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THE INDISCRETION OF ELSBETH
The American paused。 He had evidently lost his way。 For the last
half hour he had been wandering in a medieval town； in a profound
medieval dream。 Only a few days had elapsed since he had left the
steamship that carried him hither； and the accents of his own
tongue； the idioms of his own people； and the sympathetic community
of New World tastes and expressions still filled his mind until he
woke up； or rather； as it seemed to him； was falling asleep in the
past of this Old World town which had once held his ancestors。
Although a republican； he had liked to think of them in quaint
distinctive garb； representing state and importanceperhaps even
aristocratic pre…eminencecontent to let the responsibility of
such 〃bad eminence〃 rest with them entirely； but a habit of
conscientiousness and love for historic truth eventually led him
also to regard an honest BAUER standing beside his cattle in the
quaint market place； or a kindly…faced black…eyed DIENSTMADCHEN in
a doorway； with a timid； respectful interest； as a possible type of
his progenitors。 For； unlike some of his traveling countrymen in
Europe； he was not a snob； and it struck himas an Americanthat
it was； perhaps； better to think of his race as having improved
than as having degenerated。 In these ingenuous meditations he had
passed the long rows of quaint； high houses； whose sagging roofs
and unpatched dilapidations were yet far removed from squalor；
until he had reached the road bordered by poplars； all so unlike
his own country's waysidesand knew that he had wandered far from
his hotel。
He did not care； however； to retrace his steps and return by the
way he had come。 There was； he reasoned； some other street or
turning that would eventually bring him to the market place and his
hotel； and yet extend his experience of the town。 He turned at
right angles into a narrow grass lane； which was； however； as
neatly kept and apparently as public as the highway。 A few
moments' walking convinced him that it was not a thoroughfare and
that it led to the open gates of a park。 This had something of a
public look； which suggested that his intrusion might be at least a
pardonable trespass； and he relied； like most strangers； on the
exonerating quality of a stranger's ignorance。 The park lay in the
direction he wished to go； and yet it struck him as singular that a
park of such extent should be still allowed to occupy such valuable
urban space。 Indeed； its length seemed to be illimitable as he
wandered on； until he became conscious that he must have again lost
his way； and he diverged toward the only boundary； a high； thickset
hedge to the right； whose line he had been following。
As he neared it he heard the sound of voices on the other side；
speaking in German； with which he was unfamiliar。 Having； as yet；
met no one； and being now impressed with the fact that for a public
place the park was singularly deserted； he was conscious that his
position was getting serious； and he determined to take this only
chance of inquiring his way。 The hedge was thinner in some places
than in others； and at times he could see not only the light
through it but even the moving figures of the speakers； and the
occasional white flash of a summer gown。 At last he determined to
penetrate it； and with little difficulty emerged on the other side。
But here he paused motionless。 He found himself behind a somewhat
formal and symmetrical group of figures with their backs toward
him； but all stiffened into attitudes as motionless as his own； and
all gazing with a monotonous intensity in the direction of a
handsome building； which had been invisible above the hedge but
which now seemed to arise suddenly before him。 Some of the figures
were in uniform。 Immediately before him； but so slightly separated
from the others that he was enabled to see the house between her
and her companions； he was confronted by the pretty back；
shoulders； and blond braids of a young girl of twenty。 Convinced
that he had unwittingly intruded upon some august ceremonial； he
instantly slipped back into the hedge； but so silently that his
momentary presence was evidently undetected。 When he regained the
park side he glanced back through the interstices； there was no
movement of the figures nor break in the silence to indicate that
his intrusion had been observed。 With a long breath of relief he
hurried from the park。
It was late when he finally got back to his hotel。 But his little
modern adventure had； I fear； quite outrun his previous medieval
reflections； and almost his first inquiry of the silver…chained
porter in the courtyard was in regard to the park。 There was no
public park in Alstadt！ The Herr possibly alluded to the Hof
Gardensthe Schloss； which was in the direction he indicated。 The
Schloss was the residency of the hereditary Grand Duke。 JA WOHL！
He was stopping there with several Hoheiten。 There was naturally a
party therea family reunion。 But it was a private enclosure。 At
times； when the Grand Duke was not in residence；〃 it was open to
the public。 In point of fact； at such times tickets of admission
were to be had at the hotel for fifty pfennige each。 There was
not； of truth； much to see except a model farm and dairythe
pretty toy of a previous Grand Duchess。
But he seemed destined to come into closer collision with the
modern life of Alstadt。 On entering the hotel； wearied by his long
walk； he passed the landlord and a man in half…military uniform on
the landing near his room。 As he entered his apartment he had a
vague impression； without exactly knowing why； that the landlord
and the military stranger had just left it。 This feeling was
deepened by the evident disarrangement of certain articles in his
unlocked portmanteau and the disorganization of his writing case。
A wave of indignation passed over him。 It was followed by a knock
at the door； and the landlord blandly appeared with the stranger。
〃A thousand pardons；〃 said the former； smilingly； 〃but Herr
Sanderman； the Ober…Inspector of Police； wishes to speak with you。
I hope we are not intruding？〃
〃Not NOW；〃 said the American； dryly。
The two exchanged a vacant and deprecating smile。
〃I have to ask only a few formal questions；〃 said the Ober…
Inspector in excellent but somewhat precise English； 〃to supplement
the report which； as a stranger； you may not know is required by
the police from the landlord in regard to the names and quality of
his guests who are foreign to the town。 You have a passport？〃
〃I have；〃 said the American still more dryly。 〃But I do not keep
it in an unlocked portmanteau or an open writing case。〃
〃An admirable precaution；〃 said Sanderman； with unmoved politeness。
〃May I see it？ Thanks；〃 he added； glancing over the document which
the American produced from his pocket。 〃I see that you are a born
American citizenand an earlier knowledge of that fact would have
prevented this little contretemps。 You are aware； Mr。 Hoffman；
that your name is German？〃
〃It was borne by my ancestors； who came from this country two
centuries ago；〃 said Hoffman； curtly。
〃We are indeed honored by your return to it；〃 returned Sanderman
suavely； 〃but it was the circumstance of your name being a local
one； and the possibility of your still being a German citizen
liable to unperformed military duty； which has caused the trouble。〃
His manner was clearly civil and courteous； but Hoffman felt that
all the time his own face and features were undergoing a profound
scrutiny from the speaker。
〃And you are making sure that you will know me again？〃 said
Hoffman； with a smile。
〃I trust； indeed； both；〃 returned Sanderman； with a bow； 〃although
you will permit me to say that your description here；〃 pointing to
the passport； 〃scarcely does you justice。 ACH GOTT！ it is the same
in all countries； the official eye is not that of the young DAMEN。〃
Hoffman； though not conceited； had not lived twenty years without
knowing that he was very good…looking； yet there was something in
the remark that caused him to color with a new uneasiness。
The Ober…Inspector rose with another bow； and moved toward the
door。 〃I hope you will let me make amends for this intrusion by
doing anything I can to render your visit here a pleasant one。
Perhaps；〃 he added； 〃it is not for long。〃
But Hoffman evaded the evident question； as he resented what he
imagined was a possible sneer。
〃I have not yet determined my movements；〃 he said。
The Ober…Inspector brought his heels together in a somewhat stiffer
military salute and departed。
Nothing； however； could have exceeded the later almost servile
urbanity of the landlord； who seemed to have been proud of the
official visit to his guest。 He was profuse in his attentions； and
even introduced him to a singularly artistic…loo