The two men made their way out of the Casino into the street. A sharp east wind greeted them, and Wolff von Arnim drew a deep breath of relief. "I need fresh air," he said. "A man like Bauer stifles me, sickens me. I cannot imagine why he always seeks my society. He must know that I have no liking for him. Does he wish to pick a quarrel?" The elder man shook his head. "You are a harsh judge, Wolff," he said. "As far as I know, Bauer is a harmless fellow enough. It is true that he swaggers a good deal with his money and is rather pushing in circles where he is not wanted, but for the rest—I have heard nothing to his discredit." "That may be," was the quick answer. "There are dishonourable men who act honourably out of caution, and honourable men who act dishonourably out of rashness. I do not want to be unjust, but I cannot help putting Bauer in the former category. My instinct warns me against him—and not only my instinct. A man who talks about duty as a drudgery and is content to get through life without success and with as little effort as possible is a useless drone. In our calling he is worse than that—a parasite." Seleneck sighed. "Oh, you ambitious, successful fellows!" he said with a lugubrious tug at his moustache. "You talk as scornfully of ’getting through life without success’ as though it were a crime. Look at me—grey hairs already, a family man, and still nothing more than a blundering old captain, who will be thankful it he is allowed at the end to retire with a major’s pension. _I_ am one of your drones—a parasite, if you like, and certainly a failure, but Heaven knows it is not my wish." "You are no more a failure than the best of us," Wolff von Arnim answered vigorously. "I know you, _alter Kerl_, and I know you have given your best strength, your best thought to your calling; I know ’duty’ is the Alpha and Omega of your life—no one could ask more of you." "I have done my best," was the simple answer. "It hasn’t come to much, but still, it was my best. You, Wolff, will go much farther." They were passing under the light of a street lamp as he spoke, and Arnim glanced at his companion’s face. There was perhaps something written on the plain yet honest and soldierly features which touched him, for his own relaxed, and the softened expression made him seem almost boyish. "If I do my duty as well as you have done, I shall be very proud," he said earnestly. They walked on in silence, each absorbed in his own thoughts, and then Seleneck came to a standstill. "Our ways end here," he said. "I suppose you are going to Frau von Arnim’s?" "Yes; I must let her know my good luck. She will be very glad." "And the little cousin—will she be ’very glad’?" Arnim met the quizzical not unkindly glance with an almost imperceptible change of countenance. "I suppose so. Why shouldn’t she?" "She will miss you."