Fiction > Book editions > London, 1888 - Prince Otto

A ROMANCE 7
Th^re is one of nature's spiritual ditties, that
has not yet been set to words or human music :
' The Invitation to the Eoad ; ' an air continually
sounding in the ears of gipsies, and to whose in-
spiration our nomadic fathers journeyed all their
days. The hour, the season, and the scene, all
were in delicate accordance. The air was full
of birds of passage, steering westward and
northward over Grtinewald, an army of specks
to the up-looking eye. And below, the great
practicable road was bound for the same
Quarter.
a.
But to the two horsemen on the knoll this
spiritual ditty was unheard. They were, indeed,
in some concern of mind, scanning every fold
of the subjacent forest, and betraying both
anger and dismay in their impatient gestures ;
' I do not see him, Kuno,' said the first
huntsman, 'nowhere — not a trace, not a hair
of the mare's tail! No, sir, he's off; broke
cover and got away. Why, for twopence I
would hunt him with the dogs ! '
' Mayhap, he's gone home,' said Kuno, but
without conviction.
' Home ! ' sneered the other. ' I give him
twelve days to get home. No, it's begun again ;
it's as it was three years ago, before he married ;
a disgrace I Hereditary prince, hereditary fool !
There goes the government over the borders on