"He comes and goes like a wind storm," said Frau von Eschenhagen, gazing
after them. "That boy is not to be restrained once the reins are
slackened."

"A dangerous youth," said Wallmoden. "He even understands how to manage
you, who usually have all your commands obeyed. It is, within my
knowledge, the first time you have ever forgiven disobedience and lack
of punctuality."

"Yes, Hartmut has something about him which bewitches one," exclaimed
Regine, half angry at her own irresolution. "If he did not look at me
with those big black eyes of his while he begged and flattered, I might
be able to resist him. You are right, he is a dangerous lad."

"Well, we've had enough of Hartmut for this morning. The question which
interests me concerns the education of your own son. You have really
decided--"

"To keep him here. Don't bother yourself about him, Herbert; you may be
a great diplomatist, and have the politics of the whole country in your
pocket, but I wont give my boy into your keeping; he belongs to me
alone, and I intend to keep him, and--that's enough."

A sounding blow on the table accompanied the "that's enough." Then the
ruling lady of Burgsdorf rose from her chair and left the room. Her
brother shrugged his shoulders and said half aloud: "He can grow up an
ignorant country squire for all of me--perhaps it's the best thing for
him after all."

Hartmut and Willibald had, in the meantime, reached the tolerably
extensive forest which belonged to the estate. The Burgsdorf fish pond,
a lonely, reedy sheet of water in the middle of the wood, lay glittering
in the sun in the still morning hours. Willibald had chosen for himself
a shady place upon the bank, and gave himself up, with as much
perseverance as comfort, to the delights of angling, while the impatient
Hartmut wandered here and there, now scaring a bird, now breaking off a
branch for the blossoms, and at last, after a series of gymnastic
performances, seating himself on the trunk of an old tree which lay half
in the water. "Can you never be quiet in any place? You frighten the
fish away every time," exclaimed Will, out of humor. "I've caught
nothing at all to-day!"

"How can you sit for hours on the one spot waiting for the stupid fish
to bite?" retorted Hartmut. "Ah, you can spend the whole long year in
the woods if you desire, you are free, free."

"Are you a prisoner, then?" asked his friend. "You and your comrades are
out daily, are you not?"

"B