able to enter the service at once. I did not dream of the difficulties
which I should encounter; but you can help me if you will."

"No, I cannot," said Egon, coldly. "After what I now know it would be an
impossibility."

Hartmut grew pale to his very lips as he stepped excitedly before him.

"You cannot? That means you will not."

The prince was silent.

"Egon"--there was a tone of wild entreaty in his voice. "You know I have
never asked a favor of you, this is the first and last, but now I beg, I
implore your friendship. It is my release from the fatality which has
followed me since that hour. It means reconciliation to my father,
reconciliation to myself--you must help me!"

"I cannot," repeated the prince, solemnly. "The repulses which you have
received are hard to bear, I doubt not, but they are right. You have
broken faith with your country and with duty. You fled from the
service--you, an officer's son--so it is closed against you--and you
must bear it."

"And you say all this to me, so quietly, so coldly?" cried Hartmut
fairly beside himself now. "This is a matter of life and death to me. I
saw my father for the first time in over ten years at Rodeck when he
hurried to Wallmoden's death bed. He scourged me with contempt and
fearful words. That was what drove me from Germany and sent me roaming
through foreign lands, for his words went with me and changed my life
into hell. I hailed the war cry as my release. I would fight for the
land I had once deserted. But you, you, who alone can open the door,
shut it in my face. Egon, you turn from me; only one course is left!"

He turned with a movement of despair to the table on which the prince's
pistols lay, but the latter pulled him back in affright:

"Hartmut! Are you mad?"

Egon was pale too, now, and his voice trembled as he said:

"I cannot let that happen, I will do my best to get you into some
regiment!"

"At last I thank you!"

"I cannot promise anything, for I must keep it from the duke. He leaves
to-morrow for the seat of war. If he learns later that you are in the
army, the excitement of war may prevent him asking the why and
wherefore. But it will be several days before I can know anything
definite. Will you be my guest until then?"

The prince had recovered his self-possession, and spoke as usual to his
old friend; but Hartmut understood the undertone in this question.

"No, I will not remain in the city; I will go to the forestry at Rod