I found myself driving into Sarkeld with a sense of a whirlwind round my head; wheels in multitudes were spinning inside, striking sparks for thoughts. I met an orderly in hussar uniform of blue and silver, trotting on his errand. There he was; and whether many were behind him or he stood for the army in its might, he wore the trappings of an old princely House that nestled proudly in the bosom of its great jealous Fatherland. Previously in Sarkeld I had noticed members of the diminutive army to smile down on them. I saw the princely arms and colours on various houses and in the windows of shops. Emblems of a small State, they belonged to the history of the Empire. The Court-physician passed with a bit of ribbon in his buttonhole. A lady driving in an open carriage encouraged me to salute her. She was the wife of the Prince's Minister of Justice. Upon what foundation had I been building? A reflection of the ideas possessing me showed Riversley, my undecorated home of rough red brick, in the middle of barren heaths. I entered the palace, I sent my respects to the prince. In return, the hour of dinner was ceremoniously named to me: ceremony damped the air. I had been insensible to it before, or so I thought, the weight was now so crushing. Arms, emblems, colours, liveries, portraits of princes and princesses of the House, of this the warrior, that the seductress, burst into sudden light. What had I to do among them? The presence of the living members of the Family was an extreme physical relief. For the moment, beholding Ottilia, I counted her but as one of them. She welcomed me without restraint. We chattered pleasantly at the dinner-table. 'Ah! You missed our French troupe,' said the margravine.' 'Yes,' said I, resigning them to her. She nodded: 'And one very pretty little woman they had, I can tell you—for a Frenchwoman.' 'You thought her pretty? Frenchwomen know what to do with their brains and their pins, somebody has said.' 'And exceedingly well said, too. Where is that man Roy? Good things always remind me of him.' The question was addressed to no one in particular. The man happened to be my father, I remembered. A second allusion to him was answered by Prince Ernest: 'Roy is off to Croatia to enrol some dozens of cheap workmen. The strength of those Croats is prodigious, and well looked after they work. He will be back in three or four or more days.' 'You have spoilt a good man,' rejoined the margravine; 'and that reminds me of a bad one—a cutthroat. Have you heard of that creature, the princess's tutor? Happily cut loose from us, though! He has published a book—a horror! all against Scripture and Divine right! Is there any one to defend him now, I should like to ask?' 'I,' said Ottilia. 'Gracious me! you have not read the book?' 'Right through, dear aunt, with all respect to you.' 'It's in the house?' 'It is in my study.' 'Then I don't wonder! I don't wonder!' the margravine exclaimed.