The Goose Girl | Page 9

old man who had given her the gold
piece.
"Good night," he said.
"Thank you, Herr."
Gretchen extended her hand and Carmichael took it in his own,
inspecting it.
"Why do you do that?"
"It is a good hand; it is strong, too."
"It has to be strong, Herr. Good night."
Carmichael raised his hat again, and Gretchen breathed contentedly as
she saw him disappear in the crowd. That little act of courtesy made
everything brighter. There was only one other who ever touched his hat
to her respectfully. And as she stood there, dreaming over the unusual
happenings of the day, she felt an arm slip through hers, gently but
firmly, even with authority. Her head went round.
"Leo?" she whispered.
The young vintner whom Carmichael had pushed against the wall that
day smiled from under the deep shade of his hat, drawn down well over
his face.
"Gretchen, who was that speaking to you?"
"Herr Carmichael, the American consul."
"Carmichael!" The arm in Gretchen's stiffened.

"What is it, Leo?"
"Nothing. Only, I grow mad with rage when any of these gentlemen
speak to you. Gentlemen! I know them all too well."
"This one means no harm."
"I would I were certain. Ah, how I love you!" he whispered.
Gretchen thrilled and drew his arm closely against her side.
"To me the world began but two weeks ago. I have just begun to live."
"I am glad," said Gretchen. "But listen."
The band was playing again.
"Sometimes I am jealous even of that."
"I love you none the less for loving it."
"I know; but I am sad and lonely to-night"--gloomily. "I want all your
thoughts."
"Are they not always yours? And why should you be sad and
miserable?"
"Why, indeed!"
"Leo, as much as I love you, there is always a shadow."
"What shadow?"
"It is always at night that I see you, rarely in the bright daytime. What
do you do during the day? It is not yet vintage. What do you do?"
"Will you trust me a little longer, Gretchen, just a little longer?"
"Always, not a little longer, always. But wait till the music stops and I

will tell you of my adventure."
"You have had an adventure?"--distrustfully.
"Yes. Be still."
There were tones in Gretchen's voice that the young vintner could
never quite understand. There was a will little less than imperial, and
often as he rebelled, he never failed to bow to it.
"What was this adventure?" he demanded, as the music stopped.
She told him about the geese, the grand duke, and the two crowns. He
laughed, and she joined him, for it was amusing now.
The musicians were putting away their instruments, the crowd was
melting, the attendants were stacking the chairs, so the two lovers went
out of the gardens toward the town and the Krumerweg.
Meanwhile Carmichael had lectured the policeman, who was greatly
disturbed.
"Your Excellency, I am sure Colonel von Wallenstein meant no harm."
"Are you truthfully sure?"
The policeman plucked at his beard nervously. "It is every man for
himself, as your excellency knows. Had I spoken to the colonel, he
would have had me broken."
"You could have appealed to the duke."
"Perhaps. I am sorry for the girl, but I have a family to take care of."
"Well, mark me; this little woman loves music; she comes here often.
The next time she is annoyed by Wallenstein or any one else, you
report it to me. I'll see that it reaches his highness."
"I shall gladly do that, your Excellency."

Carmichael left the gardens and wandered with aimless step. He was
surprised to find that he was opposite the side gates to the royal gardens.
His feet had followed the bent of his mind. Yet he did not cross the
narrow side street. The sound of carriage wheels caused him to halt. He
waited. The carriage he had seen by the fountain drew up before the
gates, and the woman in black alighted. She spoke to the sentinel, who
opened the gates and closed them. The veiled lady vanished abruptly
beyond the shrubbery.
"I wonder who that was?" was Carmichael's internal question. "Bah!
Some lady-in-waiting with an affair on hand."
CHAPTER III
FOR HER COUNTRY
"Count, must I tell you again not to broach that subject? There can be
no alliance between Ehrenstein and Jugendheit."
"Why?" asked Count von Herbeck, chancellor, coolly returning the
angry flash from the ducal eyes.
"There are a thousand reasons why, but it is not my purpose to name
them."
"Name only one, your Highness, only one."
"Will that satisfy you?"
"Perhaps."
"One of my reasons is that I do not want any alliance with a country so
perfidious as Jugendheit. What! I make overtures? I, who have been so
cruelly wronged