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