The prince's face bore a surprised look when he heard Hartmut address
this lovely girl as madame, and saw that she knew him. He came forward
immediately, in order that he might share his friend's acquaintance, so
Hartmut was constrained to introduce Prince Adelsberg to the Baroness
von Wallmoden; he made a passing allusion to the meeting in the wood,
for the young wife was wrapped in her mantle of icy indifference. It was
scarcely necessary to-day, for Rojanow was as fully determined as she,
to consider their acquaintance as of the slightest.

Egon cast a reproving glance toward his friend, for he could not
comprehend how any one could keep silence about such a happy accident as
that of piloting so lovely a woman through the wood. He entered at once,
and with animation, into a conversation with the baroness. He spoke of
himself as a neighbor, and of his recent visit to Fürstenstein, and his
regret, great regret, at not meeting her on that occasion. But with all
his chatter, the prince kept himself well within bounds, and was the
polite and agreeable courtier. He knew full well that the wife of the
Prussian ambassador, no matter how young and beautiful, was not to be
approached with vapid, idle compliments. Hartmut had made that error in
addressing the unknown girl in the wood, but Egon had the advantage of
knowing to whom he spoke, and succeeded at last in thawing the beautiful
baroness by his gracious, suave manner. Finally he showed her the
landscape, and pointed out and explained the especial objects of
interest.

Hartmut did not enter into the conversation at all, but after handing
the field glass to his friend, excused himself on the plea of searching
for a lost pocket-book. The watchman of the tower volunteered to go in
search of it for him, but Rojanow declared he would go and look for it