Transcriber's Note:
1. Page scan source: http://books.google.com/books?id=jd4BAAAAQAAJ&dq
"No!" said Captain Almbach. "That cannot be! I have to make aconfession to you, Ella, at the risk of your showing me to the door."
"What have you to confess to me?" asked the astonished Ella.
Hugo looked down.
"That I am still the 'adventurer,' whom you once took so sternly totask. It did not improve him certainly, but he never attempted since toapproach you with his follies, and cannot to-day either. To make mytale short, I had no idea you were the inhabitant of this villa, when Idirected my steps here. I had myself announced to a perfectly strangegentleman, because Marchese Tortoni had spoken of a young lady, wholived here in complete seclusion, and yes--I knew before hand, that youwould look at me in this way--"
Her glance had indeed met him sadly and reproachfully; then she turnedsilently away and looked out of the window. A pause ensued--Hugo wentto her side.
"It was chance which brought me here now, Ella. I am waiting for mylecture."
"You are free, and have no duty to injure," said the young wife,coldly. "Besides, my opinion in such matters can hardly have anyinfluence upon you, Herr Captain Almbach."
"And so Herr Captain Almbach must retire, to find the doors closedagainst him next time, is it not so?" Unmistakable agitation was heardin his voice. "You are very unjust towards me. That I, thinking to findperfect strangers here, did undertake an adventure--well, that isnothing new to me; but that I was guilty of the boundless folly ofconfessing it to you, although I had the best excuse for deception,that is very new, and I was only forced to it by your eyes, whichlooked at me so big and enquiringly, that I became red as a schoolboy,and could not go away with a lie. Therefore I hear Herr Captain Almbachagain, who, thank God, had disappeared from our conversation for thelast quarter of an hour."
Ella shook her head slightly.
"You have spoiled all my pleasure in our meeting now, certainly----"
"Did it please you? Did it really?" cried Hugo, interrupting hereagerly, with sparkling eyes.
"Of course," said she, quietly. "One is always pleased, when far away,to find greetings and remembrances from home."
"Yes," said Hugo, slowly. "I had quite forgotten that we are countrypeople also. Then you only recognised the German in me? I must confesshonestly that my feelings were not so purely patriotic when I saw youagain."
...