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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lee, Michael.
Mastering SQL server 2008 / Michael Lee, Gentry Bieker. — 1st ed. p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-470-28904-4 (paper/website)
1. Client/server computing. 2. SQL server. 3. Relational databases. I. Bieker, Gentry. II. Title. QA76.9.C55L45 2009 005.75’85—dc22
2008042924
TRADEMARKS: Wiley, the Wiley logo, and the Sybex logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates, in theUnited Statesand other countries, and may not be used without written permission. SQL Server is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Dear Reader,
Thank you for choosing Mastering SQL Server 2008. This book is part of a family of premiumquality Sybex books, all of which are written by outstanding authors who combine practical experience with a gift for teaching.
Sybex was founded in 1976. More than thirty years later, we’re still committed to producing consistently exceptional books. With each of our titles we’re working hard to set a new standard for the industry. From the paper we print on, to the authors we work with, our goal is to bring you the best books available.
I hope you see all that reflected in these pages. I’d be very interested to hear your comments and get your feedback on how we’re doing. Feel free to let me know what you think about this or any other Sybex book by sending me an email at nedde@wiley.com, or if you think you’ve found a technical error in this book, please visit http://sybex.custhelp.com. Customer feedback is critical to our efforts at Sybex.
Best regards,
Neil Edde Vice President and Publisher Sybex, an Imprint of Wiley
To our students, who forced us to continually improve.
Acknowledgments
Every project of this size is always an intense collaboration. This was certainly no exception. It all starts with the wonderful team at Sybex. This is the seventh project that I have worked on with the Sybex team, and I am always impressed by the work that they do. Special thanks to Neil Edde, Pete Gaughan, and Agatha Kim for their magnificent work on managing this process. Thanks also to our editor, Laurene Sorensen, who was able to merge our ideas together and help us to make the technical content actually readable. And thanks to the production team of Christine O’Connor, Kathy Grider-Carlyle, and Scott Klemp. Acey Bunch was a spectacular technical editor; an accomplished author in his own right, he provided many insights on the content that proved invaluable and substantially improved the quality of the content. Gentry Bieker, my coauthor on this project, was able to really capture the essence of SQL Server in the real world, something with which he has extensive experience. The production team at Sybex is superb. They were even able to take my hand drawings and turn them into real graphics, a true feat if you have ever seen my handwriting.
Finally, on a personal note, my career in training and technology would never have taken off had it not been for a former mentor, Bob Taylor. Other colleagues including Jon Hansen, Dale Byrd, Bryan Bechtoldt, Ken Sandlin, and Mike Mansfield have contributed so much to my career and given me amazing support over the years. Additionally, most of this work was written while I was employed at Aristocrat Technologies in Las Vegas, and I need to thank my colleagues and the management there for their support and input. And of course, I need to offer special thanks to my family, my wife and son, who always pay the highest price for these projects as I lock myself into the office every weekend to write. They have been incredibly supportive as the process continued week after week, and I could not have done it without them.
Most importantly, thanks to you, the reader. You are the reason for this project in the first place. I hope that you find value in the pages. Without you, we would not have had this incredible opportunity. Your feedback is invaluable and will help make any future projects better and more relevant. Good luck in your undertakings with SQL Server 2008. I wish you the best in your endeavors.
—Michael Lee
I’m incredibly thankful for the level of support I’ve received from everyone while writing my portion of this book. Thanks to Jennifer Hanner for all of the sacrifices she made, and the trips she allowed me to miss in order to complete this book, helping to keep me sane, and encouraging me to keep going through the process. To Samantha and Joel, my children, who went on many trips and outings without me through during the writing process. They made me smile, and reminded me that there is more to life than just a book. To Joel: “Yes, I’m finally done with my chapter!” To Michael Lee, who gave me this fantastic opportunity and introduced me to the process, and has always been patient and understanding in my learning about what it takes to put together a book of this size. Thanks to the entire book team: Laurene Sorensen, Acey Bunch, Pete Gaughan, Agatha Kim, and Neil Edde. I had an incredible amount of help and support from everyone I’ve encountered at Sybex and Wiley. You have all given me a ton of respect for the process that goes into creating a book. And to every one of my students (especially the difficult ones), who helped me to make it to where I am today.
—Gentry Bieker
About the Authors
Michael Lee (MCT, MCPD, MCITP, SCJP) has spent the last 15 years in technology training and consulting. Most of his career has been spent working with companies and helping them ease the transition to new technologies and practices. With a degree in Business Finance from the University of Utah, Michael discovered early that he enjoyed the IT aspects of business and built a career bringing together businesses and IT professionals, helping them understand each other and improve communication.
