Ottomar suddenly rushed away from Justus, "Like a falcon after its prey," thought the latter, "Oh, this fatal honour! What sacrifices has Moloch already required! Poor boy! I like him in spite of all the harm that he has already done and that he still seems intent upon doing. Well, I cannot hinder him with the best will in the world. Good gracious!--already half-past one!" Justus had of his own accord promised Meta to leave the party at twelve o'clock punctually. He looked round for Antonio, who was talking eagerly, near the table at which Ottomar and the other officers had supped, with the piquante young lady whom one of the officers--not Ottomar--had conducted to supper, and who, now that Ottomar was also gone, appeared to have been left behind by the whole party. "He is always making up to somebody, is Antonio," said Justus, as he watched the insinuating manners of his handsome assistant and the smiles of the young lady. "Let him be; I shall not get him to come home with me." He looked from Antonio to the tall painter who was in hot argument with a few men who belonged to the "young men's table." "He will soon finish them off," thought Justus, just as two or three men left the group and came with angry faces towards him. "You took upon yourself to wish long life to Lasker!" said a swarthy youth. "And I hope that he will long gratify that wish," answered Justus, with a courteous bow, as he continued on his way past his astonished interlocutor. Ottomar, meanwhile, had gone up to the Baroness, and, without taking the chair next to her, although it, as well as half those at the table, had long been unoccupied, said in a loud voice, as was necessary to the deaf old lady in the noise which prevailed around: "Pardon me, Baroness, but will you allow me to trouble you with a question?" The Baroness looked at him through her immense glasses. She knew at once what Ottomar wanted to ask, and that Baroness Holzweg must have repeated what she had told her, and she was determined not to allow herself to be mixed up in the matter. "Ask anything you like, my dear child," she said. "Certain rumours which are circulating in this company, about myself on the one hand, and Fräulein von Wallbach on the other, and which have come to my ears from Herr von Grieben amongst others, are traced hack to you, Baroness, as Grieben has them from his aunt, Frau von Holzweg, and she asserts that she had them from you." "That is a long preamble, my dear child," said the Baroness, to gain time. "My question will be so much the shorter. From whom did you hear this story?" "My dear child, all the world is talking about it!" "I cannot be content with that answer, my dear lady; I must know the actual person." "Then find him for yourself!" said the Baroness in her rudest tone, turning her back upon him.