296
THE PATRIOTEER
three marks and pulled down the blinds. Carried on the wings of happiness, his desire for action suffered no relaxation. Guste fcould never have expected so amorous a temperament. "You are not like Lohengrin," she said. As she swooned away and closed her eyes, Diederich got up again. Like a man of iron he stood before her, his order hanging on his breast; he glittered like steel. "Before we go any further," he said in martial tones, "let us think of His Majesty, our Gracious Emperor. We must keep before us the higher aim of doing honour to His Majesty, and of giving him capable soldiers." "Oh!" cried Guste, carried away into loftier splendours by the sparkling ornament on his breast, "Is it … really … you … my Diederich!"…
