say, the superintendence of some dozen or so rough weather beaten seafaring men, and of some dozen tough weatherproof fast-sailing vessels, among which it is to be hoped there will be one or two lifeboats; a humble post, Fräulein von Werben, but not without its merits, and certainly plenty of danger; and taken for all in all, worth while for a man with no great pretensions in life, but who would willingly serve the world with his strength and talents, to give those strength and talents and anything else he may have got to it cheerfully. And I—well, I shall at all events stay in my own profession.”
They were standing in a window, rather away from the stream of people who were passing rapidly to and fro in the corridor. Elsa was leaning lightly against the windowsill, and gazing out into the street. Reinhold doubted whether she heard what he said, till rapidly turning her head she answered with her former lively manner:
“You are right, it is your especial profession. Accept the proposal which our old friend has made you! You see you have friends in all directions. And is any special place named yet, if I may ask?”
“Yes, I should be stationed at Wissow.”
“At Wissow?”
She clapped her hands together and laughed.
“In our Wissow? Now that is delightful! Then we shall be almost neighbours from Warnow and also from Strummin, if I pay my promised visit to Meta. Then we shall come and you must take us out sailing—quite far out, will you?”
“As far as you like!”
“An honest man is as good as his word! And now we really must set out on our voyage of discovery. Oh, dear! there is Princess Heinrich August with the Princesses! Those unlucky Passinis! She has seen me already, she sees everything at a glance. I dare not go now; but—”
“I will go,” said Reinhold.
“Yes, do; that will be better. What, will you not shake hands with me? We shall meet again!”
She gave him her hand, which Reinhold held fast for a moment; she was already looking towards the Princess. He went down the corridor. As he looked back for a moment from the entrance, he saw Elsa making a deep courtesy to the Princess, who stood still and spoke to her.
“How will she explain it,” thought Reinhold. “She cannot say that she was talking in the window to a Superintendent of pilots that is to be!”
XI
Ferdinanda only
