The Adventures of Harry Richmond — CompleteMeredith, George
General
The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete
Meredith, George
Adventure and adventurers -- Fiction
'It is life-like! it is really noble! it is a true Prince!' exclaimed
Miss Sibley. She translated several exclamations of the ladies and
gentlemen in German: they were entirely to the same effect. The horse
gave us a gleam of his neck as he pawed a forefoot, just reined in. We
knew him; he was a gallant horse; but it was the figure of the Prince
Albrecht that was so fine. I had always laughed at sculptured figures
on horseback. This one overawed me. The Marshal was acknowledging the
salute of his army after a famous victory over the infidel Turks. He
sat upright, almost imperceptibly but effectively bending his head in
harmony with the curve of his horse's neck, and his baton swept the air
low in proud submission to the honours cast on him by his acclaiming
soldiery. His three-cornered lace hat, curled wig, heavy-trimmed
surcoat, and high boots, reminded me of Prince Eugene. No Prince
Eugene—nay, nor Marlborough, had such a martial figure, such an
animated high old warrior's visage. The bronze features reeked of
battle.
Temple and I felt humiliated (without cause, I granted) at the success
of a work of Art that struck us as a new military triumph of these
Germans, and it was impossible not to admire it. The little Princess
Ottilia clapped hands by fits. What words she addressed to me I know
not. I dealt out my stock of German—'_Ja, ja_'—to her English. We were
drawn by her to congratulate the margravine, whose hand was then being
kissed by the prince: he did it most courteously and affectionately.
Other gentlemen, counts and barons, bowed over her hand. Ladies,
according to their rank and privileges, saluted her on the cheek or in
some graceful fashion. When our turn arrived, Miss Sibley translated
for us, and as we were at concert pitch we did not acquit ourselves
badly. Temple's remark was, that he wished she and all her family had
been English. Nothing was left for me to say but that the margravine
almost made us wish we had been German.
Smiling cordially, the margravine spoke, Miss Sibley translated:
'Her Royal Highness asks you if you have seen your father?'
I shook my head.
The Princess Ottilia translated, 'Her Highness, my good aunt, would
know, would you know him, did you see him?'
'Yes, anywhere,' I cried.
The margravine pushed me back with a gesture.
'Yes, your Highness, on my honour; anywhere on earth!'
She declined to hear the translation.
Her insulting disbelief in my ability to recognize the father I had
come so far to embrace would have vexed me but for the wretched thought
that I was losing him again. We threaded the carriages; gazed at the
horsemen in a way to pierce the hair on their faces. The little
princess came on us hurriedly.
'Here, see, are the horses. I will you to mount. Are they not pretty
animals?' She whispered, 'I believe your fater have been hurt in his
mind by something. It is only perhaps. Now mount, for de Markgräfin
says you are our good guests.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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