Count Wedel had resumed his duties and carried the chamberlain's staff. Baron Reischach was talking to Prince Hermann. "How proud our good prince is," he said goodnaturedly, "at having smelt powder for the first time! Yes, yes," he said, with a sigh, "those were happy days, they will never return,--an old cripple like myself will never again hear the cannon's music." "But to look at you," said the prince, "so fresh, so rosy, one can hardly believe those times were long ago, were it not for the white hair we should take you for a young man." "The ladies of Vienna call my head a sugared strawberry," said the general, laughing, "but the fruit tempts them no longer, the days of war and love are over for me, but my old heart keeps young, and rejoices that my dear young prince should have fought so bravely." And the old general patted the prince on the shoulder. Count Platen entered and greeted General von Reischach. "What news do you bring us from Vienna?" "Very little," said the general, shrugging his shoulders, "yet stay, a half countryman of yours, a native of Mecklenburg, is about to carry off one of our fairest young ladies." "Whom?" asked Count Platen. "Baron Stielow will marry the young Countess Frankenstein in a fortnight." "Ah!" said Count Platen, "Herr von Stielow, one of Gablenz's staff?" "The same." "He is converted, I hear," said Prince Hermann. "Through love of his bride," replied the general, "and from gratitude for her recovery from a severe illness; she was hurt in nursing the wounded, and suffered from poisoning of the blood. They will travel for some time after the wedding." The dining-room doors were thrown open. Count Wedel entered the king's cabinet. Immediately both the folding doors were opened, Count Wedel raised his staff, the king appeared in the colonel's uniform of his Austrian regiment, the star of the Order of St. Stephen upon his breast, the cross of Maria Theresa around his neck. He leant on the arm of the crown prince. He greeted his guests by a slight inclination of the head, and entered the dining-room. They all followed him. CHAPTER XXVIII. BLECHOW. Lieutenant von Wendenstein slowly recovered after the crisis was happily passed; and though at times he suffered from great weakness there was no serious drawback in his convalescence, and the physician gave his friends good hopes that his health in the future would not be impaired. But no sooner did he really progress, no sooner did his strength really return, his eyes grow bright, and a slight colour tinge his cheek, than Helena withdrew from her office of nurse, and left the care of the invalid entirely to the charge of Madame von Wendenstein and his sister, whilst she bestowed all her attentions upon the old lady, as if anxious lest she should miss any of her home comforts.