he said finally. "I felt I must show it to you, Hartmut. Do you not
think the view across this far green ocean of forest is unparalleled?"

Hartmut did not answer. He seemed to be searching for some particular
place through his field glass.

"In which direction does Fürstenstein lie? Ah, I see, over yonder. It
seems to be an immense old building."

"Yes, the castle is well worth seeing," said Prince Adelsberg. "You were
quite right, though, day before yesterday, to refuse to accompany me
there. The visit worried me to death."

"Indeed! You spoke very enthusiastically of the head forester to me."

"Yes, I always enjoy a chat with him, but he had gone driving, worse
luck, and only returned just as I was leaving. His son is not at
Fürstenstein either, he's at college studying forestry, and so I was
entertained by the daughter of the house, Fräulein Antonie von Schönau.
I had a weary hour, I can assure you. A word every five minutes, and a
minute getting that one out. She's a fine housewife, I fancy, with no
brains for anything beyond. It was up hill work talking to her, and no
mistake; then I had the honor of meeting her lover. A genuine,
unsophisticated country squire, with a very energetic mother, who
evidently has both him and her future daughter-in-law well under her
control. Oh, we had a highly intellectual conversation, which ended in
their asking my advice about the culture of turnips--I'm so well up in
turnips, you know. Just then, happily, the head forester and his
brother-in-law, Baron Wallmoden, returned."