‘Don’t go!’ we cried simultaneously.

The Princess Ottilia supplied her place.

’I have sent to our stables for two little pretty Hungarian horses for you two to ride,’ she said.  ’No, I have not yet seen him.  He is asked for, and de Markgrafin knows not at all.  He bades in our lake; he has been seen since.  The man is exciteable; but he is so sensible.  Oh, no.  And he is full of laughter.  We shall soon see him.  Would he not ever be cautious of himself for a son like you?’

Her compliment raised a blush on me.

The patience of the people was creditable to their phlegm.  The smoke of pipes curling over the numberless heads was the most stirring thing about them.

Temple observed to me,

‘We’ll give the old statue a British cheer, won’t we, Richie?’

‘After coming all the way from England!’ said I, in dejection.

’No, no, Richie; you’re sure of him now.  He ’s somewhere directing affairs, I suspect.  I say, do let us show them we can ring out the right tune upon occasion.  By jingo! there goes a fellow with a match.’

We saw the cannonier march up to the margravine’s carriage for orders.  She summoned the prince to her side.  Ladies in a dozen carriages were standing up, handkerchief in hand, and the gentlemen got their horses’ heads on a line.  Temple counted nearly sixty persons of quality stationed there.  The workmen were trooping out of the tent.

Miss Sibley ran to us, saying,—­

’The gun-horror has been commanded.  Now then:  the prince can scarcely contain himself.  The gunner is ready near his gun; he has his frightful match lifted.  See, the manager-superintendent is receiving the margravine’s last injunctions.  How firm women’s nerves are!  Now the margravine insists on the prince’s reading the exact time by her watch.  Everybody is doing it.  Let us see.  By my watch it is all but fifteen minutes to eleven, A.M.  Dearest,’ she addressed the little princess; ‘would you not like to hold my hand until the gun is fired?’

‘Dearest,’ replied the princess, whether in childish earnest or irony I could not divine, ‘if I would hold a hand it would be a gentleman’s.’

All eyes were on the Prince of Eppenwelzen, as he gazed toward the covered statue.  With imposing deliberation his hand rose to his hat.  We saw the hat raised.  The cannon was fired and roared; the band struck up a pompous slow march:  and the tent-veil broke apart and rolled off.  It was like the dawn flying and sunrise mounting.

I confess I forgot all thought of my father for awhile; the shouts of the people, the braying of the brass instruments, the ladies cheering sweetly, the gentlemen giving short, hearty expressions of applause, intoxicated me.  And the statue was superb-horse and rider in new bronze polished by sunlight.