"You would have had a hard lot then, Ada," said the Colonel, with a grave shake of the head. "I am one of the men who cannot give or receive anything more in this life. I have finished with it long ago. But you are right; it is better to let that subject remain untouched between Wallmoden and me, for if I wished to tell him my true opinion about it--well, he will always be a diplomat."
Adelaide arose, breaking off the conversation, and tried to assume a lighter tone.
"And now let me take you to your rooms at last. You must be exhausted by the long trip."
"No, a single night's journey will not tire a soldier. Duty makes harsher demands than that on us."
He drew himself up straight and firm; one could see that his physical strength was yet unbroken. Those muscles and sinews seemed like steel. It was the features alone that bore the mark of age.
The eyes of the Baroness lingered upon them thoughtfully, especially upon the brow which was so deeply and heavily furrowed and yet was formed so high and powerful under the white hair.
It seemed to her as if she had seen that brow somewhere else, under dark locks; but there could not be a sharper contrast than between this too early aged, care-lined face and that youthful head with the foreign, southern beauty and the uncanny light in the eyes. Yet it had been the same brow over which the lightnings had flamed on that lonely forest height; the same high, powerful curve; even the blue veins which were so pronounced at the temples--a strange, incomprehensible likeness!
After some hours the two friends were alone together in Wallmoden's study. The latter had just made the unavoidable as well as painful disclosure. He had told the Colonel under what circumstances Rojanow was in the city, and had unveiled to him uncompromisingly everything he knew of Hartmut's life and that of his mother, finally informing him of her death.
He had feared this hour, but the result was quite different from what he had expected. Mutely Falkenried leaned against the window with folded arms and listened to the long explanations, without interrupting by a word or gesture. His face remained cold and impassive; no quiver, no motion betrayed that he heard those things which must bring anguish to his heart. He was now also "a man of stone."
