escape or something of the sort. The manager was furious and wouldn’t hear of such a thing. It looks as if they are sending you somewhere else. . . . Darling, come here to-night; I’ll come out to you, I’ll evade . . . them. . . .”
And she actually came, breathless, sobbing with dry and anxious eyes. “To-morrow, to-morrow,” she wanted to say, but at that moment a firm and friendly hand descended on her shoulder. It was Uncle Rohn. “Go back, Minna,” he ordered sternly. “And you wait here,” he added, turning to Prokop. Putting his arm round her shoulder he led her back into the castle. A moment later he came back again and took Prokop by the arm. “My friend,” he said sympathetically, “I understand you young people only too well and . . . I feel with you.” He made a gesture of hopelessness with his hand. “Something has taken place which should not have happened. I don’t wish to . . . and of course I can’t reproach you. On the contrary, I realize that . . . obviously. . . .” Clearly this was a bad beginning and le bon prince tried another road. “My dear friend, I respect you and I really like you very much. You are an honest man and . . . a genius; an unusual combination. I have rarely felt such sympathy for anybody. I know that you will go a long way,” he said with relief. “You believe that my intentions are friendly?”
“Nothing of the sort,” said Prokop calmly.
Le bon oncle became confused. “I am sorry, extraordinarily,” he jerked out, “because I cannot tell you what I want to say unless we have the fullest possible confidence in one another. . . .”
