Eugen hardly seemed to hear the last, words, his eyes still remained as if magnetically fixed upon the door which had closed upon her. "Gertrud here!" repeated he still, "and I must see here, must see her again _thus_! O, she is no longer the child I left behind! How beautiful, how wonderfully beautiful she has become!" With a hasty movement Count Hermann drew himself up from his careless position. "I think it is time to join Antonie, she must have finished her toilette by this time, and if so, I will take you at once to my grandmother. Come!" "No, no," cried Eugen, violently, "not now! After this meeting, and in this fearful agitation, I cannot endure the stiff formality of such an introduction. I cannot now!" "My dear Eugen," the Count's voice was once more perfectly calm, but there was a cutting sarcasm in the sound of it, "this stiff formality concerns the recognition of your marriage from your wife's side, and you will show this family the consideration which is due from you. Have the goodness to control your emotions, and follow me. My grandmother, the Praesidentin von Sternfeld, is not accustomed to wait." And with the commanding authority, which he had once practised over the young artist, he now took Herr von Reinert's arm, and drew his unwilling companion away with him. CHAPTER VI. The fourteen days which had been fixed for the stay of the guests were drawing to a close. They had been entirely devoted to all the pleasures and amusements of country life. The Praesidentin, who, on account of her advanced age, usually made a duty of rest and retirement, could not this time entirely withdraw from all the visits and invitations which chiefly concerned her grandson. Count Arnau had, indeed, become a celebrity, and visitors came from the whole neighbourhood round to see and admire the "lion;" the report, too, that he intended, at no very distant period, to make the choice of a fitting partner for his exalted station, made him still more the centre-point of attention on all sides, in reality, because each was anxious to form a match, brilliant in every respect, for some daughter, sister, or relation. The Count took all in his cool, reserved, and sarcastic manner, without being in the slightest degree impressed.