Profound silence reigned. The only sound was of a splashing which came from behind a cypress tree where old Haberland, still occupied with watering the roses, was filling his cans. Lilly made straight for the lodge considering ways of making him look from his window and see her. She was saved from committing this indiscretion. He was lying at full length on the green bench outside the house, smoking a cigarette with evident gusto, the dog's chain wrapped about his left wrist, and the dog himself asleep at his feet. None of the other men were about. Her heart's throbbing almost deprived her of breath. "Mr. von Prell!" He jumped to his feet, the dog along with him. "Mr. von Prell, I should like to speak with you." He put his hand to his head to remove his cap, but no cap was there. "I am at my lady's service." "Will you accompany me a little way?" "At my lady's service." He threw away the stump of his cigarette, glanced about hastily for his vanished cap, then walked at her side bare-headed, stiff as a puppet in his extravagant respect. Lilly led the way into the interior of the park, where the clusters of trees and the open grassy spaces melted into purple-edged darkness. She had gotten back her calm. The desire to save him gave her strength of which she had not deemed herself capable. "You must not misunderstand my coming to you," she began. "Certainly not, my lady," he replied, bowing obsequiously. "The evening is so lovely, and old acquaintances like to chat with each other once in a while." "If I had wanted anything like that," said Lilly, making no effort to conceal her sense of insult, "I should have invited you to the castle. If I come to you instead, you can readily imagine the matter is more important." "What can be more important to me than strolling here at my lady's side?" She shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, Mr. von Prell, if you knew the difficulty you were in, you would take care not to indulge in such talk." Lilly had never thought herself capable of so much haughtiness. "What difficulty can I be in, my lady?" he rejoined, raising his brows and wrinkling his forehead. "My soul has worn half-mourning ever since I was condemned to live in a certain close distance from, or, rather, a certain distant proximity to--my gracious lady. Whether Tommy and myself possess the character for enduring this trial--come, come Tommy, don't be a goose. Our lady benefactress will have no objections to your not treading on her train." Tommy obstinately planted his forelegs and had to be dragged along like a lifeless toy. "You'll strangle the poor little beast," said Lilly, happy to have found a way of avoiding his personalities. "He will simply be sharing the sensations of his master," said Von Prell, illustrating his reply by clutching at his throat and emitting a horrible gurgle. Such behaviour must no longer be permitted. Lilly owed it to herself and her position to resent it.