here I am again, _cher et aimable pere_," exclaimed the young man,
laughing; "but you do me great injustice by calling me a gadabout and
rover, for, indeed, I have only traveled on most serious and proper
business, and it strikes me that I am vastly to be feared and honored in
my capacity of imperial treasurer and member of the Aulic council."

"What?" cried Count Adam joyfully, "the Emperor has conferred upon you
such a high favor and honored you with such lofty titles?"

The young count nodded assent. "In me he has honored my father's son,"
said he, "and distinguished me out of veneration and respect for you."

"You are far too modest, my son," cried the count, smiling. "What the
Emperor Ferdinand has done for you he did not for your father's son, but
in deference to your own merits."

"Please, oh please, let us talk no more on the subject," said the young
man. "You will not succeed in altering my opinion, especially as I had it
from the exalted mouth of his Imperial Majesty himself, that he gladly
distinguished the son of so noble, gifted, and faithful a servant as Count
Adam Schwarzenberg had ever been to the imperial house, and in
consideration thereof bestowed upon him the dignity of imperial treasurer,
and nominated him independently of individual merit a member of the Aulic
council. I beg you to observe, my noble and highly deserving count, that
your son has fallen heir to his honors without individual merit, whence it
naturally follows that I am a worthless treasurer, and wholly devoid of
merit as a member of the Aulic council."

"Well," laughed his father, "then I must console you with this, Adolphus,
that you are besides that my coadjutor in my office of Grand Master of the
Knights of St. John, and that I entertain the fixed determination of soon
seeing you share with me the Stadtholdership of the Mark."

"I assure you, I need no consolation whatever!" cried Count Adolphus
Schwarzenberg. "I am your son, and that is as much as if I were the fair
Danae, and had a shower of gold perpetually poured out upon me."

"You would deceive me," said Count Adam, gently shaking his head. "You
would have me believe that you are satisfied with being my son, and have
no personal ambition for yourself."

"It is no deception, _cher pere_" laughed the young man. "I really do not
give myself the trouble to have personal ambition beforehand. I behold my
much-loved father standing in the sunshine of renown, and I quite
compo