Ferdinanda could not help it. The acquaintances with whom she had before spoken had passed the door of the next room, close to which she stood, and luckily without seeing her. But they were standing quite close to the door, the dress of one of them was still in sight. At any moment they might turn into the gallery if she did not go forward to meet them and keep them till Ottomar, who would of course understand it all, should himself leave the gallery by the other side. And if he did not understand--so much the worse for him. Then it would all be over--better to-day than to-morrow if it must be! But Ottomar had observed nothing, had not seen the two ladies, had not even seen Ferdinanda, who, to get out of the way of the people in the door, had been obliged to go a step or two into the room, and was now speaking to her friends. She had left him without a word of farewell or explanation. "By heaven, that is rather strong!" said he, biting his lips and pulling his small dark moustache. "Well, as she pleases!" And he rapidly left the gallery and went through the same door where the handsome young man had stood into the large room. CHAPTER XII. Here, meanwhile, the crowd had, if possible increased. Besides the Princess Heinrich August, various other princely personages had appeared with their suites, for whom at all events room had to be made. The result was that in some places the curious sightseers were so crowded together that any movement was hardly possible. It was the same in the last of the set of rooms. Two ladies had placed themselves upon one of the few sofas of which the Exhibition could boast. Near them stood a gentleman whose absent and fatigued expression plainly showed how glad he would be to sit down also. He stood first on one leg, then on the other, and cast from time to time an irritable glance at the two ladies, one of whom, who seemed a few years older than the other, but, notwithstanding her being rather too large, was the handsomest, leaned languidly back in her corner, while the younger and slighter one incessantly turned her eye-glasses from side to side, never moving them from her eyes. "When you are enough rested, I think we will go," said the gentleman. "I see no possibility of getting out," replied the stout lady, without changing her comfortable attitude. "It really is intensely interesting," said the other, "quite too interesting. Who is that man, Edward?" The glasses had turned in another direction. "What man?" "There--by the Emperor's portrait, with the fair moustache and bright colour--a country gentleman, I am sure. I fancy I have seen him before." "By Jove, that is Golm!" exclaimed the gentleman, rousing from his indifference. "Count Golm! quite true!" said the lady. "This really is quite too interesting! Bring him here at once, Edward!"