'In that I might have had the golden medal, had golden medals been given for such excellence.' They assumed their spike helmets and swords, which the Prussian officers wear through a perforation in the left skirt, as their belt is worn under the coat, and thus bantering each other, cigar in mouth and arm-in-arm, they proceeded laughingly towards the crowded gardens of the Prinz Carl Hotel. Next day saw them off for Frankenburg in an open britzka. The day was a lovely one in summer, and the scenery around them grand. Charlie, of course, apostrophized the Rhine, and quoted Byron. They passed Düren and the valley of the Ruhr, with the picturesque hamlet of Riedeggen perched on its lofty rock; Merodé, the cradle of the Merodeur; industrious Stolberg, with its château crowning a hill, and the beautiful wood named the Reichswald. Young Frankenburg was in excellent spirits, and bantered the driver, calling him schwager (brother-in-law), a singular title for post-boys, and so forth, the origin of which is unknown. He was rather too liberal to him in the matter of trinkgeld (drink money); thus the britzka was driven at a thundering rate down that basin of beautiful hills which surround Aix, while Heinrich waved his forage-cap, and sung verses from the war-song of Arndt: 'My own Fatherland, my brave Germany on! We'll sing them a terrible strain. For what ages ago, their vile policy won-- Of Strasburg, of Metz, and Lorraine. They shall hand it all back to the uttermost mite, Since for life or for death they compel us to fight. To shout, "To the Rhine, to the Rhine, and advance! All Germany onward, and march into France!"' CHAPTER III. THE DREADED MEETING. A week had passed away at Frankenburg, and the subject of the young Count's return--that event so dreaded by poor Herminia, from motives of delicacy, perhaps--had not been resumed, till the evening which saw him and his comrade driving through the beautiful scenery just referred to. Dinner had been delayed, as the Count had telegraphed from the Pariser Hof that he was coming, and both the young ladies had made most careful toilettes, and perhaps sorely tried the temper of their attendants--Herminia, to please her watchful and somewhat suspicious aunt; Ernestine to please herself, and perhaps with a secret desire to please her brother's boasted friend, who, being an Englishman, would, she feared, be rather critical and fastidious.