His beginnings in IT were a bit dubious, having worked as an intern with IBM in 1988 on the FAA modernization project (AAS), which has been dubbed one of the greatest project failures in IT history. A lot was learned from that experience, and since then, his focus has been bringing together business and technology interests. As a former Microsoft Regional Director, he was heavily involved in the rollout of Visual Studio 6.0 in 1997 and has made a career out of melding business and technology into a unified strategic front.
Currently, Michael is employed with the Clark County Court System in Las Vegas, Nevada where he still gets a chance to get his hands dirty with all kinds of technology, applying his passion to the public sector. When he is not coding, writing, or spending time with family, you can usually find him on his Harley, looking for that next great American Road.
Gentry Bieker is a certified trainer, consultant, and mentor who has focused on SQL Server and related technologies for the last decade. His experience spans from database design and tuning to application development and enterprise application integration. He has developed numerous presentations, classes, and sessions on SQL Server and many of the other Microsoft technologies that work with SQL Server. In addition to SQL Server, he also focuses on SharePoint and Microsoft CRM. He has worked with customers in many industries, spanning from health care and insurance to casino gaming and manufacturing.
As an energetic and passionate individual, he has found that turning massive amounts of data into useful information is what gets him up in the morning. He’s provided training, mentoring, and consulting services for many companies, large and small, including Microsoft, Unisys, and Kimberly-Clark. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his children, jumping out of perfectly good airplanes, and gaming.
Selecting Resources and Counters
Selecting Data Columns and Events
Chapter 19 • Using Spatial Data
Spatial Data Concepts
Geometry Versus Geography
Implementing
Constructing
Architecture
Introduction
Database technology is constantly evolving. The interplay among major database vendors such as Microsoft and Oracle, as well as the inevitable pressure of the open-source community, has demanded that database systems continue to push forward in both features and scalability. This fact means that the everyday database professional is constantly in a “catch up” mode. This book is an attempt to simplify that process by distilling the flood of information available.
The very nature of a book like this, where the subject matter is so broad, is to ensure that the important points get included, but we can’t possibly include everything that SQL Server 2008 supports. In fact, the authors had numerous long conversations, not about what we had to put into the book, but the trade-offs of what we had to leave out. We tried to find a balance, providing at least general coverage of the most important topics. This meant that we had to sacrifice the “deep dive” in some situations to ensure that we could address as much as possible without overloading the reader.
The other victim to this approach was an extensive coverage of the basics. Although we have included some introductory material, we had to make the assumption that this is not the first SQL Server book that you, the reader, have ever picked up. Although this is not an upgrader’s guide, it does assume that you have had some prior experience with SQL Server and are looking to get a firm understanding about the capabilities and mechanics of the tool. We also put a focus on addressing the important new features as much as we could, so that you can quickly add these to your toolbelt. Hopefully, we have hit the mark we were aiming for.
We have also attempted to create a work that could be valuable as a reference as well as being read from cover to cover. The chapters address major topic areas so you should be able to drill into the information that you need. This book can, therefore, act as a roadmap, but we would encourage you to consult the SQL Server Books Online as well. There is a wealth of information there and some good code examples.
Finally, we hope that this book will be an easy and entertaining read. Our biggest complaint about technical books over the years is that they are far too sterile and take themselves too seriously. We have been teaching this stuff for years and have found that you can’t take yourself or the subject matter too seriously if you want to engage your audience, so enjoy. We have had a wonderful time putting this together for you.
Who Should Read This Book
Our target audience is the database professional with some SQL Server experience who is either:
Trying to ramp up skills on SQL Server 2008, or •u
Transitioning from another RDBMS to SQL Server
If you have read through the Microsoft marketing materials on SQL Server 2008 and would like to see what is under the hype, then this book is for you. Also, if you have some experience with database systems and SQL Server and you are ready to take your skills to the next step, this might also be a good match.
We have tried to include information for both the SQL Server developer and administrator. In some organizations, these two roles are separate and distinct. In others, the same individual or team fills both roles. No matter what your perspective, you will find content related to your work. This does mean, however, that some of the chapters may be more meaningful than others. Although there is some information in this book related to client programming, this is not a book on ADO.NET. We have included an overview of client programming, including the Entity Framework and LINQ, but have done so from the perspective of the SQL Server professional, not the client developer. A client developer who needs to become more familiar with the dataserver tier might well find the discussion helpful, however.
