A Silver Brand — page 26: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

18 A SILVER BRAND. So he only looked in silence. The Count Roderich had noticed a tall figure pacing to and fro along a shaded walk at the right, and as a servant came hastily forth from some unseen outlook, he dis- mounted and motioned for his companion, who had followed his example, to accompany him thither. “I bring a guest to Schwarzenberg Heights, your lordship,” said he; “a young American tourist, whose acquaintance I have made at the capital. He is such an admirer of our German scenery l could not let him return without a glimpse of the Heights.” | | The tall, large-framed man turned and fixed upon Aubrey Dalberg a pair of keen black eyes. “Mr. Aubrey Dalberg—my father, the Baron Val- entin Baer,” resumed Roderich, not without a faint betrayal of nervousness in his tones. “You are welcome, my young friend,” said the baron, in a deep and not unmusical voice, speaking as his son had done, in very tolerable English. “I trust you have found your long journeying. both profitable and entertaining.” 3 3 “It is all delightful,” returned Aubrey, eagerly ; “but nowhere, never before, have I enjoyed any- thing like this!” And he waved his hand toward the house, and fell again to gazing, with eyes that plainly betrayed his enjoyment and sincerity. _ The baron’s grave, dark face brightened. He drew his son a step aside, and questioned ina low voice, earnestly : , “Has he heard—there at the capital? Does he know ?” _ “He knows nothing whatever of the curse, the blight which turns this paradise into something worse than the watery prison of Tantalus, if that is what you mean,” replied the other, with a bitter smile. “Then 1 may enjoy his company,” exclaimed the baron, eagerly, and turned back to young Dalberg who was still gazing about him in keen enjoyment, with a face quite changed from its first severe oravity, — Ecomicbooks ‘co