onded, for the good
woman's chatter was becoming insupportable. I hastily took my leave
of her and arrived just in time for breakfast; in fact, I was in the
breakfast-parlour before either the Captain or the General. Francis
was alone, but when she saw me she left the room under the pretext
of seeing if the tea-water boiled.

"Stay, Francis--I think I have a right to a kinder reception."

"On what do you ground your right? Have you now satisfied your
curiosity?"

"I know nothing, Francis; I asked no questions."

"Asked nothing! on your word of honour?"

"I have not asked two words, Francis. I did not ask, because I did
not want to hear anything."

"Forsooth! You have shown more self-control than I thought a man
capable of."

"Are the women so much our superiors in this respect?"

"If it be necessary, we can keep quiet."

CHAPTER XIX.

The Captain made his appearance, and put an end to our conversation,
without for a moment being aware how unwelcome his presence was to
me. I could scarcely give a civil answer to his question--

"Slept well, Jonker?"

He went on, however, in his jovial tone--

"The General will be here directly."

And, indeed, the General's entrance followed like an echo to the words,
and the breakfast began.

Francis was silent and preoccupied--yet she gave me a look as if
she regretted her want of confidence in me--making all sorts of
mistakes. The General's tea was sweetened twice over, and the Captain
found he had no sugar in his, a defect which he remedied as furtively
as possible, whispering to me--

"Our Major's got out on the wrong side of the bed this morning. We
must take care, or the orders of the day will be severe. She----"

"But Francis! What's the matter with you today; the eggs are too hard,"
growled the General.

"What a pity, just when we have a visitor," sighed the Captain;
"otherwise they are boiled to perfection."

"By the way, Leopold, what hour is your carriage ordered
for?" interposed the General.

"Well, uncle, I left it to the Captain," was my reply.

As we spoke a carriage drove up, and Francis rose from the table to
look out of the window.

"It is indeed too early," said the General, reproachfully, to Rolf.

"Wait a moment, Excellency," replied Rolf, with a roguish twinkle of
the eye; and he walked over to the window where Francis stood. Then
with a loud laugh he said, "The Jonker left the matter in my hands,
and perceiving he would