"Do you think I shall forget it?" asked Clermont, with an evil look. "I bide my time. The day of reckoning will come. But let us go in to supper; it will excite remark if we isolate ourselves thus. One thing more: young Wehlau is to present to you his adopted brother, Captain Rodenberg." "Indeed," said Héloïse, with indifference, rising and taking her brother's arm, as he added, significantly,-- "One of the general's staff." "Ah, indeed!" "See that you persuade him to come with Wehlau, when the latter calls upon us. I rely upon you, Héloïse." The pair sauntered arm in arm towards the supper-room, where all the guests were assembled. * * * * * Hans Wehlau, prudently avoiding another encounter with his father, had joined Michael, and was listening, with apparent interest, to what the latter had to say. "You have seen her and talked with her then?" asked Hans. "Seen her?--yes; talked with her?--no. The Countess presented me to Fräulein von Eberstein, but I received no reply to my remarks, save an extraordinary courtesy. She is almost a child,--far too young to be introduced into society." "A girl of sixteen is no longer a child," said Hans, irritably. "And how did you like her altogether?" "She has a lovely little face. To be sure, I have not seen her eyes,--she held them obstinately downcast,--and I really have not heard her speak at all. The little châtelaine, as you call her, seems to possess rather a limited capacity." The young artist bestowed upon his friend a glance of sovereign contempt. "Michael, I always doubted your taste, and now I doubt your judgment. 'Limited capacity!' Let me tell you, Gerlinda von Eberstein is cleverer than all the rest put together." "That is a bold assertion," said Michael. "You seem very much provoked by any unfavourable word with regard to the young lady. Have you lost your heart again? How many times does this make?" "Nothing of the sort this time; my interest in this lovely, childlike creature is entirely disinterested." "Indeed?" "Michael, I will not have you speak in that tone," declared Hans, with irritation. "But I am quite forgetting that Clermont asked me to present you to Frau von Nérac." "Clermont? Ah, yes, the young Frenchman at whose house you have been visiting so often this winter. You asked me once to go there with you, I remember." "And you refused, as usual." "Because I have neither the time nor the inclination to extend my circle of acquaintances, at least not this year. It is very different with you; you are an artist. Have you known this Clermont long?" "No, only this last winter, and he very politely invited me to his house. He and his sister have several times asked me to induce you to accompany me." Rodenberg looked surprised. "Me? That is strange; they do not know me at all." "No matter for that; they asked it out of politeness. Moreover, you will find the young widow very interesting, perhaps even dangerous." "Indeed?"