The Grand Duke of Barscheit was tall and angular and weather-beaten,
and the whites of his eyes bespoke a constitution as sound and hard as
his common sense. As Max entered he was standing at the side of
Doppelkinn.
"There he is!" shouted the prince. "Do you know who he is?"
The duke took a rapid inventory. "Never set eyes upon him before."
The duke then addressed her Highness. "Hildegarde, who is this fellow?
No evasions; I want the truth. I have, in the main, found you
truthful."
"I know nothing of him at all," said the princess curtly.
Max wondered where the chill in the room came from.
"He says that his name is Scharfenstein," continued the princess, "and
he has proved himself to be a courteous gentleman."
Max found that the room wasn't so chill as it might have been.
"Yet you eloped with him, and were on the way to Dresden," suggested
the duke pointedly.
The princess faced them all proudly. "I eloped with no man. That was
simply a little prevarication to worry you, my uncle, after the manner
in which you have worried me. I was on my way to Dresden, it is true,
but only to hide with my old governess. This gentleman jumped into my
compartment as the train drew out of the station."
"But you _knew_ him!" bawled the prince, waving his arms.
"Do you know him?" asked the duke coldly.
"I met him out riding. He addressed me, and I replied out of common
politeness,"--with a sidelong glance at Max, who stood with folded
arms, watching her gravely.
The duke threw his hands above his head as if to call Heaven to witness
that he was a very much wronged man.
"Arnheim," he said to the young colonel, "go at once for a priest."
"A priest!" echoed the prince.
"Yes; the girl shall marry you to-night," declared his serene Highness.
"Not if I live to be a thousand!" Doppelkinn struck the table with his
fist.
The girl smiled at Max.
"What?" cried the duke, all the coldness gone from his tones. "You
refuse?" He was thunderstruck.
"Refuse? Of course I refuse!" And the prince thumped the table again.
"What do you think I am in my old age,--an ass? If you have any
fillies to break, use your own pastures. I'm a vintner." He banged
the table yet again. "Why, I wouldn't marry the Princess Hildegarde if
she was the last woman on earth!"
"Thank you!" said the princess sweetly.
"You're welcome," said the prince.
"Silence!" bellowed the duke. "Doppelkinn, take care; this is an
affront, not one to be lightly ignored. It is international news that
you are to wed my niece."