The Mastering Series
The Mastering series from Sybex provides outstanding instruction for readers with intermediate and advanced skills, in the form of top-notch training and development for those already working in their field and clear, serious education for those aspiring to become pros. Every Mastering book features:
The Sybex “by professionals for professionals” commitment. •u Mastering authors are themselves practitioners, with plenty of credentials in their areas of specialty.
A practical perspective for a reader who already knows the basics—someone who needs
solutions, not a primer.
Real-World Scenarios, ranging from case studies to interviews, that show how the tool,
technique, or knowledge presented is applied in actual practice.
Skill-based instruction, with chapters organized around real tasks rather than abstract
concepts or subjects.
Self-review test “Master It” problems and questions, so you can be certain you’re equipped
to do the job right.
What Is Covered in This Book
Mastering SQL Server 2008 is organized to provide you with the following information:
Chapter 1: Overview of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 is a general introduction to SQL Server, its features, and the installation process.
Chapter 2: Understanding SQL Server Architecture contains an overview of the architecture of SQL Server with the intent of using this information to better control and optimize SQL Server performance.
Chapter 3: Databases, Files, and Resource Management discusses creating and maintaining databases and filegroups, including the new FILESTREAM feature.
Chapter 4: Tables and CRUD Operations covers table DDL and an overview of standard data modification statements, including the new MERGE keyword supported in SQL Server 2008.
Chapter 6: Managing Data Integrity explains the options for managing data integrity in a database, and covers constraints and DML triggers.
Chapter 7: SQL Server and XML addresses the integration of XML technology into SQL Server and provides coverage of the toolset that manipulates XML data inside the SQL Server environment.
Chapter 8: Managing User Security explains the security structure built into SQL Server and provides instructions on how to implement this system to secure your data resources.
Chapter 9: Data Recovery covers the transaction architecture of SQL Server, as well as the supported backup and restore operations available, including new features such as backup compression.
Chapter 10: Monitoring SQL Server Activity explains the various tools available for monitoring different types of SQL Server activity, including performance counters, SQL Profiler, DDL triggers, and event notifications. An introduction to the Performance Data Warehouse/ Data Collector feature of SQL Server 2008 is also covered.
Chapter 11: Using the SQL Server Agent Service addresses creating jobs, alerts, and operators using the SQL Server Agent service.
Chapter 12: Data Availability and Distribution covers the different options that you have for moving data throughout your enterprise and making data reliably available to data consumers.
Chapter 13: SQL Server Data Security shows the encryption and key management features of SQL Server 2008 including certificates, symmetric keys, and asymmetric keys. This chapter also covers the new Transparent Data Encryption feature of SQL Server 2008.
Chapter 14: Indexing Strategies for Query Optimization discusses the workings of the query optimizer and explains how to create index architectures that will provide the highest level of benefit at the lowest maintenance cost.
Chapter 15: Transactions and Locking provides an overview of the SQL Server locking architecture and explains its interaction with transaction processing. An overview of transaction management is also provided.
Chapter 16: Using the Resource Governor and Policy-Based Management introduces two new features of SQL Server 2008 that allow detailed resource management of different types of workloads, as well as a new method for defining, evaluating, and enforcing nearly every aspect of SQL Server configuration through the use of policies.
Chapter 17: SQL Server and the .NET Client offers the reader a SQL Server professional’s perspective on client programming, including traditional ADO.NET development, LINQ, and the entity framework.
Chapter 18: SQL Server and the Common Language Runtime explains the integration of the .NET Common Language Runtime in SQL Server and provides examples of implementing CLR objects in SQL Server applications.
Chapter 19: Using Spatial Data addresses the new geometry and geography datatypes in SQL Server 2008 and provides examples of their use and relevance in today’s organizations.
Chapter 20: Service-Oriented Architecture and the Service Broker gives the reader an overview of service-oriented architecture and shows how the SQL Server Service Broker can provide asynchronous services to the enterprise.
Chapter 21: Full-Text Search Services illustrates the process of implementing a text search infrastructure in SQL Server using full-text indexes and queries designed to target those indexes.
Appendix A: The Bottom Line Gathers together all the Master It problems from every chapter and provides a solution for each.
Appendix B: SQL Server Analysis Services Overview provides a high-level overview of the data warehousing and multidimensional tools in SQL Server 2008.
