mpany
me."

"Well, call it a caprice. But let me go with you, Herbert--please let me
go."

She laid her hand beseechingly on his arm, and her eyes had an intense
and anxious expression, as she looked at her husband. There was a
superior, almost sneering smile on his lips, as he answered her:

"Now I understand it. The scene with the princess was so unpleasant to
you that you dread other skirmishes of a like nature. You must steel
yourself against such sensitiveness, my child; you should see that for
this very reason, it is imperative for you to remain. At court every
word, every glance signifies, and your sudden departure might give rise
to any kind of a report. You must hold your ground from the very start
at court, or you will find your difficulties increase rather than
diminish."

The wife's hand dropped slowly from her husband's arm, and her eyes sank
to the ground, as he refused the first request she had preferred since
their married life of only a few short months.

"Stand my ground?" she repeated, in a low voice. "That I shall ever do,
but I hoped you would be at my side."

"That is, for the moment, not possible, as you see. As for the rest, you
have shown to-day that you know how to defend yourself. 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
th