Fiction > Book editions > London, 1885 - Prince Otto

A ROMAXCE 45
he rode by. But from that time forth and for a
long while he was alone with the great w^oods.
Gradually the spell of pleasure relaxed ; his
own thoughts returned, like stinging insects, in
a cloud ; and the talk of the night before, like
a sliower of buffets, fell npon his memory. He
looked east and west for any comforter ; and
presently he w^as aware of a cross-road coming
steeply down hill, and a horseman cautiously
descending. A human voice or presence, like a
spring in the desert, was now welcome in itself,
and Otto drew bridle to aw^ait the coming of
this stranger. He proved to be a very red-faced,
thick-lipped countryman, with a pair of fat
saddle-bags and a stone bottle at his waist ;
who, as soon as the Prince hailed him, jovially,
if someAvhat thickly, answered. At the same
time he gave a beery j^aw in the saddle. It was
clear his bottle w^as no longer full.
' Do you ride towards Mittwalden .^ ' asked
the Prince.
'As far as the cross-road to Tannenbrunn,'
the man rephed. ' Will you bear company ? '
' With pleasure. I have even w^aited for
you on the chance,' answered Otto.
By this time they were close alongside ; and
the man, with the countryfolk instinct, turned
his cloudy vision first of all on his companion's
mount. ' The devil ! ' he cried. ' You ride a