Appendix C: SQL Server Reporting Services Overview provides a high-level overview of the business intelligence reporting tools included in SQL Server 2008.
How to Contact the Authors
We welcome feedback from you about this book or about books you’d like to see from us in the future. You can reach us by using the following email addresses:
Michael Lee: feedback@LeeTechEd.com
Gentry Bieker: feedback@GentryB.com
Sybex strives to keep you supplied with the latest tools and information you need for your work. Please check their website at www.sybex.com, where we’ll post additional content and updates that supplement this book if the need arises. Enter the book’s ISBN—9780470289044 and click Go to get to the book’s update page.
Chapter 1
Overview of Microsoft SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 2008 is a very complex product. It definitely deserves a little bit of introduction. Even if you have been working with SQL Server for quite some time, you might find some new features and nuances in the product that may catch you off guard, but they might delight you as well. In this chapter, we will focus on where SQL Server fits into the grand scheme of Microsoft architecture as well as its placement in your own computing enterprise.
In this chapter, you will learn to:
Use Architect SQL Server services in the typical IT environment
Install SQL Server 2008
Use the Microsoft SQL Server toolset
Implement other useful third-party tools
SQL Server in the Enterprise World
The authors of this book have been working with SQL Server for over a combined 28 years. Back in the early days, it was a struggle to defend the product. We came to SQL Server with the same background as many other PC developers of our age, having worked with Clipper, Access, and other similar products. But SQL Server was different, and it required a change of perspective from the older tools with which we worked. Because Mike had worked for IBM, he had some previous experience with mainframes. Both Mike and Gentry also did some work with Oracle. However, SQL Server was definitely new territory compared to some of these older tools.
We quickly discovered, by playing with the product and trying to put it through its paces, that SQL Server had a lot of potential, but it still had a long way to go. Part of the problem was developer education. Many of the problems that we came across were the result of developers trying to build applications with SQL Server using the same mindset and techniques that served them well during the Clipper days. Obviously, SQL Server was not Clipper. Some things had to change.
SQL Server 2008 has come a very long way since those days when we first started to kick the tires, but one thing has not changed: the need to understand the big picture. SQL Server is a “big picture” product. Somewhat like an aspen grove where all of the trees share a common root system, SQL Server is integrated tightly with many other services and layers in the typical Microsoft-based IT environment. It is not strictly for storing user data any more. The sooner you grasp that, the better you will understand the logic behind the product, its architecture, and the direction that Microsoft is going with SQL Server.
The Need for an Enterprise System
Most people reading this book should have some prior experience with SQL Server. To that end, we do not need to explain the rationale for enterprise data access. Our data is the lifeblood of our business. Some of the authors’ work has been done in heavily regulated industries such as insurance and casino gaming. In those environments, the need for data archival, the types of reports produced, and other data requirements are often dictated by governmental and other regulatory bodies. Without the data and programmatic resources to support those requirements, the organization cannot function.
As we stated previously, in the early days of SQL Server, it was somewhat difficult to defend it as a truly enterprise product, but starting with the 2005 release, SQL Server started to challenge that perception. The key, though, is to effectively match your business’s enterprise-level requirements with the features that SQL Server brings to the table. The job is always easier if you are using the right tool. Some of the typical enterprise data requirements of an organization include:
Interoperability In many cases, SQL Server data must be available to applications outside of your Microsoft Windows infrastructure. With the strong presence of mainframe systems, UNIX and Linux environments, Java platforms, etc., data interoperability requirements may be extensive.
Performance Performance often means different things to different people. To the end user, it is typically about how fast they can get their data. For an administrator, the primary concern is maximizing overall throughput. These are often conflicting goals, and the database system must be able to balance them.
Security The integrity of your data is only as good as your ability to secure it, but security these days goes beyond the typical authentication/authorization issues of the past. We must also be able to manage encryption processes, backup security, etc., while at the same time being proactive to prevent the security exposures of tomorrow.
High Availability What good is having the data if it is not available to the people who need it when they need it? A good enterprise framework must ensure that we have adequate redundancy and the means to minimize downtime. Every second that the data system is not available can mean lost revenue, and in some cases, legal repercussions.
Automation The more complex and larger a system becomes, the more important it is to be able to automate routine tasks and proactive maintenance to ensure that data availability and integrity is maintained. Otherwise, the typical database administrator (DBA) will be completely overwhelmed with day to day maintenance.
