"Fool that I am!--and yet I rejoice from my heart that it was only a joke. I could not, however, suspect you of such a trick." "Did you have a long merry-making on Monday at the widow's?" asked Bona, with a careless transition of the subject. "Unfortunately, no; the bridegroom, whom we expected, had an accident with his horse, and arrived late only to go to bed directly. This untuned us all, and we separated at an early hour." "I have already heard much of this bridegroom; but tell me more about him; he is said to be a handsome man." "A perfect model of manly beauty!" "That is saying much; yet since a man of your appearance allows it, why it must needs be so.--Brave?--that is understood of itself;--but I suppose just as hot and violent, just as easy to be irritated, which you gentlemen often wish to pass upon us for courage?" "Nothing less. He is coolness and reflection personified, and on that account seems as if born to be a general. If he had not been the leader of the nobles on that decisive day which freed me from arrest, it had unavoidably come to a battle in the city; the upshot was uncertain, and in any case Bieler's murderers had escaped punishment." A flash of anger quivered through Bona's beautiful features, and the little pearl-teeth within her rosy lips were ground together firmly. But the external calm was soon regained, and she asked with her former indifference,--"Is this mirror of virtue and honour quite faithful to his Althea?" "It is perilous to answer for any thing of this sort; but in his case I would almost venture it. He dwells on his bride with infinite affection." "That proves nothing; you men may love warmly, and yet be false withal. Will you do me a favour, Herr von Rasselwitz?" "Command me; I fly." "Always supposing it is not for life and death," interposed Bona with light mockery. "But I have a desire to become personally acquainted with this Tausdorf, who is so much talked of. Besides I want to inquire of him after a relation, who lives at Prague. Bring him hither with the first opportunity." "It is asking much," said Rasselwitz jestingly, "to expect that I should myself introduce to you so dangerous a rival; but I build upon his fore-praised fidelity." "If, however, you cannot, or like not, it is of no consequence. It was only a passing whim, which I can just as lightly give up again." "By no means; and it is precisely to-morrow morning that your wish can be most easily accomplished, for the lady Althea then goes to Bogendorf, whence she does not return till the day afterwards, and she leaves Tausdorf behind that he may have leisure to recover from his fall. The singular plant, which is shown in this garden, shall be the bait to bring him. He will come to admire a blooming aloe, and will be agreeably surprised when the floweret of beauty unfolds to him the splendour of its colours."