Centralized Reporting Storing data isn’t much use if you can’t get data out when you need it in the formats that you need. A number of reporting environments are available. Whichever one you use, it is essential that the reporting tier be efficient, be flexible, and have the lowest possible footprint in terms of resource consumption.
This is a pretty short list. Off the top of your head, you could probably double this list right now. In order to be of any real value, a database system must be “enterprise ready” and not just a data engine with a collection of unrelated supporting services. That won’t work in today’s IT environment.
So, if SQL Server 2008 is our enterprise solution, how does it address these and other issues?
Another random document with no related content on Scribd:
The Project Gutenberg eBook of A vörös daru
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.
Title: A vörös daru
Author: Sári Ferenczi
Release date: January 1, 2024 [eBook #72580]
Language: Hungarian
Original publication: Budapest: Athenaeum, 1919
Credits: Albert László from page images generously made available by the Hungarian Electronic Library *** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VÖRÖS DARU ***
FERENCZI SÁRI
A VÖRÖS DARU
BUDAPEST, AZ ATHENAEUM IRODALMI ÉS NYOMDAI R.-T. KIADÁSA
1919
A BORÍTÉKOT BATÓ JÓZSEF RAJZOLTA.
9616. – Budapest, az Athenaeum r.-t. könyvnyomdája.
I. FEJEZET.
Milyen is az a daru?
1814 októberében beteljesedett az ország legbuzgóbb, legfőbb óhajtása és egy hétfői nap estéjén, I. Ferenc császár megérkezett Budára.
Másnap már reggeltől fogva audienciát tartott. Saját huszárezredének egyenruhájában, kegyesen fogadta hű magyarjainak hódolatát. Valamennyit elbűvölte szíves mosolyával, apró igéreteivel, elragadó kedvességével, mindmegannyi jutalmával annak a sok-sok áldozatnak, mit a hosszú napóleoni háborúk alatt hozott az ország vérben, pénzben.
Pest ujjongva fogadta a császárt és lelkesedve készült az orosz cár, meg a porosz király megérkezésének ünneplésére. Másnapra várták őket, izgatott türelmetlenségben égtek a szívek, és kis polgárasszonyok megmámorosodva álmodtak arról, hogy holnap császárok veszik észre őket. A sorsnak minden lehetősége ott izzott a levegőben. Napoleon Elba szigetén van és eljött a béke. Eljött a béke, hogy ezer csudával árassza el Európát, eljött a béke, hogy visszahozza az elvesztett vagyonokat, és elpusztítson jogtalanul szerzett kincseket, eljött a béke, hogy letörölje az özvegyek könnyeit és dédelgető apja legyen az árváknak. Eljött a béke, mindent fölülmuló boldogságot igérő jóltevője a világnak, eljött és elhozza majd biztosan minden igért kincsét Pestre is, hiszen itt a császár, itt a magyar király és a Magyar Kurir november 1-én megjelenő számában mindenki olvashatta széles e hazában, hogy: „Az
atyáskodó fejedelem mindjárt az első nap azzal mutatta meg kegyelmes gondviselésének indulatját, hogy reggeltől fogva délután két óráig, a hozzá folyamodó hív alattvalóit hallgatta“.
Zsúfolva is volt a nagy terem, hatalmasok és kicsinyek, szegények és gazdagok lesték a pillanatot, hogy szemtől-szembe lássák a császárt és előadhassák kéréseiket. Csataképek díszítették a palota várótermének falát, de minden ütközetnél nagyobb ütközetet készültek vívni sorsukkal a jelenlevők, akik izgatottan köhécselve ismételték magukban mondanivalójukat. Nagy devócióval gyönyörködtek közben, a falmelletti díszes asztalok üveglapján álló porcellánfigurákban, melyek ilymódon teljesítették hivatásukat, minthogy a bécsi gyárból azért kerültek ki a császári család apró, színes szobrocskái, hogy finoman hódoló tiszteletet ébresszenek az alattvalók szívében.
Délután két óráig mindenki bejutott a császárhoz. Nem egy díszmagyarba öltözött hazafi lépte át zord arccal a fogadószoba küszöbét és hagyta el néhány perc mulva ragyogó mosollyal. Ferenc nagyon jól értette, hogyan kell megpuhítani egyéniségének varázsával az elégedetleneket.
Az alakokkal díszített teremben, melynek falait németalföldi kárpit borította, a vörös bársonytrón előtt, fekete karosszékben ült a császár, kin sötétkék, zsinórozott, feszes huszárruha volt.
Hosszú, sovány, borotvált arcán kisimult minden ránc, magas, keskeny homlokáról eltüntek a történelemben annyit emlegetett híres redők és szétálló zöldesszürke szemébe mosoly költözött.
Az ilyen népszerű audienciákat élvezte a császár, csak az államügyeket nem szerette, a nagy eszmék és mélységek iránti érzék hiányzott belőle. Titkos óráiban talán egy kicsi, politikai gondolatoktól alig érintett, német fejedelemségről álmodott, ahol mint igazi Landesvater, íróasztala mellől, maga intézi országa ügyeit, ahol mindenről értesülhet, ami birodalmában történik és a legutolsó asszonyi pletyka szálait is ő gombolyítja fel fehér, karcsú, fejedelmi
ujjaival. Egy ilyen országban glóriát is font volna homloka köré népének hálája és egyenként boldogított alattvalói sohasem egyesültek volna ordító tömeggé, hogy jogot és alkotmányt követeljenek tőle.
Két óra felé azért nagyon elfáradt Ferenc császár. Annyi idegen arcot látott, annyiféle panaszt hallott, hogy belekábult. Hosszú ujjú keskeny keze vértelenül, lankadtan pihent a szék karfáján. Egy pillanatig senki sem jelentkezett, már azt hitte, nincs is több kérelmező, midőn az ajtó ismét megnyilt és egy nagyorrú, feketekabátos, különös fiatalember borult lábaihoz, olyasformán, mint színpadi királyok elé, véres drámákban a halálraítéltek.
A császár elnevette magát és az ifjú előadta kérelmét. A pesti német színház hősszerelmese volt, az udvari színházhoz való szerződtetéséért könyörgött és hogy bebizonyítsa művészetét: nagyon szeretett volna valamit szavalni. Ferenc kegyes hangulatban volt és azt mondta neki, hogy csak szavaljon.
– Ibikusdarvai– harsogta a színész.
Az első tizenhat sort türelmesen végig is hallgatta az uralkodó, de aztán intett, hogy elég. Mindent megígért a fiatal nagyorrúnak és az audienciának vége volt.
A császár átment dolgozószobájába, végigfeküdt kerevetén és lehúnyta a szemét.
Gróf Sickingen, kedvence és belső kamarása, az ablaknál állt. Bizalmas barátja volt a császárnak és míg a várkert októberi köntösét nézte, a fejedelem rendes, gúnyos, száraz megjegyzéseire várt. A császár azonban ezúttal furcsa kérdéssel lepte meg:
– Milyen az a daru?
Sickingen közelebb lépett a császárhoz:
– Hogy jut eszébe felségednek most ez az állat?
– Szóval, azt sem tudja, hogy madár? – nevetett Ferenc.
A gróf nem jött zavarba, azért is szerette őt a császár, mert igazi jó barátja tudott lenni.
– Ha eddig nem tudtam, most már tudom és köszönöm felségednek a tanítást. Majd megnézzük valami könyvben, hogy milyen madár. A kis főhercegek preceptora biztosan tud róla felvilágosítást adni, mindjárt átküldök József nádor őfenségéhez, addig kérem felségedet, kegyeskedjék türelemmel lenni.
Sickingen ezzel kilépett a mellékszobába, melyben két fiatal szolgálattévő kamarás unatkozott.
– No mi újság gróf, hova sietsz? – kérdezte egyik, egy fiatal huszártiszt.
A gróf előadta a császár kívánságát és a szőke főhadnagy elnevette magát:
– Láttam én darut eleget életemben, tudom jól, milyen. Lőttem is nem egyet.
– Nagyszerű, pompás, akkor azonnal gyere őfelségéhez.
Most már megszeppent a szőke Hardenegg Rudolf gróf. Csendes, szerény fiú volt, önérzetes, becsületes és érzékeny lelke került minden feltünést. Azonban hiába szabadkozott, egy perc mulva már ott volt a császár előtt, és merev, katonás tartásban, lángvörös arccal adta elő, amit a darvakról tudott.
Ferencnek tetszett a világoskék dolmányos szép palatinus huszár, tetszett előkelő tartása, nyugodt modora és talán még jobban tetszett, hogy az izgalomtól annyira nekipirult az arca, míg császárjával beszél. Ma fogékony volt az ilyesmi iránt. Türelmesen hallgatta végig őt, aztán halkan nevetve jegyezte meg:
– De hiszen akkor láttam már darut, van a schönbrunni állatkertben. – Aztán gondolkozott kissé:
