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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/34764-8.txt b/34764-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dfc83fe --- /dev/null +++ b/34764-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9972 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Quisisana, by Friedrich Spielhagen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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 + + +Title: Quisisana + or Rest at Last + +Author: Friedrich Spielhagen + +Translator: H. E. Goldschmidt + +Release Date: December 27, 2010 [EBook #34764] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK QUISISANA *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the Web Archive + + + + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + 1. Page scan source: + http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924031341906 + + 2. The diphthong oe is represented by [oe]. + + + + + + Q U I S I S A N A + + + OR + + + REST AT LAST + + + + + From the German of F. Spielhagen + + + BY + + H. E. GOLDSCHMIDT + + + + + ONLY TRANSLATION SANCTIONED BY THE AUTHOR AND BY + THE INTERNATIONAL LITERARY ASSOCIATION + + + + + NEW YORK: + JAMES B. MILLAR & CO., PUBLISHERS. + 1885. + + + + + + + TROW'S + PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY, + NEW YORK. + + + + + + + QUISISANA. + + + I. + + +"Why have you roused me, Konski?" + +"You were lying on your left side again, sir," the servant, who held +his master clasped by the shoulder, replied, as he completed the task +of restoring him to a sitting posture on the sofa; "and you have been +drinking champagne at dinner, more than a bottle, John says, and that +surely is ..." + +Konski broke off abruptly, and turned again to the travelling boxes, +one of which was already unlocked; he commenced to arrange its contents +in the chest of drawers, and went on, apparently talking to himself +rather than to his master-- + +"I am merely doing what the doctor has insisted upon. Only last night, +in Berlin, as I was showing him to the door, he said: 'Konski, when +your master is lying on his left side and begins then to moan, rouse +him, rouse him at once, be it day or night. I take the responsibility. +And, Konski, no champagne; not for the next six weeks, anyhow, and best +not at all. And when you have once got into Italy, then plenty of water +to be mixed with the wine, Konski, and ...'" + +"And now oblige me by holding your tongue." + +Bertram had remained sitting on the sofa, his hand pressed to his brow; +he now rose rapidly and strode impatiently about the room, casting +every now and then an angry glance at his valet. Then he stepped to one +of the windows. The sun must be setting now. The high wooded hills +yonder still shone forth in sunny splendour, but the terrace gardens +sloping towards the valley, and the valley itself, with the village +within, lay already in deepest shadow. The picturesque view, the +graceful charm of which he was wont to appreciate so heartily, had no +charm to-day for his dulled brain. Konski was quite right; the +champagne which he had to-day taken for the first time since his +illness, in direct defiance of the doctors injunctions, had not agreed +with him. Well, he had taken champagne because his throat had got +unbearably dry from much talking, and he had talked so much because the +frequent pauses in the dinner conversation were making him nervous. The +whole thing had been a positive bore; the genial host, the fair hostess +had surely fallen off, changed sadly for the worse during the last +three years. Or ... could he possibly have changed himself? Did he +really begin to grow old? If you get seriously ill at fifty, you are +apt to go downhill with startling rapidity! + +This had been the second emphatic _memento mori_--after an interval of +twenty years! The first--the first had been her work. Aye, and she had +kissed him a thousand times, and had vowed deathless fidelity yonder on +the mountain-slope, where the giant oak still lifted its mighty crown +of foliage above the bronze-coloured leafy roof of the beeches. Why the +deuce did they always give him these rooms? He'd better ask Hildegard +this very evening for other rooms--at once, before that blockhead +Konski had unpacked everything. + +"Leave these things alone," he exclaimed, turning round from the +window; "I do not intend to remain in these rooms. I do not intend to +stay here at all, I think. We shall probably be off to-morrow." + +Konski, who was already deep in the recesses of box number two, +believed he had not heard aright. He lifted his head out of the box and +looked in amazement at his master. + +"To-morrow, sir? I thought we were to stay a week at the least." + +"Do what I bid you." + +Konski replaced, the shirts which he was holding in the portmanteau and +rose hastily from his knees. His master was evidently in a very bad +temper; "but that kind of thing never lasts long with him," Konski was +saying to himself, "and then the champagne ..." + +Aloud he said-- +"You can be sure, sir, that there won't be much trouble about the +officers who are going to be quartered here. I know all about it from +Mamsell Christine. Only a colonel, a major, a couple of captains, and +some six lieutenants or so, and perhaps a surgeon-major. None of our +princes, and certainly none of theirs. A mere handful for a large place +like this; they'll be lost, like currants in a bun. And you can remain +in these rooms, where we always have been, and you'll see none of them, +for I don't suppose they'll have this blessed man[oe]vre in the garden +below." + +"I do not know at, all what you want with your everlasting +man[oe]vres," Bertram exclaimed angrily. + +He had gone back, to the open window, through which there came a strong +current of air. Konski went and closed the door of the adjoining room, +then stepped up to within a certain respectful distance of his master, +and said modestly, lowering his voice-- + +"I beg your pardon, sir, but what does it matter, after all, if Miss +really comes ..." + +"What do you mean?" Bertram said without turning round. "What has that +to do with my going or staying? Why should the little one not come?" + +Konski rubbed up his stiff black hair with a certain sly smile, and +said-- + +"Not Miss Erna; the other lady--who is never allowed to come when you +are here." + +"Lydia? Fräulein von Aschhof? Are you mad?" + +Bertram turned round with the rapidity of lightning, and now uttered +these words in a rough tone, whilst his eyes, generally so gentle, +shone out in great anger. Konski was frightened; but his curiosity was +greater than his terror. He would gladly have at last learned the real +truth about the young lady who was not allowed to come when his master +came on a visit to Rinstedt, and whom he had therefore never yet seen, +although in the course of years he had accompanied his master half a +dozen times. But he was once more doomed to disappointment; his master +had suddenly become perfectly calm again, or at least preserved the +appearance of perfect calmness, and now asked in his usual voice-- + +"From whom have you got your information? Of course from Mamsell +Christine?" + +"From Mamsell Christine, of course," Konski made answer. + +"And she got it from My Lady?" + +"From her Ladyship direct." + +"And when is the lady expected to arrive?" + +"This very evening, along with Miss Erna; and there will also come a +Baron Lutter or Lotter--I could not quite make the name out; they +pronounce things so queerly here in Thuringia." + +"Well, well!" + +Bertram now remembered that Hildegard, his hostess, had at table +mentioned more than once the name of the Baron von Lotter-Vippach. Of +Lydia, too, although he made it a point never to be drawn into +conversation about her, she had again and again commenced to speak; +clearly, as he perceived now, with the intention of preparing him to +some extent for the intended surprise. But My Lady had reckoned without +her host. This was a downright want of consideration; nay, worse, it +was a breach of good faith. There was no reason why he should put up +with it, and he did not mean to put up with it. + +"Where's the master? and where is My Lady?" he asked aloud. + +"The master has ridden over to the coal mines; her Ladyship has gone +into the village. They left word that they would be back before you +were awake again; and you had not lain down on your left ..." + +"That'll do. Into the village, did you say? Give me my hat." + +"Please take your overcoat too, sir," said Konski; "there's a nasty +mist rising from the valley, sir; and the doctor, he did say that if +you caught cold now, sir ..." + +Bertram had put his hat on, and waived the proffered garment back. In +the doorway he turned, and said-- + +"Do not trouble about the boxes. We leave again in an hour. And one +thing more. If you say one word to Mamsell Christine, or to anybody in +the house, now or later--you understand me--and I hear of it--we +part--for all that." + +He had left. Konski was now standing by the open window scratching his +head, and the very next minute he saw him striding swiftly down the +garden. + +"Upon my word!" he murmured; "who'd think that six weeks ago he lay at +the point of death?--And off this evening again--an hour hence! Not if +I knows it. First, I must settle my little business with Christine, and +that is not to be done all at once. Christine says that at that time +the Fräulein would have nothing to say to him. I can't make it out. +Twenty years ago he must have been a very handsome fellow; why, he is +so almost still. Nor was he a poor man even then, though, of course, he +has inherited lots since. I am devilish keen about seeing the old maid. +One thing is sure and certain, she will arrive this very evening." + +Then he cast one dubious look at the boxes. Perhaps it was taking +needless pains to unpack them. + +"But, but--he'll surely think better of it--he is not the one to run +away from any woman, even if she should number forty years or +thereabout; and--and ..." + +And so the faithful Konski, after having given a most incredulous shake +of the head, set to work, and continued to unpack his master's +travelling boxes. + + + + + II. + + +Meanwhile Bertram, had already crossed the bridge which spanned the +brook at the bottom of the garden terrace, and was hurrying along to +the village along the line of meadows. His hostess, Hildegard, had said +at dinner that she meant to-day, like every Thursday afternoon, to +visit her newly-founded Kindergarten; so he thought there would be no +difficulty in finding her. He had been a frequent visitor at Rinstedt, +and knew every lane in the village; and the Kindergarten, they said, +was on the main road, not far from the parsonage. Well, and what did he +mean to say to Hildegard when he met her? First, of course, make sure +of the facts. But there was little need for that. Konski was a smart +fellow, who was not likely to have made a mistake; and then he was on +such excellent terms with the omniscient Mamsell Christine! He would +ask her what had induced her to break through the agreement to which +she had now adhered for the last twenty years. And yet--what a needless +question! Why, women are never consistent! And in such things they +always like to assist each other and work into each other's hands, even +if they are by no means specially fond of each other. And now it seemed +as if there were special fondness between these two. His beautiful +hostess had, quite contrary to her wont, sung Lydia's praises in every +possible variety of way! And then, take the fact that she had sent her +own daughter to Lydia's _pension_, and had left the girl there in the +small _Residenz_ for three years. Poor Erna! Fancy her for three years +under the care of that crazy woman! Poor Erna--the beautiful creature +with the great, deep, blue eyes! That should never have happened. It +was a positive insult to him. He had urged every argument against it; +had found out a supremely suitable place in Berlin for her; had offered +to undertake careful personal supervision; had urged them to confide +the child to his care, to give the child an opportunity of seeing +something of life under its larger, nobler aspect. And they had said +yes to everything; had thanked him so very much for his exertions, his +kindness; and at the last moment they had contentedly plumped back into +the beloved mire and stagnant waters of the pettiness of life in the +small _Residenz_. To be sure, My Lady herself had been brought up in +that social quagmire, and still cherished with plaintive delight +recollections of bygone splendour, and mourned in secret over her own +hard fate which had not permitted her, like Lydia, to sun herself all +the days of her life in the immediate rays of princely favour, but had +doomed her to marry a man who was not nobly born--a man rich enough, +forsooth, but bearing the unaristocratic name of Bermer, and having +friends of similarly unaristocratic names, to whom, for all that, one +had to be civil. Yes, a real Baron--a Baron von Lotter-Vippach--would, +of course, be infinitely preferable! And fancy her, fancy My Lady +forcing the Baron's company upon him after he had expressly urged that, +being only half convalescent, he needed perfect repose; and would, if +they were to have company in the house, rather in the meanwhile deny +himself the delight of seeing his old friends, and would come to them +in spring instead on his return from Italy! + +Yes, something like this he would say to his beautiful hostess, in +perfect calmness and good temper, of course, only tinged with a touch +of finest irony.... And this new building by his side--why, it must +surely be the Kindergarten! + +So it was. But the girl who was in charge of the children who were +playing on the garden-plot in front of the building, said to him, in +answer to his question, that My Lady had left half an hour ago; had +gone to the parsonage, she thought. A couple of boys who were running +about told him My Lady had gone to the village-mayor along with the +parson. + +The mayor's farm was situated at the opposite end of the village. +Bertram started off in that direction, but before he had got half way +he bethought himself that the parson would probably walk back with +Hildegard, and that in that case he would of course have no opportunity +of speaking plainly to her. So he turned back, determined to wait for +her near the parsonage, which she was bound to pass on her way home. +And yet, how could he wait? He could not tell whether he would have +time left to carry out his intended flight; nay, every moment brought +Lydia nearer, every moment he must expect to see the carriage whirl her +past him where he stood. What? was he to stand here like this, and be +compelled to bow to her? Never! To the left a narrow lane led direct to +the forest, which, higher up, almost bordered on the mansion-house. +This road back was somewhat longer than the one he had come by, and was +steeper too; but anyhow it was much shorter than the carriage-drive, +for that branched off from the high road in the main valley at the +entrance to the side valley, thus intersecting the whole length of the +village, and ultimately wound its long serpentine road up the high hill +crowned by his friend's stately mansion. This way he would gain an +advance of a good half-hour anyhow. It was to be hoped that his friend +and host, Otto Bermer, had meanwhile returned from the coal mines; they +lay in the opposite direction. He'd make a clean breast of it to Otto, +and make Otto take his farewell compliments to My Lady. Poor Otto! "The +grey mare was the better horse," no doubt; and poor Otto would not +relish the task; but what was to be done? And did not he, Bertram, +anyhow enjoy the doubtful reputation of being selfishness incarnate! +Well, then, this done, they would swiftly get some conveyance or other +ready for him. If required, Konski could stay behind with boxes and +such-like impedimenta; and in two or three hours' driving, first +through the forest, to avoid the danger of meeting her, then along the +high road, he would reach Fichtenau. He was fond of Fichtenau. There he +would rest in that evergreen dale for a few days, and recover from the +fatigue of the journey and from this day's manifold annoyances. Anyhow, +he would have escaped from Lydia, have broken away from the snare which +those women had set for him! He owed this satisfaction to himself, and +perhaps the reflection would smooth the rough forest path he had now +entered upon. + +For it was rough, was that path; much more so than he remembered it +being formerly. Much rougher and much steeper too; in fact, most, +most--abominably steep. Never mind; by following the tiny brooklet +which was murmuring in the glen by his side, and which fell into the +big brook in the valley below, he must speedily reach the little bridge +leading to the opposite side; and then a smooth, or at least a fairly +smooth, path would lead him on to the mansion. + +What on earth could she have to do, she and the parson, at the mayor's? +Something, probably, about getting appropriate quarters for those who +were coming to the man[oe]vres; to be sure, My Lady, never idle, must +needs take an interest in everything! Or perchance it was some +charitable purpose, something for the sick, for the poor; in the +pursuit of such noble aims My Lady never spared herself now, that is +never since Royalty had set the example, and made it fashionable! And +anyhow, it was hardly polite, in one so uniformly polite as My Lady, to +leave the house and walk right away to the far end of the village with +one guest already in the house, and with other guests expected every +minute. Possibly--possibly My Lady was not unwilling to avoid the one +guest; and the others, to be sure, must needs drive past the mayor's +house. What more natural than, in such a case, to enter the carriage +that brought the new guests; whilst driving with them through the +village, what more simple than to give a confidential hint or two, just +the merest suggestion, as to the treatment of the bird which she had +captured--oh, so cleverly! No, no, My Lady--not captured yet ... not +yet! + +But where was the little bridge? It ought to have appeared long ere +this. What! Climb down the steep glen, get your feet wet in the brook +below, and climb up again the opposite side? Perish the thought! Why, +everything seemed to go against him to-day! + +At last. And a broad new bridge too. And pair fully rustic, with +elaborate rustic ornaments of curiously entwined and intertwisted tree +branches. And, worst of all, such a confounded bit higher up the stream +than where the old bridge had been. + +And the path on the opposite side, too; new, new like the bridge, new +and fashionable, a regular promenade path; belonging, no doubt, to the +elaborate system of paths which his noble and beautiful hostess had for +years woven, like a complicated network, through the woods around. Of +course, like Charlotte in the "Elective Affinities," the fair +châtelaine must needs have that passion for beautifying everything; +like Charlotte, but not, oh dear! no, with any tender _penchant_ for +her husband's well-born friends. Well, well! He himself had never +doubted the unapproachable virtue of My Lady: what if she now, tried +her gentle hand ever so little at this, surely it was only the outcome +of the excessive goodness of her chaste, and cool, and philanthropic +heart.... Heart! ... And oh the wretched pain, the horrid, horrid +sensation in my own heart. Who the mischief could be philanthropical if +he felt like this? Perhaps this insane running and climbing has brought +on a relapse. The story might then close where it began, and fair Lydia +would come just in the nick of time to see that when people talk of a +broken heart, they are not necessarily talking nonsense.... What +rubbish, though! If my heart breaks, it will be because it has got some +organic fault, and because I took champagne when I should not have done +so. + +He had dropped upon a bench by, the wayside, and there he crouched, +almost bent double, pressing his handkerchief to his mouth, to prevent +his moans from being heard in the silence of the darkening woods. + +The attack passed away. Gradually the agonising pains grew less. With +the physical anguish much of the fierce passion into which he had +worked himself passed away too. In its stead he felt a terrible +heaviness, a dull languor in all his limbs, and there was a sort of +stupor about his brain. + +Supposing it had given way, he mused. Fancy, sitting alone here in the +wood, a dead man, for goodness knows how long, and then terrifying a +poor wretch who chanced to pass this way first! This was not a pleasing +thought. But this anyhow would have been the worst. Death in itself he +did not dread. Why should he? Death was but the end of life. And life? +His life? If he could say that his living harmed no one, except perhaps +poor Konski whom he sometimes tormented by his wayward moods--yet, on +the other hand, it gladdened no one, least of all himself. The few poor +students or struggling artists would have their allowances paid out to +them for the time fixed, whether he lived on or not, and a few public +institutions were welcome to divide the residue between them. All that +would be settled in the shortest and most business-like manner. Never a +tear would be shed by any human being, unless perchance by old Konski. +But no; it was impossible to think of the good, easy-going fellow in +tears. + +He was sitting at the foot of a spreading beech tree. A crow, perched +on the top, uttered a shriek. + +Bertram looked up with a grim smile. "Patience!" he said. + +But it was not on his account that the crow had uttered that cry, but +probably because somebody was approaching. He saw a lady coming down +the side-path which led from the forest direct to his bench. Again, +this convulsive pain at the heart! But he forced himself to look again; +and no, it was not Lydia. Lydia was taller, and her blonde hair was of +ashen hue; this lady's hair was dark, very dark. And the style of +walking, too, was different, very different: an easy, even, step, +making it appear as if she were floating down the somewhat steep path, +although he could see the movement of the feet beneath the light summer +dress. And now she had come quite close to him. She gave a little +start, for, gazing up to the shrieking crow, she had not noticed him, +and he had sprung up somewhat abruptly from the bench. But in a moment +she was collected again, and the flush faded as quickly from her cheek +as it had spread. + +"Is, it possible?--Erna!" + +"Uncle Bertram!" + +There was something wondrously melodious in the voice, but not the +slightest trace of the glad emotion which he himself had experienced +which he himself had experienced on seeing his darling. His heart +contracted; he would fain have said: "You were wont to give me a +different reception;" but he blushed to face the young beauty as a +beggar, and letting, go her hands, he only said-- + +"You did not expect to find me here?" + +"How could I?" was her reply. + +"To be sure!" thought Bertram. "How could she? What a silly question of +mine!" + +He knew not what next to say, and, in some embarrassment, he stood +silent. The crow above had been silent during the last half-minute or +so, and now commenced to croak, abominably. Both had involuntarily +gazed up; now they were, walking silently side by side along the path. + + + + + III. + + +The evening was closing in around them. Through the thick undergrowth +of wood which bordered the path on both sides but little light could +penetrate; overhead the leafy crowns of the beeches interlaced and +formed an almost continuous roof. At a certain abrupt declivity a few +rough steps had been placed. + +"Will you take my arm. Uncle Bertram?" said Erna. It was the first word +spoken between them since, several minutes ago, minutes which had +weighed like lead upon Bertram, they had left the bench under the beech +tree. + +"I was just going to put the same question to you," he replied. + +"Thanks," said Erna. "I know every step here; but you--and then, you +have been ill." + +This might, of course, have been meant in all friendliness; but there +was a coldness about the tone, something like giving alms, Bertram +thought. + +"Have been," he made answer; "but quite well again--quite well." + +"I understand you are going to Italy for the winter--for the sake of +your health." + +"I am going to Italy because I hope I shall be rather less bored in +Rome than in Berlin--that is all." + +"And suppose you are bored in Rome too?" + +"You mean, bores are bored everywhere?" + +"No, I do not mean that; indeed, it would have been most disagreeable +on my part had I meant anything of the kind. I only wanted to know +where people go to from Rome, if they desire still to travel on. To +Naples, I should say?" + +"To be sure. To Naples, to Capri! In Capri there stands amidst orange +groves, with sublimest view of the blue infinity of the ocean, a fair +white hostelry, embowered in roses, Quisisana. Years ago I was there, +and I have longed ever since to be back again. _Qui si sana!_ What a +sound of comfort, of promise! _Qui si sana!_ Here one gets well! Even +those who ate fairly well, physically, have something to recover from. +Why, life itself--what is it but a long disease, and death its only +cure?" + +Another pause. He had intended that there should be no new break in +their conversation and yet the very words he had just uttered, still +under the impulse of the invalid's peevish humour, were little likely +to induce the beautiful and taciturn girl by his side to talk. He +wanted to make heir talk. It never occurred to him that her silence was +due to a lack of ideas, or even to shyness. Quite the reverse. She +interested him more and more every moment, and he was strongly +impressed that he was dealing with a girl of marked individuality, +reposing securely in her own strength. Of her whom he had known and +loved as a child, and whose image he had cherished in fondest, truest +memory, never a trace! + +"You know, Uncle Bertram, that you are going to see Fräulein von +Aschhof--Aunt Lydia--to-night?" she resumed abruptly. + +Bertram started. That name--from her, fair, chaste lips--had a doubly +hateful sound. + +"I know," he answered; "not from your parents, but I know." + +"They will have shrunk from telling you," Erna continued. "Mamma was +most reluctant to sanction Aunt Lydia's coming; but Aunt Lydia begged +so very hard to be allowed to see you once more, and she thought that +now, when you have been so very, very ill, and when you are going away +for such a long time, you might be in gentler mood. And yet she was +afraid to encounter you. She grew so nervous as we were driving along, +that I believe she was uncommonly near getting out and leaving us to +continue the journey without her. At last I could scarcely bear to +witness her uneasiness any longer, and I felt considerable relief when +I got out myself in order to walk across the hill--from Fischbach, +don't you know--and as I was coming along, I was debating whether, if I +reached home before them, I might not beg you to be a little friendly +towards auntie. You ... but I am not sure whether to go on ..." + +"I beg you will do so." + +"I only wanted to add: you owe it to her." + +"Do I?" + +"I should think so; for her only fault has been that she has loved you +and still loves you, and you ..." + +"My dear child, I beg you will go on without any shyness. I am anxious, +very anxious, you should do so." + +"And you ... left her, after you had been engaged for a whole year!" + +"And then I wrote her a letter of renunciation, did I not? And the poor +forsaken one, in her despair, engaged herself within four-and-twenty +hours to Count Finkenburg, who had long been vainly suing for her hand? +And the old gentleman was so enchanted that scarce a week after he died +from rapture and paralysis combined, without even having time to +remember his fair bride in his will! Was it not so?" + +"Let us change the topic, Uncle Bertram," Erna replied. "I hear from +your words and from your tone that you are excited, and I now feel +doubly how awkward I was in turning our talk, for auntie's sake, to a +subject I ought to know nothing of, and which I certainly should never +have mentioned." + +"I cannot let you off like that, alas! my child," Bertram said in +reply. "I must still ask you from whom your information is derived. +From Fräulein von Aschhof, of course?" + +"I cannot find it unnatural," Erna said, "if Aunt Lydia, in the +excitement she has laboured under ever since your visit here was +announced, and since she determined to see you again, has unburdened +her overflowing heart to me, and has told me all which--or the greater +part of which--I knew or guessed. And she has urgently entreated me not +to repeat a word of this to you, and I am sure she is convinced that I +would do nothing of the kind. But I gave her no promise, for I have +always been very fond of you, Uncle Bertram, very, very fond; and I was +so sorry that you ... that I now could no longer be fond of you. I have +always in my heart taken your side, when they were saying that you were +cold and selfish, and cared for nobody but yourself. I have always +thought: he has never found any one worthy of him! And now I know all, +I should like to say: perhaps Aunt Lydia was not worthy of him either; +she has many qualities which I do not like at all--but she would surely +have turned out differently if you had not betr ... had not forsaken +her. How can a girl remain good, if she is forsaken by the man she +loves! How can she, if her heart is easily touched, become aught but a +coquette, and assume manners that people will laugh and jeer at; or, if +she be proud, and ashamed of her misfortune, she must needs grow cold +and heartless, and full of contempt for all men, nay, for all mankind!" + +The calm, low voice had remained the same to the very last word, but in +striking contrast to that calm and that self-control there was the +passionate gleam of the great dark eyes, which now looked up to Bertram +with wondrous firmness, such as the ancients may have imagined the gaze +of the gods--"whose eyelids quiver not, like those of mortals." + +The narrow path had widened to a glade; there they stood for a few +moments gazing in each other's eyes; and Bertram felt the fascination +of that wondrous firmness, felt, too, that no consideration could +condemn him to stand before those eyes as a contemptible wretch, and +that, at any cost, he must tear to pieces the dark curtain which +unscrupulous lies had woven and spread between her and him. + +He took her arm, as though to make sure that she would not escape from +him, and, striding swiftly along, and almost dragging her with him, he +said-- + +"And now hear me, too, and despise me, if you still can do so after you +have heard me! Forsaken, did you say, forsaken and betrayed? Yea, +verily! But she it was who practised the treachery--most infamous, most +horrible treachery, with never the shadow of an excuse for it, if +indeed anything ever can excuse treachery. I loved her--I will not say +more than ever man did love--I know not how other men love--I only, +know, that I loved her with the best and purest strength, of my heart. +I was no longer a youth when, at your parents' wedding, I made the +acquaintance of your mother's friend. I was almost thirty years +of age, and was living, as you know, in Leipzig as a mere private +scholar--_Privat-Gelehrter_ they call it. I had planned my scheme of +study on a very great scale, and, being very much, in earnest about +science and art, as indeed about all things I take up, I was wont to +devote years to tasks which other men, with less time or more genius, +accomplish in as many months. Moreover, I had what I required for the +expenses of living, perhaps even a little more--I, am not given to +paying attention to that kind of thing. Now everything became changed +at once. I loved her, I fancied myself loved in return. We had met here +again, and, more than once, and had become engaged, though at first, +and at my own special request, in all secrecy. I comprehended that a +man engaged to so high-born and gifted, a girl as Lydia von Aschhof, +must needs be something better than a mere obscure private scholar, and +I readily 'pulled myself together,' determined to reach my goal. Some +time, of course, was required before my great work could be completed. +Some time; too much for her patience. Perhaps she doubted its ultimate +success. Perhaps she cared naught for the success, notwithstanding the +enthusiasm which she pretended to feel for my efforts, notwithstanding +her being so very kind as to assure me a thousand times that my genius, +my talent, had made her my captive, and would hold her my captive, yea, +though a crown were laid at her feet. As it turned out, no princely +crown was needed; only a plain coronet--and one surmounting a grey, +decrepit head into the bargain. Oh! she wrote me a most touching, most +generous letter of renunciation. 'I am but hindering you in your lofty +striving; an artist, a scholar must be free, unshackled; your fame is +more to me than my love,' and so on, and so on. Two or three pages +more, high-sounding phrases in daintiest handwriting, concluding, of +course, with the announcement of her new engagement, by which, as by a +_fait accompli_, she must needs assist her wavering heart. + +"The letter was written from here, from Rinstedt. I hurried to the +railway; at the last station I got hold of a vehicle. When we got to +Fischbach, the poor overdriven steeds could not get on any further. By +the shortest, steepest path I climbed to the top of the Hirschstein, +the hill you have just come by; here, on the top, I fell down like one +dead. I gathered myself together again, and staggered on, on, until I +reached your father's house. She must have had some foreboding that I +would not submit to this in all patience; she had left your father's +house an hour before, driving to Fichtenau, taking the road by which it +was impossible for me to come. Afterwards I came to be grateful to her +for her circumspection and her precaution, for I think I must have been +simply raving mad; and it was well for both of us that my power was +broken, that I could not pursue the fair fugitive, but had to remain +here, a burden on your parents, sick unto death, given up by the +doctors, until some six or eight weeks' after, I surprised them all by +recovering, enabled to live on as best one can with a sorely wounded +heart--and a heart injured, not in the physical sense alone. What good, +do you think, did it do me whilst I was struggling with death here, and +afterwards dragged myself on crutches through the terrace-gardens, that +my work had appeared, had taken the world by storm, and made me, once +for all, what they call a famous man? What good that, just at that time +a childless old miser of an uncle took it into his head to die, and +that, in default of other heirs, his whole huge fortune fell to me? I +had had enough of the lying and cheating of humanity. Fame, love--I +cared no longer for these things. I became what I am, what my +acquaintances know me to be, what they have called me to you--a cold +egotist. What if for all that I do not cross my hands idly in my lap +but work on, and now and again utter a word of freedom which others, +less independent, might lack the courage to utter; or if I start and +encourage works of general utility; or if here and there I help some +lame dog over a stile; these things I surely do not for the love of the +Lord, nay, solely, so as not to lose that modicum of self-respect which +belongs to the indispensable stock-in-trade of a discreet egotist. And +talking of self-respect, dear, I begin to perceive with pain that I am +lessening the aforesaid modicum considerably in telling you all this. +For, in affairs of the hearts a gentleman should always spare the lady +the utterance of the first word and leave her the last, and if she +asserts that he is Don Giovanni and she Donna Elvira, why, he has but +to bow and thank her for assigning so brilliant a part to him. And now, +my dear child, now try to be fond of your garrulous old uncle once +more, will you not?" + +The girl made no reply. A feeling of shame had gradually stolen over +Bertram as he spoke, and he had tried in vain to weaken it by +concluding with a semi-humorous turn. Now this feeling grew intensified +by Erna's silence. How had, it been possible for him to forget himself +so far as to reveal to a young girl, one almost a child still, one +without comprehension for such sad, ugly, painful experiences, the +deepest secret of his heart--a secret which he had trained himself to +pass by, as it were, with his own face turned away? And he had told of +this, to a girl who stood to the object of his vehement denunciation in +the peculiarly tender and delicate relation of pupil! How mean, how +ignoble of him! He had acted like a raw, immature lad! He wished +himself a thousand miles away; he cursed his want of determination, +inasmuch as he might have left the place abruptly an hour ago, and thus +have escaped all this horrible confusion. Now he must needs depart at +once, this very evening, if possible without seeing, without speaking +to, a soul; most certainly without entering upon any explanation +whatever. He had just tasted the delight of such explanations, and it +would be long before he lost the bitter after-taste of them!... + +They were quite cleat of the wood now, and were approaching--walking +across some meadow land--a tiny gate in the thick old wall, which led +to the courtyard. + +Suddenly Erna said, "And you have told nobody all this?" + +"No," he answered; and it cost him a curious struggle to get the one +brief word--out. + +They passed through the tiny gate; it was almost dark in the yard now. +Before the entrance to the house stood a large open travelling +carriage; servants were removing the belongings of the travellers who +had already alighted. Through the main gate, on the opposite side, a +cart, laden with the heavier articles of luggage, was entering. + +"Uncle Bertram," whispered Erna. + +Just as they were about to cross the threshold of the tiny gate she had +seized his hand with gentle pressure. He had involuntarily stopped. +Again she was gazing up at him, but not now, as before in the wood, +with a stern expression. Was it a reflection of the radiance of the +young moon, just then rising above the gloom which was enfolding the +buildings around--or could it be tears that glistened in the great +eyes? + +"You want to leave us, Uncle Bertram?" + +"Who told you so?" + +"It matters not. You want to leave us?" + +"Yes." + +"Stay! Pray, stay--for my sake!" + +She dropped the hand which she had clasped until now, and hurried +across the yard to the mansion-house, while he ascended the stairs to +the side wing where his own rooms were situated, his whole soul full of +the image of this wondrous girl, whose words, whose looks, had so +potent a spell over him, that he no longer seemed to have a will of his +own as against hers. + + + + + IV. + + +His master's long absence had at length commenced to disquiet faithful +Konski considerably. True, he knew from his ten years' experience that +he need not pay much attention to any orders that master gave him when +in a state of great excitement; and, of course, the later it grew, the +more improbable it became that the departure, although announced, would +really take place; but then, supposing some accident had happened to +him? The doctor in Berlin had most strongly urged him to take every +possible precaution lest, during the first few weeks anyhow, his master +should over-exert himself in any way--and master had hurried down those +terrace steps like one possessed! And all on account of this infernal +old maid who was never allowed to visit at this house when they, master +and he, were here! Oh, why had he not held his silly tongue, and not +brought the great news at once to his master! + +He would have liked hurrying after him into the village, but dared not +leave his post. And now their host came in and inquired for master, and +seemed greatly concerned when Konski, to soothe his own anxiety as it +were, hinted that his master had not been over pleased when told that +additional guests were expected; and Konski added, as a sort of +conjecture of his own, that he had probably gone out for a walk, so as +to avoid having to be present at their reception. And meanwhile My Lady +had returned and had sent for him, and Konski had to repeat to her +Ladyship--for whom he entertained the most confounded respect--what he +had already told her Ladyship's husband; and her Ladyship had looked so +hard at him with those piercing brown eyes of hers, that he was jolly +glad when he was back at his post of observation at the lobby-window, +whence he could survey the whole extensive court-yard. And there--an +open carriage was just entering it; only two people in it--a lady and a +gentleman--thank Heaven, one lady only! In the gathering twilight +Konski could not distinguish, the lady's features or figure, but, if +there was only one lady, why, who could it be but dear Miss Erna? And +from her, master was not likely to run away; and all was well now, if +only he himself were safely back. + +The door below was opened. Konski heard his master's step upon the +stairs and hurried to meet him, joyfully telling him all that he had +observed; and did master know already that Miss Erna was the only lady +who had arrived? + +His master had thrown himself into an arm-chair in the sitting-room, +where careful Konski had already lighted a liberal supply of candles, +and was staring hard in front of him, passing at intervals his hands +over brow and eyes. Suddenly he sat bold upright and said: + +"What did you say?" + +Poor Konski had said nothing at all during the last few minutes, but +inquired now whether his master would not dress for supper; he thought +it was getting quite late enough. + +Bertram rose and passed into the adjoining bedroom where Konski had +laid out such a costume as he deemed appropriate for the occasion. He +lent him the necessary aid, and marvelled greatly that his master, who +was wont to talk to him during the process of dressing more than at any +other time, did not say a single word to-night. Another curious thing +was this: quite contrary to his custom, the master looked hard at +himself in the mirror again and again, and, strangest sight of all, he +pulled and twisted his moustache about! However, seeing that master, +though looking very grave, did not appear either annoyed or angry, +Konski was quite satisfied. To-night then, anyhow, their departure need +not be provided for. + +There was a knock at the door. Their host entered as hurriedly as was +consistent with his being so very stout. + +"Thank Heaven that you are here!" he exclaimed, shaking both his +friend's hands again and again, as though he had been 'long looked-for, +come at last!' "Thank Heaven; we have been quite frightened about you. +Hildegard was very angry that I had left you alone. I said to her, +'Why, he is not a child, requiring to be watched at every step;' that +is to say, I did not actually say so in so many words. I ... thought +so. My wife is terribly nervous to-day. I had told her at once ..." + +Here he noticed the servant's presence, and in some embarrassment broke +off abruptly. Bertram having now completed his toilet, the two +gentlemen left the room together. As they were walking through the long +passage which led to the main building, his host put one arm round his +friend's slender waist and said confidentially, lowering his voice by +way of precaution-- + +"I had told Hildegard at once that you would be annoyed; at least I did +not say so in so many words, but I--hinted it, for, you know, my wife +cannot beat contradiction; and I soon found out that the two women, +between them, had determined that the meeting should take place. Now +Erna tells me--she is a darling, is she not? a little peculiar, a +little odd, but always good to me; how nice that you met on the +hills--well, Erna tells me that you were not particularly angry that +Lydia had accompanied her; that is to say, Erna does not know anything +of the old stories, or has only heard some vague rumours that you +cannot bear each other, or that you cannot bear Lydia. Never mind, it's +all the same now; only tell me that you are not particularly angry." + +"I was at first, but I am so no longer." + +"That's all I ask for. And after all, old chap, well, misunderstandings +and all that sort of thing! But the blame is sure to be yours, or +almost entirely yours. Why, it's always the man who is to blame, eh? I +should know that much, having been married these twenty years!" + +He laughed. Bertram, to change the conversation, asked where the others +were. + +"The ladies are on the verandah; the Baron was still in his room when I +came away." + +"By the by," Bertram asked, "who is this Baron? You were talking about +him once or twice at table, but I confess I hardly listened." + +"Lotter?" his friend said. "Look here; you'll like him immensely. +Stunning fellow, Lotter. Has read every mortal thing; plays the piano; +paints--portraits, landscapes, anything you like. Has come home to do +some painting; studies at our academy, don't you know?--and is a +constant guest at Court, of course." + +"Does he belong to these parts?" + +"Oh; dear no! hails from Würtemberg. A very, very old family; +Lotter-Vippach. His father was a General, I believe; his uncle a +Minister of State; that sort of thing, don't you know? He has been in +the army himself; was in the '70 campaign. But he is a bit of a rover. +Has been up and about a good deal; in Algiers, South America; that, +sort of thing. I pressed him to come and stay here during the +man[oe]vres, to help me to do the honours, as I never was in the army +myself. He is awfully anxious to make your acquaintance; has read all +your works and--and--but where on earth are our ladies? I'll go and +look. You stop where you are; do not come out bareheaded." + +The last words had already been spoken in the garden saloon, the great +French windows of which, leading to the verandah, stood wide open. His +host had hurried off to look for the ladies, and Bertram, left alone, +strode up and down in the large, half-darkened room. Had he not, +perhaps, yielded all too readily to Erna's command? If obedience was to +be easy to him, nay, if it was to be at all possible for him, she ought +to have stayed by his side. And now her very image was gone from his +inner eye, and its place had been taken by her whom he had once so +passionately loved, as if twenty years had not gone by since he last +saw her, as if she had only passed a minute ago with her beautiful +friend and hostess into the garden, thence to return immediately under +some pretext or other, to rush to his embrace, to shower hot, +passionate kisses upon him--here, in this very saloon, as she had so +often, so often done--here, where the faint fragrance of violets still +seemed to float, that she was so fond of, and which in those days he +was ever associating with her presence! + +He was standing in the semi-darkness, his back turned to the verandah; +a gentle rustling sound was coming up the steps. He turned. Framed in +by one of the doors against the brighter background of the evening sky, +appeared the shadowy outline of a lady, lingering a moment or two on +the threshold, then hastening with raised arms towards him, as he stood +motionless, spellbound. + +Before he could prevent it, she had sunk on her knees before him, had +seized his hands which he was involuntarily stretching forth to lift +her up, and now she was pressing them to her bosom, to her lips. A +dense cloud of violet perfume came floating up to him. + +"Mercy, Charles, mercy!" + +"I entreat you, My Lady, ... for Heaven's sake ..." + +He had been barely able to stammer out these words; he felt the most +acute physical anguish at his heart; cold beads of perspiration stood +upon his forehead; ice-cold were the hands which Lydia had held till +then, and which now she dropped, terrified, rising as she did so from +the ground. + +"My Lady!" she murmured, "My Lady ... Ah, I knew it!" + +The convulsive pain at his heart had ceased now; it beat on, but +slowly, heavily; even so his anger and pain were giving way to +compassion. + +"Let bygones be bygones," he said. + +"If it were possible!" whispered Lydia. + +"It must be possible." + +She knew from his gentle but firm tone that, for the moment, she dare +go no farther; and though she had to confess to herself that she had +been deceived in her fond hope of reconquering his affections by one +grand assault at starting, something was secured anyhow, and something +desirable and even necessary--a fairly satisfactory footing when they +met in society. + +"The dear voice!" she whispered; "the old, dear, gentle voice! But ... +those hard, cruel words! Yet I have no right to complain, and I will +not lament; it must, indeed, be possible!" + +Much to his relief Bertram was spared the necessity of replying, for +his host and hostess were just then coming in from the garden, +accompanied by Erna and Baron Lotter. At the same moment a servant +opened the folding-door which led to the dining-room; the two gentlemen +were introduced to each other; the Baron offered his arm to the lady of +the house, Lydia was clinging to the master, and thus Erna fell to +Bertram's share. They were lingering a little behind the rest. + +"How good you are!" whispered Erna. + +"Am I?" he made answer. "I feel most contemptible." + + + + + V. + + +In very truth the feeling that he had done wrong in thus opening his +heart to Erna had come back in renewed strength to Bertram, since he +had to admit to himself that he had emphatically broken his own dictum +that bygones were to be bygones. The past was no longer a secret +between those concerned; and what would henceforth happen--each word, +each look which they exchanged, all, all would have a sense, a meaning +for somebody else--for the beautiful girl who was so grave beyond her +years, the girl with the great, still, godlike eyes. + +Thus Bertram was profoundly in earnest when he declined to accept +Erna's praise; but, anyhow, he hoped that the worst was over now. + +How greatly he was mistaken in this, came most painfully home to him +with the first stolen glimpse which he ventured to take of Lydia's face +in the pitiless radiance of the bright candles which shone upon the +round table in the dining-room, where he sat opposite her. Was that +really ... Lydia? Or had some mischievous imp, by cruel witchcraft, put +a caricature of herself in her place, and changed the picture of the +bright and gifted girl, overflowing with jest and fun, with humour and +wit; the girl with the somewhat irregular but most piquant features, +with the big, light-blue, mischievous eyes, fresh and rosy of colour, +with wild, fluttering, blonde locks, into the picture of an aging +coquette, for ever pouting her thin lips, even when she laughed, so as +to hide her false teeth; now lowering, now lifting her eyelids, like an +actress, in vain endeavouring to give some light to her eyes--a light +as treacherous as the all too bright pinkiness of the lean cheek, the +all too dark carmine of the ears, adorned though they were with +sparkling diamonds? An ugly old woman, who now let the gold embroidered +white silk shawl glide from the scraggy shoulders, only to draw it up +again immediately and attempt a more picturesque drapery--which was not +a success, so that the game had to be renewed forthwith! + +And he had once loved this painted, dressed-up, revoltingly coquettish +person; had loved her with the best, purest strength of his heart, as, +but a little while ago, he had assured Erna with passionate eagerness. +It was horrible! Would Erna believe that yonder withered shrub had ever +blossomed in vernal brightness and beauty? How could she believe it, +when she looked at the friend of Lydia's youth, her own mother, whose +majestic beauty was barely touched by Time in his flight? Her great +brown eyes had lost none of their velvety softness, her raven hair +still shone in undimmed splendour. And if the difference in appearance, +in manner, was now so great between the two ladies, must it not always +have existed? And must not the taste of a man, whose feelings could at +any time have led him so far astray, have been at all times most +lamentable? + +And if the pitiless brightness had brought so terrible a discovery to +him, how would he himself appear before Erna's searching gaze? Had not +some horrible change taken place with him too? Why, these twenty years +had altered Erna's father, who at college had been rightly surnamed +'The Beauty,' into an excessively stout gentleman, with a somewhat +bloated countenance, and a mighty skull, which was getting painfully +bald in the region of the temples! And he himself had never been +distinguished for personal attraction; true, his hair was as dark as +ever; and, before supper, in the glass, he had thought that he saw a +pale and grave, but not a worn, face. But then the complaisant mirror +of vanity might make one fancy one saw all sorts of things. No doubt +Lydia had just such a mirror in her room! + +Bertram felt more and more sad at heart. He no longer dared lift his +eyes, but kept them fixed upon the plates, which the servants changed +without his having tasted any of the dishes to which he helped himself +mechanically. So he sat on, scarcely hearing a word of the +conversation, which was principally carried on by Lydia and the Baron. +Apparently they were talking about some Court affairs, and very amusing +and piquant they would appear to be. Anyhow, there was much laughter, +chiefly on the part of Lydia and the Baron, and My Lady held up her +hand once or twice, and reminded the two of the respect due to the +Grand Ducal family. Then the conversation touched upon the approaching +man[oe]vres, and the Baron proclaimed his minute knowledge of every +detail, and endeavoured to explain to the ladies, with the help of +spoons and forks and what not, the original positions both of the +attacking party and the attacked, and duly weighed the various events +which might or must occur, according whether the commanding officers +did or did not take certain steps. Under any circumstances, the +decisive portion of the sham-fight must come off in the immediate +neighbourhood of Rinstedt itself, if not in Rinstedt itself; +unfortunately, the ground being singularly unsuitable for cavalry, the +ultimate issue would lie between artillery and infantry. He himself, +said the Baron, having formerly been a cavalry officer, was very sorry +for that; but, anyhow, the ladies, could look forward to a glorious +sight. What, a pity, he added, that in spite of his having so many +friends in the army, he did not chance to have any personal +acquaintances among the officers of this particular regiment. + +"Well, I know a number of them," said the host. "The 99th were +stationed at Erfurt until a twelvemonth ago. I used to meet the +officers over and over again out shooting." + +"Then," said the Baron, turning to Lydia, "you must know some of them +too. They are sure to have attended some of our Court balls." + +"Of course," the lady replied; "and they were also in the habit of +coming over in shoals to the play; but who is to distinguish one red +collar from another? Not I! I love plain, quiet, civilian colours. Ask +Erna; she is sure to know. She spent six weeks last summer with her +Aunt Adelheid in Erfurt, and there the officers, are constantly coming +and going. Is it not so, Erna?" + +"You are forgetting," said Erna, "that aunt was in mourning at the +time. Of course there were no parties then." + +"But still," the Baron observed, "people go to a house without being +actually bidden to parties, inspire of the family being in mourning, if +there are six marriageable daughters in it, as is the case in your +aunt's house." + +"Possibly; then my power of discriminating between different red +collars is not more strongly developed than Aunt Lydia's; anyhow, I do +not remember any one of the gentlemen." + +This was uttered in such a stern tone, as of one who would decline to +pursue the subject, that Bertram looked up involuntarily. Her dainty +features were perfectly composed, but the blue eyes, which she was +bending upon him, not upon her interlocutor the Baron, seemed to have a +deeper radiance than that of suppressed annoyance. This was the first +time that their looks had met across the table, and a curious thrill +passed through his frame. He felt the hot blood surging to his temples; +and to mask his growing embarrassment, he asked who was in command of +the regiment in question. + +"Colonel von Waldor," the Baron replied promptly. + +"I knew an officer of that name," said Bertram, "long ago, in Berlin; +at that time he had been told off to the Military Academy of that town. +For some years I kept up a correspondence with him, but somehow I lost +sight of him afterwards. But I rather think that was not his regiment?" + +"No," replied the Baron. "You are quite right; he used to be in the +210th. He got the colonelcy of the 99th about a year ago. He made quite +a name for himself in the '70 campaign." + +"Even at the time I recall, my friend was considered a very smart +officer," said Bertram. + +"No doubt, no doubt," replied the Baron; "it must be the same man. As +far as I know, there are not two Waldors in the army, at least not +among regimental commanders, for I think I know all their names by +heart. Your Colonel is a queer fish, anyhow." + +"What is a 'queer fish'?" asked Lydia, touching the Baron's arm with +her fan. + +He laughed, and said: "Well, that question is more easily asked than +answered." + +"Then, pray, do not answer it at all," said Hildegard, the hostess, +glancing at her daughter Erna. + +"Why not, my Lady?" the Baron exclaimed. "It is harmless enough to let +the facts speak, and it is a fact that Waldor who--I do not know him +personally, but Dr. Bertram will assuredly confirm my statement--was +known throughout the army not only on account of his gallantry, but +also on account of his manly beauty, and who had consequently broken +countless hearts, is still a bachelor." + +"You say 'consequently,'" exclaimed Lydia, "and consequently you think +very meanly of our sex." + +"How so?" + +"Well, you seem to assume that manly beauty suffices to touch--or, as +you are pleased to call it, to break--female hearts. Alas, my dear +Baron, how little do you know our sex!" + +"I beg a thousand pardons--but I really said nothing of the kind. Venus +and Mars--the alliance of valour and beauty, you know--your poets know +something of this. Why, there is a poet here among us--let him speak up +for me!" + +With these last words the Baron had turned to Bertram; his tone and the +accompanying gesture had something insultingly patronising about them; +in fact, in Bertram's eye the whole demeanour of the young man, +almost a giant in stature, was saturated with an arrogant sort of +self-complacency, which seemed to take unanimous applause for granted. +Nevertheless he replied with calm politeness: + +"I neither consider myself a poet, nor am I, to the best of my +knowledge, considered one by anybody who has read the few miserable +trifles in verse which I published years ago." + +"I protest against this most emphatically," exclaimed Lydia. "I have +read those 'miserable trifles in verse,' as you call them--what a +horrible expression. I know them by heart, and I consider the author to +be a poet--a poet by grace divine." + +"I am extremely obliged to you," replied Bertram. "However, surely what +a man is born for is wont to announce itself, sooner or later, in a +man's own heart. With me that voice is absolutely silent; and, +therefore, I might surely claim the right of refusing to give the +evidence required of me. But not being specially qualified, and being +absolutely impartial, I would fain warn my friends not to repose +overmuch confidence in poets on that particular point. Anxious for the +applause of the many, as their trade seems to demand, they accommodate +themselves but too readily to the taste of the many, who, as we all +know, like very children, seize eagerly upon anything bright, +glistening, motley-coloured. Therefore, why should they not picture the +heroine as beautiful beyond compare, the hero as valorous beyond +comparison, and heap any number of additional titles to fame upon their +blessed heads! Whether one quality does not perchance exclude another, +whether the measure dealt out does not, anyhow, exceed all that is +reasonably possible--dear, dear, there are few who'll ask that +question; and if any one does, why, then, he is a pedant, and for +pedants the heroes of romance have no existence, any more than real +heroes have for their valets." + +"Oh! you scoffer--you wretch!" exclaimed Lydia. "Why, you will prove +next that beauty, that valour, that every virtue in the world, belongs +to the region of romance. What a terrible thing scepticism is! But our +friend was ever thus. Did I not say a short while ago: Hildegard, I +cannot believe that he has changed; he cannot change! And behold, he +is exactly what he always was!" + +"Well, that's coming it pretty strong, seeing it's twenty years since +..." + +The corpulent host had laughingly given utterance to these words, then, +feeling his wife's dark eyes bent upon him in stern disapproval, he +broke off abruptly with Ahem! poured some wine into his own glass, +which was but half emptied, and then wanted to know why the gentlemen +present were not doing justice to the wine that night. + +Bertram, wishing to relieve his friends in their evident embarrassment, +came to the rescue, saying, with smiling, easy politeness: "Fräulein +von Aschhof only proves by her kind assertion of my immutability, that +she is indeed looking upon the world and mankind with a poetical eye. +But let us remember this--the poets themselves allow only the fair sex +to participate in the pleasing prerogative of the calmly careless ever +youthful gods; and the poets may venture on this deception, because the +listener is willing to be deceived. 'Breathes there a man with soul so +dead,' who ever ventured to count up the years of an Antigone, an +Iphigenia, a Helena? They are what they were--else they are not. But, +even the poet's flattering arts cannot keep the man from aging; and if +the poet would grant perennial youth to a man, he must needs let him +die in his youth--like Achilles." + +"I protest against this theory," Lydia exclaimed eagerly. "I assert +that heroes age as little as heroines." + +"Even that," Bertram replied with a smile, "would not help me, seeing +that I am no hero, assuming even that you were right. But I may be +permitted to indulge in some humble doubt. At best the hero of the +Odyssey appears distinctly as a man of mature age,--to put it +mildly,--and Pallas Athene must practise upon him her divine art of +beautifying before she ventures to introduce him among the Phæaci." + +The Baron was meanwhile playing with his spoons and forks again; he was +evidently annoyed at having been so long kept out of the conversation. + +Bertram went on as though he did not notice it at all; he very surely +was not speaking for that fellow's sake. He only cared to clear himself +in Erna's eyes from any suspicion that he, like the aged coquette +opposite him, was laying claim to a juvenility which had gone by for +ever; and seeing those eyes steadily bent upon him, he took heart of +grace, and went on in the same tone of easy, good-humoured banter-- + +"Göethe, a modern, and in this case a tragic, poet too, in his +Nausicaan fragments, wisely forebore to bring in that art of +beautifying, which is only lawful for the epic poet in his antique +naïvety, and in order to bridge over the mighty difference and distance +of years, and to change the evidently improbable into something at +least credible, he takes refuge in illusion, causing it to arise from +the child's very heart, like a fog enveloping those pure eyes, that +clear mind-- + + + 'That man must ever be a youthful man, + Who is well-pleasing to a maiden's eyes.'[1] + + +Thus the aged nurse, taking the unspoken words, as it were, from +Nausicaa's chaste lips. A touching saying, touching, like children's +belief in the omnipotence of their parents! And about that +youthfulness, which exists nowhere except in the glorious dreams of a +young, inexperienced, generous soul, well, Göthe has told us something +with exquisite humour, not, as true humour indeed never is, without a +touch of melancholy, in the novelette of the man of fifty. Poor old +Major! I have always been heartily sorry for him. Remember how he begs +the services of the valet (skilled in the use of cosmetics) from his +friend the great actor; how that adroit official uses his balm, and his +stays, and his wadding for the aged gentleman, and yet cannot save the +diseased front tooth, and certainly cannot keep fair Hilarie from +falling vehemently in love with young Flavio, solely because she sees +him in raptures with the clever widow, solely because in Flavio's +raptures she beholds for the first time a representation of genuine, +ardent, youthful passion. All this is as true as it is charming, as +charming as it is melancholy, at least for the reader who is in a +position to test the hero's experiences and sentiments by his own +sentiments and experiences." + +"Of course; 'there's no fool like an old fool,' and I suppose that +really is the final outcome of the whole business," said the Baron. + +"How dare you talk of things you know nothing about, you prosaic +individual?" exclaimed Lydia, bringing her fan down upon the giant's +arm. "There is no talk of old people here. A man of fifty is not old, +he is in the prime of life, and is often ten times younger than your +used-up so-called young gentlemen. But I must really say something for +Göthe against our 'learned friend.' Yes, yes, my friend, I know the +novelette well; I read it aloud to the Court barely a week ago. Who +bids you take a comedy in that tragic way?--for the novelette in +question is a comedy--a 'Comedy of Errors.' Hilarie fancies she is in +love with the uncle, and really loves Flavio; Flavio fancies himself in +love with the young widow, whilst really he loves Hilarie; and how the +Major--well, I think the final scene at the inn proves emphatically +that he had only turned his feelings to--to--to--the wrong address, if +I may venture upon the expression; and that he and the clever widow +subsequently became a happy pair is perfectly clear to me. Or, do you +think not?" + +A warning glance flashed from Hildegard's dark eyes. Lydia positively +blushed through her layers of paint. She had shown her hand too +plainly! + +Bertram struggled successfully against a strong inclination to smile; +nay, curiously enough, something like pity for her indiscretion stirred +within him. He went on-- + +"To be sure, you are right, right, above all, in calling the novelette +a comedy. How little Göthe cared to have a tragic conflict is evident +from the fact that he chose circumstances as favourable as possible for +a happy conclusion, and that he from the very beginning secured a line +of retreat for every one concerned. The Major is the uncle of Hilarie, +the only daughter of his widowed mother, and he has doubtless acted the +part of father to her--has, up till now, loved her as his own child. +His rival, in whose favour he resigns his claims, is his own only son, +to whom he is also very much attached, and with whom he is on excellent +terms, whom he in fact treats like a comrade. Again, behind Hilarie, as +she vanishes from him, stands as it were the young widow; and in her +arms the Major will speedily forget the small humiliation. And lastly, +and this seems to me to be the chief point, Göethe has wisely avoided +to introduce the one element whereby he would have been enabled, nay +compelled, to turn the comedy into tragedy; he has ... but I beg pardon +of our fair hostess for being so garrulous. To be sure, it is high time +we rose from table!" + +Truly enough, the turn which the conversation had taken had, for Erna's +sake, been unwelcome to her mother. So she seized the opportunity and +rose from table. Erna, who had sat without turning her gaze from +Bertram, took a deep breath, like some one who is being recalled from +deep dreams to the consciousness of present realities, and followed the +example of the others. She and Bertram were the last couple that left +the dining-room on their return to the garden-saloon, which had +meanwhile been lighted up, and Bertram thought she was walking very +slowly--on purpose. + +"What was the one element, Uncle Bertram?" she asked. + +"What one element?" + +He knew what she meant; but he had broken off at table, because he +himself dreaded the utterance of the word. So he delayed his reply, and +just then his host appeared, bringing cigars: the gentlemen might smoke +on the verandah, whilst Lydia would give them some music. + +"You remember, Charles, do you not," he went on, "the _sonata +pathétique_--that used to be your favourite piece? And Lydia has +practised it often since, I think." + +Lydia was ready. Bertram, however, begged to be excused from remaining. +He felt, he said, after all, tired with the day's journey, and it was +but the charm of their company which had made him forget that he was +still a convalescent. He barely gave Hildegard time to draw him aside, +and to say to him in a whisper-- + +"You really are most amiable. How good of you to take it so kindly. I +had not at dinner to-day courage enough to make my confession. Indeed I +have to confess, to say much to you--to-morrow ..." + +"To-morrow be it, fair friend," said Bertram, kissing the lady's hand, +bowing to the rest, and making hastily for the door. He had not reached +it before Erna was by his side. + +"You used to say good-night to me less formally." + +He did not venture to press a kiss on the proffered brow, but only took +her hand. + +The great grave eyes gazed at him as though they would fain read what +was passing in his inmost soul. + +"Good-night, dear child," he said hurriedly. + +"Good-night," she replied slowly, letting his hot, trembling hand glide +out of her own cool little one. + +"It is lucky," said Bertram to himself, after he had dismissed Konski, +and as he stood alone by the open window in his bedroom, "it is very +lucky, indeed, that it is not very easy to read what is passing in +somebody else's soul. She would have found queer reading!" + +He leaned out of the window and gazed into the darkness. Not a breath +of air. From the garden below the fragrance of mignonette was wafted +up; the brook murmured aloud; a thin white veil was spread over the +valley, with here and there a dim speck of light. The sky was +cloudless, of deep blue, almost black colour; the moon looked like a +mass of gold, and one solitary star near it shone forth in red +splendour. + +Bertram recalled just such a night, long years ago, when a friend, the +assistant-astronomer, had given Erna's father and himself the +opportunity of witnessing, from the Bonn Observatory, the transit of +that same star--Aldebaran--through the moon! Afterwards he had +accompanied Otto back to Poppelsdorf, and Otto had in his turn walked +back with him to the Pförtchen in Bonn; and so backward and forward, +all through the mild summer's night, until the light of morning had +come, and the birds were beginning to twitter in the leafy crowns of +the chestnut trees. And they had been raving of friendship and love--of +the love they both, most fraternally, cherished for one and the same +black-eyed beauty, the daughter of one of their professors, and they +had both been sublimely happy, all their misery notwithstanding, for +the black-eyed one was known to love another--"Great Heaven, how long, +how long ago? A generation, and more. And now ...?" + +"Now," he went on, "you are about to fall in love with the daughter +of the same man whom then you rivalled in absurdly exaggerated, +donkey-like phantasies--with a girl of eighteen, whose father you could +be. And this time you would not get off with raving incoherently for a +night of two, and with scribbling a few mediocre sonnets! Be +reasonable, old man. Let it go--let it go! You know full well you can +have no abiding place here, any more than the horseman in the +Piccolomini. Behind you, too, as you ride along, crouches the lean +companion and clasps you in his bony arms, and every now and again taps +at your heart, to test if it is still stupid enough to throb for a +beauteous maiden who is seated by the window among wallflowers and +rosemary. + +"And behind the curtain stands her lover, and bends across her, that +he, too, may look upon the mad horseman, who is stretching out his neck +to see his darling. And the clumsy fellow with the bull's neck wrinkles +his silly brow, twirls his mustachio, strokes his beard, mutters _Mort +de ma vie!_ and shakes his coarse fist. But she pouts, and giggles and +bursts out laughing, and falls on the neck of the jealous one ... + +"No, no; it cannot be! You only want to hear from her lips that it +cannot be. And then--away, away--ride out of the gate--to swift, +honourable death. And God's blessing on thee, thou gentle, lovely, and +beloved child!" + +He closed the window gently, and so to bed; to bed, but not to sleep. +He could not find that repose he stood so much in need of. The brook +murmured so loudly, or was it the hot bloody surging to his temples? + +And was he about to sink into slumber, he would start up again +immediately; he seemed again, to be holding her by the hand, and she +bent her forehead to be kissed by him. + +"No--no! Lead me not into temptation! Do not ask me what the one thing +is! I would not say it, even, if--what God forbid!--it were so. I will +not let you beguile me into a tragedy, any more than from one comedy +into another." + + + + + VI. + + +This thought, which had at length quieted Bertram's, wildly tumultuous +spirits, was also his first, when late next morning he awoke from deep +and dreamless slumbers--neither tragedy nor comedy! Calm and clear +observation, as best becomes a solitary individual who has done with +life; who neither hopes nor fears anything from Fate for himself; +maintaining a benevolent interest in the fate of others, where +benevolence is merited and interest is justified; cherishing throughout +the conviction that, after all, every one makes or mars his own life; +that interference and advice are rarely of much use, and generally +distinctly hurtful; and that, even under the most favourable +circumstances, the task of mediator is ever, of all tasks, the most +thankless. + +In the clear light of these contemplations and of the delicious morning +which was resting in sunny radiance above the lovely landscape, last +night's scenes appeared to Bertram like the confused darkness of a +feverish dream; nay, he derived some comfort from the thought that he +probably had been ill, and was therefore only partly responsible for +his extraordinary demeanour. Still, he was gravely responsible for one +thing--he ought sooner to have become conscious of his condition. He +might well thank his stars that in his excited state he had not behaved +even more strangely; above all, that to-day, for the first time since +his last long and severe illness, he felt as fresh and strong as in his +best days. Assuredly with the morning all things seemed to have become +better--much better than he could have expected--than he deserved! + +The master's disposition was singularly serene, and he gave it a most +friendly expression in the course of his toilet, showing himself ready +for a friendly gossip with Konski; but Konski, strange, to say, was out +of temper, and refused to be gossiped with. + +At last Bertram said: "What ails you? If you are displeased, at what I +said yesterday about our speedy departure, you may calm yourself. We +still remain here for the whole time we had originally arranged. I see +you have unpacked already." + +"We may leave to-day, for aught I care!" grumbled Konski. + +"What's up now? Out with it, Konski! You know I cannot bear sour looks. +Anything in connection with Mamsell Christine?" + +"Of course it is!" replied Konski; "and I wonder who's to keep from +sour looks under these circumstances! I had written to her that this +was to be my last trip with you, and when we returned from Italy in +March we might go and be spliced. I did not want to tell you at all, +but don't you see, sir, one gets older every year, and it has to be +some time or other, and ..." + +"And now you wish to marry at once, and I am to give you your +discharge?" + +"Marry at once, indeed!" sniffed Konski; "she won't marry at all +now--leastways, not me--and that, after we have been engaged these +five years! But there is no trusting them women, and especially the old +ones! She is five and forty years of age, she is,--a year older than I +am myself; and now she's going to marry a young greenhorn of five and +twenty!" + +It was some time before Konski, generally so calm and patient, could +explain in detail to his master how badly he had been treated. +According to his account, Mamsell Christine had written the tenderest +letters to him until a few weeks ago, and had declared herself +agreeable to all his suggestions and proposals; and now it appeared +from the statements of the other servants whom he had cross-questioned, +and whose evidence the faithless one could not but corroborate, that +she had been "carrying on" for a long while with one Peter Weissenborn, +who had formerly been head-gardener at Rinstedt, and who had been +settled in the neighbouring town for the last six months, and who was +now, it was said, likely to be appointed one of the Court gardeners, +thanks to the protection of the Herr Baron. The Herr Baron, Konski went +on, had also induced My Lady to give Mamsell Christine leave to quit +her service at any time without formal notice; and, indeed, the +servants all said, that the way to get My Lady's consent to anything, +was to get the Herr Baron on your side; that made success quite +certain. And My Lady was said to be quite in favour of this marriage +between Christine and the future Court gardener. In that case she would +always have two of her former servants at hand when she came to town, +and that was likely to be an event of frequent occurrence now; if, +indeed, she did not go to live there altogether, as some of the +servants asserted--Aurora, for instance--My Lady's maid, who was her +second favourite, next to Christine. + +Bertram endeavoured to comfort the poor fellow. He pointed out to him +that he should be glad to be rid of a person who had evidently never +meant honestly by him, and who would in all probability have been as +faithless in marriage as she had now proved before. This conviction led +him to reject any wish there might exist to get the matter rectified +again, as was done sometimes, and in much higher social circles too; +otherwise he would have been willing to use his influence with My Lady, +which presumably would have been at least as telling as that of the +Herr Baron. + +Konski shook his head. "I am extremely obliged to you, sir," said he. +"I am quite content if you will still keep me on, after I have proved +myself to be such a thorough ass. And, as far as talking to her +Ladyship goes, that would be in vain--the Herr Baron is cock of the +walk there. I could tell you a good deal more about that, but I know +you do not like that sort of thing!" + +Bertram was startled. The man's last remark could have but one meaning, +and the image of the girl among the wallflowers and with the jealous +lover, emerged in singular distinctness from last night's feverish +phantasies. He would fain have for once broken through his rule of +never going out of his way to listen to the gossip of kitchen and +servants' hall, but, as Konski did not volunteer any further remarks, +he was ashamed to put any direct questions. Just at that moment, too, +there came a knock, and a servant brought a message from her Ladyship. +She had learned that the Herr Doctor had risen, and might she request +the Herr Doctor's' company on the verandah to tea? + +Bertram lost no time in following the invitation. Hildegard, who had +been sitting in a shaded corner of the verandah at the deserted +breakfast-table, came forward to meet him. As she moved towards him +with well-balanced step, he could not but recall last night's talk +about the never-changing beauty of a poet's heroine. He gazed upon the +lofty figure in its youthful slimness, the clear, deep colouring of the +incomparably beautiful countenance, the blue-black splendour of the +ample hair, smooth at the temples, and crowning the glorious head with +a dense braid. + +There was a smile on her dainty lips, and if deepened a little as she +saw her guest's speaking eyes bent upon her in undisguised admiration. +She was making tender inquiries about the state of his health, leading +him the while to the table and making him sit beside her, with the +kettle bubbling in front of them. + +"Otto," she said, "is, as usual, somewhere about the estate. The Baron +is painting a portion of the village from the bottom terrace, and Lydia +is, I believe, keeping him company with a book. Erna, you will probably +find later on in her favourite place, under the big plantain tree. I +have sent them all away, because I so long to have a comfortable +confidential chat with you. Yesterday we did not manage to have one. +And first of all, dear friend, accept my hearty thanks for having so +kindly pardoned a breach of confidence of which I--not from choice--had +been guilty. Nay, do not refuse the expression of my gratitude. I saw +how hard you found it to appear unconscious and serene; I thank you all +the more. But I knew that with your wonted cleverness you would at once +find the only correct point of view--that of pity. Whatever has been +done and sinned between the two of you,--she is the one to be pitied. A +poor girl, growing old, even if she is in favour at Court; and although +the Grand Ducal family could not be kinder, yet all this cannot satisfy +the cravings of her eager mind--but I perceive that this is a painful +topic for you!" + +"It is not painful for me," replied Bertram; "or at least only so far +as the description of a dissatisfied, unquiet soul must ever be painful +for us, if it is hopelessly out of our power to bring satisfaction and +peace to it." + +"I understand you," said Hildegard; "and you will understand me when I +beg of you not quite to rob the poor soul in question of its utterly +foolish hopes to which it clings, alas! with incredible tenacity. You +can do this so easily: you need but be amiable and, courteous to her, +as you are to everybody--no more, but, to be sure, no less--do you +consent?" + +"I will try, since you wish it--on one condition!" + +"And this condition?" + +"I have come to the following determination--indeed, it is a matter of +course for me. In the drama of human life I will not henceforth ever +again leave, my well-won place in the stalls, and under no +circumstances will I take a part on the stage itself--no tragic +part--and still less a comic one!" + +"From the latter," replied his fair hostess with a smile, "you are +safe under any circumstances, through your own cleverness; from the +former----" + +"Through my age." + +"I meant to say, also through your cleverness; or, if you prefer it, +through the cool, unimpassioned frame of mind which you have grown +into, and which I often envy you!" + +Bertram looked up in amazement, and then quickly busied himself with +his tea-cup. Hildegard, to envy him his coolness! Hildegard, who had +ever appeared to him the very embodiment of conscious equanimity! + +"You may be surprised to hear this from me," she continued; "but must +we not all, sooner or later, learn the lesson of resignation? And my +time surely has come. Indeed, it has been so all my life. What have not +I had to resign in the course of my life! Or do you think that the +husband's wealth can blind the wife, if she be proud, to the +consciousness that she is not loved as she longs, and as, may be, she +deserves to be loved?" + +Bertram knew these phrases from of old; but he said to himself that +to-day particularly he must make the best of everything, so he +exclaimed-- + +"Is it possible, my friend, that you still cherish this hypochondriacal +fear which you have given utterance to before, but from which I deemed +you cured long ago? How can you complain of a deficiency in love, when +your husband positively adores you? You can utter no wish, simply +because what you could wish for is already fulfilled. Or you need but +have a wish, and it is forthwith fulfilled." + +"You are pleading for the friend of your youth," she made answer, +raising her dark eyebrows. "Do not forget this: I am bringing no charge +against him. I am resigned. Were I to die to-day, what would his loss +come to? What would he miss?" + +"The brightness of his life," Bertram replied gallantly. + +"As if he cared for the brightness of his life!" said his wife. "Is it +so? Does he share one of my fancies, my harmless _penchants_? Does he +not vainly strive to appear interested in the things of beauty with +which I love to surround, myself and to decorate our dwelling? Did he +not consent wit evident repugnance to have the mansion-house restored +in a style befitting a whilom princely residence--to let me seek out +and renew the old, tangled paths through the Park? Does he support me +in my humane undertakings? Have I not had to beg the few thousand +thalers from him that I required for my Kindergarten and for my +poorhouse? Why, he lives solely for his porcelain factory, his sugar +refinery, his coal-mines, his new railway project! I say again: I have +accepted all this as inevitable, and as a matter of course, as long as +I alone was concerned, as long as I alone suffered. But, indeed, to +bring Erna into this life of trivialities, to leave the dear child in a +sphere where she sees nothing, hears nothing, that could give the +slightest nourishment to head or heart, where anything and everything +revolves round Mammon, is sacrificed to Mammon--that is beyond me, +beyond my strength!" + +"Then, if I understand you aright, you wish, to get Erna married?" + +Through the soft, velvety radiance of the deep-brown eyes flashed +something like a deeper light. The question was evidently not +expected--at least not yet--but the next moment already her eyes had +resumed their customary expression, and she forced those beautiful lips +to smile, as she said, in a tone of gentle reproach-- + +"Let us express it rather less egotistically. I should like Erna to +find a husband worthy of her." + +"A most natural wish too! One which every mother cherishes for a +grown-up daughter. And as an old friend of the family I heartily join +in the wish, and do not for a moment doubt that we shall readily agree +as to what we shall expect her husband to be." + +"I am not so sure on that point." + +"Let us try anyhow. Firstly, he should be noble!" + +"That is not your conviction." + +"Then let it be a concession. If people wish to come to an +understanding they must be prepared to make concessions." + +"This concession I accept gladly. Go on, please." + +"He should not be a scholar by profession; but have a good--a man of +the world's--education, and a taste for the fine arts. In fact, we want +a cavalier, of course, in the best sense of the word." + +"Agreed." + +"He need not be wealthy. In fact, it would be preferable that he had no +fortune, he would in that case be all the more indebted to Erna." + +"Most true!" + +"He should not be a landed proprietor, or at least not a man who feels +it a duty and an absolute necessity to live in the country and devote +himself to agriculture. Best of all, he should have no definite +calling, or, anyhow, only one which did not impose difficult and +troublesome duties; say a position which should have it as a natural +consequence that the man in question moved in the best society, and +even came occasionally into pleasant contact with Court circles." + +"Best of friends, how strangely skilled you are in reading a mother's +heart!" + +"Let me, then, look to the very bottom of it, where possibly the name +of the individual in question is already written. If I read the +characters correctly, they form the name ..." + +"Now I am truly keen to know." + +"Baron Kuno von Lotter-Vippach." + +"Lydia has told you!" + +"No. Neither Fräulein von Aschhof nor any one else has spoken to me, I +give you my word of honour." + +"But it is most strange ..." + +"Why so strange? Am I not a very old friend, to whom you have many a +time talked on most important topics, and whom you have many a time +honoured with your most intimate confidence?" + +"Then it is all the better, all the more deserving of my gratitude; +and I thank you heartily, sincerely ..." + +She had seized both his hands; her beautiful countenance, now lighted +up with a flush of gladness, had never been more beautiful; yet to +Bertram it appeared like some hideous mask. + +"I cannot accept your thanks," he said, withdrawing his hands with +slight and very hurried pressure. "I could but do so honestly, if I +shared those wishes of yours which I have guessed. That is not quite +the case. The impression which Baron Lotter made upon me yesterday was +not specially favourable; to be quite open, the impression was +unfavourable." + +"That," Hildegard replied eagerly, "leaves me very calm. You men +seldom like each other at a first encounter, and at a second you find +one another charming. In the Baron's case no second encounter has even +been necessary; he overflows with your praises; he calls you the +cleverest and most amiable of men; he is charmed to have made your +acquaintance; and I am convinced that you, too, my friend, will soon +modify your judgment--I should almost like to say your prejudice--once +you come to know the Baron better. He is somewhat spoiled, like all +very handsome men; somewhat conceited, if you like; but at bottom very +modest, easily led, good as gold. He will please you, believe me, and +more than please you! You will come to esteem and love him!" + +"Is the more important question, to me the most important, already +settled? Does Erna think as favourably of the Baron? Does she love him? +For that he loves her, I must, I suppose, assume." + +"That is beyond all doubt," Hildegard made answer; "as for Erna, I hope +so, I believe so; anyhow she does not express herself unfavourably +about him, and that, with Erna, means a good deal, for she is not at +all easily pleased, and is not accustomed to conceal her dislike, if +dislike there be. It is of course difficult to form a correct opinion +of Erna's sentiments; doubly difficult for me, because she has +been so long from home, and we are not always in accord in our +views and tendencies. Again, in Lydia she has never placed full +confidence--which, by the by, I can scarcely wonder at. I only know one +being whom she thoroughly trusts--and you dear friend, are the one!" + +"I?" + +"Are you surprised to hear this? Surely not? Has not the child always +been so fond of Uncle Bertram, that we, her parents, might have grown +jealous? Has she not ever been your favourite? If she is so no longer, +for goodness sake do not let the poor girl see it. She would be +inconsolable." + +"Now, you are laughing at me." + +"Indeed, I am not. Ask Lydia. That Lydia often speaks of you, you will +find natural enough, and that now and again a word of bitterness slips +in, you will find pardonable. Erna does not pardon it. In her eyes you +are once and for good raised above all reproach. You are, as it were, +her ideal. It is a downright case of infatuation, and it goes so far +that she once assured us, with all a child's gravity--she was still +almost a child--that if ever she married, Uncle Bertram must be her +husband and she got quite angry when Lydia and I laughed at her." + +The beautiful lady smiled, and Bertram succeeded in forcing a smile +too. + +"How very funny," he said; "but then very young girls are proverbially +prone to conceive infatuation for some one or other of their masters, +and I think, in Lydia's eyes, I have always been one of her +instructors, in literature and what not. Poor girls! they give their +affections to old Mentor, but they mean young Telemachus. Well, and +there is apparently a young Telemachus on the stage already, if you +have seen aright." + +"Just to decide that point," replied Hildegard, "Mentor must not yet +resign his functions. On the contrary, I must entreat him most urgently +to help the mother with his clear vision and his advice, and to use his +old influence with the daughter. I may rely upon this, my trusty +friend, may I not?" + +She held out her hand to him with these words. He raised it +deferentially to his lips and said-- + +"You may rest convinced that Erna's well-being is dearer to me than +anything else in the world." + +Hildegard had wished and had expected another, a more definite, answer. +It was still doubtful whether she had really acquired an ally in him. +However, the main point was gained; she had taken the initiative, had +represented the affair from her own point of view, had appealed to +Bertram's friendship, had asked for his assistance, had given him a +proof of her confidence, which he would doubtless accept as +unconditional. This sort of thing is always flattering to a man, always +makes him feel indebted. Of course, a woman must flatter a man if she +would make him feel indebted. + +Just then it was anyhow impossible to obtain a more definite assurance +from Bertram, for the Baron and Lydia were ascending the main steps of +the terrace; the Baron, in his temporary capacity as artist, clad in a +costume of brown velvet, and a straw hat with a stupendously broad +brim, and Lydia in such a grotesquely fantastic morning costume as to +suggest the idea that she had been acting as model for some wonderful +sketch of the artist. And indeed she did figure upon the canvas, but +only as a bit of the foreground, which represented a portion of the +terrace, across which you looked down into the valley and at the +village, with the wooded hills rising behind. The Baron was evidently +much pleased with his work, although he declared again and again not to +have half finished it; it was not fair, he added, to apply to a hasty +sketch the same standard of judgment as to a regular studio picture, in +which everything would of course turn out quite different. This, +Bertram could not but think, would be most desirable, but hardly very +probable. This so-called sketch was evidently a picture which had +already been touched and retouched, some portions had been painted over +two, even three times, and divers desultory dilettante endeavours had +failed to bring anything like harmony into the composition. +Nevertheless he politely agreed with the ladies' words of praise, which +flowed freely from Hildegard's lips, while Lydia, as was her wont, +launched out in extravagant eulogy: wonderful, was it not, what +progress the Herr Baron made day by day? At last there was once more a +painter with a mission for historical landscapes on a grand scale! The +resemblance of his genius to that of a Rottmann, a Preller--became more +and more apparent. Nor did she alone think so. Only the other day, at +Court, when they were talking of the pupils at the Academy of Arts, and +some one mentioned the Baron's name, Princess Amelia said, and said +with marked emphasis, "No pupil he, ladies, nay, a master, and a great +master! The Baron is a distinct acquisition for our School of Arts; he +represents a triumph!" + +"Yes, it is true; the august lady is very graciously disposed towards +me," asserted the Baron, stroking his natty beard. "I wonder what she +will say to my new sketches." + +Fortunately for Bertram, who was planning his escape under some pretext +or other from this painful scene, his host now came up to greet his +friend, and to ask if he felt strong enough and was inclined to go for +a little drive with him; only to the porcelain factory, they would be +back in an hour. Bertram declared his readiness. + +"The Baron would surely like to go with you," said Hildegard, +exchanging glances with her husband; "but I fear there is barely +comfortable room even for two in your little trap." + +The Baron hastened to assure her that he could not go, anyhow, as he +had promised Miss Erna to try the accompaniment to some new songs with +her. + +Hildegard asked Bertram if he would not, before starting, say good +morning to Erna, who would be hurt if he left without having done so. + +They called for Erna in vain. It seemed to Bertram that Hildegard only +wished to find time enough to beckon him aside, and to whisper to him +that he need not conceal from her husband what they had been discussing +in reference to Erna. On the contrary, she was anxious to learn Otto's +opinion of the whole matter; he would probably speak with less reserve +to his friend than, alas! to her, and that Bertram would take her side +she felt sure now. + +"But Erna is not coming, I see," she exclaimed aloud; "I will not keep +you gentlemen any longer. _Au revoir_--an hour hence." + + + + + VII. + + +The little trap was so light, and the road was in such good condition, +that the friends were able to drive at a very fair pace, in spite of +the not inconsiderable gradient. Soon they passed into the wood. +The easy, comfortable motion, the perfect beauty of the morning, the +fact that the friends were for the first time in undisturbed +companionship--all seemed to favour a confidential exchange of +thoughts. Yet both men were silent, and barely exchanged a word or two +on indifferent topics. At last Otto said, after he had taken a stolen +side-glance or two of his friend-- + +"What do you think, Charles--shall we walk a bit? The road now will be +virtually level for some distance." + +Bertram nodded assent. The carriage stopped. Otto bade the man drive +slowly on in front of them, in the direction of the factory. + +"You never can be sure," he began, as they were striding along the +well-kept footpath by the side of the road, "that these beggars do not +hear more than they should; and I particularly want to ask you +something. Tell me--but quite honestly, mind--how do you like the +Baron?" + +"Let us come to the point at once," replied Bertram; "I have had a talk +with your wife." + +"Oh! indeed!" exclaimed Otto, hiding his embarrassment as best he could +by bursting out laughing, and abruptly leaving off again. "That is to +say, I rather thought you would. I should like to have done the same--I +mean had a talk with you--yesterday, in fact; but my wife told me not +to ... and, don't you know, the ladies always claim precedence." + +"Very well; then let me commence at the point where my conversation +with your wife came to an end--with the question which she either could +not or would not answer when I pressed her, and which seems to me of +paramount importance--Does Erna love the Baron? Have you, between you, +or have you yourself, any proof of--any support of this? Have you made +any observation from which you could conclude such a thing?" + +"Look here, old man," said Otto, "you are asking a lot at once. I can't +follow you. Proof--support--observation! Good Heaven! Who can look into +a girl's head and heart? She has said nothing to me, and rather than +ask her--ask her--it's such a queer question to ask, and possibly one +might only do harm by it, and learn nothing in the long run, or at +least not the truth. Of course she is fond enough of me, and has +confidence in me. Heaven knows how fond I am of her! but father and +daughter, you know--or rather you do not know, for you never had a +daughter--that's a curious business!" + +He had taken off his hat and was scratching his head in his perplexity. +Bertram understood that he was not likely to get anything out of him +that way. After a pause Bertram said-- + +"Well, let us assume--although, to say the truth, I find it very hard +to do so--let us assume that Erna does love this man. Would you then be +able to say Yea and Amen with a good conscience? In other words, are +you convinced that the man would make Erna happy? That he has, anyhow, +the qualities which according to human reasoning and experience, render +her happiness at least possible? That he is a man of honour, of fit and +upright disposition;--in a word, that he is a gentleman?" + +"A gentleman!" exclaimed Otto in amazement "Why, good Heaven!--a man +belonging to such a family--bearing such a name--a constant guest at +Court--invited to every ball, every evening party there; besides +joining their private circle, once or twice every week--why, he must be +a gentleman!" + +"The deuce he must!" exclaimed Bertram angrily. "If you have no better +guarantee than Court balls and such like humbug!" + +"But what more would you have?" said Otto. "What more would any one +have? If that is no guarantee I wonder what you would call one. I have +it as a matter of certainty from Lydia, that his nomination as +Chamberlain is made out, is lying ready for signature in the Grand +Duke's cabinet; and Lydia ought to know, for, between you and me, she, +with the help of our Court Marshal, an old friend of Lotter's father, +has been urging the matter strongly at Court. Lotter is very grateful +to her, and says quite frankly, that but for her he might have had to +wait much longer; and I think that is, a trait in his favour--although +I am convinced--but you must please not give any indication that you +know--although I am convinced that Lydia has not tried her hardest for +Lotter's own sake, but to conciliate my wife, who is bent upon seeing +her future son-in-law hold some Court appointment. And the reason why +Lydia had to keep in my wife's good graces is not far to seek; and, old +fellow, she has had her way at last, and is allowed to sojourn once +more under the same roof with you. You see: _manus manum lavat._" + +"So I see, indeed," laughed Bertram. "And now Hildegard must again keep +me in good-humour, that I, in my turn, may keep you in good-humour. It +were strange indeed, if, under these circumstances, we were not, all of +us, in the very best humour!" + +"This hardly seems to be your case as yet," said Otto, "your laughter +notwithstanding." + +"Nor, I hope, yours either," exclaimed Bertram. + +"Why do you hope so?" + +Bertram made no answer. His Heart was full of sorrow and wrath. He saw +that the whole affair was arranged--among the two women anyhow--and the +easy-going henpecked husband by his side would be sure to say yes to +everything, had probably done so already, and this was but the second +scene this morning in a nicely-arranged comedy, with all the parts +carefully distributed beforehand. Evidently the drive had but one +object--to give Otto an opportunity of saying his part. And he, +himself?--Why, barely an hour ago he had solemnly protested to the fair +stage-manager that never more would he act again! And she had listened +to his solemn protest without laughing in his face! Well, well; there +might yet be a chance of interpreting some passage in a way that the +clever lady had not thought of! + +Otto broke the silence, after they had been walking side by side for +some little time, by saying somewhat humbly-- + +"You are angry with me!" + +"What right could I have to be so?" replied Bertram. "I am no relation +of yours. I am nothing but a friend; and, as such, I have no right +whatever. It is only my duty to give an honest answer if you consult me +on a matter of importance. And there is properly no consultation in +this case. You are not in need of any advice; you, her parents, are +resolved. Nothing is wanting, but the merest trifle--Erna's consent. +And, as that is sure to be given in good time, the whole thing is +clearly settled, and we may as well talk of something else." + +"No, no!" exclaimed Otto, "nothing is settled; and the matter is by no +means clear--clear--not in my mind, anyhow; and Hildegard has not the +faintest conception how things really stand. She thinks it is only my +want of resolution that ... And because she knows how much I value your +judgment--if I could only tell you everything ..." + +"But you cannot, and you would be, sorry for it afterwards. Therefore, +you had better not try." + +"But I must at length tell some one, and there is no one else in the +world whom I could say it to. Listen: I ... I ..." + +A kind of spasm passed over the full, round, good-humoured face; the +blue eyes, which he kept rigidly fixed upon his friend, seemed to +struggle against rising tears. + +"I--I am ruined!" + +He had just managed to pronounce these words hoarsely; then he broke, +down and sunk upon a log of wood which was lying by the roadside. + +Bertram had, at first to struggle against the terrible notion that his +friend had suddenly gone mad. But his look, though one of utter +despair, was not that of a madman. + +"What is this you say, Otto? Impossible, impossible!" he said, sitting +down upon the log by the side of his friend, who seemed bereft of all +strength. "Go on, anyhow, that I may judge what it comes to. I am quite +convinced--beforehand that it comes to nothing at all. But speak, for +goodness sake, speak!" + +Otto nodded assent, and murmured-- + +"Yes, yes, I will speak. Come to nothing, forsooth! I have seen it +coming--for a long time past--for the last four years at least--ever +since I started, in addition to all the other things, that confounded +sugar refinery. We made it a Company; but I hold all the shares myself +now--I could not bear to ruin the poor beggars who, trusting in me, +had taken up the rest. This has cost me untold money; and the whole +thing was a failure, and the building is ready to be pulled down +again--would already have been pulled down if that, again, did not +require money. Besides, a thousand acres of my best soil planted with +beetroot--food for the pigs now. And yonder is that porcelain factory, +year by year a balance on the wrong side; and then the mines--yes, yes, +formerly, but not now ..." + +There had been one long series of enterprises, each of which had turned +out more unsatisfactory, and, in the long run, more ruinous than the +other; and with increasing swiftness they had swallowed up ever bigger +sums, and had now at length given at least a most severe shock to a +very considerable fortune. This much Bertram gathered clearly from the +statements of his friend, although he only understood a small part of +the technical and mercantile details. + +"But how on earth," he exclaimed, "could a quiet, sensible man like +yourself ever dream of venturing on this 'inclined plane'? How could +you graft one reckless, foolhardy speculation upon another; neglect, +ruin those splendid estates, the legacy of your fathers; stake your +peace of mind, your happiness? And if it had been a question of +yourself only! But your child--your wife ..." + +He paused abruptly. + +"Poor chap!" he murmured. "I think I understand after all--poor, good +chap!" + +He was pressing Otto's hand warmly. Their eyes met. His unhappy friend +was smiling, and a most melancholy smile it was. + +"To be sure, to be sure," he said; "I did not want it cried from the +house-tops; I knew you would find the reason. I myself--dear, dear--I +would not have cared to increase my gains. I should have been more than +satisfied with the estates and the mines, or with the estates alone, if +the mines ceased to yield a profit. You know how as a young man I used +to be quite ashamed of having so much money, never a farthing of which +I had earned, when I saw how my betters had to toil and moil. And I +knew too that I was not good enough for her--that it was great +condescension on her part to marry me at all--that I must needs ever +be in her debt. From the very commencement I let her have her own +way--she should never be able to say that I, the _bourgeois_ +proprietor's son, was ignorant of what befitted and became a beautiful +young lady of high degree. I even--don't laugh at me, man--even tried +to procure a patent of nobility, she wished it so very much; and I have +made many a sacrifice with that object. This whole, ill-starred +porcelain factory, for instance--I had been told that at Court they +would like me to establish one, and indeed they buy here what they +require, though, to be sure, only for kitchen and servants' hall--and +there was many another thing besides. And then she wanted the terraces +and the park and the mansion-house restored--in the true style, I think +they call it--and she takes delight in all this, trumpery rubbish of +dim old mirrors, and shaky old chairs, and worm-eaten old cabinets, and +coffee-coloured, pictures, and abominable old pots and pans; and I, +great God! would willingly buy the whole world for her--lay it at her +feet--if only she would love me a little in return. But--you see, +Charles, it has all been in vain--quite in vain!" + +The big man had buried his face in his hands, and was sobbing like a +child. Bertram's soul was filled with pity. The wretched weakness of +his friend in reference to his beautiful and beloved, but cold, +unloving wife, and its mournful consequences--he now understood it all +too well not to be ready to pardon--to a certain extent. But that, +husband and wife must settle, must bear, among them--only Erna should +not be dragged to ruin, should not also be sacrificed to her mother's +unbounded selfishness. And perhaps this was the one bright spot in the +dark picture which his friend had drawn of his position. + +"You have not endeavoured to give the Baron a clear view of your +situation?" he asked. + +"For goodness sake--no; certainly not," exclaimed Otto, rising in +terror from his stooping position. "Anything but that!" + +"And yet you will have to do so as soon as he formally asks Erna's hand +from you." + +"How can I tell him the truth? He would withdraw immediately." + +"Otto, are you not ashamed of yourself? And you would really give Erna +to such a cur?" + +"What am I to do?" + +"What you are simply obliged to do as a man of honour, not to say as a +father!" + +"And he'll talk about it--here, in the town, at Court--and everything, +everything depends upon my credit remaining unquestioned, at least a +little longer. If the projected railway is made to pass through here in +lieu of through the valley below, it would be done mainly on account of +my establishments, my factories, and what not. And in that case I am +saved--nay, I must needs grow wealthier than ever I have been. But the +ultimate granting of the concession--our local Parliament +notwithstanding--rests with the Government; and Lotter, with his divers +relations, his well-known influence ..." + +He paused, then resumed in a somewhat less confident tone-- + +"If, therefore, I do not reveal everything to him at present--and, by +the by, there is no need for it yet--I am not acting dishonestly, but +in everybody's interest. You will grant me this much." + +"To be sure," replied Bertram. "I only fear you will not be able to +continue this profitable silence for any length of time. For any +day it may happen that the young people come to an understanding, +and--to-morrow, perhaps, or this very day--they may come and ask for +your blessing." + +"It would kill me!" + +"It would, anyhow, be extremely awkward! Therefore, I beg to make the +following proposal to you. I am already authorised by your wife to +sound Erna; I now ask you to give me the same commission; and you will +tell your wife that you have spoken to me about it. Thus you will both +have placed the matter into my hands as it were. Now I shall find Erna +either distinctly favourable to your plan, or else distinctly +unfavourable, or undecided. In the latter case, I will try to confirm +her in that state of mind; and would prove to your wife that to advance +with inconsiderate rashness must needs be risking, and, probably, +spoiling everything. But even if Erna, really loves the Baron, or, on +the other hand, if she is satisfied in her own mind that he is not the +man who corresponds to her ideal--all girls create such an ideal for +themselves--well, I think I have influence enough with her--or, in case +of need, I possess diplomatic talent enough, to get the ultimate +decision put off one way or the other. For how long--we shall judge by +and by, once you and I are so far agreed." + +"My dear boy, I put myself entirely in your hands. I'll not take a step +without you. Gracious me--what a lucky thing that you have come! I do +not know what would have become of me, and of the whole business." + +He shook and pressed both his friend's hands in the excess of his +gratitude, looked upon his situation already in a much more hopeful +light, turned the conversation again to the new railway and to the +stupendous chances which would come to him in case the decision was +favourable, and that it would be so, he suddenly assumed to be +probable, nay, certain. He never noticed that Bertram had made the +little carriage turn which was waiting for them at the end of the wood, +and that now they were driving back the way they had come. The +suggested inspection of the factory had only been a pretext for having +an undisturbed hour with Bertram. + +His friend was now sitting in silence by his side. Otto kept on talking +to him, lowering his voice on account of the driver's presence. Bertram +hardly heard what he said. He hardly saw, either--or if he saw, it was +like in a dream--the golden lights flash down through the top of the +giant firs, and play around the brown stems and along the mossy ground; +he saw but as in a dream the lovely vistas which opened here and there, +giving glimpses of loveliest landscape beauty in the valley far below. +His busy mind was working and modelling away at the part in the family +drama which had, after all, been forced upon him, and which he had not +dared to decline--for Erna's sake. + + + + + VIII. + + +For Erna's sake! How often he repeated that phrase to himself in the +course of the day! He wanted nothing for himself. What, indeed, could +he have wanted for himself? Nothing more than a man who should see a +child lost, in danger, among a crowd of carriages, and who should bound +to the spot and carry the child away to some place of safety; nothing +more than a wanderer, who sees a fellow-traveller start upon a road of +which he knows of old the insecure state, and who warns the heedless +man to take some other road instead. One does so because it is one's +duty as a human being; one does so because one's heart urges one to do +it, because one cannot help doing it. + +Yes, a man acts and speaks in such situations as he would hardly act or +speak for his own sake. He is more courageous or more anxious than he +would be, if his own weal or woe were at stake. One grows beyond one's +self, or else sinks beneath one's own everyday moral level. + +"And the latter is meanwhile my case," said Bertram to himself, as he +played his part with due zeal, and, as he thought, with great success. +It was a natural consequence, of that part that he lectured Hildegard +(after the event), because she had not yesterday taken him at once into +her confidence; that he exchanged with his friend Otto looks of the +completest accord and understanding; that he used with Lydia--to her +evident delight--a tone of mingled melancholy and fun, which appeared +half to express and half to hide a deeper emotion; and that with the +Baron he completely dropped his calm manner of the day preceding. How +else could he form an opinion of the man? And how could he be a +faithful counsellor to Erna without having formed an opinion? + +So he examined the Baron's portfolio with patient attention, whilst +that nobleman turned over the leaves and gave explanations. The +collection would have been a priceless treasure if the quality had +corresponded with the quantity. There were sketches from almost every +country in Europe; the northern coast of Africa, too--Algiers, +Tunis--was largely represented. And then the painter's talent +embraced all styles and kinds of painting:--landscape, architecture, +still-life, portraiture--nothing had escaped the unwearied brush, +nothing had appeared too difficult. On the contrary, there were the +most unlikely effects of light and shade, the oddest scenes, the most +_risqué_ situations, involving the wildest inroads on the laws of +perspective and the most reckless foreshortening--and the daring +sketcher seemed positively to have revelled in these. And yet Bertram +had to confess to himself that a not inconsiderable talent, which, with +patient and careful schooling, might have borne beautiful fruit, had +been recklessly wasted--and, indeed, generally recklessness did seem to +him to be the Baron's leading characteristic. Anyhow, the painter's +fluent comments on his own sketches quite corresponded to the reckless +style of painting. Everywhere his ideas, good ones and bad ones, and +some really original ones, were clothed in the same hurried, flurried, +sometimes absurd form, showing a ready, but never a profound insight +into human relations, into manners and customs of nations; much, but +most desultory reading; extensive, and yet scattered knowledge. The man +spoke as he painted, and painted as he played music. Reckless, +superficial, inconstant, like his work and his talk, will and must his +love be too, thought Bertram. + +Could love like that lastingly suffice for Erna? It seemed impossible. +But is there such a word as impossible in connection with the magic +world of the human heart? Are not the natures of truly noble women at +times visited by irresistible and undying passion for wavering, +unstable, yes, even for morally worthless men? Does it not well-nigh +seem to have all the stability of a law of nature, that totally opposed +characters, all inward resistance notwithstanding, feel drawn to and +fascinated by each other? + +Was this fatal fascination visible in Erna? + +Bertram kept his attention unconsciously fixed on that one decisive +point, but without being able to come to any definite result. True, he +had to confess to himself that even a still keener observer would have +vainly tried his hand at the task. Erna joined to-day even less +directly than on the previous day in the general conversation; nay +more, he thought he noticed what had not been the case yesterday, or +what had at least escaped him then, that her gaze, usually so firm, +seemed at times fixed on vacancy, then again appeared directed inward, +anyhow was not dwelling on her surroundings--a symptom which by no +means pleased the observer, because from it one might surely conclude +that there existed a deeper sentiment, one which absorbed her inner +life. And this sentiment was not likely to be one of aversion to the +Baron, to whom she talked more, in her own calm way, than to anybody +else; with whom she played music two or three times during the day; and +with whom she played chess after supper in her own grave, attentive +manner. Hildegard came and explained all these details to Bertram ... + +"Believe me," she said, "I know Erna. Mind, my words of this morning. +She may be long in confessing her preference for any man, but if she +were to dislike any one, he would find it out pretty soon." + +"I fear that I am experiencing something of the sort," Bertram replied. + +"How so?" + +"Have you not noticed that she has not said three words to me all the +evening?" + +"Insatiable man! Are you not satisfied with Lydia who is ransacking her +repertory for your sake? Would you have all womankind at your feet? I +shall warn Lotter against you as against his worst rival." + +"Do not destroy our budding friendship. But, joking apart, can there be +a rival?" + +"What are you thinking of? And if there were, I should be sure to know +it through Lydia, who, like all elderly girls, is apt to err on the +side of seeing too much rather than too little. Moreover, we two, Lydia +and I, have never lost sight of the child, and in Erfurth, where, it is +true, she went alone once or twice during the last few years, she was +always in the company of my sister and her six girls, and I never heard +a word, nor the slightest hint. One of the girls, Agatha, the third, +Erna's bosom friend, is coming here, by the way, in a day or two; and a +good, modest, sensible girl she is, though not as pretty as the rest. +But you surely remember Agatha? Well, I'll question her a little when +she comes, but I know beforehand that she will not have anything to +tell. Oh, you'd better concentrate your jealousy upon Lotter!" + +Hildegard surely felt very certain of her ground, else she would not +have jested--a rare occurrence with her. Bertram took up a similar +tone, and during the game of whist to which he and Otto soon afterwards +sat down with the two older ladies, he was remarkably merry and +talkative. + +But two hours later Konski found him all the more gloomy and taciturn, +and so silent that he did not even reply to the "good-night, sir," of +that faithful servitor. + +"It's the old one," soliloquised Konski, as he meditatively brushed his +master's boots in his own little room, "who is bothering him. 'Dear Mr. +Konski,' here, 'My good Mr. Konski,' there--I know what she is after. +And then, to give me a whole dollar! And she has not any to spare, I +can see that much, in spite of her grand airs and her trimmings. And +she to rule the roast for master and me! Not if we knows it! And now +we'll both marry; and marry smart young ones too! And may the devil fly +away with all old women!" + + + + + IX. + + +For this morning, after breakfast, a general expedition had been +planned--a drive to a certain eminence, from which the Baron was +desirous of expounding to them all the arrangements for the forthcoming +man[oe]vres. Bertram had at the last moment made an excuse: much to his +regret, he sent Konski to say, that he had forgotten to write some +really important letters, and must needs stay at home to do so now. +Would the others, please, on no account give up their drive for his +sake. + +"At first they would not go without you, sir," Konski reported; "but I +got them to do it, and they are getting the horses ready now; the +ladies are to drive, the gentlemen will go on horseback. So you may +stay quietly in bed and try to get another hour's sleep. I am afraid, +sir, you have had another awful night!" + +And indeed it had been a worse night for Bertram than the preceding +one, and this time the morning had not improved him. That he had to +admit to himself when, after having first vainly endeavoured to follow +the faithful servant's advice, he had at length risen in very low +spirits and dressed, trying whether a stroll along the terrace +garden-walk would cool his fevered brow and refresh his weary heart. + +He had no right to be wearied. He was bound, when they came back, to +meet them merrily and serenely; that belonged to his part. How could +they give their confidence to one who appeared to have none in himself, +in his own strength, his own courage? + +And he would need all his courage to look, if it could be done, deeper +than hitherto into Erna's eyes, into Erna's heart: and he would need +all his strength if that look were to confirm what, yesterday, he had +deemed impossible, but what, during the awful night, had come to appear +to him as thoroughly possible, nay, as probable. If it were so, then +the whole elaborate plan which he had yesterday confided to his friend, +had therewith fallen to the ground. Otto's embarrassments were scarcely +as great as he had represented them; and even if he had not, according +to his wont, exaggerated things, what would be the use of delaying the +decision? On the contrary, the more swiftly it came, the better for +all. If the Baron was a man of honour; he would not withdraw on +learning that the maiden of his choice was not wealthy; if he had +influence at Court, if this influence really amounted to something +considerable, he would now try all the more to use it for his future +father-in-law. They might then make their own arrangements, as best +they could; and they would make arrangements; sacrifice some things on +both sides, give up some hopes. What would one not sacrifice, what +would one not give up, if one loved from one's very heart? But to have +to look on at such hearty love, love delighting in sacrifice--never! To +run away would be cowardly, no doubt. But then valour, like honesty, is +appropriate only when it is needed, and when it will be of some use. He +would have to think beforehand of some suitable pretext which should +render a sudden departure possible. + +Thus lost in mournful thought, Bertram was pacing backward and forward +along the terrace-walk, now past sunny espaliers, along which ruddy +grapes were already commencing to shine through the dense clusters of +vine-leaves, anon between rows of beeches, which were entwined overhead +and formed dusky arbour-like groves. + +Having reached the end of one of these groves, he paused as one +terrified. In front of him, on the platform where the terrace widened, +Erna was seated beneath the great plantain tree which overshadowed the +whole place with its broad branches. An open volume lay upon the +round table before her; she was writing busily, bending over a +blotting-book. The graceful form, the finely-chiselled features, stood +out in clearest profile against the green terrace above her. In this +subdued light the dainty cheek seemed even paler than usual; and as she +now paused, pen in hand, lifting a long eyelash and glancing +meditatively up at the leafy roof above, the great eyes shone like +those of an inspired Muse. + +"One draught before I pass onward--on the shadeless remainder of my +dreary road," Bertram muttered to himself. + +He might have stepped back without being noticed, but he did not do so; +his motionless eyes clung to the beautiful picture before him, as one +perishing of thirst might gaze upon a brimming cup, when, lo! she +turned. + +"Uncle Bertram!" + +She had said it quite calmly, and now, slowly, she laid down her pen +and closed her blotting-book, rising at the same time and holding out +her hand to him as he came up. + +"I felt that somebody, was looking at me." + +"And you wished, to remain unseen, or at least undisturbed. But could I +have guessed that I should find you here? Why are you not away with the +others?" + +A smile flitted over her face. + +"I had important letters to write, too." + +"Well, you have written, anyhow." + +"And have you not? For shame. If you make any excuses you should +yourself take them in earnest; then you will come to fancy afterwards +that the excuses were really valid." + +"I'll remember this in future. But what makes you tell me to my face +that my important letters were but an excuse?" + +"I thought that you did not care to go; and I think I know the reason +why." + +"Indeed! I am curious to hear it from you." + +"I will tell you. I wanted to say so last night already, for then I +noticed quite well how gladly you would have made an excuse, only you +could not at the moment think of a suitable one; but I could not have +said what I wished to say in a few words, and so I determined to try +and have an undisturbed talk with you. Shall we not sit down?" + +They sat dawn, Erna with her blotting-book before her, Bertram on the +seat opposite. Her large eyes were lifted up to him. But a minute +before he had greatly longed to be able to see deep, deep into these +eyes, right to the innermost recess of her soul; and now, when it could +be, when it was to be, he shrank from it, he wished the time deferred. +He would in any case learn the secret all too soon. + +"Uncle Bertram, I wanted to tell you that ..." + +The dark eyelids had closed after all; well, she anyhow did not see the +breathless excitement with which he hung upon her lips. In his mind he +heard already the words--"that--I engaged myself last night to be +married to the Baron." The pause she made--of a second or two--seemed +to him an eternity. + +"My dear child," he said in a voice well-nigh inaudible ... + +"That ... you shall not for my sake lay upon yourself a burden which +you can no longer bear." + +The large eyes were gazing firmly at him again, while he bent his own +in deadly confusion. + +He murmured-- + +"I--I do not understand you." + +"You are too good to wish to understand me; but the excess of your +goodness weighs me down and frightens me. I know that you are fond of +me, that you do it only because you love me. But I love you too, Uncle +Bertram, love you very much, more than formerly, when I did not really +know you, did not at all understand you. I am no longer a child, and +therefore you should not treat me like a spoiled child and do what I +ask, especially when I see that I ask for something to which I had no +right. I had no right to ask--I should not have entreated you to be +kind to Aunt Lydia. And now I beg of you not to be so any longer, or to +the same extent. I cannot bear it. She has harmed you as terribly, as +terribly as only an evil heart can harm a good one. And she to be +allowed to take your hand, look into your eyes, jest with you, as if +nothing had occurred! If this had happened to me, I would not tolerate +it--never, never!" + +Her voice quivered, her lips trembled; the pale cheek was flushed now, +the great eyes were flashing. She said she had not known him, had not +understood him--and he? What had he known of her? of the strength of +feeling of that heart of hers which had seemed to him to beat in such +steady measure? His gaze was fastened on her now in raptured amazement, +like the gaze of a mortal to whom something divine is being revealed. + +But next moment the wondrous girl had conquered that passionate +impulse, her features regained their usual expression, and she went on, +calmly enough-- + +"And you, Uncle Bertram, should not tolerate it either--you, least of +all. You cannot lie, cannot play the hypocrite. Let others do so; it +befits you ill, it is unworthy of you. I cannot, will not see anything +unworthy in you. I will have one human being whom I can believe and +trust unconditionally. This one you are, you must be; is it not so, +Uncle Bertram?" + +She held out her hand to him across the table. He could not refuse it, +and yet, as he touched those slender fingers, something thrilled +through him as though he had been guilty of some act of desecration. + +"You think me too good, too great," he said. "I can only reply, I will +try to deserve your confidence." + +"And I will give you an opportunity at once. I am not contented with +myself either. I too--for the sake of others, to please papa and mamma +who seemed greatly to wish it--have been kinder to somebody than at +heart I felt justified in being, and I must henceforth change my +conduct towards him." + +"He has proposed to you?" + +"Proposed? To me?" + +A scornful smile played round her exquisite lips. + +"I beg your pardon, dear Erna. He was so remarkably assiduous in his +attentions to you yesterday. You admit yourself that you have been +kinder to him than now you care to have been, and he strikes me as +being one of those men who grasp the whole hand the moment you hold out +your little finger to them. And moreover, I know that your parents +encourage him much, and he is surely aware of that too. Thus my +question was not wholly groundless; still, I beg your pardon." + +"And indeed you need it in this case, Uncle Bertram. Or, have I perhaps +behaved so childishly that even a clever man like you could deem such a +thing possible?" + +"No, no; pray, try to forget what I said without thinking, or take it +for a proof that I was right, that I am neither so good nor so clever +as you thought." + +The words sounded diffident, almost submissive, but his heart was +swelling with proud delight, and the songsters perched above in the +shady recesses of the big plantain tree seemed to have been silent till +now, and to be then commencing all at once to twitter and sing and make +sweetest melody; and from the terraces beneath there was wafted up to +them in fragrant cloudlets the perfume of carnation and mignonette. +What a beautiful, divinely beautiful morning it was! + +"Henceforth," said Erna, "we will be open to each other, and then such +misunderstandings will not occur again. This one, truly, should make me +blush. The Baron is the very last man in whom I could take the very +slightest interest. I find nearly everything he says stupid and silly, +and if a fairly good idea turns up, as it does every now and then, it +is impossible to enjoy it, for the question is sure to obtrude itself: +'What nonsense will he talk next?' I am only now making his +acquaintance; he, it is true, has been often here before, but in my +absence; and in town, when he came, as he sometimes did, to see Aunt +Lydia, I always avoided having to meet him." + +"You have met few young men yet?" + +"And those few have not made me anxious to meet any more." + +"This sounds very hard; but, to say the truth, you are not the first +girl whom I have heard talk like this." + +"My only wonder is that all do not talk, or, at least, think like this. +My own idea is, that men are naturally selfish, frivolous, and vain, +and only become with advancing years good, and noble, and amiable, and +this applies only to the few exceptions; for I suppose the bulk remain +as they were." + +"Are you serious?" + +"Perfectly. And that is why, the night before last, I could not agree +with you at all when you asserted that a young girl could not love a +much older man, or was at least committing an act of folly if she did +so, which, to her sorrow, she was bound to realise sooner or later, and +therefore the sooner the better. Nor is it at all this consideration +which makes Hilarie change, and which throws her into the arms of that +youth who is behaving so childishly and insanely, that Flavio;--there +is quite a different reason for it." + +"Then you know the novelette?" + +"No; I only read it now; and I had to hunt a long time for it, until I +found it in the _Wanderjahre_. The book is lying there. And now I also +understand the 'one element,' which you said the night before last +that Göthe had excluded, or had not made use of--which is the right +expression in this case?--because otherwise the comedy would have been +turned into a tragedy." + +"And this 'one element,' what is it?" + +"The fact that her uncle is not in love with her at all. Was not that +it?" + +"To be sure. I only wonder at your having found it out." + +"And my only wonder is that Hilarie did not discover it sooner. She +must have been very blind not to have seen that her uncle returns--or +rather does not return--her love from sheer kindliness of disposition; +that at best his _penchant_ is but the faintest reflex of her +passionate love. Look at this passage: 'You are making me the happiest +man beneath the sun! Exclaiming this, he fell at her feet.' How feeble, +how strained! And it contents her, makes her happy. I should have been +ashamed of the whole business." + +"You must make some allowance for the spirit of the time, for the +manner and expression of the period; in that case, these things do not +look or sound quite as bad. But now for the other side of the medal: +You hold that Hilarie did truly love her uncle, and would have remained +faithful to her love, in spite of any number of Flavios, if her passion +had been returned?" + +"Most certainly!" + +"Well, be it so. He loves, loves passionately. Enter Flavio, loving, +loving passionately, too. The father perceives it. He sees that his own +love would seal the doom of the son whom he loves. Moreover, he is +sure--if he is not a conceited fool, but a man of heart and head, he +must be sure--that Hilarie would undoubtedly, return his son's passion, +if he, the father, the uncle, did not unfortunately stand between them; +that the girl's love for the young man, and _vice versa_, is the only +natural--that means, the only right thing; that therefore Hilarie +cannot truly love him; that her love rather, if it be not absolutely +unnatural, is anyhow an error, an aberration, from which she shall and +must turn. Given these things, am I wrong in asserting that then, +indeed, the comedy changes to tragedy--a tragedy the secret and silent +stage of which, I admit, will be solely ... the elderly man's heart? Do +you not agree with me?" + +"I must, I think; if I have first granted your suppositions and +assumptions, particularly this: that a girl's love for a man much older +than herself must needs in every case be an error, an aberration. But +then, again, I do not see why the elderly man's love for the girl does +not also tend to self-deception, to a fact which he, being more +far-sighted, clever, experienced; is bound to realise all the sooner. +And then, where is your tragedy?" + +Once more the great eyes flashed, the dainty lips quivered, an angry +cloud lay on her brow. There was a wild voice in his heart crying: +"Where?--here, here--for I love, I love thee! and it is impossible that +into thy maiden heart, there should ever fall one spark of the wild +conflagration raging here." But he succeeded this time, too, in +subduing the tumult in his heart, and he said smilingly-- + +"I hoped, nay, I knew that you would make this objection, which is +absolutely correct, and which helps the Master to regain that absolute +sovereignty and undeviating correctness in matters of the heart in +which I, wantonly, tried to argue Göthe was deficient. Of course, so +the matter stands, turn and twist it as you will--Hilarie's love is an +illusion; or, more correctly, it is a foreshadowing of that true and +genuine passion which she will feel one day. The Major's love is a +reminiscence of what his heart once, in the bygone days of his far-away +youth, was glowing with, and what it never again will glow with now. +Anything of a warmer feeling that haply still survives, may be +sufficient for a sensible, reasonable marriage, with the clever widow, +in whose sentiments towards him again reminiscence acts the part of a +kindly mediator, and ... but surely ... why, they are back already! +Shall we go and meet them?" + +From the verandah Lotter's loud voice was heard. Lydia, too, was +calling out; she was calling Erna. Bertram had risen, glad of the +interruption; he felt his strength very nearly exhausted. He was +resting his hand on the back of her chair, lest Erna, if they shook +hands, should feel how his hand trembled. But Erna was gazing straight +before her with a very gloomy expression of countenance. + +"I should like to finish my letter first," she said. + +"Then I will disturb you no longer." + +He had gone; had gone without offering her his hand. Erna sat for a +while without looking up; then she re-opened her blotting-book, and +read the last page she had written:-- + +"I see him always, absent or present; I see his noble, pale +countenance, the deep, thoughtful eyes, that mouth which can jest so +delicately, and which yet (for me) quivers so often in sorrow for a +wasted life, a lost happiness. For me! The others never see it; how +should they? To them he is the cold-hearted egotist, the bitter jester, +who believes in nothing, least of all in love. To be sure--once +betrayed as he has been--alas! Agatha, that is the very thing which +draws me irresistibly to him. I can now gaze deep, deep into his noble +heart, can feel all the pangs that have torn it, and must be tearing it +again now in the presence of the viper who--oh, I do hate her! ... And +he manages to be quite friendly in his demeanour to her, because I +asked him to, before I knew all the circumstances. But he shall do so +no longer. I cannot bear it, when he turns his good, truthful eyes to +me, as though he would ask: 'Is it right thus?' No, it is wrong, a +thousand times wrong! But is it not wrong, too, that I should be +allowed to read in his heart, and he not in mine? Shall I tell him ... +all? It is ever on my lips, but then ... no. I should not be ashamed in +his presence, he is so kind, and he would understand me! Resting on his +protecting arm he would let me shed the last of those hot, angry tears, +which will yet persist in sometimes rising to my eyes, and which I +brush away indignantly; and I would gratefully accept his mercy, but on +one condition only, that I may go on resting on that arm, that he would +permit me to love, to serve him, to-day and for ever, as his friend, +his daughter, his slave! ... Shall I tell him?" + +Erna gave a bitter smile, and took the sheet of paper in both her hands +in order to tear it in pieces. Then she laid it down again, and seized +her pen once more. + +"She who has written this is a conceited little fool, and deserves +exemplary punishment for her conceit, and the said punishment is to +consist in her sending these lines to her granny, in order to receive +by return of post the requisite scolding, even if granny, and this is +an urgently repeated request, is coming here the day after to-morrow. +For between granny and me there shall not be said one word on this +subject, and even less about the other thing and the other one; and +now, dearest granny ..." + +"Ah, there is Miss Erna!" exclaimed the Baron, issuing with Lydia from +the terrace walk. + +"We have been looking everywhere for you," said Lydia. "Heavens! how +the child has flushed and heated herself over her writing! To Agatha, +of course!" + +"Ah, if one could read the letter!" exclaimed the Baron. + +"There is nothing about you in it, I can give you that assurance, if it +will set your mind at ease," said Erna, closing her blotting-book with +the unfinished letter in it, and rising. + + + + + X. + + +"Have you availed, yourself of the opportunity to talk to Erna?" +Hildegard asked Bertram as soon as they were alone. + +Bertram had expected this question, and had sought and found time to +prepare his answer to it. His first impulse has been to taste the full +delights of triumph, and to assure Hildegard, in strict accordance with +the actual truth, that the Baron need never expect to gain Erna's +affection. But then he considered that so brusque a revelation, would, +without the slightest doubt, cause the proud lady to burst forth into a +tempest of indignation, would bring Erna into a disagreeable position, +and possibly involve her in extremely awkward scenes. Her feeble father +would be no support to her whatever--on the contrary, he wished the +decision to be put off as long as possible. And, lastly, he saw now +quite clearly that Hildegard's pressing invitation to make a lengthened +stay had had the very definite aim to secure in him, as in a very +influential friend, an ally in the execution of her plans. Now he had +failed in his diplomatic mission, and though they would not openly +deprive him of his confidential position, they would very surely not +consult him again. Future events would then occur behind his back, and +the sooner he went away the better for them. And was he to go now? He +felt as though he could as readily bid farewell to life and light. + +And so his answer came to be nothing but an adroit evasion. He had, he +said, done his best, and Erna had met him in the heartiest and most +confiding manner. But on this very ground he considered himself +justified in stating that there was at present no trace of any definite +_penchant_ for the Baron on Erna's part, and that he could only advise +them all to possess their souls in patience, to bide their time, and to +hope for the best from the gradual, but all the more sure, influence of +daily intercourse. + +The apparent genuineness of conviction with which all this was +expressed deceived Hildegard completely. Her assumption that Erna took +a special interest in the Baron was chiefly founded on Lydia's +assertions, and Lydia, poor soul, was for ever weaving matrimonial +projects, was much addicted to exaggeration, and to the making of +molehills into mountains, and would, in this particular case, to get +into Hildegard's good graces and maintain herself there, amply confirm +anything she might be desirous of hearing. Now, when Hildegard was for +the moment looking at things through friend Bertram's clearer and, as +she thought, perfectly unprejudiced eyes, she was bound to admit the +justice of his observations; indeed, in Erna's manner to the Baron +there was very little indication of anything like a warmer sentiment, +so little in fact, that the varying ways in which she treated him might +almost seem matters of congratulation. Bertram asked himself why +Hildegard did not give up a project which looked so very unlike +fulfilment, since Erna, in all the charm of her young beauty, would +assuredly have no lack of suitors, while her mother, not having the +slightest suspicion of her husband's awkward financial situation, must +needs, as indeed she did in her matrimonial plans in reference to Erna, +reckon wealth among the attractions. There seemed to be something +self-contradictory here, anyhow it was passing strange; and yet, as he +went on meditating, he thought he had found the key to the enigma. Fair +Hildegard herself was most pleasantly impressed by the Baron's striking +appearance and confident manner, and was much flattered by the homage +he paid to her beauty, her cleverness, her kindness, a homage to which, +he gave even in company a very perceptible, and in their not infrequent +_tête-à-têtes_ probably even a more emphatic expression. And then the +circumstance which, by the by, the Baron by no means concealed, that, +to use his own words, he was as poor as a church mouse, she looked upon +as a distinct point in his favour. + +"Herein," she said to Bertram, "I see the finger of a just and +compensating Fate. I know, my friend, that you are too wise and +enlightened not to pardon an aristocratic fancy of mine, namely, that +it is best if the aristocracy marry among themselves, and the +_bourgeoisie_, for whom I have the greatest respect, also among +themselves. Well, I, being a very poor lady with a long pedigree--for, +indeed, the traditions of our family are reckoned by centuries--have +had to break with these traditions, and was in this way the first to +contract a _bourgeois_ alliance. I do not complain of my lot; it was my +lot, and there's an end of it; but I have never ceased to pray to God +that my only daughter might be granted a different fate. And if a +family, which is still older than mine, is enabled to resume its +rightful position in the world, I really do not know what better I +could wish, assuming always that Erna, as would doubtless be the case, +gets a husband who loves her, and who--not to reckon his little +cavalier's foibles, in reference to which a wise woman will be +judiciously blind, knowing that this kind of thing is sure to stop of +its own accord--is in every way worthy of her love." + +"And whom," added Bertram mentally, "I hope to bring as completely +under my control as my husband." + +He was convinced that this thought was the leading one in the +calculations of the selfish lady, in spite of the great care with which +she endeavoured to avoid even the faintest appearance of any egotistic +motive. Even as she was fond of representing her life as one long chain +of sacrifices made by her on behalf of others, so she would now appear +prepared to give up her own comfort for Erna's sake. Of course, she +explained, it would not be possible to leave the poor child alone in +town, among indifferent strangers; and she and Otto must in consequence +make up their minds to spend the winter there in future. This, to be +sure, would necessitate the purchase of a house of their own in town; +but the question of expense was not to be taken into consideration +where the happiness of their child was concerned; and, by a lucky +accident, there happened to be for sale, and at quite a reasonable +price, a newly-erected villa close to the Park, surrounded by a pretty +garden, and roomy enough to enable them all, parents and children, to +live comfortably together. And it would be quite feasible and not +very expensive either, to build a studio for the Baron, she added. +Perhaps Bertram would not mind driving to town with Otto, to look +at the house? When? Why not to-day? Otto, as usual, could not make +up his mind, although it would be an excellent investment, even +supposing--supposing--but no, that case was not likely to occur, the +momentary, somewhat unfavourable, aspect of things notwithstanding. + +"For in this, too, my friend," she said, in concluding her +explanations, "you will agree with me: the more carefully we prepare +all things needful, and thus show the child, as it were, an image of +the safe and sure and peaceful happiness awaiting her, the more swiftly +and fondly her fancy will busy itself with that image, and from the +fair image to the fairer reality--_il n'y a qu'un pas_. But first we +must settle about the villa. There will be no difficulty if you speak +seriously to Otto." + +"I promise," replied Bertram. + +The incident was most opportune, he thought. Here Otto, already +harassed on all sides, was threatened, with huge additional +expenditure, before which even his fatal readiness to yield must needs +pause at length, as before an absolutely insuperable obstacle. The +consequences were clear. He could not simply meet his wife's request by +a refusal. There must be a full explanation between husband and wife; +there would be a fearful storm, but it had to come, it was absolutely +required to clear the sultry atmosphere, to disentangle the wretchedly +involved situation. Hildegard's frivolous scheme would burst like a +soap-bubble, and at one stroke Erna would be freed from an importunate +suitor, and her father from an unworthy and intolerable position. +Yesterday already he had been determined to stand by his friend through +all the anxieties, embarrassments, and perils which were bound to +ensue. To-day his heart beat anxiously, eager as he was to face those +perils, for every peril cleared out of her path and victoriously +conquered, was a trophy laid at her feet, hers, for whom he would have +willingly shed his heart's blood drop by drop. + +Fancy his terror and his indignation when, driving to town with Otto +later in the day, he found his friend more removed than ever from any +manly resolve. + +"The purchase of this villa, dear me--why, if Hildegard cares for it so +much--would, after all, be a comparative trifle--really. And then, what +I told you yesterday regarding my situation, why, dear me, you know me +well enough, old man, to ... to know how I am influenced by passing +moods. That makes me look at all things accordingly; things are either +black or white to me. And yesterday, why, I had a black, a very black +mood. To be sure, my factories are not a success, and, indeed, may now +and again involve a loss. But, then, look at those fields, and think of +the crop we'll have; and with such a prospect I can afford to leave +myself a very fair margin, the more so as the harvest in Russia and in +Hungary promises to be very bad--so the reports say--and in that case +we shall make no end of money. And then--look here--just you read his +paragraph in the paper about the railway question. Eh--and the +paragraph, I feel sure, is from the pen of the President of our own +local Parliament, who is, by the by, a great friend of mine, and has +for years been my lawyer. Well, what do you say now?" + +"I say," replied Bertram gravely, "that things are exactly in the +position which you described yesterday. Your friend here clearly +represents only his own, or, if you like, your views and wishes; and +will, moreover, naturally put some pressure upon Government, by +representing it as impossible for them to decide differently from your +wishes and hopes." + +"But the Government--which means the Court--is already more than half +won over. Lotter assures me...." + +"For Heaven's sake! leave him out of the business." + +"Oh, of course, of course; if you are so prejudiced against him that +you refuse him even the common credibility which you allow otherwise to +everybody!" + +"There is no question here of credibility or incredibility," exclaimed +Bertram indignantly; "but the thing is this: you are mistaking your +illusions and hopes for realities and facts; you are voluntarily +blinding yourself lest you see the abyss into which you are about to +plunge. And mind this: by your miserable hesitation you are really +accelerating the coming of the dreaded moment; nay, you render it only +the more dreadful. There is still time; this very day you can go and +say to your wife: I have met with losses, terrible losses, and we must +needs retrench, and therefore.... Why, man, you will let it come to +this, that you must confess to her: We have nothing further to lose; +all is gone! Think of this, friend, I entreat you. Your boat is +overloaded; away with the ballast which all but sinks it now; overboard +with it all! Were it a question of yourself alone, you would be manly +enough not to hesitate; and with wife and child on board, whose ruin is +certain unless you act at once, you ... cannot, will not act!" + +Otto would say neither yea nor nay. Bertram was silent in his despair. +What would come of it all? + +And so they arrived in town, having hardly exchanged a word more. They +looked over the villa, and again hardly a word was exchanged; just an +indifferent remark here and there, nothing more. Otto was apparently +annoyed at something, but Bertram saw well enough that this appearance +of annoyance was but assumed to hide his irresolution. + +"I know, I know," Otto said at last grumpily, "we are not likely to +agree as it is. Had we not better call together upon my lawyer and hear +his opinion about the whole business? He is, moreover, on your side, in +politics, and will be delighted to make your acquaintance." + +Bertram seized eagerly upon so sensible a proposal, and to the lawyer's +they drove accordingly; but when they had got to the door, Otto +remembered that he had to do some commission for Hildegard: he even +explained-- + +"About those officers who are going to be quartered upon us, don't you +know?--extra provisions and that kind of thing. She can never, she +thinks, have too much on hand, in case.... Well, well, it's her nature +to ..." + +And so the broad-shouldered figure of his friend passed down the lonely +sunlit street; and Bertram added, speaking to himself, this comment, +"And your nature is ... to do things by halves only, unless you mean, +in this case, to throw the whole responsibility upon my shoulders." + +And in this view his friend's lawyer completely confirmed him. + +"Look here," said the latter to Bertram, when, after a hearty, mutual +welcome, the two had swiftly grown to be confidential with each other, +"you may take my word for this, he is most anxious we should have a +perfectly unrestrained talk about his affairs, and has backed out of +being present simply to avoid having to hear all the disagreeable +things we could not spare him; moreover, he might oppose to you and to +me, separately, a certain resistance which he would not have the +courage to do if he, found us confronting him together. Under these +circumstances I do not consider it indiscreet, but I think I am acting +according to the wishes, and I know I am acting in the interest of our +common friend, if I now add a few words of explanation to what you know +already; then, indeed, you will be thoroughly acquainted with the state +of his affairs." + +The lawyer then proceeded to describe Otto's position in detail; and to +his amazement Bertram found his own conception confirmed throughout. +Why, even his own image of the ballast which required to be heaved +overboard to set the ship once more afloat, figured in the exposition. +To be sure, Bertram now learned for the first time how weighty that +ballast really was. Thus, to give but one example, Otto had never +mentioned, had not even hinted at the fact that Hildegard's elder +sister, the widow of the late Secret Counsellor von Palm, and her whole +family, lived entirely upon Otto's bounty. "And that," said the lawyer, +"is an awful item! For the lady in question is, in every respect, a +true sister of your friend's wife. She thinks that death and the end of +all things must needs be at hand, if she and hers cannot live on a very +grand scale indeed. And then her house in Erfurth is a sort of +gathering-place for all who, by rank or position, may aspire to the +honour of appearing in such sublime surroundings; half-pay general +officers and colonels galore--and the little town was ever full of +them--and, of course, the whole number of officers actually on +duty in the garrison, and so on, and so on. The girls--and there is +half-a-dozen of them--are as bad as their mother, always excepting one +dear, sensible creature--not one of the pretty ones, though--whom, I +understand, you are about to meet in Rinstedt. Well, if the daughters +are extravagant, the two sons--both, as you know, in the army, go on as +though their uncle's cashbox had no bottom to it. Three times, four +times, already he has paid the debts of those young men, whom, by the +by, he cannot bear at all, and this, and all this, simply _in majorem +gloriam Hildegardis_, his well-beloved wife, a lady of such an old +family that the scions thereof cannot, of course, be measured by the +same standard as common mortals." + +"And do you not perceive any way of escape from this vicious circle our +friend is wandering in?" Bertram asked. + +"Only the one you have already pointed to," the lawyer made answer. +"But how the deuce can you advise a man who will not be advised, or +rather, who accepts all the advice you give him and never acts upon it +for all that ...? And there is one thing yet in which you have, too, +judged aright. It is by no means too late yet! If he give up those +factories of his which will never pay, even if--and on that his whole +hope is now centred--the new line of rails passes straight through his +estates, and if he meets My Lady with a _sic voleo, sic jubeo_, and if, +with one determined cut, he severs the boundlessly costly train from My +Lady's garment, leaving it, for all that, a very respectable garment, +he would be enabled to discharge his other liabilities gradually, or at +once if somebody would, at fair interest, lend him a biggish capital. +This, of course, times being bad, will not be very easy to manage, more +particularly if people begin to talk about his being embarrassed." + +"And how large, think you, should that capital be?" + +"I think that I could settle everything if I had a hundred thousand +thalers at my disposal, without there being any formal arrangement with +his creditors, or even a voluntary surrender." + +"In that case I beg to put the sum mentioned at your disposal." + +The lawyer looked up in amazement. + +"I had no idea that you were so wealthy," he said simply. + +"It does not represent half my fortune. Anyhow, I am not running any +risk." + +"No, to be sure," replied the lawyer; "I should be able to secure you +against any loss; the rate of interest, as I observed before, would be +low. But I may tell you beforehand that your generous offer will be +refused. I know our friend. He would rather borrow from the most +unscrupulous cut-throat of a usurer than from you, for whom he has, as +I know, the profoundest respect. For, though you may be the best of +friends, you are not his brother, not his cousin, not a kinsman at all. +If you could say to him, you owe it to our family to do so--such an +appeal to the family honour, which he holds in the highest esteem, he +would comprehend much better. But as it is, his very pride, or his +vanity rather--for vanity is distinctly his ruling passion--will be +hurt; he will appear to be immensely grateful to you, will say that you +are his good angel, and--will not accept a farthing from you, as long +as he sees, or fancies he sees, any other way out. He may possibly come +to his senses when his last hope, the railway, proves illusory. I +fear--I am a keen promoter of the project myself, but on different +grounds--I fear that will occur presently. Meanwhile, try your luck, or +his rather, by all means. But I repeat, you will not succeed with the +mere appeal to your friendship." + +Bertram, as previously arranged, then called for his friend, and as +they drove home together he made his attempt The lawyer's prophecy was +literally fulfilled. Otto overflowed in expressions of the greatest +gratitude for an offer so thoroughly characteristic of his generous +friend, and which, for the sake of their long friendship, he would +unconditionally accept--if there were any occasion for it. But that, +thank goodness, was not the case. + +And then came the wretched old story which Bertram knew by heart +already, and to which, for all that, he now listened; not, as before, +with disgust, but with an odd feeling of anxiety and doubt. To be sure, +mere friendship was not sufficient. He would have required another +title, one giving the right to demand what now he begged for in vain. +Should he venture upon the word that was trembling on his lips, and +that yet was ever beating a cowardly retreat to the tremulous heart? +Cowardly? No! It would have been cowardice, miserable cowardice, if he +had spoken it; cowardice, trying to take by miserable money-bribes a +fortress invincible to valour and high courage; cowardice and treason, +treason to the sanctity of a love which had hitherto been unselfish and +as pure as the heart of the great waters. If things came to the worst, +if it was a question of guarding the beloved child against common want, +she would be noble enough not to refuse the helping hand of a +protecting friend. But woe to him if that hand were not unsullied; if +even the shadow of a suspicion of selfishness fell upon it! + +And as they thus drove homewards, with the evening darkening around +them, he fixed his eye on high, where now the heavenly lights were +appearing in ever-increasing numbers, with ever-growing splendour; and +he reverently repeated to himself the poet's great saying of the stars +above, in whose majestic beauty man should rejoice without coveting +their possession. + + + + + XI. + + +But no poet's word could henceforth stay the wild conflagration which +raged in his heart; and every thought by which his mind strove to +obtain rest and clearness proved a faint-hearted hireling soldier that +takes the first opportunity of deserting to the ranks of the more +potent foe. In vain did he recall the arguments by which, in a certain +memorable conversation, he had tried to refute Erna's assertions--it +had been a lie, a lie--or, at best, mere theoretical twaddle. His love +a reminiscence merely? And of what, pray? Perhaps of that mournful +aberration when his heart, his thirty years notwithstanding, was +still full of faith and devoid of experience? Or of the coquettish +phantom-fights and ugly caricatures of passion with which a heart that +has ceased to believe, in love, endeavours to deceive itself regarding +its own needs? Thee, he exclaimed, thee I have always loved. My whole +life has been one unbroken longing for thee; and when now at length I +have reached the land of promise, am I solely to see it, bless God, and +die? I am no longer weary of life. Nay, life has never yet appeared so +fair to me, and never yet have I so felt the desire and the power to +enjoy it. Die we must; die, however empty life may have been; but oh, +how better far to die in the full bliss of love! No, no! If I love her, +my only reminiscence is one of weary deserts traversed until I reached +her: if she could love me, her love should be no mere mirage of an +oasis in the future; palms should rustle above her fair head, silvery +brooks should run at her feet. Love surely has this potent spell: it +can create a paradise on earth! + +And from these fairy dreams of future bliss he was startled by the +thought that Erna's heart must have already once received some mighty +impression. For it was surely passing strange that she knew so well how +to interpret some of the mysterious symbols in the book of passion; +that she evidently liked to read in that book. But since all his +cautious questioning led to no result, since she spoke of the few young +men whom she seemed to know at all either with indifference, or even, +as in the case of her two cousins, with a perceptible touch of irony, +he could not but conclude that his suspicion was unfounded, and he +became more and more familiar with a fond hope, from which he at first +recoiled as from a temptation to sheer madness. + +But he still had the full use of his senses, and they, had never been +so acute as now. How was he to explain that her voice, whenever she +turned to him, and particularly when they were alone, was quite +different from its usual tone--softer, deeper, more intense? How was he +to explain that she--surely without being aware of it--kept sometimes, +at table, if he happened to speak eagerly, her gaze fixed upon him for +several minutes--that strange, fixed gaze which he had never before met +from any human eye, and which reminded him again and again of the gaze +of the gods,-- + + + "Whose eyelids quiver not like those of mortals;" + + +and then when he ceased to, speak she was like one awakening from a +dream, drawing a long breath, which caused her maiden bosom to rise and +sink! + +Nor were other promising tokens wanting. He had, for good reasons of +his own, disregarded Erna's request to be henceforth less kind to +Lydia; nay, he had doubled his attentions and courtesies, not only +towards the coquettish lady, but towards the Baron too. It seemed so +easy now to pardon, to show indulgence, to look at all things from the +best and most amiable point of view; and politeness is a veil behind +which one may hide so much. At first he had been prepared for +opposition or serious displeasure on the part of the proud, self-willed +girl; but nothing of the kind occurred; she either seemed not to notice +his disobedience, or actually to approve of it; and once or twice, when +he somewhat overdid his part, a meaning smile played about her mouth. +Nay, more, she followed, though with evident hesitation, his example; +she no longer met Lydia's fantastic exaggerations with short and sharp +replies, or with that frigid non-recognition which is more cutting than +direct blame: she continued, as on the first evening or two, to sing +and play with the Baron; she even suffered herself to be put into the +famous terrace picture, and was patient enough to sit to him for a +couple of hours, in which the Baron, with his brush, was constantly +taking one step forward and two backward, as it were; while he vowed +again and again that this was the most grateful, but also the most +difficult, task which he had ever undertaken in his life. + +And there was yet one thing more which had struck him as peculiarly +strange and important. Erna was accustomed to repeat her interlocutors' +names frequently in the course of conversation, and to add them, even +to quite trivial phrases or questions. From the first days of his +visit he still recalled with delight her sweet "How are you, Uncle +Bertram?"--"Yes, Uncle Bertram"--"No, Uncle Bertram." But sweeter, +sweeter far it seemed to him that he now no longer heard it--no, not +once--that her conversation now was plain yea and nay, as enjoined in +Holy Writ, and quite in accordance with the wild wish of his heart. +Hilarie, too, had surely ceased to call her lover--Uncle. Poor Major! +But it served him right, after all, for it was not youth so much that +he lacked, as the courage and force of genuine passion. + + + "That man must ever be a youthful man + Who is well-pleasing to a maiden's eyes!" + + +And he does please her well, because she feels with the unerring +instinct of true love that he can and will give love for love. + +And as though he would force Fate to grant him all, because he was +staking his all upon it, he looked on with a happy smile, whilst the +fire of his great love burned up with increasing vehemence with every +day, with every hour, spreading around and engulfing his entire being. +He was proud that he could no longer feel anything else, think of +anything else, but always her, and her alone. If she was away, how +empty, how barren did the whole world seem! With what painful +impatience did he await the moment when he should behold her again; and +when he beheld her again, it seemed as though he had never beheld her +before--as though the Creator had but just uttered the command: "Let +there be light!" and as though the world lay before him in all the dewy +freshness and brightness of the morn of creation. + +Then, when the torment of delight became overpowering, he fled from +her, to dream, often for hours, in the solitude of the forest, in lone, +rocky caves, or on sunny summits--to listen in the deep silence around +for the echoing of her sweet voice within his heart, to whisper her +loved name to the discreet herbs and trees; to hear that name in the +murmur of the brooks, in the rustling of the breezes, in every note of +the birds' songs; to see her fair image smiling down upon him from +among the dainty white cloudlets that flecked the deep-blue sky, or +gazing at him with musing gravity from the dusky shadows of the +towering trees, gazing with those great, still, potent, godlike orbs. + +That those orbs were now smiling more rarely, that they were fuller of +gravest thought, often gazing with a certain sweet fixity of intensest +concentration, he had not failed to observe, and he had not interpreted +it as a symptom unfavourable to himself; how should, how could it be +otherwise, if there fell into her young soul even the faintest reflex +of the bright radiancy that was filling his own to its deepest depths? + +But he had not failed to observe either, and this he knew not how to +explain, that this musing gravity from which his own love in its +hopefulness drew sweetest sustenance--like a bee from the chalice of a +budding blossom--was turning to a gloomy indignation, which not only +was for ever veiling the beloved eyes, but was not unfrequently +enfolding the fair face with its fine, energetic features in darkest +night, luridly illumined by wrathful flashes. + +This startling change had occurred quite suddenly, coincident, +strangely enough, with the day, almost with the hour, of Agatha's +arrival. + + + + + XII. + + +On the occasion of former visits at Rinstedt Bertram had repeatedly +seen Agatha, and had always been on the best of terms with the ever +equally pleasant, amiable child. Now, of course she had, like Erna, +developed during the last few years into a maiden, though one could not +say that she had gained by the process of metamorphosis. The blonde +hair now was almost red, freckles abounded unpleasantly on brow and +cheek, and an awkward tendency to one side had become an undoubted +lurch; so that, taking all these things together, one might indeed be +tempted to take the nickname "Granny," which Erna had bestowed upon her +cousin and bosom friend, not in its moral meaning alone. But the bright +blue eyes had faithfully preserved the old, dear expression; nay, even +more openly than of old, there spoke out of them a heart full of +kindliest goodwill to all men, desirous of riving in peace and +friendship with all men, and seeming not so much to loathe as simply +not to comprehend the evil emotions and passions of the human heart. + +So gentle a creature, made but for sympathy in joy or in sorrow, could +scarcely have found the requisite courage to destroy even the +commonplace illusions of a commonplace heart, and would most likely +have recoiled from the mere attempt to lay violent hands upon a heart +like Erna's, deviating as it did so greatly from the humdrum, everyday +pattern. And, again, Bertram had to drop the suspicion which at first +had come to him in his perplexity; to wit, that Agatha had, whether in +carelessness or intentionally, blabbed about something confided to her +by Erna. Such a thing would have been in downright contradiction to the +character of the girl, who was as clever as she was good; and, lastly, +that he himself should have betrayed his feelings to the rest--that was +absolutely impossible. He was only too painfully conscious of having +from the very first moment put a most careful guard on his conduct, of +having weighed his every word, controlled his every smile and look: of +course he had! Why, he recoiled in horror from the very thought that +Erna might discover his great secret; it was certain that she had not +discovered it, and how could others have done so? + +But why should they, again, not have seen, and seen in envy, +uncharitableness, and terror, what it was the utmost delight to him to +see? Though he, in the full consciousness of his love, in the anxious +doubt as to whether that love was not a folly, a crime even, had put +the utmost restraint upon himself, yet Erna had assuredly not been +equally careful in expressing her feelings, whose real significance she +might guess at, though most assuredly she could not measure it. Why, +the most harmless and innocent things in the attentions she was +spoiling him with, the many kindly little offices which she did for him +without any fuss, _en passant_, as it were--all these things might have +been malevolently criticised and viciously explained, suspicion being +once aroused one way or the other! + +And that such must be the case he could scarcely doubt any longer, when +he submitted the demeanour of the others towards him during the last +few days to a subsequent examination. Thus, in the light of newly-won +knowledge, sundry things stood out in a very marked way, which, under +other circumstances, he would either not have heeded, or anyhow have +interpreted differently. His beautiful hostess, who used to avail +herself of every tête-à-tête with him to turn their talk to Erna and +the Baron, had not resumed her favourite topic of conversation; and, on +the other hand, Lydia now manifested infinite interest in Erna, and +never wearied of starting contemplative talks in reference to the +qualities of her former pupil, wondering how one should represent to +oneself the future of such a singular being as likely to develop +itself. The Baron had still, on each Occasion when Bertram and he had +met, overflowed with civility, but had yet tormented him less often +with challenges to billiard-matches and to contests in pistol-shooting, +but had on the other hand undertaken more frequent solitary shooting +expeditions--neither Bertram nor Otto, their host, cared for shooting, +as it happened--and had extended them farther too. Otto himself had +certainly and most clearly avoided him. At first he had thought that +Otto did it to avoid new and painful discussions in reference to his +financial position, but Bertram now assumed that it was done lest Otto +should distinctly show that he was angry with his friend for Erna's +sake, or, what--with his natural weak readiness to yield--came +virtually to the same thing, that he had been bidden by the ruling +spirit to be angry with Bertram. + +These were curiously mixed feelings which were roused within him by his +recognition of the new position he so suddenly found himself in. He +said to himself that the things which caused anxiety and terror to his +adversaries were for himself objects of joy and triumph, and +constituted the clearest proof that he had not only dreamed a dream of +rapturous delight. And to be sure, his love could not for ever remain +in the far-off regions of starry splendour; it was bound some time to +approach this earth, to become visible to the dull, mole-like eyes of +these men. But then again, putting himself in the place of these +others, and examining himself and his love, as these others were +undoubtedly doing, he would hear anew, and this time from the lips of +unjust accusers, the old evil questions which he thought had long ago +been done with, to wit--Is your longing and your desire really and +truly free from every vestige of selfishness, from every frivolous +admixture? Has the satisfaction of your own vanity, inasmuch as you may +prove that you, a man of fifty, are able to win the love of such a +youthful, and, in every respect, such a highly-favoured and gifted +girl, against the wishes of her own parents, before her who had once +spurned your love, in the presence and to the shame and discomfiture of +so much more likely a rival--have these considerations nothing, nothing +whatever to do with your love? + +And supposing he were to allow himself to be urged by pressure on the +part of his foes to make a declaration before the right time; or +supposing there never had been and never would be such a time at +all--supposing he and all of them had blundered;--supposing Erna's +heart knew nought of love, and rejected his love, amazed, terrified, +insulted--what then? Ye Heavens above! what then? Where was then that +line of retreat which Göthe had so wisely secured for his hero? + +He realised it to be one of those horribly hideous contradictions of +human life that, while before his inner eye the possibilities of his +future fate concentrated themselves as in a focus, he was busied before +the mirror in exchanging the cravat which Konski had put out for him +for the early dinner, for another (the first dressing-bell having just +rung), in reference to which Erna had once said that it suited him +particularly well. + +He stepped, annoyed, from the mirror to the open window. There came +floating through the balmy, sunny air a gossamer thread and fixed +itself on his shoulder. He sighed wearily, he felt unutterably sad. + +There was always one line of retreat open, and that was--Death. Perhaps +his life was really hanging on as slight a thread as this bit of +gossamer. But then, was not his love for that very reason both madness +and sacrilege? Was that love which at bottom thought, after all, of +itself only, and thought not first and last of this? Could one, +according to human judgment, really undertake the guarantee for the +well-being of those whom one ... made believe one loved? Whether, for +her, weal would not swiftly change to woe, whence, even though time and +that youthful vigour which refuses to be crushed were to heal the +grievous wounds, there could never again blossom forth a full, whole +happiness? And thus, and for this reason, to have henceforth, like +humdrum everyday folks, to dread death, when he had already again and +again looked into his hollow eyes! + +There was some noise behind him, and he started in terror. It was only +Konski who had come back bearing a letter. The post which was due in +the morning had arrived now, and there had been lots of letters for the +other ladies and gentlemen too, and some of them would seem to be +mighty important, for My Lady had given orders to put dinner back half +an hour, so the Herr Doctor could anyhow read his letter in peace. + +Konski had gone away again, and Bertram held the letter still unopened +in his hand. How odd that his physician and friend should write to him +just now--that the busiest of men should so swiftly reply to his own +letter, in which, on the second day of his visit, he had, as requested, +given news of his state of health, a letter which really called for no +reply at all. Was his friend now going to tell him that he ... was +doomed to speedy death? Well, the letter could not have come at a more +opportune moment. + +With trembling hand he broke the seal and read this-- + +"Dearest Friend,--Laugh if you like. On reading your letter a second +time--your letters are not, like most others, consigned to the +waste-paper basket--I have even more strongly the same impression which +the first perusal had given me; namely, that, possibly unknown to +yourself, there is to be read between the lines of your letter a +question, which can be answered only by omniscient Fate and by 'Yours +Truly;' and which, seeing Fate is not altogether to be relied upon in +this respect, Yours Truly has the honour and likewise the great +pleasure of answering herewith. Reduced to its simplest formula, then, +the question comes to this: May I marry? Seeing that you do not laugh, +but, on the contrary, look extremely grave, I will not keep you +needlessly on the tenter-hooks of expectation, but will reduce my +reply, too, to the simplest form, viz.:--Yes, best of friends, you may +marry, in spite of your late serious attack; nay, oddly enough, all the +more because of it. For although even before your illness I had no +doubt that your curiously powerful nature would for years continue to +hold its own against the severe damage done (to deny or reason away the +existence of which was unfortunately impossible), I now have hardly any +misgiving in that respect. For your last illness was simply and solely +a remarkably energetic attempt at self-help on the part of nature, and +the attempt has all but succeeded. What remains to be done to complete +the cure is but little, and that this little be done as swiftly and +thoroughly as possible, you can yourself greatly help. How so? Well, by +marrying! You, having always been over-conscientious and abnormally +scrupulous, having ever lived but for ideal aims and for the benefit of +other folk, should now at length begin to live for yourself, should now +at length find that quiet happiness which you so richly deserve, and be +happy in that happiness; though, to be sure, for the last condition +more good sense is required than what the majority of mankind have been +ready to employ. You, my good friend, have that amount of sense. +_Ergo_--marry for goodness' sake, marry for your own good, marry for +the good of those whom you love, and, lastly, marry with my full +consent, without which I know you would not do it at all. + +"But now, seeing that you are too accustomed to suffering of some sort +to be able to dispense with it altogether, I owe you a fresh supply to +make up for what I am depriving you of, and I am going to saddle you +with one of the most awful kinds of suffering a free man can be +tormented with in these hard and distressing times--you must stand for +Parliament. There is no help for it; we must have you in the +_Reichstag_. Good old S. can bear the burthen no longer; he is going to +retire. I should have insisted upon it on medical grounds if he had not +at length come to see himself that there was no help for it. He is done +for, and doomed to speedy death. And you, who are vigorously advancing +to complete restoration of health, shall and must take his place--by +order of the Electoral Committee, who met at a late hour last night and +ultimately came to a unanimous conclusion on the subject, all, finally, +voting for you! There is no reason why I should keep back the fact +that, to begin with, O. and B. were opposed to it, and so were a few +others, asserting that you could be of greater use to the common cause +as an outsider. They went on arguing that your absolutely independent +position within the party had hitherto enabled you, and would continue +to enable you, to ventilate certain grievances which really require to +be ventilated, and which it is impossible for ourselves, sitting as +members of the _Reichstag_, to bring forward, because, sitting there, +we must pay a certain regard to ... what not. This great and invaluable +activity of yours, they wisely contended, would be rendered absolutely +barren by your entering the serried ranks of a definite political +phalanx within the House itself. Right they are, I know well enough, +none better; for I have, as you know, always maintained the same view. +But, for all that, you must stand. The need is imperative. We have, +alas! none but you; and therefore our arguments prevailed: and the +requisition I am now forwarding to you in the name of our common party +is, as aforesaid, unanimous. Knowing you as well as I do, and knowing +therefore with what a struggle you make up your mind, ever determined +to adhere unswervingly to a resolution you have once arrived at, I'll +give you three days to think it over. Perhaps you'll talk it over with +our friend G. in W., whose acquaintance you have probably made ere +this; not to get him to appeal to your conscience--small need for that +in your case--but because an old veteran like him may be able, from the +fulness of his experience, to give you some hint or other which may be +of use to you in your candidature. It is very probable that you may +have to appear speedily in the arena. The Government would appear to +feel very confident of success, and will not delay the election. Four +weeks hence everything may be settled. That would leave you another +month before the meeting of Parliament to recover from the fatigue of +the electioneering campaign. The Italian trip will have to be given up, +it is true. But no one can serve two masters; and as for the mistress, +if my conjecture be correct, I do not dread her jealousy. If it were +permitted to harbour any doubt whether you have chosen wisely, or if +there were any need to apply a special test, there could be no surer +touchstone than this. The true gold of a genuine woman's love never +shines more brightly than when a sacrifice has to be made for the sake +of letting a man's worth stand out clearly. Commend me cordially to the +fair unknown, and accept my own affectionate greetings." + +The second dinner-bell had rung, and Bertram still sat staring at the +letter. Could this be true? It looked like witchcraft. By what +wonderful ingenuity had his friend rightly interpreted the state of his +heart, judging from hints which were not intended to be hints at all? +Well, if it was a miracle, it was a very auspicious one--one that could +only have had its origin in the great strength of truest friendship. +Impossible for the tempter to have assumed the guise of the best and +noblest of men! + +He pressed the letter to his lips, and gazed upward to the blue sky. +And, lo! as he moved, the gossamer thread floated away from his +shoulder, away into the sunny afar. + +With glowing eye he followed its flight. + +"Right, right! Fly and float with it, ye cowardly thoughts of retreat! +Who fears not death has already half won the battle!" + + + + + XIII. + + +Below, in the garden saloon, Bertram found only Otto and the Baron, who +abruptly stopped an eager conversation as Bertram entered. Otto looked +greatly embarrassed; the Baron gave him one angry look, then turned +away to the young ladies, who were walking on the verandah. + +"I seem to have disturbed you," said Bertram. + +"Don't be annoyed," replied Otto. "The Baron had, last night already, +disagreeable news from home, which is confirmed to-day, and will compel +him to travel back; and just now, in this time of tension, he wishes of +course--it is extremely awkward ..." + +"In one word, he has officially asked you for your daughter's hand?" + +"Not exactly officially; we really do not know about Erna. You had +undertaken to put us _au courant_, to advise and help us, and now you +are not helping us at all, and--and my wife is rather annoyed with you +on this ground." + +"So I have observed; and therefore, to make up for previous omissions, +I'll give you my advice now: get rid of him as quickly as possible, and +spare Erna the humiliation of having to refuse the fellow." + +"Humiliation? The fellow? How oddly you talk!" + +"I talk how I feel. He is unworthy of Erna, absolutely." + +"So you say; but why?" + +Bertram made no answer. What good could it do now to have a dispute +with Otto about the worthiness or unworthiness of the Baron? + +"You see," said Otto triumphantly, "you have no real reason to give!" +Then, seeing his friend look extremely grave, he went on--"I know of +course that you mean well by Erna, by me, by all of us. Perhaps you are +right, too, at least in this--that Erna may say: No. If she does, well, +then there is an end of it, and Hildegard and he may see how they can +best put up with it. If only it had not happened just now. I have my +head quite full enough as it is--all these officers coming to be +quartered here to-morrow, then the final debate on the railway +question, and then I just remember that I have also to redeem +to-morrow a certain mortgage, not much, only five thousand thalers, but +it happens most inopportunely, I wanted to talk to you about it before, +but I did not like to disturb you in your rooms; perhaps after dinner, +or to-night sometime--there is my wife coming, for God's sake no fuss, +I entreat you!" + +Hildegard entered, Lydia followed soon after, the young ladies and the +Baron came in from the verandah, and they all went to dinner. +Conversation somehow flagged; every one was busy with his own thoughts, +and, if one were to judge by looks, these thoughts did not seem to be +pleasant ones, except in Hildegard's case. She kept smiling +mysteriously to herself, and at last, when there had been a pause of +some little duration, she held up a couple of letters which she had +laid by the side of her plate, and said-- + +"It is really too bad; here, I am sitting with quite a treasury of most +interesting surprises, and none of you take the trouble to show the +slightest symptom of curiosity. It would really serve you right if I +were not to say a word to you; but I will be gracious, as usual, and +let you participate in my joy. First, then, your mother, Agatha, has +after all yielded to my entreaties. It is most kind of her. She has a +big party to-morrow, too; some twenty officers, she says, and can ill +spare any of the girls. Still, she understands that I have even greater +need of them in our solitude, if the crowd of uniforms is not to become +intolerably monotonous--_enfin_, she'll send Louise and Augusta. They +will arrive to-day; so we shall really be able to have a dance to +morrow evening, if we invite the girls from the parsonage and a few +others. Well, what do you say?" + +Erna made no reply; she seemed hardly to have listened. Agatha said-- + +"You are very kind, aunt," but it did not sound hearty. + +"Is that all?" exclaimed Hildegard. "Of course I am kind, far too kind +to you ungrateful _blasée_ girls, who cannot rise to enthusiasm even +with the prospect of a dance! But you, Baron?" + +"I envy the gentlemen," replied he, "who will benefit by your kindness; +I myself, as you are aware, will scarcely be able to participate in +it." + +Hildegard raised her eyebrows. + +"I thought," she said, "that the matter was settled. Your relations may +see how they can best do without you. I wish to hear nothing more upon +the subject. This is my ultimatum, and I beg you will respect it." + +The Baron bowed, and muttered something about _force majeure_. +Hildegard paid no heed to it; she had already taken up the second +letter. + +"I must beforehand apologise for my bad French accent. The letter is +from the Residenz, and I ought to mention ..." + +"From Princess Amelia?" the Baron asked eagerly. + +"Not from our gracious Princess," replied Hildegard with a courteous +smile, "but from a princess, for all that." + +"Perhaps you would translate it?" suggested Otto timidly. + +"Very well," replied his wife. "I was thinking of doing so anyhow, for +I know you pretend that you do not understand French. Well, then-- + +"Madam,--Will you pardon a perfect stranger who ventures to request a +favour which it is usual to grant only to one's friends, or to duly +accredited persons--the favour of being your guest for a short time? +You are amazed, madam; but why do you own a mansion whose classic style +of architecture and whose internal fittings are the marvel of the land? +Why does every one who can judge, laud you as unsurpassed in the +horticultural art? I travel through Germany chiefly with the object of +studying all that is best and most beautiful in these things, in order +to try and imitate it upon my estates in Livadia. I shall not, as I +said, trouble you long; only a day or two. To-morrow and the day after, +if I may, for I can unfortunately not dispose differently of my time. +And as regards the inconvenience I must needs cause you, I will try to +reduce it to a minimum. A gardener or forester to pilot me about +outside, a steward to show me some of the things inside, a little +corner by your fireside, a little place at your table, a little chamber +to sleep in; that is all! True, already too much, if I reflect; but one +should not reflect, if one is the thorough egotist who has the honour +of remaining, Madam, your obedient servant,--Princess Alexandra +Paulovna ..." + +Hildegard looked up from her letter, and said with a smile-- + +"I cannot make out the surname." + +She passed the letter to Bertram, who was sitting on her right. + +"Well," said the Baron, on her left, "she would seem to be a Russian, +anyhow." + +"No doubt of that. Well, my friend?" + +"No," replied Bertram, "I cannot make it out." + +"Will you allow me?" said the Baron. + +Bertram handed the letter back to Hildegard, who passed it on to the +Baron. + +"Why," he exclaimed, "it is quite plain, Bo--Bo!" He paused. + +"Bo, Bo, Bo!" laughed Lydia. "Let me try." +But Lydia failed too; the note was passed round the table; Otto and +Agatha tried and failed; Erna passed it on to Bertram without casting +one glance at it. + +"Will you not try?" asked Bertram. + +"No." + +She uttered this so sharply that Bertram looked up terrified. + +"How very unkind," said her mother. + +Bertram had the same impression at first, but he knew Erna too well; +there was assuredly something else going on in her mind, something +which had tried to find expression in the abrupt No. She was very pale, +and had pressed her teeth against her under lip, whilst her eyes looked +gloomily and fixedly straight in front of her. One might have expected +her to burst into a flood of tears the next moment. To turn the +attention of the rest from her, and also to overcome his own feelings +of uneasiness, he began once more diligently to spell away at the +signature, and suddenly exclaimed-- + +"I have got it, I think--Volinzov--Alexandra Paulovna Volinzov!" + +"Let me see, please?" exclaimed Hildegard. "Really, Volinzov; and quite +plain too. How blind we have been! Dear me, Herr Baron, what is the +matter with you?" + +"I beg a thousand pardons," said the Baron from behind his +handkerchief, which he held pressed to his face, rising from the table +as he spoke, and swiftly withdrawing from the room. + +Hildegard looked sadly after his retreating figure. + +"Poor fellow!" she said, "I am so sorry. He is in a terrible state of +excitement. And now, in addition, this home news--if I only knew what +it is all about, but he is discretion personified." + +Bertram, still pondering over Erna's strange demeanour, had almost +mechanically cast his eye over the whole letter, and only became +conscious of this on coming to a passage which he did not remember +having heard in Hildegard's translation. + +"Here," he said, "is one line, my fair friend, which has escaped you, +and which yet strikes me as important. Listen: 'thorough egotist who +has the courage to follow her letter at once, and has the honour,' &c." + +"Impossible!" exclaimed Hildegard. + +"There it stands; see for yourself. You passed from the last line but +two on to the last." + +"Oh dear! oh dear!" exclaimed the hostess. "She will be wanting to +dine of course; and that is not the worst, but all the rooms will be +occupied by to-morrow afternoon." + +"The officers must do with a little less accommodation," said Otto. "It +will be all right." + +"No, it will not be all right," said his wife, "if each of them is to +have a room of his own; and we cannot put less than two each at the +disposal of the two Majors and the Colonel." + +"Let me help you in your embarrassment," said Bertram. "You know, I +originally intended leaving early to-morrow, let us adhere to the old +plan; the more so, because I have just received a letter which +necessitates my very speedy return to Berlin." + +"That is an excuse," exclaimed his friend. + +"No excuse, my dear fellow; you may see the letter yourself. But I may +as well say what it is about. I have been selected by my political +friends for a forthcoming vacancy in the _Reichstag_." + +"But you will surely not stand?" + +"Indeed, I mean to do so." + +"And your Italian trip?" + +"Postponed to some future day." + +"But your illness?" + +"Thanks to your excellent nursing, I never felt better in my life." + +"But it's quite out of the question!" cried Otto. "I cannot let you. +It would be downright ..." + +In thus urging his friend to stay, Otto was simply following the +dictates of his own good-natured heart, without any reference to his +own special interests; now it suddenly occurred to him that his wife +had that very morning called Bertram's presence a positive misfortune, +and had accused him of standing--the one obstacle--between herself and +the execution of her favourite plan. + +So he broke off abruptly, casting a sheepish, embarrassed look at his +wife. + +Hildegard blushed to the very temples. Now she was obliged to urge him +to stay, if everything she had been settling during the last few days +in secret with Lydia and the Baron, and at last with her husband too, +was not to lie like an open book before Bertram, and unless there was +to be a real rupture, which, of course, it was desirable to avoid as +long as possible. In order to conceal the true reason of her blush, she +seized, as though obeying some uncontrollable impulse, both his hands, +and said-- + +"I am almost speechless with amazement, my friend! Otto is quite right; +the thing is impossible, it would be downright--abominable--that is +what you were going to say, is it not, dear Otto? You cannot, must not +leave us now. In a few days, if it really must be, well and good; but +not now. I have--quite apart from our own feelings--revelled in the +thought of the pleasant surprise it will be for Herr von Waldor to meet +here, upon the threshold of a strange house, an old friend of his own. +And if old friendship cannot exercise a spell over you, are you not +allured by the prospect of meeting the mysterious Russian, whose name +you alone were able to decipher, and who will not care to converse with +any one except yourself, once she has heard how beautifully you speak +French? But come--Otto, Lydia, Agatha--help me to entreat our friend to +stay." + +In the general excitement, every one had risen from table, dinner being +finished anyhow, and now they were talking on the verandah. The Baron +had reappeared too, but was keeping at some little distance; he +evidently had not quite recovered from his attack. Those to whom +Hildegard had appealed by name hastened to comply with her request, and +were all urging Bertram to remain. He never heard them at all; he did +not even see them; he had eyes for Erna only. + +Erna, as though she had no interest whatever in the matter under +discussion, had stepped down from the verandah to one of the +flower-plots on the lawn. Suddenly she turned, retraced her steps +slowly, ascended the verandah again, and approached him. Her cheeks--so +pale but a short time ago--were flushed now; there was a light in those +large eyes, and a defiant smile played round her dainty lips. She +fastened a beautiful red rose, just about to unfold, in his buttonhole. + +"I prayed you the night you came--I pray you again: Stay! stay--for my +sake! Come, Agatha!" + +She had seized her cousin by the hand, and drawn her away into the +garden; Bertram had stepped into the billiard-room, and was knocking +the balls about; the others looked at each other, amazed, embarrassed, +frightened, scornful. But, greatly though their various feelings +desired expression and exchange, and opportune though the occasion +might appear, there was no chance in the meantime. For the very next +moment the sound of a post-horn was heard coming from the great +courtyard, and announced, to Hildegard's terror, that Princess Volinzov +had interpreted her own letter literally, and had really followed it +without delay. + + + + + XIV. + + +The sunny brightness of the day was suddenly interrupted by a +thunderstorm, and the evening closed in dark and stormy. Up from the +valley and down from the wooded hills thick grey mists came rolling +along, and violent showers of rain ensued. It was chilly and +disagreeable; and the "corner by the fireside," referred to in the +letter of the Princess, seemed no longer to be a mere phrase, but to +embody a very natural wish, and one which Hildegard took care to +fulfil, by having fires kindled in all the drawing-rooms. There was +quite a party at the mansion this evening. An hour after the arrival of +the Princess, the sisters of Agatha had come; then the forest-ranger, +the Herr _Oberförster_, had turned up, without having brought his +ladies, on account of the disagreeable weather, but there had come with +him a young gentleman from the Forests and Woods' Department, Herr von +Busche, who had been absent for a week, and who, as he laughingly +assured them, must try very hard to make up for the many pleasant hours +he had lost. He seemed determined to carry this into practice, for he +was most indefatigable in suggesting new games and new jests, and kept +the four young ladies in constant laughter. + +"_Qu'y a-t-il de plus beau_," said the Princess, talking, as before, +now French, now German with equal readiness, "thus to hear, from an +adjoining room, the happy laughter of girls, while one is sitting +snugly by the fire talking to a friend. The past and the present mingle +and separate again, like the red and blue flames among those coals; and +sometimes there flashes between them a green one, which we may take for +a light giving a glimpse of the future--and indeed it vanishes again +very swiftly. How comfortable, how beautiful everything's in your +house, _ma chère_. And how can I thank you enough for admitting me to +the full enjoyment of your charming home?" + +She had seized both Hildegard's hands as she spoke, and seized them so +eagerly that the bracelets on her round white arms jingled. + +"I have to thank you, Princess ..." + +"For goodness' sake, do not call me that any longer. Say Alexandra, +will you not?" + +"Will you say Hildegard?" + +"_Cela va sans dire_--Hildegard--a beautiful name--beautiful like her +whose it is! What were we talking about? The future, yes, to be sure. +Well, there is a glorious future in store for you in your lovely +daughter." + +"Do you like Erna?" + +"Like her? _Mon Dieu!_ only a mother's modesty can ask this. She is +simply divine. Not that I never saw more beautiful girls--you see I am +quite frank--but there is something in her whole bearing, the way in +which she walks or stands, every movement, every gesture, her +expression, her smile, her gravity even, there is a grace and a charm +about it all which completely bewitch me, woman though I am. How may +men feel? Poor men! Poor broken hearts, I pity you!" + +"She has scarcely had the chance yet of breaking hearts," replied +Hildegard with a smile; "she has only just left school." + +"But even very young ladies, I am told, manage sometimes to do it," +said the Princess. "I am afraid I broke one or two myself whilst I was +at a boarding-school, and it was a strict one, too! But to be serious, +have you already chosen for your fair child?" + +"Our girls in Germany are wont to claim the right of choice for +themselves," replied Hildegard, casting a stolen glance at Bertram, +who, walking up and down the saloon with Otto, happened just at that +moment to be inconveniently near. + +"A bad German peculiarity," said the Princess. "If a girl who does not +know the world, does not know men--except her father, of whom she is +afraid, and her brothers, whom she thinks ridiculous--is allowed to +choose a husband according to the confused illusions of her silly +little head--you may bet a hundred to one that the result will be +either a _bêtise_ or a _malheur_--which, according to the saying of +the witty Frenchman, are, however, identical terms." + +"That is quite my idea, dear--Alexandra," said Hildegard, bending her +head with a courteous smile to her new-found friend; "quite my idea!" + +"Clever women understand each other _à demi mot_," replied Alexandra. +"But there are exceptions, and your Erna is such an exception. She +would never dream of losing her heart to a man simply because he stands +six feet, and knows how to brush himself up and to cut a figure, +however confused things may look beneath the smoothly-parted hair, +however rotten a heart may beat behind the dainty cambric shirt-front." + +Hildegard did not dare to stir; she had noticed that during the last +few words of the Princess the Baron had been standing within a couple +of steps from them, evidently with the intention of joining them. But +as neither lady seemed to see him, or wish to see him, he examined a +vase which stood upon a marble table near, and turned on his heel +again. Hildegard breathed more freely. + +"You may be quite assured," said Alexandra, "I spoke in French on +purpose when I saw him coming. I had made sure that he speaks it very +badly, and understands it even worse, which, by the by, is rather +curious in a cavalier who is anxious to obtain a Court appointment." + +Hildegard felt very uneasy, although it was of course out of the +question that the Princess should have meant the Baron when she spoke +of a "man standing six feet." + +"You know," she said with some little hesitation, "that the Baron is +very intimate at Court?" + +"I was at Court last night," replied Alexandra, "to tea. We Russians +are in very good odour at your Court, you know; and, moreover, I had +made the acquaintance of their Highnesses during their last visit to +St. Petersburg. Princess Amelia is specially gracious to me, and she is +the one who interests herself in the Baron." + +"To be sure," Hildegard assented eagerly. "Pray, tell me more, it has +much interest for me." + +"I have not much to tell. I mentioned in the course of general +conversation that I intended to pay you a visit to-day. This led to +Fräulein von Aschhof and the Baron being mentioned as your guests. For +that curious lady every one seemed to have a smile, nothing more, +which, by the by, I can quite understand. About the Baron--well, _chère +amie_, since you are interested in the young man, I must be indiscreet +enough to tell you of a very confidential conversation I had afterwards +in a window recess about him with that dear old man, Count Dirnitz, the +Court-Marshal. He told me that the opinions regarding the Baron were at +least much divided at Court. The Grand Duke himself, he said, in +particular, could not overcome a certain antipathy to him, and that was +the reason why his appointment as one of the chamberlains, although +duly made out, still awaited the Grand Duke's signature. The Count said +that he himself, although he had been an intimate friend of the Baron's +father, did not know what to advise. Just then the Grand Duke came up +to us; he had heard the last words of Count Dirnitz, and said +laughingly: 'That, my good Count, happens pretty often to you; but may +I ask what it is about?' And when Dirnitz, who, I suppose, had no +option, had told him, he said: 'Well, in this case, I must admit I am +perplexed myself; I should so much like to oblige Princess Amelia, and +yet ...' Then the Grand Duke suddenly turned to me and said: '_A +propos_, Princess Volinzov, as you are going to Rinstedt to-morrow, you +might have a good look at our man. I will gladly confide the matter to +your unprejudiced decision. If you think him suitable for us, _eh +bien_, I'll risk it.' ... What a truly charming ceiling this is! Quite +a work of art." + +Princess Alexandra was leaning back in her arm-chair examining through +her double eye-glass the painted ceiling. + +"I see," she said, "a fine imitation of that Guercino in the Villa +Ludovisi. It is superb, truly superb!" + +Hildegard was in a state of painful excitement. The young Princess had, +anyhow, impressed her greatly; now this unexpected, but of course +perfectly natural, intimacy at Court, and specially such a mission, +possibly the one solitary motive of the whole visit, and upon which the +Baron's fate depended. She felt almost dizzy, and it cost her a +considerable struggle to be able to say with some calmness-- + +"I beg your pardon, my dear Alexandra, but you have forgotten the main +thing." + +"The main thing! What main thing? + +"What your unprejudiced opinion of the Baron now is." + +"To be sure!" + +She looked again at Hildegard. There was an odd smile on her lips now. + +"If my opinion were only unprejudiced. But how can that be when the +friends of our friends are our own, or ought to be?" + +"You shall not escape thus," said Hildegard, whose sinking courage the +fair visitor's smile had revived a little. + +"I do not mean to escape," replied the Princess; "only I do not quite +like to confess a silly trick to you which my memory, which is +generally very fair as far as physiognomies are concerned, is playing +me in this case. But it is simply impossible to free one's self +altogether from the influence which a marked personal likeness +exercises; and when I first saw the Baron, there came to me the most +disagreeable reminiscence of an episode of the last journey I made with +my lamented mother to Italy. However, as I ought at once to state, +there is no harm in the matter, for the Baron, whom I asked, says he +was not in Monaco that year." + +"In Monaco?" cried Hildegard. + +"Alas, my good mamma, the Countess Lassounska, you must know, was a +great votary of the green cloth. Well, she could afford to indulge a +passion which, among the ladies of the Russian aristocracy, not seldom +survives or reappears, when they have had to bury all other passions. +And in all others poor mamma had been so very unfortunate; but in this +she was singularly lucky. Thus, one night--it was in autumn '72--she +died next spring, four weeks after my marriage with the Prince, who had +at that time followed us to Monaco, and to whom I had just, being then +sixteen years of age, become engaged--good Lord, and he has been dead +these two years! How time passes! But what was I going to say? Oh yes; +mamma had won an immense sum one night, so much that at last she was +barely paying any attention to what she was staking, and when she +noticed a friend, she turned round to talk to him, without leaving her +chair, until the gentleman himself called her attention to the +accumulating gains, and asked if she would not withdraw them. But she +said there was no hurry, and went on chattering, to the amazement of +her neighbours and the terror of the bank, for they kept and kept +losing on the red. At last mamma did turn round again to the table, her +own curiosity roused by the divers exclamations of the bystanders; but +just at that moment a gentleman, who had been sitting by her side all +night, was pocketing the whole huge heap of banknotes and rouleaux of +gold. Mamma claimed her property, of course; the gentleman assured her +she was mistaken. Mamma knew that this was not the case, but a scene in +a gambling-room, don't you know, dear, _c'est une horreur_ for a lady +with aristocratic nerves like poor mamma, the friend she had been +conversing with wanted to interfere, so did a number of the bystanders, +and play had to be suspended. Mamma said that if the gentleman asserted +that the money was his, she would waive her claim; rose, took her +friend's arm, and left the room. Here the matter ended, and nothing +further followed, for the 'gentleman' elected to leave that very night +for Nice. There, they say, he speedily got rid of his illgotten gains. +At least, when we arrived there four weeks later, they pointed out a +gentleman in the play saloon to us who had recently lost fabulous sums. +On that occasion I saw him for the first time--I was not generally +allowed to enter the gambling-rooms--and for the last time, for he had +no sooner caught sight of our party, than he rose from the table and +vanished from the room, and I think from Nice; anyhow, he never, +appeared again during the rest of our sojourn. Mamma had given strict +orders not to take any notice; whatever of the adventurer." + +"And this--adventurer, had a distant likeness to the Baron?" + +"A distant likeness? No, dear, a most distinct one. That's the +misfortune!" + +Alexandra was leaning back again in the arm-chair and toying with her +rings. Hildegard was staring gloomily in front of her. The execution of +her long-cherished, plan, the fulfilment of her eager desire, was now +threatened by an obstacle which seemed much worse than any previous +one; and she was already almost reduced to despair by the others that +she had to struggle against. + +"A misfortune, indeed!" she said; "a great misfortune for our friend, +who, will now have to suffer so bitterly for an accident he is +guiltless of." + +"How suffer, dear?" + +"Were you not saying yourself a short while ago that this wretched +likeness was making it impossible for you to arrive at an unprejudiced +opinion about the Baron? Well, it matters everything to him, of course, +that your opinion should not only not be prejudiced but favourable. +And--to confess the truth--to me, to us, it matters much, very much." + +Alexandra drew herself up, the old odd smile was hovering about her +lips again. + +"Does it really matter so much to you?" she said. "Do I understand you +correctly?" + +"Let us assume that you do," replied Hildegard, trying as she spoke to +imitate Alexandra's smile. + +"Then I can only answer: _Je n'en vois pas la nécessité._" + +"Of what?" + +"That this particular man should marry Erna. Where is the necessity? If +she were in love with him, the matter would have to be discussed at +least. Now it is not worth while. A girl like your Erna--proud, +self-willed, large-hearted--will never be in love with this Baron, +never! It is impossible, it is contrary to nature--I mean contrary to +the nature of a gifted heart, for there are gifted hearts, just as +there are gifted heads. One can, nay, one must, have absolute +confidence in both, even supposing that, from very excess of feelings +or thoughts, they seem not to have confidence in themselves. One must +let them have their way, they cannot err long." + +"But they can err for all that," replied Hildegard bitterly. "Would +you not call it an error, would you think it to be in accord with the +nature of that gifted heart you speak of, if the girl in question were +to take a special interest in--out with it, were to love--a man who, +according to years, might be her father, a man of fifty?" + +The question seemed to come upon Princess Alexandra as a great +surprise. She had almost risen from her chair, and was staring fixedly +at Hildegard with a burning blush on her cheek. But the very next +moment mien and colour had resumed their former state, and nestling +even more snugly in the recesses of the deep arm-chair, she said +slowly-- + +"This question it is impossible to answer with an unconditional Yes or +No. So much would depend upon the individual. Let us speak of the girl +first. You are of coarse referring to ..." + +"To Erna." + +The eyes of the Princess were all but closed now; something seemed to +flash from beneath the long eyelids. + +"Of course," she replied very slowly. "And ... he?" + +Hildegard bent her eyes in the direction of the opposite side of the +drawing-room, where Bertram was conversing with the forest-ranger. + +"Ah!" was all the Princess said, putting up her double eyeglass and +surveying Bertram curiously. Then, after a long pause-- + +"Are you sure?" + +"Quite." + +"It is so easy to make a mistake in these things." + +"There is no chance of a mistake here." + +"How so?" + +Hildegard hesitated before she replied. But her heart was too full. The +pain--repressed with difficulty--caused her by the merciless +condemnation of the Baron, her displeasure in reference to Bertram, her +anger against Erna--all these emotions were clamouring for expression, +although her pride bade her desist. She bent over the Princess and +whispered hurriedly-- + +"You will not condemn a mother even if, in her despair, she has +recourse to desperate remedies, or, at least, allows things to be done +on which she could never voluntarily determine. I was positively free +from the faintest suspicion, but Lydia--Fräulein von Aschhof--who had +reasons of her own for exercising minute control over the gentleman's +demeanour, felt sure she had found it out. Indeed, she communicated to +me observations she had made--words she had heard, looks she had +intercepted--I thought the charge monstrous, incredible, abominable; +but my confidence was shaken--I saw with new eyes, heard with new +ears--saw and heard what caused me to shudder. And yet I would +certainly have shrunk much longer from accepting a conviction which +every day and every hour was urging upon me anew; but two days ago +Fräulein von Aschhof brought me a letter which my daughter had written +to her cousin Agatha, written but not sent--why, I know not. Nor do I +know how Lydia--Fräulein Von Aschhof--got hold of the letter. I +believe ..." + +"Go on, go on!" said Alexandra, as Hildegard, embarrassed, was pausing. +"That does not matter at all. The chief thing is that you have seen the +letter. And what did the letter say? That she loved this man?" + +"Not in these words, but in words which it were impossible to interpret +differently." + +"Have you the letter still?" + +"No, I am sorry to say. Lydia has ..." + +"Has replaced it where she found it; of course. It's a pity, though. It +might be possible to imagine another interpretation. However, let us +assume that it is so. What have you resolved?" + +"To die rather than give my consent--a thousand times rather!" + +Their eyes met, and they looked; steadily at each other for a few +moments. Then the Princess nodded, and said-- + +"I see you are in earnest. I can quite understand it; nay, more, I will +help you. You will not have to die. I promise my help. Will you reject +it?" + +She had seized Hildegard's hand. + +"I shall be eternally grateful to you," said Hildegard; "but ..." + +"No 'but!' I am one of these people who always do what they undertake. +You shall be content with me." + +"I fear, I fear it is too late." + +"We shall see about that. Now, in the first instance, bring me the man, +and leave me alone with him. One more condition: you are never to ask +me what means I have employed. Will you promise?" + +"Anything you wish, my kind, good friend!" + +She would have pressed the little ringed hands, (which she still held +clasped) to her lips, but the Princess prevented it by a swift +movement, saying as she did so-- + +"For goodness sake, do not be demonstrative! People are not to see what +intimate friends we have become!" + +Hildegard had risen to fetch Bertram. Alexandra was again examining, +with the help of her double eyeglass, the painted ceiling above; but +her thoughts were not with Apollo and the nymphs. + +"So now we are going to see Mr. Right! To be sure, the other one was +scarcely worth the trouble. But this one it will not be so easy to +subdue. Poor Kurt--I could take such sweet revenge here! But no, no! I +have vowed to myself, by the love wherewith I loved you, wherewith I +love you still--as a brother--that I would bring you back your loved +one though I should have to fetch her out of Inferno. I will keep my +vow. I will be able to look with a clear conscience into your beautiful +eyes to-morrow.... Ah, Mr. Bertram! Now I call this very nice of you. I +was already beginning to feel offended. I am not accustomed to be +neglected by clever people. You must try to atone for it now. Pray, sit +down!" + + + + + XV. + + +Bertram had no difficulty in replying merrily to the merry questions of +the fair stranger. His head was full of merry thoughts, there was +nothing but rapture in his heart. All the world seemed to him to be +filled with the fragrance of that rose Erna had given him to-day, that +rose which he had since worn near his heart, and from which the hostile +looks of Hildegard and the others fell off harmless, as from a potent +talisman. Human envy notwithstanding, things awarded him by the grace +of the gods were coming to him, nay, had come. If he had still required +any confirmation, what confirmation more delightful could he have had +than the exuberant mirth to which the beloved child's melancholy +gravity had suddenly turned? Like fairy music her rippling laugh seemed +to him, coming from the adjoining room, where, surrounded by her +cousins, she was as indefatigable in admiring Herr von Busche's feats, +as that gentleman himself was in performing them. And he was willing to +bear in patience that she was taken up by her friends all the evening, +even as he was himself by the rest of the company, and that thus he had +not found one single moment when he might have approached her, might +have told her what she knew already, what no longer required to be +said, what could be said only by a kiss on those pure, sweet lips. + +In such rapturous dreams his soul was rejoicing whilst he was +conversing gaily with the Russian beauty. And rapture, too, it was to +compare this foreign beauty, from whom, in spite of her youth, the +strong and not always pure breath of the great world had long ago +brushed away the dainty down, with the chaste grace of the beloved +maid. She needed no sparkling diamonds, no jingling of golden +bracelets; she could dispense with all these over-refined arts of the +toilet, this coquetterie which calculated every pose of the plump +little frame, every movement of the round arms and the white hands, +every rise and fall of the long lids, every glance, every smile from +the black eyes! His Erna was the fairer and nobler of the two, a born +Princess! + +In their conversation, which was carried on, as far as Bertram was +concerned, all the more eagerly the less his heart was touched by it, +and to which Alexandra, passing as lightly as a bird from one subject +to another, was constantly adding fresh topics of interest, they were +interrupted by the loud laughter of the girls. Indeed, two of the +sisters came rushing into the drawing-room to invite those who were +there to come and admire a positively incredible trick which Herr von +Busche had just performed, and which he was prepared to repeat--but by +universal desire only. They drew the others away with them, uncle and +aunt, the Herr _Oberförster_ and the Baron. + +"You would like to go," said Alexandra. "Do not stay on my account. I +have already withdrawn you too long from the society of the others." + +"You dismiss me?" + +"One should never detain any one who wants to escape!" + +"But what has brought such evil suspicion upon me?" + +"Your eyes, which are constantly, though ever so discreetly, wandering +to that door, in whose frame, it is true, the group of young ladies +appears as full of charms as one of Winterhalter's tableaux. Four +girls, one of whom, for the sake of contrast, I suppose, has had the +superb inspiration to be ugly, while the other three vie with each +other in beauty. Which of the girls do you think the most beautiful?" + +"I thought the question could not be asked." + +"Do you think so? But since I have asked it, I suppose you will have to +be polite enough to answer it. You mean the young lady with the lovely +neck and the glorious Titian-like hair? I could wager that you do." + +"Don't; you would lose your wager." + +"Then I declare that you are not an impartial judge, perhaps absolutely +bribed; bribed by the rose, say, that you wear in your button-hole." + +Alexandra had dropped the eye-glass which she had raised to look upon +the group of girls in the doorway, and now, turning swiftly round to +Bertram, she looked laughingly into his eyes, and said-- + +"That was indiscreet, was it not?" + +"Not at all," Bertram replied. "This rose, it is true, is the gift of +one of the young ladies, and indeed, of the one who seems to me to be +by far the most beautiful--the daughter of our host, if you wish to +know. But it was no secret gift. I have had it awarded to me before the +whole party assembled, as a reward, by the way, for staying a few days +longer than I had promised. You see in this case, as in so many others, +the small merit is out of all proportion to the great reward." + +"Then I was not altogether wrong," said Alexandra, "there was a certain +amount of bribery connected with it, although there was no call for it. +Openly speaking, I can but confirm your decision. Fräulein Erna is by +far the most beautiful, most graceful, most interesting, not only of +the few young ladies yonder, but of all those I have recently, perhaps +whom I have ever seen. And my evidence is assuredly unprejudiced and +unbribed, nay, more, it is generous, for, between you and me, Fräulein +Erna is not treating me in a friendly way." + +"That," Bertram asserted eagerly, "is assuredly a mistake; it may seem +so, but her cousins are claiming so much of her attention, and, perhaps +too, having been so little in society as yet, she may be a little shy +before a lady of the _grand monde_." + +"Perhaps," said Alexandra, "although the latter alternative would not +be very flattering for me, seeing that I fancy, besides being somewhat +of a grand lady, I have remained a good deal of the _bonne enfant_. Nor +have I at all given up the hope of proving to the dear child that I am +indeed her friend. I believe I have found out that she needs one. Do +you not think so?" + +Bertram was puzzled. But she had spoken kindly, naturally, just like +some one rather given to blurt out whatever thought came uppermost. + +"Who does not need friends?" he answered with a smile. + +"Very true," replied the Princess, "and very diplomatic. I quite +understand your diplomacy. You are the friend of this fair creature; it +is therefore your bounden duty, if other people clamour for admission +to the ranks of her friends, to be very critical, particularly so if it +strikes you as incomprehensible whence those others derive the sudden +sympathy to which they lay claim. But, _que voulez-vous?_ A young +woman, whose heart is wholly unoccupied, and who is driven about in the +world by this aforesaid unoccupied heart, like a balloon that has lost +its ballast--what other and what better thing can she do, than be +interested in anything interesting that chance puts in her way? This is +my occupation. Any occupation seriously pursued makes you an expert, +sooner or later, in that occupation. I have always pursued mine +seriously, and have pursued it long enough to claim to be something +like an expert in it. Now here everything is so simple and clear that +the meanest understanding can make for itself a fairly correct picture +in half a dozen hours. Given: a man who would be the very pattern of a +loving father for his daughter, if he were not a rare specimen of the +truly obedient husband; a wife who would swear by all she held sacred +that she thinks of nothing but how to make her daughter happy, and who +makes her as unhappy as only a narrow-hearted narrow-minded mother +can make a singularly gifted, large-hearted daughter; an aged +scandal-loving, intriguing _confidante_, who likes to make mischief, +the better to pursue her own mean objects in troubled waters; a young +suitor, endowed by nature for the very part of _jeune premier_ at a +second-rate theatre; an older friend of the family whose clear, clever +eyes see all this, of course, and whose whole sympathy, equally a +matter of course, is enlisted for the girl whose gradual growth and +glorious development he has watched. Why, I should think the matter was +as plain as the 'secret' in the most casual novel. And, should you care +for a more complicated ... fable,--let the friend of the family +conceive a serious, passionate attachment to the 'dear child,' and then +you have abundant material for volume number two." + +Bertram started. This could no longer--it was impossible--be the mere +inspiration of the moment, and only a harmless _causerie_. There was +treachery at work here, evidently inspired by Hildegard, with whom the +Russian lady had, a short time ago, conversed so long and so eagerly. +And if the Princess, as was quite possible, considering the great +vivacity of her disposition, had already chosen a side: which side? +Erna's? or that of her mother? Probably the latter, for she spoke so +very bitterly of her. One does that kind of thing to draw one's +opponent out. But in that case the great lady must use greater cunning +yet. + +"I admire your wonderful imagination," he said, "and if I were a poet, +I would envy it. How charming to see poetical elements everywhere, and +also to be at once clear as to the arranging and dove-tailing which +torments the poet so much. You should really make a book of it. Even if +the subject is not quite new--where, indeed, could, quite new ones be +found nowadays?--a clever author will see something new even in the +most hackneyed subject. For myself, of course, the second volume would +be specially interesting, when the old friend of the family comes on +the stage; for him, of course, the business cannot possibly end well." + +"I beg," said the Princess, "that you, will not spoil my text. I have +by no means said that my hero is old. On the contrary, he is in the +prime of life; of that age when we women only begin to find you men +amiable, and rightly so, for you only begin then to become amiable; +somewhere about fifty, we'll say." + +Bertram bowed. + +"Accept my sincere thanks," he said, "in my own name, seeing I am of +the amiable age, and in the name of my many contemporaries. You are +taking a load off my heart, for now, equally of course, the issue need +by no means be so bad. The chances for and against are anyhow equal." + +"There, again, you go too far," replied the Princess. "The bad issue, +to be sure, is no longer necessary; it must, however, always remain +probable." + +"Always?" + +"I think so, even under the most favourable circumstances." + +"What would you call favourable circumstances?" + +"We will talk of that later on. Let us first take a specially +unfavourable case, which, perhaps, is so all the more the less it would +appear to be so. It seems, for example, that our fair young friend +would feel less keenly the difference in years, and all the unpleasant +and awkward things connected with it, and resulting from it. She is--at +least so I judge her to be, and that is sufficient for our purpose--one +of those deeply serious natures who are greatly given to confounding +the wild phantasies of the head with the true enthusiasm of the heart, +and who will conscientiously, and to its utmost consequences, adhere to +what once they have seized upon and vowed. But I presume that she is as +passionate as she is conscientious; and if her passion and her +conscience once come in conflict, the struggle will be terrific. She +may come forth victorious from the battle, but what avails a victory +that ends in resignation? There we should have an issue, which may be +convenient enough for the oldish husband, but then--his convenience and +her happiness are surely very different things." + +"If I under stand you correctly," Bertram made answer, "you plead for +the same theory which I hold, too, and which, as it happens, I have had +to defend repeatedly during the last few days in our little circle: +namely, that a man who is no longer young, cannot become the object of +a passionate attachment on the part of a young girl; or it is anyhow in +some way an aberration, and therefore cannot last." + +"That is exactly what I mean," the Princess assented eagerly. "We come, +then, to a law of nature, which we must accept like other laws, +although they are by no means flattering, nay, downright humiliating to +our pride. Perhaps, however, on the other hand, the danger of an error +and of the consequent conflict is not quite so great in the case in +point, since the curiously-veiled radiance of the glorious eyes of that +fair child seems to imply that she has already more than a mere vague +foreboding of that passion--that she has already loved, perhaps loved +unhappily, and would, consequently, not have to make these bitter +experiences, which teach us to be wise, and quiet, and resigned, one +after the other, in actual wedlock. But who is to give us the guarantee +that the last supposition is correct? I could tell you a curious story, +if you care to hear it." + +"You simply owe me the story, my gracious Princess, as a proof of our +joint theory." + +"Well, it is fortunately not a long story, and the rest of the company +have given us up, anyhow. Listen, then." + +Alexandra's eyes had been examining the large chamber; they were quite +alone in it now, for all the others were crowding with merry laughter +round the magician's table. She leaned forward in her chair; Bertram +courteously, approached his own, and she began with a lowered voice, +keeping her black eyes under the half closed lids steadily fixed upon +him:-- + +"The scene is Paris; the time some two years ago; the heroine is a +friend of mine, a lady belonging to the highest society in France, +whose fate had been similar to my own in one respect only: she too had +married at sixteen, and been shortly after left a childless widow. +Claudine--I give you her Christian name alone, for the other is +unimportant to us--was not only, of course, much more beautiful than I, +in fact, extraordinarily beautiful and much more gifted; she was also +for good--and, as I may add without boasting, for evil--a much greater, +more energetic creature. Not that I have anything very bad to say of +dear Claudine, or, at least, nothing worse than has been said of many a +woman who could not, perhaps, claim such weighty 'extenuating +circumstances.' Her mother had, for reasons of her own, persuaded her +into this marriage, which had turned out singularly unhappy. Her +husband, although allowing for the difference of sex, he was scarcely +older than she herself at the time of the marriage--he was then +two-and-twenty--had, though so young, already managed to be +acknowledged as one of the completest _roués_ of all Paris, in spite of +the keen rivalry of his high-born compeers. He had seen in the innocent +young girl only an additional mistress whom, after a brief period, one +could neglect with the greater impunity, since one could feel sure of +her, and since she, moreover, in spite of, or perhaps, rather because +of, her pride, did not seem to belong to those troublesome women who +make 'scenes.' And indeed, after she had realised what, from another +side, was made clear to her, they had but one 'scene,' but a terrible +one, a recurrence of which was both impossible and unnecessary. He +thoroughly understood her then--and she had proved a hundred times the +stronger of the two. He was allowed to continue his own way of living, +on the one condition that he did not concern himself in the least about +hers. And hers? Well, I told you hers was a passionate nature, and she +was an unhappy wife; that combination can yield nothing but +unhappiness. Fortunately for her, she was speedily set free from the +worst impulse, the one which had poisoned and warped her passionate +nature; for her husband died. She was free once more, and vowed to +remain free. Not that she did not mean to marry again; in the circles +where she lived, she could only by a second marriage escape from the +bondage of those relationships into which one is forced as into a new +fashion, abominable though you may think either. Her second marriage +was but to guarantee her a clear position in the world; the other +guarantees for peace and for freedom she thought she bore within +herself. And so she made her choice. + +"At this period of the story I became intimate with Claudine, whose +acquaintance I had previously but hurriedly made when travelling. It +was in Trouville. You know how swiftly people become intimate in a +watering-place. She introduced to me the victor in the endless row of +suitors for her hand. After careful examination I could not altogether +agree with her choice. In most points, it is true, he answered the +requirements of the programme. He was no longer young--fifty-one, +or -two; held a high command in the army, and brought her as dower a +not inglorious past. He had led a wild and wandering life, and been the +hero of a thousand adventures, but there was not the slightest stain +upon his name--at least not in the eyes of society. Moreover, though +not an intellectual man,--which she would have disliked in the long +run,--he was one of those who are able to captivate even the most +fastidious company, by their quick perception, their lively +temperament, and their varied and abundant experience, upon which they +can, aided by an excellent memory and natural eloquence, draw at all +times. All this was, as I said, excellent as far as it went; but one +thing I thought very hazardous--it seemed by no means impossible to me +that he should still be capable of a serious, passionate attachment, +and--this comes, almost to the same thing--still capable of inspiring +it. Now, either lay assuredly beyond the programme which my friend had +sketched out for herself. + +"I told Claudine of my fears. She endeavoured to argue me out of them +thus: 'What you think to be real and direct light,' she would say, 'is +nothing but the reflection of the sun that set long ago upon glacial +Alpine summits. It looks beautiful, and people cry, Ah! and Oh! when +they see it; and for their sake I would not willingly miss it. But one +cannot be warmed by it, or set on fire by it! My dear child, with all +that blaze you could not make your kettle boil, far less rekindle the +bitter and bare embers of a heart like mine!' + +"As far as the gentleman was concerned, Claudine might be right. At +least the somewhat boastful and exaggerated gallantry with which he +laid his homage at her feet corresponded, as far as I could judge, +exactly with her prediction. But how greatly she had been mistaken +about herself the immediate future was to show. + +"There were delays before the marriage could be concluded. Both +Claudine and her friend had to free themselves from certain tender +bonds. That required tact, management, caution. Moreover, she had +become entangled in a law-suit with the family of her first husband, +which, for some reason or other, might end badly for her, if it became +known that she was contemplating a second marriage. Enough, absolute +secrecy regarding their relations and intentions was requisite for some +considerable time, and they had both taken their measures accordingly. +Claudine had retired from society, and lived in deepest seclusion near +Paris, on the estate of a widowed sister of her friend's--she, of +course, being in the secret. Her friend went to see her when he +could--which was not often the case. The requirements of the service +were just then peculiarly exacting, and it was not possible for him to +indulge in frequent absences, which anyhow, in the case of a man whom +society did not care to miss, and whose doings society carefully +controlled, would have caused remarks. The situation became even more +critical when, in spite of all precaution, Claudine's place of sojourn +had after a little been discovered, and when she saw herself watched by +her foes at every turn. At last they scarcely dared to write to each +other, dreading lest by treason on the part of bribed domestics a +letter should be intercepted or purloined. It became absolutely +indispensible to employ a thoroughly trustworthy go-between, on whom, +at the same time, it should be impossible that suspicion could fall, +and her friend found one--found him in the person of a young officer in +his regiment, the son of an old companion in arms who had fallen in the +last campaign--a young officer whom he loved like his own son, and who +was likewise devoted to his chief in most loyal love. The youth had +soon an opportunity of indeed proving that love and loyalty." + +Alexandra drew a long breath, as though she were fatigued by the rapid +low-voiced utterance. In her deep black eyes which now, after a quick +survey of the still untenanted chamber, she turned upon Bertram again, +there was an uneasy light, and the soft voice quivered as she went on, +now speaking even quicker and lower than before, so that Bertram could +scarcely follow her-- + +"I must be more brief if I am ever to finish my story. And why, indeed, +picture in detail to a man like you what you understand without +comment, and what, understanding, you pardon! Poor Claudine! She +thought she needed no forgiveness. She thought she was in the right +when she abandoned herself without resistance to a passion, which +indeed would seem to have brooked no resistance. I had never observed +anything like this with any other woman--least of all, God be thanked, +with myself. I should simply not have deemed it possible. It was like a +hurricane--a cyclone; it was simply awful! I trembled for the reason, +for the very life of the unhappy woman: for she could not conceal from +herself that her passion was not returned, although she, being anyhow +little accustomed to control herself, and being now solely engaged by +her own overpowering feelings, neither would nor could hide her great +love from the handsome young officer. Fortunately for her, the +catastrophe was not long in coming. Nay, rather, she brought it about +herself, resolute and energetic as she always was; and now feeling that +so, and only so, she might yet save herself from herself, she forced +from him the avowal that his heart was no longer free, that it was +entirely filled by his love for a charming young girl whose +acquaintance he had made in a distant garrison-town where a portion of +his regiment had until recently been quartered, and to whom he had +become engaged in secret. The youth was bitterly poor, the girl's +parents were rich and proud; he wanted to have his captain's commission +before he ventured to apply for her hand, and--dear, dear--they were +both of them so young and so romantic, and so fond of each other, and +in their love they were so sure of the future. Why then be niggardly +with the moment? And secrecy is like a phantastic mask through the +hollow apertures of which the light in the eyes of those we love shines +with doubly seductive brilliancy. + +"Claudine was at first utterly crushed by a blow which, in spite of +everything, had found her unprepared--for where is the loving heart +that would willingly let the last faint gleam of hope die out? Then +there came a fierce burst of jealous resentment, raging like a fever; +then she endeavoured to wrap herself in her pride and to see in the +idol of her heart the last and least of men; and ultimately she +grovelled at his feet and entreated him to look upon her as his slave, +and the slave of her whom he loved, and to ask from her what he would, +to bid her do what he chose, and do it she would by all that she held +sacred! + +"Nor was it long before he took her at her word. + +"One day he came to her presence, haggard of look, in a state of +desperation, scarcely worse than the one over which she herself had but +so recently triumphed. The girl had sent him back the half-dozen +letters which he had written to her in the twelvemonth since they were +separated, and the tiny collection of ribbons and flowers and other +tokens with which innocent love tries to prove to itself its own +fabulous fairylike existence. I know not, nor does it matter, how she +had heard the story of his connection with Claudine; not of course, the +true story, but a caricature, such as the clumsy hands of one's own +good friends and the subtle hands of one's foes are equally able to +sketch and fill in with revolting effectiveness. Anyhow, the young lady +had made up her mind, and as she belonged to those energetic characters +that cling tenaciously to their errors, things really looked desperate +for Claudine's youthful friend. Every attempt on his part to bring an +understanding about was abruptly refused; the poor fellow at last was +in downright despair; he told his sorrows to Claudine, who told him +that she would bring him back the loved one whom, for her sake, he had +lost; he looked at her with an incredulous smile. How was she--she +particularly--to manage that? + +"But she had never yet let herself be baulked by difficulties if she +really cared to have her own way, even though, it might have been but a +whim. And now the noblest impulse that can fill a woman's heart urged +her to energetic action. Above all, she had to prove to herself, and to +those to whom she had so greatly boasted, that, though she had become +unfaithful to her programme, and had not guarded herself against a +passionate attachment--which she called the only real one of all her +life--she yet possessed the force to subdue this passion, and to +re-conquer her own peace of heart. Only personal interference on her +part could now bring them to the wished-for goal; but that alone would +not suffice; the friend, too, for whose sake the youth had sacrificed +himself, must needs come forward. That, of course, would completely put +an end to the secrecy of their connection, and this just at the moment +when the lawsuit was at last about to be settled, and when so much +depended upon having the veil drawn as closely as possible. For herself +no such consideration existed; but she was by no means sure that her +friend, who, of course, did not know her real motives, and could never +be allowed to know them, and who equally, of course, took things much +more coolly, thought the same; nor did she know at all whether the +young man would accept the sacrifice. So it became necessary to create +a situation, which should not leave either of them a choice, whether +they cared to join or not; and whilst she was cudgelling her brain how +to bring such a situation about, an unprecedentedly lucky accident had +already arranged everything according to her wishes, nay, far beyond +her most daring wishes, in the very best manner possible. To explain +the full details would take me too long, and is not really called for; +enough, circumstances over which they could not possibly have control, +would bring both gentlemen on a given day to the house of the parents +of the young lady in question. Claudine, still keeping her own counsel, +managed to get a day's start of them, introduced herself--by what means +I cannot remember--into the family who, I may add, was absolutely +unknown to her, and she was, having presumably got hold of some +excellent letters of recommendation or something of that sort, most +kindly received by every one, excepting, of course, the young lady +herself, who, with feelings that can be readily imagined, saw the foe +suddenly in the secure camp of her parental abode, and avoided her in +every way. That, Claudine had expected; she looked forward with glee to +the following day which was to remove all obstacles, solve all enigmas. +But who can describe her terror when she, who has eyes and ears for +everything, and who, in a few hours, was completely at home on the new +and strange ground, discovered among the visitors, besides a suitor +_sans conséquence_, a man whom an abundance of exquisite gifts and +qualities and a whole sequence of special relations, every one of which +spoke for him, might turn, nay, if everything did not belie assurances, +had already turned into a terrible rival for her young friend. For ..." + +Alexandra paused, glancing at the same time at the other room; then she +said with a laugh which sounded quite natural-- + +"But I really do not think it right to keep you any longer from the +rest of the company, and to go on with my experiment as to whether is +greater, your patience or my garrulousness. Moreover, the rest does not +properly belong to the story, at least not to the story I meant to tell +you. Come away!" + +She had risen swiftly; Bertram followed her example so hesitatingly +that she could hardly leave at once. And then, having risen, he +remained standing, leaning one arm on the mantelpiece, and said-- + +"What a pity! What a great pity! I should have so much liked hearing +the rest. The more so, as I believe it contains a new illustration to +the moral of the fable. Or am I mistaken in assuming that the +unexpected rival is ... no longer a young man?" + +His lips were smiling; still Alexandra thought that his large +expressive eyes we're resting upon her with a very meaning, very +searching look; yet she managed to put on an air of surprise, deeming +it absolutely requisite now. + +"Indeed!" she exclaimed. "How very curious! But then there is no hiding +anything from you clever men!" + +"Oh yes, yes. For example, which of the two suitors succeeded--the +older and younger, or the newer and older?" + +"Charming! Charming! An exquisite play on the words. What a suitable +language yours is for that kind of thing, in the hands of a real +master, I mean. Ah! which succeeds? Why, the former, of course!" + +"I should scarcely have considered it such a matter of course. I should +not be surprised if, for all that, the young lady's feelings for him +had never again recovered the former degree of warmth. Your beautiful +and clever friend, I admire her extremely, but--do not be angry with me +for what I am going to say--but I had, during your description of her, +always to think of Circe. There was only one man who left the palace of +the sorceress with absolute impunity, and he only by the aid of a +certain herb a god had given him. Now, young and ardent officers are +not said to meet the god very frequently." + +"But I really cannot make the story anything different from what it +truly was like," cried the Princess, half pouting, half laughing. + +"Certainly not; but what became of the man who was no longer young? How +bore he the loss of hopes to which he had clung all the more +tenaciously because he had not many more to lose?" + +"That, as a punishment for your scepticism, you are to say yourself." + +"How can I? Had he been a poet he might have written a novel, after the +manner of the 'Elective Affinities,' and thus cleared his soul from the +purgatory of jealousy and humiliation. But being no poet ..." + +"How do you know that?" + +"I assume it. I am driven to assume things, am I not?" + +"Well then?" + +"Therefore his ultimate fate is quite problematical to me. There are so +many and such various possibilities. Perhaps he killed himself, or +perhaps he married your fair friend." + +"My friend--Claudine? Oh, this is exquisite!" The Princess laughed +aloud, and Bertram laughed too. + +"It is not," he said, "after all so very laughable, or at least so very +improbable. Upon the basis of mutual imperturbability, I should think +one could erect and overthrow and rebuild relationships, like houses of +cards." + +"Mow malicious!" cried Alexandra, "and yet how true! Claudine must hear +of this; I must write this to Claudine!" + +"For goodness sake not, most gracious lady; or, anyhow, do not mention +me by name! I travel a good deal, the lady probably too; we might meet +some day by some unlucky chance, even as the luckiest of chances has +brought me into your presence. How hideously embarrassed I should be!" + +"Very well, your name shall not be mentioned, then. Here is my hand in +pledge of this." + +And she held out to him her small hand with its many rings. + +"But now I really must disturb your tête-à-tête," said Hildegard, +entering from the adjoining drawing-room. + +"It is just finished!" the Princess called out to her; then turning +again to Bertram, she said, "And thank you very much for a most +charming _causerie_!" + +"It is for me to say thank you, my Lady. Your story was most +interesting, and you told it capitally." + +He touched those slim fingers with his lips as Alexandra left him. She +hurried up to Hildegard, who had remained standing, gazing with great +wondering eyes at the group by the fireside, and putting her arm +through that of her hostess and drawing her away with her, the Russian +lady whispered-- + +"You are absolutely mistaken, or else the man is the greatest actor I +ever saw." + +Bertram had bent over the fire; with his left hand he was half +unconsciously stirring up the dying embers in the grate, his right hand +was laid on the rose he wore, which he wore above a heart now quivering +in spasmodic agony, and he painfully whispered to himself-- + +"Ashes to ashes!" + +His hand, nerveless, glided down. + +"No," he murmured, "no, not yet; I will hear it from herself." + + + + + XVI. + + +The company was breaking up now. The gentlemen from the _Oberförsterei_ +were anxious to avail themselves of the momentary cessation of the rain +for their homeward drive; the Princess, pleading fatigue, had retired, +and Hildegard speedily gave the signal for retreat to the others. + +"We shall have a trying day to-morrow," she said, "we all need rest +beforehand. And this remark is specially meant for you young ladies; I +really must request you not to lark and laugh, as is usual with you, +till a late hour!" + +The unexpected visit of Princess Alexandra had considerably diminished +the available spare rooms, seeing so many were reserved for the +officers, who were expected on the following day; for her protest +against having to accept a splendid saloon, a dressing-room, and a +couple of bedrooms for herself and her maid, had met with no response. +Hildegard had assured her that there was abundant room, and that she +blushed as it was at having to offer such humble quarters to so valued +and cherished a guest. But the two bedrooms had really been originally +intended for the three sisters von Palm, who had now to be content with +a tiny chamber in the turret, whilst a bed for Agatha was rigged up in +Erna's bedroom. Fortunately for the young ladies, the corridor by the +side of which Erna's rooms were situated, brought one after a very few +steps to the door of the turret-chamber; and thus, in spite of +Hildegard's special injunction to the contrary, there was for an hour +or so plenty of rushing to and fro, and no end of laughing and giggling +and eager secret whispering and chattering, until at last 'Granny' +Agatha blew out the light in her sisters' room, and drawing with her +Erna, who this evening was in the highest spirits imaginable, groped +her way to the door. + +"I could not bear your mirth any longer," she said, when they had +arrived in Erna's room; "I thought every moment ... Good Heaven! I knew +how it would be." + +She had begun to undo her hair before the mirror, and now started on +hearing a pitiful moan. Erna was sitting in a low chair by her own +bedside, both hands pressed to her face. The slender frame seemed +shaken as though by a fit of ague, the gentle bosom rose and fell +feverishly, and her breath came and went with difficulty, as if she +were moaning. Her friend was now kneeling by her side, and held her +clasped with both arms; her head fell on Agatha's shoulder, and at last +the long-repressed tears welled forth in a violent flood. She was +weeping as though her very heart must break. + +"My poor, poor Erna! My own sweet love! Weep, weep away! Better this, +better far than that awful unnatural mirth of yours all day. You will +come round now. You will be again my own sensible Erna. Poor, unhappy, +darling child! All things will come right now. It is impossible for any +one not to love you, and, believe me, he, too, loves you still." + +"I would not have his love. I am no longer thinking of him. I hate, I +loathe him!" + +"Then why should you weep like this?" + +Erna started to her feet, flinging off Agatha's protecting arm. + +"Do you think I weep for him?" + +She was pacing up and down the bed-chamber. Her long hair, which she +had previously undone, fell in dark masses over her neck and bosom; her +face was aglow, her eyes were flashing wildly. + +"For him? Never say that again! For him, forsooth! I have wept for very +shame, because that woman dares to come before me, and I must bear it! +because I cannot step up to her and hurl defiance at her painted face: +Away from this house--honest people live here! Even audacity should +have its bounds, and hers is boundless!" + +Agatha had now risen from her knees, and was sitting in her chair +casting looks of pain at Erna and waiting in patience, until at least +the first tempest of wrath should have passed. + +"I am sure," she said at last, "that he does not even know that she is +here, and--you are sure, too." + +"And were it so," cried Erna, "what does it alter? The sting lies in +her daring to do it at all. She would not do so, did she not know from +the beginning how he will take it. Perhaps he will be terrified just at +first--I dare say he will--and then he will thank her for having had +the base courage to help him to achieve this vile triumph. In fact, +they are a worthy couple!" + +"It would be quite too terrible," said Agatha, shaking her head. +"People cannot be as bad as that; it is impossible." + +"Oh, of course!" cried Erna scornfully; "quite impossible; as +impossible as that he will himself be here to-morrow." + +"But, Erna, an officer is surely bound to go to any place to which he +is ordered. In such a case he has no will of his own." + +"Then he should have a pistol of his own, and rather put a bullet into +his head than let a shameless woman make him figure in such a +spectacle, if indeed she, the wretch, has arranged a spectacle for my +humiliation. But she is very much mistaken. I shall not let her have +her triumph. I, even I, shall triumph. Let her boast of her conquest, I +shall outshine it and her by far. Oh! how I look forward to to-morrow's +joy! What are a thousand like him to the best of men, the only one?" + +"Erna! Erna!!" cried Agatha aghast, lifting both her folded hands in +agonised entreaty, "I conjure you, do not go too far. Do not make +yourself for ever unhappy. Do not make Kurt unhappy...." + +"Do not mention his name!" Erna exclaimed. "I wish to hear no more." + +"I must mention his name, for I must speak of him, and you must hear +me, lest you do something of which you will for ever and ever repent." + +"Why repent? I love Bertram!" + +"You do not." + +"Can you read in my heart?" + +"Yes, dear, better than you can yourself, being now blinded by passion. +And however angrily you may look at me with those beautiful eyes of yours, +that I myself am in love with, and though you send me away for good and +all, and though I cry myself to death for love of you--I should not be +loving you, and I should not be your poor, unhappy 'Granny' if ..." + +Poor child! She could get no further. Like Erna half an hour ago, she +was now sitting, her hands pressed to her face, weeping convulsively, +and now Erna was kneeling by her side, and tried to draw those hands +away from her countenance, and begged her to calm herself, and to be +fond of her again, and to be once more her own good 'Granny.' + +Then--neither could have said how the change of scene had been brought +about--Erna was lying in her bed, and Agatha, in her nightgown, was +sitting on the edge of the bedstead, and all they had discussed during +these last days in many a fragmentary talk was once more, and now +connectedly, discussed between them. But if clever Agatha had flattered +herself that she would thus induce the fair penitent to see that her +little soul was not, after all, as black as she thought in her +excitement, that hope was not destined to be fulfilled; the very +contrary happened. With every word she uttered Erna seemed to talk +herself more and more into a passion, in the existence of which Agatha +would not, and yet all but had to, believe, when her friend now +recapitulated all her relations to Bertram, beginning with that first +meeting in the woods, and continuing her account, to this very evening, +and when Erna tried to prove from a hundred minute details, which she +strung together with marvellous logic, that there was on her part no +whim, no caprice, no aberration of an extravagant fancy, no +satisfaction of injured pride, no despair, no, nought but true and +genuine love that knew no bounds, and knew only the one doubt whether +she herself was worthy of the man she loved. But not unworthy because +she had once before thought herself in love. That was a necessary error +for the sake of getting her to understand herself; to convince her that +love was not an intoxication, but a deep and clear sentiment attracting +and absorbing all other feeling and thought, even as a mighty stream +absorbs the springs and brooks around; and now in her love, like banks +in the waves of a stream, were mirrored her whole existence, her past +and her present, mirrored and beautified, made far more glorious than +reality. + +Erna's words flowed on, not unlike the object of the image in which she +saw her life and love; and her voice, although pitched so low, had such +a curiously intense ring, and her great eyes, which were opened wide, +shone so strangely in the flickering light of the tall candles upon the +dressing-table, that poor Agatha was almost beside herself with terror. +Was Erna still aware of what she was saying? Was she raving? And, +horrible to think of, could she be going mad? + +"Erna! Erna!" she cried aloud, seizing and pressing both her hands. +"Awake, awake! I have just been counting it up--when you are +eight-and-thirty, like your mother now, he will be seventy--only he +will never reach that age." + +Erna gave a contemptuous smile. + +"I thought so!" she said. "As if time had anything to do with love! As +if one year during which I can serve him, love him, did not outweigh a +century! O Agatha, how meanly you think of love! And if he dies +to-morrow, I'll die with him! There, that is the way I count, and I +think it is simple and plain enough." + +Despair lent Agatha courage enough to revert to the one point on which, +as she had observed more than once during the last day or two, Erna was +most sensitive. + +"I will grant it all," she said. "I will believe all you assert about +yourself, for I cannot read your heart. But Herr Bertram's heart is not +your heart, and what is going on in his heart, Heaven only knows; you +do not know it, at least he has never betrayed it to you by word or +look. And I hold that he would have done so long ago if he loved you. +What reasons should he have for hiding his love?" + +"A thousand!" exclaimed Erna. "Or is it not a reason that he should +have tortured himself for days with the idea that I might be fond of +the Baron?" + +"That idea he has assuredly given up ere this." + +"Then, that mamma will be furious." + +"For all that, he might tell you what he feels for you." + +"And what if he doubts whether I love him?" + +"Good Heavens, dearest! how can he doubt that?" + +"He can indeed. During the first few days I was not clear about it +myself. And when I was feeling that I loved him, I often was odd and +capricious and defiant; and above all, when I discovered that the +letter was missing from my blotting-book, and I hunted for it +everywhere, and when suddenly it turned up again, having in the +meantime passed through I do not know how many hands, and having very +surely been read by mamma too--I was so indignant, I could see that he +sometimes did not know what to think of me." + +"You did not make him feel your indignation; on the contrary, you gave +him one token of your favour after the other." + +"And in that I did right, for I was determined to let mamma see that I +was not afraid of her wrath." + +"And that rose to-day! and your prayer that he should stay--for your +sake! Was that right too?" + +"Was I to let him go to-morrow?" + +"If he wanted to go, was it for you to keep him? Erna, there is but one +thing wanting now. Why not say to him: 'Will you marry me?'" + +"And I should not think it shame to say so, if I were sure that he +wished me to do so. Yes, yes; he does wish it; I see it clearly now; he +wishes to avoid even the semblance of suspicion of having beguiled and +over-persuaded me; he wishes it on account of my father and mother. +Well, God be thanked, now I know what I have to do to-morrow." + +"Nay, the pity of it, Erna, the pity of it, that you can talk in such a +way; for it is impossible that you should really think so, really do +it. My proud Erna cannot forget herself so far. I entreat you, by our +great friendship, Erna, follow my advice in this one thing; if it must +be, let him at least say the first word--the word that then will be +decisive of your fate; and then let come what God will!" + +She had folded her hands as if in prayer; big tears were coursing down +her cheeks. The simple expression of her great grief touched Erna. She +embraced "Granny" and kissed her, and promised at last that she would +do what Agatha kept asking of her again and again. + +"And now get to your bed, you poor child! You are so wearied, and I +too." + +Agatha had already lain quietly in bed for an hour or so, mournfully +thinking it all over again, and assuming that Erna, who did not stir +either, had fallen asleep, when suddenly she thought that she heard +subdued sobs. + +"Erna!" + +No answer. + +"Erna! If it comes out that Kurt is really innocent, what will you do?" + +Again no answer. + +Had she been mistaken? Had Erna wept in her sleep? Had she really asked +that question of Erna? Or had she only thought of it? + + + + + XVII. + + +It was a day of tremendous excitement for all the in habitants of +Rinstedt. True, the arrival of the soldiers was not to occur before +four o'clock in the afternoon, but it was known that the corps to which +the 99th belonged had been on the march from the north since four +o'clock in the morning, in order to take possession of certain +positions whence they were to operate against the fortress. And that +might turn out an awkward job, for not only was the fortress strongly +manned, but there was also approaching from the west, in forced +marches, a large hostile corps, and against them the 99th would have to +be on their guard, if they did not mean to get wedged in between them +and the garrison, who were simply awaiting the moment for making a +sally. Thus the attacking party being themselves attacked, might get +into desperate straits. + +The village-mayor had expounded this situation to the farmers, +and he ought to know. He had been only three days ago to see his +brother-in-law, who was employed in the War-Office branch at Erfurt. He +had himself served in the French war as sergeant, and in that capacity +he had, during the fighting about Orleans, been in command of a +company, every officer of which was dead or _hors de combat_. And as +almost half his auditory consisted of men who had served in the army, +and who only required to draw upon the ample treasury of their +experiences and reminiscences, in order to confirm or contradict the +assertions of their chief, there had been no lack of eager discussion +in the village inn. But from the very beginning the opposition had not +been strong, and ultimately it was almost completely silenced. The +whole village now stood like one man on the side of the attacking +party, and the 99th was only spoken of as "Our Regiment." Their arrival +was looked forward to with the utmost impatience, as though they were +bringing relief and release from some yoke long borne. + +My Lady's urgent appeal to give "Our Regiment" a brilliant reception, +and to let nothing be wanting, had met with the readier a response, +since she had not only, with customary liberality, taken upon herself +the cost of any "extraordinaria," to use the expression of the +village-mayor, but in the case of the poorer inhabitants in whose +houses accommodation and larder were not of the best, had specially +promised to pay for anything and everything, and had actually freely +distributed money beforehand. The mansion-house was moreover setting +the village a capital example. The long winding road up to the house +was transformed into a _via triumphalis_ with towering poles, from +which fluttered the German and Thuringian flags, with garlands of +fir-branches stretching from pole to pole all the way up the hill, up +to the richly-decorated portals which opened upon the equally +decked-out great courtyard. And at night a ball in the mansion-house, +and fireworks on the village-common in front of the lowest flight of +the terrace-steps, with blue-lights and what not!--No wonder that the +young barbarians of the village, down to the tiniest lads and lasses, +were only kept from breaking out into frantic disorder by being +employed, for days beforehand, in lending a hand in the preparation of +all these glories. + +And yet, much to Hildegard's dismay, it seemed doubtful whether +everything would be ready in time. Her own attention was fully absorbed +indoors by the preparations for banquet and ball; and now, at the last +moment, the Baron had to go to town on business that brooked no delay, +and she had to entrust the supreme command of the department of the +exterior to new hands: fortunately Herr von Busche, the young gentleman +from the Forests and Woods' Office, was willing to take the Baron's +place. + +But yesterday Hildegard would, under no circumstances, have allowed the +Baron to go, for then his star was still in the ascendant, whilst now +it was sinking rapidly. For the Princess he no longer existed, after +she had given her judgment upon him last night; she had not observed +his entry into the breakfast room, had not returned his bow, just as +though the not inconsiderable space filled by his presence had been +vacant. And the Grand Duke had a certain antipathy to this man; and +even his father's old friend, the influential Court-marshal, did not +dare to stand up for him energetically. No one seemed to favour him at +Court, except Princess Amelia, whose caprices, it was notorious, were +frequently as changing as the phases of the moon. And then that ugly +Monaco story! It was, of course, not possible that Lotter could be the +man--gracious goodness, no! Nor had Alexandra said so! But--one ought +not to have an awkward likeness to people who figure so unpleasantly in +the memory of distinguished visitors; and then--and this made the +matter peculiarly unpleasant for Hildegard--she was aware that the +Baron, even if he was no gambler, was very fond of high play. Up to +last night this had been one of his gentlemanly foibles, now it was a +wicked passion which he who was wooing Erna had no right to indulge in! + +It was nearly eleven o'clock when the Baron went to find Otto, to ask +for a carriage to take him to town, and to tell him at the same time +the drift of the disagreeable news which he had received from home. A +younger brother, in the army of course, had contracted debts, and was +on the point of being cashiered if those debts--in the contracting of +which there would seem to have been some discreditable element or +other--were not forthwith paid. His relatives, poor people every one of +them, were incapable of helping the young man; as a last refuge they +had applied to him, the elder brother, who, though not likely to be +himself possessed of the necessary means, might yet probably be able to +obtain the money on loan from the wealthy friends with whom he was on +such good terms. Could Otto help him in an embarrassment that was +weighing more heavily upon him than any one of his own making had ever +done? It was not a big sum which he required--a mere miserable three +thousand thalers! + +Otto was quite distressed. His stock of cash was exhausted by the +incessant demands that Hildegard had made upon him during the last few +days, and to-morrow he would have to redeem that mortgage of five +thousand thalers which he had mentioned to Bertram, without as yet +knowing where to lay his hands on the money. The moment, of which +Bertram had said that it would very surely come, was at hand, had, in +fact, virtually come already; the terrible moment when he must discover +his situation to his wife. And yet his wife could parry the first +thrust for him. He had in the course of years given her, on different +occasions, considerable sums of money as special donations, and all +this was invested in excellent securities, though she was for ever +spending the interest beforehand. He loathed the idea of claiming back +a portion of the money from her, and he had vowed that he would not do +so, come what might. But still a man will do for a friend what he would +not have the courage to do for himself; and so he told the Baron that, +being for the moment unable to oblige him himself, he would ask +Hildegard to do so, and he felt sure that she would willingly render +this small service to her _protégé_. The Baron hesitated for a moment, +but opined that one could not discuss such things with women; he would +find help some other way. He then begged Otto to make his excuses to +the ladies--who were not to be found, and promised to return, if not +for dinner, at the latest before the beginning of the ball; managed to +see Lydia, and so drove off. + +Otto would have liked nothing better than to have gone with him. The +ground beneath him seemed to be on fire. To-day the all-important +debate in Parliament was coming off. If the vote was in his favour, he +really might, without being too sanguine, expect his factories to rise +so greatly in value as to enable him, after all, to weather the +threatening storm. But, with an adverse vote, he knew he was ruined, +and he kept repeating this to himself, unless he would take the extreme +step of requesting Bertram's assistance. Bertram certainly would not +refuse it, but, as assuredly, he could not ask for it, considering the +awkward relations now subsisting between his wife and his friend. + +After considerable hesitation, Hildegard had the day before yesterday +communicated to him her suspicions that no one but Bertram was standing +in the way of the alliance upon which she had set her heart. She wisely +refrained from mentioning the impure source from which she had drawn +her suspicions--though it was not of a suspicion that she spoke to her +husband, but of a fact. Poor Otto naturally had to express the utmost +horror, though at heart he was anything but dissatisfied. He would +certainly have liked Erna to have a younger husband, but he himself +loved and admired the friend of his youth sincerely, and if Erna loved +him in her own way, why she had always had a taste of her own; he had +never comprehended her; she would herself know best how it stood with +her heart; and then if Bertram, as friend, would gladly have helped +him, as son-in-law he would very surely have done so, and in that case, +he too would get over the shrinking which he felt now. But it was not +to be. Hildegard would never sanction it, and yet, how strange, just as +he was returning to the house after seeing the Baron off, here was +Hildegard coming to explain that she had been absolutely mistaken about +Bertram, that Bertram was completely innocent, that she had to crave +his forgiveness for much, and that she would be truly disconsolate if +Bertram were to go away after all, as she concluded from some hints of +Konski's. Would Otto please go up to him at once and make sure of his +staying? She would do so herself, but she really had not a moment to +spare, for, he could judge for himself, the Princess did not leave her +alone for a minute. + +Otto knew not whether to rejoice or to grieve over the new turn of +events. He had, suffered intensely from the tension between his wife +and his friend; and that things were right once more and better than +ever, was of course very nice and pleasant. But with Hildegard's +assurance that Bertram was not thinking of marrying Erna, there +vanished the last ray of hope that help in his need would come from +that quarter. Moreover, he said to himself that Bertram would never +dream of going without speaking once more, for the last time, of his +money difficulties and repeating the previous offer; and Otto was +afraid of himself, afraid he might be weak enough to close with the +offer. So he promised Hildegard that he would at once go to Bertram and +try every means in his power to induce him to stay, but he did not go. +There really seemed no need for all this hurry. Bertram could not leave +without asking for a carriage too. And that had not yet been done. +Perhaps it would not be done at all, and in that case, why needlessly +bring such terrible excitement on one's self? And again, Herr von +Busche was sure not to get on with the decoration of the portals unless +he went to help him. Hildegard had been saying all along that the old +Gothic structure, being the termination of the _via triumphalis_, must +also be the chief point of splendour. Hildegard should be really +pleased. + +And five minutes later Otto was waging furious war with Herr Von +Busche, who wanted the flag of the country to float from the left-hand +balcony, whilst Hildegard had given express orders that it should float +from the right-hand one. + +Hildegard had meanwhile hurried to rejoin the Princess; she had not +exaggerated,--Alexandra really would scarce leave her for a moment. She +was bent upon knowing how, on such an occasion, things were managed in +a German household. She could not, she said, form any idea of it, +because in Russia all these things were left to the steward and other +officials, and the hostess, like her guests, was simply among the +spectators. It would be such a pleasure to her to be allowed to peep +behind the scenes for once; if Hildegard was really fond of her, if +ever so little, she should not deny her the treat. Hildegard did not +find it too difficult to overcome the first shyness which she felt at +such an odd request being made. The arrangements about her kitchens, +pantries, and store-rooms were as splendid and in as grand a style as +in any princely palace, quite in keeping with the colossal preparations +for the entertainment; she could modestly accept the many exclamations +of amazement and admiration which the young Princess indulged in +lavishly, as a fit and proper tribute. But mere idle admiration did not +satisfy Alexandra; she insisted upon lending a helping hand, and +pushing back her rich lace sleeves from her fair white arms, she seized +a big wooden spoon, and, to the delight of all the servants employed +about the kitchen, she set to work stirring up a pudding. With all this +exuberance of good-humour she was so charmingly amiable, so utterly +free from all affectation, and the wildest nonsense she indulged in +suited her so quaintly and funnily, that Hildegard was positively +enchanted, and called upon Lydia in passing, to study in the appearance +and demeanour of the Princess the mighty difference which existed +between a really gifted woman and one who merely affected to be clever, +and who thereby only provoked the scornful laughter of really clever +people. + +These cruel words were the first she had addressed to Lydia since last +night. + +It was impossible for the Baron to fall so suddenly into dire disgrace +without involving Lydia in his fall; nay, in Hildegard's eyes she was, +if possible, the guiltier of the two. Had she not been incessantly +singing the Baron's praises, giving the most glowing testimony to him, +been scarcely able to paint the great position he enjoyed at Court in +sufficiently bright colours; and all this, of course, solely to beguile +her unsuspecting hostess and to deceive her in reference to her own +intentions as to Bertram. Serve her right, the story-teller, if she was +completely foiled in her intentions! And now, as though the measure of +her iniquity had not been already abundantly full, she must actually +bring these terrible charges against poor innocent Bertram; must needs, +to confirm and apparently substantiate these charges, commit a theft, +and make her--a mother--an accomplice, forcing that miserable letter +upon her, which, as it turned out now, had been nothing more than the +harmless enough effusion of a somewhat overstrained imagination that +the child had indulged in--well, well, the time would come when she +could show the intriguing old maid this long list of offences; +meanwhile, silent contempt should be her well-deserved, only far too +lenient, chastisement. + +Now, it is true she had broken through her contemptuous silence, but +poor Lydia knew her friend quite well enough to be aware of the evil +plight into which she had fallen. And had she been still able to have +any doubt on the subject, the reproaches with which the Baron had +overwhelmed her would certainly have enlightened her. Last night, even, +he had ventilated his bad humour by all sorts of bitter and scornful +utterances; but to-day, when he had sought Lydia in the garden after +his conversation with Otto, and before he hurried off to town, his +wrath knew no bounds. This, then, he sneered, was his boasted firm +position in the house! A casual adventuress could come and deprive him +in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, of the good graces of the +mother--in those of her daughter he had long since ceased to believe +anyhow--rob him of the father's friendship, and expose him to a +treatment no commercial traveller would put up with! And he would not +put up with it, not he; Lydia might be sure--quite sure of that! He +would prove it to the miserable toady and sycophant who changed her +friends as readily as her gloves; to the poor henpecked husband, the +miser who could not even spare a few dirty thousands to a friend in +need of help; he would prove to them that a Lotter-Vippach was not to +be insulted with impunity. And, above all, that conceited amorous old +pedant should suffer for it, for he, of course, had set the whole train +going against him! If Lydia,--if the others, could not or would not +see, he kept his eyes open, and was not to be taken in; he knew what +was what, and ... but they should see. And to-night, to the sorrow and +annoyance of his so-called friends, who would wish him far enough, he +would make a point of turning up in good time. Would Fräulein Lydia be +gracious enough to reserve the first Lancers for her obedient servant? + +So, with a mocking bow, he had hurried away, leaving Lydia in sorrow +and terror. But the terror was greater than the sorrow. She had never +seen the Baron like this, never dreamed that he could be like this. +What if he carried out his threats! His eyes had been bloodshot and had +a glassy kind of stare; and then his laugh had been awful; and he was a +great strong man, assuredly in physical strength ever so much the +superior of poor delicate Bertram. What if the Baron were to-night to +bring about a scene, have recourse to actual violence! What will men +not do in rage and despair! + +Her old love for Bertram, which after all she had felt in her own way, +and which long ago she had sacrificed to her vanity and worldliness, +was stirring again. Lydia felt it, and was enraptured. True, she had +been lying and cheating to reach a certain goal that pure calculation +had fixed. Still, she was a better woman than she had thought herself. +She had thought that she was following the dictates of her reason only, +and lo! she had unconsciously remained faithful to her own heart. She +knew it now, at the moment when a serious danger was threatening the +loved one. And, curiously, although during the last few days she had +positively given up all hope of regaining the loved one, and had in +envy and anger seen him in the bonds of affection for a fair young +rival--an affection which, moreover, was warmly reciprocated; yet she +suddenly began to doubt the justice of her observations; the old dreams +were coming back and asserted that they were a reality, and that +everything else was but a chimera. All, all would yet come right. +Falsehood and hypocrisy had been powerless; truth and love, however, +would be omnipotent! + +Then she began to rehearse in her mind that unfortunate letter which +she had purloined in order to gain a clear insight into Erna's +sentiments, now endeavouring to give the gentlest interpretation to +every word that referred to Bertram; she remembered, too, the passage +which seemed to refer to a former love affair of Erna's. But she and +Hildegard, eager only to discover what they most, or rather what they +only, feared, namely, an attachment to Bertram, had added no weight to +the brief allusion in question. Some childish "dancing-lesson +fondness," Hildegard had said, and she had assented to it, partly to +guard against the possibility of the reproach that she, in her +responsible position as Erna's educator and second mother, had +overlooked or actually allowed any serious attachment on her part. +"Betrayed"--that surely was plain enough, and made many things clear, +even though in itself it was hard to understand, was, in fact, all but +absolutely incomprehensible. Such a charming creature as Erna no one is +likely to betray, no one at least who is in possession of his five +senses, as young gentlemen generally are. If the thing was anything +more than a passing fancy--and that one had to assume, considering how +averse from anything frivolous Erna was--then her easily-wounded pride +must have brought the rupture about, and it might yet be healed; and if +it were healed, would turn the child from her caprice for Bertram, +would set Bertram free again, if indeed he had allowed himself to be +captivated by Erna's unconcealed admiration for him, set him free for +herself, his first, his true, his only love! + +With fancies like these, Lydia, now banished from the favour and the +presence of Hildegard, was wandering along the garden-terraces, now +dissolved in tears and lamenting her bitter lot, now smiling +complacently and congratulating herself upon a happiness which was all +the more precious the longer she had been compelled to wait for it. If +she were now to meet Erna, if she could have an explanation with her, +become reconciled to her, prove to her in very truth how well she meant +by her! She was in the very mood for this, and here was Erna coming +along! The shrinking which she often felt in the presence of the proud +and self-willed girl was making itself perceptible again, but one swift +glance showed her that Erna had been weeping quite recently, and that +she could risk it now. + +Erna had been weeping quite recently, and so indeed she had done ever +since last night, whenever she felt sure that no one was looking upon +her despair. For the gentle creature was in despair. All through the +long sleepless night she had seemed to hear Agatha's whispered +question, "What will you do if it comes out that Kurt is innocent?" She +had seemed to hear it like the voice of a warning angel, and neither +head nor heart had been able to reply anything but, again and again: +"In that case I have betrayed him, and I have made him unhappy." Could +he be innocent? She had struggled so long against the belief in Kurt's +guilt, and had only accepted it when he declared that he could not +explain his relations to the Russian lady; no, not even to her, from +whom, for the sake of their love, he was to expect entire confidence; +for confidence was the very soul and at the same time the touchstone of +love. Alas, she knew yet another and a more terrible touchstone, and +that was the jealousy which she had cherished in secret towards the +unknown lady, and which had blazed up brightly when yesterday she +beheld her, the hated temptress, in the splendour of her youth, beauty, +and grace. In vain did she struggle against the charm which the lady +seemed to radiate; in vain did she declare everything about her to be +unreal, except her diamonds perhaps; with every furtive glance at her +rival she felt herself more and more fascinated, allured, beguiled, +and, in equal measure, conquered, and at last crushed. + +It was a terrible state which wrapped her poor fluttering heart in +absolute night, and yet even then there was something like a faint +glimmering of the star of hope. If Kurt had ever loved her--and he +had--he had done so once--how could he love another woman, who, however +charming and seductive, was yet in all things the very opposite of +herself? Kurt, who had so often assured her that he hated all display +and all vanity, that he loved her because there was nothing of display, +nothing, of vanity about her, because she was his own rose, which, in +its dewy freshness, he would not exchange for a world of brilliant +exotics! + +And his large brown eyes had shone down upon her so gravely and +lovingly as he spoke, and his lips had trembled with genuine +emotion--and had all this been naught but lies on the part of him whom +she in her turn had loved, because he had appeared to her as a lofty +and lordly image of truthfulness and fidelity? + +It could not be. + +But then, again, what had she done? What was she to do when the other +one, that good and noble man, to whom--so Agatha said, and her own +heart could not but confirm it--she had given such unequivocal proof of +her affection, when he came into her presence and said: "I have come to +take you at your word. Not all the Flavios in the world would have kept +Hilarie from loving her uncle, had she been convinced that he truly +loved her. And you know it: I love you!" What could she do, but, with +Hilarie, say: "I am yours for ever"? He would not fall at her feet +and exclaim: "You make me the happiest man beneath the sun," but she +knew,--she knew that he would be happy! + +Ah me!--why had she not obeyed the voice which called to her that first +evening when she met him in the wood, and he laid his heart open to +her: "Open thy heart to him too," the voice had said, "tell him all." +That would have been the time, the only right time. For the very next +day she had read in his eyes what now made her so proud--so happy. So +happy? Gracious heavens! + +This was happiness, was it, that she now desired nothing better than +death, swift death, to escape from the torments that tore her heart to +pieces? + +Did he divine nothing of these torments! Why had he not come to her +last night? He might surely have spared her a minute--he had given the +Princess a full hour. It was, perhaps, a relief, a sort of recreation, +for him, seeing he had so long had to dispense with any intellectual +conversation. Was she perchance the beautiful widow in the novelette +who consoled the uncle for the loss of Hilarie? And had Hilarie already +got to the point of wishing and longing for such consolation for her +uncle? + +Her shamefaced gaze wandered up to Bertram's windows, under which she +had arrived--not quite unintentionally. What if he were to appear +above--signalling: "Wait, I am coming down!" + +Like a startled fawn she flitted away to one of the terrace-walks, +behind whose protecting wall she could not be seen from those windows +of his, and burst into tears, as she became conscious of her cowardice. +Lydia appeared at the opposite entrance; she could not avoid Lydia now; +she bent toward the espalier, to dry her eyes unobserved, and lo! there +was Lydia at her side, at her feet, clasping Erna's knees, pressing her +face against Erna's robe, sobbing. + +It was a theatrical display, such as Lydia employed on all possible +occasions, suitable or otherwise; Erna knew that well enough. But she +had not the courage to tear herself away; never a harsh or ironical +expression came forth from her to-day; nay, she all but envied a human +being that found such expression for its feelings, whatever they might +be. She endeavoured to raise the kneeling lady. + +"I must remain on my knees until you have pardoned me," murmured Lydia. + +"I'll do anything you wish--but rise, rise, I entreat you!" + +She had drawn Lydia up and away into a niche in the wall, thus gaining +at least some shelter from the eyes of the servants, many of whom were +still busy everywhere up and down the terraces with the preparations +for the illumination. There was a stone bench with a stone table in +front inside the niche. Lydia sank down upon the bench, laid her face, +covered by her hands, against the edge of the table, and murmured her +miserable confession of guilt in a voice which was scarcely audible, +owing to her constant weeping and sobbing. She had, she whined out, +found out by questioning the servants that the letter had not been +sent, which Erna had on the morning in question written beneath the +plantain tree, and which, she assumed, was certainly addressed to +Agatha; and she had, moreover, learned from Agatha--who evidently +suspected nothing--that she had received no letter just before her +departure from home. Then, passing through Erna's rooms, she had seen +her blotting-book lying about, unlocked, as she had been astonished to +notice. Then she had been unable to resist the temptation of trying if +the letter was still there. The letter had been there--a sort of +dizziness had come over her, and-- + +"I said to myself," she went on, "that you have no secrets from Agatha, +that you were likely to have written to her what you felt towards +Bertram, whether you loved him--I required to know it--my future, my +happiness, my salvation--all, all depended upon that one question. Have +pity on a poor wretched woman whom jealousy made a criminal--against +her own child, too! for I have ever loved you as my own child, ever, +and would gladly have sacrificed all for you, all, only not this--the +trial was too much for my strength." + +Then Lydia in her self-abasement and grief wept bitterly. Again Erna +felt it strange that she did not spring up from her place beside the +weeping old woman, did not leave her alone with her silliness and her +lies; that she could listen to her exaggerated and sentimental twaddle +without positive disgust. There was something stirring within her that +she was frightened at herself--something almost like a wish that, this +time, Lydia might not be lying. + +Lydia noticed through the veil of tears in which she had wrapt herself +that Erna was accepting her confession much more favourably than she +had dared to hope. This gave her courage enough to pursue to the utmost +the advantage thus already gained. + +"I cannot and will not try to prove that I have been quite free from +blame," she cried. "I have been vain and frivolous. I did yield to the +temptation of becoming Countess of Finkenburg! Many more would have +yielded who cannot retrace, like one of the family of von Aschhof, the +long line of their ancestors to the time of the Crusaders, and who do +not, as we do, have Moors' heads in their escutcheons! But vanity and +frivolity alone did not make me do it. I was honestly convinced that +this alliance with a poor lady of high lineage, who would bring him no +other dower but her many claims and wants, could be nought but a +hindrance to Bertram; that he might have made, and probably thereafter +would make, a better and a more suitable choice if I released him from +his engagement. Indeed, indeed; if I could but have divined how he +would take it to heart, nothing in the world would have made me act as +I did. And now I would give everything in the world to atone, as far as +I still may, for what I did. Must it really be out of the question, +dearest? Look here. He is about fifty years of age, and how long will +it be before he is an old man? He is very delicate too. His servant +tells me that he suffers from palpitation of the heart, and from +insomnia, and that his Berlin doctor has enjoined upon him no end of +precautions and care for these travels of his. Why then, he really +needs some one who will nurse him and who will patiently bear with all +his sickly caprices--all sick folk are capricious, don't you know? I +know it but too well; I saw it in the case of my own uncle, the +Minister of State, whom every one thought a very lamb in the way of +kind, gentle equanimity, and who was so until one of his asthmatic +attacks came upon him; and then never a living soul could bear to stay +near him. Yes, yes, one must have gone through these things to know; +and may God in His mercy keep you, my own dear, sweet, good child, from +ever knowing it, from mourning away your sweet young life by the side +of a broken-down man who has no passion left, save his books and his +politics. If his politics call him he must needs follow, and poor +Konski must pack the trunks. Poor fellow, Konski! I spoke to him a +little while ago; he'd like to stay and see all the fun that is coming +now with these man[oe]vres here, and what not. Besides, I rather think +he is in love with Aurora. But he says there is no help for it, and off +they go to-morrow, his master and he. Perhaps it is right enough, for +the Baron is furious with him, and I really know not what the Baron +will do, unless you convince him that he has been mistaken, like the +rest of us. Oh, that we had! My own sweet child, you would be restoring +peace and happiness to us all, and I would never weary of kissing your +dear hands, nay, the very hem of your garment!" + +She covered Erna's hands and robe with kisses. Erna let her have her +way, she paid no heed to what Lydia was saying and doing; there she sat +gazing fixedly across the gardens and across the village on the +mountain slope, where a portion of the high road was visible which led +from the north across the hills to Rinstedt. Lydia, following the +direction of Erna's gaze, saw what Erna saw--a great cloud of dust, +with occasional flashes of bright arms, winding down the high road, and +now there came, softened by the great distance but still distinctly +audible, the sound of the drum; and below, at the entrance to the +village, they fired a cannon as a signal that the regiment was coming +up. + +Erna started as though the shot had gone through her heart! + +"For goodness sake, child, what ails you?" exclaimed Lydia, terrified +on noticing the pallor of her cheek and her fixed rigid look. + +And again she was terrified when Erna suddenly flung herself into her +arms as seeking help from a threatening danger, and then with equal +suddenness tore herself away, hurried up the walk and straightway +vanished behind a projecting portion of the wall. + +"What does it all mean?" Lydia asked herself. + +As if in answer, there came across the garden, now more distinctly, the +sound of the drum. + +"Ah!" said Lydia, and a meaning smile flitted over her face. "It would +not be impossible," she murmured, "and if it is the case, I'll find it +out!" + +She turned to enter the mansion house just as the big flag was being +hoisted upon the turret as a salute to "Our Regiment," at the moment +when the soldiers set foot upon the village road. + + + + + XVIII. + + +Bertram, too, had heard the warlike sounds. He leaned back in his +writing chair and listened with bated breath. + +"How her heart is sure to beat!" he said to himself. + +He rose and went to the open window. From the elevation on which he +was, he could see a considerable portion of the high road, could +discern the flash of the bayonets through the clouds of dust which a +brisk breeze was scattering at times, so that sections of the columns +on the march became visible. + +In the village below they were firing cannon; from the mountains yonder +the echo came rolling. + +"How this will resound within her heart!" + +From the adjoining bedroom, where he had already begun to put up his +master's things in view of their departure, fixed for the day +following, Konski came hurrying in to ask, if the Herr Doctor was not +going to dress? It was getting late. + +"I am in no hurry," said Bertram. + +"Well, sir," said Konski, "My Lady is most anxious you should be +present at the reception of the officers. Aurora has twice come to the +door with a message about it." + +And he pointed, as he spoke, to the bedroom door and grinned. + +"I do not intend to be present at the reception," Bertram said; "but I +may as well dress now." And he followed Konski into the bedroom. + +As Konski was assisting him, he said to him-- + +"Well, on what terms are you with that girl now? You will have to make +haste if you wish to settle everything before we go." + +"It is already settled, and settled very nicely," Konski made answer, +"since last night, sir. With the like of us, such things are settled +smartly, Herr Doctor, and I have a favour to ask of you in connection +with it. Aurora--it's a strange name that, sir, is it not? and her two +others are just as bad: Amanda Rolline--thank you, says I. Well, it is +not her fault, though, poor thing, and I won't mind re-baptizing her +once we, are in Berlin. But, as I was going to say, Herr Doctor, she +insists upon our getting married in the beginning of October, because +at the end of October Christine is going to be married to Peter +Weissenborn, and she wants to annoy Christina by being married before +her, so she says; but I fancy it's meant for Peter, who used to be +uncommonly sweet upon her, and, I rather think, promised to marry her +at one time. And if the Herr Doctor is not going to Italy at all, or +leastways not now, we thought ..." + +"You know," said Bertram, "how sorry I shall be to part with you; but I +will not stand in the way of your happiness." + +"It would be my greatest happiness, sir," said Konski, "to remain with +you as long as I live. And there's just one way, so Aurora says ..." + +"Well?" + +Konski hesitated a little, then took heart of grace, and said, with an +embarrassed sort of smirk-- + +"If the Herr Doctor would be so very kind as to marry too!" + +"I am afraid," said Bertram, "you will have to devise some other way +out of the difficulty." + +Konski was meditatively removing some specks of dust from the black +waistcoat which he held in his hand, and said-- + +"No offence, sir! These women are always a-puzzling out something or +other in their brains, and Aurora's brains are by no means bad brains. +She thinks it would be uncommon nice, if I would remain the Herr +Doctor's valet, and she was to be maid to your lady, sir; and then, +whether you went to Italy or elsewhere, we four would always be nice +and snug together." + +"I have no idea what you are talking about," said Bertram. "Give me my +waistcoat." + +"No offence, sir," Konski repeated, as he handed his master the +waistcoat and took up the dress-coat; "but she leaves me no peace, she +does not, and she says that it's all up with the Baron; and from what +she heard My Lady say to master this morning about the Herr Doctor, +says she, the Herr Doctor need but ask and they'd give him a half dozen +daughters, only they have not got more than one; and that one, dear +Miss Erna--why, I knows, and no one knows better than me--how fond she +is of the Herr Doctor." + +As Bertram had again turned away, the poor fellow, much to his regret, +could not see what impression his remarks had made upon his master; and +now they heard a heavy, hurried step coming through the study. There +was a knock, then Otto put in his head and asked if he might trouble +Bertram for a minute. Bertram begged him to come in, and beckoned his +man to leave the room. + +"I have been repeatedly wishing to come up and see you," said Otto; +"Hildegard is so afraid that you mean to go--and--dear me, you have +really been packing." + +"For to-morrow," Bertram made answer. "In no case can I remain longer. +For to-day I am, as you see, already, like yourself, in evening dress. +Only--you must please excuse me if I do not put in an appearance before +dinner; I have not finished my letters yet, and, to say the truth, I +should like to cut the reception business." + +"So should I," said Otto, "if I could. They will be here in less than +ten minutes now. I have not a minute to spare, not a minute." + +But for all that he did not stir from the chair into which he had +dropped. His mind was clearly far away. Presently he muttered-- + +"What if Parliament has decided against the railway!" + +"We must be prepared for it," replied his friend. + +"It is half-past four now, the sitting is sure to be over by this +time." + +"You will know the result to-morrow, and early enough, too!" + +"I think that Lotter, who has had to go to town, will have waited to +hear the result of the vote; I asked him to. He said he would be back +in time for dinner. But I no longer believe in his influence." + +"All the better." + +Both were speaking in gloomy tones, as though a heavy pressure was +weighing equally on either. Bertram was staring down in front of him +with arms crossed behind his back, and Otto's eyes were wandering about +the room--he was mechanically fingering the arms of his chair, then +suddenly gave a convulsive clutch at them. + +"I must go," he said. + +He jumped up and was making for the door. + +"Otto!" + +"Are you coming too?" + +"No; I have a small favour to ask which you are not to refuse me." + +Bertram had meanwhile gone up to his friend, holding out his hand to +him. Otto mechanically put his own into it. + +"I wanted to ask you to make use of me in case you have not yet +arranged about redeeming, to-morrow, that mortgage, and in the present +hurry and worry, what more likely? I have not even had to write to +Berlin about it. My Italian trip is given up. You know I had made +arrangements for a very lengthened absence. My letter of credit is +addressed to your own banker, as I had anyhow been intending to draw a +large sum; I can get the money at once, and there will be just enough." + +"Time enough to-morrow," murmured Otto; "however, I am much obliged to +you for your kind intention. Perhaps I'll drive you to town to-morrow, +if you insist upon going; we can then see about it." + +His cheeks were burning; his hand, which Bertram was still holding, +trembled like that of a man in great physical pain. Bertram noticed it +all. + +"I am very sorry," he said, "that I must thus torment you, but you left +me no choice as to the time. I am sure I shall not be able to speak to +you again to-day, and perhaps not to-morrow. Therefore, look here: I +have made all the requisite preparations, with due despatch, to make as +much of my fortune available as you will need for the settlement of +your affairs. You remember our conversation when we were driving back +from town last Saturday. I put no other conditions now than I did +then; that you arrange the settlement with the help of your lawyer, +that you leave him as free as possible in his dispositions regarding +the factories, and lastly, that your wife is taken into your +confidence--these are not so much conditions, as necessities. And of +the last, and doubtless the most painful one, I am willing to relieve +you." + +Otto flushed to the roots of his hair. + +"It is impossible!" he ejaculated. "I cannot take it." + +"I am not making you a present of the money, man!" + +"The money--the money--but Hildegard! To-day all this display--the +Princess--all those officers--a huge party--covers for a hundred +or so; and then to-morrow the most awful wretchedness--it is quite +impossible. And even if you had the courage--if you were to speak to +her, I mean--you are on such good terms again, she had intended to come +herself and see you, and I had thought--but that, that she would never +forgive you--never!" + +"I am prepared for that," replied Bertram. "To be quite frank, I care +infinitely more for your welfare than for your wife's favour. Otto, +these is no time for long debating. A plain yes from you, and the thing +is settled--now or never--do you hear me?" + +From the great courtyard there came the sound of merry military music; +many voices, too, were heard. Otto was still standing by the door +irresolute. + +He suddenly seized Bertram's other hand and exclaimed-- +"Then marry Erna at least! Hildegard will get reconciled to it, once +she knows all. Erna is fond of you--let me talk to her!" + +"One word from you, and--I shall not alter my resolve, it is fixed for +good; but you and I will never meet again." + +Bertram had torn himself away and was striding along the chamber. Now +he came back to Otto who was standing there in utter helplessness, laid +his hand on his shoulder, and said to him-- + +"Otto, remember what we vowed to each other in the dear old student +days in Bonn: to be and to remain friends in gladness or sadness, +friends to the death! This surely is sufficient. Let us not speak of +Erna, or, at least, let us not connect her name with this business; +such a connection is an insult to me, because it is casting doubt upon +the purity of my motives. I can tell you something else, in reference +to which I must, in the meantime, request your discreet silence. I have +good reasons for assuming that Erna has already disposed of her heart, +and this may explain certain oddities in her demeanour which have +struck us both. I believe I shall soon know if I am right. In warning +you, and your wife against Lotter, I gave you a proof of my careful +observation and of my faithful friendship. Confide in me further: you +will not repent of it. And now, old boy, go with a lighter heart than +you came, and receive your guests, or else the great event will come +off without you, and for that Hildegard would never forgive you, and +she would be right." + +He was almost pushing poor helpless Otto out of the door, when Konski +came hurrying up with an impatient message from My Lady. + +"Would Otto come at once? The military were just marching up the +courtyard." + +Otto hurried away. Bertram was still standing near the door, his eye +rigidly fixed upon it. + +He was murmuring to himself: "That was the first step. I should not +have thought, after all I have already endured, that it would prove so +hard. But it had to be done!" + +He walked slowly up and down, and paused again. + +"Had it to be done? And thus? Would it not have been better if I had +not absolutely denied it? Anyhow, I have not resigned in every case; +only, in case it is as I fear. Supposing it is not? What if the young +man who has gone through the schooling of a Princess Volinzov, is not +one whom our Erna can and should love? What if the Princess is mistaken +in this part of the story, or if she has been deceived by the man who +may have, had good reasons of his own? What if the whole thing has been +a little gentle dallying which Erna has all but forgotten, and I were, +with my diplomatic wiles, to fan again into life and light the almost +extinguished flame, were to repel her from me and push her into his +arms, which will be willing enough to open?" + +He stretched out his hands, as though he wished to ward off something. +They were all assailing him again now in the broad light of the day, +those dread phantoms with which he had wrestled in the awful darkness +of the night. Then he had conquered them. Was he to be vanquished now? +Was his strength exhausted? + +No, no; the worst had yet to come. Though he had persuaded himself that +it would be only fair and proper not to be a witness of their first +meeting, yet he would have to see them together, perhaps learn at the +first glance that they had already made it up, and that the great +sacrifice, which the beautiful Princess was making for her darling, had +been wholly unnecessary. All the better! In that case the torture of +uncertainty would be over all the sooner, and he would at least be +spared the humiliation of pushing Quixotic generosity to its utmost +limits, and of acting the part of an obtrusive mediator, who clears +away all obstacles and ultimately joins the lovers' hands with a "Bless +you, my children!" + +He sat down at the writing-table to complete his election address. But +he could not write, could not think. Pen in hand he sat, hearkening to +all the confused sounds which came up and across him from courtyard, +garden, and mansion house. The music, after some little pause, is now +playing again in long-drawn triumphant strains--representing the salute +of the regiment to the house that now guarded its colours; the fair +mistress appears on the threshold, surrounded by the other ladies, and +the tall and gallant-looking Colonel, hastening up, followed by his +officers, bows deferentially and kisses her hand. And lo! from the +circle around the mistress of the house, there steps forth another +lady, at whose sight the gallant soldier starts. But she smiles, and +signals with those mobile orbs of hers-- + +"Be calm, my friend, be calm! I shall explain all as soon as we are +alone for a minute, or, if not all--that being contrary to my habit--as +much as you need know. It is a matter concerning these people." + +And she points aside to another pair, bowing to each other and +presumably renewing--a casual acquaintance, shall we say? + +"I hardly know, my gracious Fräulein, whether I still have the +honour..." + +What a farce it all was! + +And what a ghastly tragedy too--its silent scene his heart--forsaken, +lonely as he was. + +So he sat on, brooding gloomily, musing dismally, he knew not how long. +Silence now reigned around without. Had they forgotten him? Oh, that +they had! and that he could steal away from the house--from the +farce--from life! + +But no, they would not be so pitiful. Hearken!--yes, this is Konski's +swift step. + +"I beg your pardon, sir, but My Lady bade me urge you to come. They are +just going to dinner, and are only waiting for the Herr Doctor!" + + + + + CHAPTER XIX. + + +It was a princely banquet that Hildegard had prepared for her guests in +the dining-hall of the whilom princely abode. The closed curtains had +excluded the daylight from the beginning, and the light of innumerable +candles fell upon the table from the three great chandeliers and from a +number of candelabras fixed to the wall. The table shone and sparkled +with crystal and silver, was decked with a profusion of the choicest +flowers, and surrounded by a most brilliant company. There were five +and twenty officers in their uniforms--and the general _coup d'[oe]il_ +was truly enchanting. Everything went off well. Hildegard herself could +scarcely distinguish from her own serving-men the extra waiters ordered +from town, and put into liveries; in the adjoining hall the band of the +99th was playing, for Colonel von Waldor had insisted upon My Lady thus +honouring his regiment, although she had a band from town in readiness. +The toasts, in reference to which she had been somewhat uneasy, had +been a wonderful success. Otto had not blundered or stopped short in +the first toast--His Majesty the Emperor, of course; then Bertram, whom +she had, at dinner, by means of a pencilled note, asked to do so, had +in the name of the host, and as the oldest friend of the family +present, welcomed the guests and proposed the health of the 99th. +Thereupon Colonel von Waldor returned thanks in a really capital +speech, abounding in merry quips and happy inspirations. He called the +brilliant reception given to the regiment, a posthumous celebration of +their doings in the last war, and a lordly payment "on account" for +what they were destined to do in the campaigns of the future. He then +proceeded to describe the reception in detail, and added that to him, +personally, it had been the most charming of all the charming surprises +of the day, to find in the gentleman who had so cordially welcomed them +all to this most hospitable house, an old and dear friend from whom he +had been separated for years; and at last, passing adroitly from the +host's representative to the host himself, he proposed the health of +"their far too generous entertainer, and of the kind, gracious, and +beauteous lady of the manor, by whose side, he had the rare happiness +of being seated." + +And the other officers--four and-twenty in number--had started from +their seats like one man, and had three times shouted their _Hoch_ in +singularly sharp and definite intervals, overpowering the _Hoch_ of the +other guests as the roar of cannon drowns the sound of musket firing, +and the band had joined in the celebration; and they had all crowded +around Hildegard, with their champagne-goblets held on high; and as she +received all these homages, she looked radiantly, superbly beautiful, +and so the Colonel had told her, adding that she was by far the fairest +of all the fair ladies there; and as they settled in their places +again, he had kissed her hand in eager gallantry. + +Hildegard thanked the enchanted Colonel with a gracious smile for his +flattery, and thanked him warmly, too, for his excellent toast, in +which she had missed but one thing, to wit, some clever allusion, +some dainty reference to her illustrious guest, the Princess, who, from +her place of honour next to Otto, on the opposite side of the +banqueting-table, had, followed the speaker with the greatest +attention, and had evidently expected something of the kind. + +The Colonel smiled and shrugged his shoulders. + +"I had thought of it, too, My Lady," he said; "but, upon honour, it +could not be done." + +"Why not? + +"I have already told My Lady that the Princess and I met last year in +Teplitz. Since My Lady--and I must express my sincere gratitude for the +condescension--did me last night repeatedly the honour of mentioning my +name to her, without, it would appear, recalling any reminiscence on +her part, I surely could not indulge in reminiscences. My wounded +vanity peremptorily forbade any such thing. And, moreover, it was +wounded ere then. It is no joke for a Colonel who has been somewhat +spoiled, to see a young officer, and particularly one belonging to his +own regiment, preferred to himself, and such, was then undoubtedly the +case. The young gentleman suffering, like myself, from a severe wound +received during the '70 campaign, had accompanied me to Teplitz, and +was my constant companion, so that he can bear witness to everything. +The reminiscence of that wound inflicted upon my vanity is at this +moment the more vivid, because the young gentleman is here." + +The Colonel pointed, as he spoke, to a slender young officer, dark of +eye and hair, who was sitting between Agatha and Augusta, and who was +conversing eagerly with the former, while Augusta, a coquettish beauty, +looked supremely bored. + +Upon Hildegard the young man's appearance had already made so pleasing +an impression after he had been introduced to her, that she had +actually remembered his name and rank--Premier-Lieutenant and Adjutant +Ringberg. But she thought she was acting prudently in saying that she +saw nothing remarkable in the young gentleman. Much to her amazement, +the Colonel seemed almost offended at this; Ringberg, he said, was +really in every way a remarkable man, the most studious, and at the +same time the smartest officer in his regiment, a man of excellent +character; and a jolly companion, for whom he himself had a sort of +paternal fondness; indeed, Ringberg was the son of a dear friend of his +own, left early an orphan, and he, the Colonel, had acted for him _in +loco parentis_, and wished him every happiness under the sun, including +the conquest of the beautiful Russian and her millions. + +"But there seems little prospect of that," Hildegard said, smilingly +interrupting the Colonel in his eager talk; "as far as I have been able +to observe, your _protégé_ does not exist for our beautiful friend." + +"That may be one of her masks," replied the Colonel. "I think the lady +has a great many." + +"You must not talk like this to me; I adore Alexandra." + +"But, My Lady, so do I too, otherwise I should never dream of abusing +her." + +"That, too, I must forbid." + +"Then I will swear that she does not even know what a mask is, and I am +ready to face a world in arms in proof of the assertion," laughed the +Colonel, and Hildegard laughed too, and kissed her hand to the Princess +across the table, a compliment which the fair Russian returned eagerly. + +Hildegard felt so happy by the side of her brilliant cavalier, that she +could scarcely make up her mind to give the signal for rising from the +table. But at last it had to be done, after she had exchanged a few +hurried words with Herr von Busche, who had quietly come up behind her +chair. When, a few minutes later, she rose from her seat, the curtains +were suddenly and simultaneously withdrawn from the windows and doors, +the glass doors flew wide open, and before the amazed eyes of the +company lay the garden in fairy-like illumined splendour. Rows of +coloured balloons were drawn like garlands along and adown the +terraces; and every prominent point--and there were many of them--had +been utilised for some effective purpose of decoration: a pyramid of +stars, a wreath of light, or a radiant crown. And the guests, now +hurrying away from the tables, had scarcely all gathered upon +the verandah before they found themselves enveloped in the dazzling +brilliancy of coloured lights; the magnificent façade of the +mansion-house, wrapt in a glorious purple glow, stood out with +wonderful effect against the darkening sky, and a deep green flame sent +a soft and tender light along the terraces and mingled on the great +grass plot in front of the verandah with the red light, the combination +yielding a dim, mysterious kind of magic dawn. And before the glow had +faded away, and before the admiring and wondering exclamations of the +delighted and surprised guests had ceased, there was the thunder of +cannon, a signal, and lo! from the wide common below, a rocket winged +its shining flight upwards, followed by another and yet another, in +such swift succession that the fiery missiles bursting anon high, high +up in the air, seemed to fill the dark sky with a galaxy of glowing +stars, whilst below squibs and crackers were exploding and wheels of +fire were whirling round in all directions. + +But now the younger members of the company could be restrained no +longer. In vain did anxious mammas preach patience and caution and call +for shawls and cloaks, the young ladies would not wait, and fortunately +the night was so calm and warm that they could really dispense with +wrappings; the officers had, anyhow, to remain bare-headed unless they +cared to put on the spiked helmets with which they had appeared at the +banquet. So they all danced merrily down the wide steps; and were soon +scattered over the terraces; and from all sides there came the laughing +shouts of those who were looking for each other, who perhaps met +unexpectedly at some turn in the labyrinth, or who were pretending to +escape, a merry game in which the young ladies, whether staying in the +house or belonging to the neighbourhood, being familiar with the +locality, gladly assumed the leadership, adroitly using their knowledge +to their own advantage. + +Meanwhile the greater part of the guests had gradually withdrawn to the +chambers on either side of the great banqueting-hall, the ladies to the +music-rooms and tea-rooms on the left, the gentlemen mostly to the +billiard-room, which opened into the smoking- and card-rooms. Some +still went in and out at the great French windows, all of which opened +on the verandah, but on the verandah itself there were now +comparatively few people, so that Bertram had but now and again to +exhort the Colonel to lower his sonorous voice a little. The friends +were pacing up and down arm in arm; the Colonel's uniform was all but +entirely unbuttoned, he was puffing vigorously at his cigar, and his +handsome, gallant features were aglow with the after-effect of the +champagne, and with the excitement which increased with every word +which he was rapidly uttering. + +"Believe me," he cried, "my good fellow, if anything could still +increase my feeling of absolute worship for this unique woman, it would +be the pluck with which she went into action for young Ringberg. But +unfortunately with all those fair and adorable creatures, intention and +execution never correspond. A masterly outflanking of the foe, an +assault _comme il faut_, and then at once this ludicrous mistake! I +could have died with laughter! Not the slightest idea on her part that +you are such a very special and intimate friend of mine! And so she +goes and tells you all the minutest details of our story, as to an +absolute stranger, supposed to be quite incapable of translating it +back into German from the French, because he can have no idea as to the +identity of the real persons involved! And why this stupendous want of +caution? To frighten you away! From what? From falling in love with the +little damsel, or to induce you, in case you had already done so, to be +kind enough to retire immediately! As though the like of us were to be +rightened away from our purpose by a reconnoitring like this, however +forced! 'You may thank your stars,' I said to her 'that Doctor Bertram +has better things to occupy himself with than the childishness which +you impute to him!' To be sure she swears that she became convinced of +it last night, for you remained perfectly calm and self-possessed, and +had the contrary been the case, it would certainly not have escaped +her, as she was scrutinising your every mien with the upmost care; but +then her own mien, as she was telling me all this, proved how pleased +and relieved she felt that all had gone off so happily!" + +"And what," asked; Bertram, "have you decided in Ringberg's affair? +Will you not at least take Erna, and, of course, her parents, into the +secret?" + +"The deuce I will!" cried Waldor. "I surely should not hesitate to +rescue Ringberg at any cost from some position of great danger, but +this is, not a question of my making a sacrifice, but of Alexandra +making one that she cannot make, unless she wishes to give up half her +fortune, which goes to the deuce as soon as our engagement gets +known. But I want the whole fortune and not the half! When I was but +a lieutenant I swore a great oath to myself that I would die a +Field-Marshal, and would live like a Prince until I got to be one! Now +you surely cannot expect that I should break my oath, and, to myself +too?" + +Bertram did not think it advisable to point out to his friend, the +contradictions he was guilty of in one breath. He only said-- + +"I should think the sacrifice might be avoided, if you made the people +who are interested pledge themselves to secrecy. None of them would +hesitate to accept that objection." + +"In such things," replied the Colonel, "one should not trust any one's +promise of secrecy. Why, every thing would already be betrayed, if +Alexandra had honoured any one but yourself with her indiscretions!" + +"But if the Princess absolutely insists upon making the sacrifice?" + +"Then I shall as absolutely forbid her doing anything of the kind! The +services which Kurt has rendered us are considerable, I admit; but +then, in the first case, they were rendered to me. How can I ask her to +act such a generous part? Nay, what does she mean by wishing to do it? +One would not, one could not, do more for one's lover! And, to the best +of my knowledge, she is in love with me, and not with Ringberg!" + +His cigar had gone out and he flung it away, turning to light a new one +at one of the lights placed along the verandah. Thus he did not see the +smile which Bertram--though his heart was little attuned to mirth--had +not been able to repress at the words which his not over-modest friend +had been uttering. + +"In that case the Princess will have to say, like the priest Domingo, +in Schiller's 'Don Carlos:' 'We have been here in vain,'" he resumed, +as the Colonel took his arm again. + +"To be sure," was the calm reply; "and I have strongly urged her to +leave to-morrow. Surrounded as we are here by my officers, one or two +of whom are already likely enough to know more than I care for, we are +not for a single moment safe from startling disclosures. I think I have +as strong nerves as most people, but to be seated upon a powder-barrel +when there is a conflagration raging all round, is uncomfortable for +the most courageous." + +"What is uncomfortable, Colonel?" asked Alexandra's voice behind them. + +The Colonel turned on his heels; and quickly buttoning his uniform, +exclaimed-- + +"Ah, most gracious Princess!" + +"Let us call each other by our names before this good friend," said +Alexandra. "Give me your arm, dear Doctor Bertram; and you, my friend, +please to come to the other side. So now we can talk confidentially." + +"May I go on with my cigar?" + +"I should like to smoke one myself, if I dared! But now to the point. +What have you decided?" + +"That is the very question," Bertram said, "which I was just submitting +to Waldor." + +"I have decided, that the young people are to see how they can best +settle things for themselves!" + +"That is an abominable decision!" + +"It is necessary." + +"Not for me! I shall speak to the young lady." + +"You will not do so if you value my advice ever so little. Moreover, if +you felt so sure of this, why did you not do so yesterday?" + +"Because I require your co-operation." + +"Which I refuse!" + +They were talking excitedly, almost vehemently now. Then, there was a +pause, a very uncomfortable one for Bertram, although he said to +himself that discord between the two ought to be welcome to him. He had +closely watched Erna and Ringberg. At dinner, where they had been +seated almost directly opposite to each other, they had not exchanged a +single word; and just now, whilst Erna had followed the other young +ladies into the garden, Ringberg had remained on the verandah and had +subsequently gone into the billiard-room. As Erna was so very proud, a +meeting of the two seemed difficult, almost impossible, without kind +and skilful mediation, and there would be little time or opportunity +for it now. To-morrow the regiment was again to leave its quarters. +They would again be separated for long--for ever, if he chose to avail +himself of the influence which he doubtless had over Erna; and if he +could only bring into play something of the robust egotism, with which +the handsome soldier by his side was smoothing his own way to rank and +unlimited riches. + +"Then I only know one way to achieve our object," the Princess said at +last, speaking somewhat huskily. + +"I knew you would find something," said Waldor; "but what is it?" + +"It is this ..." + +Alexandra paused abruptly, for as they reached the end of the verandah, +and were turning round, the very man of whom they were all thinking was +approaching them. + +"Anything for me, my dear Ringberg?" exclaimed the Colonel. + +"Yes, Colonel; an orderly from the General in command ..." + +"May the ..." muttered the Colonel through his teeth. + +He went up to the young officer, who made his report in a low voice, +whilst the Princess and Bertram remained standing at some little +distance. They saw the Colonel angrily fling away his cigar, and draw +himself up. + +"Thank you, my dear Ringberg; you need not come with me. It is bad +enough if one of us has to lose all the fun. No remonstrance, sir! I +shall want an orderly to go with me, and, perhaps, you will, in +passing, kindly bid them saddle Almansor." + +"Yes, Colonel," said the young officer, saluting. + +Ringberg had gone. Waldor turned round. + +"It seems," he said, "that the soldiers have taken a different position +from what His Excellency had expected, and now he is getting all the +officers in command of regiments together, to get things done as +noisily as possible. The old owl! Upon my word, I would let him have a +bit of my mind, if he did this in actual war, and summoned me at such a +time two or three miles off from a position where we may be 'alarmed' +at any moment. However, there is no help for it. I shall not spare the +horse, but I am afraid I shall not be back before one o'clock. My +officers must be in their quarters by twelve o'clock precisely, and the +rest of the party are likely to vanish too. I presume that we shall be +attacked between two and three o'clock. If, then, I do not see you +again, dearest Alexandra, the arrangement is this: you drive to town +to-morrow and remain there until I can look in for a moment, as I hope +to be able to do the day after, or else until I send word. Farewell, +dearest! And you, my good friend, will probably not have gone to bed +before I return. I will come to your room, and learn what the best and +cleverest of women will have planned in the interest of our +_protégés_." + +The Colonel kissed her hand again, and hurried away. Alexandra looked +gloomily after him, standing with her hands crossed over her bosom, +until he had vanished through the door of the billiard-room; where +several of the senior officers were advancing to meet him. Then, with a +passionate gesture, she turned to Bertram. + +"He is mistaken! Alexandra Volinzov is not to be ordered about like a +pack of recruits. I shall not leave to-morrow! I shall not leave at +all, until I have achieved my object; and you, friend, you must help me +to achieve it." + +She flung the end of her shawl impatiently across her shoulder, and +took Bertram's arm, drawing him away from the verandah down into the +garden, whence the young people, in pairs and in groups, were now +hurrying merrily back to the mansion-house, attracted by the sound of +the band striking up a polka in the banqueting-hall, which had been +cleared in the interval. + +"And what is my help to consist in?" asked Bertram. + +"You must speak to Erna. You must explain all to her. I am powerless +without Waldor's co-operation, and you have heard how he refuses it? +Nay, more; I have learned from Hildegard, that he has definitely +denied standing in any special relation to me, and as he could not +disown me altogether, has accounted for it all by talking of a casual +watering-place acquaintance; nay he has actually gone the length, of +reviving the old suspicion of there being something between Kurt and +myself; in a word, he has done his utmost to shake my credibility +with the parents, and with Erna; and to make my interference, if I +dared interfere, appear a ridiculous and hideous farce. You are the +intimate friend of the parents; you are Erna's natural protector and +guardian--you are more to her than her own father. The foolish dread of +the mother, that you loved the dear child in a different way, I have +absolutely put an end to; you will be met on all sides with the utmost +confidence, and if any doubt still existed, if any objections were +still raised, why, you are so clever, so wise, so eloquent, that you +will with ease remove every objection, that you will with a sure hand +bring all things to a good end, be the saviour of those two poor dear +souls, and rescue them from the infernal torments of jealousy, doubt, +and despair. I shall not be found wanting; I shall confirm everything +that you say; I shall take the full responsibility of it all, of +course. I am firmly resolved upon this; it is simply my duty, and I +shall do it, and Waldor may put up with it or not, as he pleases." + +Alexandra had been saying all this with hurried breath and heaving +bosom. Bertram's own excitement was intense, too, but he managed to +reply in calmer accents-- + +"You ask much, My Lady. You call me Erna's guardian, her second +father. I accept these titles; now, will you please and try to fancy +yourself in the position of a guardian, a father, under these +circumstances. In the story of Claudine you have told me your own, +striving, I do not doubt for a moment, to be strictly truthful, seeing +no danger in this, when speaking to a stranger, and being, moreover, +impelled to do so, both by your quick temperament and by your +passionate sympathy. But now comes the question: Has your truthfulness +really brought out the truth? Not the truth of yesterday and to-day, +but of to-morrow. The truth, the truthful picture of the future, when +you will be constantly and closely brought into contact with the former +object of your ardent love, when you will be ever seeing him by the +side of a woman who is not much younger than yourself, who is not as +beautiful as you, not as clever as you; who, however graceful, lacks +that nameless charm which is radiated by a beautiful and clever woman +of the great world, and which is so apt to beguile the hearts of men; +can you then--I am now speaking of yourself only, My Lady, only of what +is in your power--can you, for your part, for your own heart, undertake +the guarantee for the future? I conjure you, by all you hold sacred, +can you conscientiously give the guardian, the father, this assurance?" + +"By all I hold sacred," replied. Alexandra, "yes! And I will rather die +than break my oath!" + +She had stooped suddenly, and was about to draw Bertram's hand to her +lips, but he prevented her with gentle force. + +"We must not soften each other's hearts," said he, his own voice +quivering with emotion, "must not dim the clearness of our vision by +tears of emotion. I accept your vow. And now I crave but one boon from +Fate, to wit, that I be permitted one look, one deep, searching look +into the young man's heart,--and into Erna's heart!" + +He had been murmuring the last words in a scarcely audible tone; his +lips were trembling; Alexandra also was too much moved to be able to +speak. Thus they had silently reascended the verandah-steps and moved +on--unintentionally--to the open door which led to the card-room. +Alexandra paused, uttering a slight exclamation. + +"What is it, My Lady?" + +She made no answer, but drew her arm swiftly out of his, and hurried +away from him into the card-room. Bertram did not follow her; amazed +and hurt that she could so suddenly leave him, attracted it would seem +by the large oval table, around which there stood a fairly large group +of gentlemen, either staking money themselves or watching the progress +of the game which was evidently some game of chance, with Lotter acting +as banker. Bertram anyhow saw that hated person sitting at the head of +the table and dealing the cards, and next moment he heard that loud +voice of his, which he disliked so much, exclaiming: "_Faites votre +jeu, messieurs!_" Alexandra had advanced to the table as though she +meant to join in the game, and Bertram turned away in grave +displeasure. How could he have full confidence in a being, who was +accustomed to obey every movement of a restless heart, every temptation +of a light-winged fancy? No, no! If he was to resign, Erna's happiness +must be anchored in firmer ground! + +He leaned against the door of the hall in which the couples were taking +their places for the Lancers. Erna and her partner were standing but a +few yards off. She was conversing with him in her usual, measured way; +he could watch every movement of those beloved lips, when she spoke or +when, with a fleeting smile, she answered a jesting word of her +partner's. Her face was partly turned in his direction; he thought +every moment that she would turn round completely and look at him. I +"felt that some one was looking at me," she had said on that memorable +morning, when he found her writing beneath the plantain-tree. Now she +did not feel it. What had broken the magic spell of his glance? Was it +because his love was no longer unselfish? Because a fierce wild longing +seized him to press the slender white-robed form in his arms, to cover +the sweet lips with wild kisses? No, no--it was not that! It was this! +her heart no longer knew anything of him. It was this: new and younger +gods had moved inside the temple, and the old one's might now depart +ingloriously and hide their disgrace in the darkness of night! + +The music struck up, Erna held out her hand to her partner and floated +across to the other side of the hall; and Bertram hurried away, down +the verandah steps, away into the garden. + +Then he wandered about aimlessly, muttering wild words, wringing his +hands despairingly. The deserted garden, with the coloured lamps +swinging in the night wind, some dead, some dying, seemed a fit image +of his wasted and desolate life; whilst the strains of mirthful music +wafted across to him in mighty volumes from the brightly illumined +mansion-house, and the sounds of singing and rejoicing that came up to +him from the village below, seemed to mock the solitary self-tormentor. +He felt that this could not go on, if he did not wish to go mad; he +asked himself, pressing his hands to his throbbing temples, whether he +was not mad already? Whether he was not the ill-omened victim, pursued +by the relentless furies of jealousy, pursued until he breaks down--and +to be spared only by voluntary resignation? Yet you surely can but +resign what you own, what--if need be--you could defend; the possession +of which you could dispute anyhow with your adversary to the last gasp. +Despair does not resign, it only lets go what can no longer be held. +What had he done to hold Erna? What was he doing at this very moment, +except again making room for a rival, for whom, as it was, the stars in +their courses were fighting, one who had youth and the privilege of an +earlier attachment on his side? No, he deserved to be conquered, he who +neither had the strength to conquer himself, nor the courage to join +issue with the rival. Let the decision come then! + + + + + XX. + + +Bertram stood on the lowest step of the terrace when this decision +struggled forth from his tempest-tossed soul, that could no longer bear +the torment. A small steep stair led upward from this place, at the +very extremity of the garden, without any landing-places; he hurried +up, taking two and three steps at a time. He had reached the top; next +he turned to the right, across the lawn, in the direction of the +verandah, when suddenly the music was silent within the hall, and +instantly the dancers came forth from the many doors to cool and +refresh themselves in the balmy night air. He did not care to meet the +merry, motley multitude. Here and there isolated couples were +descending the stairs. He withdrew into the darkness of the shrubberies +surrounding the winter garden. It was lighted up; and, as far as he +could judge by a glance through the windows, was deserted; he would +pass through it, and so regain, unseen and undisturbed, the rooms where +the others were. + +He entered. Between palm-trees and many broad-leaved plants there was a +narrow passage, bisected in the centre by a shorter and broader one. +Where the two passages met, towered a huge palm, set in a tub of mighty +dimensions, and all but touching the glass-dome above. Behind, within +the enclosure of the wall, was a small recess, furnished with dainty +iron garden-chairs and with a table. + +This, he knew, was a favourite spot of Erna's, where, on rainy days, +she was wont to spend hours. He could not resist the temptation of +visiting the spot which on her account was sacred to him. He sank into +one of the chairs, put his folded hands to his head, and let it rest +upon the little table. As he sat thus in the attitude of one praying, +his thoughts became a prayer: and he prayed that Fate would now +determine his lot, now and here, be it bliss or be it--death. He was +willing to submit to either, in all humility, knowing himself subject +to the heavenly powers that would deal with him by their own +inscrutable will. + +He lifted his head and rose slowly, hesitatingly, from his stooping, +position. Was his prayer not heard? Could love not work a miracle, like +faith, which was less strong? Surely, she would come, for whom he was +longing with all the force of his heart! + +And lo!--as he turned his gaze to the door, the velvet curtain which +draped it was drawn aside, and she appeared on the threshold, a +slender, white-robed figure, bending forward, gazing into the silent +green wilderness before her, listening! And now she was descending the +stairs with lightsome step, moving along the passage that led to the +tall palm-trees, and again she paused, leaning one hand against the +edge of the tub, pressing the other against her bosom. + +"Erna!" + +He had, for fear of frightening her, uttered her name in a very low +voice; yet she started where she stood, but did not turn to him who was +so near, but stooped, listening, towards the other side; and at the +same moment he heard, the little door open, by which he had himself +entered the winter garden; and now some one was hurrying along the +passage, towards Erna, who made a movement as though she would escape, +but could not. + +"Miss Erna!" + +She made no answer, and Lieutenant Ringberg seemed to have exhausted +his strength and his presence of mind with these two words, which he +had uttered in a very diffident tone of voice. For a few seconds they +both stood motionless. Then Erna said-- + +"Fräulein von Aschhof has told me that you wished to speak to me. I +only came to request you not to honour Fräulein von Aschhof any longer +with your confidence. I--I am indignant that you could do so at all." + +"By Heaven! there is some misunderstanding here. I should never have +dared to apply to Fräulein von Aschhof. She began, and spoke so +confidently that no doubt ever arose in me. I could not but believe +that you--that yourself, Miss Erna...." + +"This is too much!" + +The breathless listener heard the rustling of her robe, and then some +hurried words of entreaty which again chained her to the spot. +Meanwhile they had somewhat changed their position; the dense foliage +of some shrubs now intervened between himself and them, and he could +now scarcely see anything of them, but he could hear every word even +better than before. + +"You must not let me suffer for a misunderstanding of which--I swear +it--I am so innocent, that I cannot even guess how it has come about. +But be this as it may, I bless it as a heavenly favour, for surely +Heaven would not have me condemned unheard. I pray and entreat you: +listen!" + +"What have you to say?" + +"What I wrote in my last letter. If you will not believe in my +assurances--and indeed I can understand that, as things are, +appearances are against me--give me time--only a little time, until +these unfortunate circumstances have become clearer, and those +appearances will dissolve themselves into nothing. Only this much I +can, I must say, I am not in love with the Princess, and I never have +been, I have never felt anything for her but sympathy, respect,--and +friendship, if you will,--feelings which that rarely-gifted woman will +awaken in all who come to know her intimately. She is here for no other +purpose but to plead for me, to clear up this wretched mystery which +condemns me to silence, at the sacrifice of considerable personal +advantages to herself. But she has met with resistance which she cannot +overcome, and which compels her, and compels me also, to remain in this +miserably odd position. Therefore, once more, give me time--give me a +respite. A criminal gets that, and I am free from guilt, unless it be a +crime that I look upon those duties which gratitude and the friendship +of years impose upon me as sacred, even now, when it is so unspeakably +hard for me, and when it puts me to the risk of forfeiting the +happiness of my life!" + +"Is this all you have to say to me?" + +"All; for what else. I might say would find no credence, if your faith +in my veracity does not go even this length." + +"Good-bye." + +"Erna! is it possible? Is every voice silent in your heart? Does +nothing stir, nothing plead for one whom once you--I dare not say the +word any longer, for I must fear to offend you again if I remind you of +what once was? Great heavens! and I had thought, that if my pen were +powerless, and my pleading on paper appeared clumsy and lifeless, I +should but require to be once more face to face with you, looking into +your loved eyes whilst you looked into mine, and that then you would +believe me even before I uttered a word. And now, now, my glance is +powerless, my words are mere sound. I no longer know what to say; I am +standing here like a beggar who has been telling his story of bitter +woe, and in whose face people close the door at which he has knocked +with trembling hand. Have I become so poor? Well, I am most unwilling +to appeal to a friend for help, but you leave me no choice. There is, +living in your own circle, a gentleman who is in the secret, to whom +the Princess has told it, half involuntarily; drawn on by the vivacity +of her temperament, which she has never learned to control, half +voluntarily, hoping that she was not betraying anything which all, or +at least all concerned, would not know to-day. Well, this hope of hers +has not been fulfilled. The gentleman in question knows it; and not +deeming himself, under the circumstances, justified in speaking, he +will, if I judge him correctly, be silent, although the Princess has +already given him full liberty, nay, has entreated him to tell you all. +I must confess, I was much taken aback when, a little time ago, she +came and told me this; apart from other considerations, it was painful +to me to know that the key to the fatal enigma was in the hands of a +third person. But now, when, to my sorrow, I realise my impotence, let +him plead for me, if he will. He will do it, if I, too, entreat him. I +have barely exchanged three words with him, but looks like his, so +imbued with the true nobility of the soul, cannot lie. Ask him--you +will believe him!" + +"Never!" + +"You will not believe him?" + +"I will die rather than hear from him, speak to him of ... It is a +shame, a shame! This is going too far. What happened before was ... but +this, this ..." + +"How now? By the heavens above us, what is the meaning of this?" + +"The meaning is this: my last word to you is, Begone!" + +"I go. But one thing more, and let it be my last word. It is very +bitter to have to say it. There is one greater misfortune yet than to +see one's love misjudged, scorned, rejected, and that is, to have to +say to one's self that she whom one had loved more,--a thousand times +more than one's self,--is surpassed by other women, whom one had never +dared to put on the same level as her, had barely dared to compare with +her, in kindness and in generosity." + +There was a quick step passing away over the tiled passage, then the +sound of the little garden-door being opened and closed, and then a cry +of anguish, half suppressed, and all the more terrible on that account, +the cry of one who had met with a deadly hurt. + +Bertram hurried round the intervening shrubs to where Erna stood with +her arms raised on high, with wild staring eyes. + +And then she gave another cry, and the next moment she lay in his arms, +clutching him, clinging to him, as a drowning man would clutch, would +cling to, a rock. + +"Uncle Bertram! dear, dear Uncle Bertram!" + +"My sweet child!" + +"Save me! save me!!" + +A great gush of tears relieved her. She was now sobbing aloud, bending +over his shoulder. Thus had come to pass that for which, but a brief +time before, he had longed as the greatest bliss; a bliss he would fain +taste for a moment, and for which he would willingly die, after having +tasted it. He held her close to his heart, held the slender maiden's +frame, the tender, heaving bosom; her sweet breath was floating around +his heated cheek, and he knew she was his, was in his keeping; he had +the power to hold her now, and it would cost him but one word. And yet +it was all a dream-gift, which one may retain for a second or two by +keeping one's eyes closed, but which fades away, to return no more, as +soon as the eyes re-open. + +"Yes, I will save you, save you from yourself; you have lost yourself, +and I will restore you." + +She lifted her head and looked at him, confused, questioning. + +"Not to-day, my sweet child, to-morrow; but you must be a good and +obedient girl." + +"I will do all that you wish, that you command, dear one, beloved one! +For there is none as good, as noble as you, not one, and I love no one +as I love you!" + +Again she clasped him, more violently even than before, and pressed her +hot, quivering lips, to his. + +But he did not return her kiss, and a gentle, melancholy smile played +about his mouth as he said, putting her gently from him, and stroking +her dark hair-- + +"And never did father love his dearest child better than I love you." + +And again she gazed up to him with a strange expression of fear and +shame. + +"Now go, my child; to-morrow we will talk together. I shall not leave +to-morrow. I shall not go until you need me no longer. Good-bye till +then. And then your dear eyes are to weep no more." + +She clung to him still, but hesitatingly, shyly now; he disengaged +himself gently, and repeated-- + +"Go, my child, go." + +She went, slowly, reluctantly, holding her head very low. On the +topmost step, in the doorway leading to the tea-room, she paused and +turned, as though expecting that he would summon her back. + +But he beckoned with eye and hand: "Go!" + +She vanished behind the velvet curtain. He was alone! + + + + + XXI. + + +The mirth and fun of the feast were at their height now. The +commander-in-chief had ordered that at twelve o'clock all officers +should be in their respective quarters, including those who had been +told off to the houses of the ranger, the mayor, and the other chief +denizens of the village. It was past eleven o'clock already. No time +was to be lost, if the guests wished to drain the cup of delight which +the hospitable mansion-house proffered in such abundance. + +"Vivat Champagne!" exclaimed one of the young officers, taking a glass +of the foaming wine from the salver which a footman offered him. + +"And pretty girls!" returned his friend von Köppingen, emptying his +goblet at one draught, replacing it on the salver, and turning upon his +heel to hurry to the fair Augusta, with whom he was engaged to dance +the _Rheinländer_, the music of which the orchestra was just playing. + +"And where have you been, Ringberg?" asked another comrade, Herr von +Rollintz; "been gambling a little?" + +"You know I never play," replied Kurt, who was leaning against the +door. + +"Nor dance? Well, well, you are always so sensible; I feel half dead +already, upon my honour! And yet I have to dance this _Rheinländer_ +with the belle of the ball. I am looking for her everywhere; have you +seen her, perchance? Ah, there she is!" + +Von Rollintz flew right across the room to meet Erna, who was just +entering from the tea-room. A minute later the pair whirled past Kurt; +von Rollintz, with radiant and glowing face, chattering even during the +dance, Erna still and pale, the long dark eyelashes lowered. + +Kurt gazed gloomily after them; then he turned away and began pacing +the verandah. After a little while he saw, at the end opposite to him, +a gentleman ascending the steps, in whom, as soon as the bright light +fell upon him, he recognised Bertram. The young man advanced rapidly +two or three steps, then paused hesitatingly. + +"Why, after all!" he murmured, "everything now would be in vain." + +Bertram, who had gone up to one of the windows of the ball-room, was +now slowly coming along the verandah. It was painful to Kurt to meet +the man to whom, but a minute ago, he had been willing to apply for +help. So, happening to be just in front of the card-room, he slipped +in. + +"He avoids me," said Bertram to himself. "In that case the mountain +will indeed have to go to Mahomet!" + +As he was about to look for Kurt in the card-room, he saw, on his way +past the open doors of the ball room, Lydia in conversation with one of +the older officers, a conversation carried on by Lydia with her +customary abundance of gesture and the frequent use of her fan. He drew +nearer, and, as he had hoped, her ever-roving glance had soon lighted +upon him. A slight movement of his eyes was sufficient for the highly +experienced lady, who left the Major with a jesting word, and tripped +up to Bertram. + +"You have something to tell me, dear friend?" + +"Can you spare me one minute?" + +"One minute? For you?" + +She gave a sentimental glance at Bertram and started. + +"Merciful Heaven!" she exclaimed, "you are ill. You wish the doctor +sent for; but there is one here, nay, there are two,--pray let me...." + +"Pray remain here," said Bertram, seizing her by the hand as she was +hastening away. "It is true that I feel rather worn out--a consequence +of the unrest and noise to which I am not accustomed--but otherwise +perfectly well. Let us sit down there!" + +He pointed, to a couch near, and sat down; Lydia followed him with +trembling knees, shaking all over, feeling her heart rising to her +throat. The whole unusual approach of Bertram who was generally so +reserved, his pallor, his solemn manner--all this could have but one +reason, one meaning--and what was she to reply? Act surprise and +terror, of course! But not too long, just a few moments of half +fainting, with her head leaning back against the wall and her eyes +turned rapturously towards the chandelier. + +"My dear friend--for I must appeal to your friendship--to your +love...." + +"Good Heavens!" murmured Lydia. + +"To the love which you doubtless cherish for Erna, and which has, I +assume, misled you to this last extremely equivocal step of yours." + +"Good Heavens!" murmured Lydia again, but this time with accents of the +greatest terror, as of some one who suddenly feels the ground beneath +him giving way. + +"I will not reproach you," continued Bertram, "which indeed I have no +right to do. I was wrong myself in not taking you into my confidence in +reference to Erna, in wrapping myself in secrecy and silence, and thus +all but compelling you to act alone and independently in order to help +our dear child to what, let us trust, will prove her lasting happiness. +But the remedy which you applied came too soon and was too strong; it +has not had the desired effect, at least not in the meantime; indeed, +at present things look desperately bad. Do not ask me how I have +learned this, I may tell you later on, when perhaps you will tell me, +too, how you discovered the secret which both guarded so carefully. All +this does not matter just now; but one thing is of the greatest +importance, and this I heartily beg you will grant me. We must +henceforth act in common, take no one into our confidence of whom we +cannot be sure that he aims at the same thing as we do--namely, at +Erna's happiness. And I think you will do best if you leave me to judge +when this is the case. Are you agreed?" + +Poor Lydia was sadly embarrassed. For her terrible disappointment it +was some compensation that Bertram himself had evidently no matrimonial +intentions with reference to Erna, and that he was offering Lydia his +alliance and friendship. How gladly would she have agreed! How gladly +said yes to everything, averring that she would blindly obey his +behests. But alas, in addition to her first indiscretion which he had +so kindly pardoned, she had meanwhile committed another which he would +scarcely pardon. + +"It is too late, I see," said Bertram, who had not failed to notice the +terribly anxious expression of her mobile countenance. "You have +already told Hildegard." + +"No, no--not Hildegard--worse! far worse!" murmured Lydia, wringing her +hands and casting down her eyes. "In my anxiety, my--ye Heavens! I +cannot excuse myself on any other ground--in my tender anxiety, for you +... the Baron ... you ..." + +"Pray speak distinctly," said Bertram, repressing his anger. "I must +know all. The Baron ..." + +"He was so angry with you ever since that miserable letter--no, I +cannot tell you that; I am too much ashamed of myself--but Erna has +already pardoned me, and so will you. We had all lost our heads. He +asserted that you alone were to blame for his failure with Erna. And +that Otto had not given him the money--a great big sum--three thousand +thalers--was your doing too, he said. This morning already, before he +drove away, he vowed in my presence that he would inflict a terrible +vengeance upon you; and at dinner, when he sat next to me, he talked +dreadfully, and drank ever so much champagne--and I knew--I thought I +knew--I saw that Erna and Ringberg--Erna had denied him altogether; and +the girls--Augusta, you know, and Louise--told me that Ringberg used +constantly to meet her at their house ...! Erna was so excited when the +regiment came, and ..." + +"Go on!" cried Bertram. + +"And now the Baron wanted to make you suffer for it. And I really could +not tolerate it, seeing that perhaps I had contributed to the Baron's +wrath against you." + +"And so you told the Baron all?" + +Lydia was sitting with rigid, tearful eyes, and started in terror as +Bertram quickly rose. + +"What would you do?" + +"Try if I can repair the mischief a little." + +"Let me go, I entreat you! and I will tell the Baron ..." + +"And I wish you to tell him nothing. I wish you to remain where you +are, and to appear as unconcerned as possible to all, specially to +Erna, if she should come to you, which, however, I doubt; and mind that +you do not betray one word of what we have been discussing here. Will +you promise that?" + +"I promise everything you wish." + +"I shall not be ungrateful." + +Lydia gazed after him with tears in her eyes as he hurried away. "I +shall not be ungrateful," he had said; and saying that, he had pressed +her hand--for the first time since they had met--and supposing, +supposing that it came to pass after all! + +Major von Keberstein approached her again, and said laughingly-- +"You seem to have had quite a long confidential conversation with the +gentleman who carried you off so abruptly from my side. And then a poor +old bachelor like me is not to get jealous!" + +"I will do my best now to make up for it." + +"It will take you all your time, we shall have to tramp back to our +quarters in ten minutes." + +"Can you not throw in half an hour?" + +"Not for worlds!" exclaimed the major, replacing his watch which he had +been consulting. "My orders are very strict." + +"Then I must claim the ten minutes at least," she rejoined, gathering +her robe together and making way for the stout old gentleman by her +side on the couch. + +In the adjoining card-room, too, the guests were bent upon making the +most of the last few minutes by doubling and trebling their high +stakes. All the players now were civilians, chiefly neighbouring +proprietors, who could afford to lose a few hundreds. Some of the +officers had at first joined in the game, but only at first, and with +very small stakes, as if to show that, so far as they were concerned, +the whole thing was a little harmless social amusement--nothing more. +When heavier sums began to be staked, they had at once ceased playing, +and had gradually melted away. The _Oberförster_, or ranger, who was +only looking on, thought that this had been done in obedience to a +signal from the Colonel himself, who had passed through the card-room +on his way out. + +"All the better," the Baron had sneered; "then we shall remain snugly +among ourselves. _Faites votre jeu, Messieurs!_" + +And indeed the Baron, so the gentlemen present thought, had good reason +to find his position a snug one. He was winning almost without +interruption. The heap of bank-notes and gold coins by his side was +ever increasing; among the bank-notes were already a good few slips, on +which the players had written their names and the amount of their +stakes; his gains were said to be several thousands. He asserted that +it was nothing like that sum, and repeatedly offered to let some one +else take the bank; but no one cared to accept his offer; and thus the +losers had no right to grumble, although for some time now they had +been, as one of them said, hurrying in pursuit of their own money. They +had need to hurry if they would overtake the money which was ever +fleeting. The Baron's proposal that the game should cease punctually at +half-past eleven, the time fixed for the conclusion of the ball, had +been agreed to, and it was now almost a quarter past. The Baron saw +already, from the large stakes which the players were venturing, that, +as the cards were more than ever in his favour, his gains would be +doubled; his jubilant mirth proved the excitement he was labouring +under; he had some funny word for every card he dealt, every deal he +scored, and all the while his eyes were glowing, and his busy hands +were twitching nervously. Suddenly there was a change. One of the +players had staked a sum equivalent to the total of his losses during +the evening--and had won! This daring play, and the success which had +crowned it, stimulated the others; and now everything went against the +banker. In a few minutes his heap had dwindled down to less than half, +and it became evident that if, during the remaining quarter of an hour, +the bank were pursued by the same bad luck, it must needs end with a +considerable balance the wrong way. The jests of the Baron became more +and more bitter; presently he took to whistling savagely through his +closed teeth, interspersing this with muttered curses; his eyes, now +roving restlessly around the room, seemed repeatedly to be fixing +themselves upon same one within the room. Suddenly he stopped in the +middle of a deal, and exclaimed, with a semi-audible curse-- +"You are bringing me bad luck, sir! You are in my way, sir!" + +These words, which he had uttered in the most violent way, were +accompanied by a fierce look at Kurt, who, to avoid meeting Bertram, +had entered the room a few minutes ago, and had since been standing +with folded arms among the spectators, who, attracted and enchained by +the sight of the maddening game, had, in ever-increasing numbers, +grouped themselves around the board of green cloth. The scene had not +had any attraction for him; his mind was far away; he had stared +mechanically before him without seeing anything; nor had he heard the +Baron's words; he only felt it disagreeable that several gentlemen near +him were looking hard at him. One of them thought it incumbent upon +himself to whisper to Kurt that the Baron had meant his remarks for +him. Kurt, under the impression that Lotter had been asking him to join +in the game, and not wishing to say it aloud, replied in a courteous +whisper to the gentleman who had called his attention to the fact that +the Baron had meant his remarks for him-- + +"I am sorry, but I never play." + +He accompanied this by an apologetic shrug of the shoulders towards the +Baron, and turned upon his heel. As soon as he was free of the crowd +surging around him, he made for the door leading to the verandah, +hoping that there he would be left to himself and to his own sad +thoughts. + +The Baron burst into a hoarse, mocking laughter when he saw Kurt turn; +he went on dealing, with trembling hands, then jumped suddenly to his +feet, exclaiming-- + +"Excuse me, but I must ask the gentleman, what he means by shrugging +his shoulders." + +He flung the remaining cards upon the table, and was rushing towards +the door through the crowd of amazed and excited spectators, whom he +pushed rudely aside if they did not make way quickly enough. Before he +reached the door, however, Bertram faced him, barring the way. + +"What do you want?" the Baron hissed through his teeth. + +"I want to call your attention to the fact that you are the guest of +this house, and that you are on the point of basely violating its +proffered hospitality." + +Bertram had spoken firmly, but in so low a voice that the Baron alone +could hear him. His look, too, was perfectly calm; even those next to +him, who saw but his face, whilst the Baron was turning his broad back +upon them, could not but think that it was simply some indifferent +communication. + +The Baron was speechless with wrath. Bertram gave him no time to break +out. He continued in the same low, incisive tone-- + +"I see that you quite understand me. I need scarcely add that I am at +any time at your service, should you consider yourself in need of a +comment upon the lesson which I have given you." + +"You shall hear from me, and forthwith!" + +"The sooner the better!" + +He bowed slightly; then, raising his voice as he turned to the others, +he said-- + +"A thousand pardons, gentlemen; but I was commissioned by our amiable +host to remind you that his military-guests have, alas! to retire +already; and that they will be wishing to bid you farewell." + +As if in confirmation of Bertram's words, the music just then broke off +in the adjoining ball-room, the door flew open, and quite a host of +officers came rushing in. There could no longer be any question of +resuming the game, even if the players had been willing, which they, +however, certainly seemed not to be. Some of the older ladies had come +in, looking for their husbands; some others, young ones, followed; the +room was overflowing with guests; the players had difficulty in +getting back to the table to pocket their stakes. Not a few of them +had yet to square accounts with the Baron; they crowded round him, but +he was shoving the remnant of his gains--gold coins, bank-notes, +I.O.U.s--higgledy-piggledy into his pockets, and when questioned, as he +constantly was, replied with surly mien and in briefest words, and +repelled rather than answered their questions--muttering that they +might apply to-morrow; and that, in this confusion to-night, the devil +himself could neither hear nor impart information. + +Bertram had eagerly watched, this scene, keeping close to the door +which led to the verandah. He made sure that the Baron's time was +meanwhile absolutely taken up, and that he would, not be able to think +of following Kurt and inventing some new reason for a quarrel, since +the first attempt had failed. Under any circumstances, the Baron would +have to settle with him first; and then he saw how, breaking away from +the players who were still surrounding him, the Baron hurried up to +meet Herr von Busche, who, looking very heated and flushed, was just +coming from the ball-room. The two gentlemen Bertram knew to be, as +shooting companions, on good, though not on specially friendly terms; +anyhow, there could be no doubt as to the subject of their present +discussion in yonder far-away corner, where the Baron was +gesticulating, while Herr von Busche, the young gentleman from the +Woods and Forests' Office, listened intently, now and again shaking his +head, and at last nodding it, more, it seemed, in courtesy than in +assent. Then Bertram remembered that it was time for him also to look +out for a second. + +Looking for Ringberg, he saw him on the verandah, which now was filled +by the guests, among a small group of officers, already with helmets +and overcoats on, who were bidding him good-bye. These departing heroes +had their quarters in the village; they were in a mighty hurry; a +couple of servants were in readiness with lanterns to light up the +shorter way to the village, down the terraces; fair Hildegard had, +indeed, been mindful of everything needed. As the other officers were +hastening down the steps, Bertram stepped up to Kurt. + +"Can you spare me a minute, Lieutenant Ringberg?" + +Kurt was evidently very much surprised, but he at once bowed his +assent. + +"To be sure, a minute will not suffice, if, as I hope, you will grant +my request." + +The young man's bronzed cheeks assumed a yet deeper hue, as he said-- + +"Pray, speak; and be assured beforehand that it will be a pleasure and +an honour to me to be of use to you in any way." + +"Then have the kindness to give me your arm and to accompany me into +the garden, that I may tell you uninterruptedly what is the matter. +Well, it is briefly this: Baron Lotter--I do not know whether you have +had the doubtful pleasure of making his acquaintance--a friend of our +host's, by the way, with whom he and I have been staying here for the +past week,--thinks himself insulted by me, and, according to the usual +code and my own conviction, he has good cause for it. It is an old feud +resulting from a certain mutual rivalry as to the respective +consideration and influence which he and I claim, or think we may +claim, in this house, an old feud about to be ultimately settled. The +actual occasion of the quarrel is merely accidental, and, as such, +absolutely irrelevant. I mention this particularly to enable me to add +the request that in the subsequent negotiations, supposing that you are +willing--well, very well, then, and I am really obliged to you--that in +these negotiations you may lay absolutely no stress upon that occasion, +nay, that you may avoid touching upon it at all. You will please accept +the conditions for the hostile meeting exactly as they may be proposed +by the other side; I have my own reasons for wishing to be particularly +obliging in that respect. Only the fixing of time and place troubles +me. Here of course the duel cannot take place. I should therefore +propose some spot near town. This would suit me all the better, as I +have, anyhow, announced my intention of leaving this place to-morrow, +and could, therefore, remain in town for a short while without +attention being called to it; and as the Baron also was to leave +to-morrow too, and as he also must pass through town, the delay will be +very brief for him. The only question now is: Whether and when do you +think you can be free yourself?" + +"In no case," replied Kurt, "before to-morrow afternoon, but then for +certain, because, if circumstances were less favourable, I could then +get leave of absence from the Colonel--without, of course, mentioning +the special reason why I needed it. Circumstances are, however, +favourable, and, if our suppositions are at all correct, and if the big +sham-fight is once over, the regiment will, sometime to-morrow +afternoon, be somewhere between this and town, and may even have to +bivouack there. Under any circumstances, I shall be able to attend +punctually at the time required. + +"This," said Bertram, "will do excellently. So we are now free from +this trouble; and this, I think, is all that we need settle in the +meantime. Now it may be as well if I put you in communication with Herr +von Busche. I have no doubt that he is to be the Baron's second. If +required, a question from you, as to whether he chanced to have a +commission, a message, for me, would at once settle things." + +They had meanwhile come again near the verandah, and just then Herr von +Busche was coming out of the card-room, looking round apparently in +search of some one. Bertram and Kurt hurried their advancing steps, and +he again turned swiftly round, to speak to Bertram, the moment he had +recognised him, saying-- + +"I am so glad, Herr Doctor, to have met you at last, since I was about +to do myself the honour of bringing you a message of some importance. I +have already been looking, and looking in vain for you, in all the +rooms." + +"A thousand pardons," replied Bertram; "but I, myself, have not in the +meantime been idle in this affair. May I now have the pleasure of +introducing to you the Premier-Lieutenant Ringberg, who ..." + +"I have already had the honour," said Herr von Busche with a bow. + +"All the better. Then I will no longer disturb you, gentlemen. You will +find me in my rooms. Good-bye till then." + +He shook hands with Kurt, bowed to Herr von Busche, and left them both, +as they retreated into the semi-obscurity of the shrubbery, until, +passing along the verandah and the side building, he reached a postern, +from which a stair led, straight from the garden, to his rooms. + + + + + XXII. + + +Even on this stirring evening Konski had not been oblivious of his +duty. He knew from experience that his master was wont to retire from +festivities before their actual close, and thus Bertram, on entering +his rooms, found his candles duly lighted, and all preparations made +for the night. He praised his faithful servant for his careful +attention, but told him he was not in a hurry to go to bed, as he was +expecting a visit from Lieutenant Ringberg, and that Konski might hurry +back to his sweetheart, as no doubt he would like. + +This he said in his wonted playful tone, to Konski's intense delight, +for the servant gathered from this that his fear, lest his master +should again be the worse for all the noise and excitement of the big +entertainment, had been uncalled-for. He even ventured upon a remark on +the subject. + +"I am astonished myself," Bertram said in reply. "I think you must be +right; we both had put ourselves down too soon as old fogies." + +Bertram smiled as he spoke, and Konski thought that his hint had fallen +upon fruitful soil, and that his own favourite wish would, after all, +be fulfilled. Perhaps his Aurora might know some details. To be sure, +My Lady had given strict orders that within ten minutes after +the departure of the last carriage no soul was to stir about the +mansion-house, lest any of the officers billeted there should be +disturbed in their brief slumbers. But Aurora would surely find out +some place where they could quietly converse. + +So the faithful servant left Bertram, and instantly the master's serene +mien changed, and assumed a look of great anxiety. He listened: perhaps +his expected visitor was even now crossing the servant's path. No; the +noise died away in the corridor and on the stair. Konski had vanished +somewhere in the court-yard, and all now was silent. Bertram began to +pace softly up and down his room, then paused again, listening. What if +Kurt were to learn that the duel was to be fought for his sake? In that +case, the chances were everything to nothing that he would insist upon +precedence, and would himself challenge the Baron. Bertram, anyhow, had +some scruples as to whether he should not have told the young man the +true state of affairs, because he had now exposed Kurt to the +possibility of one or other of the witnesses of the scene in the +card-room misinterpreting Kurt's action, and asserting that he had +simply been unwilling to understand Lotter's insulting remarks; and +this would, of course, according to the military code of honour, have +been identical with a reproach of downright cowardice. + +But, then, it might be hoped that in the wild confusion and frantic +excitement of the moment, no one had been at leisure to observe the +little incident minutely enough to be able to give a clear account of +it either to himself or to any one else. On such occasions a dispute or +wrangle was by no means of rare occurrence, and none of the spectators +had looked as though they were in the habit of attaching much +importance to such scenes; and it certainly would be foreign to the +good, easy-going Thuringians to have done so. Fortunately, not one of +Kurt's fellow-officers had been present at the time; and even Herr von +Busche, the young gentleman from the Woods and Forests, had only come +in at the last moment. The question was simply whether the Baron would +subsequently try to pick a quarrel with Kurt, seeing his first attempt +had clearly failed through no fault of Kurt's; and now, of course, the +Baron would have a capital chance of doing so. The pity of it, thought +Bertram; why had he blindly followed that inner voice which bade him +choose Kurt for his second? Why? It had been Bertram's only chance of +getting one deep, searching look into the young man's heart? But was +not the fulfilment of his ardent prayer purchased all too dear, if it +led the way to the very thing which he was desirous of preventing at +the sacrifice of his own life? + +And yet, he said to himself, he need not quite despair. Lotter, to be +sure, now knew who was his real rival. And the desire to wreak his +vengeance upon that rival, to annihilate him, if possible, was very +sure to become overpowering in the heart of a hot-blooded, terribly +angered, absolutely unscrupulous man, one never at a loss, and one +passionately in love with Erna. But was this really the case? No, and +again, no! That man never had loved Erna. His whole suit had, from +beginning to end, been nothing but a vulgar speculation upon Erna's +presumably colossal fortune, by means of which he hoped to free himself +from disagreeable temporary embarrassments, and to continue his +good-for-nothing life of self-indulgent ease. Even before Kurt had +appeared upon the scene, those dreams of a brilliant future had become +greatly obscured; he had, it was clear, been virtually dropped; and he +was surely quick enough to have found out speedily to whom he was +indebted for this fate. His savage utterances to Lydia were sufficient +proof that he knew quite well who, from the very beginning, had stood +between Erna and him, who afterwards had delayed the decision, +prevented any further approach, roused the distrust of the parents, +turned the daughter's thoughts away, and ultimately had done the very +worst for him. If there was any one who had deserved the Baron's wrath +and hatred, on whom his vengeance was certain to fall, surely it was +himself. Why pick a quarrel with any one else as well? The Baron was no +coward, far from it; yet, being a perfect shot, he would have it all +his own way with an opponent like Bertram, who had hardly ever hit the +target when they practised together. Why then should the Baron not play +a trump card when lie had one in his hands? + +Thus cudgelling his brain, carefully weighing every reason for and +against it, Bertram kept viewing his position, and all the while the +weary moments seemed to creep slowly, slowly by, and each succeeding +one weighed more and more heavily upon his soul. And yet, would he not +perchance learn all too soon, that his bold attempt to take the place +of Erna's lover, and thus to guard their new-born happiness, which was +already so much endangered, against a new and most serious peril, had +failed, and that he himself had missed this most excellent opportunity +of dying? He was doomed to go on living this life of his, which had +lost its savour and had no longer any meaning for him! Half an hour had +already gone by; they might have finished their consultation long ere +this, for there was little enough to consult about--unless it was the +other duel! + +In the court-yard, whence the noise of the departing carriages and +divers shouts had been ascending, silence began to prevail. Bertram +could master his impatience no longer; he stepped across the corridor +and went to one of the windows looking out upon the court-yard which +the expected lieutenant would have to cross. Presently he heard a +swift, elastic step upon the stairs; he hastened to meet his hurrying +visitor, and cried, holding out his hand to him-- + +"Is everything settled?" + +"Everything." + +"Thank Heaven!" Bertram had all but said; he just managed to change it +into a polite, "Thank, you so much!" + +He kept Kurt's hand in his own as he led him into his room. He made him +sit upon the sofa, and seated himself by his side. Kurt thought that +one could not welcome a dear friend, the bringer of the most pleasant +news, with greater warmth and delight. This feeling was still more +strengthened when his singular host presently sprang up again, and +fetched from his stock of provisions for the journey a bottle of wine, +which he proceeded to uncork; next he brought some glasses, and even a +small box of cigars. Although no smoker himself, he said, he always had +some cigars by him for his friends. + +He filled the glasses, and held out his own to Kurt. + +"May everything turn out as we wish!" + +"With all my heart!" replied the young officer. + +Kurt said these words with a deep, almost melancholy gravity; which +contrasted strangely with the gladsome excitement of the older man; +Kurt's lips barely touched the wine, whilst Bertram drained his glass +hurriedly, greedily, and instantly refilled it. + +"I have fasted almost all day," he said, as if by way of excuse. "A +festive entertainment always puts me out and takes away my appetite. +But now, please, tell me--do they agree to everything?" + +Kurt reported with military brevity and precision. The only difficulty +had been to fix the time, as the Baron had at first asserted that he +could not delay his departure beyond noon on the following day at the +latest; ultimately, however, he had agreed to the meeting coming off at +six o'clock in the afternoon. The place was to be a certain spot in the +great forest, almost exactly midway between Rinstedt and the town, by +the banks of a little lake. It would be easy to move thence to a still +more remote portion of the wood, in case the man[oe]vres should have +brought any one to the neighbourhood, which, in its normal state, is +absolutely deserted. + +"I remember the place exactly from former walks," Bertram said. + +"Capital," replied the young man, "for that removes another +difficulty--namely, how you were to find your way to it from the town. +The spot suits me singularly well, because we shall probably bivouac +not a mile from it. I forgot to mention that I have already secured the +services of our very skilful staff-surgeon, and that Herr von Busche +will provide a carriage. Lastly, for the sake of keeping the whole +affair secret, it seemed desirable that the Herr Baron should not go +straight from here to the meeting. So, under pretext of wishing to make +to-morrow an excursion to the scene of the man[oe]vres in company with +Herr von Busche, of returning here at night, and leaving definitely on +the day following, he has sent word asking his host and hostess to +excuse him until to-morrow evening, and even now he is driving with +Herr von Busche to the ranger's house, where he is to pass the night." + +"Excellent! excellent!" exclaimed Bertram. "Everything is arranged most +thoughtfully and carefully. I thank you very much. Herr von Busche +appears to have been perfectly willing to facilitate all arrangements?" + +"He was charming," replied Kurt; "nay, more, he told me quite openly +that he was doing the Herr Baron this service most reluctantly, very +much against his own will indeed, and only in deference to the +traditional courtesy in such matters, and that he would give a good +deal, if it lay in his power to settle the whole affair amicably. I +confess I fully sympathise with him in the last point. It was a most +painful thought for us both that a man like you should risk his life +against a Baron Lotter, who, it seems, does not enjoy any one's special +sympathy; and all the chances are against you, too." + +"Why all the chances?" + +"Herr von Busche said that your opponent was one of the best +pistol-shots that he knew, unerring of aim, and steady of eye and hand. +Herr von Busche, of course, has never seen you practise, but he fears, +and so do I, that ..." + +"That I am a miserable shot?" exclaimed Bertram smilingly. "Out with +it! Yes, yes, you gentlemen have little confidence in us bookworms for +this sort of thing. But fortunately you are mistaken. I am more or less +out of practice, I admit; but I can shoot a little, and at such a short +distance too!" + +"I am delighted to hear you say so," replied Kurt. "And yet I would +like to ask you if there is no possibility of bringing about an +amicable settlement. It is not by any means too late yet. Herr von +Busche quite agrees with me in this. Only, as we are both absolutely +ignorant of the real cause ..." + +"But I have already told you that an old feud is about to be settled," +Bertram interrupted him somewhat impatiently. "The momentary cause--by +the way, a small lesson in good manners which I gave the Baron--is of +no consequence at all." + +"So Herr von Busche, too, had been told by his client, and we agreed to +accept this as sufficient, considering that a man like you would not +act in such an affair except with due deliberation, and that we younger +men must respect your motives, even if we regret that they are not +communicated to us." + +"I thank you both all the more for the sacrifice which you are making +for me," exclaimed Bertram, holding out his hand to Kurt. + +"Then I will say good-bye; you will be in need of rest." + +Kurt had risen; Bertram retained him. + +"Stay a little longer," he said, "if you are not too tired. I am not +fatigued at all. To-morrow's meeting is not weighing upon my mind in +the slightest; nay, more, I am as sure of my good fortune as ever Cæsar +was of his; and I hope, confidently, that we two shall meet many a time +again in the land of the living. Yet one should not claim from the +future what the present offers, and therefore let me, at this present +moment, touch upon a matter which concerns you very specially, and +which I have, Heaven knows, much more at heart than this wretched +business over which we have already wasted far too much precious time." + +A deep blush burned upon the young officer's cheeks; his dark eyes now +evaded the bright light of those great blue orbs, whose extraordinary +brilliancy and beauty he had already repeatedly admired in the course +of their previous conversation. + +"You know what I wish to speak about?" Bertram asked next; and again +the young man was struck by the complete harmony of the ring of that +voice and of the radiance of those eyes. + +"I think I do," he replied, almost in a whisper. + +"Then you will know, too, the sort of relation in which I stand to +Erna?" + +Kurt still dared not look up. He nodded his assent. + +"But you cannot know," continued Bertram, "how very intimate this +relation is--so much so, that I cannot find quite an appropriate name +for it. I should say that of a father towards a most beloved child, if +there did not mingle with my feelings for her a touch which--perhaps +you will understand me--I would call chivalrous tenderness. This touch +may perhaps occur in other cases too, I mean between a real father and +daughter--I am sorry to say I never had a daughter of my own--and I +only mention this element, because it helps me to understand why Erna, +who otherwise confides in me unconditionally, has kept her love a +secret from me. Perhaps it was solely an outcome of the long interval +of time during which we had not met; in such cases a kind of +estrangement is apt to occur, which, to be sure, once overcome, is wont +to be followed by a greater cordiality. But above all, the poor darling +deemed herself rejected, betrayed. Her happiness she would gladly have +let her paternal friend share; unhappiness always seals the lips of the +proud; and yet I know that more than once the secret was trembling upon +those sweet lips of hers, and that had she overcome her shy shrinking, +she would have spared herself--and spared you, my friend--much +suffering; and the palms in the winter garden would, an hour ago, have +waved their magnificent heads above two happy, blissful souls, and not +above two young fools who, from sheer love, were tearing each other's +hearts to pieces!" + +Kurt gave a quick quiver, and all but jumped from the sofa; but +Bertram's eyes shone forth in glorious radiance, and a smile of +infinite tenderness played about his mouth. A strange thrill passed +through the young man's heart, as though he were in the presence of +something unapproachably lofty, something which imperatively demanded +humble submission and confiding obedience. So he lowered his eyes, +which had flashed indignantly for a moment, and said, scarcely above +his breath-- + +"I thank Heaven that He led you to that spot." + +"And I," replied Bertram, taking both the young man's hands and +pressing them heartily, "I thank you for that word which sets me free +from all restraint, and takes away the last remnant of shrinking +shyness. Who, indeed, would not shrink, feel awe-struck, when it comes +to touching those tender threads that spin themselves from heart to +heart, until, God willing, they become united in a woof so strong that +death itself cannot rend, it? What God joins, let no man put asunder; +what God puts asunder, let no man try to join! What has come between +you two is sheer misunderstanding, provoked by extraordinary +circumstances, which would have puzzled even older and more experienced +people, and in which you young, passionate, inconsiderate folk knew +not what to do. And being so thoughtless and helpless, you have +assuredly committed mistakes, mistakes on either side, and the demon of +pride--'by that sin fell the angels'--will have gloated over it all. +Not to enable me to register and chronicle your mutual faults, but only +in order that, being taught by the past, we may look the future more +clearly in the face, just tell me how it all came about? When did you +make Erna's acquaintance? Was it not in her aunt's house in Erfurt?" + +"Yes," replied Kurt; "and to know her and love her was one and the same +thing; nay, I may say, without the slightest exaggeration, that she was +one 'whom to look at was to love.' One evening, I saw her at a party. I +had been visiting at the house for some time, and I think I was rather +fond of Augusta von Palm, who is staying here now, and with dear Agatha +I was on terms of heartiest friendship; but Agatha; wishing to give me +a surprise, had not told me of Erna's visit. So I saw her quite +unexpectedly among the other young ladies. It would be quite bootless +for me to try and describe what went on in my heart. So, I thought +afterwards, the men must have felt of whom the Bible tells us that they +were held worthy of beholding some divine apparition. My breath failed +me; all the others present seemed to vanish from my sight; I saw only +her, or, properly speaking, not her, only her eyes. It seemed like a +double stream of unearthly, transcendent light; and again it was a +stream which bore me resistlessly onward and upward into realms of +bliss, whereof but an hour before I had known nought, divined nought, +and which yet were, I felt clearly, my true home, to which I was soon +returning after much aimless wandering in far off regions." + +The young man's voice quivered. He drained the glass which, before, his +lips had scarcely touched. Bertram filled it afresh. Kurt never saw how +his hand shook as he poured out the wine, nor observed how curiously +veiled the voice was in which Bertram, breaking the pause, said-- + +"Strange, or perhaps less strange than highly gratifying, that at least +for once I find, this kindling effect of Love's divine flash confirmed +in reality, of which the poets of all times and in all climes have sung +in praise. I am almost ashamed to confess that although I do not think +I am a hopelessly prosaic individual, I have always thought this but a +fond and fair dream." + +"And it is a dream," Kurt made answer, "inasmuch as things real are +most curiously shifted and changed in it, and as one can give scarcely +a clearer account than a somnambulist, of what occurs and of what one +does one's self. I do not remember how I got home that night; I have no +idea whether it was several days after, or really on the day following, +that, during a picnic in the country, I was strolling apart from the +rest by her side through a leafy grove. The light of the dying sun was +trembling among the trees, and a few subdued notes of birds' song were +heard. Silence was all around; and in silence we passed on, side by +side. Sometimes she stooped to gather a flower for the tiny bunch which +she held in her hand, and once, as she stooped again, and I wished to +anticipate her, our hands touched; and, startled, we both looked up, +looked into each other's eyes, and the flowers dropped from her hands, +and--well, it was just a dream, a brief and blissful dream. Who can +tell the story of a dream?" + +The young man had risen and gone to the window. Bertram kept his seat, +leaning his head on his hands. When Kurt turned back to the table, he +thought that the noble countenance which now looked up with a very +sweet smile was paler than before. + +"Pardon me," he said, "but I think I see that you are in need of rest; +let me pause here. You know what happened next." + +"Yes, but not quite how it happened," said Bertram in reply. "Please +sit down by my side again, unless you are tired yourself. As for me, I +am a regular old night-owl. How it happened, yes--how did Erna come to +hear of your connection with the Princess? Some malevolent traitor must +have been at work there." + +"Would that it had been the case!" answered Kurt. "A traitor Erna's +clear eyes would have speedily recognised as such. But the one who told +her of it was a dear friend of my own, a fellow-officer, who in the +course of a visit to our former garrison--our own regiment had +meanwhile been transferred to Magdeburg--made Erna's acquaintance, +without having the slightest conception of our relations. And as the +conversation chanced to turn upon me, he babbled, under a promise of +discretion, of the secret; and probably adorned and amplified matters, +so as to let the enormous stroke of good luck which was supposed to be +in store for me appear in its greatest splendour. As he was known to be +on very intimate terms with me, as I had myself given him an +introduction to the von Palms, and specially commended him to Erna, she +had to believe that his romantic story was sheer truth; nay, the awful +thought came to her that I had myself authorised my friend to make +these communications, or, if this had been quite too infamous, she +assumed at least that he had been commissioned by me to prepare her, +and had solely blundered over his commission, so that I was personally +responsible, if not for the manner, certainly for the matter. We +corresponded, and with the connivance of Agatha, under cover of a +correspondence of hers with an old school-friend in my present +garrison; but Erna's next letter contained nothing but the question +whether it was true that I had some relations or other with the +Princess? The question thus put, I could not but answer in the +affirmative, begging her at the same time, in connection with the +subject, not to believe in what any one, except myself, might say. My +request came somewhat late, but still did not fail to have its effect +upon Erna's heart, which had assuredly opened with the greatest +reluctance to the terrible suspicion, and which was now jubilant at +being freed from it. She teased my friend about his fertile fancy which +invented stories devoid of a particle of foundation, as she had since +learned from a trustworthy source. Thus challenged, and piqued at being +declared undeserving of credit, my friend stated that he had the +knowledge, if not at first, at least at second hand, for his authority +was my own Colonel, whose testimony Erna would surely not reject. Again +he begged her to be discreet, but hinted pretty plainly that other +fellow-officers were aware of it too, and had likewise learned it from +the Colonel. And now for Erna the doubts which she thought she had +vanquished turned to despair. She knew through me the very intimate +terms on which Herr von Waldor and I stood, and indeed many a time I +had called him to her my best and kindest friend, my protector and +second father. Erna wrote another question. Did Herr von Waldor know my +relations to the Princess? And again I had to answer in the +affirmative, without being able to mention the suspicion which now--and +now for the first time--rose within me, that Herr von Waldor might have +purposely misrepresented those relations in his own interest--you know +why. What need to continue to describe the wretched position in which I +now was placed; how the net was tightened more closely and more fatally +round me, so that I at last had given up all hope of ever being freed +from it; all the more because Erna--as you heard yourself--repelled +with such passionate indignation your mediation, which I was about to +claim. I must confess, I cannot even guess why." + +The dark eyes of the young man were raised inquiringly to Bertram, who +did not at once reply to the questioning look. He had turned aside a +little, and was busied refilling the glasses; he did not seem to notice +that he was filling the second to overflowing, and that the wine was +saturating the table-cloth. + +"Dear me," he said, presently, "I beg your pardon; I was--thinking. +Why, did you ask? Well, we settled already that, according to all +experience, girls are not fond of confiding to their fathers the +secrets of their hearts. They dread paternal jealousies, a paternal +prejudice against the one who ventures to claim the little hand, which, +as a matter of course, is far too precious even for the best of the +best. But fear not! Erna shall find in me a friend, protector, and +counsellor, who hopes to give the proof that one may love like a father +without being blinded by a father's prejudices, and, above all, one who +means more honestly by her than, I am sorry to say, Herr von Waldor +does by you." + +A dark shadow flitted over the young man's open countenance. + +"I thank you," he said very gently, "I thank you from the bottom of my +heart for so much goodness, and to deserve it will be the fairest task +of my life. But pray do not condemn Herr von Waldor. It is impossible +to measure him by the common standard. Contempt of death and greed of +life, princely generosity and petty egotism, tenderest love and +bitterest hatred--all these things lie side by side in his soul, and +cross and re-cross each other in such a way that even to me (and I +think I know him better than any one else) it is a perfect enigma. But +if at times I cannot solve it all, if in this present case I cannot but +see that he is willing--I must not say to sacrifice, but to stake--me +and my happiness in the hope of gaining his own great stakes, then I +need only remember what he has been to the orphaned boy, after he had +carried my father, fatally wounded, upon his own shoulders out of the +bloody struggle around the fortifications of Düppel; how he, of all men +the most impatient, has watched over me with a mother's loving patience +when I have been ill; how he resumed his studies in order to be able to +supervise and guide mine; how he paid my expenses when I was a cadet; +how he equipped and helped the ensign, the young officer; how he +pressed upon the poor young man of _bourgeois_ birth abundant help to +enable him to hold his own in an expensive and aristocratic regiment; +and how he thundered in his wrath when I refused to accept it any +longer, as I had learned that he had himself to borrow the needful +money at usurer's interest. Surely you will admit that one so deeply +indebted to Herr von Waldor as I am, has lost the right, nay, more, the +ability to struggle and resist, even if the hand which has done so much +in the way of kindness weighs heavily, terribly so, upon him." + +"I think I can follow you in your feelings," replied Bertram, "although +Waldor is by no means thereby excused in my eyes; on the contrary, I +adhere firmly to the Scriptural saying, that the right hand should not +know what the left does; and I hold that he who claims gratitude has +already his reward. Moreover, was the sacrifice really requisite, which +Waldor expected from you, when he put you into this ominous position? +From a moral point of view it is a matter of indifference; but I should +like, if possible, to be enlightened on this point, which I have not +hitherto understood." + +"How things stand exactly," Kurt replied, "I can hardly say myself. I +assume that the marriage-contract of the Princess contains certain +conditions which deprive her of the greater part of her present +fortune, if she contracts a new matrimonial alliance; or rather, would +seem to deprive her, for a judicial interpretation of this dubious +point is to be the result of the law-suit which is now reaching its +final stage. Further, it may be assumed that the view of the Princess +herself is the only correct one by all the laws of sound logic; but she +fears--whether rightly or wrongly I know not--that the decision will be +adverse to her if the authorities learn that her choice has fallen upon +an alien." + +"But you are an alien, too," objected Bertram. + +Kurt shrugged his shoulders. + +"An obscure lieutenant, not of noble birth, and Princess Volinzov! No +one need imagine that they would have taken this _au sérieux_, any more +than a dozen other _liaisons_...." + +He paused abruptly, blushing to the very roots of his hair. + +"For shame!" he cried, "that was basely said. Let others sit in +judgment upon the poor victim of a most abominable bad education and of +most wretched circumstances. I dare not, I dare not feel for her aught, +but admiration and gratitude, and renewed gratitude, for I know and +have experienced in my own person that, through all the badness and +baseness that have been crowding around her from her childhood, she has +preserved the capacity for a great and heroic love, a love of which we +men are scarcely ever, and of which among women only the best and +noblest are, capable." + +Only at the last words Kurt had again ventured to look up, and he +swiftly lowered his eyes again. Bertram's great eyes shone in wondrous +radiance, and a curious smile, half melancholy, half ironical, was +hovering about his lips, as he slowly answered-- + +"To be sure! you are quite right. Only the noblest women! We men are +egotistical scoundrels; that is our lordly privilege; and he who +resigns it, deserves to be crucified with malefactors on either side." + +He had risen and was now pacing up and down the room; then he stepped +to the open window. Kurt had kept his seat, thinking that Bertram would +turn to him again. But he did not. The young man grew embarrassed. +Reverence forbade him to disturb the dreamer. Never before had Kurt met +one whose presence had thus thrilled him as with a breath of highest, +purest vitality. And to this consciousness, which seemed to lift him +out of and above himself, was joined the painful feeling which +humiliated him in his own sight: that he had but just now been petty +enough to say a bitter word about the woman of whom he yet knew, that +she had come here to bring the greatest of all sacrifices that a loving +heart can bring. And he, Bertram, knew this too; for Alexandra had said +to Kurt: I have confessed all to Bertram! What a painful discord his +own evil words must have been in the pure and high-souled Bertram's +ear! And now Bertram, who had in all good faith shown him so much +sympathy, had found him ungrateful, had turned from him, now and for +ever. + +He would, he must go! + +But invisible fetters seemed to chain him to the spot; and as he sat +there, angry with himself, in gloomy thought, it was no longer only the +heavy, weary limbs that refused to obey him. His thoughts, too, flitted +and wandered beyond his control. Something like a dense veil sunk upon +his eyelids, and he saw surrounding objects but momentarily, +indistinctly; the lighted candles upon the table seemed to be far-off +bivouac fires, then they turned to dim and distant stars, then were +lost in night and darkness. + +Bertram had carried the candles to the writing-table, and shadows now +rested upon the weary sleeper. Then he returned to the sofa and spread +a coverlet over him. + +"Poor lad! I saw how you were struggling against your sleepiness. The +examination was a long one. But I could not spare you, and you have +done well!" + +He stood gazing upon him. + +"And, like this, his head will rest by the side of hers--on one +pillow!" + +He drew his hand over his eyes, stepped noiselessly back to the +writing-table, and presently his pen was gliding lightly and gently +over the paper. + +"My dear child,--I may henceforth with good right call you so, since +Fate gives me one opportunity after another, to prove myself a good, +and, I hope, also a thoughtful, father to you. But an hour ago I had to +calm and comfort my beloved child, and yet dared not give her true +comfort, dared not express my full and firm conviction that a good, +upright heart always makes choice of the right thing at once. For good +and upright as my dear child's heart is, yet it is a very defiant heart +too, and would rather be miserable in its own way, than happy and +blessed in other people's way; and it would have steeled itself against +my persuasion and against my testimony, and would again and again have +reverted to this: You do not know him! But now I say to you: I do know +him; and you must accept my testimony as that of a man of great +experience and knowledge of the human heart, of a man whose eyes--sharp +as human eyes go--love for you and care for your welfare have filled +with divine perspicuity. I know him now, after one hour spent here in +my room in confidential conversation, as though I had known him from +childhood, stalwart young man as he is; and even as I sit writing this, +he is sleeping, under my watchful care, the sweet sleep of exhausted +youthful vigour, notwithstanding his painful anxieties and the bitter +sorrow of his heart. I have been watching him in his sleep. Sleep is a +terrible betrayer of narrow minds and feeble hearts. Here there is +nothing to betray, and sleep can but put its soft yet sure seal upon +the beauteous image of a great and noble soul. And even as this soul, +helpless and resistless as it were, is in my keeping, receive it, loved +one, from my hands, as a great and glorious gift of the gods on high, +who have deemed me worthy to be their envoy and the executor of their +sacred decision. + +"I promised you not to leave as long as you had need of me. You need me +no longer, and I shall leave in the morning without bidding you +farewell. From your mother, too, I shall take leave in writing; she +knows my weakness for vanishing noiselessly from society. It is a long +journey that lies before me, and we shall not soon meet again. +Separation is death for a time, and time, again, is nought but a tiny +speck, and its complement is eternity. A noble human being should plan +his thoughts and action not in reference to the former, but the latter. +Let, therefore, what I now say to you, for the brief space wherein we +shall not behold one another, be said for evermore: Fare thee well, +_Lebe wohl!_ that is, live according to the bidding of your heart, as +you hear it when you listen to it in secret silence and reverence! +Howsoever this our life may be shaped, it is no longer our concern, but +that of the powers on high, over whom we have no influence, and +therefore it matters nothing to us. Once more then: _Lebe wohl!_ + +"My kindliest greetings to sweet Agatha! She is your true friend. I +always felt that she would counsel nothing that I would not counsel +myself. + +"And another is your friend, too, though you do not think her to be +one. You know I am speaking of the Princess. She also will leave your +house to-morrow, not without making an attempt to prove to you that she +is your friend. Be good to her for my sake; in that case I feel +convinced that you will part from her with kind and grateful feelings, +and that she herself will have inspired them. Whatever she may say to +you, I guarantee its truth. Hers is one of those natures that may go +astray, but that can never be untrue. + +"Should you have a message to send me, send if through your father, +whom I shall see in W---- tomorrow. Should I have anything else to say +to you, I will send my message through Kurt, whom also I shall meet +again to-morrow. + +"And now remember your promise to be my good and obedient child; and +again, and for the last time: _Lebe wohl!_" + +He had put the letter into an envelope, and now turned in his chair, +looking towards the sofa. His young guest was still lying in the same +position, only his head had fallen back a little. Perhaps deeper +shadows were now falling on the forehead and on the closed, eyes, +whilst chin and lips stood out in brighter light and bolder relief; +anyhow, the features that appeared so soft awhile ago seemed sharper, +and the expression of almost feminine gentleness was turned to one of +manly resolution, nay, of angry indignation. + +"Thus Simon Peter may have contracted his brows, thus his lips may have +quivered that night! And yet he could sleep, although he knew what was +to happen. Even as this one, knowing, yet sleepeth!" + +Again he stood by the open window, leaning against it. + +A dead silence; only at times the night wind came rushing past, and +there was rustling and roaring among trees and shrubs. In the village, +veiled in mist, a dim red light gleamed faintly here and there. At +times confused sounds, as of far-off horses' tramp and the measured +step of soldiers on the march, with clashing of arms. Then deep, dead +silence again, and then, piercing the deep silence, the half-smothered +crow of a cock. Over the edge of yonder mountains the moon--almost at +the full--hung, bloody-red, in the vapour which came steaming up from +the woods. + +"Did you look so mournfully up to it that night? And had all the +heavenly stars to expire for Him too, that He might remember the heaven +within His heart? + +"Alas! He knew that He was dying for the world. I humbly claim but to +die for her,--she is my world. + +"One cannot choose one's own Gethsemane. One must take it as it comes, +whether to the sound of the last trump on the Day of Judgment, ringing +through the hearts of all the generations of men, or in deep and +world-forgotten loneliness and secrecy, whither human eye shall never +penetrate, any more than it penetrates into the nethermost depths of +the sea. + +"And this is my silent Gethsemane!" + +The moon had sunk behind the hills, and the cool morning breeze came +floating along. Bertram was about to close the window when he heard +from afar a short, sharp sound, soon succeeded by other similar sounds, +succeeding each other so swiftly that the echo could clearly continue +the scattered noises and reverberate them as thunder. And now shrill, +long-drawn trumpet-blasts were heard, mingling with the beat of the +drum. + +Bertram quickly turned to the sleeper, who was not, for his sake, to +neglect his military duties. But already Kurt had staggered up from his +sofa-corner, his eyes wide open, though still veiled by slumber, and +his arms stretched out, clutching the air, as though in search of some +weapon. + +"I--I--not you! I will fight him! Give me the pistol!" + +Bertram touched his shoulder. + +"They are sounding the assembly in the village!" + +"Oh! I thought ..." + +He brushed his hand across his eyes. + +"I have been asleep! Pardon me. How good you are! You have been +watching for me. Is it long since ...?" and he pointed to the window. + +"Not half a minute." + +"Then I am in good time!" + +He had already fastened his sword, and seized his helmet. + +"Excuse my hurry. You know ..." + +"No excuses! A matter of course. _Au revoir_." + +He held out his hand to the young man, in whose fine features, now full +of life again, he noticed a strange quiver. Kurt evidently wanted to +say something, and could not hit upon the right word. So he only +pressed Bertram's hand vigorously. + +"Well, _au revoir!_" + +He hurried away. Bertram stood gazing at the door through which the +slender young figure had vanished. + +"Heaven be thanked! It is at least no disgrace to yield to him. He is +thoroughly sound and sweet,--mind and body alike!" + + + + + XXIII. + + +In the mansion-house which had until now been hushed in slumber, many +voices were heard shouting, and the tramp of horses came echoing from +the court-yard. A smart, heavy step was heard below in the passage. + +"Which door?" + +"The second, Colonel. Allow me, Colonel." + +But Bertram had already opened the door, and Colonel von Waldor came +rushing in. + +"Good evening, friend, or rather good morning. A good thing that I met +your servant at once--otherwise I might have been hunting for you ever +so long--I have only one minute to spare--where is Ringberg? Your +servant said he was here." + +"He left five minutes ago, when they were sounding the assembly." + +"That came unexpectedly, eh?" cried the Colonel. "An hour before +the time--I did it on my own responsibility. His Excellency will +be furious--wait for the attack, forsooth!--in such an exposed +situation--not if I know it!--we shall have to retreat ultimately as it +is--so I'll give them some trouble first. But that does not concern +you. Here is something that does, a little, and which will greatly +please you. Read this!" + +Waldor drew a folded paper from between a couple of buttons in his +uniform and handed it to Bertram. The telegram was in French, and in +the following! words:-- + +"I sincerely congratulate Madame la Princesse. Lawsuit definitely +gained. + + Your obedient servant, Odintzov." + +"Odintzov," Waldor explained, "is our Petersburg lawyer and +business-man, a most trustworthy fellow. What do you say now?" + +"That I do congratulate you heartily. How did you get hold of this?" + +"See what it is to be in luck! I knew that the lawsuit would soon be +decided, though Alexandra refused to believe it. So I gave orders that +any telegram arriving, by day or by night, was to be straightway sent +here by mounted express. Returning just now from the outposts, close to +Rinstedt, I overtook on the high-road a fellow trotting along in front +of me. 'Telegram from Rinstedt?' 'Yes, sir.' 'Princess Volinzov?' 'Yes, +sir.' 'Give it to me.' The beggar had got rid of the telegram before he +knew what was up. I read it by the light of my cigar; hence this stain. +May I trouble you for an envelope? Or perhaps you would be so kind as +to hand it to the Princess with my respectful compliments? It would +give her double pleasure. I can assure you that you are still as +fortunate as ever with the sex! Alexandra quite raves about you. Good! +Now, you may both put your wise heads together and settle how and when +the battle, which is won, is to be utilised for the benefit of our +young _protégés_. I give you two _plein pouvoir_. I should say, let +them dangle a little longer. I could come over with Kurt, never saying +a word of this to him. We would have a nice little supper. 'Ladies and +gentlemen, I have the exquisite pleasure of presenting my future wife +to you--the Princess Alexandra Paulovna.' Capital! The amazed look in +the eyes of our beautiful hostess is worth doing it for. And then the +young ones immediately afterwards--only, of course, you must first +pitch into the little girl properly; she seems to have a bit of a will +of her own. All right, you'll see to it all between you, no doubt. +Good-bye, _mon cher_! You are looking deucedly fagged. That's the +result of being so much indoors. I have been on my legs since four +o'clock yesterday morning, and feel as fresh as paint. Is this Kurt's +glass? Oh, bother all ceremony! It is not the first that he and I have +been using the same glass." + +He filled the glass and drained it at one draught. + +"Capital wine that! Well, good-bye, and _au revoir!_" + +The Colonel had rushed off again. + +"And thus," said Bertram with a smile, "one conquers the world. Perhaps +it looks harder than it really is." + +He again sat down at the writing-table and took up a fresh sheet of +paper. + +"Gracious Princess,--Waldor has just left me, after handing me, for +transmission to you, the enclosed telegram, on the contents of which I +beg to offer my hearty congratulations. I am sorry I must do so in +writing, for a few hours hence I shall leave this--secretly--not to +return. Business that will brook no delay makes this imperative, and I +have not told Waldor of it. He hopes to find me here this evening, that +I may be a witness to the amazement which the announcement of your +engagement will cause in this friendly circle, as all obstacles to it +are now removed. I am sincerely sorry that I cannot afford him that +pleasure--for to him it would really be a pleasure. + +"I regret it the more, because I must prepare a worse disappointment +for him. For I consider it, in the interest of our _protégés_, to be +desirable--necessary, if you wish--that you, My Lady, should also leave +to-morrow; without waiting for Waldor's evening visit. The +communication which you were resolved to make to our fair young friend +Erna, before Waldor had given you _plein pouvoir_ (which he now begs to +do through me), will only have the right calming effect if you strike +the proper note on Erna's heart, and then let it ring out full and +clear. In life, as on the stage, a good ending has to be provided for. +This is missed if one lingers on the stage, when once the decisive word +has been spoken. + +"And what about the communication itself? + +"I should deem it presumptuous on my part, were I to venture to advise +Claudine's clever friend on this point. She knows that one is compelled +to say the whole truth only in a court of law. In life it is +sufficient, nay, it is often requisite in the interest of humanity, to +say nothing but the truth, to be sure, but, of the truth, only what is +needful and useful--to use the words which Lessing puts into the mouth +of his wise Jew Nathan. + +"And, now, let me add to my requests, a word of deep and sincere +gratitude that you deemed me worthy to make the acquaintance of +Claudine and of yourself. Your friend is perhaps more interesting and +intellectual--at least you said so--but your heart is a thousand times +more noble. + +"I have always paid due respect to intellectual capacity; but before a +noble heart I gladly and reverently bend my knee." + +Silence had for a long time been reigning again in the mansion-house. +The combat, too, though it had commenced in the immediate vicinity, was +now being continued a long way off, and one only heard something like +the rumbling of a distant thunder-storm. The candles on Bertram's +writing-table had all but burned down to the sockets; he turned his +wearied eyes towards the window, through which the dull grey morning +light was coming. Konski came into the room. + +"What time is it?" + +"Just five, sir." + +"So late? Well, I am ready. Did you get hold of a carriage?" + +"It is waiting at the bridge below." + +"Did you get if from the mayor?" + +"Yes, Herr Doctor. At first he was making no end of excuses; for they +all want to drive to the man[oe]vres, every man of them; and Herr von +Busche has ordered a trap, too, for the afternoon. He'll have to be +content with a common cart and a sack. Never mind that, though!" + +"Why should you look so miserable about that?" + +"It isn't about that at all, Herr Doctor." + +"Well?" + +"It is because I do not like to let the Herr Doctor drive away like +this. Can you not take me with you?" + +"Impossible! You see yourself that you have a couple of hours' work +before you yet. These sealed packets are to go into the small +portmanteau which you keep by you. These letters you will deliver, when +the ladies have risen. This money is for the servants. Do not forget +any one, and do not be stingy, Konski! And remember me kindly to your +Aurora. And now my cloak, please, and so good-bye, Konski." + +"Am I not at least to see the Herr Doctor to the carriage?" + +"No." + +"Herr Doctor, do not be angry; I really mean so well by you, and Aurora +does too. We have been speaking of nothing else. And she swears that +the Herr Doctor, if he wished it, could have Miss Erna for the asking." + +"Then tell your Aurora that the Herr Doctor does not wish it, and that +the Herr Doctor has better things to do than to spoon and fool about, +like you and her." + +He had held out his hand to the faithful servant, and now he was gone. +A minute later, Konski, standing mournfully by the window, saw the +dark figure striding swiftly past the lawn, and vanish behind the +terrace-wall. He closed the window with a sigh. + +Bertram lessened his pace, as soon as he knew himself unobserved. +Slowly he descended the steps to the second terrace. Here was the +leafy grove which, on the left, led to the platform beneath the +plantain-tree. He glanced timidly that way. His foot had already +touched the next step, he wanted to get down,--to get away,--but +something like a magic spell drew him to the spot. + +There, in this chair, she had sat; he was facing her; and the golden +sunbeams had flitted through the dense foliage, and the birds had been +holding a gleeful festival in the branches, and from the gardens below +fairest fragrance of flowers had been wafted up, and his heart had been +full of light and joy, and of all the blissfulness of spring. And now! +and now! + +"Thou sacred dawn of early morn, forgive me! You quiet trees and +bushes, tell it not! I have borne what man can bear; more, I cannot." + +And pressing his hand to his face, he wept. + + + + + XXIV. + + +In the little-garden, under wide-spreading chestnut-trees, the lawyer +and Bertram were sitting, about four o'clock in the afternoon, at a +table covered with books, documents, and papers. From, the small garden +one could look across a narrow court-yard, at the windows of the +office, where they had just begun to make a fair copy of the will, +which had been settled after long deliberation. + +"And now, most grave and most conscientious of men, seeing that you go +into this election campaign as into actual war, let us drink that +victory may be on your side--that is, on ours, on the side of liberty, +and right--and that the victor be granted, over and above his allotted +time, as special allowance for special services rendered, a respectable +series of not inglorious years, at least as many as this '68 +Rüdesheimer wine numbers!" + +The lawyer took a venerable-looking bottle, from a side table, filled a +couple of green goblets, and touched Bertram's with his own. + +"I thank you for the kindly wish, and drink to its fulfilment, although +as you know, I have well-founded reasons for assuming that it will not +occur." + +"Nonsense!" cried the lawyer. "I am not a giant either, but I +confidently expect to outlive all the giants among my contemporaries. +What does Wallenstein say?--'Es ist der Geist der sich den Körper +bauet' (It is the mind that builds, this frame of ours). And I would +add, that also keeps the building together, even if it were shaky in +every joint; and that is assuredly far from being the case with you." + +Bertram smiled absently. His looks were wandering away to the garden +gate. + +"I wonder where Otto can be?" he said. "I urgently asked him to be here +at four o'clock at the latest." + +"I am in no hurry at all," replied the lawyer. "After having had to +keep you waiting the whole forenoon, my entire evening is at your +disposal instead; or, if you insist upon leaving at five, we can have +another second witness in, and you can communicate to our friend in +writing those points which have special reference to him." + +"I am most anxious to do so by word of mouth." + +Upon the wretched pavement of the narrow street which lay behind the +garden wall, a carriage came hurriedly thundering along. + +"_Lupus in fabula!_" exclaimed the lawyer. "Any one coming from +Rinstedt would have to pass this way." + +As he spoke, Otto's broad-shouldered figure appeared in the little +yard. + +The two men had meanwhile risen from their seats below the +chestnut-trees, and had gone to meet the newcomer. + +"What tricks are these of yours?" Otto was saying, "to cut away from +the village in the middle of the night in a trap? What will people +think? Why, that I am driving my guests from my house! But, of course, +you intellectual people never can do things like the rest of us +mortals; always something out of the way! Eh, old fellow?" + +He brought his hand with a laugh down upon Bertram's shoulders; but the +laugh was forced, and, indeed, in all his look and manner there was +painful unrest. + +"I am sorry that I must leave you gentlemen alone for a little," said +the lawyer, with a meaning look at Bertram; "but you can call me at any +time from the office. By the way, there is an empty glass here, Bermer. +You must be thirsty after your drive along the hot road, and you have +not in your own cellars at Rinstedt a better Rüdesheimer than this." + +He turned his back upon the friends now, and forthwith the last trace +of forced mirth vanished from Otto's face. He had flung himself into a +garden chair, and there he sat, his elbows leaning on his knees, his +hands put to his full round cheeks, staring fixedly in front of him. + +"This has been a day which I shall remember!" he said. + +"You have spoken to your wife?" + +Otto nodded. + +"In detail?" + +"Well, yes; that is to say ..." + +"That you might have spoken in greater detail. It does not matter, +however, as long as you have informed her of your situation in the +main. That has surely been done?" + +"Been done!" exclaimed Otto. "Great Heavens! it was fearful! At first +she seemed to think that I had gone mad; at least she looked so ... so +frightened at me, don't you know, and wanted to ring the bell. But I +told her that I was, unfortunately, still quite in my right mind, and +perfectly sober, although yesterday I did perhaps, in my despair, +drink a little too much. And then, I do not know how it came about, +but one word led to another; and when she told me that the whole thing +was my own fault, and the outcome of my bad economy and my costly +foibles,--she could not mean anything more by this, than that I like to +drink a good glass of wine and to smoke a decent cigar;--why, then, +something passed within me that I cannot describe. I felt as though my +very heart were turning, and as though I had never loved her in all my +life. And then there was no longer any need to hunt for appropriate +words; they came fast enough, and harder, too, than I liked at last. It +was horrible!" + +Otto gave a deep sigh and drained his glass. + +"This is really good wine," he said, taking up the bottle and looking +at the mouldy label. "I wonder where he got hold of it. But what does +it matter to me? All grapes are sour for me henceforth." + +"I hope not," said Bertram. "Anyhow, I thank you for having taken to +heart and faithfully carried out what I wrote to you last night. This +was indeed the first needful step, if the execution of my plan, the +details of which I will immediately communicate to you, was to be +possible. But one question first: you have not let Erna hear anything +of the subject of the conversation between you and your wife? And, as I +know your wife, she will surely keep as long as possible from Erna, +what she considers less a misfortune than a disgrace?" + +"You can rely on that," replied Otto; "she would rather bite her tongue +off. But how long will it be before Erna has to learn all?" + +"I hope that will never be the case!" replied Bertram. "Now, to come to +the point. I have asked you to come here to-day to be a witness to my +last will and testament. I might have told you its contents yesterday, +but I did not do so, because--to speak quite frankly--I was afraid you +would not keep the secret entirely, and thus the impression upon your +wife, on learning the whole truth, might have been considerably +lessened. If, after all, things come round again and change for the +better, then--for she is not bad, your wife, only spoiled and not given +to looking beneath the surface--then something like gratitude will stir +within her. And should this really not be the case, then I am, as it +were, master of the situation and you will both yield; you willingly, +she, because she must. Well then: in this will of mine, of which they +are now making a fair copy in the office, I have made Erna my residuary +legatee, except some smaller legacies, among which there is a suitable +annuity for Lydia. From her future inheritance, there will at once be +taken and made immediately available the sum which you require to set +your affairs thoroughly right again, with our legal friend's help. He +guarantee's that with this sum the greater part of your fortune +may yet be saved, if you agree to his arrangements, above all about +the factories. This sum will be advanced as a mortgage on your +estates--our friend will explain to you how it can be done--at a +moderate percentage, and the total revenue accruing from it is to be +Erna's from the day of her marriage. Concerning that marriage, Erna has +of course absolute freedom of choice, although I for my part hope that +she will fall in with the wishes which I have expressed to her on this +subject. And now shake hands, old man, and pardon me if I have had to +add another unpleasant hour to the one which I already caused you +to-day. _Tu l'as voulu!_ From me you would not accept anything; with +your own child you will, I trust, stand upon less ceremony." + +"It is your money for all that," murmured Otto. + +"As long as I live; who knows how long that will be! And there is our +legal friend coming, bringing the document in question with him, which +you are now to hear read, and which afterwards you are to adorn with +your signature, as one of the two witnesses." + +"The other," said the lawyer, now approaching the group with his chief +clerk, "will be Mr. Kasper here. Sit down, Kasper, and read away." + +During the reading of the somewhat lengthy document Otto's countenance +kept changing colour; his eyes were very wet, and he repressed his +tears with difficulty. When the lawyer handed him a pen for signature, +his big powerful hand trembled to such an extent, that he could +scarcely produce a few strokes in lieu of writing his name. + +The document in question was now legally completed, and the lawyer had +left the friends, to put it himself into a safe place of keeping. He +came back at once. Would the gentlemen kindly excuse him? His +Excellency the Herr Oberhofmarshal von Dirnitz had just appeared in the +office, and desired to see him on business of importance. + +"It probably will not be so very important, after all," said the +lawyer, "I hope to settle, it in a very few minutes, and then we can +talk at our ease." + +Again the friends were alone. Otto seemed to have paid no heed to the +lawyer's coming or going. He sat still at the table, supporting his +head upon it, and staring gloomily before him. Bertram bent over him, +and said, laying his hand upon his friend's shoulder-- + +"Otto, old man, you must not view the matter in too tragic a light." + +"Perhaps I ought to look upon it as a joke having signed my own +death-warrant," murmured Otto, without stirring from his position. + +"You have done nothing of the kind," replied Bertram. "I should rather +say, that now a new life was beginning for you; a life of purpose, +sobriety, energy, independence, however strange the last word may sound +to you. Until this day you were not living an independent life; nothing +but a sham existence, in slavish subjection to the caprices of your +wife, to whom you sacrificed your fortune, and, worse than that, your +own better judgment. Now, having come to see this, you are enabled, by +means of some assistance, to re-conquer your fortune, or at least the +greater part of it; and this surely is no alms, but a mere loan, for +which you are responsible in every respect; and, perhaps, in addition, +you may conquer what you never possessed before--I mean, the love, or, +at the very least, the respect of your wife, which she only denied to +the husband who had no will of his own, but which she will not refuse +to grant to the husband who is strong, determined, and who respects +himself." + +"Yes, yes," Said Otto; "it all sounds very well, and I surely mean to +try to atone for my miserable shortcomings; but this I know already +to-day, it will not do. I mean, I shall not have the energy you speak +of, nay, I shall look upon myself as a downright scamp, and I shall not +dare look my wife or any one else in the face, far less confront them +energetically, as long as I see no chance of paying off my whole +stupendous debt to you. Not to the uttermost farthing, that may perhaps +be made possible--but in my heart. I do not know how to express it +aright, but you will understand my meaning--by giving you in exchange +something that no one else could give you." + +He lifted his eyes to Bertram in anxious inquiry. Bertram shook his +head. + +"I thought we were not to mention it again," he said. + +"Nor should I, to be sure, have done so," replied Otto; "however fond +one may be of a man, and however indebted to him, one's only child is +of course one's only child; and just now, above all, to have to give +her up, to live in the big house alone with--but I cannot give up the +thought that now, after all, nothing is to come of it, after they, +Lydia and my wife, have tried to prove to me in writing--in black and +white, don't you know--that you loved each other, and that at least +Erna ..." + +"I hardly know what you are talking about," Bertram impatiently +interrupted his friend; "and what do you mean by 'in black and white'?" + +"A stupid story," Otto made answer, embarrassed, "in which those women +have got me involved, and which; yesterday, I did not wish to refer to, +as I was desirous of sparing Hildegard. But now let the whole thing +come out; it may as well. Listen, then!" + +So he told him of the letter which Erna had written to Agatha, and +which Lydia had purloined for a few hours. Hildegard had read the +letter to him, and his excellent memory enabled him to reproduce it +now, if not literally, at least in its general bearings. He also had +remembered well the passage referring to some _liaison_ which Erna +would seem to have had, and to which the ladies had not attributed any +special significance. + +"Now," he concluded his report, "you see why my wife, who was so bent +upon having Lotter for a son-in-law, was so annoyed with you during the +last few days; nor do I know what would have come of it all, if the +Princess had not yesterday brought, her round to reason: how she +managed it is a riddle to me, but it is a fact, there, is an end of +Lotter, for good and all. This morning Hildegard went the length of +saying that it had been I who had favoured Lotter, and--for I may as +well tell you all now--you suddenly appeared to her not only as an +acceptable husband for Erna, but rather she saw in your union the only +possibility--if my carelessness had really wrought our ruin--to save +Erna at least, and to preserve for her such a position in society as +she was born for. Well, old man, it's off my mind at last, and for all +that, and, all that, it would be the grandest day in my whole life if +you were able to say to me: 'Well, better late than never!'" + +"It is too late!" Bertram replied. + +He had ejaculated those words, in intensest excitement, bounding from +his chair as he did so, and now he was, with uneven step, pacing up and +down beneath the chestnut-trees. But presently he returned to Otto, +who, frightened, had not stirred from his seat, and said in his usual +calm tone-- + +"It would be too late, even if everything were--as it is not. I did not +mean to speak about it, because I am not commissioned to do so, and +because, therefore, those interested might have had good reason to be +annoyed, if I told you before they themselves thought the time had come +for doing so. I meant to rest satisfied with paving the way, so that +there should be no obstacle to the fulfilment of their wishes. But now, +since you seem unable to rid yourself of the curious idea of an +alliance between Erna and myself; since, oddly enough, your wife finds +pleasure therein; and since now, perhaps the fact of my making Erna my +heiress, might seem to both of you an indirect confirmation of your +opinion, I had better tell you this. I know that Erna has already given +away her heart, that for more than a year she has loved Lieutenant +Ringberg, and has been loved by him. It is my most earnest wish that +the union of the lovers may meet with no obstacle, and I firmly believe +that this marriage will lead to Erna's supreme happiness. And now let +me confess one thing more, so that I may have nothing whatever on my +conscience with regard to you. It was not for nothing that I have thus +hastened to put order into my own, and, I trust, into your affairs, and +to secure Erna's future. In the very next hour I have to go forth on an +errand from which, in all human probability, I shall not return with my +limbs whole, and where, very possibly, I may lose my life." + +Then he briefly told his friend of his quarrel with the Baron last +night and of its consequences. The true reason he did not refer to any +more than he had to Kurt. + +Otto was quite beside himself when he heard of it. + +"It must not be, it shall not be!" he cried again and again. "It is +sheer madness. How can you go and fight a duel with pistols when you +scarcely know how to fire one? And with Lotter, of all men, who hits an +ace at twenty paces. This is no duel, it is downright murder. I will +not allow it!" + +"Please do not speak so loud, anyhow," said Bertram; "they can hear you +in the office." + +"All the better!" cried Otto; "every one may hear that you cannot fight +the fellow. Why, Ringberg is far more sensible than you, for he +pretended last night not to notice the fellow's impertinence, and left +the card table without replying a word." + +"Who told you that?" cried Bertram, terrified. + +"The forest-ranger," replied Otto, "He came over to breakfast this +morning. Yesterday's events were discussed; I did not pay much +attention to the talk, for the scene which I expected to have with +Hildegard was weighing upon my mind; but I remember now. The ladies +were discussing, whether Ringberg had done right in ignoring Lotter's +impertinence. Lydia thought yes, but the Princess declared that it +could not be thus, because ... I cannot remember why not; it had no +interest for me. If I had been able to divine that Ringberg and +Erna--that you ..." + +"Was Erna present?" + +"Erna? No. That is to say, I do not know--I was very absent--she went +out riding afterwards with the Princess, who sent me word that I had +better drive to town alone. Confound the fellow! Picking quarrels with +everybody! And we are to blame; good Heaven, it is my fault that you +... I thought the worst had already come, but this is far worse than +anything. But I cannot allow it, and I will not. Never! When did you +say it was to come off? And where?" + +"I shall tell you nothing more, and I am sorry I told you anything at +all." + +Bertram rose swiftly, Otto sprang up too, exclaiming as he did so-- + +"I shall go with you." + +"You are about to leave, gentlemen?" a thin voice behind them was +asking. + +In their excitement neither had noticed that the lawyer and the Herr +Oberhofmarshal had entered the garden, and had already approached +within a few yards of them. + +"Will you very kindly introduce me to the Herr Doctor?" said the +Marshal, after he had courteously tendered his hand to Otto. + +The introduction was made. + +"It is not quite right," said the Marshal, "that only now I have the +honour ... I hear you have been for more than a week at Rinstedt, and +yet you have not had a minute to spare for us! Not for our theatre, our +school of art, our museum! Not to mention my humble self, although I +have for years been accustomed to no stranger of distinction passing my +threshold. You must make up for this yet, you really must." + +Bertram answered the old gentleman in a few courteous words, looking at +the same time entreatingly at the lawyer. + +"Your Excellency will excuse me," said the lawyer, "if, considering how +pressed the Herr Doctor is for time, I venture ..." + +"Quite right, quite right," said the old gentleman. "Indeed, I already +noticed myself that the gentlemen were leaving. Let us come to the +point--a very, very disagreeable point, in reference to which, acting +on the advice of our common legal friend, with whom I originally +intended only to discuss the judicial bearings of the case, I should +now like to be allowed to claim also your assistance, my dear Mr. +Bermer." + +"In that case," said Bertram, who in his impatience almost felt the +ground burn beneath his feet, and who also thought this a splendid +opportunity for getting rid of Otto Bermer, "you will perhaps allow me +to take my departure." + +"Pray remain, Herr Doctor, I entreat you!" exclaimed the Marshal +eagerly. "Quite apart from the painful interest which the matter will +have on psychological grounds for such a profound student of human +nature, I feel a moral necessity to have an affair, which it is +desirable to withdraw from the cognisance of the judge, adjudicated +upon by a forum of men of enlightened intelligence and honourable +character--adjudicated upon and,--alas, alas!--condemned. The case is +this ..." + +"If your Excellency will allow me?" said the lawyer, in response to +another still more entreating glance of Bertram's. + +"Please, please," replied, the Marshal, conveying the pinch of snuff, +which he had just, taken from his box, somewhat abruptly to his nose. + +"The case is this," the lawyer went on, without heeding the old +gentleman's annoyance: "your friend Baron Lotter, my dear Burner, has +been guilty of an action which amounts to fraud and forgery. He had +been commissioned to, buy a couple of race-horses for the Court +during the summer, somewhere in Bavaria, and had drawn the money for +them--three thousand thalers--from the Grand Duke's privy purse, upon +an order signed by His Excellency; but he appears not to have paid the +money, but to have given a bill of exchange instead, with the forged +signature of His Excellency, as representing the Marshal's office." + +"Is not this monstrous?" cried the old gentleman, "as if the Upper +Court Marshal's office ever paid, with bills of exchange!" + +"The daring of the deed is indeed tremendous," continued the lawyer, +"considering the fact which His Excellency has stated just now, and +which was also known to the Herr Baron. And indeed he had taken the +precaution to inform the clerk of the privy purse--into whose hands the +bill of exchange would necessarily come first--when presented for +payment, that the affair was all right; that he would hand him the +money a week before it was due; the little service would not remain +without its reward, as soon as the Baron had got his foot in the +stirrup, in other words, as soon as he was Chamberlain. The poor fellow +was weak enough ..." + +"It is incredible!" murmured the Oberhofmarshal; "quite incredible!" + +"To be sure, your Excellency," said the lawyer; "nevertheless, he was +weak enough to consent to what was evidently a fraud, until to-day, two +days before the bill was due, and when the money promised by the Baron +had not appeared, his terror compelled him to make a clean breast of it +to His Excellency. Meanwhile the bill had, yesterday, been sent to a +local banker for collection. This banker, who, of course, had never +seen anything of the kind occur in business, thought it advisable to +make private and confidential inquiries of His Excellency as to the +state of affairs, just before the clerk made his confession, and now +His Excellency has the proof in his own hands." + +The little old gentleman, who accompanied the lawyer's report with many +a nod and with eager play of features, was opening his mouth, but the +lawyer continued swiftly-- + +"His Excellency at once went to His Highness ..." + +"I beg your pardon!" cried the Marshal. "I struggled for an hour as to +whether I could not spare His Highness this grief. Moreover the young +man's father was my dear old friend, who would turn in his grave if he +could hear that a Lotter, his own son--it is terrible! And be assured, +gentlemen, if I were a rich man--every one knows I am not--I ..." + +"Your Excellency would in that case not have gone to Serenissimus," the +lawyer went on; "but it was not to be avoided. His Highness, with his +customary generosity, resolved at once ..." + +"That is," the Marshal interrupted him, "in consequence of my report +and recommendation." + +"Of course, in consequence of His Excellency's report and +recommendation, resolved at once that the bill was to be paid as if +everything were in perfect order, under the condition that the Herr +Baron should never show his face at Court again, and depart +straightway. This latter point, the Grand Duke declared with very +natural anger ..." + +"I really must beg ..." objected the Marshal. + +"Declared with considerable emphasis to be the _conditio sine quâ non_, +if he were to show a merciful forbearance, in lieu of allowing the law +to take its course. And now we come to the point when ..." + +"When," the Marshal said, turning to Otto, "I must claim your kind +services. You have the ... I can only say the great misfortune to be a +friend ... I mean an acquaintance of the Herr Baron, who is at present +a guest in your house. My appearance there, however greatly I should +esteem such an honour, would perhaps cause some sensation, the very +thing His Highness wishes to avoid at any cost. Serenissimus himself +suggested and our common friend here ventures to propose directly, +that ..." + +"That you, my dear Bermer," resumed the lawyer, "might give the young +gentleman the requisite strong hint, to which a letter which His +Excellency has just drawn up in my office ..." + +"And which I beg herewith to produce," said the Marshal. + +"Would give additional emphasis," concluded the lawyer. + +"I would beg your Excellency to intrust the letter to me," said +Bertram. "I chance to know where the Herr Baron, who left my friend's +house last night, is to be found at this present moment. To be sure I +must leave at once, lest I miss him. You are coming with me, Otto?" + +"Of course," cried Otto; "my carriage is at the door." + +"And your horses are swifter than the hired ones, which I had ordered +to be here at five. It is a quarter to five now. We have not a moment +to lose." + +"But tell him it as gently as possible, I entreat you," the Marshal +called out after the two friends, who were already crossing the little +courtyard. + +Bertram waved his hand in assent. + +A minute later the carriage was rattling along the narrow lane behind +the lawyer's garden towards the broad street leading to the town gates. + + + + + XXV. + + +Bertram, on entering the carriage, at once told Otto of the place in +the wood where, by the shore of the little lake, the meeting was to +take place, and Otto replied that they could easily reach it in half an +hour, going first along the high-road, then turning off to the right +and driving along some country lanes, and at last, for a brief stretch, +through the forest. + +But they had scarcely left the gates when unexpected obstacles +intervened. The high-road, which had been perfectly free and clear a +little while ago, when Otto was driving to town, now swarmed with +troops belonging to the corps which had made a victorious advance; they +were now utilising this convenient road for taking up their position +for the sham-fight which was to be resumed tomorrow. This was the gist +of the information conveyed to the friends, with due military +politeness, by an officer who had hurriedly ridden up to their +carriage, whilst Otto was vainly storming at some artillerymen in +charge of a gun which they had managed to upset in a ditch, and of +which the horses were blocking the road. The officer pointed out that +the gentlemen would do better to deviate from the high-road than to try +and force their way, and he said that, farther on it was occupied in +even greater strength, and was likely to be absolutely impassable for +the next half hour. + +The advice seemed very sensible, and it was possible to follow it at +once, for there was a country lane branching off to the right in that +very spot. + +"It is a deuced deal farther," said Otto. "We shall have to drive by +way of Neuenhof and Viehburg; however, there is no help for it now, and +after all we shall be in good time." + +"We have already lost a quarter of an hour," said Bertram. + +"We'll easily make up for that," replied Otto; "you see the road is in +good condition and quite clear. Make haste, John--as quick as the +horses can go!" + +Otto was very far from really feeling the energy which he was +displaying. On the contrary, he was cherishing the hope that the +round-about way would ultimately prove too long; and that, even if they +were to arrive in time, this insane duel should not come off. Thus the +one care which had still been weighing somewhat upon his elastic +temperament was gone. As for the rest, why all had come about as nicely +as possible. Could he have anticipated anything of the kind when, an +hour ago, he was driving to town in his despair, with the remembrance +of that awful scene with his wife upon him like a nightmare? What would +she say now? How would she take it? Not well, of course. She would call +it a terrible humiliation--disgraceful. Nonsense! It was the simplest +and most loyal arrangement in the world. Why should not Bertram make +Erna his heiress, for he had neither kith nor kin, and had always been +so fond of her? Hildegard had never liked Erna to call Bertram uncle. +In future, perhaps, she would not object to it. And what about the big +loan? Well, the bigness was its chief merit. A few thousand thalers +here, a few thousand thalers there, how ignoble, how mean! But a +hundred thousand thalers, that was decent; there was nothing derogatory +about that. Hildegard would herself see that; and moreover, if Erna was +to inherit the money anyhow, it remained, as it were, in the family. +Then he wondered how his wife would get on with the young lieutenant, +whom yesterday they had both seen for the first time. Only yesterday! +But a man must see his son-in-law once for the first time. And he +seemed to be such a charming fellow! What a pity that he was not of +noble birth, for that had, after all, been Lotter's chief merit in +Hildegard's eyes. Poor beggar! he really was sorry for him. That is +what a man may come to when he is seriously embarrassed! Awful! And all +for a mere trifle--those dirty three thousand thalers! If he had given +him the money yesterday, or if Lotter had won them at play, the whole +business might have been hushed up, and the beggar would not have run +a-muck at everybody. The fellow was not a bad sort, hang it, quite a +jolly fellow to get on with! Now, what fiend had possessed Bertram on +this occasion; Bertram, who, on principle, made a point of avoiding all +social conflicts, or, if the worst came to the worst, always knew how +to make a courteous and clever diversion; Bertram who, even as a +student, had never fought a duel, and had never concealed his aversion +on the subject? And where on earth was, in this case, the necessity for +fighting the man? Bertram must have known that Lotter's farce at +Rinstedt was played out, that Hildegard had given him up for good and +all. The foe who is running away should have golden bridges built him, +not be impeded in his retreat. Well, well, it was to be hoped that +Lotter at least had meanwhile come to his senses and gone away. To be +sure, this was the most likely thing to have happened. Lotter, cunning +fellow, had set all this duel business a-going, by way of putting them +on the wrong scent, knowing that his pursuers would presently be on the +alert, and now, whilst he was being looked for in the wood, he had most +probably decamped altogether. + +If Otto, good easy-going fellow, on arriving at this comforting +conclusion, did not actually rub his hands in sheer glee, he refrained +solely out of regard for his companion, who was sitting by his side in +silent gloom, as though he were most terribly grieved at the prospect +of the duel not taking place after all. + +And so it was. Bertram felt like a man wearied to death, drawing his +blankets around him and preparing for the greatly-desired rest, and +abruptly startled by the alarm of fire. He had, indeed, been longing +for death, but, of course, could not accept it from a dishonoured hand, +neither for his own sake nor for that of the others who had agreed to +act in what they thought an honourable cause, but which now was +irrevocably stained with dishonour. Thus he would have to live on, on, +nor might he let any one see what a torment this life was and would be +to him; no one, and least of all Erna. She was even never to guess that +he had been willing to sacrifice himself. But how was she to be kept +from this conjecture, when gradually it would appear that there had +been a connection between the Baron's insult to Kurt and his own +intervention, which occurred in the same place and the very next +minute? The remark of the Herr Oberförster at the breakfast table +proved that the right scent had been discovered. Had he not thought of +it at all? Or had he done so, and then quieted his scruples by assuming +that his death would spread an impenetrable veil over the real +circumstances of the case? And if that veil were really ever lifted in +Erna's sight, and if she had to say to herself that he had died for +her, it would be but as one note of melancholy, dissolving anon in the +pure and full harmony of her own firm happiness. Was this certain? Or +had he been playing a comedy after all, and assumed the easiest and +most grateful part himself? Had he but draped himself as a dying hero, +in order to hurt his rival, who might thereafter see how best to get on +with an uncomfortable part? And now the piece was not to end, and he +would have to remain upon the stage in the attitude of a hero, and Erna +would have ample time to make comparisons; and they must needs all tell +against Kurt! And would proud Erna forgive her lover this? And was this +to be the result of his own unselfish devotion for Erna's sake? + +Thus tormenting himself, he groaned aloud under the weight of the +reproach which he was heaping upon his conscience. + +"Yes," remarked Otto prosaically, "that comes from driving so fast. +However, we shall again be delayed, and no mistake!" + +After a short quick drive they reached the first village, and came upon +the rearguard of corps number two retreating towards the shelter of the +woods. In the narrow village lane a very compact mass of men and horses +had accumulated, and a forward movement was quite impossible, because +those marching on in front had not yet cleared the line. The men had +stacked their rifles; by the roadside, on the road itself, weary men +were crouching; others were crowding round the different house-doors, +whence compassionate hands were holding out water in every possible and +impossible sort of vessel. In front of the little inn had gathered an +absolutely impenetrable knot of human beings. The driver was compelled +to branch off again, this time into a very narrow little lane, thence +he had to work his way with the greatest difficulty into the open, then +drive across stubble-fields, and so back to the road, frequently +alongside of columns of soldiers on the march, who made way with the +greatest reluctance; and thus they made but slow progress. + +Slow, far too slow for Bertram, whose feverish impatience was +increasing every minute, although he knew not what to reply to Otto +when he argued that it really did not matter much, even if they arrived +a quarter of an hour or so too late. And what did too late mean in a +case like this? They would arrive in ample time for the awkward +explanation to the Baron. + +"Well, and I might as well admit," said Otto, "that personally I hope +we shall not find him at all." + +"I think we shall, though," replied Bertram; "for in spite of his +having morally gone so much astray, he is no coward. A man with weaker +nerves would not have so long borne the danger of being discovered. +And he must assume that he will be left alone until the day after +to-morrow." + +"In any case," said Otto, shrugging those broad shoulders of his, "we +cannot advance any faster." + +They had meanwhile passed the second village, and the troops on the +march were behind them, and as the road was now both smooth and clear, +the horses were really doing their best. They had by this time reached +the border of the forest, and again they were obliged to proceed at a +walking pace, for the road, which was old and ill-kept, had been made +much worse by the foot-deep furrows which the pressure of the cannons +had produced upon the soft soil. There were many traces of a hot combat +having been waged here; cartridge-cases abounded, being scattered all +over the place; there were plenty of broken branches, moreover, and now +they actually came upon a kind of barricade; and it was impossible to +drive round it, since on either side great trees skirted the road. + +"Confound those soldiers!" said Otto; "they carry on as though they +were in the enemy's country. We shall have to get out and walk whilst +John clears away this obstacle, so as to enable him to pass; +fortunately, it does not seem to be very firmly built. The lake is +within a hundred yards of this." + +The wood did indeed form a kind of glade, and in this spot a fairly +broad one; and the road now lay between the sedge-grown banks of the +little lake on the left and the edge of the forest on the right. This +was close to the very place chosen for the hostile meeting. At first +the sedge prevented a clear view, but, hurrying along, the friends soon +discovered the centre, and thence they could see the rest of the +ground, up to the spot where the wood came closing in again. All was +deserted and silent. + +Otto said-- + +"When they came, they probably found too much company hereabouts. Rely +upon it, they have passed along the cutting, and are now in glade +number two. Come along, I know every inch of the ground. Look,--a +carriage has stopped here, and has then gone on through the cutting. +And here is no end of traces of horses' hoofs. I have no idea where, +they can all come from!" + +The tracks of carriage-wheels and traces of horses' hoofs continued all +along the cutting; but the friends had only advanced a few yards in the +same direction when it occurred to Otto that his coachman, on finding +nobody on the appointed spot, would probably drive straight ahead, +possibly all the way to Rinstedt. The man was quite fool enough to do +so, he said; so perhaps he had better turn back and instruct him, +whilst Bertram went on. It was impossible, he added, for Bertram to +miss the place now. + +So Otto turned and Bertram hurried on. Already a certain gathering +brightness indicated the whereabouts of the glade which Otto had spoken +of, and to which the slope was now leading, but leading so gradually +that Bertram could not yet get a glimpse of it, although he surely must +be very near it, for he heard human voices and the neighing of a horse. +And now he saw at least a portion of the glade, and there were several +horses on the spot--as he perceived to his amazement--and grooms were +holding the horses. Looking again, and more carefully, he noticed that +several of the horses had side-saddles. An abrupt thought flashed +across him. He recoiled involuntarily somewhat to the left, and then, +standing behind some broad-stemmed fir-trees at the very edge of +the glade, he saw before him a scene which for a moment held him +spell-bound with terror. + +Four or five men, Colonel von Waldor and Herr von Busche among them, +were lifting a wounded man or a dead man upon a low country cart filled +with straw, and then the doctor and his assistant received their charge +and laid him carefully down, raising his head as they did so. The +evening light shone brightly on the pallid face--Kurt's face; but, +Heaven be thanked, Kurt wounded, but not dead! His eyes were open, and +a smile flitted across his pallid features as Erna bent over him where +he lay. Her fair countenance, darkened by the riding-hat which she +wore, was as pale as his own, but she, too, was smiling, and she bent +lower and lower still, and closed those lips of his that would speak +and that were not to speak, with a kiss; and then she leapt down from +the cart and bounded straightway, with Herr von Busche's help, into the +saddle, her horse having meanwhile been brought to her. The Colonel, +too, had mounted by this time, and the cart now set off, the wounded +man being supported by the doctor's assistant; the doctor had also +mounted his horse and joined the procession, which, following the +cutting in the opposite direction, soon vanished within the glade. +There remained but Herr von Busche and Alexandra, whom Bertram only saw +after the cart had disappeared; there were two grooms, too, and they +were now bringing up the horses; one of them a spare one, probably the +one which poor Kurt had been riding. + +The whole scene only occupied a few minutes, during which Bertram just +had time to overcome the first paralysing feelings of horror. What +subsequently retained and restrained him in the sheltering darkness of +the trees, was a flood of curiously mingled feelings, out of which +there emerged with potent forces the warning: They have found each +other for life and death; step not again between them; touch not again +with clumsy hands the dainty and complicated wheels of a fate which +laughs your calculations to scorn! + +He would have liked best to creep away unseen by any one, but here was +Otto ascending the cutting, and loudly calling Bertram's name. +Alexandra, who was just about to let Herr von Busche help her into the +saddle, started; Herr von Busche sang out in reply to Otto; Bertram +stepped forth from under the trees, and the Princess hurried up to him, +gathering her riding-habit with one hand, and holding out the other to +him. + +"My dear friend! you here? Thank Heaven! I was just debating whether I +had not better wait for you, rather than leave a servant with a +message." + +"Is Kurt badly wounded?" + +"How do you know? but never mind! No; not badly. That is to say, it +will be a tedious affair, but the surgeon guarantees a complete cure, +and states that his life is in no danger. He found the ball at once; we +were already on the spot--and, great Heaven, what a splendid, heroic +creature Erna is!" + +Otto had meanwhile come up. There was much cross-questioning, of +course; and the friends speedily gathered at least the main facts of +the occurrence. Herr von Busche was naturally best qualified to give +all the information required. He had heard from the Oberförster, upon +that gentleman's return from Rinstedt, of the scene in which Kurt, +evidently without knowing it, had acted a singular part--one quite +incompatible with the traditional honour of an officer--of a man who is +grossly insulted in the presence of many others, and who withdraws +without replying. The Oberförster had been quite excited on the subject +which he had been discussing with the ladies at the breakfast-table; he +had added that other gentlemen, who had also been present last night, +had expressed their amazement at the young' officer's conduct. + +"I am myself an officer in the _Landwehr_." continued Herr von Busche, +"and my duty was clear. I was bound to communicate as quickly as +possible to Ringberg the insulting suspicion to which he had made +himself liable. To apply to the Baron for information was out of the +question. He had left the ranger's house some hours before, to pay, he +said, some farewell-calls in the neighbourhood; besides, I think, he +wanted to procure the horse on which he afterwards came to the meeting. +We had agreed to meet here. Herr Ringberg was also to be here, of +course, but then it would have been too late; there would have been two +duels in lieu of one; and Ringberg's was bound to have precedence. Then +there was no second provided for Ringberg, unless the Herr Doctor had +acted as such, and that was not exactly feasible. Well, in a word, I +got on horseback, and searched the length and breadth of the ground +employed for the man[oe]vres, until at last, when I had given up all +hope, I found Ringberg at the moment when the regiment were stacking +their rifles. This was at five. The original hostile meeting was fixed +for half-past. Ringberg was on the point of leaving, having previously, +under some pretext or other, obtained two hours' leave of absence from +the Colonel. I told Ringberg what I had heard. He requested me to +accompany him to Colonel von Waldor to whom he would have to report the +case. You know the Colonel. 'I am your second,' he cried; 'we'll teach +the Baron a lesson in good manners.' A minute or two afterwards we were +in the saddle, accompanied by the staff-surgeon and an assistant, and +galloped here. The carriage was waiting by the side of the lake, and at +the same moment the Baron appeared. I must do him the justice to say +that he not only did not deny having made the insulting remarks, but +declared his perfect readiness to give instant satisfaction for them. +The issue unhappily was what, knowing the Baron's wonderful skill, I +expected it to be; or rather, it would probably have been even more +unfortunate, if, at the moment of firing, the ladies had not appeared. +I am sure that the Baron, who stood facing the cutting, must have seen +them coming, before the rest of us heard the sound of the horses' hoofs +upon the soft turf, and that the unexpected sight robbed him of his +usual unfailing aim. I find it natural enough that, under the +circumstances, he preferred to vanish immediately, and I expect that he +will be waiting for me at the Oberförster's now. To say the truth, I am +not particularly anxious to meet him again." + +Whilst the young man was relating this in his wonted vivacious style, +and whilst Otto briefly explained how Bertram and he had been detained +upon the road, they reached the end of the cutting, and had come to the +place where Otto's carriage was waiting. + +"How right we were to divide," said Herr von Busche. "The escort of the +wounded man would have been really too numerous. As it is, it will +cause a certain amount of sensation, although fortunately it will not +have to leave the wood till it is close to Rinstedt." + +"It might be as well to divide once more," said Alexandra. "I feel, to +say the truth, somewhat shaken, and would like to await in town news +about the sufferer; for his state inspires me with no alarm now, and I +am expected to appear at Court to-night. I know you will very kindly +let me use your carriage, and mount Lieutenant Ringberg's horse +instead. You will be glad to get home as speedily as possible, although +we sent word to your wife so as to prepare her." + +"But," remonstrated Otto, "most gracious Princess, you cannot go +alone...." + +"I hope the Herr Doctor will be so good as to accompany me." + +Alexandra turned, as she spoke, to Bertram who was standing silent, +evidently in deep thought, and who had scarcely joined in the previous +conversation. Now he looked up, and their eyes met. + +"I was just going to request that honour," he said. + +Otto looked amazed, but ventured upon no remonstrance. A shrug of the +shoulder behind Alexandra's back, seemed to imply that he considered +Bertram the lamentable victim of a lady's caprice. He instructed the +coachman to regain as quickly as possible the high-road, which was now +likely to be clear of troops, for this would enable the Princess to be +driven with greater ease and quickness. He pointed out to her that +there were plenty of wrappers in the carriage, and begged her to make +use of them in the cool of the evening. The Princess thanked him for +his attentions, and added that she would not fail to inquire personally +at Rinstedt on the following day. + +"And you too, of course, Charles," said Otto. + +Bertram nodded-- + +"Then I will not detain you any longer."' + +They shook hands; the gentlemen mounted their horses and galloped away, +followed by the grooms, and the carriage set off more slowly in the +opposite direction. + + + + + XXVI. + + +For a little while Alexandra and Bertram sat silently side by side; +then Alexandra said-- + +"We are at one in the conviction that it will be in the interest of our +_protégés_ if we vanish from the scene?" + +"Absolutely," replied Bertram. "I suffer acutely already, and recognise +the outrage that man is guilty of who would play Providence for +others." + +"In that case I should have been guilty too," said Alexandra, "but I am +by no means dissatisfied with myself; on the contrary, I believe it is +good that things have happened thus; it was necessary. And when you +know all, you will admit that I am right. You must know it, for the +sake of the future, which will still claim much from us. Listen in +patience. + +"I have rigidly adhered to your advice. I announced my departure for +noon to-day; my maid was despatched with the luggage a little before +ten; our host insisted upon escorting me in person to the town. Then I +went to see Erna. We had a memorable conversation which I cannot +reproduce to you in all its details, but the result was that Erna no +longer doubted the sincerity of my desire for her happiness; but her +pride revolted against receiving this happiness at my hands, or, if +that be saying too much, she had the painful impression that her +happiness could only be brought about at the cost of my own, in other +words, that I was still in love with Kurt, and that my marriage to Herr +von Waldor, which I announced to her as impending, was an act of +resignation, if not of despair. Of course she did not give utterance to +all this, nor did she even hint at it; these things one simply feels. +And there was another thing that came between her and the prospect +of calm happiness by Kurt's side. Dear friend, do not deny it any +longer--not to me, even if to all the world besides--you are in love +with Erna! Thank you for this pressure of the hand. It does not reveal +a secret to me, and yet I thank you for it with all my heart. You owed +me this satisfaction, as I have told you Claudine's story; and even as +Claudine's story is buried in your bosom, so the story of a noble human +heart shall be buried in mine." + +Alexandra withdrew her hand with a cordial pressure from Bertram's. +They were both too much moved to be able to speak for some time. At +last Bertram said-- + +"And does Erna believe me to be in love with her, after all I have done +to shake her conviction?" + +"I should not assert that her faith has not been shaken," Alexandra +replied, "but she was still under the sway of that intuitive feeling +which guides us women wellnigh always aright, and which in her case +betrayed itself in a hundred turns, every one of which had for its +object your future welfare and happiness. And then, my friend, you did +at last the very opposite of what you should have done to calm Erna, +and to brighten her future. You may thank Heaven that Erna does not +divine the real motive which influenced you; that between the two duels +she sees a sort of mechanical connection of time and place, if I may +say so, and not the real one. But for all that, if you had fallen in +this duel, Erna would never have consented to an alliance with Kurt, +and she would never in her heart have forgiven him for not being the +first on the ground. Whether it was within the limits of possibility to +have forestalled you, the woman's heart does not stop to inquire. The +loved one must be not only the best and noblest and bravest of men, but +the cleverest too; how he sets about it is his own concern! Dozens of +duels have been fought in my immediate neighbourhood, and, I am sorry +to say, I have been the direct cause more than once, so I had no +difficulty in understanding the whole business. That old chatterbox, +the ranger, was relating the circumstances to us at breakfast; I then +sent for your servant, and, examining him, found out that you had held +a long conversation with Kurt, which had been preceded by negotiations +between Kurt and Herr von Busche; and last of all came that +crackbrained person Fräulein von Aschhof, and confessed her horribly +indiscreet statement to the Baron, and your remark, my friend, that you +would try to settle the matter. I saw it all as clearly as though it +had been acted before me. Then I knew, too, what I should have to do. +Again I sought Erna, and told her that your life and Kurt's honour were +both at stake; of course I took care to represent matters in such a way +that the idea could not well occur to her of your having wished to +sacrifice yourself directly for Kurt. She spurned with contumely the +idea that Kurt had only pretended not to hear the Baron's insulting +remarks; no need for me to tell her, she said, that Kurt must be +instantly informed of it. I am convinced that she felt that her fate +was about to be decided, that now once more she became fully and +thoroughly conscious of her love for Kurt. The great, strong, energetic +nature of the glorious girl shone forth in mighty radiance. I could +have knelt at her feet and worshipped her! I may say that I forgot +completely my own self, forgot that he for whom this passion was +flaming heaven-high had been the object of my own mad love. I even +concealed what I knew--that I had distinctly recognised the Baron, +when I saw him at the card-table last night, as the man who also, +at a card-table, had cheated my mother out of a hundred thousand +francs--that the Baron was not a fit man for an officer and a gentleman +to fight. I dreaded lest that objection should destroy what I saw +coming. How we hurried all over the ground in search of Kurt; how we +came upon his regiment when he had just ridden off; how a surgeon's +assistant who had been sent back to fetch some forgotten bandages or +instruments helped us to find his track; how we followed up that track +at the utmost speed of which our horses were capable; how we reached +the goal just in time to see Kurt fall, whilst his miserable opponent +flung the pistol to the ground and fled when he beheld me--all this you +know, or may easily picture for yourself. But I picture to myself how +Erna will now be leading her love to her parental abode, to keep and to +hold him there for her very own;--for what is more, what becomes more a +woman's very own than the man whom she loves, if she has to tend him +and wrestle with death for his possession;--and I picture to myself how +now only she recognises with a shudder what a lordly treasure she had +all but forfeited through exaggerated pride and obstinacy; and I think +of, all the wealth of love and bliss which is in store for them both! +And then I look at us both, at us who have opened for them the gates of +their paradise driving away into darkness like two exiles; and I ask +you, friend, have we really need to be ashamed of the part which we +have played? Or, rather, are we not fully and fairly entitled to +rejoice in our success and to be proud of it? Yes, friend, we must be +glad, we must be proud. Where else shall we, who are sick unto death, +gain the strength to get well again? For we must not, dare not die; but +we must live and be happy, to prove to those two that they may be happy +on our account. I, my friend, mean to live on; I will and shall +recover. I shall appear at Court to-night, and be beautiful and witty +if I can, or at least serene and in good-humour. And not to-day alone, +but to-morrow too, and every day, and most so by Waldor's side, for he +very surely does not marry the Princess Alexandra for the sake of +getting a moody, melancholy wife. Some secret corner somewhere will +surely be found where now and again one may weep in peace, and let the +grievous wound bleed. And you, dear friend? What shall you do? How will +you set about recovering? I should not have an hour's quiet if I had to +think you could not. Give me your word that you will recover, give me +your hand on it." + +Bertram's answer did not come at once. He raised his eyes and saw the +beacon-fees blazing on the mountain tops and far away in the plains. He +heard the calls of the patrols, the neighing of many horses, the talk +and laughter of the men round the bivouac-fires, the dull thud of +marching columns. It was but a mimic warfare, but it spoke to him of a +true and earnest fight in which he was called upon to take his place in +the ranks as a good and true soldier, to do his duty as long as +strength was granted him--it might be for years, or for a few days +only. And he held out his hand to Alexandra, and said-- + +"Whether I shall recover, I know not. But I swear to you that I will +try!" + + * * * * * + + + + + XXVII. + + +"Then you insist upon joining in to-morrow's debate?" the doctor was +saying. + +"I flatter myself that it is necessary!" replied Bertram. + +"As a political partisan I admit it; as your medical adviser I repeat, +it is impossible." + +"Come, my good friend, you said just now, it is undesirable; now, from +that to impossible is rather a bold step. We had better stick to the +first statement." + +The doctor, who had taken up his hat and stick a few minutes before, +laid both down again, pushed Bertram into the chair before his +writing-table, sat down again facing him, and said-- + +"Judging from your momentary condition it is merely desirable that you +should have at present absolute repose for at least a few days. But I +very much fear that to-morrow's inevitable excitement will make you +worse, and then the downright necessity for rest will arise, and that +not only for a few days. Let me speak quite frankly, Bertram. I know +that I shall not frighten you, although I should rather like to do so. +You are causing me real anxiety. I greatly regret that I kept you last +autumn from your projected Italian trip, and that I pushed and urged +you into the fatigues of an election campaign and into the harassing +anxieties of parliamentary life. I assumed that this energetic activity +would contribute to your complete restoration to health, and I find +that I made a grievous mistake. And yet I am not aware where exactly +the mistake was made. You mastered your parliamentary duties with such +perfect ease, you entered the arena so well prepared and armed from top +to toe, you used your weapons with all the skill of a past master, and +you were borne along by such an ample measure of success--and that of +course has its great value. Well, according to all human understanding +and experience, the splendid and relatively easy discharge of duties +for which you are so eminently fitted, should contribute to your +well-being, and yet the very opposite is occurring. In spite of all my +cogitations I can find but one theory to account for it. In spite of +the admirable equanimity which you always preserve, in spite of the +undimmed serenity of your disposition and appearance, by which you +charm your friends, whilst you frequently disarm your foes, there must +be a hidden something in your soul that gnaws away at your vitals, a +deep, dark under-current of grief and pain. Am I right? You know that I +am not asking the question from idle curiosity." + +"I know it," replied Bertram; "and therefore I answer: you are right +and yet not right, or right only if you hold me responsible for the +effect of a cause I was guiltless of." + +"You answer in enigmas, my friend." + +"Let me try a metaphor. Say, somebody is compelled to live in a house, +in which the architect made some grave mistake at the laying of the +foundations, or at some important period or other of its erection. The +tenant is a quiet, steady man, who keeps the house in good order; then +comes a storm, and the ill-constructed building is terribly shaken and +strained. The steady-going tenant repairs the damage as best he can, +and things go on fairly enough for a time, a long time, until there +comes another and a worse storm, which makes the whole house topple +together over his head." + +The doctor's dark eyes had been dwelling searchingly and sympathisingly +upon the speaker. Now he said-- + +"I think I understand your metaphor. Of course, it only meets a portion +of the case. I happen to know the house in question extremely well. +True there was one weak point in it from the beginning, in spite of its +general excellent construction, but ..." + +"But me no buts," interrupted Bertram eagerly. "Given the one weak +point, and all the rest naturally follows. I surely need not point out +to such a faithful disciple of Spinoza's, that thought and expansion +are but attributes of one and the same substance, that there is no +physiological case that does not, rightly viewed, turn to a +psychological one; that so excitable a heart as mine must needs be +impressed by things more than other hearts whose bands do not snap, +happen what may, and notwithstanding all the storms of Fate. Or are you +not sure that, if you had had to examine the hearts of Werther or of +Eduard in the 'Elective Affinities,' you would have found things +undreamed of by æesthetic philosophers? I belong to the same race. I +neither glory in this, nor do I blush for it; I simply state a fact, a +fact which embodies my fate, before whose power I bow, or rather whose +power bows me down in spite of my resistance. For, however much I may +by disposition belong to the last century, yet I am also a citizen of +our own time; nor can I be deaf to its bidding. I know full well that +modern man can no longer live and die exclusively for his private joys +and sorrows; I know full well that I have a fatherland whose fame, +honour, and greatness I am bound to hold sacred, and to which I am +indebted as long as a breath stirs within me. I know it, and I believe +that I have proved it according to my strength, both formerly and again +now, when ..." + +He covered forehead and eyes with his hands, and so sat for a while in +deep emotion, which his medical friend respected by keeping perfectly +silent. Then, looking up again, Bertram went on in a hushed voice-- + +"My friend, that last storm was very, very strong. It shook the feeble +building to its very foundation. What is now causing your anxiety is +indeed but a consequence of that awful tempest. The terribly entrancing +details no one as yet knows except one woman, whom an almost identical +fate made my confidante, and who will keep my secret absolutely. So +would you, I know. You have been before this my counsellor and my +father-confessor. And so you will be another time, perhaps, if you +desire it and deem it necessary.--To-day only this one remark more, for +your own satisfaction; for I read in your grave countenance the same +momentous question which my confidante put to me: Whether I am willing +to recover? I answered to the best of my knowledge and belief: Yes! I +consider it my duty to be willing. It is a duty simply towards my +electors, who have not honoured me with their votes that I may lie me +down and die of an unhappy and unrequited attachment. If the latter +does happen--I mean my dying--you will bear witness that it was done +against my will, solely in consequence of that mistake in the original +construction which the architect was guilty of. But, in order that it +may not happen, or may at least not happen so soon, you, my friend, +must allow me to do the very thing which you have forbidden. The dream +I dreamed was infinitely beautiful, and, to speak quite frankly, real +life seems barren and dreary in comparison with it. The contrast is too +great, and I can only efface it somewhat by mixing with the insipid +food a strong spice of excitement, such as our parliamentary kitchen is +just now supplying in the best quality, and of which our head-cook is +sure to give us an extra dose to-morrow. And, therefore, I must be in +my place at the table tomorrow and make my dinner-speech. _Quod erat +demonstrandum_." + +He held out his hand with a smile. His friend smiled too. It was a very +melancholy smile, and vanished again forthwith. + +"What a pity," he said, "that the cleverest patients are the most +intractable. But I have vowed I will never have a clever one again, +after you." + +"In truth," replied Bertram, "I am giving you far too much trouble. In +your great kindness and friendship you come to me almost in the middle +of the night, when you ought to be resting from your day's heavy toil; +you come of your own accord, simply impelled by a faithful care for my +well-being; and, finally, you have to return with ingratitude and +disobedience for your reward. Well, well--let us hope for better +things, and let me have the pleasure of seeing you again to-morrow." + +Konski came in with a candle to show the doctor the way down, for the +lights in the house had long since been extinguished. The gentlemen +were once more shaking hands, and the physician slipped his on to +Bertram's wrist Then he shook his head. + +"Konski," he said, turning to the servant, "if your master has a fancy +one of these days to drink a glass of champagne, you may give him one, +as an exception; but only one." + +"Now remember that, Konski!" said Bertram. + +"It is not likely that it will happen," grumbled Konski. + +"Konski will leave me to-morrow," explained Bertram. + +"Will, is it? No, I won't, but ..." + +"All right!" said his master, "we must not bother the doctor with our +private affairs. Good-bye, my friend! With your leave I will dine with +you to-morrow." + +The physician left; Bertram immediately again sat down at the +writing-table, and resumed the work which this late visit had +interrupted. It was a disputed election case, and he would have to +report upon it to the House. There had been some irregularities, and it +was in the interest of his own party that the election should be +declared null and void; he had been examining the somewhat complicated +data with all the greater conscientiousness and care. But now he lost +the thread, and was turning over the voluminous page of the evidence, +when, lo! a daintily-folded sheet of paper--a letter--fell out. + +"Good heavens! how came this here?" + +He seized upon it with eagerness, as a wandering beggar might seize +upon a gold coin which he saw glittering among the dust on the road. +The hot blood surged to the temples from the sick and sore heart; the +hand that held the slight paper trembled violently. + +"Now he would not be grumbling at my slow pulse!" + +Yesterday morning he had received this letter, but had not succeeded in +composing himself sufficiently to read more than a few lines. He +thought that, perhaps, on his return from the _Reichstag_ he might have +been in a more settled frame of mind. Then he had not been able to find +again the letter which had been laid aside, although he had searched +for hours, first alone, then with Konski. + +And now--after all those documents were pushed aside--he was again, as +yesterday, staring hard at the page, and again, as yesterday, the +different lines ran into each other; but he shook his head angrily, +drew his hand over his eyes, and then read:-- + + + "Capri, _April_ 24. + +"Dearest Uncle Bertram,--If to-day for the first time, in our travels I +write to you, take this as a gentle punishment for not having come to +our wedding. Take it--no, I must not tell you a falsehood, not even in +jest. We--I mean Kurt and myself--regretted your absence greatly, but +were angry only with those wretched politics which would not release +you just at a time, when, as Kurt explained to me, such important +matters were at stake. Take, then, I pray you, my prolonged silence as +a proof of the confusion under which I labour, amidst the thousand new +impressions of travel, and through the hurry with which we have +travelled. Kurt has just four weeks' leave, so we had indeed to make, +haste; and, therefore, we steamed direct from Genoa to Naples, calling +at Leghorn only, and yesterday evening we arrived there only to leave +this morning, and to sail to Capri, favoured by a lively _tramontane_. + +"I am writing this my first letter upon the balcony of a house in +Capri. + +"Dearest Uncle Bertram, do you know such a house which 'stands amidst +orange groves, with sublimest view of the blue infinity of the ocean, a +fair, white hostelry embowered in roses'? + +"The words are your own, and do you know when you spoke them to me? On +that first night when I met you in the forest on the Hirschstein hill. +You have probably forgotten it, but I remember it well, and all through +the journey your words were ever before me; and of all the glories of +Italy, I wanted first to see the house which had, since then, remained +in your fond remembrance, where you 'ever since longed to be back +again,' and the very name of which was always to you 'a sound of +comfort, of promise: _Qui si sana!_' + +"And now we are here--we who need no comfort, we to whom all promise of +earthly bliss has been fulfilled, and so drink in the blue air of +heaven, and inhale the sweet fragrance of roses and oranges. + +"And you, dearest Uncle Bertram, you dwell--your heart full of longing +for fair Quisisana--yonder in the dull grey North, buried beneath +parliamentary papers, wearied and worn--and, uncle, that thought is the +one grey cloud, the only one in the wide blue vault of heaven, like the +one floating yonder above the rugged rocky front of Monte Solaro, of +which our young landlord, Federigo, foretells that it will bring us a +_burrasca_. I gave him a good scolding, and told him I wanted sunshine, +plenty of sunshine, and nothing but sunshine, but I thought of you +only, and not of us. And surely for you too, who are so noble and good, +the sun does shine, and you walk in its light, in the sunny light of +great fame! Yes, Uncle Bertram, however modest you are, you must yet be +glad and proud to learn how your greatness is recognised and admired. I +am not speaking of your friends, for that is a matter of course, but +of your political opponents. In Genoa, at the table d'hôte, we made +the acquaintance of some Count from Pomerania--I have forgotten his +name--with whom Kurt talked politics a good deal. In the evening the +Count brought us a Berlin paper, which contained your last great +speech. 'Look here,' he said, 'there is a man from whom all can learn, +one of whom each party should be proud.' He had no idea why Kurt looked +so pleased and proud, nor why I burst into tears when I read your +splendid speech. + +"Only fancy, Uncle Bertram! Signor Federigo has just brought me, at my +request, an old visitors' book--the one for the year 1859, the year in +which I knew you had been here. Many leaves had been torn out, but the +one upon which you had written your name was preserved, and the date +turns out to be that of the very day on which I, was born! Is not this +passing strange? Signor Federigo has, of course, had to present the +precious leaf to me, which he did with a most graceful bow--the paper +in one hand and the other laid upon his heart--and we have resolved to +celebrate here the day of your arrival in Capri and of my arrival in +the world. Why, indeed, should we travel on so swiftly? There can be no +fairer scene than this anywhere. Sunshine, the fragrance of roses, the +bright blue sky; the everlasting sea, my Kurt, and the recollection of +you, whose dear image every rock, every palm tree, everything I see +brings as if by magic before my inner eye! No, no; we surely will stay +here until my birthday. + +"Signor Federigo is calling from the verandah that 'Madama' has only +five minutes more for writing if the letter is to leave to-day. Of +course it is to leave to-day; but I have the terrible conviction of +having written nothing so far. It cannot now be helped. So next time I +will tell you everything that I could not do to-day: about my parents, +who are writing letters full of happiness--papa, in particular, who +seems delighted that he has given up his factories--which surprised me +greatly; about Agatha's engagement to Herr von Busche, which did not +surprise me, for I saw it coming during the merrymakings previous to my +wedding; about ... + +"Signor Federigo, you are intolerable! + +"Dear Kurt, I cannot let you have the remaining space of two lines, for +I absolutely require it myself to send my beloved Uncle Bertram a most +hearty greeting and kiss from Quisisana." + +Bertram laid the paper very gently down upon the table; he was stooping +to imprint a kiss upon it, but before his lips touched the letter, he +drew himself up abruptly. + +"No; she knows not what she does, but you know it, and she is your +neighbour's wife! Shame upon you! Pluck it out, the eye that offends +you, and the base, criminal heart as well!" + +He seized the parliamentary papers, then paused. + +"Until her birthday! Well, she will assuredly expect a few kind words, +and has a right to expect them; nay, more, she would interpret my +silence wrongly. I wonder whether there is yet time? When is her +birthday? She has not mentioned the date; I think somewhere in the +beginning of May. Now, on what day did I arrive there?" + +He had not long to seek in the old diaries, which he kept methodically, +and preserved with care. There was the entry: "May 1.--Arrived in +Capri, and put up at a house which I found it hard to climb up to; the +name had an irresistible attraction for me: Quisisana--_Sit omen in +nomine!_" + +The first of May! Why, to-morrow is the first. It is too late for a +letter, of course, but a telegram will do, if despatched at once. + +"Konski!" + +The faithful servant entered. + +"My good Konski, I am very sorry, but you must be off to the +telegraph-office at once. To-morrow is the birthday of Miss Erna--well, +well, you know! Of course she must hear from me." + +He had written a few lines in German, then it occurred, to him that it +might be, safer to write them in Italian. So he re-wrote them. + +Kanski, who had meanwhile got himself ready, entered the room. + +"You will scarcely be back before midnight. And, Konski, we must begin +the morrow cheerfully. So put the key of the cellar into your pocket, +and bring a bottle of champagne with you when you return. No +remonstrance, otherwise I shall put into your character tomorrow, +'Dismissed for disobedience'!" + + + + + XXVIII. + + + * * * * * + + +It was nearly three o'clock when the doctor came hurrying in. Konski +would not leave the master, and had despatched the porter. Konski +took the doctor's hat and stick, and pointed in silence--he could not +speak--to the big couch at the bottom of the room. The doctor took the +lamp from the writing-table, and held it to the pale face. Konski +followed and relieved him of the lamp, whilst the doctor made his +investigation. + +"He must have been dead an hour and more," he said, looking up. "Why +did you not send sooner? Put the lamp back upon the writing-table, and +tell me all you know." + +He had sat down in Bertram's chair. "Take a chair," he went on, "and +tell me all." + +Then Konski told. + +He had come back at a quarter-past twelve from the telegraph-office, +and had found his master writing away busily, when he brought in the +bottle of champagne which he had been ordered to fetch from the cellar. +His master had scolded him for bringing only one glass, and made him +fetch another, for they must both drink and clink glasses to the health +of the young lady. + +"Then," the servant went on, "I sat opposite to him, for the first time +in my life, in that corner, at the small round table, he in the one +chair and I in the other. And he chatted with me, not like a master +with his servant, no; exactly--well, I cannot describe it, sir; but you +know how good and kind he always was. I never heard an unkind word from +him all these ten years I have been with him, and if ever he was a bit +angry, he always made up for it afterwards. And, to-morrow I was to +leave for Rinstedt to get married, and he had given us our furniture +and all, and fitted up a new shop for us into the bargain. Then we +talked a good deal of Rinstedt, and of the man[oe]vres last year, and +of Miss Erna that was, and of Italy, where, as you know, sir, I was +with the master two years ago. Well, I mean, it was not I who was +talking so much, but master, and I could have gone on listening, +listening for ever, when he was telling of Capri, where we did not get +that time, and where Mrs. Ringberg is staying now--Miss Erna as was. +And then his eyes shone and sparkled splendidly, but he hardly drank +any wine, just enough to pledge the young lady's health with, and the +rest is in his glass still. But he made me fill up mine again and +again, for I could stand it, said he, and he could not, he said, and he +would presently finish his work; and there are the papers on the table +in front of you, sir, that he had been looking at. And then, of a +sudden like, he says, 'Konski, I am getting tired; I shall lie down for +half an hour. You just finish the bottle meanwhile, and call me at +half-past one sharp.' It was just striking one o'clock then. + +"So he lay down, and I put the rug over him, sir, and, oh--I'll never +forgive myself for it; but all day long I had been running backward and +forward about these things of mine, and then at last the long walk at +night to the telegraph-office, and perhaps the champagne had gone to my +head a bit, since I am sure, that I had not sat for five minutes before +I was asleep. And when I woke it was not half-past one, but half-past +two, so that I was regular frightened like. But as the master was +a-sleeping calm and steady, I thought, even as I was standing quite +close to him, that it was a pity to wake him, even though he was lying +on his left side again, which formerly he could not bear at all, and +which you, sir, had forbidden so particularly. I mind of our first +evening in Rinstedt, sir, but then he did wake up again ... and now he +is dead." + +Konski was crying bitterly. The doctor held out his hand to him. + +"It is no fault of yours. Neither you nor I could have kept him alive. +Now, leave me here alone; you may wait in the next room." + +After Konski had left, the doctor went to the little round table on +which the empty bottle and two glasses were standing, one empty, one +half-full. Above the sofa, to the right and left, were gas-brackets, +with one lighted jet on either side. He held the half-full glass to +the light and shook it. Bright beads were rising from the clear, +liquid. + +He put the glass down again, and murmured-- + +"He never spoke an untruth! It was in any case solely a question of +time. He drank his death-draught six months ago. The only wonder is +that he bore it so long." + +Erna's letter was lying upon the table. The doctor read it almost +mechanically. + +"Pretty much as I thought!" he muttered. "Such a clever and, as it +would seem, large-hearted girl, and yet--but they are all alike!" + +A scrap of paper, with something in Bertram's hand writing caught his +eye. It was the German telegram. + +"All hail--happiness and blessing--to-day and for ever--for my darling +child in Quisisana." + +The doctor rose, and was now pacing up and down the chamber with folded +arms. From the adjoining room, the door of which was left ajar, he +heard suppressed sobs. The faithful servant's unconcealed grief had +well-nigh unchained the bitter sorrow in his own heart. He brushed the +tears from his eyes, stepped to the couch, and drew the covering back. + +He stood there long, lost in marvelling contemplation. + +The beautiful lofty brow, overshadowed by the soft and abundant hair, +the dark colour of which was not broken by one silvery thread; the +daintily curved lips, that seemed about to open for some witty saying, +lips the pallor of which was put to shame by the whiteness of the +teeth, which were just visible; the broad-arched chest--what wonder +that the man of fifty had felt in life like a youth--like the youth for +whom Death had taken him. + +From those pure and pallid features Death had wiped away even the +faintest remembrance of the woe which had broken the noble heart. + +Now it was still--still for evermore! + +He laid his hand upon that silent heart. + +"_Qui si sana!_" he said, very gently. + + + + FOOTNOTE. + +[Footnote 1: + + "Und immer ist der Mann ein junger Mann, + Der einem jungen Weibe wohlgefällt."] + + + + THE END. + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Quisisana, by Friedrich Spielhagen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK QUISISANA *** + +***** This file should be named 34764-8.txt or 34764-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/7/6/34764/ + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the Web Archive + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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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 + + +Title: Quisisana + or Rest at Last + +Author: Friedrich Spielhagen + +Translator: H. E. Goldschmidt + +Release Date: December 27, 2010 [EBook #34764] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK QUISISANA *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the Web Archive + + + + + +</pre> + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<p class="hang1">Transcriber's Note: +1. Page scan source: http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924031341906</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h1 style="letter-spacing:3px">Q U I S I S A N A</h1> +<br> + +<h4>OR</h4> +<br> + +<h2><i>REST AT LAST</i></h2> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h3>From the German of F. Spielhagen</h3> +<br> + +<h4>BY</h4> + +<h3>H. E. GOLDSCHMIDT</h3> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h4><i>ONLY TRANSLATION SANCTIONED BY THE AUTHOR AND BY<br> +THE INTERNATIONAL LITERARY ASSOCIATION</i></h4> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h3><span class="sc">NEW YORK</span>:<br> +JAMES B. MILLAR & CO., PUBLISHERS.<br> +<span class="sc">1885</span>.</h3> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h5>TROW'S<br> +PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY,<br> +NEW YORK.</h5> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h1>QUISISANA.</h1> +<br> +<br> +<h2>I.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">"Why have you roused me, Konski?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You were lying on your left side again, sir," the servant, who held +his master clasped by the shoulder, replied, as he completed the task +of restoring him to a sitting posture on the sofa; "and you have been +drinking champagne at dinner, more than a bottle, John says, and that +surely is ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">Konski broke off abruptly, and turned again to the travelling boxes, +one of which was already unlocked; he commenced to arrange its contents +in the chest of drawers, and went on, apparently talking to himself +rather than to his master--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am merely doing what the doctor has insisted upon. Only last night, +in Berlin, as I was showing him to the door, he said: 'Konski, when +your master is lying on his left side and begins then to moan, rouse +him, rouse him at once, be it day or night. I take the responsibility. +And, Konski, no champagne; not for the next six weeks, anyhow, and best +not at all. And when you have once got into Italy, then plenty of water +to be mixed with the wine, Konski, and ...'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And now oblige me by holding your tongue."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram had remained sitting on the sofa, his hand pressed to his brow; +he now rose rapidly and strode impatiently about the room, casting +every now and then an angry glance at his valet. Then he stepped to one +of the windows. The sun must be setting now. The high wooded hills +yonder still shone forth in sunny splendour, but the terrace gardens +sloping towards the valley, and the valley itself, with the village +within, lay already in deepest shadow. The picturesque view, the +graceful charm of which he was wont to appreciate so heartily, had no +charm to-day for his dulled brain. Konski was quite right; the +champagne which he had to-day taken for the first time since his +illness, in direct defiance of the doctors injunctions, had not agreed +with him. Well, he had taken champagne because his throat had got +unbearably dry from much talking, and he had talked so much because the +frequent pauses in the dinner conversation were making him nervous. The +whole thing had been a positive bore; the genial host, the fair hostess +had surely fallen off, changed sadly for the worse during the last +three years. Or ... could he possibly have changed himself? Did he +really begin to grow old? If you get seriously ill at fifty, you are +apt to go downhill with startling rapidity!</p> + +<p class="normal">This had been the second emphatic <i>memento mori</i>--after an interval of +twenty years! The first--the first had been her work. Aye, and she had +kissed him a thousand times, and had vowed deathless fidelity yonder on +the mountain-slope, where the giant oak still lifted its mighty crown +of foliage above the bronze-coloured leafy roof of the beeches. Why the +deuce did they always give him these rooms? He'd better ask Hildegard +this very evening for other rooms--at once, before that blockhead +Konski had unpacked everything.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Leave these things alone," he exclaimed, turning round from the +window; "I do not intend to remain in these rooms. I do not intend to +stay here at all, I think. We shall probably be off to-morrow."</p> + +<p class="normal">Konski, who was already deep in the recesses of box number two, +believed he had not heard aright. He lifted his head out of the box and +looked in amazement at his master.</p> + +<p class="normal">"To-morrow, sir? I thought we were to stay a week at the least."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do what I bid you."</p> + +<p class="normal">Konski replaced, the shirts which he was holding in the portmanteau and +rose hastily from his knees. His master was evidently in a very bad +temper; "but that kind of thing never lasts long with him," Konski was +saying to himself, "and then the champagne ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">Aloud he said-- +"You can be sure, sir, that there won't be much trouble about the +officers who are going to be quartered here. I know all about it from +Mamsell Christine. Only a colonel, a major, a couple of captains, and +some six lieutenants or so, and perhaps a surgeon-major. None of our +princes, and certainly none of theirs. A mere handful for a large place +like this; they'll be lost, like currants in a bun. And you can remain +in these rooms, where we always have been, and you'll see none of them, +for I don't suppose they'll have this blessed manœ vre in the garden +below."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I do not know at, all what you want with your everlasting +manœ vres," Bertram exclaimed angrily.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had gone back, to the open window, through which there came a strong +current of air. Konski went and closed the door of the adjoining room, +then stepped up to within a certain respectful distance of his master, +and said modestly, lowering his voice--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I beg your pardon, sir, but what does it matter, after all, if Miss +really comes ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you mean?" Bertram said without turning round. "What has that +to do with my going or staying? Why should the little one not come?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Konski rubbed up his stiff black hair with a certain sly smile, and +said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not Miss Erna; the other lady--who is never allowed to come when you +are here."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Lydia? Fräulein von Aschhof? Are you mad?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram turned round with the rapidity of lightning, and now uttered +these words in a rough tone, whilst his eyes, generally so gentle, +shone out in great anger. Konski was frightened; but his curiosity was +greater than his terror. He would gladly have at last learned the real +truth about the young lady who was not allowed to come when his master +came on a visit to Rinstedt, and whom he had therefore never yet seen, +although in the course of years he had accompanied his master half a +dozen times. But he was once more doomed to disappointment; his master +had suddenly become perfectly calm again, or at least preserved the +appearance of perfect calmness, and now asked in his usual voice--</p> + +<p class="normal">"From whom have you got your information? Of course from Mamsell +Christine?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"From Mamsell Christine, of course," Konski made answer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And she got it from My Lady?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"From her Ladyship direct."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And when is the lady expected to arrive?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"This very evening, along with Miss Erna; and there will also come a +Baron Lutter or Lotter--I could not quite make the name out; they +pronounce things so queerly here in Thuringia."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, well!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram now remembered that Hildegard, his hostess, had at table +mentioned more than once the name of the Baron von Lotter-Vippach. Of +Lydia, too, although he made it a point never to be drawn into +conversation about her, she had again and again commenced to speak; +clearly, as he perceived now, with the intention of preparing him to +some extent for the intended surprise. But My Lady had reckoned without +her host. This was a downright want of consideration; nay, worse, it +was a breach of good faith. There was no reason why he should put up +with it, and he did not mean to put up with it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Where's the master? and where is My Lady?" he asked aloud.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The master has ridden over to the coal mines; her Ladyship has gone +into the village. They left word that they would be back before you +were awake again; and you had not lain down on your left ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That'll do. Into the village, did you say? Give me my hat."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Please take your overcoat too, sir," said Konski; "there's a nasty +mist rising from the valley, sir; and the doctor, he did say that if +you caught cold now, sir ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram had put his hat on, and waived the proffered garment back. In +the doorway he turned, and said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not trouble about the boxes. We leave again in an hour. And one +thing more. If you say one word to Mamsell Christine, or to anybody in +the house, now or later--you understand me--and I hear of it--we +part--for all that."</p> + +<p class="normal">He had left. Konski was now standing by the open window scratching his +head, and the very next minute he saw him striding swiftly down the +garden.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Upon my word!" he murmured; "who'd think that six weeks ago he lay at +the point of death?--And off this evening again--an hour hence! Not if +I knows it. First, I must settle my little business with Christine, and +that is not to be done all at once. Christine says that at that time +the Fräulein would have nothing to say to him. I can't make it out. +Twenty years ago he must have been a very handsome fellow; why, he is +so almost still. Nor was he a poor man even then, though, of course, he +has inherited lots since. I am devilish keen about seeing the old maid. +One thing is sure and certain, she will arrive this very evening."</p> + +<p class="normal">Then he cast one dubious look at the boxes. Perhaps it was taking +needless pains to unpack them.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But, but--he'll surely think better of it--he is not the one to run +away from any woman, even if she should number forty years or +thereabout; and--and ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">And so the faithful Konski, after having given a most incredulous shake +of the head, set to work, and continued to unpack his master's +travelling boxes.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>II.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">Meanwhile Bertram, had already crossed the bridge which spanned the +brook at the bottom of the garden terrace, and was hurrying along to +the village along the line of meadows. His hostess, Hildegard, had said +at dinner that she meant to-day, like every Thursday afternoon, to +visit her newly-founded Kindergarten; so he thought there would be no +difficulty in finding her. He had been a frequent visitor at Rinstedt, +and knew every lane in the village; and the Kindergarten, they said, +was on the main road, not far from the parsonage. Well, and what did he +mean to say to Hildegard when he met her? First, of course, make sure +of the facts. But there was little need for that. Konski was a smart +fellow, who was not likely to have made a mistake; and then he was on +such excellent terms with the omniscient Mamsell Christine! He would +ask her what had induced her to break through the agreement to which +she had now adhered for the last twenty years. And yet--what a needless +question! Why, women are never consistent! And in such things they +always like to assist each other and work into each other's hands, even +if they are by no means specially fond of each other. And now it seemed +as if there were special fondness between these two. His beautiful +hostess had, quite contrary to her wont, sung Lydia's praises in every +possible variety of way! And then, take the fact that she had sent her +own daughter to Lydia's <i>pension</i>, and had left the girl there in the +small <i>Residenz</i> for three years. Poor Erna! Fancy her for three years +under the care of that crazy woman! Poor Erna--the beautiful creature +with the great, deep, blue eyes! That should never have happened. It +was a positive insult to him. He had urged every argument against it; +had found out a supremely suitable place in Berlin for her; had offered +to undertake careful personal supervision; had urged them to confide +the child to his care, to give the child an opportunity of seeing +something of life under its larger, nobler aspect. And they had said +yes to everything; had thanked him so very much for his exertions, his +kindness; and at the last moment they had contentedly plumped back into +the beloved mire and stagnant waters of the pettiness of life in the +small <i>Residenz</i>. To be sure, My Lady herself had been brought up in +that social quagmire, and still cherished with plaintive delight +recollections of bygone splendour, and mourned in secret over her own +hard fate which had not permitted her, like Lydia, to sun herself all +the days of her life in the immediate rays of princely favour, but had +doomed her to marry a man who was not nobly born--a man rich enough, +forsooth, but bearing the unaristocratic name of Bermer, and having +friends of similarly unaristocratic names, to whom, for all that, one +had to be civil. Yes, a real Baron--a Baron von Lotter-Vippach--would, +of course, be infinitely preferable! And fancy her, fancy My Lady +forcing the Baron's company upon him after he had expressly urged that, +being only half convalescent, he needed perfect repose; and would, if +they were to have company in the house, rather in the meanwhile deny +himself the delight of seeing his old friends, and would come to them +in spring instead on his return from Italy!</p> + +<p class="normal">Yes, something like this he would say to his beautiful hostess, in +perfect calmness and good temper, of course, only tinged with a touch +of finest irony.... And this new building by his side--why, it must +surely be the Kindergarten!</p> + +<p class="normal">So it was. But the girl who was in charge of the children who were +playing on the garden-plot in front of the building, said to him, in +answer to his question, that My Lady had left half an hour ago; had +gone to the parsonage, she thought. A couple of boys who were running +about told him My Lady had gone to the village-mayor along with the +parson.</p> + +<p class="normal">The mayor's farm was situated at the opposite end of the village. +Bertram started off in that direction, but before he had got half way +he bethought himself that the parson would probably walk back with +Hildegard, and that in that case he would of course have no opportunity +of speaking plainly to her. So he turned back, determined to wait for +her near the parsonage, which she was bound to pass on her way home. +And yet, how could he wait? He could not tell whether he would have +time left to carry out his intended flight; nay, every moment brought +Lydia nearer, every moment he must expect to see the carriage whirl her +past him where he stood. What? was he to stand here like this, and be +compelled to bow to her? Never! To the left a narrow lane led direct to +the forest, which, higher up, almost bordered on the mansion-house. +This road back was somewhat longer than the one he had come by, and was +steeper too; but anyhow it was much shorter than the carriage-drive, +for that branched off from the high road in the main valley at the +entrance to the side valley, thus intersecting the whole length of the +village, and ultimately wound its long serpentine road up the high hill +crowned by his friend's stately mansion. This way he would gain an +advance of a good half-hour anyhow. It was to be hoped that his friend +and host, Otto Bermer, had meanwhile returned from the coal mines; they +lay in the opposite direction. He'd make a clean breast of it to Otto, +and make Otto take his farewell compliments to My Lady. Poor Otto! "The +grey mare was the better horse," no doubt; and poor Otto would not +relish the task; but what was to be done? And did not he, Bertram, +anyhow enjoy the doubtful reputation of being selfishness incarnate! +Well, then, this done, they would swiftly get some conveyance or other +ready for him. If required, Konski could stay behind with boxes and +such-like impedimenta; and in two or three hours' driving, first +through the forest, to avoid the danger of meeting her, then along the +high road, he would reach Fichtenau. He was fond of Fichtenau. There he +would rest in that evergreen dale for a few days, and recover from the +fatigue of the journey and from this day's manifold annoyances. Anyhow, +he would have escaped from Lydia, have broken away from the snare which +those women had set for him! He owed this satisfaction to himself, and +perhaps the reflection would smooth the rough forest path he had now +entered upon.</p> + +<p class="normal">For it was rough, was that path; much more so than he remembered it +being formerly. Much rougher and much steeper too; in fact, most, +most--abominably steep. Never mind; by following the tiny brooklet +which was murmuring in the glen by his side, and which fell into the +big brook in the valley below, he must speedily reach the little bridge +leading to the opposite side; and then a smooth, or at least a fairly +smooth, path would lead him on to the mansion.</p> + +<p class="normal">What on earth could she have to do, she and the parson, at the mayor's? +Something, probably, about getting appropriate quarters for those who +were coming to the manœ vres; to be sure, My Lady, never idle, must +needs take an interest in everything! Or perchance it was some +charitable purpose, something for the sick, for the poor; in the +pursuit of such noble aims My Lady never spared herself now, that is +never since Royalty had set the example, and made it fashionable! And +anyhow, it was hardly polite, in one so uniformly polite as My Lady, to +leave the house and walk right away to the far end of the village with +one guest already in the house, and with other guests expected every +minute. Possibly--possibly My Lady was not unwilling to avoid the one +guest; and the others, to be sure, must needs drive past the mayor's +house. What more natural than, in such a case, to enter the carriage +that brought the new guests; whilst driving with them through the +village, what more simple than to give a confidential hint or two, just +the merest suggestion, as to the treatment of the bird which she had +captured--oh, so cleverly! No, no, My Lady--not captured yet ... not +yet!</p> + +<p class="normal">But where was the little bridge? It ought to have appeared long ere +this. What! Climb down the steep glen, get your feet wet in the brook +below, and climb up again the opposite side? Perish the thought! Why, +everything seemed to go against him to-day!</p> + +<p class="normal">At last. And a broad new bridge too. And pair fully rustic, with +elaborate rustic ornaments of curiously entwined and intertwisted tree +branches. And, worst of all, such a confounded bit higher up the stream +than where the old bridge had been.</p> + +<p class="normal">And the path on the opposite side, too; new, new like the bridge, new +and fashionable, a regular promenade path; belonging, no doubt, to the +elaborate system of paths which his noble and beautiful hostess had for +years woven, like a complicated network, through the woods around. Of +course, like Charlotte in the "Elective Affinities," the fair +châtelaine must needs have that passion for beautifying everything; +like Charlotte, but not, oh dear! no, with any tender <i>penchant</i> for +her husband's well-born friends. Well, well! He himself had never +doubted the unapproachable virtue of My Lady: what if she now, tried +her gentle hand ever so little at this, surely it was only the outcome +of the excessive goodness of her chaste, and cool, and philanthropic +heart.... Heart! ... And oh the wretched pain, the horrid, horrid +sensation in my own heart. Who the mischief could be philanthropical if +he felt like this? Perhaps this insane running and climbing has brought +on a relapse. The story might then close where it began, and fair Lydia +would come just in the nick of time to see that when people talk of a +broken heart, they are not necessarily talking nonsense.... What +rubbish, though! If my heart breaks, it will be because it has got some +organic fault, and because I took champagne when I should not have done +so.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had dropped upon a bench by, the wayside, and there he crouched, +almost bent double, pressing his handkerchief to his mouth, to prevent +his moans from being heard in the silence of the darkening woods.</p> + +<p class="normal">The attack passed away. Gradually the agonising pains grew less. With +the physical anguish much of the fierce passion into which he had +worked himself passed away too. In its stead he felt a terrible +heaviness, a dull languor in all his limbs, and there was a sort of +stupor about his brain.</p> + +<p class="normal">Supposing it had given way, he mused. Fancy, sitting alone here in the +wood, a dead man, for goodness knows how long, and then terrifying a +poor wretch who chanced to pass this way first! This was not a pleasing +thought. But this anyhow would have been the worst. Death in itself he +did not dread. Why should he? Death was but the end of life. And life? +His life? If he could say that his living harmed no one, except perhaps +poor Konski whom he sometimes tormented by his wayward moods--yet, on +the other hand, it gladdened no one, least of all himself. The few poor +students or struggling artists would have their allowances paid out to +them for the time fixed, whether he lived on or not, and a few public +institutions were welcome to divide the residue between them. All that +would be settled in the shortest and most business-like manner. Never a +tear would be shed by any human being, unless perchance by old Konski. +But no; it was impossible to think of the good, easy-going fellow in +tears.</p> + +<p class="normal">He was sitting at the foot of a spreading beech tree. A crow, perched +on the top, uttered a shriek.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram looked up with a grim smile. "Patience!" he said.</p> + +<p class="normal">But it was not on his account that the crow had uttered that cry, but +probably because somebody was approaching. He saw a lady coming down +the side-path which led from the forest direct to his bench. Again, +this convulsive pain at the heart! But he forced himself to look again; +and no, it was not Lydia. Lydia was taller, and her blonde hair was of +ashen hue; this lady's hair was dark, very dark. And the style of +walking, too, was different, very different: an easy, even, step, +making it appear as if she were floating down the somewhat steep path, +although he could see the movement of the feet beneath the light summer +dress. And now she had come quite close to him. She gave a little +start, for, gazing up to the shrieking crow, she had not noticed him, +and he had sprung up somewhat abruptly from the bench. But in a moment +she was collected again, and the flush faded as quickly from her cheek +as it had spread.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is, it possible?--Erna!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Uncle Bertram!"</p> + +<p class="normal">There was something wondrously melodious in the voice, but not the +slightest trace of the glad emotion which he himself had experienced +which he himself had experienced on seeing his darling. His heart +contracted; he would fain have said: "You were wont to give me a +different reception;" but he blushed to face the young beauty as a +beggar, and letting, go her hands, he only said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"You did not expect to find me here?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"How could I?" was her reply.</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure!" thought Bertram. "How could she? What a silly question of +mine!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He knew not what next to say, and, in some embarrassment, he stood +silent. The crow above had been silent during the last half-minute or +so, and now commenced to croak, abominably. Both had involuntarily +gazed up; now they were, walking silently side by side along the path.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>III.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">The evening was closing in around them. Through the thick undergrowth +of wood which bordered the path on both sides but little light could +penetrate; overhead the leafy crowns of the beeches interlaced and +formed an almost continuous roof. At a certain abrupt declivity a few +rough steps had been placed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Will you take my arm. Uncle Bertram?" said Erna. It was the first word +spoken between them since, several minutes ago, minutes which had +weighed like lead upon Bertram, they had left the bench under the beech +tree.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I was just going to put the same question to you," he replied.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thanks," said Erna. "I know every step here; but you--and then, you +have been ill."</p> + +<p class="normal">This might, of course, have been meant in all friendliness; but there +was a coldness about the tone, something like giving alms, Bertram +thought.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Have been," he made answer; "but quite well again--quite well."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I understand you are going to Italy for the winter--for the sake of +your health."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am going to Italy because I hope I shall be rather less bored in +Rome than in Berlin--that is all."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And suppose you are bored in Rome too?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You mean, bores are bored everywhere?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, I do not mean that; indeed, it would have been most disagreeable +on my part had I meant anything of the kind. I only wanted to know +where people go to from Rome, if they desire still to travel on. To +Naples, I should say?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure. To Naples, to Capri! In Capri there stands amidst orange +groves, with sublimest view of the blue infinity of the ocean, a fair +white hostelry, embowered in roses, Quisisana. Years ago I was there, +and I have longed ever since to be back again. <i>Qui si sana!</i> What a +sound of comfort, of promise! <i>Qui si sana!</i> Here one gets well! Even +those who ate fairly well, physically, have something to recover from. +Why, life itself--what is it but a long disease, and death its only +cure?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Another pause. He had intended that there should be no new break in +their conversation and yet the very words he had just uttered, still +under the impulse of the invalid's peevish humour, were little likely +to induce the beautiful and taciturn girl by his side to talk. He +wanted to make heir talk. It never occurred to him that her silence was +due to a lack of ideas, or even to shyness. Quite the reverse. She +interested him more and more every moment, and he was strongly +impressed that he was dealing with a girl of marked individuality, +reposing securely in her own strength. Of her whom he had known and +loved as a child, and whose image he had cherished in fondest, truest +memory, never a trace!</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know, Uncle Bertram, that you are going to see Fräulein von +Aschhof--Aunt Lydia--to-night?" she resumed abruptly.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram started. That name--from her, fair, chaste lips--had a doubly +hateful sound.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know," he answered; "not from your parents, but I know."</p> + +<p class="normal">"They will have shrunk from telling you," Erna continued. "Mamma was +most reluctant to sanction Aunt Lydia's coming; but Aunt Lydia begged +so very hard to be allowed to see you once more, and she thought that +now, when you have been so very, very ill, and when you are going away +for such a long time, you might be in gentler mood. And yet she was +afraid to encounter you. She grew so nervous as we were driving along, +that I believe she was uncommonly near getting out and leaving us to +continue the journey without her. At last I could scarcely bear to +witness her uneasiness any longer, and I felt considerable relief when +I got out myself in order to walk across the hill--from Fischbach, +don't you know--and as I was coming along, I was debating whether, if I +reached home before them, I might not beg you to be a little friendly +towards auntie. You ... but I am not sure whether to go on ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I beg you will do so."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I only wanted to add: you owe it to her."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do I?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I should think so; for her only fault has been that she has loved you +and still loves you, and you ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear child, I beg you will go on without any shyness. I am anxious, +very anxious, you should do so."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And you ... left her, after you had been engaged for a whole year!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And then I wrote her a letter of renunciation, did I not? And the poor +forsaken one, in her despair, engaged herself within four-and-twenty +hours to Count Finkenburg, who had long been vainly suing for her hand? +And the old gentleman was so enchanted that scarce a week after he died +from rapture and paralysis combined, without even having time to +remember his fair bride in his will! Was it not so?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let us change the topic, Uncle Bertram," Erna replied. "I hear from +your words and from your tone that you are excited, and I now feel +doubly how awkward I was in turning our talk, for auntie's sake, to a +subject I ought to know nothing of, and which I certainly should never +have mentioned."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I cannot let you off like that, alas! my child," Bertram said in +reply. "I must still ask you from whom your information is derived. +From Fräulein von Aschhof, of course?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I cannot find it unnatural," Erna said, "if Aunt Lydia, in the +excitement she has laboured under ever since your visit here was +announced, and since she determined to see you again, has unburdened +her overflowing heart to me, and has told me all which--or the greater +part of which--I knew or guessed. And she has urgently entreated me not +to repeat a word of this to you, and I am sure she is convinced that I +would do nothing of the kind. But I gave her no promise, for I have +always been very fond of you, Uncle Bertram, very, very fond; and I was +so sorry that you ... that I now could no longer be fond of you. I have +always in my heart taken your side, when they were saying that you were +cold and selfish, and cared for nobody but yourself. I have always +thought: he has never found any one worthy of him! And now I know all, +I should like to say: perhaps Aunt Lydia was not worthy of him either; +she has many qualities which I do not like at all--but she would surely +have turned out differently if you had not betr ... had not forsaken +her. How can a girl remain good, if she is forsaken by the man she +loves! How can she, if her heart is easily touched, become aught but a +coquette, and assume manners that people will laugh and jeer at; or, if +she be proud, and ashamed of her misfortune, she must needs grow cold +and heartless, and full of contempt for all men, nay, for all mankind!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The calm, low voice had remained the same to the very last word, but in +striking contrast to that calm and that self-control there was the +passionate gleam of the great dark eyes, which now looked up to Bertram +with wondrous firmness, such as the ancients may have imagined the gaze +of the gods--"whose eyelids quiver not, like those of mortals."</p> + +<p class="normal">The narrow path had widened to a glade; there they stood for a few +moments gazing in each other's eyes; and Bertram felt the fascination +of that wondrous firmness, felt, too, that no consideration could +condemn him to stand before those eyes as a contemptible wretch, and +that, at any cost, he must tear to pieces the dark curtain which +unscrupulous lies had woven and spread between her and him.</p> + +<p class="normal">He took her arm, as though to make sure that she would not escape from +him, and, striding swiftly along, and almost dragging her with him, he +said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"And now hear me, too, and despise me, if you still can do so after you +have heard me! Forsaken, did you say, forsaken and betrayed? Yea, +verily! But she it was who practised the treachery--most infamous, most +horrible treachery, with never the shadow of an excuse for it, if +indeed anything ever can excuse treachery. I loved her--I will not say +more than ever man did love--I know not how other men love--I only, +know, that I loved her with the best and purest strength, of my heart. +I was no longer a youth when, at your parents' wedding, I made the +acquaintance of your mother's friend. I was almost thirty years +of age, and was living, as you know, in Leipzig as a mere private +scholar--<i>Privat-Gelehrter</i> they call it. I had planned my scheme of +study on a very great scale, and, being very much, in earnest about +science and art, as indeed about all things I take up, I was wont to +devote years to tasks which other men, with less time or more genius, +accomplish in as many months. Moreover, I had what I required for the +expenses of living, perhaps even a little more--I, am not given to +paying attention to that kind of thing. Now everything became changed +at once. I loved her, I fancied myself loved in return. We had met here +again, and, more than once, and had become engaged, though at first, +and at my own special request, in all secrecy. I comprehended that a +man engaged to so high-born and gifted, a girl as Lydia von Aschhof, +must needs be something better than a mere obscure private scholar, and +I readily 'pulled myself together,' determined to reach my goal. Some +time, of course, was required before my great work could be completed. +Some time; too much for her patience. Perhaps she doubted its ultimate +success. Perhaps she cared naught for the success, notwithstanding the +enthusiasm which she pretended to feel for my efforts, notwithstanding +her being so very kind as to assure me a thousand times that my genius, +my talent, had made her my captive, and would hold her my captive, yea, +though a crown were laid at her feet. As it turned out, no princely +crown was needed; only a plain coronet--and one surmounting a grey, +decrepit head into the bargain. Oh! she wrote me a most touching, most +generous letter of renunciation. 'I am but hindering you in your lofty +striving; an artist, a scholar must be free, unshackled; your fame is +more to me than my love,' and so on, and so on. Two or three pages +more, high-sounding phrases in daintiest handwriting, concluding, of +course, with the announcement of her new engagement, by which, as by a +<i>fait accompli</i>, she must needs assist her wavering heart.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The letter was written from here, from Rinstedt. I hurried to the +railway; at the last station I got hold of a vehicle. When we got to +Fischbach, the poor overdriven steeds could not get on any further. By +the shortest, steepest path I climbed to the top of the Hirschstein, +the hill you have just come by; here, on the top, I fell down like one +dead. I gathered myself together again, and staggered on, on, until I +reached your father's house. She must have had some foreboding that I +would not submit to this in all patience; she had left your father's +house an hour before, driving to Fichtenau, taking the road by which it +was impossible for me to come. Afterwards I came to be grateful to her +for her circumspection and her precaution, for I think I must have been +simply raving mad; and it was well for both of us that my power was +broken, that I could not pursue the fair fugitive, but had to remain +here, a burden on your parents, sick unto death, given up by the +doctors, until some six or eight weeks' after, I surprised them all by +recovering, enabled to live on as best one can with a sorely wounded +heart--and a heart injured, not in the physical sense alone. What good, +do you think, did it do me whilst I was struggling with death here, and +afterwards dragged myself on crutches through the terrace-gardens, that +my work had appeared, had taken the world by storm, and made me, once +for all, what they call a famous man? What good that, just at that time +a childless old miser of an uncle took it into his head to die, and +that, in default of other heirs, his whole huge fortune fell to me? I +had had enough of the lying and cheating of humanity. Fame, love--I +cared no longer for these things. I became what I am, what my +acquaintances know me to be, what they have called me to you--a cold +egotist. What if for all that I do not cross my hands idly in my lap +but work on, and now and again utter a word of freedom which others, +less independent, might lack the courage to utter; or if I start and +encourage works of general utility; or if here and there I help some +lame dog over a stile; these things I surely do not for the love of the +Lord, nay, solely, so as not to lose that modicum of self-respect which +belongs to the indispensable stock-in-trade of a discreet egotist. And +talking of self-respect, dear, I begin to perceive with pain that I am +lessening the aforesaid modicum considerably in telling you all this. +For, in affairs of the hearts a gentleman should always spare the lady +the utterance of the first word and leave her the last, and if she +asserts that he is Don Giovanni and she Donna Elvira, why, he has but +to bow and thank her for assigning so brilliant a part to him. And now, +my dear child, now try to be fond of your garrulous old uncle once +more, will you not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The girl made no reply. A feeling of shame had gradually stolen over +Bertram as he spoke, and he had tried in vain to weaken it by +concluding with a semi-humorous turn. Now this feeling grew intensified +by Erna's silence. How had, it been possible for him to forget himself +so far as to reveal to a young girl, one almost a child still, one +without comprehension for such sad, ugly, painful experiences, the +deepest secret of his heart--a secret which he had trained himself to +pass by, as it were, with his own face turned away? And he had told of +this, to a girl who stood to the object of his vehement denunciation in +the peculiarly tender and delicate relation of pupil! How mean, how +ignoble of him! He had acted like a raw, immature lad! He wished +himself a thousand miles away; he cursed his want of determination, +inasmuch as he might have left the place abruptly an hour ago, and thus +have escaped all this horrible confusion. Now he must needs depart at +once, this very evening, if possible without seeing, without speaking +to, a soul; most certainly without entering upon any explanation +whatever. He had just tasted the delight of such explanations, and it +would be long before he lost the bitter after-taste of them!...</p> + +<p class="normal">They were quite cleat of the wood now, and were approaching--walking +across some meadow land--a tiny gate in the thick old wall, which led +to the courtyard.</p> + +<p class="normal">Suddenly Erna said, "And you have told nobody all this?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," he answered; and it cost him a curious struggle to get the one +brief word--out.</p> + +<p class="normal">They passed through the tiny gate; it was almost dark in the yard now. +Before the entrance to the house stood a large open travelling +carriage; servants were removing the belongings of the travellers who +had already alighted. Through the main gate, on the opposite side, a +cart, laden with the heavier articles of luggage, was entering.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Uncle Bertram," whispered Erna.</p> + +<p class="normal">Just as they were about to cross the threshold of the tiny gate she had +seized his hand with gentle pressure. He had involuntarily stopped. +Again she was gazing up at him, but not now, as before in the wood, +with a stern expression. Was it a reflection of the radiance of the +young moon, just then rising above the gloom which was enfolding the +buildings around--or could it be tears that glistened in the great +eyes?</p> + +<p class="normal">"You want to leave us, Uncle Bertram?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who told you so?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It matters not. You want to leave us?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stay! Pray, stay--for my sake!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She dropped the hand which she had clasped until now, and hurried +across the yard to the mansion-house, while he ascended the stairs to +the side wing where his own rooms were situated, his whole soul full of +the image of this wondrous girl, whose words, whose looks, had so +potent a spell over him, that he no longer seemed to have a will of his +own as against hers.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>IV.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">His master's long absence had at length commenced to disquiet faithful +Konski considerably. True, he knew from his ten years' experience that +he need not pay much attention to any orders that master gave him when +in a state of great excitement; and, of course, the later it grew, the +more improbable it became that the departure, although announced, would +really take place; but then, supposing some accident had happened to +him? The doctor in Berlin had most strongly urged him to take every +possible precaution lest, during the first few weeks anyhow, his master +should over-exert himself in any way--and master had hurried down those +terrace steps like one possessed! And all on account of this infernal +old maid who was never allowed to visit at this house when they, master +and he, were here! Oh, why had he not held his silly tongue, and not +brought the great news at once to his master!</p> + +<p class="normal">He would have liked hurrying after him into the village, but dared not +leave his post. And now their host came in and inquired for master, and +seemed greatly concerned when Konski, to soothe his own anxiety as it +were, hinted that his master had not been over pleased when told that +additional guests were expected; and Konski added, as a sort of +conjecture of his own, that he had probably gone out for a walk, so as +to avoid having to be present at their reception. And meanwhile My Lady +had returned and had sent for him, and Konski had to repeat to her +Ladyship--for whom he entertained the most confounded respect--what he +had already told her Ladyship's husband; and her Ladyship had looked so +hard at him with those piercing brown eyes of hers, that he was jolly +glad when he was back at his post of observation at the lobby-window, +whence he could survey the whole extensive court-yard. And there--an +open carriage was just entering it; only two people in it--a lady and a +gentleman--thank Heaven, one lady only! In the gathering twilight +Konski could not distinguish, the lady's features or figure, but, if +there was only one lady, why, who could it be but dear Miss Erna? And +from her, master was not likely to run away; and all was well now, if +only he himself were safely back.</p> + +<p class="normal">The door below was opened. Konski heard his master's step upon the +stairs and hurried to meet him, joyfully telling him all that he had +observed; and did master know already that Miss Erna was the only lady +who had arrived?</p> + +<p class="normal">His master had thrown himself into an arm-chair in the sitting-room, +where careful Konski had already lighted a liberal supply of candles, +and was staring hard in front of him, passing at intervals his hands +over brow and eyes. Suddenly he sat bold upright and said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"What did you say?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Poor Konski had said nothing at all during the last few minutes, but +inquired now whether his master would not dress for supper; he thought +it was getting quite late enough.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram rose and passed into the adjoining bedroom where Konski had +laid out such a costume as he deemed appropriate for the occasion. He +lent him the necessary aid, and marvelled greatly that his master, who +was wont to talk to him during the process of dressing more than at any +other time, did not say a single word to-night. Another curious thing +was this: quite contrary to his custom, the master looked hard at +himself in the mirror again and again, and, strangest sight of all, he +pulled and twisted his moustache about! However, seeing that master, +though looking very grave, did not appear either annoyed or angry, +Konski was quite satisfied. To-night then, anyhow, their departure need +not be provided for.</p> + +<p class="normal">There was a knock at the door. Their host entered as hurriedly as was +consistent with his being so very stout.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thank Heaven that you are here!" he exclaimed, shaking both his +friend's hands again and again, as though he had been 'long looked-for, +come at last!' "Thank Heaven; we have been quite frightened about you. +Hildegard was very angry that I had left you alone. I said to her, +'Why, he is not a child, requiring to be watched at every step;' that +is to say, I did not actually say so in so many words. I ... thought +so. My wife is terribly nervous to-day. I had told her at once ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">Here he noticed the servant's presence, and in some embarrassment broke +off abruptly. Bertram having now completed his toilet, the two +gentlemen left the room together. As they were walking through the long +passage which led to the main building, his host put one arm round his +friend's slender waist and said confidentially, lowering his voice by +way of precaution--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I had told Hildegard at once that you would be annoyed; at least I did +not say so in so many words, but I--hinted it, for, you know, my wife +cannot beat contradiction; and I soon found out that the two women, +between them, had determined that the meeting should take place. Now +Erna tells me--she is a darling, is she not? a little peculiar, a +little odd, but always good to me; how nice that you met on the +hills--well, Erna tells me that you were not particularly angry that +Lydia had accompanied her; that is to say, Erna does not know anything +of the old stories, or has only heard some vague rumours that you +cannot bear each other, or that you cannot bear Lydia. Never mind, it's +all the same now; only tell me that you are not particularly angry."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I was at first, but I am so no longer."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That's all I ask for. And after all, old chap, well, misunderstandings +and all that sort of thing! But the blame is sure to be yours, or +almost entirely yours. Why, it's always the man who is to blame, eh? I +should know that much, having been married these twenty years!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He laughed. Bertram, to change the conversation, asked where the others +were.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The ladies are on the verandah; the Baron was still in his room when I +came away."</p> + +<p class="normal">"By the by," Bertram asked, "who is this Baron? You were talking about +him once or twice at table, but I confess I hardly listened."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Lotter?" his friend said. "Look here; you'll like him immensely. +Stunning fellow, Lotter. Has read every mortal thing; plays the piano; +paints--portraits, landscapes, anything you like. Has come home to do +some painting; studies at our academy, don't you know?--and is a +constant guest at Court, of course."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Does he belong to these parts?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh; dear no! hails from Würtemberg. A very, very old family; +Lotter-Vippach. His father was a General, I believe; his uncle a +Minister of State; that sort of thing, don't you know? He has been in +the army himself; was in the '70 campaign. But he is a bit of a rover. +Has been up and about a good deal; in Algiers, South America; that, +sort of thing. I pressed him to come and stay here during the +manœ vres, to help me to do the honours, as I never was in the army +myself. He is awfully anxious to make your acquaintance; has read all +your works and--and--but where on earth are our ladies? I'll go and +look. You stop where you are; do not come out bareheaded."</p> + +<p class="normal">The last words had already been spoken in the garden saloon, the great +French windows of which, leading to the verandah, stood wide open. His +host had hurried off to look for the ladies, and Bertram, left alone, +strode up and down in the large, half-darkened room. Had he not, +perhaps, yielded all too readily to Erna's command? If obedience was to +be easy to him, nay, if it was to be at all possible for him, she ought +to have stayed by his side. And now her very image was gone from his +inner eye, and its place had been taken by her whom he had once so +passionately loved, as if twenty years had not gone by since he last +saw her, as if she had only passed a minute ago with her beautiful +friend and hostess into the garden, thence to return immediately under +some pretext or other, to rush to his embrace, to shower hot, +passionate kisses upon him--here, in this very saloon, as she had so +often, so often done--here, where the faint fragrance of violets still +seemed to float, that she was so fond of, and which in those days he +was ever associating with her presence!</p> + +<p class="normal">He was standing in the semi-darkness, his back turned to the verandah; +a gentle rustling sound was coming up the steps. He turned. Framed in +by one of the doors against the brighter background of the evening sky, +appeared the shadowy outline of a lady, lingering a moment or two on +the threshold, then hastening with raised arms towards him, as he stood +motionless, spellbound.</p> + +<p class="normal">Before he could prevent it, she had sunk on her knees before him, had +seized his hands which he was involuntarily stretching forth to lift +her up, and now she was pressing them to her bosom, to her lips. A +dense cloud of violet perfume came floating up to him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Mercy, Charles, mercy!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I entreat you, My Lady, ... for Heaven's sake ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">He had been barely able to stammer out these words; he felt the most +acute physical anguish at his heart; cold beads of perspiration stood +upon his forehead; ice-cold were the hands which Lydia had held till +then, and which now she dropped, terrified, rising as she did so from +the ground.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My Lady!" she murmured, "My Lady ... Ah, I knew it!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The convulsive pain at his heart had ceased now; it beat on, but +slowly, heavily; even so his anger and pain were giving way to +compassion.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let bygones be bygones," he said.</p> + +<p class="normal">"If it were possible!" whispered Lydia.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It must be possible."</p> + +<p class="normal">She knew from his gentle but firm tone that, for the moment, she dare +go no farther; and though she had to confess to herself that she had +been deceived in her fond hope of reconquering his affections by one +grand assault at starting, something was secured anyhow, and something +desirable and even necessary--a fairly satisfactory footing when they +met in society.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The dear voice!" she whispered; "the old, dear, gentle voice! But ... +those hard, cruel words! Yet I have no right to complain, and I will +not lament; it must, indeed, be possible!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Much to his relief Bertram was spared the necessity of replying, for +his host and hostess were just then coming in from the garden, +accompanied by Erna and Baron Lotter. At the same moment a servant +opened the folding-door which led to the dining-room; the two gentlemen +were introduced to each other; the Baron offered his arm to the lady of +the house, Lydia was clinging to the master, and thus Erna fell to +Bertram's share. They were lingering a little behind the rest.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How good you are!" whispered Erna.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Am I?" he made answer. "I feel most contemptible."</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>V.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">In very truth the feeling that he had done wrong in thus opening his +heart to Erna had come back in renewed strength to Bertram, since he +had to admit to himself that he had emphatically broken his own dictum +that bygones were to be bygones. The past was no longer a secret +between those concerned; and what would henceforth happen--each word, +each look which they exchanged, all, all would have a sense, a meaning +for somebody else--for the beautiful girl who was so grave beyond her +years, the girl with the great, still, godlike eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus Bertram was profoundly in earnest when he declined to accept +Erna's praise; but, anyhow, he hoped that the worst was over now.</p> + +<p class="normal">How greatly he was mistaken in this, came most painfully home to him +with the first stolen glimpse which he ventured to take of Lydia's face +in the pitiless radiance of the bright candles which shone upon the +round table in the dining-room, where he sat opposite her. Was that +really ... Lydia? Or had some mischievous imp, by cruel witchcraft, put +a caricature of herself in her place, and changed the picture of the +bright and gifted girl, overflowing with jest and fun, with humour and +wit; the girl with the somewhat irregular but most piquant features, +with the big, light-blue, mischievous eyes, fresh and rosy of colour, +with wild, fluttering, blonde locks, into the picture of an aging +coquette, for ever pouting her thin lips, even when she laughed, so as +to hide her false teeth; now lowering, now lifting her eyelids, like an +actress, in vain endeavouring to give some light to her eyes--a light +as treacherous as the all too bright pinkiness of the lean cheek, the +all too dark carmine of the ears, adorned though they were with +sparkling diamonds? An ugly old woman, who now let the gold embroidered +white silk shawl glide from the scraggy shoulders, only to draw it up +again immediately and attempt a more picturesque drapery--which was not +a success, so that the game had to be renewed forthwith!</p> + +<p class="normal">And he had once loved this painted, dressed-up, revoltingly coquettish +person; had loved her with the best, purest strength of his heart, as, +but a little while ago, he had assured Erna with passionate eagerness. +It was horrible! Would Erna believe that yonder withered shrub had ever +blossomed in vernal brightness and beauty? How could she believe it, +when she looked at the friend of Lydia's youth, her own mother, whose +majestic beauty was barely touched by Time in his flight? Her great +brown eyes had lost none of their velvety softness, her raven hair +still shone in undimmed splendour. And if the difference in appearance, +in manner, was now so great between the two ladies, must it not always +have existed? And must not the taste of a man, whose feelings could at +any time have led him so far astray, have been at all times most +lamentable?</p> + +<p class="normal">And if the pitiless brightness had brought so terrible a discovery to +him, how would he himself appear before Erna's searching gaze? Had not +some horrible change taken place with him too? Why, these twenty years +had altered Erna's father, who at college had been rightly surnamed +'The Beauty,' into an excessively stout gentleman, with a somewhat +bloated countenance, and a mighty skull, which was getting painfully +bald in the region of the temples! And he himself had never been +distinguished for personal attraction; true, his hair was as dark as +ever; and, before supper, in the glass, he had thought that he saw a +pale and grave, but not a worn, face. But then the complaisant mirror +of vanity might make one fancy one saw all sorts of things. No doubt +Lydia had just such a mirror in her room!</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram felt more and more sad at heart. He no longer dared lift his +eyes, but kept them fixed upon the plates, which the servants changed +without his having tasted any of the dishes to which he helped himself +mechanically. So he sat on, scarcely hearing a word of the +conversation, which was principally carried on by Lydia and the Baron. +Apparently they were talking about some Court affairs, and very amusing +and piquant they would appear to be. Anyhow, there was much laughter, +chiefly on the part of Lydia and the Baron, and My Lady held up her +hand once or twice, and reminded the two of the respect due to the +Grand Ducal family. Then the conversation touched upon the approaching +manœ vres, and the Baron proclaimed his minute knowledge of every +detail, and endeavoured to explain to the ladies, with the help of +spoons and forks and what not, the original positions both of the +attacking party and the attacked, and duly weighed the various events +which might or must occur, according whether the commanding officers +did or did not take certain steps. Under any circumstances, the +decisive portion of the sham-fight must come off in the immediate +neighbourhood of Rinstedt itself, if not in Rinstedt itself; +unfortunately, the ground being singularly unsuitable for cavalry, the +ultimate issue would lie between artillery and infantry. He himself, +said the Baron, having formerly been a cavalry officer, was very sorry +for that; but, anyhow, the ladies, could look forward to a glorious +sight. What, a pity, he added, that in spite of his having so many +friends in the army, he did not chance to have any personal +acquaintances among the officers of this particular regiment.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, I know a number of them," said the host. "The 99th were +stationed at Erfurt until a twelvemonth ago. I used to meet the +officers over and over again out shooting."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then," said the Baron, turning to Lydia, "you must know some of them +too. They are sure to have attended some of our Court balls."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course," the lady replied; "and they were also in the habit of +coming over in shoals to the play; but who is to distinguish one red +collar from another? Not I! I love plain, quiet, civilian colours. Ask +Erna; she is sure to know. She spent six weeks last summer with her +Aunt Adelheid in Erfurt, and there the officers, are constantly coming +and going. Is it not so, Erna?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are forgetting," said Erna, "that aunt was in mourning at the +time. Of course there were no parties then."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But still," the Baron observed, "people go to a house without being +actually bidden to parties, inspire of the family being in mourning, if +there are six marriageable daughters in it, as is the case in your +aunt's house."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Possibly; then my power of discriminating between different red +collars is not more strongly developed than Aunt Lydia's; anyhow, I do +not remember any one of the gentlemen."</p> + +<p class="normal">This was uttered in such a stern tone, as of one who would decline to +pursue the subject, that Bertram looked up involuntarily. Her dainty +features were perfectly composed, but the blue eyes, which she was +bending upon him, not upon her interlocutor the Baron, seemed to have a +deeper radiance than that of suppressed annoyance. This was the first +time that their looks had met across the table, and a curious thrill +passed through his frame. He felt the hot blood surging to his temples; +and to mask his growing embarrassment, he asked who was in command of +the regiment in question.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Colonel von Waldor," the Baron replied promptly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I knew an officer of that name," said Bertram, "long ago, in Berlin; +at that time he had been told off to the Military Academy of that town. +For some years I kept up a correspondence with him, but somehow I lost +sight of him afterwards. But I rather think that was not his regiment?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," replied the Baron. "You are quite right; he used to be in the +210th. He got the colonelcy of the 99th about a year ago. He made quite +a name for himself in the '70 campaign."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Even at the time I recall, my friend was considered a very smart +officer," said Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No doubt, no doubt," replied the Baron; "it must be the same man. As +far as I know, there are not two Waldors in the army, at least not +among regimental commanders, for I think I know all their names by +heart. Your Colonel is a queer fish, anyhow."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is a 'queer fish'?" asked Lydia, touching the Baron's arm with +her fan.</p> + +<p class="normal">He laughed, and said: "Well, that question is more easily asked than +answered."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then, pray, do not answer it at all," said Hildegard, the hostess, +glancing at her daughter Erna.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why not, my Lady?" the Baron exclaimed. "It is harmless enough to let +the facts speak, and it is a fact that Waldor who--I do not know him +personally, but Dr. Bertram will assuredly confirm my statement--was +known throughout the army not only on account of his gallantry, but +also on account of his manly beauty, and who had consequently broken +countless hearts, is still a bachelor."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You say 'consequently,'" exclaimed Lydia, "and consequently you think +very meanly of our sex."</p> + +<p class="normal">"How so?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, you seem to assume that manly beauty suffices to touch--or, as +you are pleased to call it, to break--female hearts. Alas, my dear +Baron, how little do you know our sex!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I beg a thousand pardons--but I really said nothing of the kind. Venus +and Mars--the alliance of valour and beauty, you know--your poets know +something of this. Why, there is a poet here among us--let him speak up +for me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">With these last words the Baron had turned to Bertram; his tone and the +accompanying gesture had something insultingly patronising about them; +in fact, in Bertram's eye the whole demeanour of the young man, +almost a giant in stature, was saturated with an arrogant sort of +self-complacency, which seemed to take unanimous applause for granted. +Nevertheless he replied with calm politeness:</p> + +<p class="normal">"I neither consider myself a poet, nor am I, to the best of my +knowledge, considered one by anybody who has read the few miserable +trifles in verse which I published years ago."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I protest against this most emphatically," exclaimed Lydia. "I have +read those 'miserable trifles in verse,' as you call them--what a +horrible expression. I know them by heart, and I consider the author to +be a poet--a poet by grace divine."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am extremely obliged to you," replied Bertram. "However, surely what +a man is born for is wont to announce itself, sooner or later, in a +man's own heart. With me that voice is absolutely silent; and, +therefore, I might surely claim the right of refusing to give the +evidence required of me. But not being specially qualified, and being +absolutely impartial, I would fain warn my friends not to repose +overmuch confidence in poets on that particular point. Anxious for the +applause of the many, as their trade seems to demand, they accommodate +themselves but too readily to the taste of the many, who, as we all +know, like very children, seize eagerly upon anything bright, +glistening, motley-coloured. Therefore, why should they not picture the +heroine as beautiful beyond compare, the hero as valorous beyond +comparison, and heap any number of additional titles to fame upon their +blessed heads! Whether one quality does not perchance exclude another, +whether the measure dealt out does not, anyhow, exceed all that is +reasonably possible--dear, dear, there are few who'll ask that +question; and if any one does, why, then, he is a pedant, and for +pedants the heroes of romance have no existence, any more than real +heroes have for their valets."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh! you scoffer--you wretch!" exclaimed Lydia. "Why, you will prove +next that beauty, that valour, that every virtue in the world, belongs +to the region of romance. What a terrible thing scepticism is! But our +friend was ever thus. Did I not say a short while ago: Hildegard, I +cannot believe that he has changed; he cannot change! And behold, he +is exactly what he always was!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, that's coming it pretty strong, seeing it's twenty years since +..."</p> + +<p class="normal">The corpulent host had laughingly given utterance to these words, then, +feeling his wife's dark eyes bent upon him in stern disapproval, he +broke off abruptly with Ahem! poured some wine into his own glass, +which was but half emptied, and then wanted to know why the gentlemen +present were not doing justice to the wine that night.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram, wishing to relieve his friends in their evident embarrassment, +came to the rescue, saying, with smiling, easy politeness: "Fräulein +von Aschhof only proves by her kind assertion of my immutability, that +she is indeed looking upon the world and mankind with a poetical eye. +But let us remember this--the poets themselves allow only the fair sex +to participate in the pleasing prerogative of the calmly careless ever +youthful gods; and the poets may venture on this deception, because the +listener is willing to be deceived. 'Breathes there a man with soul so +dead,' who ever ventured to count up the years of an Antigone, an +Iphigenia, a Helena? They are what they were--else they are not. But, +even the poet's flattering arts cannot keep the man from aging; and if +the poet would grant perennial youth to a man, he must needs let him +die in his youth--like Achilles."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I protest against this theory," Lydia exclaimed eagerly. "I assert +that heroes age as little as heroines."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Even that," Bertram replied with a smile, "would not help me, seeing +that I am no hero, assuming even that you were right. But I may be +permitted to indulge in some humble doubt. At best the hero of the +Odyssey appears distinctly as a man of mature age,--to put it +mildly,--and Pallas Athene must practise upon him her divine art of +beautifying before she ventures to introduce him among the Phæaci."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Baron was meanwhile playing with his spoons and forks again; he was +evidently annoyed at having been so long kept out of the conversation.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram went on as though he did not notice it at all; he very surely +was not speaking for that fellow's sake. He only cared to clear himself +in Erna's eyes from any suspicion that he, like the aged coquette +opposite him, was laying claim to a juvenility which had gone by for +ever; and seeing those eyes steadily bent upon him, he took heart of +grace, and went on in the same tone of easy, good-humoured banter--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Göethe, a modern, and in this case a tragic, poet too, in his +Nausicaan fragments, wisely forebore to bring in that art of +beautifying, which is only lawful for the epic poet in his antique +naïvety, and in order to bridge over the mighty difference and distance +of years, and to change the evidently improbable into something at +least credible, he takes refuge in illusion, causing it to arise from +the child's very heart, like a fog enveloping those pure eyes, that +clear mind--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="t4" style="text-indent:-4px"> +'That man must ever be a youthful man,<br> +Who is well-pleasing to a maiden's eyes.'<a name="div2Ref_01" href="#div2_01"><sup>[1]</sup></a></p> +</div> + +<p class="continue">Thus the aged nurse, taking the unspoken words, as it were, from +Nausicaa's chaste lips. A touching saying, touching, like children's +belief in the omnipotence of their parents! And about that +youthfulness, which exists nowhere except in the glorious dreams of a +young, inexperienced, generous soul, well, Göthe has told us something +with exquisite humour, not, as true humour indeed never is, without a +touch of melancholy, in the novelette of the man of fifty. Poor old +Major! I have always been heartily sorry for him. Remember how he begs +the services of the valet (skilled in the use of cosmetics) from his +friend the great actor; how that adroit official uses his balm, and his +stays, and his wadding for the aged gentleman, and yet cannot save the +diseased front tooth, and certainly cannot keep fair Hilarie from +falling vehemently in love with young Flavio, solely because she sees +him in raptures with the clever widow, solely because in Flavio's +raptures she beholds for the first time a representation of genuine, +ardent, youthful passion. All this is as true as it is charming, as +charming as it is melancholy, at least for the reader who is in a +position to test the hero's experiences and sentiments by his own +sentiments and experiences."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course; 'there's no fool like an old fool,' and I suppose that +really is the final outcome of the whole business," said the Baron.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How dare you talk of things you know nothing about, you prosaic +individual?" exclaimed Lydia, bringing her fan down upon the giant's +arm. "There is no talk of old people here. A man of fifty is not old, +he is in the prime of life, and is often ten times younger than your +used-up so-called young gentlemen. But I must really say something for +Göthe against our 'learned friend.' Yes, yes, my friend, I know the +novelette well; I read it aloud to the Court barely a week ago. Who +bids you take a comedy in that tragic way?--for the novelette in +question is a comedy--a 'Comedy of Errors.' Hilarie fancies she is in +love with the uncle, and really loves Flavio; Flavio fancies himself in +love with the young widow, whilst really he loves Hilarie; and how the +Major--well, I think the final scene at the inn proves emphatically +that he had only turned his feelings to--to--to--the wrong address, if +I may venture upon the expression; and that he and the clever widow +subsequently became a happy pair is perfectly clear to me. Or, do you +think not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">A warning glance flashed from Hildegard's dark eyes. Lydia positively +blushed through her layers of paint. She had shown her hand too +plainly!</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram struggled successfully against a strong inclination to smile; +nay, curiously enough, something like pity for her indiscretion stirred +within him. He went on--</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure, you are right, right, above all, in calling the novelette +a comedy. How little Göthe cared to have a tragic conflict is evident +from the fact that he chose circumstances as favourable as possible for +a happy conclusion, and that he from the very beginning secured a line +of retreat for every one concerned. The Major is the uncle of Hilarie, +the only daughter of his widowed mother, and he has doubtless acted the +part of father to her--has, up till now, loved her as his own child. +His rival, in whose favour he resigns his claims, is his own only son, +to whom he is also very much attached, and with whom he is on excellent +terms, whom he in fact treats like a comrade. Again, behind Hilarie, as +she vanishes from him, stands as it were the young widow; and in her +arms the Major will speedily forget the small humiliation. And lastly, +and this seems to me to be the chief point, Göethe has wisely avoided +to introduce the one element whereby he would have been enabled, nay +compelled, to turn the comedy into tragedy; he has ... but I beg pardon +of our fair hostess for being so garrulous. To be sure, it is high time +we rose from table!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Truly enough, the turn which the conversation had taken had, for Erna's +sake, been unwelcome to her mother. So she seized the opportunity and +rose from table. Erna, who had sat without turning her gaze from +Bertram, took a deep breath, like some one who is being recalled from +deep dreams to the consciousness of present realities, and followed the +example of the others. She and Bertram were the last couple that left +the dining-room on their return to the garden-saloon, which had +meanwhile been lighted up, and Bertram thought she was walking very +slowly--on purpose.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What was the one element, Uncle Bertram?" she asked.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What one element?"</p> + +<p class="normal">He knew what she meant; but he had broken off at table, because he +himself dreaded the utterance of the word. So he delayed his reply, and +just then his host appeared, bringing cigars: the gentlemen might smoke +on the verandah, whilst Lydia would give them some music.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You remember, Charles, do you not," he went on, "the <i>sonata +pathétique</i>--that used to be your favourite piece? And Lydia has +practised it often since, I think."</p> + +<p class="normal">Lydia was ready. Bertram, however, begged to be excused from remaining. +He felt, he said, after all, tired with the day's journey, and it was +but the charm of their company which had made him forget that he was +still a convalescent. He barely gave Hildegard time to draw him aside, +and to say to him in a whisper--</p> + +<p class="normal">"You really are most amiable. How good of you to take it so kindly. I +had not at dinner to-day courage enough to make my confession. Indeed I +have to confess, to say much to you--to-morrow ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"To-morrow be it, fair friend," said Bertram, kissing the lady's hand, +bowing to the rest, and making hastily for the door. He had not reached +it before Erna was by his side.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You used to say good-night to me less formally."</p> + +<p class="normal">He did not venture to press a kiss on the proffered brow, but only took +her hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">The great grave eyes gazed at him as though they would fain read what +was passing in his inmost soul.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good-night, dear child," he said hurriedly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good-night," she replied slowly, letting his hot, trembling hand glide +out of her own cool little one.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is lucky," said Bertram to himself, after he had dismissed Konski, +and as he stood alone by the open window in his bedroom, "it is very +lucky, indeed, that it is not very easy to read what is passing in +somebody else's soul. She would have found queer reading!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He leaned out of the window and gazed into the darkness. Not a breath +of air. From the garden below the fragrance of mignonette was wafted +up; the brook murmured aloud; a thin white veil was spread over the +valley, with here and there a dim speck of light. The sky was +cloudless, of deep blue, almost black colour; the moon looked like a +mass of gold, and one solitary star near it shone forth in red +splendour.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram recalled just such a night, long years ago, when a friend, the +assistant-astronomer, had given Erna's father and himself the +opportunity of witnessing, from the Bonn Observatory, the transit of +that same star--Aldebaran--through the moon! Afterwards he had +accompanied Otto back to Poppelsdorf, and Otto had in his turn walked +back with him to the Pförtchen in Bonn; and so backward and forward, +all through the mild summer's night, until the light of morning had +come, and the birds were beginning to twitter in the leafy crowns of +the chestnut trees. And they had been raving of friendship and love--of +the love they both, most fraternally, cherished for one and the same +black-eyed beauty, the daughter of one of their professors, and they +had both been sublimely happy, all their misery notwithstanding, for +the black-eyed one was known to love another--"Great Heaven, how long, +how long ago? A generation, and more. And now ...?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now," he went on, "you are about to fall in love with the daughter +of the same man whom then you rivalled in absurdly exaggerated, +donkey-like phantasies--with a girl of eighteen, whose father you could +be. And this time you would not get off with raving incoherently for a +night of two, and with scribbling a few mediocre sonnets! Be +reasonable, old man. Let it go--let it go! You know full well you can +have no abiding place here, any more than the horseman in the +Piccolomini. Behind you, too, as you ride along, crouches the lean +companion and clasps you in his bony arms, and every now and again taps +at your heart, to test if it is still stupid enough to throb for a +beauteous maiden who is seated by the window among wallflowers and +rosemary.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And behind the curtain stands her lover, and bends across her, that +he, too, may look upon the mad horseman, who is stretching out his neck +to see his darling. And the clumsy fellow with the bull's neck wrinkles +his silly brow, twirls his mustachio, strokes his beard, mutters <i>Mort +de ma vie!</i> and shakes his coarse fist. But she pouts, and giggles and +bursts out laughing, and falls on the neck of the jealous one ...</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, no; it cannot be! You only want to hear from her lips that it +cannot be. And then--away, away--ride out of the gate--to swift, +honourable death. And God's blessing on thee, thou gentle, lovely, and +beloved child!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He closed the window gently, and so to bed; to bed, but not to sleep. +He could not find that repose he stood so much in need of. The brook +murmured so loudly, or was it the hot bloody surging to his temples?</p> + +<p class="normal">And was he about to sink into slumber, he would start up again +immediately; he seemed again, to be holding her by the hand, and she +bent her forehead to be kissed by him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No--no! Lead me not into temptation! Do not ask me what the one thing +is! I would not say it, even, if--what God forbid!--it were so. I will +not let you beguile me into a tragedy, any more than from one comedy +into another."</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>VI.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">This thought, which had at length quieted Bertram's, wildly tumultuous +spirits, was also his first, when late next morning he awoke from deep +and dreamless slumbers--neither tragedy nor comedy! Calm and clear +observation, as best becomes a solitary individual who has done with +life; who neither hopes nor fears anything from Fate for himself; +maintaining a benevolent interest in the fate of others, where +benevolence is merited and interest is justified; cherishing throughout +the conviction that, after all, every one makes or mars his own life; +that interference and advice are rarely of much use, and generally +distinctly hurtful; and that, even under the most favourable +circumstances, the task of mediator is ever, of all tasks, the most +thankless.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the clear light of these contemplations and of the delicious morning +which was resting in sunny radiance above the lovely landscape, last +night's scenes appeared to Bertram like the confused darkness of a +feverish dream; nay, he derived some comfort from the thought that he +probably had been ill, and was therefore only partly responsible for +his extraordinary demeanour. Still, he was gravely responsible for one +thing--he ought sooner to have become conscious of his condition. He +might well thank his stars that in his excited state he had not behaved +even more strangely; above all, that to-day, for the first time since +his last long and severe illness, he felt as fresh and strong as in his +best days. Assuredly with the morning all things seemed to have become +better--much better than he could have expected--than he deserved!</p> + +<p class="normal">The master's disposition was singularly serene, and he gave it a most +friendly expression in the course of his toilet, showing himself ready +for a friendly gossip with Konski; but Konski, strange, to say, was out +of temper, and refused to be gossiped with.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last Bertram said: "What ails you? If you are displeased, at what I +said yesterday about our speedy departure, you may calm yourself. We +still remain here for the whole time we had originally arranged. I see +you have unpacked already."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We may leave to-day, for aught I care!" grumbled Konski.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What's up now? Out with it, Konski! You know I cannot bear sour looks. +Anything in connection with Mamsell Christine?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course it is!" replied Konski; "and I wonder who's to keep from +sour looks under these circumstances! I had written to her that this +was to be my last trip with you, and when we returned from Italy in +March we might go and be spliced. I did not want to tell you at all, +but don't you see, sir, one gets older every year, and it has to be +some time or other, and ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And now you wish to marry at once, and I am to give you your +discharge?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Marry at once, indeed!" sniffed Konski; "she won't marry at all +now--leastways, not me--and that, after we have been engaged these +five years! But there is no trusting them women, and especially the old +ones! She is five and forty years of age, she is,--a year older than I +am myself; and now she's going to marry a young greenhorn of five and +twenty!"</p> + +<p class="normal">It was some time before Konski, generally so calm and patient, could +explain in detail to his master how badly he had been treated. +According to his account, Mamsell Christine had written the tenderest +letters to him until a few weeks ago, and had declared herself +agreeable to all his suggestions and proposals; and now it appeared +from the statements of the other servants whom he had cross-questioned, +and whose evidence the faithless one could not but corroborate, that +she had been "carrying on" for a long while with one Peter Weissenborn, +who had formerly been head-gardener at Rinstedt, and who had been +settled in the neighbouring town for the last six months, and who was +now, it was said, likely to be appointed one of the Court gardeners, +thanks to the protection of the Herr Baron. The Herr Baron, Konski went +on, had also induced My Lady to give Mamsell Christine leave to quit +her service at any time without formal notice; and, indeed, the +servants all said, that the way to get My Lady's consent to anything, +was to get the Herr Baron on your side; that made success quite +certain. And My Lady was said to be quite in favour of this marriage +between Christine and the future Court gardener. In that case she would +always have two of her former servants at hand when she came to town, +and that was likely to be an event of frequent occurrence now; if, +indeed, she did not go to live there altogether, as some of the +servants asserted--Aurora, for instance--My Lady's maid, who was her +second favourite, next to Christine.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram endeavoured to comfort the poor fellow. He pointed out to him +that he should be glad to be rid of a person who had evidently never +meant honestly by him, and who would in all probability have been as +faithless in marriage as she had now proved before. This conviction led +him to reject any wish there might exist to get the matter rectified +again, as was done sometimes, and in much higher social circles too; +otherwise he would have been willing to use his influence with My Lady, +which presumably would have been at least as telling as that of the +Herr Baron.</p> + +<p class="normal">Konski shook his head. "I am extremely obliged to you, sir," said he. +"I am quite content if you will still keep me on, after I have proved +myself to be such a thorough ass. And, as far as talking to her +Ladyship goes, that would be in vain--the Herr Baron is cock of the +walk there. I could tell you a good deal more about that, but I know +you do not like that sort of thing!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram was startled. The man's last remark could have but one meaning, +and the image of the girl among the wallflowers and with the jealous +lover, emerged in singular distinctness from last night's feverish +phantasies. He would fain have for once broken through his rule of +never going out of his way to listen to the gossip of kitchen and +servants' hall, but, as Konski did not volunteer any further remarks, +he was ashamed to put any direct questions. Just at that moment, too, +there came a knock, and a servant brought a message from her Ladyship. +She had learned that the Herr Doctor had risen, and might she request +the Herr Doctor's' company on the verandah to tea?</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram lost no time in following the invitation. Hildegard, who had +been sitting in a shaded corner of the verandah at the deserted +breakfast-table, came forward to meet him. As she moved towards him +with well-balanced step, he could not but recall last night's talk +about the never-changing beauty of a poet's heroine. He gazed upon the +lofty figure in its youthful slimness, the clear, deep colouring of the +incomparably beautiful countenance, the blue-black splendour of the +ample hair, smooth at the temples, and crowning the glorious head with +a dense braid.</p> + +<p class="normal">There was a smile on her dainty lips, and if deepened a little as she +saw her guest's speaking eyes bent upon her in undisguised admiration. +She was making tender inquiries about the state of his health, leading +him the while to the table and making him sit beside her, with the +kettle bubbling in front of them.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Otto," she said, "is, as usual, somewhere about the estate. The Baron +is painting a portion of the village from the bottom terrace, and Lydia +is, I believe, keeping him company with a book. Erna, you will probably +find later on in her favourite place, under the big plantain tree. I +have sent them all away, because I so long to have a comfortable +confidential chat with you. Yesterday we did not manage to have one. +And first of all, dear friend, accept my hearty thanks for having so +kindly pardoned a breach of confidence of which I--not from choice--had +been guilty. Nay, do not refuse the expression of my gratitude. I saw +how hard you found it to appear unconscious and serene; I thank you all +the more. But I knew that with your wonted cleverness you would at once +find the only correct point of view--that of pity. Whatever has been +done and sinned between the two of you,--she is the one to be pitied. A +poor girl, growing old, even if she is in favour at Court; and although +the Grand Ducal family could not be kinder, yet all this cannot satisfy +the cravings of her eager mind--but I perceive that this is a painful +topic for you!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is not painful for me," replied Bertram; "or at least only so far +as the description of a dissatisfied, unquiet soul must ever be painful +for us, if it is hopelessly out of our power to bring satisfaction and +peace to it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I understand you," said Hildegard; "and you will understand me when I +beg of you not quite to rob the poor soul in question of its utterly +foolish hopes to which it clings, alas! with incredible tenacity. You +can do this so easily: you need but be amiable and, courteous to her, +as you are to everybody--no more, but, to be sure, no less--do you +consent?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will try, since you wish it--on one condition!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And this condition?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have come to the following determination--indeed, it is a matter of +course for me. In the drama of human life I will not henceforth ever +again leave, my well-won place in the stalls, and under no +circumstances will I take a part on the stage itself--no tragic +part--and still less a comic one!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"From the latter," replied his fair hostess with a smile, "you are +safe under any circumstances, through your own cleverness; from the +former----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Through my age."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I meant to say, also through your cleverness; or, if you prefer it, +through the cool, unimpassioned frame of mind which you have grown +into, and which I often envy you!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram looked up in amazement, and then quickly busied himself with +his tea-cup. Hildegard, to envy him his coolness! Hildegard, who had +ever appeared to him the very embodiment of conscious equanimity!</p> + +<p class="normal">"You may be surprised to hear this from me," she continued; "but must +we not all, sooner or later, learn the lesson of resignation? And my +time surely has come. Indeed, it has been so all my life. What have not +I had to resign in the course of my life! Or do you think that the +husband's wealth can blind the wife, if she be proud, to the +consciousness that she is not loved as she longs, and as, may be, she +deserves to be loved?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram knew these phrases from of old; but he said to himself that +to-day particularly he must make the best of everything, so he +exclaimed--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is it possible, my friend, that you still cherish this hypochondriacal +fear which you have given utterance to before, but from which I deemed +you cured long ago? How can you complain of a deficiency in love, when +your husband positively adores you? You can utter no wish, simply +because what you could wish for is already fulfilled. Or you need but +have a wish, and it is forthwith fulfilled."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are pleading for the friend of your youth," she made answer, +raising her dark eyebrows. "Do not forget this: I am bringing no charge +against him. I am resigned. Were I to die to-day, what would his loss +come to? What would he miss?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The brightness of his life," Bertram replied gallantly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"As if he cared for the brightness of his life!" said his wife. "Is it +so? Does he share one of my fancies, my harmless <i>penchants</i>? Does he +not vainly strive to appear interested in the things of beauty with +which I love to surround, myself and to decorate our dwelling? Did he +not consent wit evident repugnance to have the mansion-house restored +in a style befitting a whilom princely residence--to let me seek out +and renew the old, tangled paths through the Park? Does he support me +in my humane undertakings? Have I not had to beg the few thousand +thalers from him that I required for my Kindergarten and for my +poorhouse? Why, he lives solely for his porcelain factory, his sugar +refinery, his coal-mines, his new railway project! I say again: I have +accepted all this as inevitable, and as a matter of course, as long as +I alone was concerned, as long as I alone suffered. But, indeed, to +bring Erna into this life of trivialities, to leave the dear child in a +sphere where she sees nothing, hears nothing, that could give the +slightest nourishment to head or heart, where anything and everything +revolves round Mammon, is sacrificed to Mammon--that is beyond me, +beyond my strength!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then, if I understand you aright, you wish, to get Erna married?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Through the soft, velvety radiance of the deep-brown eyes flashed +something like a deeper light. The question was evidently not +expected--at least not yet--but the next moment already her eyes had +resumed their customary expression, and she forced those beautiful lips +to smile, as she said, in a tone of gentle reproach--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let us express it rather less egotistically. I should like Erna to +find a husband worthy of her."</p> + +<p class="normal">"A most natural wish too! One which every mother cherishes for a +grown-up daughter. And as an old friend of the family I heartily join +in the wish, and do not for a moment doubt that we shall readily agree +as to what we shall expect her husband to be."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am not so sure on that point."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let us try anyhow. Firstly, he should be noble!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is not your conviction."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then let it be a concession. If people wish to come to an +understanding they must be prepared to make concessions."</p> + +<p class="normal">"This concession I accept gladly. Go on, please."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He should not be a scholar by profession; but have a good--a man of +the world's--education, and a taste for the fine arts. In fact, we want +a cavalier, of course, in the best sense of the word."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Agreed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He need not be wealthy. In fact, it would be preferable that he had no +fortune, he would in that case be all the more indebted to Erna."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Most true!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"He should not be a landed proprietor, or at least not a man who feels +it a duty and an absolute necessity to live in the country and devote +himself to agriculture. Best of all, he should have no definite +calling, or, anyhow, only one which did not impose difficult and +troublesome duties; say a position which should have it as a natural +consequence that the man in question moved in the best society, and +even came occasionally into pleasant contact with Court circles."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Best of friends, how strangely skilled you are in reading a mother's +heart!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let me, then, look to the very bottom of it, where possibly the name +of the individual in question is already written. If I read the +characters correctly, they form the name ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now I am truly keen to know."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Baron Kuno von Lotter-Vippach."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Lydia has told you!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No. Neither Fräulein von Aschhof nor any one else has spoken to me, I +give you my word of honour."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But it is most strange ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why so strange? Am I not a very old friend, to whom you have many a +time talked on most important topics, and whom you have many a time +honoured with your most intimate confidence?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then it is all the better, all the more deserving of my gratitude; +and I thank you heartily, sincerely ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">She had seized both his hands; her beautiful countenance, now lighted +up with a flush of gladness, had never been more beautiful; yet to +Bertram it appeared like some hideous mask.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I cannot accept your thanks," he said, withdrawing his hands with +slight and very hurried pressure. "I could but do so honestly, if I +shared those wishes of yours which I have guessed. That is not quite +the case. The impression which Baron Lotter made upon me yesterday was +not specially favourable; to be quite open, the impression was +unfavourable."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That," Hildegard replied eagerly, "leaves me very calm. You men +seldom like each other at a first encounter, and at a second you find +one another charming. In the Baron's case no second encounter has even +been necessary; he overflows with your praises; he calls you the +cleverest and most amiable of men; he is charmed to have made your +acquaintance; and I am convinced that you, too, my friend, will soon +modify your judgment--I should almost like to say your prejudice--once +you come to know the Baron better. He is somewhat spoiled, like all +very handsome men; somewhat conceited, if you like; but at bottom very +modest, easily led, good as gold. He will please you, believe me, and +more than please you! You will come to esteem and love him!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is the more important question, to me the most important, already +settled? Does Erna think as favourably of the Baron? Does she love him? +For that he loves her, I must, I suppose, assume."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is beyond all doubt," Hildegard made answer; "as for Erna, I hope +so, I believe so; anyhow she does not express herself unfavourably +about him, and that, with Erna, means a good deal, for she is not at +all easily pleased, and is not accustomed to conceal her dislike, if +dislike there be. It is of course difficult to form a correct opinion +of Erna's sentiments; doubly difficult for me, because she has +been so long from home, and we are not always in accord in our +views and tendencies. Again, in Lydia she has never placed full +confidence--which, by the by, I can scarcely wonder at. I only know one +being whom she thoroughly trusts--and you dear friend, are the one!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Are you surprised to hear this? Surely not? Has not the child always +been so fond of Uncle Bertram, that we, her parents, might have grown +jealous? Has she not ever been your favourite? If she is so no longer, +for goodness sake do not let the poor girl see it. She would be +inconsolable."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now, you are laughing at me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Indeed, I am not. Ask Lydia. That Lydia often speaks of you, you will +find natural enough, and that now and again a word of bitterness slips +in, you will find pardonable. Erna does not pardon it. In her eyes you +are once and for good raised above all reproach. You are, as it were, +her ideal. It is a downright case of infatuation, and it goes so far +that she once assured us, with all a child's gravity--she was still +almost a child--that if ever she married, Uncle Bertram must be her +husband and she got quite angry when Lydia and I laughed at her."</p> + +<p class="normal">The beautiful lady smiled, and Bertram succeeded in forcing a smile +too.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How very funny," he said; "but then very young girls are proverbially +prone to conceive infatuation for some one or other of their masters, +and I think, in Lydia's eyes, I have always been one of her +instructors, in literature and what not. Poor girls! they give their +affections to old Mentor, but they mean young Telemachus. Well, and +there is apparently a young Telemachus on the stage already, if you +have seen aright."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Just to decide that point," replied Hildegard, "Mentor must not yet +resign his functions. On the contrary, I must entreat him most urgently +to help the mother with his clear vision and his advice, and to use his +old influence with the daughter. I may rely upon this, my trusty +friend, may I not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">She held out her hand to him with these words. He raised it +deferentially to his lips and said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"You may rest convinced that Erna's well-being is dearer to me than +anything else in the world."</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard had wished and had expected another, a more definite, answer. +It was still doubtful whether she had really acquired an ally in him. +However, the main point was gained; she had taken the initiative, had +represented the affair from her own point of view, had appealed to +Bertram's friendship, had asked for his assistance, had given him a +proof of her confidence, which he would doubtless accept as +unconditional. This sort of thing is always flattering to a man, always +makes him feel indebted. Of course, a woman must flatter a man if she +would make him feel indebted.</p> + +<p class="normal">Just then it was anyhow impossible to obtain a more definite assurance +from Bertram, for the Baron and Lydia were ascending the main steps of +the terrace; the Baron, in his temporary capacity as artist, clad in a +costume of brown velvet, and a straw hat with a stupendously broad +brim, and Lydia in such a grotesquely fantastic morning costume as to +suggest the idea that she had been acting as model for some wonderful +sketch of the artist. And indeed she did figure upon the canvas, but +only as a bit of the foreground, which represented a portion of the +terrace, across which you looked down into the valley and at the +village, with the wooded hills rising behind. The Baron was evidently +much pleased with his work, although he declared again and again not to +have half finished it; it was not fair, he added, to apply to a hasty +sketch the same standard of judgment as to a regular studio picture, in +which everything would of course turn out quite different. This, +Bertram could not but think, would be most desirable, but hardly very +probable. This so-called sketch was evidently a picture which had +already been touched and retouched, some portions had been painted over +two, even three times, and divers desultory dilettante endeavours had +failed to bring anything like harmony into the composition. +Nevertheless he politely agreed with the ladies' words of praise, which +flowed freely from Hildegard's lips, while Lydia, as was her wont, +launched out in extravagant eulogy: wonderful, was it not, what +progress the Herr Baron made day by day? At last there was once more a +painter with a mission for historical landscapes on a grand scale! The +resemblance of his genius to that of a Rottmann, a Preller--became more +and more apparent. Nor did she alone think so. Only the other day, at +Court, when they were talking of the pupils at the Academy of Arts, and +some one mentioned the Baron's name, Princess Amelia said, and said +with marked emphasis, "No pupil he, ladies, nay, a master, and a great +master! The Baron is a distinct acquisition for our School of Arts; he +represents a triumph!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, it is true; the august lady is very graciously disposed towards +me," asserted the Baron, stroking his natty beard. "I wonder what she +will say to my new sketches."</p> + +<p class="normal">Fortunately for Bertram, who was planning his escape under some pretext +or other from this painful scene, his host now came up to greet his +friend, and to ask if he felt strong enough and was inclined to go for +a little drive with him; only to the porcelain factory, they would be +back in an hour. Bertram declared his readiness.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Baron would surely like to go with you," said Hildegard, +exchanging glances with her husband; "but I fear there is barely +comfortable room even for two in your little trap."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Baron hastened to assure her that he could not go, anyhow, as he +had promised Miss Erna to try the accompaniment to some new songs with +her.</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard asked Bertram if he would not, before starting, say good +morning to Erna, who would be hurt if he left without having done so.</p> + +<p class="normal">They called for Erna in vain. It seemed to Bertram that Hildegard only +wished to find time enough to beckon him aside, and to whisper to him +that he need not conceal from her husband what they had been discussing +in reference to Erna. On the contrary, she was anxious to learn Otto's +opinion of the whole matter; he would probably speak with less reserve +to his friend than, alas! to her, and that Bertram would take her side +she felt sure now.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But Erna is not coming, I see," she exclaimed aloud; "I will not keep +you gentlemen any longer. <i>Au revoir</i>--an hour hence."</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>VII.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">The little trap was so light, and the road was in such good condition, +that the friends were able to drive at a very fair pace, in spite of +the not inconsiderable gradient. Soon they passed into the wood. +The easy, comfortable motion, the perfect beauty of the morning, the +fact that the friends were for the first time in undisturbed +companionship--all seemed to favour a confidential exchange of +thoughts. Yet both men were silent, and barely exchanged a word or two +on indifferent topics. At last Otto said, after he had taken a stolen +side-glance or two of his friend--</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you think, Charles--shall we walk a bit? The road now will be +virtually level for some distance."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram nodded assent. The carriage stopped. Otto bade the man drive +slowly on in front of them, in the direction of the factory.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You never can be sure," he began, as they were striding along the +well-kept footpath by the side of the road, "that these beggars do not +hear more than they should; and I particularly want to ask you +something. Tell me--but quite honestly, mind--how do you like the +Baron?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let us come to the point at once," replied Bertram; "I have had a talk +with your wife."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh! indeed!" exclaimed Otto, hiding his embarrassment as best he could +by bursting out laughing, and abruptly leaving off again. "That is to +say, I rather thought you would. I should like to have done the same--I +mean had a talk with you--yesterday, in fact; but my wife told me not +to ... and, don't you know, the ladies always claim precedence."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Very well; then let me commence at the point where my conversation +with your wife came to an end--with the question which she either could +not or would not answer when I pressed her, and which seems to me of +paramount importance--Does Erna love the Baron? Have you, between you, +or have you yourself, any proof of--any support of this? Have you made +any observation from which you could conclude such a thing?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Look here, old man," said Otto, "you are asking a lot at once. I can't +follow you. Proof--support--observation! Good Heaven! Who can look into +a girl's head and heart? She has said nothing to me, and rather than +ask her--ask her--it's such a queer question to ask, and possibly one +might only do harm by it, and learn nothing in the long run, or at +least not the truth. Of course she is fond enough of me, and has +confidence in me. Heaven knows how fond I am of her! but father and +daughter, you know--or rather you do not know, for you never had a +daughter--that's a curious business!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He had taken off his hat and was scratching his head in his perplexity. +Bertram understood that he was not likely to get anything out of him +that way. After a pause Bertram said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, let us assume--although, to say the truth, I find it very hard +to do so--let us assume that Erna does love this man. Would you then be +able to say Yea and Amen with a good conscience? In other words, are +you convinced that the man would make Erna happy? That he has, anyhow, +the qualities which according to human reasoning and experience, render +her happiness at least possible? That he is a man of honour, of fit and +upright disposition;--in a word, that he is a gentleman?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"A gentleman!" exclaimed Otto in amazement "Why, good Heaven!--a man +belonging to such a family--bearing such a name--a constant guest at +Court--invited to every ball, every evening party there; besides +joining their private circle, once or twice every week--why, he must be +a gentleman!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The deuce he must!" exclaimed Bertram angrily. "If you have no better +guarantee than Court balls and such like humbug!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"But what more would you have?" said Otto. "What more would any one +have? If that is no guarantee I wonder what you would call one. I have +it as a matter of certainty from Lydia, that his nomination as +Chamberlain is made out, is lying ready for signature in the Grand +Duke's cabinet; and Lydia ought to know, for, between you and me, she, +with the help of our Court Marshal, an old friend of Lotter's father, +has been urging the matter strongly at Court. Lotter is very grateful +to her, and says quite frankly, that but for her he might have had to +wait much longer; and I think that is, a trait in his favour--although +I am convinced--but you must please not give any indication that you +know--although I am convinced that Lydia has not tried her hardest for +Lotter's own sake, but to conciliate my wife, who is bent upon seeing +her future son-in-law hold some Court appointment. And the reason why +Lydia had to keep in my wife's good graces is not far to seek; and, old +fellow, she has had her way at last, and is allowed to sojourn once +more under the same roof with you. You see: <i>manus manum lavat.</i>"</p> + +<p class="normal">"So I see, indeed," laughed Bertram. "And now Hildegard must again keep +me in good-humour, that I, in my turn, may keep you in good-humour. It +were strange indeed, if, under these circumstances, we were not, all of +us, in the very best humour!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"This hardly seems to be your case as yet," said Otto, "your laughter +notwithstanding."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nor, I hope, yours either," exclaimed Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why do you hope so?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram made no answer. His Heart was full of sorrow and wrath. He saw +that the whole affair was arranged--among the two women anyhow--and the +easy-going henpecked husband by his side would be sure to say yes to +everything, had probably done so already, and this was but the second +scene this morning in a nicely-arranged comedy, with all the parts +carefully distributed beforehand. Evidently the drive had but one +object--to give Otto an opportunity of saying his part. And he, +himself?--Why, barely an hour ago he had solemnly protested to the fair +stage-manager that never more would he act again! And she had listened +to his solemn protest without laughing in his face! Well, well; there +might yet be a chance of interpreting some passage in a way that the +clever lady had not thought of!</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto broke the silence, after they had been walking side by side for +some little time, by saying somewhat humbly--</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are angry with me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What right could I have to be so?" replied Bertram. "I am no relation +of yours. I am nothing but a friend; and, as such, I have no right +whatever. It is only my duty to give an honest answer if you consult me +on a matter of importance. And there is properly no consultation in +this case. You are not in need of any advice; you, her parents, are +resolved. Nothing is wanting, but the merest trifle--Erna's consent. +And, as that is sure to be given in good time, the whole thing is +clearly settled, and we may as well talk of something else."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, no!" exclaimed Otto, "nothing is settled; and the matter is by no +means clear--clear--not in my mind, anyhow; and Hildegard has not the +faintest conception how things really stand. She thinks it is only my +want of resolution that ... And because she knows how much I value your +judgment--if I could only tell you everything ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But you cannot, and you would be, sorry for it afterwards. Therefore, +you had better not try."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But I must at length tell some one, and there is no one else in the +world whom I could say it to. Listen: I ... I ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">A kind of spasm passed over the full, round, good-humoured face; the +blue eyes, which he kept rigidly fixed upon his friend, seemed to +struggle against rising tears.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I--I am ruined!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He had just managed to pronounce these words hoarsely; then he broke, +down and sunk upon a log of wood which was lying by the roadside.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram had, at first to struggle against the terrible notion that his +friend had suddenly gone mad. But his look, though one of utter +despair, was not that of a madman.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is this you say, Otto? Impossible, impossible!" he said, sitting +down upon the log by the side of his friend, who seemed bereft of all +strength. "Go on, anyhow, that I may judge what it comes to. I am quite +convinced--beforehand that it comes to nothing at all. But speak, for +goodness sake, speak!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto nodded assent, and murmured--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, yes, I will speak. Come to nothing, forsooth! I have seen it +coming--for a long time past--for the last four years at least--ever +since I started, in addition to all the other things, that confounded +sugar refinery. We made it a Company; but I hold all the shares myself +now--I could not bear to ruin the poor beggars who, trusting in me, +had taken up the rest. This has cost me untold money; and the whole +thing was a failure, and the building is ready to be pulled down +again--would already have been pulled down if that, again, did not +require money. Besides, a thousand acres of my best soil planted with +beetroot--food for the pigs now. And yonder is that porcelain factory, +year by year a balance on the wrong side; and then the mines--yes, yes, +formerly, but not now ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">There had been one long series of enterprises, each of which had turned +out more unsatisfactory, and, in the long run, more ruinous than the +other; and with increasing swiftness they had swallowed up ever bigger +sums, and had now at length given at least a most severe shock to a +very considerable fortune. This much Bertram gathered clearly from the +statements of his friend, although he only understood a small part of +the technical and mercantile details.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But how on earth," he exclaimed, "could a quiet, sensible man like +yourself ever dream of venturing on this 'inclined plane'? How could +you graft one reckless, foolhardy speculation upon another; neglect, +ruin those splendid estates, the legacy of your fathers; stake your +peace of mind, your happiness? And if it had been a question of +yourself only! But your child--your wife ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">He paused abruptly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Poor chap!" he murmured. "I think I understand after all--poor, good +chap!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He was pressing Otto's hand warmly. Their eyes met. His unhappy friend +was smiling, and a most melancholy smile it was.</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure, to be sure," he said; "I did not want it cried from the +house-tops; I knew you would find the reason. I myself--dear, dear--I +would not have cared to increase my gains. I should have been more than +satisfied with the estates and the mines, or with the estates alone, if +the mines ceased to yield a profit. You know how as a young man I used +to be quite ashamed of having so much money, never a farthing of which +I had earned, when I saw how my betters had to toil and moil. And I +knew too that I was not good enough for her--that it was great +condescension on her part to marry me at all--that I must needs ever +be in her debt. From the very commencement I let her have her own +way--she should never be able to say that I, the <i>bourgeois</i> +proprietor's son, was ignorant of what befitted and became a beautiful +young lady of high degree. I even--don't laugh at me, man--even tried +to procure a patent of nobility, she wished it so very much; and I have +made many a sacrifice with that object. This whole, ill-starred +porcelain factory, for instance--I had been told that at Court they +would like me to establish one, and indeed they buy here what they +require, though, to be sure, only for kitchen and servants' hall--and +there was many another thing besides. And then she wanted the terraces +and the park and the mansion-house restored--in the true style, I think +they call it--and she takes delight in all this, trumpery rubbish of +dim old mirrors, and shaky old chairs, and worm-eaten old cabinets, and +coffee-coloured, pictures, and abominable old pots and pans; and I, +great God! would willingly buy the whole world for her--lay it at her +feet--if only she would love me a little in return. But--you see, +Charles, it has all been in vain--quite in vain!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The big man had buried his face in his hands, and was sobbing like a +child. Bertram's soul was filled with pity. The wretched weakness of +his friend in reference to his beautiful and beloved, but cold, +unloving wife, and its mournful consequences--he now understood it all +too well not to be ready to pardon--to a certain extent. But that, +husband and wife must settle, must bear, among them--only Erna should +not be dragged to ruin, should not also be sacrificed to her mother's +unbounded selfishness. And perhaps this was the one bright spot in the +dark picture which his friend had drawn of his position.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have not endeavoured to give the Baron a clear view of your +situation?" he asked.</p> + +<p class="normal">"For goodness sake--no; certainly not," exclaimed Otto, rising in +terror from his stooping position. "Anything but that!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And yet you will have to do so as soon as he formally asks Erna's hand +from you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"How can I tell him the truth? He would withdraw immediately."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Otto, are you not ashamed of yourself? And you would really give Erna +to such a cur?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What am I to do?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What you are simply obliged to do as a man of honour, not to say as a +father!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And he'll talk about it--here, in the town, at Court--and everything, +everything depends upon my credit remaining unquestioned, at least a +little longer. If the projected railway is made to pass through here in +lieu of through the valley below, it would be done mainly on account of +my establishments, my factories, and what not. And in that case I am +saved--nay, I must needs grow wealthier than ever I have been. But the +ultimate granting of the concession--our local Parliament +notwithstanding--rests with the Government; and Lotter, with his divers +relations, his well-known influence ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">He paused, then resumed in a somewhat less confident tone--</p> + +<p class="normal">"If, therefore, I do not reveal everything to him at present--and, by +the by, there is no need for it yet--I am not acting dishonestly, but +in everybody's interest. You will grant me this much."</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure," replied Bertram. "I only fear you will not be able to +continue this profitable silence for any length of time. For any +day it may happen that the young people come to an understanding, +and--to-morrow, perhaps, or this very day--they may come and ask for +your blessing."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It would kill me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It would, anyhow, be extremely awkward! Therefore, I beg to make the +following proposal to you. I am already authorised by your wife to +sound Erna; I now ask you to give me the same commission; and you will +tell your wife that you have spoken to me about it. Thus you will both +have placed the matter into my hands as it were. Now I shall find Erna +either distinctly favourable to your plan, or else distinctly +unfavourable, or undecided. In the latter case, I will try to confirm +her in that state of mind; and would prove to your wife that to advance +with inconsiderate rashness must needs be risking, and, probably, +spoiling everything. But even if Erna, really loves the Baron, or, on +the other hand, if she is satisfied in her own mind that he is not the +man who corresponds to her ideal--all girls create such an ideal for +themselves--well, I think I have influence enough with her--or, in case +of need, I possess diplomatic talent enough, to get the ultimate +decision put off one way or the other. For how long--we shall judge by +and by, once you and I are so far agreed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear boy, I put myself entirely in your hands. I'll not take a step +without you. Gracious me--what a lucky thing that you have come! I do +not know what would have become of me, and of the whole business."</p> + +<p class="normal">He shook and pressed both his friend's hands in the excess of his +gratitude, looked upon his situation already in a much more hopeful +light, turned the conversation again to the new railway and to the +stupendous chances which would come to him in case the decision was +favourable, and that it would be so, he suddenly assumed to be +probable, nay, certain. He never noticed that Bertram had made the +little carriage turn which was waiting for them at the end of the wood, +and that now they were driving back the way they had come. The +suggested inspection of the factory had only been a pretext for having +an undisturbed hour with Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">His friend was now sitting in silence by his side. Otto kept on talking +to him, lowering his voice on account of the driver's presence. Bertram +hardly heard what he said. He hardly saw, either--or if he saw, it was +like in a dream--the golden lights flash down through the top of the +giant firs, and play around the brown stems and along the mossy ground; +he saw but as in a dream the lovely vistas which opened here and there, +giving glimpses of loveliest landscape beauty in the valley far below. +His busy mind was working and modelling away at the part in the family +drama which had, after all, been forced upon him, and which he had not +dared to decline--for Erna's sake.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>VIII.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">For Erna's sake! How often he repeated that phrase to himself in the +course of the day! He wanted nothing for himself. What, indeed, could +he have wanted for himself? Nothing more than a man who should see a +child lost, in danger, among a crowd of carriages, and who should bound +to the spot and carry the child away to some place of safety; nothing +more than a wanderer, who sees a fellow-traveller start upon a road of +which he knows of old the insecure state, and who warns the heedless +man to take some other road instead. One does so because it is one's +duty as a human being; one does so because one's heart urges one to do +it, because one cannot help doing it.</p> + +<p class="normal">Yes, a man acts and speaks in such situations as he would hardly act or +speak for his own sake. He is more courageous or more anxious than he +would be, if his own weal or woe were at stake. One grows beyond one's +self, or else sinks beneath one's own everyday moral level.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And the latter is meanwhile my case," said Bertram to himself, as he +played his part with due zeal, and, as he thought, with great success. +It was a natural consequence, of that part that he lectured Hildegard +(after the event), because she had not yesterday taken him at once into +her confidence; that he exchanged with his friend Otto looks of the +completest accord and understanding; that he used with Lydia--to her +evident delight--a tone of mingled melancholy and fun, which appeared +half to express and half to hide a deeper emotion; and that with the +Baron he completely dropped his calm manner of the day preceding. How +else could he form an opinion of the man? And how could he be a +faithful counsellor to Erna without having formed an opinion?</p> + +<p class="normal">So he examined the Baron's portfolio with patient attention, whilst +that nobleman turned over the leaves and gave explanations. The +collection would have been a priceless treasure if the quality had +corresponded with the quantity. There were sketches from almost every +country in Europe; the northern coast of Africa, too--Algiers, +Tunis--was largely represented. And then the painter's talent +embraced all styles and kinds of painting:--landscape, architecture, +still-life, portraiture--nothing had escaped the unwearied brush, +nothing had appeared too difficult. On the contrary, there were the +most unlikely effects of light and shade, the oddest scenes, the most +<i>risqué</i> situations, involving the wildest inroads on the laws of +perspective and the most reckless foreshortening--and the daring +sketcher seemed positively to have revelled in these. And yet Bertram +had to confess to himself that a not inconsiderable talent, which, with +patient and careful schooling, might have borne beautiful fruit, had +been recklessly wasted--and, indeed, generally recklessness did seem to +him to be the Baron's leading characteristic. Anyhow, the painter's +fluent comments on his own sketches quite corresponded to the reckless +style of painting. Everywhere his ideas, good ones and bad ones, and +some really original ones, were clothed in the same hurried, flurried, +sometimes absurd form, showing a ready, but never a profound insight +into human relations, into manners and customs of nations; much, but +most desultory reading; extensive, and yet scattered knowledge. The man +spoke as he painted, and painted as he played music. Reckless, +superficial, inconstant, like his work and his talk, will and must his +love be too, thought Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">Could love like that lastingly suffice for Erna? It seemed impossible. +But is there such a word as impossible in connection with the magic +world of the human heart? Are not the natures of truly noble women at +times visited by irresistible and undying passion for wavering, +unstable, yes, even for morally worthless men? Does it not well-nigh +seem to have all the stability of a law of nature, that totally opposed +characters, all inward resistance notwithstanding, feel drawn to and +fascinated by each other?</p> + +<p class="normal">Was this fatal fascination visible in Erna?</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram kept his attention unconsciously fixed on that one decisive +point, but without being able to come to any definite result. True, he +had to confess to himself that even a still keener observer would have +vainly tried his hand at the task. Erna joined to-day even less +directly than on the previous day in the general conversation; nay +more, he thought he noticed what had not been the case yesterday, or +what had at least escaped him then, that her gaze, usually so firm, +seemed at times fixed on vacancy, then again appeared directed inward, +anyhow was not dwelling on her surroundings--a symptom which by no +means pleased the observer, because from it one might surely conclude +that there existed a deeper sentiment, one which absorbed her inner +life. And this sentiment was not likely to be one of aversion to the +Baron, to whom she talked more, in her own calm way, than to anybody +else; with whom she played music two or three times during the day; and +with whom she played chess after supper in her own grave, attentive +manner. Hildegard came and explained all these details to Bertram ...</p> + +<p class="normal">"Believe me," she said, "I know Erna. Mind, my words of this morning. +She may be long in confessing her preference for any man, but if she +were to dislike any one, he would find it out pretty soon."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I fear that I am experiencing something of the sort," Bertram replied.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How so?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Have you not noticed that she has not said three words to me all the +evening?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Insatiable man! Are you not satisfied with Lydia who is ransacking her +repertory for your sake? Would you have all womankind at your feet? I +shall warn Lotter against you as against his worst rival."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not destroy our budding friendship. But, joking apart, can there be +a rival?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What are you thinking of? And if there were, I should be sure to know +it through Lydia, who, like all elderly girls, is apt to err on the +side of seeing too much rather than too little. Moreover, we two, Lydia +and I, have never lost sight of the child, and in Erfurth, where, it is +true, she went alone once or twice during the last few years, she was +always in the company of my sister and her six girls, and I never heard +a word, nor the slightest hint. One of the girls, Agatha, the third, +Erna's bosom friend, is coming here, by the way, in a day or two; and a +good, modest, sensible girl she is, though not as pretty as the rest. +But you surely remember Agatha? Well, I'll question her a little when +she comes, but I know beforehand that she will not have anything to +tell. Oh, you'd better concentrate your jealousy upon Lotter!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard surely felt very certain of her ground, else she would not +have jested--a rare occurrence with her. Bertram took up a similar +tone, and during the game of whist to which he and Otto soon afterwards +sat down with the two older ladies, he was remarkably merry and +talkative.</p> + +<p class="normal">But two hours later Konski found him all the more gloomy and taciturn, +and so silent that he did not even reply to the "good-night, sir," of +that faithful servitor.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It's the old one," soliloquised Konski, as he meditatively brushed his +master's boots in his own little room, "who is bothering him. 'Dear Mr. +Konski,' here, 'My good Mr. Konski,' there--I know what she is after. +And then, to give me a whole dollar! And she has not any to spare, I +can see that much, in spite of her grand airs and her trimmings. And +she to rule the roast for master and me! Not if we knows it! And now +we'll both marry; and marry smart young ones too! And may the devil fly +away with all old women!"</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>IX.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">For this morning, after breakfast, a general expedition had been +planned--a drive to a certain eminence, from which the Baron was +desirous of expounding to them all the arrangements for the forthcoming +manœ vres. Bertram had at the last moment made an excuse: much to his +regret, he sent Konski to say, that he had forgotten to write some +really important letters, and must needs stay at home to do so now. +Would the others, please, on no account give up their drive for his +sake.</p> + +<p class="normal">"At first they would not go without you, sir," Konski reported; "but I +got them to do it, and they are getting the horses ready now; the +ladies are to drive, the gentlemen will go on horseback. So you may +stay quietly in bed and try to get another hour's sleep. I am afraid, +sir, you have had another awful night!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And indeed it had been a worse night for Bertram than the preceding +one, and this time the morning had not improved him. That he had to +admit to himself when, after having first vainly endeavoured to follow +the faithful servant's advice, he had at length risen in very low +spirits and dressed, trying whether a stroll along the terrace +garden-walk would cool his fevered brow and refresh his weary heart.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had no right to be wearied. He was bound, when they came back, to +meet them merrily and serenely; that belonged to his part. How could +they give their confidence to one who appeared to have none in himself, +in his own strength, his own courage?</p> + +<p class="normal">And he would need all his courage to look, if it could be done, deeper +than hitherto into Erna's eyes, into Erna's heart: and he would need +all his strength if that look were to confirm what, yesterday, he had +deemed impossible, but what, during the awful night, had come to appear +to him as thoroughly possible, nay, as probable. If it were so, then +the whole elaborate plan which he had yesterday confided to his friend, +had therewith fallen to the ground. Otto's embarrassments were scarcely +as great as he had represented them; and even if he had not, according +to his wont, exaggerated things, what would be the use of delaying the +decision? On the contrary, the more swiftly it came, the better for +all. If the Baron was a man of honour; he would not withdraw on +learning that the maiden of his choice was not wealthy; if he had +influence at Court, if this influence really amounted to something +considerable, he would now try all the more to use it for his future +father-in-law. They might then make their own arrangements, as best +they could; and they would make arrangements; sacrifice some things on +both sides, give up some hopes. What would one not sacrifice, what +would one not give up, if one loved from one's very heart? But to have +to look on at such hearty love, love delighting in sacrifice--never! To +run away would be cowardly, no doubt. But then valour, like honesty, is +appropriate only when it is needed, and when it will be of some use. He +would have to think beforehand of some suitable pretext which should +render a sudden departure possible.</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus lost in mournful thought, Bertram was pacing backward and forward +along the terrace-walk, now past sunny espaliers, along which ruddy +grapes were already commencing to shine through the dense clusters of +vine-leaves, anon between rows of beeches, which were entwined overhead +and formed dusky arbour-like groves.</p> + +<p class="normal">Having reached the end of one of these groves, he paused as one +terrified. In front of him, on the platform where the terrace widened, +Erna was seated beneath the great plantain tree which overshadowed the +whole place with its broad branches. An open volume lay upon the +round table before her; she was writing busily, bending over a +blotting-book. The graceful form, the finely-chiselled features, stood +out in clearest profile against the green terrace above her. In this +subdued light the dainty cheek seemed even paler than usual; and as she +now paused, pen in hand, lifting a long eyelash and glancing +meditatively up at the leafy roof above, the great eyes shone like +those of an inspired Muse.</p> + +<p class="normal">"One draught before I pass onward--on the shadeless remainder of my +dreary road," Bertram muttered to himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">He might have stepped back without being noticed, but he did not do so; +his motionless eyes clung to the beautiful picture before him, as one +perishing of thirst might gaze upon a brimming cup, when, lo! she +turned.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Uncle Bertram!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She had said it quite calmly, and now, slowly, she laid down her pen +and closed her blotting-book, rising at the same time and holding out +her hand to him as he came up.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I felt that somebody, was looking at me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And you wished, to remain unseen, or at least undisturbed. But could I +have guessed that I should find you here? Why are you not away with the +others?"</p> + +<p class="normal">A smile flitted over her face.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I had important letters to write, too."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, you have written, anyhow."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And have you not? For shame. If you make any excuses you should +yourself take them in earnest; then you will come to fancy afterwards +that the excuses were really valid."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I'll remember this in future. But what makes you tell me to my face +that my important letters were but an excuse?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thought that you did not care to go; and I think I know the reason +why."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Indeed! I am curious to hear it from you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will tell you. I wanted to say so last night already, for then I +noticed quite well how gladly you would have made an excuse, only you +could not at the moment think of a suitable one; but I could not have +said what I wished to say in a few words, and so I determined to try +and have an undisturbed talk with you. Shall we not sit down?"</p> + +<p class="normal">They sat dawn, Erna with her blotting-book before her, Bertram on the +seat opposite. Her large eyes were lifted up to him. But a minute +before he had greatly longed to be able to see deep, deep into these +eyes, right to the innermost recess of her soul; and now, when it could +be, when it was to be, he shrank from it, he wished the time deferred. +He would in any case learn the secret all too soon.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Uncle Bertram, I wanted to tell you that ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">The dark eyelids had closed after all; well, she anyhow did not see the +breathless excitement with which he hung upon her lips. In his mind he +heard already the words--"that--I engaged myself last night to be +married to the Baron." The pause she made--of a second or two--seemed +to him an eternity.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear child," he said in a voice well-nigh inaudible ...</p> + +<p class="normal">"That ... you shall not for my sake lay upon yourself a burden which +you can no longer bear."</p> + +<p class="normal">The large eyes were gazing firmly at him again, while he bent his own +in deadly confusion.</p> + +<p class="normal">He murmured--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I--I do not understand you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are too good to wish to understand me; but the excess of your +goodness weighs me down and frightens me. I know that you are fond of +me, that you do it only because you love me. But I love you too, Uncle +Bertram, love you very much, more than formerly, when I did not really +know you, did not at all understand you. I am no longer a child, and +therefore you should not treat me like a spoiled child and do what I +ask, especially when I see that I ask for something to which I had no +right. I had no right to ask--I should not have entreated you to be +kind to Aunt Lydia. And now I beg of you not to be so any longer, or to +the same extent. I cannot bear it. She has harmed you as terribly, as +terribly as only an evil heart can harm a good one. And she to be +allowed to take your hand, look into your eyes, jest with you, as if +nothing had occurred! If this had happened to me, I would not tolerate +it--never, never!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Her voice quivered, her lips trembled; the pale cheek was flushed now, +the great eyes were flashing. She said she had not known him, had not +understood him--and he? What had he known of her? of the strength of +feeling of that heart of hers which had seemed to him to beat in such +steady measure? His gaze was fastened on her now in raptured amazement, +like the gaze of a mortal to whom something divine is being revealed.</p> + +<p class="normal">But next moment the wondrous girl had conquered that passionate +impulse, her features regained their usual expression, and she went on, +calmly enough--</p> + +<p class="normal">"And you, Uncle Bertram, should not tolerate it either--you, least of +all. You cannot lie, cannot play the hypocrite. Let others do so; it +befits you ill, it is unworthy of you. I cannot, will not see anything +unworthy in you. I will have one human being whom I can believe and +trust unconditionally. This one you are, you must be; is it not so, +Uncle Bertram?"</p> + +<p class="normal">She held out her hand to him across the table. He could not refuse it, +and yet, as he touched those slender fingers, something thrilled +through him as though he had been guilty of some act of desecration.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You think me too good, too great," he said. "I can only reply, I will +try to deserve your confidence."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And I will give you an opportunity at once. I am not contented with +myself either. I too--for the sake of others, to please papa and mamma +who seemed greatly to wish it--have been kinder to somebody than at +heart I felt justified in being, and I must henceforth change my +conduct towards him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He has proposed to you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Proposed? To me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">A scornful smile played round her exquisite lips.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I beg your pardon, dear Erna. He was so remarkably assiduous in his +attentions to you yesterday. You admit yourself that you have been +kinder to him than now you care to have been, and he strikes me as +being one of those men who grasp the whole hand the moment you hold out +your little finger to them. And moreover, I know that your parents +encourage him much, and he is surely aware of that too. Thus my +question was not wholly groundless; still, I beg your pardon."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And indeed you need it in this case, Uncle Bertram. Or, have I perhaps +behaved so childishly that even a clever man like you could deem such a +thing possible?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, no; pray, try to forget what I said without thinking, or take it +for a proof that I was right, that I am neither so good nor so clever +as you thought."</p> + +<p class="normal">The words sounded diffident, almost submissive, but his heart was +swelling with proud delight, and the songsters perched above in the +shady recesses of the big plantain tree seemed to have been silent till +now, and to be then commencing all at once to twitter and sing and make +sweetest melody; and from the terraces beneath there was wafted up to +them in fragrant cloudlets the perfume of carnation and mignonette. +What a beautiful, divinely beautiful morning it was!</p> + +<p class="normal">"Henceforth," said Erna, "we will be open to each other, and then such +misunderstandings will not occur again. This one, truly, should make me +blush. The Baron is the very last man in whom I could take the very +slightest interest. I find nearly everything he says stupid and silly, +and if a fairly good idea turns up, as it does every now and then, it +is impossible to enjoy it, for the question is sure to obtrude itself: +'What nonsense will he talk next?' I am only now making his +acquaintance; he, it is true, has been often here before, but in my +absence; and in town, when he came, as he sometimes did, to see Aunt +Lydia, I always avoided having to meet him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have met few young men yet?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And those few have not made me anxious to meet any more."</p> + +<p class="normal">"This sounds very hard; but, to say the truth, you are not the first +girl whom I have heard talk like this."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My only wonder is that all do not talk, or, at least, think like this. +My own idea is, that men are naturally selfish, frivolous, and vain, +and only become with advancing years good, and noble, and amiable, and +this applies only to the few exceptions; for I suppose the bulk remain +as they were."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Are you serious?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perfectly. And that is why, the night before last, I could not agree +with you at all when you asserted that a young girl could not love a +much older man, or was at least committing an act of folly if she did +so, which, to her sorrow, she was bound to realise sooner or later, and +therefore the sooner the better. Nor is it at all this consideration +which makes Hilarie change, and which throws her into the arms of that +youth who is behaving so childishly and insanely, that Flavio;--there +is quite a different reason for it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then you know the novelette?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; I only read it now; and I had to hunt a long time for it, until I +found it in the <i>Wanderjahre</i>. The book is lying there. And now I also +understand the 'one element,' which you said the night before last +that Göthe had excluded, or had not made use of--which is the right +expression in this case?--because otherwise the comedy would have been +turned into a tragedy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And this 'one element,' what is it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The fact that her uncle is not in love with her at all. Was not that +it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure. I only wonder at your having found it out."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And my only wonder is that Hilarie did not discover it sooner. She +must have been very blind not to have seen that her uncle returns--or +rather does not return--her love from sheer kindliness of disposition; +that at best his <i>penchant</i> is but the faintest reflex of her +passionate love. Look at this passage: 'You are making me the happiest +man beneath the sun! Exclaiming this, he fell at her feet.' How feeble, +how strained! And it contents her, makes her happy. I should have been +ashamed of the whole business."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You must make some allowance for the spirit of the time, for the +manner and expression of the period; in that case, these things do not +look or sound quite as bad. But now for the other side of the medal: +You hold that Hilarie did truly love her uncle, and would have remained +faithful to her love, in spite of any number of Flavios, if her passion +had been returned?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Most certainly!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, be it so. He loves, loves passionately. Enter Flavio, loving, +loving passionately, too. The father perceives it. He sees that his own +love would seal the doom of the son whom he loves. Moreover, he is +sure--if he is not a conceited fool, but a man of heart and head, he +must be sure--that Hilarie would undoubtedly, return his son's passion, +if he, the father, the uncle, did not unfortunately stand between them; +that the girl's love for the young man, and <i>vice versa</i>, is the only +natural--that means, the only right thing; that therefore Hilarie +cannot truly love him; that her love rather, if it be not absolutely +unnatural, is anyhow an error, an aberration, from which she shall and +must turn. Given these things, am I wrong in asserting that then, +indeed, the comedy changes to tragedy--a tragedy the secret and silent +stage of which, I admit, will be solely ... the elderly man's heart? Do +you not agree with me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I must, I think; if I have first granted your suppositions and +assumptions, particularly this: that a girl's love for a man much older +than herself must needs in every case be an error, an aberration. But +then, again, I do not see why the elderly man's love for the girl does +not also tend to self-deception, to a fact which he, being more +far-sighted, clever, experienced; is bound to realise all the sooner. +And then, where is your tragedy?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Once more the great eyes flashed, the dainty lips quivered, an angry +cloud lay on her brow. There was a wild voice in his heart crying: +"Where?--here, here--for I love, I love thee! and it is impossible that +into thy maiden heart, there should ever fall one spark of the wild +conflagration raging here." But he succeeded this time, too, in +subduing the tumult in his heart, and he said smilingly--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I hoped, nay, I knew that you would make this objection, which is +absolutely correct, and which helps the Master to regain that absolute +sovereignty and undeviating correctness in matters of the heart in +which I, wantonly, tried to argue Göthe was deficient. Of course, so +the matter stands, turn and twist it as you will--Hilarie's love is an +illusion; or, more correctly, it is a foreshadowing of that true and +genuine passion which she will feel one day. The Major's love is a +reminiscence of what his heart once, in the bygone days of his far-away +youth, was glowing with, and what it never again will glow with now. +Anything of a warmer feeling that haply still survives, may be +sufficient for a sensible, reasonable marriage, with the clever widow, +in whose sentiments towards him again reminiscence acts the part of a +kindly mediator, and ... but surely ... why, they are back already! +Shall we go and meet them?"</p> + +<p class="normal">From the verandah Lotter's loud voice was heard. Lydia, too, was +calling out; she was calling Erna. Bertram had risen, glad of the +interruption; he felt his strength very nearly exhausted. He was +resting his hand on the back of her chair, lest Erna, if they shook +hands, should feel how his hand trembled. But Erna was gazing straight +before her with a very gloomy expression of countenance.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I should like to finish my letter first," she said.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I will disturb you no longer."</p> + +<p class="normal">He had gone; had gone without offering her his hand. Erna sat for a +while without looking up; then she re-opened her blotting-book, and +read the last page she had written:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I see him always, absent or present; I see his noble, pale +countenance, the deep, thoughtful eyes, that mouth which can jest so +delicately, and which yet (for me) quivers so often in sorrow for a +wasted life, a lost happiness. For me! The others never see it; how +should they? To them he is the cold-hearted egotist, the bitter jester, +who believes in nothing, least of all in love. To be sure--once +betrayed as he has been--alas! Agatha, that is the very thing which +draws me irresistibly to him. I can now gaze deep, deep into his noble +heart, can feel all the pangs that have torn it, and must be tearing it +again now in the presence of the viper who--oh, I do hate her! ... And +he manages to be quite friendly in his demeanour to her, because I +asked him to, before I knew all the circumstances. But he shall do so +no longer. I cannot bear it, when he turns his good, truthful eyes to +me, as though he would ask: 'Is it right thus?' No, it is wrong, a +thousand times wrong! But is it not wrong, too, that I should be +allowed to read in his heart, and he not in mine? Shall I tell him ... +all? It is ever on my lips, but then ... no. I should not be ashamed in +his presence, he is so kind, and he would understand me! Resting on his +protecting arm he would let me shed the last of those hot, angry tears, +which will yet persist in sometimes rising to my eyes, and which I +brush away indignantly; and I would gratefully accept his mercy, but on +one condition only, that I may go on resting on that arm, that he would +permit me to love, to serve him, to-day and for ever, as his friend, +his daughter, his slave! ... Shall I tell him?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Erna gave a bitter smile, and took the sheet of paper in both her hands +in order to tear it in pieces. Then she laid it down again, and seized +her pen once more.</p> + +<p class="normal">"She who has written this is a conceited little fool, and deserves +exemplary punishment for her conceit, and the said punishment is to +consist in her sending these lines to her granny, in order to receive +by return of post the requisite scolding, even if granny, and this is +an urgently repeated request, is coming here the day after to-morrow. +For between granny and me there shall not be said one word on this +subject, and even less about the other thing and the other one; and +now, dearest granny ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, there is Miss Erna!" exclaimed the Baron, issuing with Lydia from +the terrace walk.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We have been looking everywhere for you," said Lydia. "Heavens! how +the child has flushed and heated herself over her writing! To Agatha, +of course!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, if one could read the letter!" exclaimed the Baron.</p> + +<p class="normal">"There is nothing about you in it, I can give you that assurance, if it +will set your mind at ease," said Erna, closing her blotting-book with +the unfinished letter in it, and rising.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>X.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">"Have you availed, yourself of the opportunity to talk to Erna?" +Hildegard asked Bertram as soon as they were alone.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram had expected this question, and had sought and found time to +prepare his answer to it. His first impulse has been to taste the full +delights of triumph, and to assure Hildegard, in strict accordance with +the actual truth, that the Baron need never expect to gain Erna's +affection. But then he considered that so brusque a revelation, would, +without the slightest doubt, cause the proud lady to burst forth into a +tempest of indignation, would bring Erna into a disagreeable position, +and possibly involve her in extremely awkward scenes. Her feeble father +would be no support to her whatever--on the contrary, he wished the +decision to be put off as long as possible. And, lastly, he saw now +quite clearly that Hildegard's pressing invitation to make a lengthened +stay had had the very definite aim to secure in him, as in a very +influential friend, an ally in the execution of her plans. Now he had +failed in his diplomatic mission, and though they would not openly +deprive him of his confidential position, they would very surely not +consult him again. Future events would then occur behind his back, and +the sooner he went away the better for them. And was he to go now? He +felt as though he could as readily bid farewell to life and light.</p> + +<p class="normal">And so his answer came to be nothing but an adroit evasion. He had, he +said, done his best, and Erna had met him in the heartiest and most +confiding manner. But on this very ground he considered himself +justified in stating that there was at present no trace of any definite +<i>penchant</i> for the Baron on Erna's part, and that he could only advise +them all to possess their souls in patience, to bide their time, and to +hope for the best from the gradual, but all the more sure, influence of +daily intercourse.</p> + +<p class="normal">The apparent genuineness of conviction with which all this was +expressed deceived Hildegard completely. Her assumption that Erna took +a special interest in the Baron was chiefly founded on Lydia's +assertions, and Lydia, poor soul, was for ever weaving matrimonial +projects, was much addicted to exaggeration, and to the making of +molehills into mountains, and would, in this particular case, to get +into Hildegard's good graces and maintain herself there, amply confirm +anything she might be desirous of hearing. Now, when Hildegard was for +the moment looking at things through friend Bertram's clearer and, as +she thought, perfectly unprejudiced eyes, she was bound to admit the +justice of his observations; indeed, in Erna's manner to the Baron +there was very little indication of anything like a warmer sentiment, +so little in fact, that the varying ways in which she treated him might +almost seem matters of congratulation. Bertram asked himself why +Hildegard did not give up a project which looked so very unlike +fulfilment, since Erna, in all the charm of her young beauty, would +assuredly have no lack of suitors, while her mother, not having the +slightest suspicion of her husband's awkward financial situation, must +needs, as indeed she did in her matrimonial plans in reference to Erna, +reckon wealth among the attractions. There seemed to be something +self-contradictory here, anyhow it was passing strange; and yet, as he +went on meditating, he thought he had found the key to the enigma. Fair +Hildegard herself was most pleasantly impressed by the Baron's striking +appearance and confident manner, and was much flattered by the homage +he paid to her beauty, her cleverness, her kindness, a homage to which, +he gave even in company a very perceptible, and in their not infrequent +<i>tête-à-têtes</i> probably even a more emphatic expression. And then the +circumstance which, by the by, the Baron by no means concealed, that, +to use his own words, he was as poor as a church mouse, she looked upon +as a distinct point in his favour.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Herein," she said to Bertram, "I see the finger of a just and +compensating Fate. I know, my friend, that you are too wise and +enlightened not to pardon an aristocratic fancy of mine, namely, that +it is best if the aristocracy marry among themselves, and the +<i>bourgeoisie</i>, for whom I have the greatest respect, also among +themselves. Well, I, being a very poor lady with a long pedigree--for, +indeed, the traditions of our family are reckoned by centuries--have +had to break with these traditions, and was in this way the first to +contract a <i>bourgeois</i> alliance. I do not complain of my lot; it was my +lot, and there's an end of it; but I have never ceased to pray to God +that my only daughter might be granted a different fate. And if a +family, which is still older than mine, is enabled to resume its +rightful position in the world, I really do not know what better I +could wish, assuming always that Erna, as would doubtless be the case, +gets a husband who loves her, and who--not to reckon his little +cavalier's foibles, in reference to which a wise woman will be +judiciously blind, knowing that this kind of thing is sure to stop of +its own accord--is in every way worthy of her love."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And whom," added Bertram mentally, "I hope to bring as completely +under my control as my husband."</p> + +<p class="normal">He was convinced that this thought was the leading one in the +calculations of the selfish lady, in spite of the great care with which +she endeavoured to avoid even the faintest appearance of any egotistic +motive. Even as she was fond of representing her life as one long chain +of sacrifices made by her on behalf of others, so she would now appear +prepared to give up her own comfort for Erna's sake. Of course, she +explained, it would not be possible to leave the poor child alone in +town, among indifferent strangers; and she and Otto must in consequence +make up their minds to spend the winter there in future. This, to be +sure, would necessitate the purchase of a house of their own in town; +but the question of expense was not to be taken into consideration +where the happiness of their child was concerned; and, by a lucky +accident, there happened to be for sale, and at quite a reasonable +price, a newly-erected villa close to the Park, surrounded by a pretty +garden, and roomy enough to enable them all, parents and children, to +live comfortably together. And it would be quite feasible and not +very expensive either, to build a studio for the Baron, she added. +Perhaps Bertram would not mind driving to town with Otto, to look +at the house? When? Why not to-day? Otto, as usual, could not make +up his mind, although it would be an excellent investment, even +supposing--supposing--but no, that case was not likely to occur, the +momentary, somewhat unfavourable, aspect of things notwithstanding.</p> + +<p class="normal">"For in this, too, my friend," she said, in concluding her +explanations, "you will agree with me: the more carefully we prepare +all things needful, and thus show the child, as it were, an image of +the safe and sure and peaceful happiness awaiting her, the more swiftly +and fondly her fancy will busy itself with that image, and from the +fair image to the fairer reality--<i>il n'y a qu'un pas</i>. But first we +must settle about the villa. There will be no difficulty if you speak +seriously to Otto."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I promise," replied Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">The incident was most opportune, he thought. Here Otto, already +harassed on all sides, was threatened, with huge additional +expenditure, before which even his fatal readiness to yield must needs +pause at length, as before an absolutely insuperable obstacle. The +consequences were clear. He could not simply meet his wife's request by +a refusal. There must be a full explanation between husband and wife; +there would be a fearful storm, but it had to come, it was absolutely +required to clear the sultry atmosphere, to disentangle the wretchedly +involved situation. Hildegard's frivolous scheme would burst like a +soap-bubble, and at one stroke Erna would be freed from an importunate +suitor, and her father from an unworthy and intolerable position. +Yesterday already he had been determined to stand by his friend through +all the anxieties, embarrassments, and perils which were bound to +ensue. To-day his heart beat anxiously, eager as he was to face those +perils, for every peril cleared out of her path and victoriously +conquered, was a trophy laid at her feet, hers, for whom he would have +willingly shed his heart's blood drop by drop.</p> + +<p class="normal">Fancy his terror and his indignation when, driving to town with Otto +later in the day, he found his friend more removed than ever from any +manly resolve.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The purchase of this villa, dear me--why, if Hildegard cares for it so +much--would, after all, be a comparative trifle--really. And then, what +I told you yesterday regarding my situation, why, dear me, you know me +well enough, old man, to ... to know how I am influenced by passing +moods. That makes me look at all things accordingly; things are either +black or white to me. And yesterday, why, I had a black, a very black +mood. To be sure, my factories are not a success, and, indeed, may now +and again involve a loss. But, then, look at those fields, and think of +the crop we'll have; and with such a prospect I can afford to leave +myself a very fair margin, the more so as the harvest in Russia and in +Hungary promises to be very bad--so the reports say--and in that case +we shall make no end of money. And then--look here--just you read his +paragraph in the paper about the railway question. Eh--and the +paragraph, I feel sure, is from the pen of the President of our own +local Parliament, who is, by the by, a great friend of mine, and has +for years been my lawyer. Well, what do you say now?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I say," replied Bertram gravely, "that things are exactly in the +position which you described yesterday. Your friend here clearly +represents only his own, or, if you like, your views and wishes; and +will, moreover, naturally put some pressure upon Government, by +representing it as impossible for them to decide differently from your +wishes and hopes."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But the Government--which means the Court--is already more than half +won over. Lotter assures me...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"For Heaven's sake! leave him out of the business."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, of course, of course; if you are so prejudiced against him that +you refuse him even the common credibility which you allow otherwise to +everybody!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"There is no question here of credibility or incredibility," exclaimed +Bertram indignantly; "but the thing is this: you are mistaking your +illusions and hopes for realities and facts; you are voluntarily +blinding yourself lest you see the abyss into which you are about to +plunge. And mind this: by your miserable hesitation you are really +accelerating the coming of the dreaded moment; nay, you render it only +the more dreadful. There is still time; this very day you can go and +say to your wife: I have met with losses, terrible losses, and we must +needs retrench, and therefore.... Why, man, you will let it come to +this, that you must confess to her: We have nothing further to lose; +all is gone! Think of this, friend, I entreat you. Your boat is +overloaded; away with the ballast which all but sinks it now; overboard +with it all! Were it a question of yourself alone, you would be manly +enough not to hesitate; and with wife and child on board, whose ruin is +certain unless you act at once, you ... cannot, will not act!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto would say neither yea nor nay. Bertram was silent in his despair. +What would come of it all?</p> + +<p class="normal">And so they arrived in town, having hardly exchanged a word more. They +looked over the villa, and again hardly a word was exchanged; just an +indifferent remark here and there, nothing more. Otto was apparently +annoyed at something, but Bertram saw well enough that this appearance +of annoyance was but assumed to hide his irresolution.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know, I know," Otto said at last grumpily, "we are not likely to +agree as it is. Had we not better call together upon my lawyer and hear +his opinion about the whole business? He is, moreover, on your side, in +politics, and will be delighted to make your acquaintance."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram seized eagerly upon so sensible a proposal, and to the lawyer's +they drove accordingly; but when they had got to the door, Otto +remembered that he had to do some commission for Hildegard: he even +explained--</p> + +<p class="normal">"About those officers who are going to be quartered upon us, don't you +know?--extra provisions and that kind of thing. She can never, she +thinks, have too much on hand, in case.... Well, well, it's her nature +to ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">And so the broad-shouldered figure of his friend passed down the lonely +sunlit street; and Bertram added, speaking to himself, this comment, +"And your nature is ... to do things by halves only, unless you mean, +in this case, to throw the whole responsibility upon my shoulders."</p> + +<p class="normal">And in this view his friend's lawyer completely confirmed him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Look here," said the latter to Bertram, when, after a hearty, mutual +welcome, the two had swiftly grown to be confidential with each other, +"you may take my word for this, he is most anxious we should have a +perfectly unrestrained talk about his affairs, and has backed out of +being present simply to avoid having to hear all the disagreeable +things we could not spare him; moreover, he might oppose to you and to +me, separately, a certain resistance which he would not have the +courage to do if he, found us confronting him together. Under these +circumstances I do not consider it indiscreet, but I think I am acting +according to the wishes, and I know I am acting in the interest of our +common friend, if I now add a few words of explanation to what you know +already; then, indeed, you will be thoroughly acquainted with the state +of his affairs."</p> + +<p class="normal">The lawyer then proceeded to describe Otto's position in detail; and to +his amazement Bertram found his own conception confirmed throughout. +Why, even his own image of the ballast which required to be heaved +overboard to set the ship once more afloat, figured in the exposition. +To be sure, Bertram now learned for the first time how weighty that +ballast really was. Thus, to give but one example, Otto had never +mentioned, had not even hinted at the fact that Hildegard's elder +sister, the widow of the late Secret Counsellor von Palm, and her whole +family, lived entirely upon Otto's bounty. "And that," said the lawyer, +"is an awful item! For the lady in question is, in every respect, a +true sister of your friend's wife. She thinks that death and the end of +all things must needs be at hand, if she and hers cannot live on a very +grand scale indeed. And then her house in Erfurth is a sort of +gathering-place for all who, by rank or position, may aspire to the +honour of appearing in such sublime surroundings; half-pay general +officers and colonels galore--and the little town was ever full of +them--and, of course, the whole number of officers actually on +duty in the garrison, and so on, and so on. The girls--and there is +half-a-dozen of them--are as bad as their mother, always excepting one +dear, sensible creature--not one of the pretty ones, though--whom, I +understand, you are about to meet in Rinstedt. Well, if the daughters +are extravagant, the two sons--both, as you know, in the army, go on as +though their uncle's cashbox had no bottom to it. Three times, four +times, already he has paid the debts of those young men, whom, by the +by, he cannot bear at all, and this, and all this, simply <i>in majorem +gloriam Hildegardis</i>, his well-beloved wife, a lady of such an old +family that the scions thereof cannot, of course, be measured by the +same standard as common mortals."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And do you not perceive any way of escape from this vicious circle our +friend is wandering in?" Bertram asked.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Only the one you have already pointed to," the lawyer made answer. +"But how the deuce can you advise a man who will not be advised, or +rather, who accepts all the advice you give him and never acts upon it +for all that ...? And there is one thing yet in which you have, too, +judged aright. It is by no means too late yet! If he give up those +factories of his which will never pay, even if--and on that his whole +hope is now centred--the new line of rails passes straight through his +estates, and if he meets My Lady with a <i>sic voleo, sic jubeo</i>, and if, +with one determined cut, he severs the boundlessly costly train from My +Lady's garment, leaving it, for all that, a very respectable garment, +he would be enabled to discharge his other liabilities gradually, or at +once if somebody would, at fair interest, lend him a biggish capital. +This, of course, times being bad, will not be very easy to manage, more +particularly if people begin to talk about his being embarrassed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And how large, think you, should that capital be?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think that I could settle everything if I had a hundred thousand +thalers at my disposal, without there being any formal arrangement with +his creditors, or even a voluntary surrender."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In that case I beg to put the sum mentioned at your disposal."</p> + +<p class="normal">The lawyer looked up in amazement.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I had no idea that you were so wealthy," he said simply.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It does not represent half my fortune. Anyhow, I am not running any +risk."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, to be sure," replied the lawyer; "I should be able to secure you +against any loss; the rate of interest, as I observed before, would be +low. But I may tell you beforehand that your generous offer will be +refused. I know our friend. He would rather borrow from the most +unscrupulous cut-throat of a usurer than from you, for whom he has, as +I know, the profoundest respect. For, though you may be the best of +friends, you are not his brother, not his cousin, not a kinsman at all. +If you could say to him, you owe it to our family to do so--such an +appeal to the family honour, which he holds in the highest esteem, he +would comprehend much better. But as it is, his very pride, or his +vanity rather--for vanity is distinctly his ruling passion--will be +hurt; he will appear to be immensely grateful to you, will say that you +are his good angel, and--will not accept a farthing from you, as long +as he sees, or fancies he sees, any other way out. He may possibly come +to his senses when his last hope, the railway, proves illusory. I +fear--I am a keen promoter of the project myself, but on different +grounds--I fear that will occur presently. Meanwhile, try your luck, or +his rather, by all means. But I repeat, you will not succeed with the +mere appeal to your friendship."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram, as previously arranged, then called for his friend, and as +they drove home together he made his attempt The lawyer's prophecy was +literally fulfilled. Otto overflowed in expressions of the greatest +gratitude for an offer so thoroughly characteristic of his generous +friend, and which, for the sake of their long friendship, he would +unconditionally accept--if there were any occasion for it. But that, +thank goodness, was not the case.</p> + +<p class="normal">And then came the wretched old story which Bertram knew by heart +already, and to which, for all that, he now listened; not, as before, +with disgust, but with an odd feeling of anxiety and doubt. To be sure, +mere friendship was not sufficient. He would have required another +title, one giving the right to demand what now he begged for in vain. +Should he venture upon the word that was trembling on his lips, and +that yet was ever beating a cowardly retreat to the tremulous heart? +Cowardly? No! It would have been cowardice, miserable cowardice, if he +had spoken it; cowardice, trying to take by miserable money-bribes a +fortress invincible to valour and high courage; cowardice and treason, +treason to the sanctity of a love which had hitherto been unselfish and +as pure as the heart of the great waters. If things came to the worst, +if it was a question of guarding the beloved child against common want, +she would be noble enough not to refuse the helping hand of a +protecting friend. But woe to him if that hand were not unsullied; if +even the shadow of a suspicion of selfishness fell upon it!</p> + +<p class="normal">And as they thus drove homewards, with the evening darkening around +them, he fixed his eye on high, where now the heavenly lights were +appearing in ever-increasing numbers, with ever-growing splendour; and +he reverently repeated to himself the poet's great saying of the stars +above, in whose majestic beauty man should rejoice without coveting +their possession.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XI.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">But no poet's word could henceforth stay the wild conflagration which +raged in his heart; and every thought by which his mind strove to +obtain rest and clearness proved a faint-hearted hireling soldier that +takes the first opportunity of deserting to the ranks of the more +potent foe. In vain did he recall the arguments by which, in a certain +memorable conversation, he had tried to refute Erna's assertions--it +had been a lie, a lie--or, at best, mere theoretical twaddle. His love +a reminiscence merely? And of what, pray? Perhaps of that mournful +aberration when his heart, his thirty years notwithstanding, was +still full of faith and devoid of experience? Or of the coquettish +phantom-fights and ugly caricatures of passion with which a heart that +has ceased to believe, in love, endeavours to deceive itself regarding +its own needs? Thee, he exclaimed, thee I have always loved. My whole +life has been one unbroken longing for thee; and when now at length I +have reached the land of promise, am I solely to see it, bless God, and +die? I am no longer weary of life. Nay, life has never yet appeared so +fair to me, and never yet have I so felt the desire and the power to +enjoy it. Die we must; die, however empty life may have been; but oh, +how better far to die in the full bliss of love! No, no! If I love her, +my only reminiscence is one of weary deserts traversed until I reached +her: if she could love me, her love should be no mere mirage of an +oasis in the future; palms should rustle above her fair head, silvery +brooks should run at her feet. Love surely has this potent spell: it +can create a paradise on earth!</p> + +<p class="normal">And from these fairy dreams of future bliss he was startled by the +thought that Erna's heart must have already once received some mighty +impression. For it was surely passing strange that she knew so well how +to interpret some of the mysterious symbols in the book of passion; +that she evidently liked to read in that book. But since all his +cautious questioning led to no result, since she spoke of the few young +men whom she seemed to know at all either with indifference, or even, +as in the case of her two cousins, with a perceptible touch of irony, +he could not but conclude that his suspicion was unfounded, and he +became more and more familiar with a fond hope, from which he at first +recoiled as from a temptation to sheer madness.</p> + +<p class="normal">But he still had the full use of his senses, and they, had never been +so acute as now. How was he to explain that her voice, whenever she +turned to him, and particularly when they were alone, was quite +different from its usual tone--softer, deeper, more intense? How was he +to explain that she--surely without being aware of it--kept sometimes, +at table, if he happened to speak eagerly, her gaze fixed upon him for +several minutes--that strange, fixed gaze which he had never before met +from any human eye, and which reminded him again and again of the gaze +of the gods,--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="center" style="text-indent:-6px"> +"Whose eyelids quiver not like those of mortals;"</p> +</div> + +<p class="continue">and then when he ceased to, speak she was like one awakening from a +dream, drawing a long breath, which caused her maiden bosom to rise and +sink!</p> + +<p class="normal">Nor were other promising tokens wanting. He had, for good reasons of +his own, disregarded Erna's request to be henceforth less kind to +Lydia; nay, he had doubled his attentions and courtesies, not only +towards the coquettish lady, but towards the Baron too. It seemed so +easy now to pardon, to show indulgence, to look at all things from the +best and most amiable point of view; and politeness is a veil behind +which one may hide so much. At first he had been prepared for +opposition or serious displeasure on the part of the proud, self-willed +girl; but nothing of the kind occurred; she either seemed not to notice +his disobedience, or actually to approve of it; and once or twice, when +he somewhat overdid his part, a meaning smile played about her mouth. +Nay, more, she followed, though with evident hesitation, his example; +she no longer met Lydia's fantastic exaggerations with short and sharp +replies, or with that frigid non-recognition which is more cutting than +direct blame: she continued, as on the first evening or two, to sing +and play with the Baron; she even suffered herself to be put into the +famous terrace picture, and was patient enough to sit to him for a +couple of hours, in which the Baron, with his brush, was constantly +taking one step forward and two backward, as it were; while he vowed +again and again that this was the most grateful, but also the most +difficult, task which he had ever undertaken in his life.</p> + +<p class="normal">And there was yet one thing more which had struck him as peculiarly +strange and important. Erna was accustomed to repeat her interlocutors' +names frequently in the course of conversation, and to add them, even +to quite trivial phrases or questions. From the first days of his +visit he still recalled with delight her sweet "How are you, Uncle +Bertram?"--"Yes, Uncle Bertram"--"No, Uncle Bertram." But sweeter, +sweeter far it seemed to him that he now no longer heard it--no, not +once--that her conversation now was plain yea and nay, as enjoined in +Holy Writ, and quite in accordance with the wild wish of his heart. +Hilarie, too, had surely ceased to call her lover--Uncle. Poor Major! +But it served him right, after all, for it was not youth so much that +he lacked, as the courage and force of genuine passion.</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="t4" style="text-indent:-6px"> +"That man must ever be a youthful man<br> +Who is well-pleasing to a maiden's eyes!"</p> +</div> + +<p class="continue">And he does please her well, because she feels with the unerring +instinct of true love that he can and will give love for love.</p> + +<p class="normal">And as though he would force Fate to grant him all, because he was +staking his all upon it, he looked on with a happy smile, whilst the +fire of his great love burned up with increasing vehemence with every +day, with every hour, spreading around and engulfing his entire being. +He was proud that he could no longer feel anything else, think of +anything else, but always her, and her alone. If she was away, how +empty, how barren did the whole world seem! With what painful +impatience did he await the moment when he should behold her again; and +when he beheld her again, it seemed as though he had never beheld her +before--as though the Creator had but just uttered the command: "Let +there be light!" and as though the world lay before him in all the dewy +freshness and brightness of the morn of creation.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then, when the torment of delight became overpowering, he fled from +her, to dream, often for hours, in the solitude of the forest, in lone, +rocky caves, or on sunny summits--to listen in the deep silence around +for the echoing of her sweet voice within his heart, to whisper her +loved name to the discreet herbs and trees; to hear that name in the +murmur of the brooks, in the rustling of the breezes, in every note of +the birds' songs; to see her fair image smiling down upon him from +among the dainty white cloudlets that flecked the deep-blue sky, or +gazing at him with musing gravity from the dusky shadows of the +towering trees, gazing with those great, still, potent, godlike orbs.</p> + +<p class="normal">That those orbs were now smiling more rarely, that they were fuller of +gravest thought, often gazing with a certain sweet fixity of intensest +concentration, he had not failed to observe, and he had not interpreted +it as a symptom unfavourable to himself; how should, how could it be +otherwise, if there fell into her young soul even the faintest reflex +of the bright radiancy that was filling his own to its deepest depths?</p> + +<p class="normal">But he had not failed to observe either, and this he knew not how to +explain, that this musing gravity from which his own love in its +hopefulness drew sweetest sustenance--like a bee from the chalice of a +budding blossom--was turning to a gloomy indignation, which not only +was for ever veiling the beloved eyes, but was not unfrequently +enfolding the fair face with its fine, energetic features in darkest +night, luridly illumined by wrathful flashes.</p> + +<p class="normal">This startling change had occurred quite suddenly, coincident, +strangely enough, with the day, almost with the hour, of Agatha's +arrival.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XII.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">On the occasion of former visits at Rinstedt Bertram had repeatedly +seen Agatha, and had always been on the best of terms with the ever +equally pleasant, amiable child. Now, of course she had, like Erna, +developed during the last few years into a maiden, though one could not +say that she had gained by the process of metamorphosis. The blonde +hair now was almost red, freckles abounded unpleasantly on brow and +cheek, and an awkward tendency to one side had become an undoubted +lurch; so that, taking all these things together, one might indeed be +tempted to take the nickname "Granny," which Erna had bestowed upon her +cousin and bosom friend, not in its moral meaning alone. But the bright +blue eyes had faithfully preserved the old, dear expression; nay, even +more openly than of old, there spoke out of them a heart full of +kindliest goodwill to all men, desirous of riving in peace and +friendship with all men, and seeming not so much to loathe as simply +not to comprehend the evil emotions and passions of the human heart.</p> + +<p class="normal">So gentle a creature, made but for sympathy in joy or in sorrow, could +scarcely have found the requisite courage to destroy even the +commonplace illusions of a commonplace heart, and would most likely +have recoiled from the mere attempt to lay violent hands upon a heart +like Erna's, deviating as it did so greatly from the humdrum, everyday +pattern. And, again, Bertram had to drop the suspicion which at first +had come to him in his perplexity; to wit, that Agatha had, whether in +carelessness or intentionally, blabbed about something confided to her +by Erna. Such a thing would have been in downright contradiction to the +character of the girl, who was as clever as she was good; and, lastly, +that he himself should have betrayed his feelings to the rest--that was +absolutely impossible. He was only too painfully conscious of having +from the very first moment put a most careful guard on his conduct, of +having weighed his every word, controlled his every smile and look: of +course he had! Why, he recoiled in horror from the very thought that +Erna might discover his great secret; it was certain that she had not +discovered it, and how could others have done so?</p> + +<p class="normal">But why should they, again, not have seen, and seen in envy, +uncharitableness, and terror, what it was the utmost delight to him to +see? Though he, in the full consciousness of his love, in the anxious +doubt as to whether that love was not a folly, a crime even, had put +the utmost restraint upon himself, yet Erna had assuredly not been +equally careful in expressing her feelings, whose real significance she +might guess at, though most assuredly she could not measure it. Why, +the most harmless and innocent things in the attentions she was +spoiling him with, the many kindly little offices which she did for him +without any fuss, <i>en passant</i>, as it were--all these things might have +been malevolently criticised and viciously explained, suspicion being +once aroused one way or the other!</p> + +<p class="normal">And that such must be the case he could scarcely doubt any longer, when +he submitted the demeanour of the others towards him during the last +few days to a subsequent examination. Thus, in the light of newly-won +knowledge, sundry things stood out in a very marked way, which, under +other circumstances, he would either not have heeded, or anyhow have +interpreted differently. His beautiful hostess, who used to avail +herself of every tête-à-tête with him to turn their talk to Erna and +the Baron, had not resumed her favourite topic of conversation; and, on +the other hand, Lydia now manifested infinite interest in Erna, and +never wearied of starting contemplative talks in reference to the +qualities of her former pupil, wondering how one should represent to +oneself the future of such a singular being as likely to develop +itself. The Baron had still, on each Occasion when Bertram and he had +met, overflowed with civility, but had yet tormented him less often +with challenges to billiard-matches and to contests in pistol-shooting, +but had on the other hand undertaken more frequent solitary shooting +expeditions--neither Bertram nor Otto, their host, cared for shooting, +as it happened--and had extended them farther too. Otto himself had +certainly and most clearly avoided him. At first he had thought that +Otto did it to avoid new and painful discussions in reference to his +financial position, but Bertram now assumed that it was done lest Otto +should distinctly show that he was angry with his friend for Erna's +sake, or, what--with his natural weak readiness to yield--came +virtually to the same thing, that he had been bidden by the ruling +spirit to be angry with Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">These were curiously mixed feelings which were roused within him by his +recognition of the new position he so suddenly found himself in. He +said to himself that the things which caused anxiety and terror to his +adversaries were for himself objects of joy and triumph, and +constituted the clearest proof that he had not only dreamed a dream of +rapturous delight. And to be sure, his love could not for ever remain +in the far-off regions of starry splendour; it was bound some time to +approach this earth, to become visible to the dull, mole-like eyes of +these men. But then again, putting himself in the place of these +others, and examining himself and his love, as these others were +undoubtedly doing, he would hear anew, and this time from the lips of +unjust accusers, the old evil questions which he thought had long ago +been done with, to wit--Is your longing and your desire really and +truly free from every vestige of selfishness, from every frivolous +admixture? Has the satisfaction of your own vanity, inasmuch as you may +prove that you, a man of fifty, are able to win the love of such a +youthful, and, in every respect, such a highly-favoured and gifted +girl, against the wishes of her own parents, before her who had once +spurned your love, in the presence and to the shame and discomfiture of +so much more likely a rival--have these considerations nothing, nothing +whatever to do with your love?</p> + +<p class="normal">And supposing he were to allow himself to be urged by pressure on the +part of his foes to make a declaration before the right time; or +supposing there never had been and never would be such a time at +all--supposing he and all of them had blundered;--supposing Erna's +heart knew nought of love, and rejected his love, amazed, terrified, +insulted--what then? Ye Heavens above! what then? Where was then that +line of retreat which Göthe had so wisely secured for his hero?</p> + +<p class="normal">He realised it to be one of those horribly hideous contradictions of +human life that, while before his inner eye the possibilities of his +future fate concentrated themselves as in a focus, he was busied before +the mirror in exchanging the cravat which Konski had put out for him +for the early dinner, for another (the first dressing-bell having just +rung), in reference to which Erna had once said that it suited him +particularly well.</p> + +<p class="normal">He stepped, annoyed, from the mirror to the open window. There came +floating through the balmy, sunny air a gossamer thread and fixed +itself on his shoulder. He sighed wearily, he felt unutterably sad.</p> + +<p class="normal">There was always one line of retreat open, and that was--Death. Perhaps +his life was really hanging on as slight a thread as this bit of +gossamer. But then, was not his love for that very reason both madness +and sacrilege? Was that love which at bottom thought, after all, of +itself only, and thought not first and last of this? Could one, +according to human judgment, really undertake the guarantee for the +well-being of those whom one ... made believe one loved? Whether, for +her, weal would not swiftly change to woe, whence, even though time and +that youthful vigour which refuses to be crushed were to heal the +grievous wounds, there could never again blossom forth a full, whole +happiness? And thus, and for this reason, to have henceforth, like +humdrum everyday folks, to dread death, when he had already again and +again looked into his hollow eyes!</p> + +<p class="normal">There was some noise behind him, and he started in terror. It was only +Konski who had come back bearing a letter. The post which was due in +the morning had arrived now, and there had been lots of letters for the +other ladies and gentlemen too, and some of them would seem to be +mighty important, for My Lady had given orders to put dinner back half +an hour, so the Herr Doctor could anyhow read his letter in peace.</p> + +<p class="normal">Konski had gone away again, and Bertram held the letter still unopened +in his hand. How odd that his physician and friend should write to him +just now--that the busiest of men should so swiftly reply to his own +letter, in which, on the second day of his visit, he had, as requested, +given news of his state of health, a letter which really called for no +reply at all. Was his friend now going to tell him that he ... was +doomed to speedy death? Well, the letter could not have come at a more +opportune moment.</p> + +<p class="normal">With trembling hand he broke the seal and read this--</p> + +<p class="normal">"<span class="sc">Dearest Friend</span>,--Laugh if you like. On reading your letter a second +time--your letters are not, like most others, consigned to the +waste-paper basket--I have even more strongly the same impression which +the first perusal had given me; namely, that, possibly unknown to +yourself, there is to be read between the lines of your letter a +question, which can be answered only by omniscient Fate and by 'Yours +Truly;' and which, seeing Fate is not altogether to be relied upon in +this respect, Yours Truly has the honour and likewise the great +pleasure of answering herewith. Reduced to its simplest formula, then, +the question comes to this: May I marry? Seeing that you do not laugh, +but, on the contrary, look extremely grave, I will not keep you +needlessly on the tenter-hooks of expectation, but will reduce my +reply, too, to the simplest form, viz.:--Yes, best of friends, you may +marry, in spite of your late serious attack; nay, oddly enough, all the +more because of it. For although even before your illness I had no +doubt that your curiously powerful nature would for years continue to +hold its own against the severe damage done (to deny or reason away the +existence of which was unfortunately impossible), I now have hardly any +misgiving in that respect. For your last illness was simply and solely +a remarkably energetic attempt at self-help on the part of nature, and +the attempt has all but succeeded. What remains to be done to complete +the cure is but little, and that this little be done as swiftly and +thoroughly as possible, you can yourself greatly help. How so? Well, by +marrying! You, having always been over-conscientious and abnormally +scrupulous, having ever lived but for ideal aims and for the benefit of +other folk, should now at length begin to live for yourself, should now +at length find that quiet happiness which you so richly deserve, and be +happy in that happiness; though, to be sure, for the last condition +more good sense is required than what the majority of mankind have been +ready to employ. You, my good friend, have that amount of sense. +<i>Ergo</i>--marry for goodness' sake, marry for your own good, marry for +the good of those whom you love, and, lastly, marry with my full +consent, without which I know you would not do it at all.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But now, seeing that you are too accustomed to suffering of some sort +to be able to dispense with it altogether, I owe you a fresh supply to +make up for what I am depriving you of, and I am going to saddle you +with one of the most awful kinds of suffering a free man can be +tormented with in these hard and distressing times--you must stand for +Parliament. There is no help for it; we must have you in the +<i>Reichstag</i>. Good old S. can bear the burthen no longer; he is going to +retire. I should have insisted upon it on medical grounds if he had not +at length come to see himself that there was no help for it. He is done +for, and doomed to speedy death. And you, who are vigorously advancing +to complete restoration of health, shall and must take his place--by +order of the Electoral Committee, who met at a late hour last night and +ultimately came to a unanimous conclusion on the subject, all, finally, +voting for you! There is no reason why I should keep back the fact +that, to begin with, O. and B. were opposed to it, and so were a few +others, asserting that you could be of greater use to the common cause +as an outsider. They went on arguing that your absolutely independent +position within the party had hitherto enabled you, and would continue +to enable you, to ventilate certain grievances which really require to +be ventilated, and which it is impossible for ourselves, sitting as +members of the <i>Reichstag</i>, to bring forward, because, sitting there, +we must pay a certain regard to ... what not. This great and invaluable +activity of yours, they wisely contended, would be rendered absolutely +barren by your entering the serried ranks of a definite political +phalanx within the House itself. Right they are, I know well enough, +none better; for I have, as you know, always maintained the same view. +But, for all that, you must stand. The need is imperative. We have, +alas! none but you; and therefore our arguments prevailed: and the +requisition I am now forwarding to you in the name of our common party +is, as aforesaid, unanimous. Knowing you as well as I do, and knowing +therefore with what a struggle you make up your mind, ever determined +to adhere unswervingly to a resolution you have once arrived at, I'll +give you three days to think it over. Perhaps you'll talk it over with +our friend G. in W., whose acquaintance you have probably made ere +this; not to get him to appeal to your conscience--small need for that +in your case--but because an old veteran like him may be able, from the +fulness of his experience, to give you some hint or other which may be +of use to you in your candidature. It is very probable that you may +have to appear speedily in the arena. The Government would appear to +feel very confident of success, and will not delay the election. Four +weeks hence everything may be settled. That would leave you another +month before the meeting of Parliament to recover from the fatigue of +the electioneering campaign. The Italian trip will have to be given up, +it is true. But no one can serve two masters; and as for the mistress, +if my conjecture be correct, I do not dread her jealousy. If it were +permitted to harbour any doubt whether you have chosen wisely, or if +there were any need to apply a special test, there could be no surer +touchstone than this. The true gold of a genuine woman's love never +shines more brightly than when a sacrifice has to be made for the sake +of letting a man's worth stand out clearly. Commend me cordially to the +fair unknown, and accept my own affectionate greetings."</p> + +<p class="normal">The second dinner-bell had rung, and Bertram still sat staring at the +letter. Could this be true? It looked like witchcraft. By what +wonderful ingenuity had his friend rightly interpreted the state of his +heart, judging from hints which were not intended to be hints at all? +Well, if it was a miracle, it was a very auspicious one--one that could +only have had its origin in the great strength of truest friendship. +Impossible for the tempter to have assumed the guise of the best and +noblest of men!</p> + +<p class="normal">He pressed the letter to his lips, and gazed upward to the blue sky. +And, lo! as he moved, the gossamer thread floated away from his +shoulder, away into the sunny afar.</p> + +<p class="normal">With glowing eye he followed its flight.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Right, right! Fly and float with it, ye cowardly thoughts of retreat! +Who fears not death has already half won the battle!"</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XIII.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">Below, in the garden saloon, Bertram found only Otto and the Baron, who +abruptly stopped an eager conversation as Bertram entered. Otto looked +greatly embarrassed; the Baron gave him one angry look, then turned +away to the young ladies, who were walking on the verandah.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I seem to have disturbed you," said Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Don't be annoyed," replied Otto. "The Baron had, last night already, +disagreeable news from home, which is confirmed to-day, and will compel +him to travel back; and just now, in this time of tension, he wishes of +course--it is extremely awkward ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In one word, he has officially asked you for your daughter's hand?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not exactly officially; we really do not know about Erna. You had +undertaken to put us <i>au courant</i>, to advise and help us, and now you +are not helping us at all, and--and my wife is rather annoyed with you +on this ground."</p> + +<p class="normal">"So I have observed; and therefore, to make up for previous omissions, +I'll give you my advice now: get rid of him as quickly as possible, and +spare Erna the humiliation of having to refuse the fellow."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Humiliation? The fellow? How oddly you talk!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I talk how I feel. He is unworthy of Erna, absolutely."</p> + +<p class="normal">"So you say; but why?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram made no answer. What good could it do now to have a dispute +with Otto about the worthiness or unworthiness of the Baron?</p> + +<p class="normal">"You see," said Otto triumphantly, "you have no real reason to give!" +Then, seeing his friend look extremely grave, he went on--"I know of +course that you mean well by Erna, by me, by all of us. Perhaps you are +right, too, at least in this--that Erna may say: No. If she does, well, +then there is an end of it, and Hildegard and he may see how they can +best put up with it. If only it had not happened just now. I have my +head quite full enough as it is--all these officers coming to be +quartered here to-morrow, then the final debate on the railway +question, and then I just remember that I have also to redeem +to-morrow a certain mortgage, not much, only five thousand thalers, but +it happens most inopportunely, I wanted to talk to you about it before, +but I did not like to disturb you in your rooms; perhaps after dinner, +or to-night sometime--there is my wife coming, for God's sake no fuss, +I entreat you!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard entered, Lydia followed soon after, the young ladies and the +Baron came in from the verandah, and they all went to dinner. +Conversation somehow flagged; every one was busy with his own thoughts, +and, if one were to judge by looks, these thoughts did not seem to be +pleasant ones, except in Hildegard's case. She kept smiling +mysteriously to herself, and at last, when there had been a pause of +some little duration, she held up a couple of letters which she had +laid by the side of her plate, and said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is really too bad; here, I am sitting with quite a treasury of most +interesting surprises, and none of you take the trouble to show the +slightest symptom of curiosity. It would really serve you right if I +were not to say a word to you; but I will be gracious, as usual, and +let you participate in my joy. First, then, your mother, Agatha, has +after all yielded to my entreaties. It is most kind of her. She has a +big party to-morrow, too; some twenty officers, she says, and can ill +spare any of the girls. Still, she understands that I have even greater +need of them in our solitude, if the crowd of uniforms is not to become +intolerably monotonous--<i>enfin</i>, she'll send Louise and Augusta. They +will arrive to-day; so we shall really be able to have a dance to +morrow evening, if we invite the girls from the parsonage and a few +others. Well, what do you say?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Erna made no reply; she seemed hardly to have listened. Agatha said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are very kind, aunt," but it did not sound hearty.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is that all?" exclaimed Hildegard. "Of course I am kind, far too kind +to you ungrateful <i>blasée</i> girls, who cannot rise to enthusiasm even +with the prospect of a dance! But you, Baron?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I envy the gentlemen," replied he, "who will benefit by your kindness; +I myself, as you are aware, will scarcely be able to participate in +it."</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard raised her eyebrows.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thought," she said, "that the matter was settled. Your relations may +see how they can best do without you. I wish to hear nothing more upon +the subject. This is my ultimatum, and I beg you will respect it."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Baron bowed, and muttered something about <i>force majeure</i>. +Hildegard paid no heed to it; she had already taken up the second +letter.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I must beforehand apologise for my bad French accent. The letter is +from the Residenz, and I ought to mention ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"From Princess Amelia?" the Baron asked eagerly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not from our gracious Princess," replied Hildegard with a courteous +smile, "but from a princess, for all that."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps you would translate it?" suggested Otto timidly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Very well," replied his wife. "I was thinking of doing so anyhow, for +I know you pretend that you do not understand French. Well, then--</p> + +<p class="normal">"<span class="sc">Madam</span>,--Will you pardon a perfect stranger who ventures to request a +favour which it is usual to grant only to one's friends, or to duly +accredited persons--the favour of being your guest for a short time? +You are amazed, madam; but why do you own a mansion whose classic style +of architecture and whose internal fittings are the marvel of the land? +Why does every one who can judge, laud you as unsurpassed in the +horticultural art? I travel through Germany chiefly with the object of +studying all that is best and most beautiful in these things, in order +to try and imitate it upon my estates in Livadia. I shall not, as I +said, trouble you long; only a day or two. To-morrow and the day after, +if I may, for I can unfortunately not dispose differently of my time. +And as regards the inconvenience I must needs cause you, I will try to +reduce it to a minimum. A gardener or forester to pilot me about +outside, a steward to show me some of the things inside, a little +corner by your fireside, a little place at your table, a little chamber +to sleep in; that is all! True, already too much, if I reflect; but one +should not reflect, if one is the thorough egotist who has the honour +of remaining, Madam, your obedient servant,--<span class="sc">Princess Alexandra +Paulovna</span> ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard looked up from her letter, and said with a smile--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I cannot make out the surname."</p> + +<p class="normal">She passed the letter to Bertram, who was sitting on her right.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said the Baron, on her left, "she would seem to be a Russian, +anyhow."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No doubt of that. Well, my friend?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," replied Bertram, "I cannot make it out."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Will you allow me?" said the Baron.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram handed the letter back to Hildegard, who passed it on to the +Baron.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why," he exclaimed, "it is quite plain, Bo--Bo!" He paused.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Bo, Bo, Bo!" laughed Lydia. "Let me try." +But Lydia failed too; the note was passed round the table; Otto and +Agatha tried and failed; Erna passed it on to Bertram without casting +one glance at it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Will you not try?" asked Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No."</p> + +<p class="normal">She uttered this so sharply that Bertram looked up terrified.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How very unkind," said her mother.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram had the same impression at first, but he knew Erna too well; +there was assuredly something else going on in her mind, something +which had tried to find expression in the abrupt No. She was very pale, +and had pressed her teeth against her under lip, whilst her eyes looked +gloomily and fixedly straight in front of her. One might have expected +her to burst into a flood of tears the next moment. To turn the +attention of the rest from her, and also to overcome his own feelings +of uneasiness, he began once more diligently to spell away at the +signature, and suddenly exclaimed--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have got it, I think--Volinzov--Alexandra Paulovna Volinzov!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let me see, please?" exclaimed Hildegard. "Really, Volinzov; and quite +plain too. How blind we have been! Dear me, Herr Baron, what is the +matter with you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I beg a thousand pardons," said the Baron from behind his +handkerchief, which he held pressed to his face, rising from the table +as he spoke, and swiftly withdrawing from the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard looked sadly after his retreating figure.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Poor fellow!" she said, "I am so sorry. He is in a terrible state of +excitement. And now, in addition, this home news--if I only knew what +it is all about, but he is discretion personified."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram, still pondering over Erna's strange demeanour, had almost +mechanically cast his eye over the whole letter, and only became +conscious of this on coming to a passage which he did not remember +having heard in Hildegard's translation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Here," he said, "is one line, my fair friend, which has escaped you, +and which yet strikes me as important. Listen: 'thorough egotist who +has the courage to follow her letter at once, and has the honour,' &c."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Impossible!" exclaimed Hildegard.</p> + +<p class="normal">"There it stands; see for yourself. You passed from the last line but +two on to the last."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh dear! oh dear!" exclaimed the hostess. "She will be wanting to +dine of course; and that is not the worst, but all the rooms will be +occupied by to-morrow afternoon."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The officers must do with a little less accommodation," said Otto. "It +will be all right."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, it will not be all right," said his wife, "if each of them is to +have a room of his own; and we cannot put less than two each at the +disposal of the two Majors and the Colonel."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let me help you in your embarrassment," said Bertram. "You know, I +originally intended leaving early to-morrow, let us adhere to the old +plan; the more so, because I have just received a letter which +necessitates my very speedy return to Berlin."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is an excuse," exclaimed his friend.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No excuse, my dear fellow; you may see the letter yourself. But I may +as well say what it is about. I have been selected by my political +friends for a forthcoming vacancy in the <i>Reichstag</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But you will surely not stand?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Indeed, I mean to do so."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And your Italian trip?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Postponed to some future day."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But your illness?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thanks to your excellent nursing, I never felt better in my life."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But it's quite out of the question!" cried Otto. "I cannot let you. +It would be downright ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">In thus urging his friend to stay, Otto was simply following the +dictates of his own good-natured heart, without any reference to his +own special interests; now it suddenly occurred to him that his wife +had that very morning called Bertram's presence a positive misfortune, +and had accused him of standing--the one obstacle--between herself and +the execution of her favourite plan.</p> + +<p class="normal">So he broke off abruptly, casting a sheepish, embarrassed look at his +wife.</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard blushed to the very temples. Now she was obliged to urge him +to stay, if everything she had been settling during the last few days +in secret with Lydia and the Baron, and at last with her husband too, +was not to lie like an open book before Bertram, and unless there was +to be a real rupture, which, of course, it was desirable to avoid as +long as possible. In order to conceal the true reason of her blush, she +seized, as though obeying some uncontrollable impulse, both his hands, +and said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am almost speechless with amazement, my friend! Otto is quite right; +the thing is impossible, it would be downright--abominable--that is +what you were going to say, is it not, dear Otto? You cannot, must not +leave us now. In a few days, if it really must be, well and good; but +not now. I have--quite apart from our own feelings--revelled in the +thought of the pleasant surprise it will be for Herr von Waldor to meet +here, upon the threshold of a strange house, an old friend of his own. +And if old friendship cannot exercise a spell over you, are you not +allured by the prospect of meeting the mysterious Russian, whose name +you alone were able to decipher, and who will not care to converse with +any one except yourself, once she has heard how beautifully you speak +French? But come--Otto, Lydia, Agatha--help me to entreat our friend to +stay."</p> + +<p class="normal">In the general excitement, every one had risen from table, dinner being +finished anyhow, and now they were talking on the verandah. The Baron +had reappeared too, but was keeping at some little distance; he +evidently had not quite recovered from his attack. Those to whom +Hildegard had appealed by name hastened to comply with her request, and +were all urging Bertram to remain. He never heard them at all; he did +not even see them; he had eyes for Erna only.</p> + +<p class="normal">Erna, as though she had no interest whatever in the matter under +discussion, had stepped down from the verandah to one of the +flower-plots on the lawn. Suddenly she turned, retraced her steps +slowly, ascended the verandah again, and approached him. Her cheeks--so +pale but a short time ago--were flushed now; there was a light in those +large eyes, and a defiant smile played round her dainty lips. She +fastened a beautiful red rose, just about to unfold, in his buttonhole.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I prayed you the night you came--I pray you again: Stay! stay--for my +sake! Come, Agatha!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She had seized her cousin by the hand, and drawn her away into the +garden; Bertram had stepped into the billiard-room, and was knocking +the balls about; the others looked at each other, amazed, embarrassed, +frightened, scornful. But, greatly though their various feelings +desired expression and exchange, and opportune though the occasion +might appear, there was no chance in the meantime. For the very next +moment the sound of a post-horn was heard coming from the great +courtyard, and announced, to Hildegard's terror, that Princess Volinzov +had interpreted her own letter literally, and had really followed it +without delay.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XIV.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">The sunny brightness of the day was suddenly interrupted by a +thunderstorm, and the evening closed in dark and stormy. Up from the +valley and down from the wooded hills thick grey mists came rolling +along, and violent showers of rain ensued. It was chilly and +disagreeable; and the "corner by the fireside," referred to in the +letter of the Princess, seemed no longer to be a mere phrase, but to +embody a very natural wish, and one which Hildegard took care to +fulfil, by having fires kindled in all the drawing-rooms. There was +quite a party at the mansion this evening. An hour after the arrival of +the Princess, the sisters of Agatha had come; then the forest-ranger, +the Herr <i>Oberförster</i>, had turned up, without having brought his +ladies, on account of the disagreeable weather, but there had come with +him a young gentleman from the Forests and Woods' Department, Herr von +Busche, who had been absent for a week, and who, as he laughingly +assured them, must try very hard to make up for the many pleasant hours +he had lost. He seemed determined to carry this into practice, for he +was most indefatigable in suggesting new games and new jests, and kept +the four young ladies in constant laughter.</p> + +<p class="normal">"<i>Qu'y a-t-il de plus beau</i>," said the Princess, talking, as before, +now French, now German with equal readiness, "thus to hear, from an +adjoining room, the happy laughter of girls, while one is sitting +snugly by the fire talking to a friend. The past and the present mingle +and separate again, like the red and blue flames among those coals; and +sometimes there flashes between them a green one, which we may take for +a light giving a glimpse of the future--and indeed it vanishes again +very swiftly. How comfortable, how beautiful everything's in your +house, <i>ma chère</i>. And how can I thank you enough for admitting me to +the full enjoyment of your charming home?"</p> + +<p class="normal">She had seized both Hildegard's hands as she spoke, and seized them so +eagerly that the bracelets on her round white arms jingled.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have to thank you, Princess ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"For goodness' sake, do not call me that any longer. Say Alexandra, +will you not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Will you say Hildegard?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"<i>Cela va sans dire</i>--Hildegard--a beautiful name--beautiful like her +whose it is! What were we talking about? The future, yes, to be sure. +Well, there is a glorious future in store for you in your lovely +daughter."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you like Erna?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Like her? <i>Mon Dieu!</i> only a mother's modesty can ask this. She is +simply divine. Not that I never saw more beautiful girls--you see I am +quite frank--but there is something in her whole bearing, the way in +which she walks or stands, every movement, every gesture, her +expression, her smile, her gravity even, there is a grace and a charm +about it all which completely bewitch me, woman though I am. How may +men feel? Poor men! Poor broken hearts, I pity you!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"She has scarcely had the chance yet of breaking hearts," replied +Hildegard with a smile; "she has only just left school."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But even very young ladies, I am told, manage sometimes to do it," +said the Princess. "I am afraid I broke one or two myself whilst I was +at a boarding-school, and it was a strict one, too! But to be serious, +have you already chosen for your fair child?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Our girls in Germany are wont to claim the right of choice for +themselves," replied Hildegard, casting a stolen glance at Bertram, +who, walking up and down the saloon with Otto, happened just at that +moment to be inconveniently near.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A bad German peculiarity," said the Princess. "If a girl who does not +know the world, does not know men--except her father, of whom she is +afraid, and her brothers, whom she thinks ridiculous--is allowed to +choose a husband according to the confused illusions of her silly +little head--you may bet a hundred to one that the result will be +either a <i>bêtise</i> or a <i>malheur</i>--which, according to the saying of +the witty Frenchman, are, however, identical terms."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is quite my idea, dear--Alexandra," said Hildegard, bending her +head with a courteous smile to her new-found friend; "quite my idea!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Clever women understand each other <i>à demi mot</i>," replied Alexandra. +"But there are exceptions, and your Erna is such an exception. She +would never dream of losing her heart to a man simply because he stands +six feet, and knows how to brush himself up and to cut a figure, +however confused things may look beneath the smoothly-parted hair, +however rotten a heart may beat behind the dainty cambric shirt-front."</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard did not dare to stir; she had noticed that during the last +few words of the Princess the Baron had been standing within a couple +of steps from them, evidently with the intention of joining them. But +as neither lady seemed to see him, or wish to see him, he examined a +vase which stood upon a marble table near, and turned on his heel +again. Hildegard breathed more freely.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You may be quite assured," said Alexandra, "I spoke in French on +purpose when I saw him coming. I had made sure that he speaks it very +badly, and understands it even worse, which, by the by, is rather +curious in a cavalier who is anxious to obtain a Court appointment."</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard felt very uneasy, although it was of course out of the +question that the Princess should have meant the Baron when she spoke +of a "man standing six feet."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know," she said with some little hesitation, "that the Baron is +very intimate at Court?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I was at Court last night," replied Alexandra, "to tea. We Russians +are in very good odour at your Court, you know; and, moreover, I had +made the acquaintance of their Highnesses during their last visit to +St. Petersburg. Princess Amelia is specially gracious to me, and she is +the one who interests herself in the Baron."</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure," Hildegard assented eagerly. "Pray, tell me more, it has +much interest for me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have not much to tell. I mentioned in the course of general +conversation that I intended to pay you a visit to-day. This led to +Fräulein von Aschhof and the Baron being mentioned as your guests. For +that curious lady every one seemed to have a smile, nothing more, +which, by the by, I can quite understand. About the Baron--well, <i>chère +amie</i>, since you are interested in the young man, I must be indiscreet +enough to tell you of a very confidential conversation I had afterwards +in a window recess about him with that dear old man, Count Dirnitz, the +Court-Marshal. He told me that the opinions regarding the Baron were at +least much divided at Court. The Grand Duke himself, he said, in +particular, could not overcome a certain antipathy to him, and that was +the reason why his appointment as one of the chamberlains, although +duly made out, still awaited the Grand Duke's signature. The Count said +that he himself, although he had been an intimate friend of the Baron's +father, did not know what to advise. Just then the Grand Duke came up +to us; he had heard the last words of Count Dirnitz, and said +laughingly: 'That, my good Count, happens pretty often to you; but may +I ask what it is about?' And when Dirnitz, who, I suppose, had no +option, had told him, he said: 'Well, in this case, I must admit I am +perplexed myself; I should so much like to oblige Princess Amelia, and +yet ...' Then the Grand Duke suddenly turned to me and said: '<i>A +propos</i>, Princess Volinzov, as you are going to Rinstedt to-morrow, you +might have a good look at our man. I will gladly confide the matter to +your unprejudiced decision. If you think him suitable for us, <i>eh +bien</i>, I'll risk it.' ... What a truly charming ceiling this is! Quite +a work of art."</p> + +<p class="normal">Princess Alexandra was leaning back in her arm-chair examining through +her double eye-glass the painted ceiling.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I see," she said, "a fine imitation of that Guercino in the Villa +Ludovisi. It is superb, truly superb!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard was in a state of painful excitement. The young Princess had, +anyhow, impressed her greatly; now this unexpected, but of course +perfectly natural, intimacy at Court, and specially such a mission, +possibly the one solitary motive of the whole visit, and upon which the +Baron's fate depended. She felt almost dizzy, and it cost her a +considerable struggle to be able to say with some calmness--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I beg your pardon, my dear Alexandra, but you have forgotten the main +thing."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The main thing! What main thing?</p> + +<p class="normal">"What your unprejudiced opinion of the Baron now is."</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She looked again at Hildegard. There was an odd smile on her lips now.</p> + +<p class="normal">"If my opinion were only unprejudiced. But how can that be when the +friends of our friends are our own, or ought to be?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You shall not escape thus," said Hildegard, whose sinking courage the +fair visitor's smile had revived a little.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I do not mean to escape," replied the Princess; "only I do not quite +like to confess a silly trick to you which my memory, which is +generally very fair as far as physiognomies are concerned, is playing +me in this case. But it is simply impossible to free one's self +altogether from the influence which a marked personal likeness +exercises; and when I first saw the Baron, there came to me the most +disagreeable reminiscence of an episode of the last journey I made with +my lamented mother to Italy. However, as I ought at once to state, +there is no harm in the matter, for the Baron, whom I asked, says he +was not in Monaco that year."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In Monaco?" cried Hildegard.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Alas, my good mamma, the Countess Lassounska, you must know, was a +great votary of the green cloth. Well, she could afford to indulge a +passion which, among the ladies of the Russian aristocracy, not seldom +survives or reappears, when they have had to bury all other passions. +And in all others poor mamma had been so very unfortunate; but in this +she was singularly lucky. Thus, one night--it was in autumn '72--she +died next spring, four weeks after my marriage with the Prince, who had +at that time followed us to Monaco, and to whom I had just, being then +sixteen years of age, become engaged--good Lord, and he has been dead +these two years! How time passes! But what was I going to say? Oh yes; +mamma had won an immense sum one night, so much that at last she was +barely paying any attention to what she was staking, and when she +noticed a friend, she turned round to talk to him, without leaving her +chair, until the gentleman himself called her attention to the +accumulating gains, and asked if she would not withdraw them. But she +said there was no hurry, and went on chattering, to the amazement of +her neighbours and the terror of the bank, for they kept and kept +losing on the red. At last mamma did turn round again to the table, her +own curiosity roused by the divers exclamations of the bystanders; but +just at that moment a gentleman, who had been sitting by her side all +night, was pocketing the whole huge heap of banknotes and rouleaux of +gold. Mamma claimed her property, of course; the gentleman assured her +she was mistaken. Mamma knew that this was not the case, but a scene in +a gambling-room, don't you know, dear, <i>c'est une horreur</i> for a lady +with aristocratic nerves like poor mamma, the friend she had been +conversing with wanted to interfere, so did a number of the bystanders, +and play had to be suspended. Mamma said that if the gentleman asserted +that the money was his, she would waive her claim; rose, took her +friend's arm, and left the room. Here the matter ended, and nothing +further followed, for the 'gentleman' elected to leave that very night +for Nice. There, they say, he speedily got rid of his illgotten gains. +At least, when we arrived there four weeks later, they pointed out a +gentleman in the play saloon to us who had recently lost fabulous sums. +On that occasion I saw him for the first time--I was not generally +allowed to enter the gambling-rooms--and for the last time, for he had +no sooner caught sight of our party, than he rose from the table and +vanished from the room, and I think from Nice; anyhow, he never, +appeared again during the rest of our sojourn. Mamma had given strict +orders not to take any notice; whatever of the adventurer."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And this--adventurer, had a distant likeness to the Baron?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"A distant likeness? No, dear, a most distinct one. That's the +misfortune!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Alexandra was leaning back again in the arm-chair and toying with her +rings. Hildegard was staring gloomily in front of her. The execution of +her long-cherished, plan, the fulfilment of her eager desire, was now +threatened by an obstacle which seemed much worse than any previous +one; and she was already almost reduced to despair by the others that +she had to struggle against.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A misfortune, indeed!" she said; "a great misfortune for our friend, +who, will now have to suffer so bitterly for an accident he is +guiltless of."</p> + +<p class="normal">"How suffer, dear?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Were you not saying yourself a short while ago that this wretched +likeness was making it impossible for you to arrive at an unprejudiced +opinion about the Baron? Well, it matters everything to him, of course, +that your opinion should not only not be prejudiced but favourable. +And--to confess the truth--to me, to us, it matters much, very much."</p> + +<p class="normal">Alexandra drew herself up, the old odd smile was hovering about her +lips again.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Does it really matter so much to you?" she said. "Do I understand you +correctly?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let us assume that you do," replied Hildegard, trying as she spoke to +imitate Alexandra's smile.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I can only answer: <i>Je n'en vois pas la nécessité.</i>"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of what?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That this particular man should marry Erna. Where is the necessity? If +she were in love with him, the matter would have to be discussed at +least. Now it is not worth while. A girl like your Erna--proud, +self-willed, large-hearted--will never be in love with this Baron, +never! It is impossible, it is contrary to nature--I mean contrary to +the nature of a gifted heart, for there are gifted hearts, just as +there are gifted heads. One can, nay, one must, have absolute +confidence in both, even supposing that, from very excess of feelings +or thoughts, they seem not to have confidence in themselves. One must +let them have their way, they cannot err long."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But they can err for all that," replied Hildegard bitterly. "Would +you not call it an error, would you think it to be in accord with the +nature of that gifted heart you speak of, if the girl in question were +to take a special interest in--out with it, were to love--a man who, +according to years, might be her father, a man of fifty?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The question seemed to come upon Princess Alexandra as a great +surprise. She had almost risen from her chair, and was staring fixedly +at Hildegard with a burning blush on her cheek. But the very next +moment mien and colour had resumed their former state, and nestling +even more snugly in the recesses of the deep arm-chair, she said +slowly--</p> + +<p class="normal">"This question it is impossible to answer with an unconditional Yes or +No. So much would depend upon the individual. Let us speak of the girl +first. You are of coarse referring to ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"To Erna."</p> + +<p class="normal">The eyes of the Princess were all but closed now; something seemed to +flash from beneath the long eyelids.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course," she replied very slowly. "And ... he?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard bent her eyes in the direction of the opposite side of the +drawing-room, where Bertram was conversing with the forest-ranger.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah!" was all the Princess said, putting up her double eyeglass and +surveying Bertram curiously. Then, after a long pause--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Are you sure?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Quite."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is so easy to make a mistake in these things."</p> + +<p class="normal">"There is no chance of a mistake here."</p> + +<p class="normal">"How so?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard hesitated before she replied. But her heart was too full. The +pain--repressed with difficulty--caused her by the merciless +condemnation of the Baron, her displeasure in reference to Bertram, her +anger against Erna--all these emotions were clamouring for expression, +although her pride bade her desist. She bent over the Princess and +whispered hurriedly--</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will not condemn a mother even if, in her despair, she has +recourse to desperate remedies, or, at least, allows things to be done +on which she could never voluntarily determine. I was positively free +from the faintest suspicion, but Lydia--Fräulein von Aschhof--who had +reasons of her own for exercising minute control over the gentleman's +demeanour, felt sure she had found it out. Indeed, she communicated to +me observations she had made--words she had heard, looks she had +intercepted--I thought the charge monstrous, incredible, abominable; +but my confidence was shaken--I saw with new eyes, heard with new +ears--saw and heard what caused me to shudder. And yet I would +certainly have shrunk much longer from accepting a conviction which +every day and every hour was urging upon me anew; but two days ago +Fräulein von Aschhof brought me a letter which my daughter had written +to her cousin Agatha, written but not sent--why, I know not. Nor do I +know how Lydia--Fräulein Von Aschhof--got hold of the letter. I +believe ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Go on, go on!" said Alexandra, as Hildegard, embarrassed, was pausing. +"That does not matter at all. The chief thing is that you have seen the +letter. And what did the letter say? That she loved this man?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not in these words, but in words which it were impossible to interpret +differently."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Have you the letter still?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, I am sorry to say. Lydia has ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Has replaced it where she found it; of course. It's a pity, though. It +might be possible to imagine another interpretation. However, let us +assume that it is so. What have you resolved?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"To die rather than give my consent--a thousand times rather!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Their eyes met, and they looked; steadily at each other for a few +moments. Then the Princess nodded, and said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I see you are in earnest. I can quite understand it; nay, more, I will +help you. You will not have to die. I promise my help. Will you reject +it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">She had seized Hildegard's hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I shall be eternally grateful to you," said Hildegard; "but ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No 'but!' I am one of these people who always do what they undertake. +You shall be content with me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I fear, I fear it is too late."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We shall see about that. Now, in the first instance, bring me the man, +and leave me alone with him. One more condition: you are never to ask +me what means I have employed. Will you promise?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Anything you wish, my kind, good friend!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She would have pressed the little ringed hands, (which she still held +clasped) to her lips, but the Princess prevented it by a swift +movement, saying as she did so--</p> + +<p class="normal">"For goodness sake, do not be demonstrative! People are not to see what +intimate friends we have become!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard had risen to fetch Bertram. Alexandra was again examining, +with the help of her double eyeglass, the painted ceiling above; but +her thoughts were not with Apollo and the nymphs.</p> + +<p class="normal">"So now we are going to see Mr. Right! To be sure, the other one was +scarcely worth the trouble. But this one it will not be so easy to +subdue. Poor Kurt--I could take such sweet revenge here! But no, no! I +have vowed to myself, by the love wherewith I loved you, wherewith I +love you still--as a brother--that I would bring you back your loved +one though I should have to fetch her out of Inferno. I will keep my +vow. I will be able to look with a clear conscience into your beautiful +eyes to-morrow.... Ah, Mr. Bertram! Now I call this very nice of you. I +was already beginning to feel offended. I am not accustomed to be +neglected by clever people. You must try to atone for it now. Pray, sit +down!"</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XV.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">Bertram had no difficulty in replying merrily to the merry questions of +the fair stranger. His head was full of merry thoughts, there was +nothing but rapture in his heart. All the world seemed to him to be +filled with the fragrance of that rose Erna had given him to-day, that +rose which he had since worn near his heart, and from which the hostile +looks of Hildegard and the others fell off harmless, as from a potent +talisman. Human envy notwithstanding, things awarded him by the grace +of the gods were coming to him, nay, had come. If he had still required +any confirmation, what confirmation more delightful could he have had +than the exuberant mirth to which the beloved child's melancholy +gravity had suddenly turned? Like fairy music her rippling laugh seemed +to him, coming from the adjoining room, where, surrounded by her +cousins, she was as indefatigable in admiring Herr von Busche's feats, +as that gentleman himself was in performing them. And he was willing to +bear in patience that she was taken up by her friends all the evening, +even as he was himself by the rest of the company, and that thus he had +not found one single moment when he might have approached her, might +have told her what she knew already, what no longer required to be +said, what could be said only by a kiss on those pure, sweet lips.</p> + +<p class="normal">In such rapturous dreams his soul was rejoicing whilst he was +conversing gaily with the Russian beauty. And rapture, too, it was to +compare this foreign beauty, from whom, in spite of her youth, the +strong and not always pure breath of the great world had long ago +brushed away the dainty down, with the chaste grace of the beloved +maid. She needed no sparkling diamonds, no jingling of golden +bracelets; she could dispense with all these over-refined arts of the +toilet, this coquetterie which calculated every pose of the plump +little frame, every movement of the round arms and the white hands, +every rise and fall of the long lids, every glance, every smile from +the black eyes! His Erna was the fairer and nobler of the two, a born +Princess!</p> + +<p class="normal">In their conversation, which was carried on, as far as Bertram was +concerned, all the more eagerly the less his heart was touched by it, +and to which Alexandra, passing as lightly as a bird from one subject +to another, was constantly adding fresh topics of interest, they were +interrupted by the loud laughter of the girls. Indeed, two of the +sisters came rushing into the drawing-room to invite those who were +there to come and admire a positively incredible trick which Herr von +Busche had just performed, and which he was prepared to repeat--but by +universal desire only. They drew the others away with them, uncle and +aunt, the Herr <i>Oberförster</i> and the Baron.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You would like to go," said Alexandra. "Do not stay on my account. I +have already withdrawn you too long from the society of the others."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You dismiss me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"One should never detain any one who wants to escape!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"But what has brought such evil suspicion upon me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your eyes, which are constantly, though ever so discreetly, wandering +to that door, in whose frame, it is true, the group of young ladies +appears as full of charms as one of Winterhalter's tableaux. Four +girls, one of whom, for the sake of contrast, I suppose, has had the +superb inspiration to be ugly, while the other three vie with each +other in beauty. Which of the girls do you think the most beautiful?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thought the question could not be asked."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you think so? But since I have asked it, I suppose you will have to +be polite enough to answer it. You mean the young lady with the lovely +neck and the glorious Titian-like hair? I could wager that you do."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Don't; you would lose your wager."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I declare that you are not an impartial judge, perhaps absolutely +bribed; bribed by the rose, say, that you wear in your button-hole."</p> + +<p class="normal">Alexandra had dropped the eye-glass which she had raised to look upon +the group of girls in the doorway, and now, turning swiftly round to +Bertram, she looked laughingly into his eyes, and said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"That was indiscreet, was it not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not at all," Bertram replied. "This rose, it is true, is the gift of +one of the young ladies, and indeed, of the one who seems to me to be +by far the most beautiful--the daughter of our host, if you wish to +know. But it was no secret gift. I have had it awarded to me before the +whole party assembled, as a reward, by the way, for staying a few days +longer than I had promised. You see in this case, as in so many others, +the small merit is out of all proportion to the great reward."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I was not altogether wrong," said Alexandra, "there was a certain +amount of bribery connected with it, although there was no call for it. +Openly speaking, I can but confirm your decision. Fräulein Erna is by +far the most beautiful, most graceful, most interesting, not only of +the few young ladies yonder, but of all those I have recently, perhaps +whom I have ever seen. And my evidence is assuredly unprejudiced and +unbribed, nay, more, it is generous, for, between you and me, Fräulein +Erna is not treating me in a friendly way."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That," Bertram asserted eagerly, "is assuredly a mistake; it may seem +so, but her cousins are claiming so much of her attention, and, perhaps +too, having been so little in society as yet, she may be a little shy +before a lady of the <i>grand monde</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps," said Alexandra, "although the latter alternative would not +be very flattering for me, seeing that I fancy, besides being somewhat +of a grand lady, I have remained a good deal of the <i>bonne enfant</i>. Nor +have I at all given up the hope of proving to the dear child that I am +indeed her friend. I believe I have found out that she needs one. Do +you not think so?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram was puzzled. But she had spoken kindly, naturally, just like +some one rather given to blurt out whatever thought came uppermost.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who does not need friends?" he answered with a smile.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Very true," replied the Princess, "and very diplomatic. I quite +understand your diplomacy. You are the friend of this fair creature; it +is therefore your bounden duty, if other people clamour for admission +to the ranks of her friends, to be very critical, particularly so if it +strikes you as incomprehensible whence those others derive the sudden +sympathy to which they lay claim. But, <i>que voulez-vous?</i> A young +woman, whose heart is wholly unoccupied, and who is driven about in the +world by this aforesaid unoccupied heart, like a balloon that has lost +its ballast--what other and what better thing can she do, than be +interested in anything interesting that chance puts in her way? This is +my occupation. Any occupation seriously pursued makes you an expert, +sooner or later, in that occupation. I have always pursued mine +seriously, and have pursued it long enough to claim to be something +like an expert in it. Now here everything is so simple and clear that +the meanest understanding can make for itself a fairly correct picture +in half a dozen hours. Given: a man who would be the very pattern of a +loving father for his daughter, if he were not a rare specimen of the +truly obedient husband; a wife who would swear by all she held sacred +that she thinks of nothing but how to make her daughter happy, and who +makes her as unhappy as only a narrow-hearted narrow-minded mother +can make a singularly gifted, large-hearted daughter; an aged +scandal-loving, intriguing <i>confidante</i>, who likes to make mischief, +the better to pursue her own mean objects in troubled waters; a young +suitor, endowed by nature for the very part of <i>jeune premier</i> at a +second-rate theatre; an older friend of the family whose clear, clever +eyes see all this, of course, and whose whole sympathy, equally a +matter of course, is enlisted for the girl whose gradual growth and +glorious development he has watched. Why, I should think the matter was +as plain as the 'secret' in the most casual novel. And, should you care +for a more complicated ... fable,--let the friend of the family +conceive a serious, passionate attachment to the 'dear child,' and then +you have abundant material for volume number two."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram started. This could no longer--it was impossible--be the mere +inspiration of the moment, and only a harmless <i>causerie</i>. There was +treachery at work here, evidently inspired by Hildegard, with whom the +Russian lady had, a short time ago, conversed so long and so eagerly. +And if the Princess, as was quite possible, considering the great +vivacity of her disposition, had already chosen a side: which side? +Erna's? or that of her mother? Probably the latter, for she spoke so +very bitterly of her. One does that kind of thing to draw one's +opponent out. But in that case the great lady must use greater cunning +yet.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I admire your wonderful imagination," he said, "and if I were a poet, +I would envy it. How charming to see poetical elements everywhere, and +also to be at once clear as to the arranging and dove-tailing which +torments the poet so much. You should really make a book of it. Even if +the subject is not quite new--where, indeed, could, quite new ones be +found nowadays?--a clever author will see something new even in the +most hackneyed subject. For myself, of course, the second volume would +be specially interesting, when the old friend of the family comes on +the stage; for him, of course, the business cannot possibly end well."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I beg," said the Princess, "that you, will not spoil my text. I have +by no means said that my hero is old. On the contrary, he is in the +prime of life; of that age when we women only begin to find you men +amiable, and rightly so, for you only begin then to become amiable; +somewhere about fifty, we'll say."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram bowed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Accept my sincere thanks," he said, "in my own name, seeing I am of +the amiable age, and in the name of my many contemporaries. You are +taking a load off my heart, for now, equally of course, the issue need +by no means be so bad. The chances for and against are anyhow equal."</p> + +<p class="normal">"There, again, you go too far," replied the Princess. "The bad issue, +to be sure, is no longer necessary; it must, however, always remain +probable."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Always?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think so, even under the most favourable circumstances."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What would you call favourable circumstances?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"We will talk of that later on. Let us first take a specially +unfavourable case, which, perhaps, is so all the more the less it would +appear to be so. It seems, for example, that our fair young friend +would feel less keenly the difference in years, and all the unpleasant +and awkward things connected with it, and resulting from it. She is--at +least so I judge her to be, and that is sufficient for our purpose--one +of those deeply serious natures who are greatly given to confounding +the wild phantasies of the head with the true enthusiasm of the heart, +and who will conscientiously, and to its utmost consequences, adhere to +what once they have seized upon and vowed. But I presume that she is as +passionate as she is conscientious; and if her passion and her +conscience once come in conflict, the struggle will be terrific. She +may come forth victorious from the battle, but what avails a victory +that ends in resignation? There we should have an issue, which may be +convenient enough for the oldish husband, but then--his convenience and +her happiness are surely very different things."</p> + +<p class="normal">"If I under stand you correctly," Bertram made answer, "you plead for +the same theory which I hold, too, and which, as it happens, I have had +to defend repeatedly during the last few days in our little circle: +namely, that a man who is no longer young, cannot become the object of +a passionate attachment on the part of a young girl; or it is anyhow in +some way an aberration, and therefore cannot last."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is exactly what I mean," the Princess assented eagerly. "We come, +then, to a law of nature, which we must accept like other laws, +although they are by no means flattering, nay, downright humiliating to +our pride. Perhaps, however, on the other hand, the danger of an error +and of the consequent conflict is not quite so great in the case in +point, since the curiously-veiled radiance of the glorious eyes of that +fair child seems to imply that she has already more than a mere vague +foreboding of that passion--that she has already loved, perhaps loved +unhappily, and would, consequently, not have to make these bitter +experiences, which teach us to be wise, and quiet, and resigned, one +after the other, in actual wedlock. But who is to give us the guarantee +that the last supposition is correct? I could tell you a curious story, +if you care to hear it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You simply owe me the story, my gracious Princess, as a proof of our +joint theory."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, it is fortunately not a long story, and the rest of the company +have given us up, anyhow. Listen, then."</p> + +<p class="normal">Alexandra's eyes had been examining the large chamber; they were quite +alone in it now, for all the others were crowding with merry laughter +round the magician's table. She leaned forward in her chair; Bertram +courteously, approached his own, and she began with a lowered voice, +keeping her black eyes under the half closed lids steadily fixed upon +him:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"The scene is Paris; the time some two years ago; the heroine is a +friend of mine, a lady belonging to the highest society in France, +whose fate had been similar to my own in one respect only: she too had +married at sixteen, and been shortly after left a childless widow. +Claudine--I give you her Christian name alone, for the other is +unimportant to us--was not only, of course, much more beautiful than I, +in fact, extraordinarily beautiful and much more gifted; she was also +for good--and, as I may add without boasting, for evil--a much greater, +more energetic creature. Not that I have anything very bad to say of +dear Claudine, or, at least, nothing worse than has been said of many a +woman who could not, perhaps, claim such weighty 'extenuating +circumstances.' Her mother had, for reasons of her own, persuaded her +into this marriage, which had turned out singularly unhappy. Her +husband, although allowing for the difference of sex, he was scarcely +older than she herself at the time of the marriage--he was then +two-and-twenty--had, though so young, already managed to be +acknowledged as one of the completest <i>roués</i> of all Paris, in spite of +the keen rivalry of his high-born compeers. He had seen in the innocent +young girl only an additional mistress whom, after a brief period, one +could neglect with the greater impunity, since one could feel sure of +her, and since she, moreover, in spite of, or perhaps, rather because +of, her pride, did not seem to belong to those troublesome women who +make 'scenes.' And indeed, after she had realised what, from another +side, was made clear to her, they had but one 'scene,' but a terrible +one, a recurrence of which was both impossible and unnecessary. He +thoroughly understood her then--and she had proved a hundred times the +stronger of the two. He was allowed to continue his own way of living, +on the one condition that he did not concern himself in the least about +hers. And hers? Well, I told you hers was a passionate nature, and she +was an unhappy wife; that combination can yield nothing but +unhappiness. Fortunately for her, she was speedily set free from the +worst impulse, the one which had poisoned and warped her passionate +nature; for her husband died. She was free once more, and vowed to +remain free. Not that she did not mean to marry again; in the circles +where she lived, she could only by a second marriage escape from the +bondage of those relationships into which one is forced as into a new +fashion, abominable though you may think either. Her second marriage +was but to guarantee her a clear position in the world; the other +guarantees for peace and for freedom she thought she bore within +herself. And so she made her choice.</p> + +<p class="normal">"At this period of the story I became intimate with Claudine, whose +acquaintance I had previously but hurriedly made when travelling. It +was in Trouville. You know how swiftly people become intimate in a +watering-place. She introduced to me the victor in the endless row of +suitors for her hand. After careful examination I could not altogether +agree with her choice. In most points, it is true, he answered the +requirements of the programme. He was no longer young--fifty-one, +or -two; held a high command in the army, and brought her as dower a +not inglorious past. He had led a wild and wandering life, and been the +hero of a thousand adventures, but there was not the slightest stain +upon his name--at least not in the eyes of society. Moreover, though +not an intellectual man,--which she would have disliked in the long +run,--he was one of those who are able to captivate even the most +fastidious company, by their quick perception, their lively +temperament, and their varied and abundant experience, upon which they +can, aided by an excellent memory and natural eloquence, draw at all +times. All this was, as I said, excellent as far as it went; but one +thing I thought very hazardous--it seemed by no means impossible to me +that he should still be capable of a serious, passionate attachment, +and--this comes, almost to the same thing--still capable of inspiring +it. Now, either lay assuredly beyond the programme which my friend had +sketched out for herself.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I told Claudine of my fears. She endeavoured to argue me out of them +thus: 'What you think to be real and direct light,' she would say, 'is +nothing but the reflection of the sun that set long ago upon glacial +Alpine summits. It looks beautiful, and people cry, Ah! and Oh! when +they see it; and for their sake I would not willingly miss it. But one +cannot be warmed by it, or set on fire by it! My dear child, with all +that blaze you could not make your kettle boil, far less rekindle the +bitter and bare embers of a heart like mine!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"As far as the gentleman was concerned, Claudine might be right. At +least the somewhat boastful and exaggerated gallantry with which he +laid his homage at her feet corresponded, as far as I could judge, +exactly with her prediction. But how greatly she had been mistaken +about herself the immediate future was to show.</p> + +<p class="normal">"There were delays before the marriage could be concluded. Both +Claudine and her friend had to free themselves from certain tender +bonds. That required tact, management, caution. Moreover, she had +become entangled in a law-suit with the family of her first husband, +which, for some reason or other, might end badly for her, if it became +known that she was contemplating a second marriage. Enough, absolute +secrecy regarding their relations and intentions was requisite for some +considerable time, and they had both taken their measures accordingly. +Claudine had retired from society, and lived in deepest seclusion near +Paris, on the estate of a widowed sister of her friend's--she, of +course, being in the secret. Her friend went to see her when he +could--which was not often the case. The requirements of the service +were just then peculiarly exacting, and it was not possible for him to +indulge in frequent absences, which anyhow, in the case of a man whom +society did not care to miss, and whose doings society carefully +controlled, would have caused remarks. The situation became even more +critical when, in spite of all precaution, Claudine's place of sojourn +had after a little been discovered, and when she saw herself watched by +her foes at every turn. At last they scarcely dared to write to each +other, dreading lest by treason on the part of bribed domestics a +letter should be intercepted or purloined. It became absolutely +indispensible to employ a thoroughly trustworthy go-between, on whom, +at the same time, it should be impossible that suspicion could fall, +and her friend found one--found him in the person of a young officer in +his regiment, the son of an old companion in arms who had fallen in the +last campaign--a young officer whom he loved like his own son, and who +was likewise devoted to his chief in most loyal love. The youth had +soon an opportunity of indeed proving that love and loyalty."</p> + +<p class="normal">Alexandra drew a long breath, as though she were fatigued by the rapid +low-voiced utterance. In her deep black eyes which now, after a quick +survey of the still untenanted chamber, she turned upon Bertram again, +there was an uneasy light, and the soft voice quivered as she went on, +now speaking even quicker and lower than before, so that Bertram could +scarcely follow her--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I must be more brief if I am ever to finish my story. And why, indeed, +picture in detail to a man like you what you understand without +comment, and what, understanding, you pardon! Poor Claudine! She +thought she needed no forgiveness. She thought she was in the right +when she abandoned herself without resistance to a passion, which +indeed would seem to have brooked no resistance. I had never observed +anything like this with any other woman--least of all, God be thanked, +with myself. I should simply not have deemed it possible. It was like a +hurricane--a cyclone; it was simply awful! I trembled for the reason, +for the very life of the unhappy woman: for she could not conceal from +herself that her passion was not returned, although she, being anyhow +little accustomed to control herself, and being now solely engaged by +her own overpowering feelings, neither would nor could hide her great +love from the handsome young officer. Fortunately for her, the +catastrophe was not long in coming. Nay, rather, she brought it about +herself, resolute and energetic as she always was; and now feeling that +so, and only so, she might yet save herself from herself, she forced +from him the avowal that his heart was no longer free, that it was +entirely filled by his love for a charming young girl whose +acquaintance he had made in a distant garrison-town where a portion of +his regiment had until recently been quartered, and to whom he had +become engaged in secret. The youth was bitterly poor, the girl's +parents were rich and proud; he wanted to have his captain's commission +before he ventured to apply for her hand, and--dear, dear--they were +both of them so young and so romantic, and so fond of each other, and +in their love they were so sure of the future. Why then be niggardly +with the moment? And secrecy is like a phantastic mask through the +hollow apertures of which the light in the eyes of those we love shines +with doubly seductive brilliancy.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Claudine was at first utterly crushed by a blow which, in spite of +everything, had found her unprepared--for where is the loving heart +that would willingly let the last faint gleam of hope die out? Then +there came a fierce burst of jealous resentment, raging like a fever; +then she endeavoured to wrap herself in her pride and to see in the +idol of her heart the last and least of men; and ultimately she +grovelled at his feet and entreated him to look upon her as his slave, +and the slave of her whom he loved, and to ask from her what he would, +to bid her do what he chose, and do it she would by all that she held +sacred!</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nor was it long before he took her at her word.</p> + +<p class="normal">"One day he came to her presence, haggard of look, in a state of +desperation, scarcely worse than the one over which she herself had but +so recently triumphed. The girl had sent him back the half-dozen +letters which he had written to her in the twelvemonth since they were +separated, and the tiny collection of ribbons and flowers and other +tokens with which innocent love tries to prove to itself its own +fabulous fairylike existence. I know not, nor does it matter, how she +had heard the story of his connection with Claudine; not of course, the +true story, but a caricature, such as the clumsy hands of one's own +good friends and the subtle hands of one's foes are equally able to +sketch and fill in with revolting effectiveness. Anyhow, the young lady +had made up her mind, and as she belonged to those energetic characters +that cling tenaciously to their errors, things really looked desperate +for Claudine's youthful friend. Every attempt on his part to bring an +understanding about was abruptly refused; the poor fellow at last was +in downright despair; he told his sorrows to Claudine, who told him +that she would bring him back the loved one whom, for her sake, he had +lost; he looked at her with an incredulous smile. How was she--she +particularly--to manage that?</p> + +<p class="normal">"But she had never yet let herself be baulked by difficulties if she +really cared to have her own way, even though, it might have been but a +whim. And now the noblest impulse that can fill a woman's heart urged +her to energetic action. Above all, she had to prove to herself, and to +those to whom she had so greatly boasted, that, though she had become +unfaithful to her programme, and had not guarded herself against a +passionate attachment--which she called the only real one of all her +life--she yet possessed the force to subdue this passion, and to +re-conquer her own peace of heart. Only personal interference on her +part could now bring them to the wished-for goal; but that alone would +not suffice; the friend, too, for whose sake the youth had sacrificed +himself, must needs come forward. That, of course, would completely put +an end to the secrecy of their connection, and this just at the moment +when the lawsuit was at last about to be settled, and when so much +depended upon having the veil drawn as closely as possible. For herself +no such consideration existed; but she was by no means sure that her +friend, who, of course, did not know her real motives, and could never +be allowed to know them, and who equally, of course, took things much +more coolly, thought the same; nor did she know at all whether the +young man would accept the sacrifice. So it became necessary to create +a situation, which should not leave either of them a choice, whether +they cared to join or not; and whilst she was cudgelling her brain how +to bring such a situation about, an unprecedentedly lucky accident had +already arranged everything according to her wishes, nay, far beyond +her most daring wishes, in the very best manner possible. To explain +the full details would take me too long, and is not really called for; +enough, circumstances over which they could not possibly have control, +would bring both gentlemen on a given day to the house of the parents +of the young lady in question. Claudine, still keeping her own counsel, +managed to get a day's start of them, introduced herself--by what means +I cannot remember--into the family who, I may add, was absolutely +unknown to her, and she was, having presumably got hold of some +excellent letters of recommendation or something of that sort, most +kindly received by every one, excepting, of course, the young lady +herself, who, with feelings that can be readily imagined, saw the foe +suddenly in the secure camp of her parental abode, and avoided her in +every way. That, Claudine had expected; she looked forward with glee to +the following day which was to remove all obstacles, solve all enigmas. +But who can describe her terror when she, who has eyes and ears for +everything, and who, in a few hours, was completely at home on the new +and strange ground, discovered among the visitors, besides a suitor +<i>sans conséquence</i>, a man whom an abundance of exquisite gifts and +qualities and a whole sequence of special relations, every one of which +spoke for him, might turn, nay, if everything did not belie assurances, +had already turned into a terrible rival for her young friend. For ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">Alexandra paused, glancing at the same time at the other room; then she +said with a laugh which sounded quite natural--</p> + +<p class="normal">"But I really do not think it right to keep you any longer from the +rest of the company, and to go on with my experiment as to whether is +greater, your patience or my garrulousness. Moreover, the rest does not +properly belong to the story, at least not to the story I meant to tell +you. Come away!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She had risen swiftly; Bertram followed her example so hesitatingly +that she could hardly leave at once. And then, having risen, he +remained standing, leaning one arm on the mantelpiece, and said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"What a pity! What a great pity! I should have so much liked hearing +the rest. The more so, as I believe it contains a new illustration to +the moral of the fable. Or am I mistaken in assuming that the +unexpected rival is ... no longer a young man?"</p> + +<p class="normal">His lips were smiling; still Alexandra thought that his large +expressive eyes we're resting upon her with a very meaning, very +searching look; yet she managed to put on an air of surprise, deeming +it absolutely requisite now.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Indeed!" she exclaimed. "How very curious! But then there is no hiding +anything from you clever men!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh yes, yes. For example, which of the two suitors succeeded--the +older and younger, or the newer and older?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Charming! Charming! An exquisite play on the words. What a suitable +language yours is for that kind of thing, in the hands of a real +master, I mean. Ah! which succeeds? Why, the former, of course!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I should scarcely have considered it such a matter of course. I should +not be surprised if, for all that, the young lady's feelings for him +had never again recovered the former degree of warmth. Your beautiful +and clever friend, I admire her extremely, but--do not be angry with me +for what I am going to say--but I had, during your description of her, +always to think of Circe. There was only one man who left the palace of +the sorceress with absolute impunity, and he only by the aid of a +certain herb a god had given him. Now, young and ardent officers are +not said to meet the god very frequently."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But I really cannot make the story anything different from what it +truly was like," cried the Princess, half pouting, half laughing.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Certainly not; but what became of the man who was no longer young? How +bore he the loss of hopes to which he had clung all the more +tenaciously because he had not many more to lose?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That, as a punishment for your scepticism, you are to say yourself."</p> + +<p class="normal">"How can I? Had he been a poet he might have written a novel, after the +manner of the 'Elective Affinities,' and thus cleared his soul from the +purgatory of jealousy and humiliation. But being no poet ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"How do you know that?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I assume it. I am driven to assume things, am I not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well then?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Therefore his ultimate fate is quite problematical to me. There are so +many and such various possibilities. Perhaps he killed himself, or +perhaps he married your fair friend."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My friend--Claudine? Oh, this is exquisite!" The Princess laughed +aloud, and Bertram laughed too.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is not," he said, "after all so very laughable, or at least so very +improbable. Upon the basis of mutual imperturbability, I should think +one could erect and overthrow and rebuild relationships, like houses of +cards."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Mow malicious!" cried Alexandra, "and yet how true! Claudine must hear +of this; I must write this to Claudine!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"For goodness sake not, most gracious lady; or, anyhow, do not mention +me by name! I travel a good deal, the lady probably too; we might meet +some day by some unlucky chance, even as the luckiest of chances has +brought me into your presence. How hideously embarrassed I should be!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Very well, your name shall not be mentioned, then. Here is my hand in +pledge of this."</p> + +<p class="normal">And she held out to him her small hand with its many rings.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But now I really must disturb your tête-à-tête," said Hildegard, +entering from the adjoining drawing-room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is just finished!" the Princess called out to her; then turning +again to Bertram, she said, "And thank you very much for a most +charming <i>causerie</i>!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is for me to say thank you, my Lady. Your story was most +interesting, and you told it capitally."</p> + +<p class="normal">He touched those slim fingers with his lips as Alexandra left him. She +hurried up to Hildegard, who had remained standing, gazing with great +wondering eyes at the group by the fireside, and putting her arm +through that of her hostess and drawing her away with her, the Russian +lady whispered--</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are absolutely mistaken, or else the man is the greatest actor I +ever saw."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram had bent over the fire; with his left hand he was half +unconsciously stirring up the dying embers in the grate, his right hand +was laid on the rose he wore, which he wore above a heart now quivering +in spasmodic agony, and he painfully whispered to himself--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ashes to ashes!"</p> + +<p class="normal">His hand, nerveless, glided down.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," he murmured, "no, not yet; I will hear it from herself."</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XVI.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">The company was breaking up now. The gentlemen from the <i>Oberförsterei</i> +were anxious to avail themselves of the momentary cessation of the rain +for their homeward drive; the Princess, pleading fatigue, had retired, +and Hildegard speedily gave the signal for retreat to the others.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We shall have a trying day to-morrow," she said, "we all need rest +beforehand. And this remark is specially meant for you young ladies; I +really must request you not to lark and laugh, as is usual with you, +till a late hour!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The unexpected visit of Princess Alexandra had considerably diminished +the available spare rooms, seeing so many were reserved for the +officers, who were expected on the following day; for her protest +against having to accept a splendid saloon, a dressing-room, and a +couple of bedrooms for herself and her maid, had met with no response. +Hildegard had assured her that there was abundant room, and that she +blushed as it was at having to offer such humble quarters to so valued +and cherished a guest. But the two bedrooms had really been originally +intended for the three sisters von Palm, who had now to be content with +a tiny chamber in the turret, whilst a bed for Agatha was rigged up in +Erna's bedroom. Fortunately for the young ladies, the corridor by the +side of which Erna's rooms were situated, brought one after a very few +steps to the door of the turret-chamber; and thus, in spite of +Hildegard's special injunction to the contrary, there was for an hour +or so plenty of rushing to and fro, and no end of laughing and giggling +and eager secret whispering and chattering, until at last 'Granny' +Agatha blew out the light in her sisters' room, and drawing with her +Erna, who this evening was in the highest spirits imaginable, groped +her way to the door.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I could not bear your mirth any longer," she said, when they had +arrived in Erna's room; "I thought every moment ... Good Heaven! I knew +how it would be."</p> + +<p class="normal">She had begun to undo her hair before the mirror, and now started on +hearing a pitiful moan. Erna was sitting in a low chair by her own +bedside, both hands pressed to her face. The slender frame seemed +shaken as though by a fit of ague, the gentle bosom rose and fell +feverishly, and her breath came and went with difficulty, as if she +were moaning. Her friend was now kneeling by her side, and held her +clasped with both arms; her head fell on Agatha's shoulder, and at last +the long-repressed tears welled forth in a violent flood. She was +weeping as though her very heart must break.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My poor, poor Erna! My own sweet love! Weep, weep away! Better this, +better far than that awful unnatural mirth of yours all day. You will +come round now. You will be again my own sensible Erna. Poor, unhappy, +darling child! All things will come right now. It is impossible for any +one not to love you, and, believe me, he, too, loves you still."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I would not have his love. I am no longer thinking of him. I hate, I +loathe him!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then why should you weep like this?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Erna started to her feet, flinging off Agatha's protecting arm.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you think I weep for him?"</p> + +<p class="normal">She was pacing up and down the bed-chamber. Her long hair, which she +had previously undone, fell in dark masses over her neck and bosom; her +face was aglow, her eyes were flashing wildly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"For him? Never say that again! For him, forsooth! I have wept for very +shame, because that woman dares to come before me, and I must bear it! +because I cannot step up to her and hurl defiance at her painted face: +Away from this house--honest people live here! Even audacity should +have its bounds, and hers is boundless!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Agatha had now risen from her knees, and was sitting in her chair +casting looks of pain at Erna and waiting in patience, until at least +the first tempest of wrath should have passed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am sure," she said at last, "that he does not even know that she is +here, and--you are sure, too."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And were it so," cried Erna, "what does it alter? The sting lies in +her daring to do it at all. She would not do so, did she not know from +the beginning how he will take it. Perhaps he will be terrified just at +first--I dare say he will--and then he will thank her for having had +the base courage to help him to achieve this vile triumph. In fact, +they are a worthy couple!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It would be quite too terrible," said Agatha, shaking her head. +"People cannot be as bad as that; it is impossible."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, of course!" cried Erna scornfully; "quite impossible; as +impossible as that he will himself be here to-morrow."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But, Erna, an officer is surely bound to go to any place to which he +is ordered. In such a case he has no will of his own."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then he should have a pistol of his own, and rather put a bullet into +his head than let a shameless woman make him figure in such a +spectacle, if indeed she, the wretch, has arranged a spectacle for my +humiliation. But she is very much mistaken. I shall not let her have +her triumph. I, even I, shall triumph. Let her boast of her conquest, I +shall outshine it and her by far. Oh! how I look forward to to-morrow's +joy! What are a thousand like him to the best of men, the only one?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Erna! Erna!!" cried Agatha aghast, lifting both her folded hands in +agonised entreaty, "I conjure you, do not go too far. Do not make +yourself for ever unhappy. Do not make Kurt unhappy...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not mention his name!" Erna exclaimed. "I wish to hear no more."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I must mention his name, for I must speak of him, and you must hear +me, lest you do something of which you will for ever and ever repent."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why repent? I love Bertram!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You do not."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Can you read in my heart?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, dear, better than you can yourself, being now blinded by passion. +And however angrily you may look at me with those beautiful eyes of yours, +that I myself am in love with, and though you send me away for good and +all, and though I cry myself to death for love of you--I should not be +loving you, and I should not be your poor, unhappy 'Granny' if ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">Poor child! She could get no further. Like Erna half an hour ago, she +was now sitting, her hands pressed to her face, weeping convulsively, +and now Erna was kneeling by her side, and tried to draw those hands +away from her countenance, and begged her to calm herself, and to be +fond of her again, and to be once more her own good 'Granny.'</p> + +<p class="normal">Then--neither could have said how the change of scene had been brought +about--Erna was lying in her bed, and Agatha, in her nightgown, was +sitting on the edge of the bedstead, and all they had discussed during +these last days in many a fragmentary talk was once more, and now +connectedly, discussed between them. But if clever Agatha had flattered +herself that she would thus induce the fair penitent to see that her +little soul was not, after all, as black as she thought in her +excitement, that hope was not destined to be fulfilled; the very +contrary happened. With every word she uttered Erna seemed to talk +herself more and more into a passion, in the existence of which Agatha +would not, and yet all but had to, believe, when her friend now +recapitulated all her relations to Bertram, beginning with that first +meeting in the woods, and continuing her account, to this very evening, +and when Erna tried to prove from a hundred minute details, which she +strung together with marvellous logic, that there was on her part no +whim, no caprice, no aberration of an extravagant fancy, no +satisfaction of injured pride, no despair, no, nought but true and +genuine love that knew no bounds, and knew only the one doubt whether +she herself was worthy of the man she loved. But not unworthy because +she had once before thought herself in love. That was a necessary error +for the sake of getting her to understand herself; to convince her that +love was not an intoxication, but a deep and clear sentiment attracting +and absorbing all other feeling and thought, even as a mighty stream +absorbs the springs and brooks around; and now in her love, like banks +in the waves of a stream, were mirrored her whole existence, her past +and her present, mirrored and beautified, made far more glorious than +reality.</p> + +<p class="normal">Erna's words flowed on, not unlike the object of the image in which she +saw her life and love; and her voice, although pitched so low, had such +a curiously intense ring, and her great eyes, which were opened wide, +shone so strangely in the flickering light of the tall candles upon the +dressing-table, that poor Agatha was almost beside herself with terror. +Was Erna still aware of what she was saying? Was she raving? And, +horrible to think of, could she be going mad?</p> + +<p class="normal">"Erna! Erna!" she cried aloud, seizing and pressing both her hands. +"Awake, awake! I have just been counting it up--when you are +eight-and-thirty, like your mother now, he will be seventy--only he +will never reach that age."</p> + +<p class="normal">Erna gave a contemptuous smile.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thought so!" she said. "As if time had anything to do with love! As +if one year during which I can serve him, love him, did not outweigh a +century! O Agatha, how meanly you think of love! And if he dies +to-morrow, I'll die with him! There, that is the way I count, and I +think it is simple and plain enough."</p> + +<p class="normal">Despair lent Agatha courage enough to revert to the one point on which, +as she had observed more than once during the last day or two, Erna was +most sensitive.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will grant it all," she said. "I will believe all you assert about +yourself, for I cannot read your heart. But Herr Bertram's heart is not +your heart, and what is going on in his heart, Heaven only knows; you +do not know it, at least he has never betrayed it to you by word or +look. And I hold that he would have done so long ago if he loved you. +What reasons should he have for hiding his love?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"A thousand!" exclaimed Erna. "Or is it not a reason that he should +have tortured himself for days with the idea that I might be fond of +the Baron?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That idea he has assuredly given up ere this."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then, that mamma will be furious."</p> + +<p class="normal">"For all that, he might tell you what he feels for you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And what if he doubts whether I love him?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good Heavens, dearest! how can he doubt that?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"He can indeed. During the first few days I was not clear about it +myself. And when I was feeling that I loved him, I often was odd and +capricious and defiant; and above all, when I discovered that the +letter was missing from my blotting-book, and I hunted for it +everywhere, and when suddenly it turned up again, having in the +meantime passed through I do not know how many hands, and having very +surely been read by mamma too--I was so indignant, I could see that he +sometimes did not know what to think of me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You did not make him feel your indignation; on the contrary, you gave +him one token of your favour after the other."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And in that I did right, for I was determined to let mamma see that I +was not afraid of her wrath."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And that rose to-day! and your prayer that he should stay--for your +sake! Was that right too?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Was I to let him go to-morrow?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"If he wanted to go, was it for you to keep him? Erna, there is but one +thing wanting now. Why not say to him: 'Will you marry me?'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And I should not think it shame to say so, if I were sure that he +wished me to do so. Yes, yes; he does wish it; I see it clearly now; he +wishes to avoid even the semblance of suspicion of having beguiled and +over-persuaded me; he wishes it on account of my father and mother. +Well, God be thanked, now I know what I have to do to-morrow."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nay, the pity of it, Erna, the pity of it, that you can talk in such a +way; for it is impossible that you should really think so, really do +it. My proud Erna cannot forget herself so far. I entreat you, by our +great friendship, Erna, follow my advice in this one thing; if it must +be, let him at least say the first word--the word that then will be +decisive of your fate; and then let come what God will!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She had folded her hands as if in prayer; big tears were coursing down +her cheeks. The simple expression of her great grief touched Erna. She +embraced "Granny" and kissed her, and promised at last that she would +do what Agatha kept asking of her again and again.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And now get to your bed, you poor child! You are so wearied, and I +too."</p> + +<p class="normal">Agatha had already lain quietly in bed for an hour or so, mournfully +thinking it all over again, and assuming that Erna, who did not stir +either, had fallen asleep, when suddenly she thought that she heard +subdued sobs.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Erna!"</p> + +<p class="normal">No answer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Erna! If it comes out that Kurt is really innocent, what will you do?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Again no answer.</p> + +<p class="normal">Had she been mistaken? Had Erna wept in her sleep? Had she really asked +that question of Erna? Or had she only thought of it?</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XVII.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">It was a day of tremendous excitement for all the in habitants of +Rinstedt. True, the arrival of the soldiers was not to occur before +four o'clock in the afternoon, but it was known that the corps to which +the 99th belonged had been on the march from the north since four +o'clock in the morning, in order to take possession of certain +positions whence they were to operate against the fortress. And that +might turn out an awkward job, for not only was the fortress strongly +manned, but there was also approaching from the west, in forced +marches, a large hostile corps, and against them the 99th would have to +be on their guard, if they did not mean to get wedged in between them +and the garrison, who were simply awaiting the moment for making a +sally. Thus the attacking party being themselves attacked, might get +into desperate straits.</p> + +<p class="normal">The village-mayor had expounded this situation to the farmers, +and he ought to know. He had been only three days ago to see his +brother-in-law, who was employed in the War-Office branch at Erfurt. He +had himself served in the French war as sergeant, and in that capacity +he had, during the fighting about Orleans, been in command of a +company, every officer of which was dead or <i>hors de combat</i>. And as +almost half his auditory consisted of men who had served in the army, +and who only required to draw upon the ample treasury of their +experiences and reminiscences, in order to confirm or contradict the +assertions of their chief, there had been no lack of eager discussion +in the village inn. But from the very beginning the opposition had not +been strong, and ultimately it was almost completely silenced. The +whole village now stood like one man on the side of the attacking +party, and the 99th was only spoken of as "Our Regiment." Their arrival +was looked forward to with the utmost impatience, as though they were +bringing relief and release from some yoke long borne.</p> + +<p class="normal">My Lady's urgent appeal to give "Our Regiment" a brilliant reception, +and to let nothing be wanting, had met with the readier a response, +since she had not only, with customary liberality, taken upon herself +the cost of any "extraordinaria," to use the expression of the +village-mayor, but in the case of the poorer inhabitants in whose +houses accommodation and larder were not of the best, had specially +promised to pay for anything and everything, and had actually freely +distributed money beforehand. The mansion-house was moreover setting +the village a capital example. The long winding road up to the house +was transformed into a <i>via triumphalis</i> with towering poles, from +which fluttered the German and Thuringian flags, with garlands of +fir-branches stretching from pole to pole all the way up the hill, up +to the richly-decorated portals which opened upon the equally +decked-out great courtyard. And at night a ball in the mansion-house, +and fireworks on the village-common in front of the lowest flight of +the terrace-steps, with blue-lights and what not!--No wonder that the +young barbarians of the village, down to the tiniest lads and lasses, +were only kept from breaking out into frantic disorder by being +employed, for days beforehand, in lending a hand in the preparation of +all these glories.</p> + +<p class="normal">And yet, much to Hildegard's dismay, it seemed doubtful whether +everything would be ready in time. Her own attention was fully absorbed +indoors by the preparations for banquet and ball; and now, at the last +moment, the Baron had to go to town on business that brooked no delay, +and she had to entrust the supreme command of the department of the +exterior to new hands: fortunately Herr von Busche, the young gentleman +from the Forests and Woods' Office, was willing to take the Baron's +place.</p> + +<p class="normal">But yesterday Hildegard would, under no circumstances, have allowed the +Baron to go, for then his star was still in the ascendant, whilst now +it was sinking rapidly. For the Princess he no longer existed, after +she had given her judgment upon him last night; she had not observed +his entry into the breakfast room, had not returned his bow, just as +though the not inconsiderable space filled by his presence had been +vacant. And the Grand Duke had a certain antipathy to this man; and +even his father's old friend, the influential Court-marshal, did not +dare to stand up for him energetically. No one seemed to favour him at +Court, except Princess Amelia, whose caprices, it was notorious, were +frequently as changing as the phases of the moon. And then that ugly +Monaco story! It was, of course, not possible that Lotter could be the +man--gracious goodness, no! Nor had Alexandra said so! But--one ought +not to have an awkward likeness to people who figure so unpleasantly in +the memory of distinguished visitors; and then--and this made the +matter peculiarly unpleasant for Hildegard--she was aware that the +Baron, even if he was no gambler, was very fond of high play. Up to +last night this had been one of his gentlemanly foibles, now it was a +wicked passion which he who was wooing Erna had no right to indulge in!</p> + +<p class="normal">It was nearly eleven o'clock when the Baron went to find Otto, to ask +for a carriage to take him to town, and to tell him at the same time +the drift of the disagreeable news which he had received from home. A +younger brother, in the army of course, had contracted debts, and was +on the point of being cashiered if those debts--in the contracting of +which there would seem to have been some discreditable element or +other--were not forthwith paid. His relatives, poor people every one of +them, were incapable of helping the young man; as a last refuge they +had applied to him, the elder brother, who, though not likely to be +himself possessed of the necessary means, might yet probably be able to +obtain the money on loan from the wealthy friends with whom he was on +such good terms. Could Otto help him in an embarrassment that was +weighing more heavily upon him than any one of his own making had ever +done? It was not a big sum which he required--a mere miserable three +thousand thalers!</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto was quite distressed. His stock of cash was exhausted by the +incessant demands that Hildegard had made upon him during the last few +days, and to-morrow he would have to redeem that mortgage of five +thousand thalers which he had mentioned to Bertram, without as yet +knowing where to lay his hands on the money. The moment, of which +Bertram had said that it would very surely come, was at hand, had, in +fact, virtually come already; the terrible moment when he must discover +his situation to his wife. And yet his wife could parry the first +thrust for him. He had in the course of years given her, on different +occasions, considerable sums of money as special donations, and all +this was invested in excellent securities, though she was for ever +spending the interest beforehand. He loathed the idea of claiming back +a portion of the money from her, and he had vowed that he would not do +so, come what might. But still a man will do for a friend what he would +not have the courage to do for himself; and so he told the Baron that, +being for the moment unable to oblige him himself, he would ask +Hildegard to do so, and he felt sure that she would willingly render +this small service to her <i>protégé</i>. The Baron hesitated for a moment, +but opined that one could not discuss such things with women; he would +find help some other way. He then begged Otto to make his excuses to +the ladies--who were not to be found, and promised to return, if not +for dinner, at the latest before the beginning of the ball; managed to +see Lydia, and so drove off.</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto would have liked nothing better than to have gone with him. The +ground beneath him seemed to be on fire. To-day the all-important +debate in Parliament was coming off. If the vote was in his favour, he +really might, without being too sanguine, expect his factories to rise +so greatly in value as to enable him, after all, to weather the +threatening storm. But, with an adverse vote, he knew he was ruined, +and he kept repeating this to himself, unless he would take the extreme +step of requesting Bertram's assistance. Bertram certainly would not +refuse it, but, as assuredly, he could not ask for it, considering the +awkward relations now subsisting between his wife and his friend.</p> + +<p class="normal">After considerable hesitation, Hildegard had the day before yesterday +communicated to him her suspicions that no one but Bertram was standing +in the way of the alliance upon which she had set her heart. She wisely +refrained from mentioning the impure source from which she had drawn +her suspicions--though it was not of a suspicion that she spoke to her +husband, but of a fact. Poor Otto naturally had to express the utmost +horror, though at heart he was anything but dissatisfied. He would +certainly have liked Erna to have a younger husband, but he himself +loved and admired the friend of his youth sincerely, and if Erna loved +him in her own way, why she had always had a taste of her own; he had +never comprehended her; she would herself know best how it stood with +her heart; and then if Bertram, as friend, would gladly have helped +him, as son-in-law he would very surely have done so, and in that case, +he too would get over the shrinking which he felt now. But it was not +to be. Hildegard would never sanction it, and yet, how strange, just as +he was returning to the house after seeing the Baron off, here was +Hildegard coming to explain that she had been absolutely mistaken about +Bertram, that Bertram was completely innocent, that she had to crave +his forgiveness for much, and that she would be truly disconsolate if +Bertram were to go away after all, as she concluded from some hints of +Konski's. Would Otto please go up to him at once and make sure of his +staying? She would do so herself, but she really had not a moment to +spare, for, he could judge for himself, the Princess did not leave her +alone for a minute.</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto knew not whether to rejoice or to grieve over the new turn of +events. He had, suffered intensely from the tension between his wife +and his friend; and that things were right once more and better than +ever, was of course very nice and pleasant. But with Hildegard's +assurance that Bertram was not thinking of marrying Erna, there +vanished the last ray of hope that help in his need would come from +that quarter. Moreover, he said to himself that Bertram would never +dream of going without speaking once more, for the last time, of his +money difficulties and repeating the previous offer; and Otto was +afraid of himself, afraid he might be weak enough to close with the +offer. So he promised Hildegard that he would at once go to Bertram and +try every means in his power to induce him to stay, but he did not go. +There really seemed no need for all this hurry. Bertram could not leave +without asking for a carriage too. And that had not yet been done. +Perhaps it would not be done at all, and in that case, why needlessly +bring such terrible excitement on one's self? And again, Herr von +Busche was sure not to get on with the decoration of the portals unless +he went to help him. Hildegard had been saying all along that the old +Gothic structure, being the termination of the <i>via triumphalis</i>, must +also be the chief point of splendour. Hildegard should be really +pleased.</p> + +<p class="normal">And five minutes later Otto was waging furious war with Herr Von +Busche, who wanted the flag of the country to float from the left-hand +balcony, whilst Hildegard had given express orders that it should float +from the right-hand one.</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard had meanwhile hurried to rejoin the Princess; she had not +exaggerated,--Alexandra really would scarce leave her for a moment. She +was bent upon knowing how, on such an occasion, things were managed in +a German household. She could not, she said, form any idea of it, +because in Russia all these things were left to the steward and other +officials, and the hostess, like her guests, was simply among the +spectators. It would be such a pleasure to her to be allowed to peep +behind the scenes for once; if Hildegard was really fond of her, if +ever so little, she should not deny her the treat. Hildegard did not +find it too difficult to overcome the first shyness which she felt at +such an odd request being made. The arrangements about her kitchens, +pantries, and store-rooms were as splendid and in as grand a style as +in any princely palace, quite in keeping with the colossal preparations +for the entertainment; she could modestly accept the many exclamations +of amazement and admiration which the young Princess indulged in +lavishly, as a fit and proper tribute. But mere idle admiration did not +satisfy Alexandra; she insisted upon lending a helping hand, and +pushing back her rich lace sleeves from her fair white arms, she seized +a big wooden spoon, and, to the delight of all the servants employed +about the kitchen, she set to work stirring up a pudding. With all this +exuberance of good-humour she was so charmingly amiable, so utterly +free from all affectation, and the wildest nonsense she indulged in +suited her so quaintly and funnily, that Hildegard was positively +enchanted, and called upon Lydia in passing, to study in the appearance +and demeanour of the Princess the mighty difference which existed +between a really gifted woman and one who merely affected to be clever, +and who thereby only provoked the scornful laughter of really clever +people.</p> + +<p class="normal">These cruel words were the first she had addressed to Lydia since last +night.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was impossible for the Baron to fall so suddenly into dire disgrace +without involving Lydia in his fall; nay, in Hildegard's eyes she was, +if possible, the guiltier of the two. Had she not been incessantly +singing the Baron's praises, giving the most glowing testimony to him, +been scarcely able to paint the great position he enjoyed at Court in +sufficiently bright colours; and all this, of course, solely to beguile +her unsuspecting hostess and to deceive her in reference to her own +intentions as to Bertram. Serve her right, the story-teller, if she was +completely foiled in her intentions! And now, as though the measure of +her iniquity had not been already abundantly full, she must actually +bring these terrible charges against poor innocent Bertram; must needs, +to confirm and apparently substantiate these charges, commit a theft, +and make her--a mother--an accomplice, forcing that miserable letter +upon her, which, as it turned out now, had been nothing more than the +harmless enough effusion of a somewhat overstrained imagination that +the child had indulged in--well, well, the time would come when she +could show the intriguing old maid this long list of offences; +meanwhile, silent contempt should be her well-deserved, only far too +lenient, chastisement.</p> + +<p class="normal">Now, it is true she had broken through her contemptuous silence, but +poor Lydia knew her friend quite well enough to be aware of the evil +plight into which she had fallen. And had she been still able to have +any doubt on the subject, the reproaches with which the Baron had +overwhelmed her would certainly have enlightened her. Last night, even, +he had ventilated his bad humour by all sorts of bitter and scornful +utterances; but to-day, when he had sought Lydia in the garden after +his conversation with Otto, and before he hurried off to town, his +wrath knew no bounds. This, then, he sneered, was his boasted firm +position in the house! A casual adventuress could come and deprive him +in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, of the good graces of the +mother--in those of her daughter he had long since ceased to believe +anyhow--rob him of the father's friendship, and expose him to a +treatment no commercial traveller would put up with! And he would not +put up with it, not he; Lydia might be sure--quite sure of that! He +would prove it to the miserable toady and sycophant who changed her +friends as readily as her gloves; to the poor henpecked husband, the +miser who could not even spare a few dirty thousands to a friend in +need of help; he would prove to them that a Lotter-Vippach was not to +be insulted with impunity. And, above all, that conceited amorous old +pedant should suffer for it, for he, of course, had set the whole train +going against him! If Lydia,--if the others, could not or would not +see, he kept his eyes open, and was not to be taken in; he knew what +was what, and ... but they should see. And to-night, to the sorrow and +annoyance of his so-called friends, who would wish him far enough, he +would make a point of turning up in good time. Would Fräulein Lydia be +gracious enough to reserve the first Lancers for her obedient servant?</p> + +<p class="normal">So, with a mocking bow, he had hurried away, leaving Lydia in sorrow +and terror. But the terror was greater than the sorrow. She had never +seen the Baron like this, never dreamed that he could be like this. +What if he carried out his threats! His eyes had been bloodshot and had +a glassy kind of stare; and then his laugh had been awful; and he was a +great strong man, assuredly in physical strength ever so much the +superior of poor delicate Bertram. What if the Baron were to-night to +bring about a scene, have recourse to actual violence! What will men +not do in rage and despair!</p> + +<p class="normal">Her old love for Bertram, which after all she had felt in her own way, +and which long ago she had sacrificed to her vanity and worldliness, +was stirring again. Lydia felt it, and was enraptured. True, she had +been lying and cheating to reach a certain goal that pure calculation +had fixed. Still, she was a better woman than she had thought herself. +She had thought that she was following the dictates of her reason only, +and lo! she had unconsciously remained faithful to her own heart. She +knew it now, at the moment when a serious danger was threatening the +loved one. And, curiously, although during the last few days she had +positively given up all hope of regaining the loved one, and had in +envy and anger seen him in the bonds of affection for a fair young +rival--an affection which, moreover, was warmly reciprocated; yet she +suddenly began to doubt the justice of her observations; the old dreams +were coming back and asserted that they were a reality, and that +everything else was but a chimera. All, all would yet come right. +Falsehood and hypocrisy had been powerless; truth and love, however, +would be omnipotent!</p> + +<p class="normal">Then she began to rehearse in her mind that unfortunate letter which +she had purloined in order to gain a clear insight into Erna's +sentiments, now endeavouring to give the gentlest interpretation to +every word that referred to Bertram; she remembered, too, the passage +which seemed to refer to a former love affair of Erna's. But she and +Hildegard, eager only to discover what they most, or rather what they +only, feared, namely, an attachment to Bertram, had added no weight to +the brief allusion in question. Some childish "dancing-lesson +fondness," Hildegard had said, and she had assented to it, partly to +guard against the possibility of the reproach that she, in her +responsible position as Erna's educator and second mother, had +overlooked or actually allowed any serious attachment on her part. +"Betrayed"--that surely was plain enough, and made many things clear, +even though in itself it was hard to understand, was, in fact, all but +absolutely incomprehensible. Such a charming creature as Erna no one is +likely to betray, no one at least who is in possession of his five +senses, as young gentlemen generally are. If the thing was anything +more than a passing fancy--and that one had to assume, considering how +averse from anything frivolous Erna was--then her easily-wounded pride +must have brought the rupture about, and it might yet be healed; and if +it were healed, would turn the child from her caprice for Bertram, +would set Bertram free again, if indeed he had allowed himself to be +captivated by Erna's unconcealed admiration for him, set him free for +herself, his first, his true, his only love!</p> + +<p class="normal">With fancies like these, Lydia, now banished from the favour and the +presence of Hildegard, was wandering along the garden-terraces, now +dissolved in tears and lamenting her bitter lot, now smiling +complacently and congratulating herself upon a happiness which was all +the more precious the longer she had been compelled to wait for it. If +she were now to meet Erna, if she could have an explanation with her, +become reconciled to her, prove to her in very truth how well she meant +by her! She was in the very mood for this, and here was Erna coming +along! The shrinking which she often felt in the presence of the proud +and self-willed girl was making itself perceptible again, but one swift +glance showed her that Erna had been weeping quite recently, and that +she could risk it now.</p> + +<p class="normal">Erna had been weeping quite recently, and so indeed she had done ever +since last night, whenever she felt sure that no one was looking upon +her despair. For the gentle creature was in despair. All through the +long sleepless night she had seemed to hear Agatha's whispered +question, "What will you do if it comes out that Kurt is innocent?" She +had seemed to hear it like the voice of a warning angel, and neither +head nor heart had been able to reply anything but, again and again: +"In that case I have betrayed him, and I have made him unhappy." Could +he be innocent? She had struggled so long against the belief in Kurt's +guilt, and had only accepted it when he declared that he could not +explain his relations to the Russian lady; no, not even to her, from +whom, for the sake of their love, he was to expect entire confidence; +for confidence was the very soul and at the same time the touchstone of +love. Alas, she knew yet another and a more terrible touchstone, and +that was the jealousy which she had cherished in secret towards the +unknown lady, and which had blazed up brightly when yesterday she +beheld her, the hated temptress, in the splendour of her youth, beauty, +and grace. In vain did she struggle against the charm which the lady +seemed to radiate; in vain did she declare everything about her to be +unreal, except her diamonds perhaps; with every furtive glance at her +rival she felt herself more and more fascinated, allured, beguiled, +and, in equal measure, conquered, and at last crushed.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was a terrible state which wrapped her poor fluttering heart in +absolute night, and yet even then there was something like a faint +glimmering of the star of hope. If Kurt had ever loved her--and he +had--he had done so once--how could he love another woman, who, however +charming and seductive, was yet in all things the very opposite of +herself? Kurt, who had so often assured her that he hated all display +and all vanity, that he loved her because there was nothing of display, +nothing, of vanity about her, because she was his own rose, which, in +its dewy freshness, he would not exchange for a world of brilliant +exotics!</p> + +<p class="normal">And his large brown eyes had shone down upon her so gravely and +lovingly as he spoke, and his lips had trembled with genuine +emotion--and had all this been naught but lies on the part of him whom +she in her turn had loved, because he had appeared to her as a lofty +and lordly image of truthfulness and fidelity?</p> + +<p class="normal">It could not be.</p> + +<p class="normal">But then, again, what had she done? What was she to do when the other +one, that good and noble man, to whom--so Agatha said, and her own +heart could not but confirm it--she had given such unequivocal proof of +her affection, when he came into her presence and said: "I have come to +take you at your word. Not all the Flavios in the world would have kept +Hilarie from loving her uncle, had she been convinced that he truly +loved her. And you know it: I love you!" What could she do, but, with +Hilarie, say: "I am yours for ever"? He would not fall at her feet +and exclaim: "You make me the happiest man beneath the sun," but she +knew,--she knew that he would be happy!</p> + +<p class="normal">Ah me!--why had she not obeyed the voice which called to her that first +evening when she met him in the wood, and he laid his heart open to +her: "Open thy heart to him too," the voice had said, "tell him all." +That would have been the time, the only right time. For the very next +day she had read in his eyes what now made her so proud--so happy. So +happy? Gracious heavens!</p> + +<p class="normal">This was happiness, was it, that she now desired nothing better than +death, swift death, to escape from the torments that tore her heart to +pieces?</p> + +<p class="normal">Did he divine nothing of these torments! Why had he not come to her +last night? He might surely have spared her a minute--he had given the +Princess a full hour. It was, perhaps, a relief, a sort of recreation, +for him, seeing he had so long had to dispense with any intellectual +conversation. Was she perchance the beautiful widow in the novelette +who consoled the uncle for the loss of Hilarie? And had Hilarie already +got to the point of wishing and longing for such consolation for her +uncle?</p> + +<p class="normal">Her shamefaced gaze wandered up to Bertram's windows, under which she +had arrived--not quite unintentionally. What if he were to appear +above--signalling: "Wait, I am coming down!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Like a startled fawn she flitted away to one of the terrace-walks, +behind whose protecting wall she could not be seen from those windows +of his, and burst into tears, as she became conscious of her cowardice. +Lydia appeared at the opposite entrance; she could not avoid Lydia now; +she bent toward the espalier, to dry her eyes unobserved, and lo! there +was Lydia at her side, at her feet, clasping Erna's knees, pressing her +face against Erna's robe, sobbing.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was a theatrical display, such as Lydia employed on all possible +occasions, suitable or otherwise; Erna knew that well enough. But she +had not the courage to tear herself away; never a harsh or ironical +expression came forth from her to-day; nay, she all but envied a human +being that found such expression for its feelings, whatever they might +be. She endeavoured to raise the kneeling lady.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I must remain on my knees until you have pardoned me," murmured Lydia.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I'll do anything you wish--but rise, rise, I entreat you!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She had drawn Lydia up and away into a niche in the wall, thus gaining +at least some shelter from the eyes of the servants, many of whom were +still busy everywhere up and down the terraces with the preparations +for the illumination. There was a stone bench with a stone table in +front inside the niche. Lydia sank down upon the bench, laid her face, +covered by her hands, against the edge of the table, and murmured her +miserable confession of guilt in a voice which was scarcely audible, +owing to her constant weeping and sobbing. She had, she whined out, +found out by questioning the servants that the letter had not been +sent, which Erna had on the morning in question written beneath the +plantain tree, and which, she assumed, was certainly addressed to +Agatha; and she had, moreover, learned from Agatha--who evidently +suspected nothing--that she had received no letter just before her +departure from home. Then, passing through Erna's rooms, she had seen +her blotting-book lying about, unlocked, as she had been astonished to +notice. Then she had been unable to resist the temptation of trying if +the letter was still there. The letter had been there--a sort of +dizziness had come over her, and--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I said to myself," she went on, "that you have no secrets from Agatha, +that you were likely to have written to her what you felt towards +Bertram, whether you loved him--I required to know it--my future, my +happiness, my salvation--all, all depended upon that one question. Have +pity on a poor wretched woman whom jealousy made a criminal--against +her own child, too! for I have ever loved you as my own child, ever, +and would gladly have sacrificed all for you, all, only not this--the +trial was too much for my strength."</p> + +<p class="normal">Then Lydia in her self-abasement and grief wept bitterly. Again Erna +felt it strange that she did not spring up from her place beside the +weeping old woman, did not leave her alone with her silliness and her +lies; that she could listen to her exaggerated and sentimental twaddle +without positive disgust. There was something stirring within her that +she was frightened at herself--something almost like a wish that, this +time, Lydia might not be lying.</p> + +<p class="normal">Lydia noticed through the veil of tears in which she had wrapt herself +that Erna was accepting her confession much more favourably than she +had dared to hope. This gave her courage enough to pursue to the utmost +the advantage thus already gained.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I cannot and will not try to prove that I have been quite free from +blame," she cried. "I have been vain and frivolous. I did yield to the +temptation of becoming Countess of Finkenburg! Many more would have +yielded who cannot retrace, like one of the family of von Aschhof, the +long line of their ancestors to the time of the Crusaders, and who do +not, as we do, have Moors' heads in their escutcheons! But vanity and +frivolity alone did not make me do it. I was honestly convinced that +this alliance with a poor lady of high lineage, who would bring him no +other dower but her many claims and wants, could be nought but a +hindrance to Bertram; that he might have made, and probably thereafter +would make, a better and a more suitable choice if I released him from +his engagement. Indeed, indeed; if I could but have divined how he +would take it to heart, nothing in the world would have made me act as +I did. And now I would give everything in the world to atone, as far as +I still may, for what I did. Must it really be out of the question, +dearest? Look here. He is about fifty years of age, and how long will +it be before he is an old man? He is very delicate too. His servant +tells me that he suffers from palpitation of the heart, and from +insomnia, and that his Berlin doctor has enjoined upon him no end of +precautions and care for these travels of his. Why then, he really +needs some one who will nurse him and who will patiently bear with all +his sickly caprices--all sick folk are capricious, don't you know? I +know it but too well; I saw it in the case of my own uncle, the +Minister of State, whom every one thought a very lamb in the way of +kind, gentle equanimity, and who was so until one of his asthmatic +attacks came upon him; and then never a living soul could bear to stay +near him. Yes, yes, one must have gone through these things to know; +and may God in His mercy keep you, my own dear, sweet, good child, from +ever knowing it, from mourning away your sweet young life by the side +of a broken-down man who has no passion left, save his books and his +politics. If his politics call him he must needs follow, and poor +Konski must pack the trunks. Poor fellow, Konski! I spoke to him a +little while ago; he'd like to stay and see all the fun that is coming +now with these manœ vres here, and what not. Besides, I rather think +he is in love with Aurora. But he says there is no help for it, and off +they go to-morrow, his master and he. Perhaps it is right enough, for +the Baron is furious with him, and I really know not what the Baron +will do, unless you convince him that he has been mistaken, like the +rest of us. Oh, that we had! My own sweet child, you would be restoring +peace and happiness to us all, and I would never weary of kissing your +dear hands, nay, the very hem of your garment!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She covered Erna's hands and robe with kisses. Erna let her have her +way, she paid no heed to what Lydia was saying and doing; there she sat +gazing fixedly across the gardens and across the village on the +mountain slope, where a portion of the high road was visible which led +from the north across the hills to Rinstedt. Lydia, following the +direction of Erna's gaze, saw what Erna saw--a great cloud of dust, +with occasional flashes of bright arms, winding down the high road, and +now there came, softened by the great distance but still distinctly +audible, the sound of the drum; and below, at the entrance to the +village, they fired a cannon as a signal that the regiment was coming +up.</p> + +<p class="normal">Erna started as though the shot had gone through her heart!</p> + +<p class="normal">"For goodness sake, child, what ails you?" exclaimed Lydia, terrified +on noticing the pallor of her cheek and her fixed rigid look.</p> + +<p class="normal">And again she was terrified when Erna suddenly flung herself into her +arms as seeking help from a threatening danger, and then with equal +suddenness tore herself away, hurried up the walk and straightway +vanished behind a projecting portion of the wall.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What does it all mean?" Lydia asked herself.</p> + +<p class="normal">As if in answer, there came across the garden, now more distinctly, the +sound of the drum.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah!" said Lydia, and a meaning smile flitted over her face. "It would +not be impossible," she murmured, "and if it is the case, I'll find it +out!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She turned to enter the mansion house just as the big flag was being +hoisted upon the turret as a salute to "Our Regiment," at the moment +when the soldiers set foot upon the village road.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XVIII.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">Bertram, too, had heard the warlike sounds. He leaned back in his +writing chair and listened with bated breath.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How her heart is sure to beat!" he said to himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">He rose and went to the open window. From the elevation on which he +was, he could see a considerable portion of the high road, could +discern the flash of the bayonets through the clouds of dust which a +brisk breeze was scattering at times, so that sections of the columns +on the march became visible.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the village below they were firing cannon; from the mountains yonder +the echo came rolling.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How this will resound within her heart!"</p> + +<p class="normal">From the adjoining bedroom, where he had already begun to put up his +master's things in view of their departure, fixed for the day +following, Konski came hurrying in to ask, if the Herr Doctor was not +going to dress? It was getting late.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am in no hurry," said Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, sir," said Konski, "My Lady is most anxious you should be +present at the reception of the officers. Aurora has twice come to the +door with a message about it."</p> + +<p class="normal">And he pointed, as he spoke, to the bedroom door and grinned.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I do not intend to be present at the reception," Bertram said; "but I +may as well dress now." And he followed Konski into the bedroom.</p> + +<p class="normal">As Konski was assisting him, he said to him--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, on what terms are you with that girl now? You will have to make +haste if you wish to settle everything before we go."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is already settled, and settled very nicely," Konski made answer, +"since last night, sir. With the like of us, such things are settled +smartly, Herr Doctor, and I have a favour to ask of you in connection +with it. Aurora--it's a strange name that, sir, is it not? and her two +others are just as bad: Amanda Rolline--thank you, says I. Well, it is +not her fault, though, poor thing, and I won't mind re-baptizing her +once we, are in Berlin. But, as I was going to say, Herr Doctor, she +insists upon our getting married in the beginning of October, because +at the end of October Christine is going to be married to Peter +Weissenborn, and she wants to annoy Christina by being married before +her, so she says; but I fancy it's meant for Peter, who used to be +uncommonly sweet upon her, and, I rather think, promised to marry her +at one time. And if the Herr Doctor is not going to Italy at all, or +leastways not now, we thought ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know," said Bertram, "how sorry I shall be to part with you; but I +will not stand in the way of your happiness."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It would be my greatest happiness, sir," said Konski, "to remain with +you as long as I live. And there's just one way, so Aurora says ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Konski hesitated a little, then took heart of grace, and said, with an +embarrassed sort of smirk--</p> + +<p class="normal">"If the Herr Doctor would be so very kind as to marry too!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am afraid," said Bertram, "you will have to devise some other way +out of the difficulty."</p> + +<p class="normal">Konski was meditatively removing some specks of dust from the black +waistcoat which he held in his hand, and said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"No offence, sir! These women are always a-puzzling out something or +other in their brains, and Aurora's brains are by no means bad brains. +She thinks it would be uncommon nice, if I would remain the Herr +Doctor's valet, and she was to be maid to your lady, sir; and then, +whether you went to Italy or elsewhere, we four would always be nice +and snug together."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have no idea what you are talking about," said Bertram. "Give me my +waistcoat."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No offence, sir," Konski repeated, as he handed his master the +waistcoat and took up the dress-coat; "but she leaves me no peace, she +does not, and she says that it's all up with the Baron; and from what +she heard My Lady say to master this morning about the Herr Doctor, +says she, the Herr Doctor need but ask and they'd give him a half dozen +daughters, only they have not got more than one; and that one, dear +Miss Erna--why, I knows, and no one knows better than me--how fond she +is of the Herr Doctor."</p> + +<p class="normal">As Bertram had again turned away, the poor fellow, much to his regret, +could not see what impression his remarks had made upon his master; and +now they heard a heavy, hurried step coming through the study. There +was a knock, then Otto put in his head and asked if he might trouble +Bertram for a minute. Bertram begged him to come in, and beckoned his +man to leave the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have been repeatedly wishing to come up and see you," said Otto; +"Hildegard is so afraid that you mean to go--and--dear me, you have +really been packing."</p> + +<p class="normal">"For to-morrow," Bertram made answer. "In no case can I remain longer. +For to-day I am, as you see, already, like yourself, in evening dress. +Only--you must please excuse me if I do not put in an appearance before +dinner; I have not finished my letters yet, and, to say the truth, I +should like to cut the reception business."</p> + +<p class="normal">"So should I," said Otto, "if I could. They will be here in less than +ten minutes now. I have not a minute to spare, not a minute."</p> + +<p class="normal">But for all that he did not stir from the chair into which he had +dropped. His mind was clearly far away. Presently he muttered--</p> + +<p class="normal">"What if Parliament has decided against the railway!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"We must be prepared for it," replied his friend.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is half-past four now, the sitting is sure to be over by this +time."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will know the result to-morrow, and early enough, too!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think that Lotter, who has had to go to town, will have waited to +hear the result of the vote; I asked him to. He said he would be back +in time for dinner. But I no longer believe in his influence."</p> + +<p class="normal">"All the better."</p> + +<p class="normal">Both were speaking in gloomy tones, as though a heavy pressure was +weighing equally on either. Bertram was staring down in front of him +with arms crossed behind his back, and Otto's eyes were wandering about +the room--he was mechanically fingering the arms of his chair, then +suddenly gave a convulsive clutch at them.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I must go," he said.</p> + +<p class="normal">He jumped up and was making for the door.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Otto!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Are you coming too?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; I have a small favour to ask which you are not to refuse me."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram had meanwhile gone up to his friend, holding out his hand to +him. Otto mechanically put his own into it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I wanted to ask you to make use of me in case you have not yet +arranged about redeeming, to-morrow, that mortgage, and in the present +hurry and worry, what more likely? I have not even had to write to +Berlin about it. My Italian trip is given up. You know I had made +arrangements for a very lengthened absence. My letter of credit is +addressed to your own banker, as I had anyhow been intending to draw a +large sum; I can get the money at once, and there will be just enough."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Time enough to-morrow," murmured Otto; "however, I am much obliged to +you for your kind intention. Perhaps I'll drive you to town to-morrow, +if you insist upon going; we can then see about it."</p> + +<p class="normal">His cheeks were burning; his hand, which Bertram was still holding, +trembled like that of a man in great physical pain. Bertram noticed it +all.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am very sorry," he said, "that I must thus torment you, but you left +me no choice as to the time. I am sure I shall not be able to speak to +you again to-day, and perhaps not to-morrow. Therefore, look here: I +have made all the requisite preparations, with due despatch, to make as +much of my fortune available as you will need for the settlement of +your affairs. You remember our conversation when we were driving back +from town last Saturday. I put no other conditions now than I did +then; that you arrange the settlement with the help of your lawyer, +that you leave him as free as possible in his dispositions regarding +the factories, and lastly, that your wife is taken into your +confidence--these are not so much conditions, as necessities. And of +the last, and doubtless the most painful one, I am willing to relieve +you."</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto flushed to the roots of his hair.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is impossible!" he ejaculated. "I cannot take it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am not making you a present of the money, man!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The money--the money--but Hildegard! To-day all this display--the +Princess--all those officers--a huge party--covers for a hundred +or so; and then to-morrow the most awful wretchedness--it is quite +impossible. And even if you had the courage--if you were to speak to +her, I mean--you are on such good terms again, she had intended to come +herself and see you, and I had thought--but that, that she would never +forgive you--never!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am prepared for that," replied Bertram. "To be quite frank, I care +infinitely more for your welfare than for your wife's favour. Otto, +these is no time for long debating. A plain yes from you, and the thing +is settled--now or never--do you hear me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">From the great courtyard there came the sound of merry military music; +many voices, too, were heard. Otto was still standing by the door +irresolute.</p> + +<p class="normal">He suddenly seized Bertram's other hand and exclaimed-- +"Then marry Erna at least! Hildegard will get reconciled to it, once +she knows all. Erna is fond of you--let me talk to her!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"One word from you, and--I shall not alter my resolve, it is fixed for +good; but you and I will never meet again."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram had torn himself away and was striding along the chamber. Now +he came back to Otto who was standing there in utter helplessness, laid +his hand on his shoulder, and said to him--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Otto, remember what we vowed to each other in the dear old student +days in Bonn: to be and to remain friends in gladness or sadness, +friends to the death! This surely is sufficient. Let us not speak of +Erna, or, at least, let us not connect her name with this business; +such a connection is an insult to me, because it is casting doubt upon +the purity of my motives. I can tell you something else, in reference +to which I must, in the meantime, request your discreet silence. I have +good reasons for assuming that Erna has already disposed of her heart, +and this may explain certain oddities in her demeanour which have +struck us both. I believe I shall soon know if I am right. In warning +you, and your wife against Lotter, I gave you a proof of my careful +observation and of my faithful friendship. Confide in me further: you +will not repent of it. And now, old boy, go with a lighter heart than +you came, and receive your guests, or else the great event will come +off without you, and for that Hildegard would never forgive you, and +she would be right."</p> + +<p class="normal">He was almost pushing poor helpless Otto out of the door, when Konski +came hurrying up with an impatient message from My Lady.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Would Otto come at once? The military were just marching up the +courtyard."</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto hurried away. Bertram was still standing near the door, his eye +rigidly fixed upon it.</p> + +<p class="normal">He was murmuring to himself: "That was the first step. I should not +have thought, after all I have already endured, that it would prove so +hard. But it had to be done!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He walked slowly up and down, and paused again.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Had it to be done? And thus? Would it not have been better if I had +not absolutely denied it? Anyhow, I have not resigned in every case; +only, in case it is as I fear. Supposing it is not? What if the young +man who has gone through the schooling of a Princess Volinzov, is not +one whom our Erna can and should love? What if the Princess is mistaken +in this part of the story, or if she has been deceived by the man who +may have, had good reasons of his own? What if the whole thing has been +a little gentle dallying which Erna has all but forgotten, and I were, +with my diplomatic wiles, to fan again into life and light the almost +extinguished flame, were to repel her from me and push her into his +arms, which will be willing enough to open?"</p> + +<p class="normal">He stretched out his hands, as though he wished to ward off something. +They were all assailing him again now in the broad light of the day, +those dread phantoms with which he had wrestled in the awful darkness +of the night. Then he had conquered them. Was he to be vanquished now? +Was his strength exhausted?</p> + +<p class="normal">No, no; the worst had yet to come. Though he had persuaded himself that +it would be only fair and proper not to be a witness of their first +meeting, yet he would have to see them together, perhaps learn at the +first glance that they had already made it up, and that the great +sacrifice, which the beautiful Princess was making for her darling, had +been wholly unnecessary. All the better! In that case the torture of +uncertainty would be over all the sooner, and he would at least be +spared the humiliation of pushing Quixotic generosity to its utmost +limits, and of acting the part of an obtrusive mediator, who clears +away all obstacles and ultimately joins the lovers' hands with a "Bless +you, my children!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He sat down at the writing-table to complete his election address. But +he could not write, could not think. Pen in hand he sat, hearkening to +all the confused sounds which came up and across him from courtyard, +garden, and mansion house. The music, after some little pause, is now +playing again in long-drawn triumphant strains--representing the salute +of the regiment to the house that now guarded its colours; the fair +mistress appears on the threshold, surrounded by the other ladies, and +the tall and gallant-looking Colonel, hastening up, followed by his +officers, bows deferentially and kisses her hand. And lo! from the +circle around the mistress of the house, there steps forth another +lady, at whose sight the gallant soldier starts. But she smiles, and +signals with those mobile orbs of hers--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Be calm, my friend, be calm! I shall explain all as soon as we are +alone for a minute, or, if not all--that being contrary to my habit--as +much as you need know. It is a matter concerning these people."</p> + +<p class="normal">And she points aside to another pair, bowing to each other and +presumably renewing--a casual acquaintance, shall we say?</p> + +<p class="normal">"I hardly know, my gracious Fräulein, whether I still have the +honour..."</p> + +<p class="normal">What a farce it all was!</p> + +<p class="normal">And what a ghastly tragedy too--its silent scene his heart--forsaken, +lonely as he was.</p> + +<p class="normal">So he sat on, brooding gloomily, musing dismally, he knew not how long. +Silence now reigned around without. Had they forgotten him? Oh, that +they had! and that he could steal away from the house--from the +farce--from life!</p> + +<p class="normal">But no, they would not be so pitiful. Hearken!--yes, this is Konski's +swift step.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I beg your pardon, sir, but My Lady bade me urge you to come. They are +just going to dinner, and are only waiting for the Herr Doctor!"</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">It was a princely banquet that Hildegard had prepared for her guests in +the dining-hall of the whilom princely abode. The closed curtains had +excluded the daylight from the beginning, and the light of innumerable +candles fell upon the table from the three great chandeliers and from a +number of candelabras fixed to the wall. The table shone and sparkled +with crystal and silver, was decked with a profusion of the choicest +flowers, and surrounded by a most brilliant company. There were five +and twenty officers in their uniforms--and the general <i>coup d'œ il</i> +was truly enchanting. Everything went off well. Hildegard herself could +scarcely distinguish from her own serving-men the extra waiters ordered +from town, and put into liveries; in the adjoining hall the band of the +99th was playing, for Colonel von Waldor had insisted upon My Lady thus +honouring his regiment, although she had a band from town in readiness. +The toasts, in reference to which she had been somewhat uneasy, had +been a wonderful success. Otto had not blundered or stopped short in +the first toast--His Majesty the Emperor, of course; then Bertram, whom +she had, at dinner, by means of a pencilled note, asked to do so, had +in the name of the host, and as the oldest friend of the family +present, welcomed the guests and proposed the health of the 99th. +Thereupon Colonel von Waldor returned thanks in a really capital +speech, abounding in merry quips and happy inspirations. He called the +brilliant reception given to the regiment, a posthumous celebration of +their doings in the last war, and a lordly payment "on account" for +what they were destined to do in the campaigns of the future. He then +proceeded to describe the reception in detail, and added that to him, +personally, it had been the most charming of all the charming surprises +of the day, to find in the gentleman who had so cordially welcomed them +all to this most hospitable house, an old and dear friend from whom he +had been separated for years; and at last, passing adroitly from the +host's representative to the host himself, he proposed the health of +"their far too generous entertainer, and of the kind, gracious, and +beauteous lady of the manor, by whose side, he had the rare happiness +of being seated."</p> + +<p class="normal">And the other officers--four and-twenty in number--had started from +their seats like one man, and had three times shouted their <i>Hoch</i> in +singularly sharp and definite intervals, overpowering the <i>Hoch</i> of the +other guests as the roar of cannon drowns the sound of musket firing, +and the band had joined in the celebration; and they had all crowded +around Hildegard, with their champagne-goblets held on high; and as she +received all these homages, she looked radiantly, superbly beautiful, +and so the Colonel had told her, adding that she was by far the fairest +of all the fair ladies there; and as they settled in their places +again, he had kissed her hand in eager gallantry.</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard thanked the enchanted Colonel with a gracious smile for his +flattery, and thanked him warmly, too, for his excellent toast, in +which she had missed but one thing, to wit, some clever allusion, +some dainty reference to her illustrious guest, the Princess, who, from +her place of honour next to Otto, on the opposite side of the +banqueting-table, had, followed the speaker with the greatest +attention, and had evidently expected something of the kind.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Colonel smiled and shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I had thought of it, too, My Lady," he said; "but, upon honour, it +could not be done."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why not?</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have already told My Lady that the Princess and I met last year in +Teplitz. Since My Lady--and I must express my sincere gratitude for the +condescension--did me last night repeatedly the honour of mentioning my +name to her, without, it would appear, recalling any reminiscence on +her part, I surely could not indulge in reminiscences. My wounded +vanity peremptorily forbade any such thing. And, moreover, it was +wounded ere then. It is no joke for a Colonel who has been somewhat +spoiled, to see a young officer, and particularly one belonging to his +own regiment, preferred to himself, and such, was then undoubtedly the +case. The young gentleman suffering, like myself, from a severe wound +received during the '70 campaign, had accompanied me to Teplitz, and +was my constant companion, so that he can bear witness to everything. +The reminiscence of that wound inflicted upon my vanity is at this +moment the more vivid, because the young gentleman is here."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Colonel pointed, as he spoke, to a slender young officer, dark of +eye and hair, who was sitting between Agatha and Augusta, and who was +conversing eagerly with the former, while Augusta, a coquettish beauty, +looked supremely bored.</p> + +<p class="normal">Upon Hildegard the young man's appearance had already made so pleasing +an impression after he had been introduced to her, that she had +actually remembered his name and rank--Premier-Lieutenant and Adjutant +Ringberg. But she thought she was acting prudently in saying that she +saw nothing remarkable in the young gentleman. Much to her amazement, +the Colonel seemed almost offended at this; Ringberg, he said, was +really in every way a remarkable man, the most studious, and at the +same time the smartest officer in his regiment, a man of excellent +character; and a jolly companion, for whom he himself had a sort of +paternal fondness; indeed, Ringberg was the son of a dear friend of his +own, left early an orphan, and he, the Colonel, had acted for him <i>in +loco parentis</i>, and wished him every happiness under the sun, including +the conquest of the beautiful Russian and her millions.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But there seems little prospect of that," Hildegard said, smilingly +interrupting the Colonel in his eager talk; "as far as I have been able +to observe, your <i>protégé</i> does not exist for our beautiful friend."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That may be one of her masks," replied the Colonel. "I think the lady +has a great many."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You must not talk like this to me; I adore Alexandra."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But, My Lady, so do I too, otherwise I should never dream of abusing +her."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That, too, I must forbid."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I will swear that she does not even know what a mask is, and I am +ready to face a world in arms in proof of the assertion," laughed the +Colonel, and Hildegard laughed too, and kissed her hand to the Princess +across the table, a compliment which the fair Russian returned eagerly.</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildegard felt so happy by the side of her brilliant cavalier, that she +could scarcely make up her mind to give the signal for rising from the +table. But at last it had to be done, after she had exchanged a few +hurried words with Herr von Busche, who had quietly come up behind her +chair. When, a few minutes later, she rose from her seat, the curtains +were suddenly and simultaneously withdrawn from the windows and doors, +the glass doors flew wide open, and before the amazed eyes of the +company lay the garden in fairy-like illumined splendour. Rows of +coloured balloons were drawn like garlands along and adown the +terraces; and every prominent point--and there were many of them--had +been utilised for some effective purpose of decoration: a pyramid of +stars, a wreath of light, or a radiant crown. And the guests, now +hurrying away from the tables, had scarcely all gathered upon +the verandah before they found themselves enveloped in the dazzling +brilliancy of coloured lights; the magnificent façade of the +mansion-house, wrapt in a glorious purple glow, stood out with +wonderful effect against the darkening sky, and a deep green flame sent +a soft and tender light along the terraces and mingled on the great +grass plot in front of the verandah with the red light, the combination +yielding a dim, mysterious kind of magic dawn. And before the glow had +faded away, and before the admiring and wondering exclamations of the +delighted and surprised guests had ceased, there was the thunder of +cannon, a signal, and lo! from the wide common below, a rocket winged +its shining flight upwards, followed by another and yet another, in +such swift succession that the fiery missiles bursting anon high, high +up in the air, seemed to fill the dark sky with a galaxy of glowing +stars, whilst below squibs and crackers were exploding and wheels of +fire were whirling round in all directions.</p> + +<p class="normal">But now the younger members of the company could be restrained no +longer. In vain did anxious mammas preach patience and caution and call +for shawls and cloaks, the young ladies would not wait, and fortunately +the night was so calm and warm that they could really dispense with +wrappings; the officers had, anyhow, to remain bare-headed unless they +cared to put on the spiked helmets with which they had appeared at the +banquet. So they all danced merrily down the wide steps; and were soon +scattered over the terraces; and from all sides there came the laughing +shouts of those who were looking for each other, who perhaps met +unexpectedly at some turn in the labyrinth, or who were pretending to +escape, a merry game in which the young ladies, whether staying in the +house or belonging to the neighbourhood, being familiar with the +locality, gladly assumed the leadership, adroitly using their knowledge +to their own advantage.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile the greater part of the guests had gradually withdrawn to the +chambers on either side of the great banqueting-hall, the ladies to the +music-rooms and tea-rooms on the left, the gentlemen mostly to the +billiard-room, which opened into the smoking- and card-rooms. Some +still went in and out at the great French windows, all of which opened +on the verandah, but on the verandah itself there were now +comparatively few people, so that Bertram had but now and again to +exhort the Colonel to lower his sonorous voice a little. The friends +were pacing up and down arm in arm; the Colonel's uniform was all but +entirely unbuttoned, he was puffing vigorously at his cigar, and his +handsome, gallant features were aglow with the after-effect of the +champagne, and with the excitement which increased with every word +which he was rapidly uttering.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Believe me," he cried, "my good fellow, if anything could still +increase my feeling of absolute worship for this unique woman, it would +be the pluck with which she went into action for young Ringberg. But +unfortunately with all those fair and adorable creatures, intention and +execution never correspond. A masterly outflanking of the foe, an +assault <i>comme il faut</i>, and then at once this ludicrous mistake! I +could have died with laughter! Not the slightest idea on her part that +you are such a very special and intimate friend of mine! And so she +goes and tells you all the minutest details of our story, as to an +absolute stranger, supposed to be quite incapable of translating it +back into German from the French, because he can have no idea as to the +identity of the real persons involved! And why this stupendous want of +caution? To frighten you away! From what? From falling in love with the +little damsel, or to induce you, in case you had already done so, to be +kind enough to retire immediately! As though the like of us were to be +rightened away from our purpose by a reconnoitring like this, however +forced! 'You may thank your stars,' I said to her 'that Doctor Bertram +has better things to occupy himself with than the childishness which +you impute to him!' To be sure she swears that she became convinced of +it last night, for you remained perfectly calm and self-possessed, and +had the contrary been the case, it would certainly not have escaped +her, as she was scrutinising your every mien with the upmost care; but +then her own mien, as she was telling me all this, proved how pleased +and relieved she felt that all had gone off so happily!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And what," asked; Bertram, "have you decided in Ringberg's affair? +Will you not at least take Erna, and, of course, her parents, into the +secret?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The deuce I will!" cried Waldor. "I surely should not hesitate to +rescue Ringberg at any cost from some position of great danger, but +this is, not a question of my making a sacrifice, but of Alexandra +making one that she cannot make, unless she wishes to give up half her +fortune, which goes to the deuce as soon as our engagement gets +known. But I want the whole fortune and not the half! When I was but +a lieutenant I swore a great oath to myself that I would die a +Field-Marshal, and would live like a Prince until I got to be one! Now +you surely cannot expect that I should break my oath, and, to myself +too?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram did not think it advisable to point out to his friend, the +contradictions he was guilty of in one breath. He only said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I should think the sacrifice might be avoided, if you made the people +who are interested pledge themselves to secrecy. None of them would +hesitate to accept that objection."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In such things," replied the Colonel, "one should not trust any one's +promise of secrecy. Why, every thing would already be betrayed, if +Alexandra had honoured any one but yourself with her indiscretions!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"But if the Princess absolutely insists upon making the sacrifice?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I shall as absolutely forbid her doing anything of the kind! The +services which Kurt has rendered us are considerable, I admit; but +then, in the first case, they were rendered to me. How can I ask her to +act such a generous part? Nay, what does she mean by wishing to do it? +One would not, one could not, do more for one's lover! And, to the best +of my knowledge, she is in love with me, and not with Ringberg!"</p> + +<p class="normal">His cigar had gone out and he flung it away, turning to light a new one +at one of the lights placed along the verandah. Thus he did not see the +smile which Bertram--though his heart was little attuned to mirth--had +not been able to repress at the words which his not over-modest friend +had been uttering.</p> + +<p class="normal">"In that case the Princess will have to say, like the priest Domingo, +in Schiller's 'Don Carlos:' 'We have been here in vain,'" he resumed, +as the Colonel took his arm again.</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure," was the calm reply; "and I have strongly urged her to +leave to-morrow. Surrounded as we are here by my officers, one or two +of whom are already likely enough to know more than I care for, we are +not for a single moment safe from startling disclosures. I think I have +as strong nerves as most people, but to be seated upon a powder-barrel +when there is a conflagration raging all round, is uncomfortable for +the most courageous."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is uncomfortable, Colonel?" asked Alexandra's voice behind them.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Colonel turned on his heels; and quickly buttoning his uniform, +exclaimed--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, most gracious Princess!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let us call each other by our names before this good friend," said +Alexandra. "Give me your arm, dear Doctor Bertram; and you, my friend, +please to come to the other side. So now we can talk confidentially."</p> + +<p class="normal">"May I go on with my cigar?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I should like to smoke one myself, if I dared! But now to the point. +What have you decided?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is the very question," Bertram said, "which I was just submitting +to Waldor."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have decided, that the young people are to see how they can best +settle things for themselves!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is an abominable decision!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is necessary."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not for me! I shall speak to the young lady."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will not do so if you value my advice ever so little. Moreover, if +you felt so sure of this, why did you not do so yesterday?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Because I require your co-operation."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Which I refuse!"</p> + +<p class="normal">They were talking excitedly, almost vehemently now. Then, there was a +pause, a very uncomfortable one for Bertram, although he said to +himself that discord between the two ought to be welcome to him. He had +closely watched Erna and Ringberg. At dinner, where they had been +seated almost directly opposite to each other, they had not exchanged a +single word; and just now, whilst Erna had followed the other young +ladies into the garden, Ringberg had remained on the verandah and had +subsequently gone into the billiard-room. As Erna was so very proud, a +meeting of the two seemed difficult, almost impossible, without kind +and skilful mediation, and there would be little time or opportunity +for it now. To-morrow the regiment was again to leave its quarters. +They would again be separated for long--for ever, if he chose to avail +himself of the influence which he doubtless had over Erna; and if he +could only bring into play something of the robust egotism, with which +the handsome soldier by his side was smoothing his own way to rank and +unlimited riches.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I only know one way to achieve our object," the Princess said at +last, speaking somewhat huskily.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I knew you would find something," said Waldor; "but what is it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is this ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">Alexandra paused abruptly, for as they reached the end of the verandah, +and were turning round, the very man of whom they were all thinking was +approaching them.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Anything for me, my dear Ringberg?" exclaimed the Colonel.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, Colonel; an orderly from the General in command ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"May the ..." muttered the Colonel through his teeth.</p> + +<p class="normal">He went up to the young officer, who made his report in a low voice, +whilst the Princess and Bertram remained standing at some little +distance. They saw the Colonel angrily fling away his cigar, and draw +himself up.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thank you, my dear Ringberg; you need not come with me. It is bad +enough if one of us has to lose all the fun. No remonstrance, sir! I +shall want an orderly to go with me, and, perhaps, you will, in +passing, kindly bid them saddle Almansor."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, Colonel," said the young officer, saluting.</p> + +<p class="normal">Ringberg had gone. Waldor turned round.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It seems," he said, "that the soldiers have taken a different position +from what His Excellency had expected, and now he is getting all the +officers in command of regiments together, to get things done as +noisily as possible. The old owl! Upon my word, I would let him have a +bit of my mind, if he did this in actual war, and summoned me at such a +time two or three miles off from a position where we may be 'alarmed' +at any moment. However, there is no help for it. I shall not spare the +horse, but I am afraid I shall not be back before one o'clock. My +officers must be in their quarters by twelve o'clock precisely, and the +rest of the party are likely to vanish too. I presume that we shall be +attacked between two and three o'clock. If, then, I do not see you +again, dearest Alexandra, the arrangement is this: you drive to town +to-morrow and remain there until I can look in for a moment, as I hope +to be able to do the day after, or else until I send word. Farewell, +dearest! And you, my good friend, will probably not have gone to bed +before I return. I will come to your room, and learn what the best and +cleverest of women will have planned in the interest of our +<i>protégés</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Colonel kissed her hand again, and hurried away. Alexandra looked +gloomily after him, standing with her hands crossed over her bosom, +until he had vanished through the door of the billiard-room; where +several of the senior officers were advancing to meet him. Then, with a +passionate gesture, she turned to Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He is mistaken! Alexandra Volinzov is not to be ordered about like a +pack of recruits. I shall not leave to-morrow! I shall not leave at +all, until I have achieved my object; and you, friend, you must help me +to achieve it."</p> + +<p class="normal">She flung the end of her shawl impatiently across her shoulder, and +took Bertram's arm, drawing him away from the verandah down into the +garden, whence the young people, in pairs and in groups, were now +hurrying merrily back to the mansion-house, attracted by the sound of +the band striking up a polka in the banqueting-hall, which had been +cleared in the interval.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And what is my help to consist in?" asked Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You must speak to Erna. You must explain all to her. I am powerless +without Waldor's co-operation, and you have heard how he refuses it? +Nay, more; I have learned from Hildegard, that he has definitely +denied standing in any special relation to me, and as he could not +disown me altogether, has accounted for it all by talking of a casual +watering-place acquaintance; nay he has actually gone the length, of +reviving the old suspicion of there being something between Kurt and +myself; in a word, he has done his utmost to shake my credibility +with the parents, and with Erna; and to make my interference, if I +dared interfere, appear a ridiculous and hideous farce. You are the +intimate friend of the parents; you are Erna's natural protector and +guardian--you are more to her than her own father. The foolish dread of +the mother, that you loved the dear child in a different way, I have +absolutely put an end to; you will be met on all sides with the utmost +confidence, and if any doubt still existed, if any objections were +still raised, why, you are so clever, so wise, so eloquent, that you +will with ease remove every objection, that you will with a sure hand +bring all things to a good end, be the saviour of those two poor dear +souls, and rescue them from the infernal torments of jealousy, doubt, +and despair. I shall not be found wanting; I shall confirm everything +that you say; I shall take the full responsibility of it all, of +course. I am firmly resolved upon this; it is simply my duty, and I +shall do it, and Waldor may put up with it or not, as he pleases."</p> + +<p class="normal">Alexandra had been saying all this with hurried breath and heaving +bosom. Bertram's own excitement was intense, too, but he managed to +reply in calmer accents--</p> + +<p class="normal">"You ask much, My Lady. You call me Erna's guardian, her second +father. I accept these titles; now, will you please and try to fancy +yourself in the position of a guardian, a father, under these +circumstances. In the story of Claudine you have told me your own, +striving, I do not doubt for a moment, to be strictly truthful, seeing +no danger in this, when speaking to a stranger, and being, moreover, +impelled to do so, both by your quick temperament and by your +passionate sympathy. But now comes the question: Has your truthfulness +really brought out the truth? Not the truth of yesterday and to-day, +but of to-morrow. The truth, the truthful picture of the future, when +you will be constantly and closely brought into contact with the former +object of your ardent love, when you will be ever seeing him by the +side of a woman who is not much younger than yourself, who is not as +beautiful as you, not as clever as you; who, however graceful, lacks +that nameless charm which is radiated by a beautiful and clever woman +of the great world, and which is so apt to beguile the hearts of men; +can you then--I am now speaking of yourself only, My Lady, only of what +is in your power--can you, for your part, for your own heart, undertake +the guarantee for the future? I conjure you, by all you hold sacred, +can you conscientiously give the guardian, the father, this assurance?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"By all I hold sacred," replied. Alexandra, "yes! And I will rather die +than break my oath!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She had stooped suddenly, and was about to draw Bertram's hand to her +lips, but he prevented her with gentle force.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We must not soften each other's hearts," said he, his own voice +quivering with emotion, "must not dim the clearness of our vision by +tears of emotion. I accept your vow. And now I crave but one boon from +Fate, to wit, that I be permitted one look, one deep, searching look +into the young man's heart,--and into Erna's heart!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He had been murmuring the last words in a scarcely audible tone; his +lips were trembling; Alexandra also was too much moved to be able to +speak. Thus they had silently reascended the verandah-steps and moved +on--unintentionally--to the open door which led to the card-room. +Alexandra paused, uttering a slight exclamation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is it, My Lady?"</p> + +<p class="normal">She made no answer, but drew her arm swiftly out of his, and hurried +away from him into the card-room. Bertram did not follow her; amazed +and hurt that she could so suddenly leave him, attracted it would seem +by the large oval table, around which there stood a fairly large group +of gentlemen, either staking money themselves or watching the progress +of the game which was evidently some game of chance, with Lotter acting +as banker. Bertram anyhow saw that hated person sitting at the head of +the table and dealing the cards, and next moment he heard that loud +voice of his, which he disliked so much, exclaiming: "<i>Faites votre +jeu, messieurs!</i>" Alexandra had advanced to the table as though she +meant to join in the game, and Bertram turned away in grave +displeasure. How could he have full confidence in a being, who was +accustomed to obey every movement of a restless heart, every temptation +of a light-winged fancy? No, no! If he was to resign, Erna's happiness +must be anchored in firmer ground!</p> + +<p class="normal">He leaned against the door of the hall in which the couples were taking +their places for the Lancers. Erna and her partner were standing but a +few yards off. She was conversing with him in her usual, measured way; +he could watch every movement of those beloved lips, when she spoke or +when, with a fleeting smile, she answered a jesting word of her +partner's. Her face was partly turned in his direction; he thought +every moment that she would turn round completely and look at him. I +"felt that some one was looking at me," she had said on that memorable +morning, when he found her writing beneath the plantain-tree. Now she +did not feel it. What had broken the magic spell of his glance? Was it +because his love was no longer unselfish? Because a fierce wild longing +seized him to press the slender white-robed form in his arms, to cover +the sweet lips with wild kisses? No, no--it was not that! It was this! +her heart no longer knew anything of him. It was this: new and younger +gods had moved inside the temple, and the old one's might now depart +ingloriously and hide their disgrace in the darkness of night!</p> + +<p class="normal">The music struck up, Erna held out her hand to her partner and floated +across to the other side of the hall; and Bertram hurried away, down +the verandah steps, away into the garden.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then he wandered about aimlessly, muttering wild words, wringing his +hands despairingly. The deserted garden, with the coloured lamps +swinging in the night wind, some dead, some dying, seemed a fit image +of his wasted and desolate life; whilst the strains of mirthful music +wafted across to him in mighty volumes from the brightly illumined +mansion-house, and the sounds of singing and rejoicing that came up to +him from the village below, seemed to mock the solitary self-tormentor. +He felt that this could not go on, if he did not wish to go mad; he +asked himself, pressing his hands to his throbbing temples, whether he +was not mad already? Whether he was not the ill-omened victim, pursued +by the relentless furies of jealousy, pursued until he breaks down--and +to be spared only by voluntary resignation? Yet you surely can but +resign what you own, what--if need be--you could defend; the possession +of which you could dispute anyhow with your adversary to the last gasp. +Despair does not resign, it only lets go what can no longer be held. +What had he done to hold Erna? What was he doing at this very moment, +except again making room for a rival, for whom, as it was, the stars in +their courses were fighting, one who had youth and the privilege of an +earlier attachment on his side? No, he deserved to be conquered, he who +neither had the strength to conquer himself, nor the courage to join +issue with the rival. Let the decision come then!</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XX.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">Bertram stood on the lowest step of the terrace when this decision +struggled forth from his tempest-tossed soul, that could no longer bear +the torment. A small steep stair led upward from this place, at the +very extremity of the garden, without any landing-places; he hurried +up, taking two and three steps at a time. He had reached the top; next +he turned to the right, across the lawn, in the direction of the +verandah, when suddenly the music was silent within the hall, and +instantly the dancers came forth from the many doors to cool and +refresh themselves in the balmy night air. He did not care to meet the +merry, motley multitude. Here and there isolated couples were +descending the stairs. He withdrew into the darkness of the shrubberies +surrounding the winter garden. It was lighted up; and, as far as he +could judge by a glance through the windows, was deserted; he would +pass through it, and so regain, unseen and undisturbed, the rooms where +the others were.</p> + +<p class="normal">He entered. Between palm-trees and many broad-leaved plants there was a +narrow passage, bisected in the centre by a shorter and broader one. +Where the two passages met, towered a huge palm, set in a tub of mighty +dimensions, and all but touching the glass-dome above. Behind, within +the enclosure of the wall, was a small recess, furnished with dainty +iron garden-chairs and with a table.</p> + +<p class="normal">This, he knew, was a favourite spot of Erna's, where, on rainy days, +she was wont to spend hours. He could not resist the temptation of +visiting the spot which on her account was sacred to him. He sank into +one of the chairs, put his folded hands to his head, and let it rest +upon the little table. As he sat thus in the attitude of one praying, +his thoughts became a prayer: and he prayed that Fate would now +determine his lot, now and here, be it bliss or be it--death. He was +willing to submit to either, in all humility, knowing himself subject +to the heavenly powers that would deal with him by their own +inscrutable will.</p> + +<p class="normal">He lifted his head and rose slowly, hesitatingly, from his stooping, +position. Was his prayer not heard? Could love not work a miracle, like +faith, which was less strong? Surely, she would come, for whom he was +longing with all the force of his heart!</p> + +<p class="normal">And lo!--as he turned his gaze to the door, the velvet curtain which +draped it was drawn aside, and she appeared on the threshold, a +slender, white-robed figure, bending forward, gazing into the silent +green wilderness before her, listening! And now she was descending the +stairs with lightsome step, moving along the passage that led to the +tall palm-trees, and again she paused, leaning one hand against the +edge of the tub, pressing the other against her bosom.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Erna!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He had, for fear of frightening her, uttered her name in a very low +voice; yet she started where she stood, but did not turn to him who was +so near, but stooped, listening, towards the other side; and at the +same moment he heard, the little door open, by which he had himself +entered the winter garden; and now some one was hurrying along the +passage, towards Erna, who made a movement as though she would escape, +but could not.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Miss Erna!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She made no answer, and Lieutenant Ringberg seemed to have exhausted +his strength and his presence of mind with these two words, which he +had uttered in a very diffident tone of voice. For a few seconds they +both stood motionless. Then Erna said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Fräulein von Aschhof has told me that you wished to speak to me. I +only came to request you not to honour Fräulein von Aschhof any longer +with your confidence. I--I am indignant that you could do so at all."</p> + +<p class="normal">"By Heaven! there is some misunderstanding here. I should never have +dared to apply to Fräulein von Aschhof. She began, and spoke so +confidently that no doubt ever arose in me. I could not but believe +that you--that yourself, Miss Erna...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"This is too much!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The breathless listener heard the rustling of her robe, and then some +hurried words of entreaty which again chained her to the spot. +Meanwhile they had somewhat changed their position; the dense foliage +of some shrubs now intervened between himself and them, and he could +now scarcely see anything of them, but he could hear every word even +better than before.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You must not let me suffer for a misunderstanding of which--I swear +it--I am so innocent, that I cannot even guess how it has come about. +But be this as it may, I bless it as a heavenly favour, for surely +Heaven would not have me condemned unheard. I pray and entreat you: +listen!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What have you to say?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What I wrote in my last letter. If you will not believe in my +assurances--and indeed I can understand that, as things are, +appearances are against me--give me time--only a little time, until +these unfortunate circumstances have become clearer, and those +appearances will dissolve themselves into nothing. Only this much I +can, I must say, I am not in love with the Princess, and I never have +been, I have never felt anything for her but sympathy, respect,--and +friendship, if you will,--feelings which that rarely-gifted woman will +awaken in all who come to know her intimately. She is here for no other +purpose but to plead for me, to clear up this wretched mystery which +condemns me to silence, at the sacrifice of considerable personal +advantages to herself. But she has met with resistance which she cannot +overcome, and which compels her, and compels me also, to remain in this +miserably odd position. Therefore, once more, give me time--give me a +respite. A criminal gets that, and I am free from guilt, unless it be a +crime that I look upon those duties which gratitude and the friendship +of years impose upon me as sacred, even now, when it is so unspeakably +hard for me, and when it puts me to the risk of forfeiting the +happiness of my life!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is this all you have to say to me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"All; for what else. I might say would find no credence, if your faith +in my veracity does not go even this length."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good-bye."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Erna! is it possible? Is every voice silent in your heart? Does +nothing stir, nothing plead for one whom once you--I dare not say the +word any longer, for I must fear to offend you again if I remind you of +what once was? Great heavens! and I had thought, that if my pen were +powerless, and my pleading on paper appeared clumsy and lifeless, I +should but require to be once more face to face with you, looking into +your loved eyes whilst you looked into mine, and that then you would +believe me even before I uttered a word. And now, now, my glance is +powerless, my words are mere sound. I no longer know what to say; I am +standing here like a beggar who has been telling his story of bitter +woe, and in whose face people close the door at which he has knocked +with trembling hand. Have I become so poor? Well, I am most unwilling +to appeal to a friend for help, but you leave me no choice. There is, +living in your own circle, a gentleman who is in the secret, to whom +the Princess has told it, half involuntarily; drawn on by the vivacity +of her temperament, which she has never learned to control, half +voluntarily, hoping that she was not betraying anything which all, or +at least all concerned, would not know to-day. Well, this hope of hers +has not been fulfilled. The gentleman in question knows it; and not +deeming himself, under the circumstances, justified in speaking, he +will, if I judge him correctly, be silent, although the Princess has +already given him full liberty, nay, has entreated him to tell you all. +I must confess, I was much taken aback when, a little time ago, she +came and told me this; apart from other considerations, it was painful +to me to know that the key to the fatal enigma was in the hands of a +third person. But now, when, to my sorrow, I realise my impotence, let +him plead for me, if he will. He will do it, if I, too, entreat him. I +have barely exchanged three words with him, but looks like his, so +imbued with the true nobility of the soul, cannot lie. Ask him--you +will believe him!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Never!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will not believe him?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will die rather than hear from him, speak to him of ... It is a +shame, a shame! This is going too far. What happened before was ... but +this, this ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"How now? By the heavens above us, what is the meaning of this?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The meaning is this: my last word to you is, Begone!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I go. But one thing more, and let it be my last word. It is very +bitter to have to say it. There is one greater misfortune yet than to +see one's love misjudged, scorned, rejected, and that is, to have to +say to one's self that she whom one had loved more,--a thousand times +more than one's self,--is surpassed by other women, whom one had never +dared to put on the same level as her, had barely dared to compare with +her, in kindness and in generosity."</p> + +<p class="normal">There was a quick step passing away over the tiled passage, then the +sound of the little garden-door being opened and closed, and then a cry +of anguish, half suppressed, and all the more terrible on that account, +the cry of one who had met with a deadly hurt.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram hurried round the intervening shrubs to where Erna stood with +her arms raised on high, with wild staring eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">And then she gave another cry, and the next moment she lay in his arms, +clutching him, clinging to him, as a drowning man would clutch, would +cling to, a rock.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Uncle Bertram! dear, dear Uncle Bertram!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"My sweet child!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Save me! save me!!"</p> + +<p class="normal">A great gush of tears relieved her. She was now sobbing aloud, bending +over his shoulder. Thus had come to pass that for which, but a brief +time before, he had longed as the greatest bliss; a bliss he would fain +taste for a moment, and for which he would willingly die, after having +tasted it. He held her close to his heart, held the slender maiden's +frame, the tender, heaving bosom; her sweet breath was floating around +his heated cheek, and he knew she was his, was in his keeping; he had +the power to hold her now, and it would cost him but one word. And yet +it was all a dream-gift, which one may retain for a second or two by +keeping one's eyes closed, but which fades away, to return no more, as +soon as the eyes re-open.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, I will save you, save you from yourself; you have lost yourself, +and I will restore you."</p> + +<p class="normal">She lifted her head and looked at him, confused, questioning.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not to-day, my sweet child, to-morrow; but you must be a good and +obedient girl."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will do all that you wish, that you command, dear one, beloved one! +For there is none as good, as noble as you, not one, and I love no one +as I love you!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Again she clasped him, more violently even than before, and pressed her +hot, quivering lips, to his.</p> + +<p class="normal">But he did not return her kiss, and a gentle, melancholy smile played +about his mouth as he said, putting her gently from him, and stroking +her dark hair--</p> + +<p class="normal">"And never did father love his dearest child better than I love you."</p> + +<p class="normal">And again she gazed up to him with a strange expression of fear and +shame.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now go, my child; to-morrow we will talk together. I shall not leave +to-morrow. I shall not go until you need me no longer. Good-bye till +then. And then your dear eyes are to weep no more."</p> + +<p class="normal">She clung to him still, but hesitatingly, shyly now; he disengaged +himself gently, and repeated--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Go, my child, go."</p> + +<p class="normal">She went, slowly, reluctantly, holding her head very low. On the +topmost step, in the doorway leading to the tea-room, she paused and +turned, as though expecting that he would summon her back.</p> + +<p class="normal">But he beckoned with eye and hand: "Go!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She vanished behind the velvet curtain. He was alone!</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XXI.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">The mirth and fun of the feast were at their height now. The +commander-in-chief had ordered that at twelve o'clock all officers +should be in their respective quarters, including those who had been +told off to the houses of the ranger, the mayor, and the other chief +denizens of the village. It was past eleven o'clock already. No time +was to be lost, if the guests wished to drain the cup of delight which +the hospitable mansion-house proffered in such abundance.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Vivat Champagne!" exclaimed one of the young officers, taking a glass +of the foaming wine from the salver which a footman offered him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And pretty girls!" returned his friend von Köppingen, emptying his +goblet at one draught, replacing it on the salver, and turning upon his +heel to hurry to the fair Augusta, with whom he was engaged to dance +the <i>Rheinländer</i>, the music of which the orchestra was just playing.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And where have you been, Ringberg?" asked another comrade, Herr von +Rollintz; "been gambling a little?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know I never play," replied Kurt, who was leaning against the +door.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nor dance? Well, well, you are always so sensible; I feel half dead +already, upon my honour! And yet I have to dance this <i>Rheinländer</i> +with the belle of the ball. I am looking for her everywhere; have you +seen her, perchance? Ah, there she is!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Von Rollintz flew right across the room to meet Erna, who was just +entering from the tea-room. A minute later the pair whirled past Kurt; +von Rollintz, with radiant and glowing face, chattering even during the +dance, Erna still and pale, the long dark eyelashes lowered.</p> + +<p class="normal">Kurt gazed gloomily after them; then he turned away and began pacing +the verandah. After a little while he saw, at the end opposite to him, +a gentleman ascending the steps, in whom, as soon as the bright light +fell upon him, he recognised Bertram. The young man advanced rapidly +two or three steps, then paused hesitatingly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why, after all!" he murmured, "everything now would be in vain."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram, who had gone up to one of the windows of the ball-room, was +now slowly coming along the verandah. It was painful to Kurt to meet +the man to whom, but a minute ago, he had been willing to apply for +help. So, happening to be just in front of the card-room, he slipped +in.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He avoids me," said Bertram to himself. "In that case the mountain +will indeed have to go to Mahomet!"</p> + +<p class="normal">As he was about to look for Kurt in the card-room, he saw, on his way +past the open doors of the ball room, Lydia in conversation with one of +the older officers, a conversation carried on by Lydia with her +customary abundance of gesture and the frequent use of her fan. He drew +nearer, and, as he had hoped, her ever-roving glance had soon lighted +upon him. A slight movement of his eyes was sufficient for the highly +experienced lady, who left the Major with a jesting word, and tripped +up to Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have something to tell me, dear friend?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Can you spare me one minute?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"One minute? For you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">She gave a sentimental glance at Bertram and started.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Merciful Heaven!" she exclaimed, "you are ill. You wish the doctor +sent for; but there is one here, nay, there are two,--pray let me...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pray remain here," said Bertram, seizing her by the hand as she was +hastening away. "It is true that I feel rather worn out--a consequence +of the unrest and noise to which I am not accustomed--but otherwise +perfectly well. Let us sit down there!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He pointed, to a couch near, and sat down; Lydia followed him with +trembling knees, shaking all over, feeling her heart rising to her +throat. The whole unusual approach of Bertram who was generally so +reserved, his pallor, his solemn manner--all this could have but one +reason, one meaning--and what was she to reply? Act surprise and +terror, of course! But not too long, just a few moments of half +fainting, with her head leaning back against the wall and her eyes +turned rapturously towards the chandelier.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear friend--for I must appeal to your friendship--to your +love...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good Heavens!" murmured Lydia.</p> + +<p class="normal">"To the love which you doubtless cherish for Erna, and which has, I +assume, misled you to this last extremely equivocal step of yours."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good Heavens!" murmured Lydia again, but this time with accents of the +greatest terror, as of some one who suddenly feels the ground beneath +him giving way.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will not reproach you," continued Bertram, "which indeed I have no +right to do. I was wrong myself in not taking you into my confidence in +reference to Erna, in wrapping myself in secrecy and silence, and thus +all but compelling you to act alone and independently in order to help +our dear child to what, let us trust, will prove her lasting happiness. +But the remedy which you applied came too soon and was too strong; it +has not had the desired effect, at least not in the meantime; indeed, +at present things look desperately bad. Do not ask me how I have +learned this, I may tell you later on, when perhaps you will tell me, +too, how you discovered the secret which both guarded so carefully. All +this does not matter just now; but one thing is of the greatest +importance, and this I heartily beg you will grant me. We must +henceforth act in common, take no one into our confidence of whom we +cannot be sure that he aims at the same thing as we do--namely, at +Erna's happiness. And I think you will do best if you leave me to judge +when this is the case. Are you agreed?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Poor Lydia was sadly embarrassed. For her terrible disappointment it +was some compensation that Bertram himself had evidently no matrimonial +intentions with reference to Erna, and that he was offering Lydia his +alliance and friendship. How gladly would she have agreed! How gladly +said yes to everything, averring that she would blindly obey his +behests. But alas, in addition to her first indiscretion which he had +so kindly pardoned, she had meanwhile committed another which he would +scarcely pardon.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is too late, I see," said Bertram, who had not failed to notice the +terribly anxious expression of her mobile countenance. "You have +already told Hildegard."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, no--not Hildegard--worse! far worse!" murmured Lydia, wringing her +hands and casting down her eyes. "In my anxiety, my--ye Heavens! I +cannot excuse myself on any other ground--in my tender anxiety, for you +... the Baron ... you ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pray speak distinctly," said Bertram, repressing his anger. "I must +know all. The Baron ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He was so angry with you ever since that miserable letter--no, I +cannot tell you that; I am too much ashamed of myself--but Erna has +already pardoned me, and so will you. We had all lost our heads. He +asserted that you alone were to blame for his failure with Erna. And +that Otto had not given him the money--a great big sum--three thousand +thalers--was your doing too, he said. This morning already, before he +drove away, he vowed in my presence that he would inflict a terrible +vengeance upon you; and at dinner, when he sat next to me, he talked +dreadfully, and drank ever so much champagne--and I knew--I thought I +knew--I saw that Erna and Ringberg--Erna had denied him altogether; and +the girls--Augusta, you know, and Louise--told me that Ringberg used +constantly to meet her at their house ...! Erna was so excited when the +regiment came, and ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Go on!" cried Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And now the Baron wanted to make you suffer for it. And I really could +not tolerate it, seeing that perhaps I had contributed to the Baron's +wrath against you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And so you told the Baron all?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Lydia was sitting with rigid, tearful eyes, and started in terror as +Bertram quickly rose.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What would you do?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Try if I can repair the mischief a little."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let me go, I entreat you! and I will tell the Baron ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And I wish you to tell him nothing. I wish you to remain where you +are, and to appear as unconcerned as possible to all, specially to +Erna, if she should come to you, which, however, I doubt; and mind that +you do not betray one word of what we have been discussing here. Will +you promise that?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I promise everything you wish."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I shall not be ungrateful."</p> + +<p class="normal">Lydia gazed after him with tears in her eyes as he hurried away. "I +shall not be ungrateful," he had said; and saying that, he had pressed +her hand--for the first time since they had met--and supposing, +supposing that it came to pass after all!</p> + +<p class="normal">Major von Keberstein approached her again, and said laughingly-- +"You seem to have had quite a long confidential conversation with the +gentleman who carried you off so abruptly from my side. And then a poor +old bachelor like me is not to get jealous!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will do my best now to make up for it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It will take you all your time, we shall have to tramp back to our +quarters in ten minutes."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Can you not throw in half an hour?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not for worlds!" exclaimed the major, replacing his watch which he had +been consulting. "My orders are very strict."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I must claim the ten minutes at least," she rejoined, gathering +her robe together and making way for the stout old gentleman by her +side on the couch.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the adjoining card-room, too, the guests were bent upon making the +most of the last few minutes by doubling and trebling their high +stakes. All the players now were civilians, chiefly neighbouring +proprietors, who could afford to lose a few hundreds. Some of the +officers had at first joined in the game, but only at first, and with +very small stakes, as if to show that, so far as they were concerned, +the whole thing was a little harmless social amusement--nothing more. +When heavier sums began to be staked, they had at once ceased playing, +and had gradually melted away. The <i>Oberförster</i>, or ranger, who was +only looking on, thought that this had been done in obedience to a +signal from the Colonel himself, who had passed through the card-room +on his way out.</p> + +<p class="normal">"All the better," the Baron had sneered; "then we shall remain snugly +among ourselves. <i>Faites votre jeu, Messieurs!</i>"</p> + +<p class="normal">And indeed the Baron, so the gentlemen present thought, had good reason +to find his position a snug one. He was winning almost without +interruption. The heap of bank-notes and gold coins by his side was +ever increasing; among the bank-notes were already a good few slips, on +which the players had written their names and the amount of their +stakes; his gains were said to be several thousands. He asserted that +it was nothing like that sum, and repeatedly offered to let some one +else take the bank; but no one cared to accept his offer; and thus the +losers had no right to grumble, although for some time now they had +been, as one of them said, hurrying in pursuit of their own money. They +had need to hurry if they would overtake the money which was ever +fleeting. The Baron's proposal that the game should cease punctually at +half-past eleven, the time fixed for the conclusion of the ball, had +been agreed to, and it was now almost a quarter past. The Baron saw +already, from the large stakes which the players were venturing, that, +as the cards were more than ever in his favour, his gains would be +doubled; his jubilant mirth proved the excitement he was labouring +under; he had some funny word for every card he dealt, every deal he +scored, and all the while his eyes were glowing, and his busy hands +were twitching nervously. Suddenly there was a change. One of the +players had staked a sum equivalent to the total of his losses during +the evening--and had won! This daring play, and the success which had +crowned it, stimulated the others; and now everything went against the +banker. In a few minutes his heap had dwindled down to less than half, +and it became evident that if, during the remaining quarter of an hour, +the bank were pursued by the same bad luck, it must needs end with a +considerable balance the wrong way. The jests of the Baron became more +and more bitter; presently he took to whistling savagely through his +closed teeth, interspersing this with muttered curses; his eyes, now +roving restlessly around the room, seemed repeatedly to be fixing +themselves upon same one within the room. Suddenly he stopped in the +middle of a deal, and exclaimed, with a semi-audible curse-- +"You are bringing me bad luck, sir! You are in my way, sir!"</p> + +<p class="normal">These words, which he had uttered in the most violent way, were +accompanied by a fierce look at Kurt, who, to avoid meeting Bertram, +had entered the room a few minutes ago, and had since been standing +with folded arms among the spectators, who, attracted and enchained by +the sight of the maddening game, had, in ever-increasing numbers, +grouped themselves around the board of green cloth. The scene had not +had any attraction for him; his mind was far away; he had stared +mechanically before him without seeing anything; nor had he heard the +Baron's words; he only felt it disagreeable that several gentlemen near +him were looking hard at him. One of them thought it incumbent upon +himself to whisper to Kurt that the Baron had meant his remarks for +him. Kurt, under the impression that Lotter had been asking him to join +in the game, and not wishing to say it aloud, replied in a courteous +whisper to the gentleman who had called his attention to the fact that +the Baron had meant his remarks for him--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am sorry, but I never play."</p> + +<p class="normal">He accompanied this by an apologetic shrug of the shoulders towards the +Baron, and turned upon his heel. As soon as he was free of the crowd +surging around him, he made for the door leading to the verandah, +hoping that there he would be left to himself and to his own sad +thoughts.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Baron burst into a hoarse, mocking laughter when he saw Kurt turn; +he went on dealing, with trembling hands, then jumped suddenly to his +feet, exclaiming--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Excuse me, but I must ask the gentleman, what he means by shrugging +his shoulders."</p> + +<p class="normal">He flung the remaining cards upon the table, and was rushing towards +the door through the crowd of amazed and excited spectators, whom he +pushed rudely aside if they did not make way quickly enough. Before he +reached the door, however, Bertram faced him, barring the way.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you want?" the Baron hissed through his teeth.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I want to call your attention to the fact that you are the guest of +this house, and that you are on the point of basely violating its +proffered hospitality."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram had spoken firmly, but in so low a voice that the Baron alone +could hear him. His look, too, was perfectly calm; even those next to +him, who saw but his face, whilst the Baron was turning his broad back +upon them, could not but think that it was simply some indifferent +communication.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Baron was speechless with wrath. Bertram gave him no time to break +out. He continued in the same low, incisive tone--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I see that you quite understand me. I need scarcely add that I am at +any time at your service, should you consider yourself in need of a +comment upon the lesson which I have given you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You shall hear from me, and forthwith!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The sooner the better!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He bowed slightly; then, raising his voice as he turned to the others, +he said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"A thousand pardons, gentlemen; but I was commissioned by our amiable +host to remind you that his military-guests have, alas! to retire +already; and that they will be wishing to bid you farewell."</p> + +<p class="normal">As if in confirmation of Bertram's words, the music just then broke off +in the adjoining ball-room, the door flew open, and quite a host of +officers came rushing in. There could no longer be any question of +resuming the game, even if the players had been willing, which they, +however, certainly seemed not to be. Some of the older ladies had come +in, looking for their husbands; some others, young ones, followed; the +room was overflowing with guests; the players had difficulty in +getting back to the table to pocket their stakes. Not a few of them +had yet to square accounts with the Baron; they crowded round him, but +he was shoving the remnant of his gains--gold coins, bank-notes, +I.O.U.s--higgledy-piggledy into his pockets, and when questioned, as he +constantly was, replied with surly mien and in briefest words, and +repelled rather than answered their questions--muttering that they +might apply to-morrow; and that, in this confusion to-night, the devil +himself could neither hear nor impart information.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram had eagerly watched, this scene, keeping close to the door +which led to the verandah. He made sure that the Baron's time was +meanwhile absolutely taken up, and that he would, not be able to think +of following Kurt and inventing some new reason for a quarrel, since +the first attempt had failed. Under any circumstances, the Baron would +have to settle with him first; and then he saw how, breaking away from +the players who were still surrounding him, the Baron hurried up to +meet Herr von Busche, who, looking very heated and flushed, was just +coming from the ball-room. The two gentlemen Bertram knew to be, as +shooting companions, on good, though not on specially friendly terms; +anyhow, there could be no doubt as to the subject of their present +discussion in yonder far-away corner, where the Baron was +gesticulating, while Herr von Busche, the young gentleman from the +Woods and Forests' Office, listened intently, now and again shaking his +head, and at last nodding it, more, it seemed, in courtesy than in +assent. Then Bertram remembered that it was time for him also to look +out for a second.</p> + +<p class="normal">Looking for Ringberg, he saw him on the verandah, which now was filled +by the guests, among a small group of officers, already with helmets +and overcoats on, who were bidding him good-bye. These departing heroes +had their quarters in the village; they were in a mighty hurry; a +couple of servants were in readiness with lanterns to light up the +shorter way to the village, down the terraces; fair Hildegard had, +indeed, been mindful of everything needed. As the other officers were +hastening down the steps, Bertram stepped up to Kurt.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Can you spare me a minute, Lieutenant Ringberg?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Kurt was evidently very much surprised, but he at once bowed his +assent.</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure, a minute will not suffice, if, as I hope, you will grant +my request."</p> + +<p class="normal">The young man's bronzed cheeks assumed a yet deeper hue, as he said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pray, speak; and be assured beforehand that it will be a pleasure and +an honour to me to be of use to you in any way."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then have the kindness to give me your arm and to accompany me into +the garden, that I may tell you uninterruptedly what is the matter. +Well, it is briefly this: Baron Lotter--I do not know whether you have +had the doubtful pleasure of making his acquaintance--a friend of our +host's, by the way, with whom he and I have been staying here for the +past week,--thinks himself insulted by me, and, according to the usual +code and my own conviction, he has good cause for it. It is an old feud +resulting from a certain mutual rivalry as to the respective +consideration and influence which he and I claim, or think we may +claim, in this house, an old feud about to be ultimately settled. The +actual occasion of the quarrel is merely accidental, and, as such, +absolutely irrelevant. I mention this particularly to enable me to add +the request that in the subsequent negotiations, supposing that you are +willing--well, very well, then, and I am really obliged to you--that in +these negotiations you may lay absolutely no stress upon that occasion, +nay, that you may avoid touching upon it at all. You will please accept +the conditions for the hostile meeting exactly as they may be proposed +by the other side; I have my own reasons for wishing to be particularly +obliging in that respect. Only the fixing of time and place troubles +me. Here of course the duel cannot take place. I should therefore +propose some spot near town. This would suit me all the better, as I +have, anyhow, announced my intention of leaving this place to-morrow, +and could, therefore, remain in town for a short while without +attention being called to it; and as the Baron also was to leave +to-morrow too, and as he also must pass through town, the delay will be +very brief for him. The only question now is: Whether and when do you +think you can be free yourself?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"In no case," replied Kurt, "before to-morrow afternoon, but then for +certain, because, if circumstances were less favourable, I could then +get leave of absence from the Colonel--without, of course, mentioning +the special reason why I needed it. Circumstances are, however, +favourable, and, if our suppositions are at all correct, and if the big +sham-fight is once over, the regiment will, sometime to-morrow +afternoon, be somewhere between this and town, and may even have to +bivouack there. Under any circumstances, I shall be able to attend +punctually at the time required.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This," said Bertram, "will do excellently. So we are now free from +this trouble; and this, I think, is all that we need settle in the +meantime. Now it may be as well if I put you in communication with Herr +von Busche. I have no doubt that he is to be the Baron's second. If +required, a question from you, as to whether he chanced to have a +commission, a message, for me, would at once settle things."</p> + +<p class="normal">They had meanwhile come again near the verandah, and just then Herr von +Busche was coming out of the card-room, looking round apparently in +search of some one. Bertram and Kurt hurried their advancing steps, and +he again turned swiftly round, to speak to Bertram, the moment he had +recognised him, saying--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am so glad, Herr Doctor, to have met you at last, since I was about +to do myself the honour of bringing you a message of some importance. I +have already been looking, and looking in vain for you, in all the +rooms."</p> + +<p class="normal">"A thousand pardons," replied Bertram; "but I, myself, have not in the +meantime been idle in this affair. May I now have the pleasure of +introducing to you the Premier-Lieutenant Ringberg, who ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have already had the honour," said Herr von Busche with a bow.</p> + +<p class="normal">"All the better. Then I will no longer disturb you, gentlemen. You will +find me in my rooms. Good-bye till then."</p> + +<p class="normal">He shook hands with Kurt, bowed to Herr von Busche, and left them both, +as they retreated into the semi-obscurity of the shrubbery, until, +passing along the verandah and the side building, he reached a postern, +from which a stair led, straight from the garden, to his rooms.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XXII.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">Even on this stirring evening Konski had not been oblivious of his +duty. He knew from experience that his master was wont to retire from +festivities before their actual close, and thus Bertram, on entering +his rooms, found his candles duly lighted, and all preparations made +for the night. He praised his faithful servant for his careful +attention, but told him he was not in a hurry to go to bed, as he was +expecting a visit from Lieutenant Ringberg, and that Konski might hurry +back to his sweetheart, as no doubt he would like.</p> + +<p class="normal">This he said in his wonted playful tone, to Konski's intense delight, +for the servant gathered from this that his fear, lest his master +should again be the worse for all the noise and excitement of the big +entertainment, had been uncalled-for. He even ventured upon a remark on +the subject.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am astonished myself," Bertram said in reply. "I think you must be +right; we both had put ourselves down too soon as old fogies."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram smiled as he spoke, and Konski thought that his hint had fallen +upon fruitful soil, and that his own favourite wish would, after all, +be fulfilled. Perhaps his Aurora might know some details. To be sure, +My Lady had given strict orders that within ten minutes after +the departure of the last carriage no soul was to stir about the +mansion-house, lest any of the officers billeted there should be +disturbed in their brief slumbers. But Aurora would surely find out +some place where they could quietly converse.</p> + +<p class="normal">So the faithful servant left Bertram, and instantly the master's serene +mien changed, and assumed a look of great anxiety. He listened: perhaps +his expected visitor was even now crossing the servant's path. No; the +noise died away in the corridor and on the stair. Konski had vanished +somewhere in the court-yard, and all now was silent. Bertram began to +pace softly up and down his room, then paused again, listening. What if +Kurt were to learn that the duel was to be fought for his sake? In that +case, the chances were everything to nothing that he would insist upon +precedence, and would himself challenge the Baron. Bertram, anyhow, had +some scruples as to whether he should not have told the young man the +true state of affairs, because he had now exposed Kurt to the +possibility of one or other of the witnesses of the scene in the +card-room misinterpreting Kurt's action, and asserting that he had +simply been unwilling to understand Lotter's insulting remarks; and +this would, of course, according to the military code of honour, have +been identical with a reproach of downright cowardice.</p> + +<p class="normal">But, then, it might be hoped that in the wild confusion and frantic +excitement of the moment, no one had been at leisure to observe the +little incident minutely enough to be able to give a clear account of +it either to himself or to any one else. On such occasions a dispute or +wrangle was by no means of rare occurrence, and none of the spectators +had looked as though they were in the habit of attaching much +importance to such scenes; and it certainly would be foreign to the +good, easy-going Thuringians to have done so. Fortunately, not one of +Kurt's fellow-officers had been present at the time; and even Herr von +Busche, the young gentleman from the Woods and Forests, had only come +in at the last moment. The question was simply whether the Baron would +subsequently try to pick a quarrel with Kurt, seeing his first attempt +had clearly failed through no fault of Kurt's; and now, of course, the +Baron would have a capital chance of doing so. The pity of it, thought +Bertram; why had he blindly followed that inner voice which bade him +choose Kurt for his second? Why? It had been Bertram's only chance of +getting one deep, searching look into the young man's heart? But was +not the fulfilment of his ardent prayer purchased all too dear, if it +led the way to the very thing which he was desirous of preventing at +the sacrifice of his own life?</p> + +<p class="normal">And yet, he said to himself, he need not quite despair. Lotter, to be +sure, now knew who was his real rival. And the desire to wreak his +vengeance upon that rival, to annihilate him, if possible, was very +sure to become overpowering in the heart of a hot-blooded, terribly +angered, absolutely unscrupulous man, one never at a loss, and one +passionately in love with Erna. But was this really the case? No, and +again, no! That man never had loved Erna. His whole suit had, from +beginning to end, been nothing but a vulgar speculation upon Erna's +presumably colossal fortune, by means of which he hoped to free himself +from disagreeable temporary embarrassments, and to continue his +good-for-nothing life of self-indulgent ease. Even before Kurt had +appeared upon the scene, those dreams of a brilliant future had become +greatly obscured; he had, it was clear, been virtually dropped; and he +was surely quick enough to have found out speedily to whom he was +indebted for this fate. His savage utterances to Lydia were sufficient +proof that he knew quite well who, from the very beginning, had stood +between Erna and him, who afterwards had delayed the decision, +prevented any further approach, roused the distrust of the parents, +turned the daughter's thoughts away, and ultimately had done the very +worst for him. If there was any one who had deserved the Baron's wrath +and hatred, on whom his vengeance was certain to fall, surely it was +himself. Why pick a quarrel with any one else as well? The Baron was no +coward, far from it; yet, being a perfect shot, he would have it all +his own way with an opponent like Bertram, who had hardly ever hit the +target when they practised together. Why then should the Baron not play +a trump card when lie had one in his hands?</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus cudgelling his brain, carefully weighing every reason for and +against it, Bertram kept viewing his position, and all the while the +weary moments seemed to creep slowly, slowly by, and each succeeding +one weighed more and more heavily upon his soul. And yet, would he not +perchance learn all too soon, that his bold attempt to take the place +of Erna's lover, and thus to guard their new-born happiness, which was +already so much endangered, against a new and most serious peril, had +failed, and that he himself had missed this most excellent opportunity +of dying? He was doomed to go on living this life of his, which had +lost its savour and had no longer any meaning for him! Half an hour had +already gone by; they might have finished their consultation long ere +this, for there was little enough to consult about--unless it was the +other duel!</p> + +<p class="normal">In the court-yard, whence the noise of the departing carriages and +divers shouts had been ascending, silence began to prevail. Bertram +could master his impatience no longer; he stepped across the corridor +and went to one of the windows looking out upon the court-yard which +the expected lieutenant would have to cross. Presently he heard a +swift, elastic step upon the stairs; he hastened to meet his hurrying +visitor, and cried, holding out his hand to him--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is everything settled?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Everything."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thank Heaven!" Bertram had all but said; he just managed to change it +into a polite, "Thank, you so much!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He kept Kurt's hand in his own as he led him into his room. He made him +sit upon the sofa, and seated himself by his side. Kurt thought that +one could not welcome a dear friend, the bringer of the most pleasant +news, with greater warmth and delight. This feeling was still more +strengthened when his singular host presently sprang up again, and +fetched from his stock of provisions for the journey a bottle of wine, +which he proceeded to uncork; next he brought some glasses, and even a +small box of cigars. Although no smoker himself, he said, he always had +some cigars by him for his friends.</p> + +<p class="normal">He filled the glasses, and held out his own to Kurt.</p> + +<p class="normal">"May everything turn out as we wish!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"With all my heart!" replied the young officer.</p> + +<p class="normal">Kurt said these words with a deep, almost melancholy gravity; which +contrasted strangely with the gladsome excitement of the older man; +Kurt's lips barely touched the wine, whilst Bertram drained his glass +hurriedly, greedily, and instantly refilled it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have fasted almost all day," he said, as if by way of excuse. "A +festive entertainment always puts me out and takes away my appetite. +But now, please, tell me--do they agree to everything?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Kurt reported with military brevity and precision. The only difficulty +had been to fix the time, as the Baron had at first asserted that he +could not delay his departure beyond noon on the following day at the +latest; ultimately, however, he had agreed to the meeting coming off at +six o'clock in the afternoon. The place was to be a certain spot in the +great forest, almost exactly midway between Rinstedt and the town, by +the banks of a little lake. It would be easy to move thence to a still +more remote portion of the wood, in case the manœ vres should have +brought any one to the neighbourhood, which, in its normal state, is +absolutely deserted.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I remember the place exactly from former walks," Bertram said.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Capital," replied the young man, "for that removes another +difficulty--namely, how you were to find your way to it from the town. +The spot suits me singularly well, because we shall probably bivouac +not a mile from it. I forgot to mention that I have already secured the +services of our very skilful staff-surgeon, and that Herr von Busche +will provide a carriage. Lastly, for the sake of keeping the whole +affair secret, it seemed desirable that the Herr Baron should not go +straight from here to the meeting. So, under pretext of wishing to make +to-morrow an excursion to the scene of the manœ vres in company with +Herr von Busche, of returning here at night, and leaving definitely on +the day following, he has sent word asking his host and hostess to +excuse him until to-morrow evening, and even now he is driving with +Herr von Busche to the ranger's house, where he is to pass the night."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Excellent! excellent!" exclaimed Bertram. "Everything is arranged most +thoughtfully and carefully. I thank you very much. Herr von Busche +appears to have been perfectly willing to facilitate all arrangements?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"He was charming," replied Kurt; "nay, more, he told me quite openly +that he was doing the Herr Baron this service most reluctantly, very +much against his own will indeed, and only in deference to the +traditional courtesy in such matters, and that he would give a good +deal, if it lay in his power to settle the whole affair amicably. I +confess I fully sympathise with him in the last point. It was a most +painful thought for us both that a man like you should risk his life +against a Baron Lotter, who, it seems, does not enjoy any one's special +sympathy; and all the chances are against you, too."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why all the chances?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Herr von Busche said that your opponent was one of the best +pistol-shots that he knew, unerring of aim, and steady of eye and hand. +Herr von Busche, of course, has never seen you practise, but he fears, +and so do I, that ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That I am a miserable shot?" exclaimed Bertram smilingly. "Out with +it! Yes, yes, you gentlemen have little confidence in us bookworms for +this sort of thing. But fortunately you are mistaken. I am more or less +out of practice, I admit; but I can shoot a little, and at such a short +distance too!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am delighted to hear you say so," replied Kurt. "And yet I would +like to ask you if there is no possibility of bringing about an +amicable settlement. It is not by any means too late yet. Herr von +Busche quite agrees with me in this. Only, as we are both absolutely +ignorant of the real cause ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But I have already told you that an old feud is about to be settled," +Bertram interrupted him somewhat impatiently. "The momentary cause--by +the way, a small lesson in good manners which I gave the Baron--is of +no consequence at all."</p> + +<p class="normal">"So Herr von Busche, too, had been told by his client, and we agreed to +accept this as sufficient, considering that a man like you would not +act in such an affair except with due deliberation, and that we younger +men must respect your motives, even if we regret that they are not +communicated to us."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thank you both all the more for the sacrifice which you are making +for me," exclaimed Bertram, holding out his hand to Kurt.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I will say good-bye; you will be in need of rest."</p> + +<p class="normal">Kurt had risen; Bertram retained him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stay a little longer," he said, "if you are not too tired. I am not +fatigued at all. To-morrow's meeting is not weighing upon my mind in +the slightest; nay, more, I am as sure of my good fortune as ever Cæsar +was of his; and I hope, confidently, that we two shall meet many a time +again in the land of the living. Yet one should not claim from the +future what the present offers, and therefore let me, at this present +moment, touch upon a matter which concerns you very specially, and +which I have, Heaven knows, much more at heart than this wretched +business over which we have already wasted far too much precious time."</p> + +<p class="normal">A deep blush burned upon the young officer's cheeks; his dark eyes now +evaded the bright light of those great blue orbs, whose extraordinary +brilliancy and beauty he had already repeatedly admired in the course +of their previous conversation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know what I wish to speak about?" Bertram asked next; and again +the young man was struck by the complete harmony of the ring of that +voice and of the radiance of those eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think I do," he replied, almost in a whisper.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then you will know, too, the sort of relation in which I stand to +Erna?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Kurt still dared not look up. He nodded his assent.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But you cannot know," continued Bertram, "how very intimate this +relation is--so much so, that I cannot find quite an appropriate name +for it. I should say that of a father towards a most beloved child, if +there did not mingle with my feelings for her a touch which--perhaps +you will understand me--I would call chivalrous tenderness. This touch +may perhaps occur in other cases too, I mean between a real father and +daughter--I am sorry to say I never had a daughter of my own--and I +only mention this element, because it helps me to understand why Erna, +who otherwise confides in me unconditionally, has kept her love a +secret from me. Perhaps it was solely an outcome of the long interval +of time during which we had not met; in such cases a kind of +estrangement is apt to occur, which, to be sure, once overcome, is wont +to be followed by a greater cordiality. But above all, the poor darling +deemed herself rejected, betrayed. Her happiness she would gladly have +let her paternal friend share; unhappiness always seals the lips of the +proud; and yet I know that more than once the secret was trembling upon +those sweet lips of hers, and that had she overcome her shy shrinking, +she would have spared herself--and spared you, my friend--much +suffering; and the palms in the winter garden would, an hour ago, have +waved their magnificent heads above two happy, blissful souls, and not +above two young fools who, from sheer love, were tearing each other's +hearts to pieces!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Kurt gave a quick quiver, and all but jumped from the sofa; but +Bertram's eyes shone forth in glorious radiance, and a smile of +infinite tenderness played about his mouth. A strange thrill passed +through the young man's heart, as though he were in the presence of +something unapproachably lofty, something which imperatively demanded +humble submission and confiding obedience. So he lowered his eyes, +which had flashed indignantly for a moment, and said, scarcely above +his breath--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thank Heaven that He led you to that spot."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And I," replied Bertram, taking both the young man's hands and +pressing them heartily, "I thank you for that word which sets me free +from all restraint, and takes away the last remnant of shrinking +shyness. Who, indeed, would not shrink, feel awe-struck, when it comes +to touching those tender threads that spin themselves from heart to +heart, until, God willing, they become united in a woof so strong that +death itself cannot rend, it? What God joins, let no man put asunder; +what God puts asunder, let no man try to join! What has come between +you two is sheer misunderstanding, provoked by extraordinary +circumstances, which would have puzzled even older and more experienced +people, and in which you young, passionate, inconsiderate folk knew +not what to do. And being so thoughtless and helpless, you have +assuredly committed mistakes, mistakes on either side, and the demon of +pride--'by that sin fell the angels'--will have gloated over it all. +Not to enable me to register and chronicle your mutual faults, but only +in order that, being taught by the past, we may look the future more +clearly in the face, just tell me how it all came about? When did you +make Erna's acquaintance? Was it not in her aunt's house in Erfurt?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," replied Kurt; "and to know her and love her was one and the same +thing; nay, I may say, without the slightest exaggeration, that she was +one 'whom to look at was to love.' One evening, I saw her at a party. I +had been visiting at the house for some time, and I think I was rather +fond of Augusta von Palm, who is staying here now, and with dear Agatha +I was on terms of heartiest friendship; but Agatha; wishing to give me +a surprise, had not told me of Erna's visit. So I saw her quite +unexpectedly among the other young ladies. It would be quite bootless +for me to try and describe what went on in my heart. So, I thought +afterwards, the men must have felt of whom the Bible tells us that they +were held worthy of beholding some divine apparition. My breath failed +me; all the others present seemed to vanish from my sight; I saw only +her, or, properly speaking, not her, only her eyes. It seemed like a +double stream of unearthly, transcendent light; and again it was a +stream which bore me resistlessly onward and upward into realms of +bliss, whereof but an hour before I had known nought, divined nought, +and which yet were, I felt clearly, my true home, to which I was soon +returning after much aimless wandering in far off regions."</p> + +<p class="normal">The young man's voice quivered. He drained the glass which, before, his +lips had scarcely touched. Bertram filled it afresh. Kurt never saw how +his hand shook as he poured out the wine, nor observed how curiously +veiled the voice was in which Bertram, breaking the pause, said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Strange, or perhaps less strange than highly gratifying, that at least +for once I find, this kindling effect of Love's divine flash confirmed +in reality, of which the poets of all times and in all climes have sung +in praise. I am almost ashamed to confess that although I do not think +I am a hopelessly prosaic individual, I have always thought this but a +fond and fair dream."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And it is a dream," Kurt made answer, "inasmuch as things real are +most curiously shifted and changed in it, and as one can give scarcely +a clearer account than a somnambulist, of what occurs and of what one +does one's self. I do not remember how I got home that night; I have no +idea whether it was several days after, or really on the day following, +that, during a picnic in the country, I was strolling apart from the +rest by her side through a leafy grove. The light of the dying sun was +trembling among the trees, and a few subdued notes of birds' song were +heard. Silence was all around; and in silence we passed on, side by +side. Sometimes she stooped to gather a flower for the tiny bunch which +she held in her hand, and once, as she stooped again, and I wished to +anticipate her, our hands touched; and, startled, we both looked up, +looked into each other's eyes, and the flowers dropped from her hands, +and--well, it was just a dream, a brief and blissful dream. Who can +tell the story of a dream?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The young man had risen and gone to the window. Bertram kept his seat, +leaning his head on his hands. When Kurt turned back to the table, he +thought that the noble countenance which now looked up with a very +sweet smile was paler than before.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pardon me," he said, "but I think I see that you are in need of rest; +let me pause here. You know what happened next."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, but not quite how it happened," said Bertram in reply. "Please +sit down by my side again, unless you are tired yourself. As for me, I +am a regular old night-owl. How it happened, yes--how did Erna come to +hear of your connection with the Princess? Some malevolent traitor must +have been at work there."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Would that it had been the case!" answered Kurt. "A traitor Erna's +clear eyes would have speedily recognised as such. But the one who told +her of it was a dear friend of my own, a fellow-officer, who in the +course of a visit to our former garrison--our own regiment had +meanwhile been transferred to Magdeburg--made Erna's acquaintance, +without having the slightest conception of our relations. And as the +conversation chanced to turn upon me, he babbled, under a promise of +discretion, of the secret; and probably adorned and amplified matters, +so as to let the enormous stroke of good luck which was supposed to be +in store for me appear in its greatest splendour. As he was known to be +on very intimate terms with me, as I had myself given him an +introduction to the von Palms, and specially commended him to Erna, she +had to believe that his romantic story was sheer truth; nay, the awful +thought came to her that I had myself authorised my friend to make +these communications, or, if this had been quite too infamous, she +assumed at least that he had been commissioned by me to prepare her, +and had solely blundered over his commission, so that I was personally +responsible, if not for the manner, certainly for the matter. We +corresponded, and with the connivance of Agatha, under cover of a +correspondence of hers with an old school-friend in my present +garrison; but Erna's next letter contained nothing but the question +whether it was true that I had some relations or other with the +Princess? The question thus put, I could not but answer in the +affirmative, begging her at the same time, in connection with the +subject, not to believe in what any one, except myself, might say. My +request came somewhat late, but still did not fail to have its effect +upon Erna's heart, which had assuredly opened with the greatest +reluctance to the terrible suspicion, and which was now jubilant at +being freed from it. She teased my friend about his fertile fancy which +invented stories devoid of a particle of foundation, as she had since +learned from a trustworthy source. Thus challenged, and piqued at being +declared undeserving of credit, my friend stated that he had the +knowledge, if not at first, at least at second hand, for his authority +was my own Colonel, whose testimony Erna would surely not reject. Again +he begged her to be discreet, but hinted pretty plainly that other +fellow-officers were aware of it too, and had likewise learned it from +the Colonel. And now for Erna the doubts which she thought she had +vanquished turned to despair. She knew through me the very intimate +terms on which Herr von Waldor and I stood, and indeed many a time I +had called him to her my best and kindest friend, my protector and +second father. Erna wrote another question. Did Herr von Waldor know my +relations to the Princess? And again I had to answer in the +affirmative, without being able to mention the suspicion which now--and +now for the first time--rose within me, that Herr von Waldor might have +purposely misrepresented those relations in his own interest--you know +why. What need to continue to describe the wretched position in which I +now was placed; how the net was tightened more closely and more fatally +round me, so that I at last had given up all hope of ever being freed +from it; all the more because Erna--as you heard yourself--repelled +with such passionate indignation your mediation, which I was about to +claim. I must confess, I cannot even guess why."</p> + +<p class="normal">The dark eyes of the young man were raised inquiringly to Bertram, who +did not at once reply to the questioning look. He had turned aside a +little, and was busied refilling the glasses; he did not seem to notice +that he was filling the second to overflowing, and that the wine was +saturating the table-cloth.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dear me," he said, presently, "I beg your pardon; I was--thinking. +Why, did you ask? Well, we settled already that, according to all +experience, girls are not fond of confiding to their fathers the +secrets of their hearts. They dread paternal jealousies, a paternal +prejudice against the one who ventures to claim the little hand, which, +as a matter of course, is far too precious even for the best of the +best. But fear not! Erna shall find in me a friend, protector, and +counsellor, who hopes to give the proof that one may love like a father +without being blinded by a father's prejudices, and, above all, one who +means more honestly by her than, I am sorry to say, Herr von Waldor +does by you."</p> + +<p class="normal">A dark shadow flitted over the young man's open countenance.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thank you," he said very gently, "I thank you from the bottom of my +heart for so much goodness, and to deserve it will be the fairest task +of my life. But pray do not condemn Herr von Waldor. It is impossible +to measure him by the common standard. Contempt of death and greed of +life, princely generosity and petty egotism, tenderest love and +bitterest hatred--all these things lie side by side in his soul, and +cross and re-cross each other in such a way that even to me (and I +think I know him better than any one else) it is a perfect enigma. But +if at times I cannot solve it all, if in this present case I cannot but +see that he is willing--I must not say to sacrifice, but to stake--me +and my happiness in the hope of gaining his own great stakes, then I +need only remember what he has been to the orphaned boy, after he had +carried my father, fatally wounded, upon his own shoulders out of the +bloody struggle around the fortifications of Düppel; how he, of all men +the most impatient, has watched over me with a mother's loving patience +when I have been ill; how he resumed his studies in order to be able to +supervise and guide mine; how he paid my expenses when I was a cadet; +how he equipped and helped the ensign, the young officer; how he +pressed upon the poor young man of <i>bourgeois</i> birth abundant help to +enable him to hold his own in an expensive and aristocratic regiment; +and how he thundered in his wrath when I refused to accept it any +longer, as I had learned that he had himself to borrow the needful +money at usurer's interest. Surely you will admit that one so deeply +indebted to Herr von Waldor as I am, has lost the right, nay, more, the +ability to struggle and resist, even if the hand which has done so much +in the way of kindness weighs heavily, terribly so, upon him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think I can follow you in your feelings," replied Bertram, "although +Waldor is by no means thereby excused in my eyes; on the contrary, I +adhere firmly to the Scriptural saying, that the right hand should not +know what the left does; and I hold that he who claims gratitude has +already his reward. Moreover, was the sacrifice really requisite, which +Waldor expected from you, when he put you into this ominous position? +From a moral point of view it is a matter of indifference; but I should +like, if possible, to be enlightened on this point, which I have not +hitherto understood."</p> + +<p class="normal">"How things stand exactly," Kurt replied, "I can hardly say myself. I +assume that the marriage-contract of the Princess contains certain +conditions which deprive her of the greater part of her present +fortune, if she contracts a new matrimonial alliance; or rather, would +seem to deprive her, for a judicial interpretation of this dubious +point is to be the result of the law-suit which is now reaching its +final stage. Further, it may be assumed that the view of the Princess +herself is the only correct one by all the laws of sound logic; but she +fears--whether rightly or wrongly I know not--that the decision will be +adverse to her if the authorities learn that her choice has fallen upon +an alien."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But you are an alien, too," objected Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">Kurt shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p class="normal">"An obscure lieutenant, not of noble birth, and Princess Volinzov! No +one need imagine that they would have taken this <i>au sérieux</i>, any more +than a dozen other <i>liaisons</i>...."</p> + +<p class="normal">He paused abruptly, blushing to the very roots of his hair.</p> + +<p class="normal">"For shame!" he cried, "that was basely said. Let others sit in +judgment upon the poor victim of a most abominable bad education and of +most wretched circumstances. I dare not, I dare not feel for her aught, +but admiration and gratitude, and renewed gratitude, for I know and +have experienced in my own person that, through all the badness and +baseness that have been crowding around her from her childhood, she has +preserved the capacity for a great and heroic love, a love of which we +men are scarcely ever, and of which among women only the best and +noblest are, capable."</p> + +<p class="normal">Only at the last words Kurt had again ventured to look up, and he +swiftly lowered his eyes again. Bertram's great eyes shone in wondrous +radiance, and a curious smile, half melancholy, half ironical, was +hovering about his lips, as he slowly answered--</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure! you are quite right. Only the noblest women! We men are +egotistical scoundrels; that is our lordly privilege; and he who +resigns it, deserves to be crucified with malefactors on either side."</p> + +<p class="normal">He had risen and was now pacing up and down the room; then he stepped +to the open window. Kurt had kept his seat, thinking that Bertram would +turn to him again. But he did not. The young man grew embarrassed. +Reverence forbade him to disturb the dreamer. Never before had Kurt met +one whose presence had thus thrilled him as with a breath of highest, +purest vitality. And to this consciousness, which seemed to lift him +out of and above himself, was joined the painful feeling which +humiliated him in his own sight: that he had but just now been petty +enough to say a bitter word about the woman of whom he yet knew, that +she had come here to bring the greatest of all sacrifices that a loving +heart can bring. And he, Bertram, knew this too; for Alexandra had said +to Kurt: I have confessed all to Bertram! What a painful discord his +own evil words must have been in the pure and high-souled Bertram's +ear! And now Bertram, who had in all good faith shown him so much +sympathy, had found him ungrateful, had turned from him, now and for +ever.</p> + +<p class="normal">He would, he must go!</p> + +<p class="normal">But invisible fetters seemed to chain him to the spot; and as he sat +there, angry with himself, in gloomy thought, it was no longer only the +heavy, weary limbs that refused to obey him. His thoughts, too, flitted +and wandered beyond his control. Something like a dense veil sunk upon +his eyelids, and he saw surrounding objects but momentarily, +indistinctly; the lighted candles upon the table seemed to be far-off +bivouac fires, then they turned to dim and distant stars, then were +lost in night and darkness.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram had carried the candles to the writing-table, and shadows now +rested upon the weary sleeper. Then he returned to the sofa and spread +a coverlet over him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Poor lad! I saw how you were struggling against your sleepiness. The +examination was a long one. But I could not spare you, and you have +done well!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He stood gazing upon him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And, like this, his head will rest by the side of hers--on one +pillow!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He drew his hand over his eyes, stepped noiselessly back to the +writing-table, and presently his pen was gliding lightly and gently +over the paper.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear child,--I may henceforth with good right call you so, since +Fate gives me one opportunity after another, to prove myself a good, +and, I hope, also a thoughtful, father to you. But an hour ago I had to +calm and comfort my beloved child, and yet dared not give her true +comfort, dared not express my full and firm conviction that a good, +upright heart always makes choice of the right thing at once. For good +and upright as my dear child's heart is, yet it is a very defiant heart +too, and would rather be miserable in its own way, than happy and +blessed in other people's way; and it would have steeled itself against +my persuasion and against my testimony, and would again and again have +reverted to this: You do not know him! But now I say to you: I do know +him; and you must accept my testimony as that of a man of great +experience and knowledge of the human heart, of a man whose eyes--sharp +as human eyes go--love for you and care for your welfare have filled +with divine perspicuity. I know him now, after one hour spent here in +my room in confidential conversation, as though I had known him from +childhood, stalwart young man as he is; and even as I sit writing this, +he is sleeping, under my watchful care, the sweet sleep of exhausted +youthful vigour, notwithstanding his painful anxieties and the bitter +sorrow of his heart. I have been watching him in his sleep. Sleep is a +terrible betrayer of narrow minds and feeble hearts. Here there is +nothing to betray, and sleep can but put its soft yet sure seal upon +the beauteous image of a great and noble soul. And even as this soul, +helpless and resistless as it were, is in my keeping, receive it, loved +one, from my hands, as a great and glorious gift of the gods on high, +who have deemed me worthy to be their envoy and the executor of their +sacred decision.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I promised you not to leave as long as you had need of me. You need me +no longer, and I shall leave in the morning without bidding you +farewell. From your mother, too, I shall take leave in writing; she +knows my weakness for vanishing noiselessly from society. It is a long +journey that lies before me, and we shall not soon meet again. +Separation is death for a time, and time, again, is nought but a tiny +speck, and its complement is eternity. A noble human being should plan +his thoughts and action not in reference to the former, but the latter. +Let, therefore, what I now say to you, for the brief space wherein we +shall not behold one another, be said for evermore: Fare thee well, +<i>Lebe wohl!</i> that is, live according to the bidding of your heart, as +you hear it when you listen to it in secret silence and reverence! +Howsoever this our life may be shaped, it is no longer our concern, but +that of the powers on high, over whom we have no influence, and +therefore it matters nothing to us. Once more then: <i>Lebe wohl!</i></p> + +<p class="normal">"My kindliest greetings to sweet Agatha! She is your true friend. I +always felt that she would counsel nothing that I would not counsel +myself.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And another is your friend, too, though you do not think her to be +one. You know I am speaking of the Princess. She also will leave your +house to-morrow, not without making an attempt to prove to you that she +is your friend. Be good to her for my sake; in that case I feel +convinced that you will part from her with kind and grateful feelings, +and that she herself will have inspired them. Whatever she may say to +you, I guarantee its truth. Hers is one of those natures that may go +astray, but that can never be untrue.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Should you have a message to send me, send if through your father, +whom I shall see in W---- tomorrow. Should I have anything else to say +to you, I will send my message through Kurt, whom also I shall meet +again to-morrow.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And now remember your promise to be my good and obedient child; and +again, and for the last time: <i>Lebe wohl!</i>"</p> + +<p class="normal">He had put the letter into an envelope, and now turned in his chair, +looking towards the sofa. His young guest was still lying in the same +position, only his head had fallen back a little. Perhaps deeper +shadows were now falling on the forehead and on the closed, eyes, +whilst chin and lips stood out in brighter light and bolder relief; +anyhow, the features that appeared so soft awhile ago seemed sharper, +and the expression of almost feminine gentleness was turned to one of +manly resolution, nay, of angry indignation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thus Simon Peter may have contracted his brows, thus his lips may have +quivered that night! And yet he could sleep, although he knew what was +to happen. Even as this one, knowing, yet sleepeth!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Again he stood by the open window, leaning against it.</p> + +<p class="normal">A dead silence; only at times the night wind came rushing past, and +there was rustling and roaring among trees and shrubs. In the village, +veiled in mist, a dim red light gleamed faintly here and there. At +times confused sounds, as of far-off horses' tramp and the measured +step of soldiers on the march, with clashing of arms. Then deep, dead +silence again, and then, piercing the deep silence, the half-smothered +crow of a cock. Over the edge of yonder mountains the moon--almost at +the full--hung, bloody-red, in the vapour which came steaming up from +the woods.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Did you look so mournfully up to it that night? And had all the +heavenly stars to expire for Him too, that He might remember the heaven +within His heart?</p> + +<p class="normal">"Alas! He knew that He was dying for the world. I humbly claim but to +die for her,--she is my world.</p> + +<p class="normal">"One cannot choose one's own Gethsemane. One must take it as it comes, +whether to the sound of the last trump on the Day of Judgment, ringing +through the hearts of all the generations of men, or in deep and +world-forgotten loneliness and secrecy, whither human eye shall never +penetrate, any more than it penetrates into the nethermost depths of +the sea.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And this is my silent Gethsemane!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The moon had sunk behind the hills, and the cool morning breeze came +floating along. Bertram was about to close the window when he heard +from afar a short, sharp sound, soon succeeded by other similar sounds, +succeeding each other so swiftly that the echo could clearly continue +the scattered noises and reverberate them as thunder. And now shrill, +long-drawn trumpet-blasts were heard, mingling with the beat of the +drum.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram quickly turned to the sleeper, who was not, for his sake, to +neglect his military duties. But already Kurt had staggered up from his +sofa-corner, his eyes wide open, though still veiled by slumber, and +his arms stretched out, clutching the air, as though in search of some +weapon.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I--I--not you! I will fight him! Give me the pistol!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram touched his shoulder.</p> + +<p class="normal">"They are sounding the assembly in the village!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh! I thought ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">He brushed his hand across his eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have been asleep! Pardon me. How good you are! You have been +watching for me. Is it long since ...?" and he pointed to the window.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not half a minute."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I am in good time!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He had already fastened his sword, and seized his helmet.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Excuse my hurry. You know ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No excuses! A matter of course. <i>Au revoir</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">He held out his hand to the young man, in whose fine features, now full +of life again, he noticed a strange quiver. Kurt evidently wanted to +say something, and could not hit upon the right word. So he only +pressed Bertram's hand vigorously.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, <i>au revoir!</i>"</p> + +<p class="normal">He hurried away. Bertram stood gazing at the door through which the +slender young figure had vanished.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Heaven be thanked! It is at least no disgrace to yield to him. He is +thoroughly sound and sweet,--mind and body alike!"</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XXIII.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">In the mansion-house which had until now been hushed in slumber, many +voices were heard shouting, and the tramp of horses came echoing from +the court-yard. A smart, heavy step was heard below in the passage.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Which door?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The second, Colonel. Allow me, Colonel."</p> + +<p class="normal">But Bertram had already opened the door, and Colonel von Waldor came +rushing in.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good evening, friend, or rather good morning. A good thing that I met +your servant at once--otherwise I might have been hunting for you ever +so long--I have only one minute to spare--where is Ringberg? Your +servant said he was here."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He left five minutes ago, when they were sounding the assembly."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That came unexpectedly, eh?" cried the Colonel. "An hour before +the time--I did it on my own responsibility. His Excellency will +be furious--wait for the attack, forsooth!--in such an exposed +situation--not if I know it!--we shall have to retreat ultimately as it +is--so I'll give them some trouble first. But that does not concern +you. Here is something that does, a little, and which will greatly +please you. Read this!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Waldor drew a folded paper from between a couple of buttons in his +uniform and handed it to Bertram. The telegram was in French, and in +the following! words:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I sincerely congratulate Madame la Princesse. Lawsuit definitely +gained.</p> + +<p style="text-indent:10%">Your obedient servant, <span style="letter-spacing:20px"> </span><span class="sc">Odintzov</span>."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Odintzov," Waldor explained, "is our Petersburg lawyer and +business-man, a most trustworthy fellow. What do you say now?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That I do congratulate you heartily. How did you get hold of this?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"See what it is to be in luck! I knew that the lawsuit would soon be +decided, though Alexandra refused to believe it. So I gave orders that +any telegram arriving, by day or by night, was to be straightway sent +here by mounted express. Returning just now from the outposts, close to +Rinstedt, I overtook on the high-road a fellow trotting along in front +of me. 'Telegram from Rinstedt?' 'Yes, sir.' 'Princess Volinzov?' 'Yes, +sir.' 'Give it to me.' The beggar had got rid of the telegram before he +knew what was up. I read it by the light of my cigar; hence this stain. +May I trouble you for an envelope? Or perhaps you would be so kind as +to hand it to the Princess with my respectful compliments? It would +give her double pleasure. I can assure you that you are still as +fortunate as ever with the sex! Alexandra quite raves about you. Good! +Now, you may both put your wise heads together and settle how and when +the battle, which is won, is to be utilised for the benefit of our +young <i>protégés</i>. I give you two <i>plein pouvoir</i>. I should say, let +them dangle a little longer. I could come over with Kurt, never saying +a word of this to him. We would have a nice little supper. 'Ladies and +gentlemen, I have the exquisite pleasure of presenting my future wife +to you--the Princess Alexandra Paulovna.' Capital! The amazed look in +the eyes of our beautiful hostess is worth doing it for. And then the +young ones immediately afterwards--only, of course, you must first +pitch into the little girl properly; she seems to have a bit of a will +of her own. All right, you'll see to it all between you, no doubt. +Good-bye, <i>mon cher</i>! You are looking deucedly fagged. That's the +result of being so much indoors. I have been on my legs since four +o'clock yesterday morning, and feel as fresh as paint. Is this Kurt's +glass? Oh, bother all ceremony! It is not the first that he and I have +been using the same glass."</p> + +<p class="normal">He filled the glass and drained it at one draught.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Capital wine that! Well, good-bye, and <i>au revoir!</i>"</p> + +<p class="normal">The Colonel had rushed off again.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And thus," said Bertram with a smile, "one conquers the world. Perhaps +it looks harder than it really is."</p> + +<p class="normal">He again sat down at the writing-table and took up a fresh sheet of +paper.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gracious Princess,--Waldor has just left me, after handing me, for +transmission to you, the enclosed telegram, on the contents of which I +beg to offer my hearty congratulations. I am sorry I must do so in +writing, for a few hours hence I shall leave this--secretly--not to +return. Business that will brook no delay makes this imperative, and I +have not told Waldor of it. He hopes to find me here this evening, that +I may be a witness to the amazement which the announcement of your +engagement will cause in this friendly circle, as all obstacles to it +are now removed. I am sincerely sorry that I cannot afford him that +pleasure--for to him it would really be a pleasure.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I regret it the more, because I must prepare a worse disappointment +for him. For I consider it, in the interest of our <i>protégés</i>, to be +desirable--necessary, if you wish--that you, My Lady, should also leave +to-morrow; without waiting for Waldor's evening visit. The +communication which you were resolved to make to our fair young friend +Erna, before Waldor had given you <i>plein pouvoir</i> (which he now begs to +do through me), will only have the right calming effect if you strike +the proper note on Erna's heart, and then let it ring out full and +clear. In life, as on the stage, a good ending has to be provided for. +This is missed if one lingers on the stage, when once the decisive word +has been spoken.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And what about the communication itself?</p> + +<p class="normal">"I should deem it presumptuous on my part, were I to venture to advise +Claudine's clever friend on this point. She knows that one is compelled +to say the whole truth only in a court of law. In life it is +sufficient, nay, it is often requisite in the interest of humanity, to +say nothing but the truth, to be sure, but, of the truth, only what is +needful and useful--to use the words which Lessing puts into the mouth +of his wise Jew Nathan.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And, now, let me add to my requests, a word of deep and sincere +gratitude that you deemed me worthy to make the acquaintance of +Claudine and of yourself. Your friend is perhaps more interesting and +intellectual--at least you said so--but your heart is a thousand times +more noble.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have always paid due respect to intellectual capacity; but before a +noble heart I gladly and reverently bend my knee."</p> + +<p class="normal">Silence had for a long time been reigning again in the mansion-house. +The combat, too, though it had commenced in the immediate vicinity, was +now being continued a long way off, and one only heard something like +the rumbling of a distant thunder-storm. The candles on Bertram's +writing-table had all but burned down to the sockets; he turned his +wearied eyes towards the window, through which the dull grey morning +light was coming. Konski came into the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What time is it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Just five, sir."</p> + +<p class="normal">"So late? Well, I am ready. Did you get hold of a carriage?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is waiting at the bridge below."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Did you get if from the mayor?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, Herr Doctor. At first he was making no end of excuses; for they +all want to drive to the manœ vres, every man of them; and Herr von +Busche has ordered a trap, too, for the afternoon. He'll have to be +content with a common cart and a sack. Never mind that, though!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why should you look so miserable about that?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It isn't about that at all, Herr Doctor."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is because I do not like to let the Herr Doctor drive away like +this. Can you not take me with you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Impossible! You see yourself that you have a couple of hours' work +before you yet. These sealed packets are to go into the small +portmanteau which you keep by you. These letters you will deliver, when +the ladies have risen. This money is for the servants. Do not forget +any one, and do not be stingy, Konski! And remember me kindly to your +Aurora. And now my cloak, please, and so good-bye, Konski."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Am I not at least to see the Herr Doctor to the carriage?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Herr Doctor, do not be angry; I really mean so well by you, and Aurora +does too. We have been speaking of nothing else. And she swears that +the Herr Doctor, if he wished it, could have Miss Erna for the asking."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then tell your Aurora that the Herr Doctor does not wish it, and that +the Herr Doctor has better things to do than to spoon and fool about, +like you and her."</p> + +<p class="normal">He had held out his hand to the faithful servant, and now he was gone. +A minute later, Konski, standing mournfully by the window, saw the +dark figure striding swiftly past the lawn, and vanish behind the +terrace-wall. He closed the window with a sigh.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram lessened his pace, as soon as he knew himself unobserved. +Slowly he descended the steps to the second terrace. Here was the +leafy grove which, on the left, led to the platform beneath the +plantain-tree. He glanced timidly that way. His foot had already +touched the next step, he wanted to get down,--to get away,--but +something like a magic spell drew him to the spot.</p> + +<p class="normal">There, in this chair, she had sat; he was facing her; and the golden +sunbeams had flitted through the dense foliage, and the birds had been +holding a gleeful festival in the branches, and from the gardens below +fairest fragrance of flowers had been wafted up, and his heart had been +full of light and joy, and of all the blissfulness of spring. And now! +and now!</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou sacred dawn of early morn, forgive me! You quiet trees and +bushes, tell it not! I have borne what man can bear; more, I cannot."</p> + +<p class="normal">And pressing his hand to his face, he wept.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XXIV.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">In the little-garden, under wide-spreading chestnut-trees, the lawyer +and Bertram were sitting, about four o'clock in the afternoon, at a +table covered with books, documents, and papers. From, the small garden +one could look across a narrow court-yard, at the windows of the +office, where they had just begun to make a fair copy of the will, +which had been settled after long deliberation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And now, most grave and most conscientious of men, seeing that you go +into this election campaign as into actual war, let us drink that +victory may be on your side--that is, on ours, on the side of liberty, +and right--and that the victor be granted, over and above his allotted +time, as special allowance for special services rendered, a respectable +series of not inglorious years, at least as many as this '68 +Rüdesheimer wine numbers!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The lawyer took a venerable-looking bottle, from a side table, filled a +couple of green goblets, and touched Bertram's with his own.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thank you for the kindly wish, and drink to its fulfilment, although +as you know, I have well-founded reasons for assuming that it will not +occur."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nonsense!" cried the lawyer. "I am not a giant either, but I +confidently expect to outlive all the giants among my contemporaries. +What does Wallenstein say?--'Es ist der Geist der sich den Körper +bauet' (It is the mind that builds, this frame of ours). And I would +add, that also keeps the building together, even if it were shaky in +every joint; and that is assuredly far from being the case with you."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram smiled absently. His looks were wandering away to the garden +gate.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I wonder where Otto can be?" he said. "I urgently asked him to be here +at four o'clock at the latest."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am in no hurry at all," replied the lawyer. "After having had to +keep you waiting the whole forenoon, my entire evening is at your +disposal instead; or, if you insist upon leaving at five, we can have +another second witness in, and you can communicate to our friend in +writing those points which have special reference to him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am most anxious to do so by word of mouth."</p> + +<p class="normal">Upon the wretched pavement of the narrow street which lay behind the +garden wall, a carriage came hurriedly thundering along.</p> + +<p class="normal">"<i>Lupus in fabula!</i>" exclaimed the lawyer. "Any one coming from +Rinstedt would have to pass this way."</p> + +<p class="normal">As he spoke, Otto's broad-shouldered figure appeared in the little +yard.</p> + +<p class="normal">The two men had meanwhile risen from their seats below the +chestnut-trees, and had gone to meet the newcomer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What tricks are these of yours?" Otto was saying, "to cut away from +the village in the middle of the night in a trap? What will people +think? Why, that I am driving my guests from my house! But, of course, +you intellectual people never can do things like the rest of us +mortals; always something out of the way! Eh, old fellow?"</p> + +<p class="normal">He brought his hand with a laugh down upon Bertram's shoulders; but the +laugh was forced, and, indeed, in all his look and manner there was +painful unrest.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am sorry that I must leave you gentlemen alone for a little," said +the lawyer, with a meaning look at Bertram; "but you can call me at any +time from the office. By the way, there is an empty glass here, Bermer. +You must be thirsty after your drive along the hot road, and you have +not in your own cellars at Rinstedt a better Rüdesheimer than this."</p> + +<p class="normal">He turned his back upon the friends now, and forthwith the last trace +of forced mirth vanished from Otto's face. He had flung himself into a +garden chair, and there he sat, his elbows leaning on his knees, his +hands put to his full round cheeks, staring fixedly in front of him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This has been a day which I shall remember!" he said.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have spoken to your wife?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto nodded.</p> + +<p class="normal">"In detail?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, yes; that is to say ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That you might have spoken in greater detail. It does not matter, +however, as long as you have informed her of your situation in the +main. That has surely been done?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Been done!" exclaimed Otto. "Great Heavens! it was fearful! At first +she seemed to think that I had gone mad; at least she looked so ... so +frightened at me, don't you know, and wanted to ring the bell. But I +told her that I was, unfortunately, still quite in my right mind, and +perfectly sober, although yesterday I did perhaps, in my despair, +drink a little too much. And then, I do not know how it came about, +but one word led to another; and when she told me that the whole thing +was my own fault, and the outcome of my bad economy and my costly +foibles,--she could not mean anything more by this, than that I like to +drink a good glass of wine and to smoke a decent cigar;--why, then, +something passed within me that I cannot describe. I felt as though my +very heart were turning, and as though I had never loved her in all my +life. And then there was no longer any need to hunt for appropriate +words; they came fast enough, and harder, too, than I liked at last. It +was horrible!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto gave a deep sigh and drained his glass.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This is really good wine," he said, taking up the bottle and looking +at the mouldy label. "I wonder where he got hold of it. But what does +it matter to me? All grapes are sour for me henceforth."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I hope not," said Bertram. "Anyhow, I thank you for having taken to +heart and faithfully carried out what I wrote to you last night. This +was indeed the first needful step, if the execution of my plan, the +details of which I will immediately communicate to you, was to be +possible. But one question first: you have not let Erna hear anything +of the subject of the conversation between you and your wife? And, as I +know your wife, she will surely keep as long as possible from Erna, +what she considers less a misfortune than a disgrace?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You can rely on that," replied Otto; "she would rather bite her tongue +off. But how long will it be before Erna has to learn all?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I hope that will never be the case!" replied Bertram. "Now, to come to +the point. I have asked you to come here to-day to be a witness to my +last will and testament. I might have told you its contents yesterday, +but I did not do so, because--to speak quite frankly--I was afraid you +would not keep the secret entirely, and thus the impression upon your +wife, on learning the whole truth, might have been considerably +lessened. If, after all, things come round again and change for the +better, then--for she is not bad, your wife, only spoiled and not given +to looking beneath the surface--then something like gratitude will stir +within her. And should this really not be the case, then I am, as it +were, master of the situation and you will both yield; you willingly, +she, because she must. Well then: in this will of mine, of which they +are now making a fair copy in the office, I have made Erna my residuary +legatee, except some smaller legacies, among which there is a suitable +annuity for Lydia. From her future inheritance, there will at once be +taken and made immediately available the sum which you require to set +your affairs thoroughly right again, with our legal friend's help. He +guarantee's that with this sum the greater part of your fortune +may yet be saved, if you agree to his arrangements, above all about +the factories. This sum will be advanced as a mortgage on your +estates--our friend will explain to you how it can be done--at a +moderate percentage, and the total revenue accruing from it is to be +Erna's from the day of her marriage. Concerning that marriage, Erna has +of course absolute freedom of choice, although I for my part hope that +she will fall in with the wishes which I have expressed to her on this +subject. And now shake hands, old man, and pardon me if I have had to +add another unpleasant hour to the one which I already caused you +to-day. <i>Tu l'as voulu!</i> From me you would not accept anything; with +your own child you will, I trust, stand upon less ceremony."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is your money for all that," murmured Otto.</p> + +<p class="normal">"As long as I live; who knows how long that will be! And there is our +legal friend coming, bringing the document in question with him, which +you are now to hear read, and which afterwards you are to adorn with +your signature, as one of the two witnesses."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The other," said the lawyer, now approaching the group with his chief +clerk, "will be Mr. Kasper here. Sit down, Kasper, and read away."</p> + +<p class="normal">During the reading of the somewhat lengthy document Otto's countenance +kept changing colour; his eyes were very wet, and he repressed his +tears with difficulty. When the lawyer handed him a pen for signature, +his big powerful hand trembled to such an extent, that he could +scarcely produce a few strokes in lieu of writing his name.</p> + +<p class="normal">The document in question was now legally completed, and the lawyer had +left the friends, to put it himself into a safe place of keeping. He +came back at once. Would the gentlemen kindly excuse him? His +Excellency the Herr Oberhofmarshal von Dirnitz had just appeared in the +office, and desired to see him on business of importance.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It probably will not be so very important, after all," said the +lawyer, "I hope to settle, it in a very few minutes, and then we can +talk at our ease."</p> + +<p class="normal">Again the friends were alone. Otto seemed to have paid no heed to the +lawyer's coming or going. He sat still at the table, supporting his +head upon it, and staring gloomily before him. Bertram bent over him, +and said, laying his hand upon his friend's shoulder--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Otto, old man, you must not view the matter in too tragic a light."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps I ought to look upon it as a joke having signed my own +death-warrant," murmured Otto, without stirring from his position.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have done nothing of the kind," replied Bertram. "I should rather +say, that now a new life was beginning for you; a life of purpose, +sobriety, energy, independence, however strange the last word may sound +to you. Until this day you were not living an independent life; nothing +but a sham existence, in slavish subjection to the caprices of your +wife, to whom you sacrificed your fortune, and, worse than that, your +own better judgment. Now, having come to see this, you are enabled, by +means of some assistance, to re-conquer your fortune, or at least the +greater part of it; and this surely is no alms, but a mere loan, for +which you are responsible in every respect; and, perhaps, in addition, +you may conquer what you never possessed before--I mean, the love, or, +at the very least, the respect of your wife, which she only denied to +the husband who had no will of his own, but which she will not refuse +to grant to the husband who is strong, determined, and who respects +himself."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, yes," Said Otto; "it all sounds very well, and I surely mean to +try to atone for my miserable shortcomings; but this I know already +to-day, it will not do. I mean, I shall not have the energy you speak +of, nay, I shall look upon myself as a downright scamp, and I shall not +dare look my wife or any one else in the face, far less confront them +energetically, as long as I see no chance of paying off my whole +stupendous debt to you. Not to the uttermost farthing, that may perhaps +be made possible--but in my heart. I do not know how to express it +aright, but you will understand my meaning--by giving you in exchange +something that no one else could give you."</p> + +<p class="normal">He lifted his eyes to Bertram in anxious inquiry. Bertram shook his +head.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thought we were not to mention it again," he said.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nor should I, to be sure, have done so," replied Otto; "however fond +one may be of a man, and however indebted to him, one's only child is +of course one's only child; and just now, above all, to have to give +her up, to live in the big house alone with--but I cannot give up the +thought that now, after all, nothing is to come of it, after they, +Lydia and my wife, have tried to prove to me in writing--in black and +white, don't you know--that you loved each other, and that at least +Erna ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I hardly know what you are talking about," Bertram impatiently +interrupted his friend; "and what do you mean by 'in black and white'?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"A stupid story," Otto made answer, embarrassed, "in which those women +have got me involved, and which; yesterday, I did not wish to refer to, +as I was desirous of sparing Hildegard. But now let the whole thing +come out; it may as well. Listen, then!"</p> + +<p class="normal">So he told him of the letter which Erna had written to Agatha, and +which Lydia had purloined for a few hours. Hildegard had read the +letter to him, and his excellent memory enabled him to reproduce it +now, if not literally, at least in its general bearings. He also had +remembered well the passage referring to some <i>liaison</i> which Erna +would seem to have had, and to which the ladies had not attributed any +special significance.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now," he concluded his report, "you see why my wife, who was so bent +upon having Lotter for a son-in-law, was so annoyed with you during the +last few days; nor do I know what would have come of it all, if the +Princess had not yesterday brought, her round to reason: how she +managed it is a riddle to me, but it is a fact, there, is an end of +Lotter, for good and all. This morning Hildegard went the length of +saying that it had been I who had favoured Lotter, and--for I may as +well tell you all now--you suddenly appeared to her not only as an +acceptable husband for Erna, but rather she saw in your union the only +possibility--if my carelessness had really wrought our ruin--to save +Erna at least, and to preserve for her such a position in society as +she was born for. Well, old man, it's off my mind at last, and for all +that, and, all that, it would be the grandest day in my whole life if +you were able to say to me: 'Well, better late than never!'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is too late!" Bertram replied.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had ejaculated those words, in intensest excitement, bounding from +his chair as he did so, and now he was, with uneven step, pacing up and +down beneath the chestnut-trees. But presently he returned to Otto, +who, frightened, had not stirred from his seat, and said in his usual +calm tone--</p> + +<p class="normal">"It would be too late, even if everything were--as it is not. I did not +mean to speak about it, because I am not commissioned to do so, and +because, therefore, those interested might have had good reason to be +annoyed, if I told you before they themselves thought the time had come +for doing so. I meant to rest satisfied with paving the way, so that +there should be no obstacle to the fulfilment of their wishes. But now, +since you seem unable to rid yourself of the curious idea of an +alliance between Erna and myself; since, oddly enough, your wife finds +pleasure therein; and since now, perhaps the fact of my making Erna my +heiress, might seem to both of you an indirect confirmation of your +opinion, I had better tell you this. I know that Erna has already given +away her heart, that for more than a year she has loved Lieutenant +Ringberg, and has been loved by him. It is my most earnest wish that +the union of the lovers may meet with no obstacle, and I firmly believe +that this marriage will lead to Erna's supreme happiness. And now let +me confess one thing more, so that I may have nothing whatever on my +conscience with regard to you. It was not for nothing that I have thus +hastened to put order into my own, and, I trust, into your affairs, and +to secure Erna's future. In the very next hour I have to go forth on an +errand from which, in all human probability, I shall not return with my +limbs whole, and where, very possibly, I may lose my life."</p> + +<p class="normal">Then he briefly told his friend of his quarrel with the Baron last +night and of its consequences. The true reason he did not refer to any +more than he had to Kurt.</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto was quite beside himself when he heard of it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It must not be, it shall not be!" he cried again and again. "It is +sheer madness. How can you go and fight a duel with pistols when you +scarcely know how to fire one? And with Lotter, of all men, who hits an +ace at twenty paces. This is no duel, it is downright murder. I will +not allow it!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Please do not speak so loud, anyhow," said Bertram; "they can hear you +in the office."</p> + +<p class="normal">"All the better!" cried Otto; "every one may hear that you cannot fight +the fellow. Why, Ringberg is far more sensible than you, for he +pretended last night not to notice the fellow's impertinence, and left +the card table without replying a word."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who told you that?" cried Bertram, terrified.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The forest-ranger," replied Otto, "He came over to breakfast this +morning. Yesterday's events were discussed; I did not pay much +attention to the talk, for the scene which I expected to have with +Hildegard was weighing upon my mind; but I remember now. The ladies +were discussing, whether Ringberg had done right in ignoring Lotter's +impertinence. Lydia thought yes, but the Princess declared that it +could not be thus, because ... I cannot remember why not; it had no +interest for me. If I had been able to divine that Ringberg and +Erna--that you ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Was Erna present?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Erna? No. That is to say, I do not know--I was very absent--she went +out riding afterwards with the Princess, who sent me word that I had +better drive to town alone. Confound the fellow! Picking quarrels with +everybody! And we are to blame; good Heaven, it is my fault that you +... I thought the worst had already come, but this is far worse than +anything. But I cannot allow it, and I will not. Never! When did you +say it was to come off? And where?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I shall tell you nothing more, and I am sorry I told you anything at +all."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram rose swiftly, Otto sprang up too, exclaiming as he did so--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I shall go with you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are about to leave, gentlemen?" a thin voice behind them was +asking.</p> + +<p class="normal">In their excitement neither had noticed that the lawyer and the Herr +Oberhofmarshal had entered the garden, and had already approached +within a few yards of them.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Will you very kindly introduce me to the Herr Doctor?" said the +Marshal, after he had courteously tendered his hand to Otto.</p> + +<p class="normal">The introduction was made.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is not quite right," said the Marshal, "that only now I have the +honour ... I hear you have been for more than a week at Rinstedt, and +yet you have not had a minute to spare for us! Not for our theatre, our +school of art, our museum! Not to mention my humble self, although I +have for years been accustomed to no stranger of distinction passing my +threshold. You must make up for this yet, you really must."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram answered the old gentleman in a few courteous words, looking at +the same time entreatingly at the lawyer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your Excellency will excuse me," said the lawyer, "if, considering how +pressed the Herr Doctor is for time, I venture ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Quite right, quite right," said the old gentleman. "Indeed, I already +noticed myself that the gentlemen were leaving. Let us come to the +point--a very, very disagreeable point, in reference to which, acting +on the advice of our common legal friend, with whom I originally +intended only to discuss the judicial bearings of the case, I should +now like to be allowed to claim also your assistance, my dear Mr. +Bermer."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In that case," said Bertram, who in his impatience almost felt the +ground burn beneath his feet, and who also thought this a splendid +opportunity for getting rid of Otto Bermer, "you will perhaps allow me +to take my departure."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pray remain, Herr Doctor, I entreat you!" exclaimed the Marshal +eagerly. "Quite apart from the painful interest which the matter will +have on psychological grounds for such a profound student of human +nature, I feel a moral necessity to have an affair, which it is +desirable to withdraw from the cognisance of the judge, adjudicated +upon by a forum of men of enlightened intelligence and honourable +character--adjudicated upon and,--alas, alas!--condemned. The case is +this ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"If your Excellency will allow me?" said the lawyer, in response to +another still more entreating glance of Bertram's.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Please, please," replied, the Marshal, conveying the pinch of snuff, +which he had just, taken from his box, somewhat abruptly to his nose.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The case is this," the lawyer went on, without heeding the old +gentleman's annoyance: "your friend Baron Lotter, my dear Burner, has +been guilty of an action which amounts to fraud and forgery. He had +been commissioned to, buy a couple of race-horses for the Court +during the summer, somewhere in Bavaria, and had drawn the money for +them--three thousand thalers--from the Grand Duke's privy purse, upon +an order signed by His Excellency; but he appears not to have paid the +money, but to have given a bill of exchange instead, with the forged +signature of His Excellency, as representing the Marshal's office."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is not this monstrous?" cried the old gentleman, "as if the Upper +Court Marshal's office ever paid, with bills of exchange!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The daring of the deed is indeed tremendous," continued the lawyer, +"considering the fact which His Excellency has stated just now, and +which was also known to the Herr Baron. And indeed he had taken the +precaution to inform the clerk of the privy purse--into whose hands the +bill of exchange would necessarily come first--when presented for +payment, that the affair was all right; that he would hand him the +money a week before it was due; the little service would not remain +without its reward, as soon as the Baron had got his foot in the +stirrup, in other words, as soon as he was Chamberlain. The poor fellow +was weak enough ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is incredible!" murmured the Oberhofmarshal; "quite incredible!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure, your Excellency," said the lawyer; "nevertheless, he was +weak enough to consent to what was evidently a fraud, until to-day, two +days before the bill was due, and when the money promised by the Baron +had not appeared, his terror compelled him to make a clean breast of it +to His Excellency. Meanwhile the bill had, yesterday, been sent to a +local banker for collection. This banker, who, of course, had never +seen anything of the kind occur in business, thought it advisable to +make private and confidential inquiries of His Excellency as to the +state of affairs, just before the clerk made his confession, and now +His Excellency has the proof in his own hands."</p> + +<p class="normal">The little old gentleman, who accompanied the lawyer's report with many +a nod and with eager play of features, was opening his mouth, but the +lawyer continued swiftly--</p> + +<p class="normal">"His Excellency at once went to His Highness ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I beg your pardon!" cried the Marshal. "I struggled for an hour as to +whether I could not spare His Highness this grief. Moreover the young +man's father was my dear old friend, who would turn in his grave if he +could hear that a Lotter, his own son--it is terrible! And be assured, +gentlemen, if I were a rich man--every one knows I am not--I ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your Excellency would in that case not have gone to Serenissimus," the +lawyer went on; "but it was not to be avoided. His Highness, with his +customary generosity, resolved at once ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is," the Marshal interrupted him, "in consequence of my report +and recommendation."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course, in consequence of His Excellency's report and +recommendation, resolved at once that the bill was to be paid as if +everything were in perfect order, under the condition that the Herr +Baron should never show his face at Court again, and depart +straightway. This latter point, the Grand Duke declared with very +natural anger ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I really must beg ..." objected the Marshal.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Declared with considerable emphasis to be the <i>conditio sine quâ non</i>, +if he were to show a merciful forbearance, in lieu of allowing the law +to take its course. And now we come to the point when ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"When," the Marshal said, turning to Otto, "I must claim your kind +services. You have the ... I can only say the great misfortune to be a +friend ... I mean an acquaintance of the Herr Baron, who is at present +a guest in your house. My appearance there, however greatly I should +esteem such an honour, would perhaps cause some sensation, the very +thing His Highness wishes to avoid at any cost. Serenissimus himself +suggested and our common friend here ventures to propose directly, +that ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That you, my dear Bermer," resumed the lawyer, "might give the young +gentleman the requisite strong hint, to which a letter which His +Excellency has just drawn up in my office ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And which I beg herewith to produce," said the Marshal.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Would give additional emphasis," concluded the lawyer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I would beg your Excellency to intrust the letter to me," said +Bertram. "I chance to know where the Herr Baron, who left my friend's +house last night, is to be found at this present moment. To be sure I +must leave at once, lest I miss him. You are coming with me, Otto?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course," cried Otto; "my carriage is at the door."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And your horses are swifter than the hired ones, which I had ordered +to be here at five. It is a quarter to five now. We have not a moment +to lose."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But tell him it as gently as possible, I entreat you," the Marshal +called out after the two friends, who were already crossing the little +courtyard.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram waved his hand in assent.</p> + +<p class="normal">A minute later the carriage was rattling along the narrow lane behind +the lawyer's garden towards the broad street leading to the town gates.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XXV.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">Bertram, on entering the carriage, at once told Otto of the place in +the wood where, by the shore of the little lake, the meeting was to +take place, and Otto replied that they could easily reach it in half an +hour, going first along the high-road, then turning off to the right +and driving along some country lanes, and at last, for a brief stretch, +through the forest.</p> + +<p class="normal">But they had scarcely left the gates when unexpected obstacles +intervened. The high-road, which had been perfectly free and clear a +little while ago, when Otto was driving to town, now swarmed with +troops belonging to the corps which had made a victorious advance; they +were now utilising this convenient road for taking up their position +for the sham-fight which was to be resumed tomorrow. This was the gist +of the information conveyed to the friends, with due military +politeness, by an officer who had hurriedly ridden up to their +carriage, whilst Otto was vainly storming at some artillerymen in +charge of a gun which they had managed to upset in a ditch, and of +which the horses were blocking the road. The officer pointed out that +the gentlemen would do better to deviate from the high-road than to try +and force their way, and he said that, farther on it was occupied in +even greater strength, and was likely to be absolutely impassable for +the next half hour.</p> + +<p class="normal">The advice seemed very sensible, and it was possible to follow it at +once, for there was a country lane branching off to the right in that +very spot.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is a deuced deal farther," said Otto. "We shall have to drive by +way of Neuenhof and Viehburg; however, there is no help for it now, and +after all we shall be in good time."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We have already lost a quarter of an hour," said Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We'll easily make up for that," replied Otto; "you see the road is in +good condition and quite clear. Make haste, John--as quick as the +horses can go!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto was very far from really feeling the energy which he was +displaying. On the contrary, he was cherishing the hope that the +round-about way would ultimately prove too long; and that, even if they +were to arrive in time, this insane duel should not come off. Thus the +one care which had still been weighing somewhat upon his elastic +temperament was gone. As for the rest, why all had come about as nicely +as possible. Could he have anticipated anything of the kind when, an +hour ago, he was driving to town in his despair, with the remembrance +of that awful scene with his wife upon him like a nightmare? What would +she say now? How would she take it? Not well, of course. She would call +it a terrible humiliation--disgraceful. Nonsense! It was the simplest +and most loyal arrangement in the world. Why should not Bertram make +Erna his heiress, for he had neither kith nor kin, and had always been +so fond of her? Hildegard had never liked Erna to call Bertram uncle. +In future, perhaps, she would not object to it. And what about the big +loan? Well, the bigness was its chief merit. A few thousand thalers +here, a few thousand thalers there, how ignoble, how mean! But a +hundred thousand thalers, that was decent; there was nothing derogatory +about that. Hildegard would herself see that; and moreover, if Erna was +to inherit the money anyhow, it remained, as it were, in the family. +Then he wondered how his wife would get on with the young lieutenant, +whom yesterday they had both seen for the first time. Only yesterday! +But a man must see his son-in-law once for the first time. And he +seemed to be such a charming fellow! What a pity that he was not of +noble birth, for that had, after all, been Lotter's chief merit in +Hildegard's eyes. Poor beggar! he really was sorry for him. That is +what a man may come to when he is seriously embarrassed! Awful! And all +for a mere trifle--those dirty three thousand thalers! If he had given +him the money yesterday, or if Lotter had won them at play, the whole +business might have been hushed up, and the beggar would not have run +a-muck at everybody. The fellow was not a bad sort, hang it, quite a +jolly fellow to get on with! Now, what fiend had possessed Bertram on +this occasion; Bertram, who, on principle, made a point of avoiding all +social conflicts, or, if the worst came to the worst, always knew how +to make a courteous and clever diversion; Bertram who, even as a +student, had never fought a duel, and had never concealed his aversion +on the subject? And where on earth was, in this case, the necessity for +fighting the man? Bertram must have known that Lotter's farce at +Rinstedt was played out, that Hildegard had given him up for good and +all. The foe who is running away should have golden bridges built him, +not be impeded in his retreat. Well, well, it was to be hoped that +Lotter at least had meanwhile come to his senses and gone away. To be +sure, this was the most likely thing to have happened. Lotter, cunning +fellow, had set all this duel business a-going, by way of putting them +on the wrong scent, knowing that his pursuers would presently be on the +alert, and now, whilst he was being looked for in the wood, he had most +probably decamped altogether.</p> + +<p class="normal">If Otto, good easy-going fellow, on arriving at this comforting +conclusion, did not actually rub his hands in sheer glee, he refrained +solely out of regard for his companion, who was sitting by his side in +silent gloom, as though he were most terribly grieved at the prospect +of the duel not taking place after all.</p> + +<p class="normal">And so it was. Bertram felt like a man wearied to death, drawing his +blankets around him and preparing for the greatly-desired rest, and +abruptly startled by the alarm of fire. He had, indeed, been longing +for death, but, of course, could not accept it from a dishonoured hand, +neither for his own sake nor for that of the others who had agreed to +act in what they thought an honourable cause, but which now was +irrevocably stained with dishonour. Thus he would have to live on, on, +nor might he let any one see what a torment this life was and would be +to him; no one, and least of all Erna. She was even never to guess that +he had been willing to sacrifice himself. But how was she to be kept +from this conjecture, when gradually it would appear that there had +been a connection between the Baron's insult to Kurt and his own +intervention, which occurred in the same place and the very next +minute? The remark of the Herr Oberförster at the breakfast table +proved that the right scent had been discovered. Had he not thought of +it at all? Or had he done so, and then quieted his scruples by assuming +that his death would spread an impenetrable veil over the real +circumstances of the case? And if that veil were really ever lifted in +Erna's sight, and if she had to say to herself that he had died for +her, it would be but as one note of melancholy, dissolving anon in the +pure and full harmony of her own firm happiness. Was this certain? Or +had he been playing a comedy after all, and assumed the easiest and +most grateful part himself? Had he but draped himself as a dying hero, +in order to hurt his rival, who might thereafter see how best to get on +with an uncomfortable part? And now the piece was not to end, and he +would have to remain upon the stage in the attitude of a hero, and Erna +would have ample time to make comparisons; and they must needs all tell +against Kurt! And would proud Erna forgive her lover this? And was this +to be the result of his own unselfish devotion for Erna's sake?</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus tormenting himself, he groaned aloud under the weight of the +reproach which he was heaping upon his conscience.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," remarked Otto prosaically, "that comes from driving so fast. +However, we shall again be delayed, and no mistake!"</p> + +<p class="normal">After a short quick drive they reached the first village, and came upon +the rearguard of corps number two retreating towards the shelter of the +woods. In the narrow village lane a very compact mass of men and horses +had accumulated, and a forward movement was quite impossible, because +those marching on in front had not yet cleared the line. The men had +stacked their rifles; by the roadside, on the road itself, weary men +were crouching; others were crowding round the different house-doors, +whence compassionate hands were holding out water in every possible and +impossible sort of vessel. In front of the little inn had gathered an +absolutely impenetrable knot of human beings. The driver was compelled +to branch off again, this time into a very narrow little lane, thence +he had to work his way with the greatest difficulty into the open, then +drive across stubble-fields, and so back to the road, frequently +alongside of columns of soldiers on the march, who made way with the +greatest reluctance; and thus they made but slow progress.</p> + +<p class="normal">Slow, far too slow for Bertram, whose feverish impatience was +increasing every minute, although he knew not what to reply to Otto +when he argued that it really did not matter much, even if they arrived +a quarter of an hour or so too late. And what did too late mean in a +case like this? They would arrive in ample time for the awkward +explanation to the Baron.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, and I might as well admit," said Otto, "that personally I hope +we shall not find him at all."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think we shall, though," replied Bertram; "for in spite of his +having morally gone so much astray, he is no coward. A man with weaker +nerves would not have so long borne the danger of being discovered. +And he must assume that he will be left alone until the day after +to-morrow."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In any case," said Otto, shrugging those broad shoulders of his, "we +cannot advance any faster."</p> + +<p class="normal">They had meanwhile passed the second village, and the troops on the +march were behind them, and as the road was now both smooth and clear, +the horses were really doing their best. They had by this time reached +the border of the forest, and again they were obliged to proceed at a +walking pace, for the road, which was old and ill-kept, had been made +much worse by the foot-deep furrows which the pressure of the cannons +had produced upon the soft soil. There were many traces of a hot combat +having been waged here; cartridge-cases abounded, being scattered all +over the place; there were plenty of broken branches, moreover, and now +they actually came upon a kind of barricade; and it was impossible to +drive round it, since on either side great trees skirted the road.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Confound those soldiers!" said Otto; "they carry on as though they +were in the enemy's country. We shall have to get out and walk whilst +John clears away this obstacle, so as to enable him to pass; +fortunately, it does not seem to be very firmly built. The lake is +within a hundred yards of this."</p> + +<p class="normal">The wood did indeed form a kind of glade, and in this spot a fairly +broad one; and the road now lay between the sedge-grown banks of the +little lake on the left and the edge of the forest on the right. This +was close to the very place chosen for the hostile meeting. At first +the sedge prevented a clear view, but, hurrying along, the friends soon +discovered the centre, and thence they could see the rest of the +ground, up to the spot where the wood came closing in again. All was +deserted and silent.</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"When they came, they probably found too much company hereabouts. Rely +upon it, they have passed along the cutting, and are now in glade +number two. Come along, I know every inch of the ground. Look,--a +carriage has stopped here, and has then gone on through the cutting. +And here is no end of traces of horses' hoofs. I have no idea where, +they can all come from!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The tracks of carriage-wheels and traces of horses' hoofs continued all +along the cutting; but the friends had only advanced a few yards in the +same direction when it occurred to Otto that his coachman, on finding +nobody on the appointed spot, would probably drive straight ahead, +possibly all the way to Rinstedt. The man was quite fool enough to do +so, he said; so perhaps he had better turn back and instruct him, +whilst Bertram went on. It was impossible, he added, for Bertram to +miss the place now.</p> + +<p class="normal">So Otto turned and Bertram hurried on. Already a certain gathering +brightness indicated the whereabouts of the glade which Otto had spoken +of, and to which the slope was now leading, but leading so gradually +that Bertram could not yet get a glimpse of it, although he surely must +be very near it, for he heard human voices and the neighing of a horse. +And now he saw at least a portion of the glade, and there were several +horses on the spot--as he perceived to his amazement--and grooms were +holding the horses. Looking again, and more carefully, he noticed that +several of the horses had side-saddles. An abrupt thought flashed +across him. He recoiled involuntarily somewhat to the left, and then, +standing behind some broad-stemmed fir-trees at the very edge of +the glade, he saw before him a scene which for a moment held him +spell-bound with terror.</p> + +<p class="normal">Four or five men, Colonel von Waldor and Herr von Busche among them, +were lifting a wounded man or a dead man upon a low country cart filled +with straw, and then the doctor and his assistant received their charge +and laid him carefully down, raising his head as they did so. The +evening light shone brightly on the pallid face--Kurt's face; but, +Heaven be thanked, Kurt wounded, but not dead! His eyes were open, and +a smile flitted across his pallid features as Erna bent over him where +he lay. Her fair countenance, darkened by the riding-hat which she +wore, was as pale as his own, but she, too, was smiling, and she bent +lower and lower still, and closed those lips of his that would speak +and that were not to speak, with a kiss; and then she leapt down from +the cart and bounded straightway, with Herr von Busche's help, into the +saddle, her horse having meanwhile been brought to her. The Colonel, +too, had mounted by this time, and the cart now set off, the wounded +man being supported by the doctor's assistant; the doctor had also +mounted his horse and joined the procession, which, following the +cutting in the opposite direction, soon vanished within the glade. +There remained but Herr von Busche and Alexandra, whom Bertram only saw +after the cart had disappeared; there were two grooms, too, and they +were now bringing up the horses; one of them a spare one, probably the +one which poor Kurt had been riding.</p> + +<p class="normal">The whole scene only occupied a few minutes, during which Bertram just +had time to overcome the first paralysing feelings of horror. What +subsequently retained and restrained him in the sheltering darkness of +the trees, was a flood of curiously mingled feelings, out of which +there emerged with potent forces the warning: They have found each +other for life and death; step not again between them; touch not again +with clumsy hands the dainty and complicated wheels of a fate which +laughs your calculations to scorn!</p> + +<p class="normal">He would have liked best to creep away unseen by any one, but here was +Otto ascending the cutting, and loudly calling Bertram's name. +Alexandra, who was just about to let Herr von Busche help her into the +saddle, started; Herr von Busche sang out in reply to Otto; Bertram +stepped forth from under the trees, and the Princess hurried up to him, +gathering her riding-habit with one hand, and holding out the other to +him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear friend! you here? Thank Heaven! I was just debating whether I +had not better wait for you, rather than leave a servant with a +message."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is Kurt badly wounded?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"How do you know? but never mind! No; not badly. That is to say, it +will be a tedious affair, but the surgeon guarantees a complete cure, +and states that his life is in no danger. He found the ball at once; we +were already on the spot--and, great Heaven, what a splendid, heroic +creature Erna is!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto had meanwhile come up. There was much cross-questioning, of +course; and the friends speedily gathered at least the main facts of +the occurrence. Herr von Busche was naturally best qualified to give +all the information required. He had heard from the Oberförster, upon +that gentleman's return from Rinstedt, of the scene in which Kurt, +evidently without knowing it, had acted a singular part--one quite +incompatible with the traditional honour of an officer--of a man who is +grossly insulted in the presence of many others, and who withdraws +without replying. The Oberförster had been quite excited on the subject +which he had been discussing with the ladies at the breakfast-table; he +had added that other gentlemen, who had also been present last night, +had expressed their amazement at the young' officer's conduct.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am myself an officer in the <i>Landwehr</i>." continued Herr von Busche, +"and my duty was clear. I was bound to communicate as quickly as +possible to Ringberg the insulting suspicion to which he had made +himself liable. To apply to the Baron for information was out of the +question. He had left the ranger's house some hours before, to pay, he +said, some farewell-calls in the neighbourhood; besides, I think, he +wanted to procure the horse on which he afterwards came to the meeting. +We had agreed to meet here. Herr Ringberg was also to be here, of +course, but then it would have been too late; there would have been two +duels in lieu of one; and Ringberg's was bound to have precedence. Then +there was no second provided for Ringberg, unless the Herr Doctor had +acted as such, and that was not exactly feasible. Well, in a word, I +got on horseback, and searched the length and breadth of the ground +employed for the manœ vres, until at last, when I had given up all +hope, I found Ringberg at the moment when the regiment were stacking +their rifles. This was at five. The original hostile meeting was fixed +for half-past. Ringberg was on the point of leaving, having previously, +under some pretext or other, obtained two hours' leave of absence from +the Colonel. I told Ringberg what I had heard. He requested me to +accompany him to Colonel von Waldor to whom he would have to report the +case. You know the Colonel. 'I am your second,' he cried; 'we'll teach +the Baron a lesson in good manners.' A minute or two afterwards we were +in the saddle, accompanied by the staff-surgeon and an assistant, and +galloped here. The carriage was waiting by the side of the lake, and at +the same moment the Baron appeared. I must do him the justice to say +that he not only did not deny having made the insulting remarks, but +declared his perfect readiness to give instant satisfaction for them. +The issue unhappily was what, knowing the Baron's wonderful skill, I +expected it to be; or rather, it would probably have been even more +unfortunate, if, at the moment of firing, the ladies had not appeared. +I am sure that the Baron, who stood facing the cutting, must have seen +them coming, before the rest of us heard the sound of the horses' hoofs +upon the soft turf, and that the unexpected sight robbed him of his +usual unfailing aim. I find it natural enough that, under the +circumstances, he preferred to vanish immediately, and I expect that he +will be waiting for me at the Oberförster's now. To say the truth, I am +not particularly anxious to meet him again."</p> + +<p class="normal">Whilst the young man was relating this in his wonted vivacious style, +and whilst Otto briefly explained how Bertram and he had been detained +upon the road, they reached the end of the cutting, and had come to the +place where Otto's carriage was waiting.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How right we were to divide," said Herr von Busche. "The escort of the +wounded man would have been really too numerous. As it is, it will +cause a certain amount of sensation, although fortunately it will not +have to leave the wood till it is close to Rinstedt."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It might be as well to divide once more," said Alexandra. "I feel, to +say the truth, somewhat shaken, and would like to await in town news +about the sufferer; for his state inspires me with no alarm now, and I +am expected to appear at Court to-night. I know you will very kindly +let me use your carriage, and mount Lieutenant Ringberg's horse +instead. You will be glad to get home as speedily as possible, although +we sent word to your wife so as to prepare her."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But," remonstrated Otto, "most gracious Princess, you cannot go +alone...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I hope the Herr Doctor will be so good as to accompany me."</p> + +<p class="normal">Alexandra turned, as she spoke, to Bertram who was standing silent, +evidently in deep thought, and who had scarcely joined in the previous +conversation. Now he looked up, and their eyes met.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I was just going to request that honour," he said.</p> + +<p class="normal">Otto looked amazed, but ventured upon no remonstrance. A shrug of the +shoulder behind Alexandra's back, seemed to imply that he considered +Bertram the lamentable victim of a lady's caprice. He instructed the +coachman to regain as quickly as possible the high-road, which was now +likely to be clear of troops, for this would enable the Princess to be +driven with greater ease and quickness. He pointed out to her that +there were plenty of wrappers in the carriage, and begged her to make +use of them in the cool of the evening. The Princess thanked him for +his attentions, and added that she would not fail to inquire personally +at Rinstedt on the following day.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And you too, of course, Charles," said Otto.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram nodded--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I will not detain you any longer."'</p> + +<p class="normal">They shook hands; the gentlemen mounted their horses and galloped away, +followed by the grooms, and the carriage set off more slowly in the +opposite direction.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XXVI.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">For a little while Alexandra and Bertram sat silently side by side; +then Alexandra said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"We are at one in the conviction that it will be in the interest of our +<i>protégés</i> if we vanish from the scene?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Absolutely," replied Bertram. "I suffer acutely already, and recognise +the outrage that man is guilty of who would play Providence for +others."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In that case I should have been guilty too," said Alexandra, "but I am +by no means dissatisfied with myself; on the contrary, I believe it is +good that things have happened thus; it was necessary. And when you +know all, you will admit that I am right. You must know it, for the +sake of the future, which will still claim much from us. Listen in +patience.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have rigidly adhered to your advice. I announced my departure for +noon to-day; my maid was despatched with the luggage a little before +ten; our host insisted upon escorting me in person to the town. Then I +went to see Erna. We had a memorable conversation which I cannot +reproduce to you in all its details, but the result was that Erna no +longer doubted the sincerity of my desire for her happiness; but her +pride revolted against receiving this happiness at my hands, or, if +that be saying too much, she had the painful impression that her +happiness could only be brought about at the cost of my own, in other +words, that I was still in love with Kurt, and that my marriage to Herr +von Waldor, which I announced to her as impending, was an act of +resignation, if not of despair. Of course she did not give utterance to +all this, nor did she even hint at it; these things one simply feels. +And there was another thing that came between her and the prospect +of calm happiness by Kurt's side. Dear friend, do not deny it any +longer--not to me, even if to all the world besides--you are in love +with Erna! Thank you for this pressure of the hand. It does not reveal +a secret to me, and yet I thank you for it with all my heart. You owed +me this satisfaction, as I have told you Claudine's story; and even as +Claudine's story is buried in your bosom, so the story of a noble human +heart shall be buried in mine."</p> + +<p class="normal">Alexandra withdrew her hand with a cordial pressure from Bertram's. +They were both too much moved to be able to speak for some time. At +last Bertram said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"And does Erna believe me to be in love with her, after all I have done +to shake her conviction?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I should not assert that her faith has not been shaken," Alexandra +replied, "but she was still under the sway of that intuitive feeling +which guides us women wellnigh always aright, and which in her case +betrayed itself in a hundred turns, every one of which had for its +object your future welfare and happiness. And then, my friend, you did +at last the very opposite of what you should have done to calm Erna, +and to brighten her future. You may thank Heaven that Erna does not +divine the real motive which influenced you; that between the two duels +she sees a sort of mechanical connection of time and place, if I may +say so, and not the real one. But for all that, if you had fallen in +this duel, Erna would never have consented to an alliance with Kurt, +and she would never in her heart have forgiven him for not being the +first on the ground. Whether it was within the limits of possibility to +have forestalled you, the woman's heart does not stop to inquire. The +loved one must be not only the best and noblest and bravest of men, but +the cleverest too; how he sets about it is his own concern! Dozens of +duels have been fought in my immediate neighbourhood, and, I am sorry +to say, I have been the direct cause more than once, so I had no +difficulty in understanding the whole business. That old chatterbox, +the ranger, was relating the circumstances to us at breakfast; I then +sent for your servant, and, examining him, found out that you had held +a long conversation with Kurt, which had been preceded by negotiations +between Kurt and Herr von Busche; and last of all came that +crackbrained person Fräulein von Aschhof, and confessed her horribly +indiscreet statement to the Baron, and your remark, my friend, that you +would try to settle the matter. I saw it all as clearly as though it +had been acted before me. Then I knew, too, what I should have to do. +Again I sought Erna, and told her that your life and Kurt's honour were +both at stake; of course I took care to represent matters in such a way +that the idea could not well occur to her of your having wished to +sacrifice yourself directly for Kurt. She spurned with contumely the +idea that Kurt had only pretended not to hear the Baron's insulting +remarks; no need for me to tell her, she said, that Kurt must be +instantly informed of it. I am convinced that she felt that her fate +was about to be decided, that now once more she became fully and +thoroughly conscious of her love for Kurt. The great, strong, energetic +nature of the glorious girl shone forth in mighty radiance. I could +have knelt at her feet and worshipped her! I may say that I forgot +completely my own self, forgot that he for whom this passion was +flaming heaven-high had been the object of my own mad love. I even +concealed what I knew--that I had distinctly recognised the Baron, +when I saw him at the card-table last night, as the man who also, +at a card-table, had cheated my mother out of a hundred thousand +francs--that the Baron was not a fit man for an officer and a gentleman +to fight. I dreaded lest that objection should destroy what I saw +coming. How we hurried all over the ground in search of Kurt; how we +came upon his regiment when he had just ridden off; how a surgeon's +assistant who had been sent back to fetch some forgotten bandages or +instruments helped us to find his track; how we followed up that track +at the utmost speed of which our horses were capable; how we reached +the goal just in time to see Kurt fall, whilst his miserable opponent +flung the pistol to the ground and fled when he beheld me--all this you +know, or may easily picture for yourself. But I picture to myself how +Erna will now be leading her love to her parental abode, to keep and to +hold him there for her very own;--for what is more, what becomes more a +woman's very own than the man whom she loves, if she has to tend him +and wrestle with death for his possession;--and I picture to myself how +now only she recognises with a shudder what a lordly treasure she had +all but forfeited through exaggerated pride and obstinacy; and I think +of, all the wealth of love and bliss which is in store for them both! +And then I look at us both, at us who have opened for them the gates of +their paradise driving away into darkness like two exiles; and I ask +you, friend, have we really need to be ashamed of the part which we +have played? Or, rather, are we not fully and fairly entitled to +rejoice in our success and to be proud of it? Yes, friend, we must be +glad, we must be proud. Where else shall we, who are sick unto death, +gain the strength to get well again? For we must not, dare not die; but +we must live and be happy, to prove to those two that they may be happy +on our account. I, my friend, mean to live on; I will and shall +recover. I shall appear at Court to-night, and be beautiful and witty +if I can, or at least serene and in good-humour. And not to-day alone, +but to-morrow too, and every day, and most so by Waldor's side, for he +very surely does not marry the Princess Alexandra for the sake of +getting a moody, melancholy wife. Some secret corner somewhere will +surely be found where now and again one may weep in peace, and let the +grievous wound bleed. And you, dear friend? What shall you do? How will +you set about recovering? I should not have an hour's quiet if I had to +think you could not. Give me your word that you will recover, give me +your hand on it."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram's answer did not come at once. He raised his eyes and saw the +beacon-fees blazing on the mountain tops and far away in the plains. He +heard the calls of the patrols, the neighing of many horses, the talk +and laughter of the men round the bivouac-fires, the dull thud of +marching columns. It was but a mimic warfare, but it spoke to him of a +true and earnest fight in which he was called upon to take his place in +the ranks as a good and true soldier, to do his duty as long as +strength was granted him--it might be for years, or for a few days +only. And he held out his hand to Alexandra, and said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Whether I shall recover, I know not. But I swear to you that I will +try!"</p> +<br> +<p class="center" style="letter-spacing:5px">* * * * *</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XXVII.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="continue">"Then you insist upon joining in to-morrow's debate?" the doctor was +saying.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I flatter myself that it is necessary!" replied Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">"As a political partisan I admit it; as your medical adviser I repeat, +it is impossible."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Come, my good friend, you said just now, it is undesirable; now, from +that to impossible is rather a bold step. We had better stick to the +first statement."</p> + +<p class="normal">The doctor, who had taken up his hat and stick a few minutes before, +laid both down again, pushed Bertram into the chair before his +writing-table, sat down again facing him, and said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Judging from your momentary condition it is merely desirable that you +should have at present absolute repose for at least a few days. But I +very much fear that to-morrow's inevitable excitement will make you +worse, and then the downright necessity for rest will arise, and that +not only for a few days. Let me speak quite frankly, Bertram. I know +that I shall not frighten you, although I should rather like to do so. +You are causing me real anxiety. I greatly regret that I kept you last +autumn from your projected Italian trip, and that I pushed and urged +you into the fatigues of an election campaign and into the harassing +anxieties of parliamentary life. I assumed that this energetic activity +would contribute to your complete restoration to health, and I find +that I made a grievous mistake. And yet I am not aware where exactly +the mistake was made. You mastered your parliamentary duties with such +perfect ease, you entered the arena so well prepared and armed from top +to toe, you used your weapons with all the skill of a past master, and +you were borne along by such an ample measure of success--and that of +course has its great value. Well, according to all human understanding +and experience, the splendid and relatively easy discharge of duties +for which you are so eminently fitted, should contribute to your +well-being, and yet the very opposite is occurring. In spite of all my +cogitations I can find but one theory to account for it. In spite of +the admirable equanimity which you always preserve, in spite of the +undimmed serenity of your disposition and appearance, by which you +charm your friends, whilst you frequently disarm your foes, there must +be a hidden something in your soul that gnaws away at your vitals, a +deep, dark under-current of grief and pain. Am I right? You know that I +am not asking the question from idle curiosity."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know it," replied Bertram; "and therefore I answer: you are right +and yet not right, or right only if you hold me responsible for the +effect of a cause I was guiltless of."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You answer in enigmas, my friend."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let me try a metaphor. Say, somebody is compelled to live in a house, +in which the architect made some grave mistake at the laying of the +foundations, or at some important period or other of its erection. The +tenant is a quiet, steady man, who keeps the house in good order; then +comes a storm, and the ill-constructed building is terribly shaken and +strained. The steady-going tenant repairs the damage as best he can, +and things go on fairly enough for a time, a long time, until there +comes another and a worse storm, which makes the whole house topple +together over his head."</p> + +<p class="normal">The doctor's dark eyes had been dwelling searchingly and sympathisingly +upon the speaker. Now he said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think I understand your metaphor. Of course, it only meets a portion +of the case. I happen to know the house in question extremely well. +True there was one weak point in it from the beginning, in spite of its +general excellent construction, but ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But me no buts," interrupted Bertram eagerly. "Given the one weak +point, and all the rest naturally follows. I surely need not point out +to such a faithful disciple of Spinoza's, that thought and expansion +are but attributes of one and the same substance, that there is no +physiological case that does not, rightly viewed, turn to a +psychological one; that so excitable a heart as mine must needs be +impressed by things more than other hearts whose bands do not snap, +happen what may, and notwithstanding all the storms of Fate. Or are you +not sure that, if you had had to examine the hearts of Werther or of +Eduard in the 'Elective Affinities,' you would have found things +undreamed of by æesthetic philosophers? I belong to the same race. I +neither glory in this, nor do I blush for it; I simply state a fact, a +fact which embodies my fate, before whose power I bow, or rather whose +power bows me down in spite of my resistance. For, however much I may +by disposition belong to the last century, yet I am also a citizen of +our own time; nor can I be deaf to its bidding. I know full well that +modern man can no longer live and die exclusively for his private joys +and sorrows; I know full well that I have a fatherland whose fame, +honour, and greatness I am bound to hold sacred, and to which I am +indebted as long as a breath stirs within me. I know it, and I believe +that I have proved it according to my strength, both formerly and again +now, when ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">He covered forehead and eyes with his hands, and so sat for a while in +deep emotion, which his medical friend respected by keeping perfectly +silent. Then, looking up again, Bertram went on in a hushed voice--</p> + +<p class="normal">"My friend, that last storm was very, very strong. It shook the feeble +building to its very foundation. What is now causing your anxiety is +indeed but a consequence of that awful tempest. The terribly entrancing +details no one as yet knows except one woman, whom an almost identical +fate made my confidante, and who will keep my secret absolutely. So +would you, I know. You have been before this my counsellor and my +father-confessor. And so you will be another time, perhaps, if you +desire it and deem it necessary.--To-day only this one remark more, for +your own satisfaction; for I read in your grave countenance the same +momentous question which my confidante put to me: Whether I am willing +to recover? I answered to the best of my knowledge and belief: Yes! I +consider it my duty to be willing. It is a duty simply towards my +electors, who have not honoured me with their votes that I may lie me +down and die of an unhappy and unrequited attachment. If the latter +does happen--I mean my dying--you will bear witness that it was done +against my will, solely in consequence of that mistake in the original +construction which the architect was guilty of. But, in order that it +may not happen, or may at least not happen so soon, you, my friend, +must allow me to do the very thing which you have forbidden. The dream +I dreamed was infinitely beautiful, and, to speak quite frankly, real +life seems barren and dreary in comparison with it. The contrast is too +great, and I can only efface it somewhat by mixing with the insipid +food a strong spice of excitement, such as our parliamentary kitchen is +just now supplying in the best quality, and of which our head-cook is +sure to give us an extra dose to-morrow. And, therefore, I must be in +my place at the table tomorrow and make my dinner-speech. <i>Quod erat +demonstrandum</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">He held out his hand with a smile. His friend smiled too. It was a very +melancholy smile, and vanished again forthwith.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What a pity," he said, "that the cleverest patients are the most +intractable. But I have vowed I will never have a clever one again, +after you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In truth," replied Bertram, "I am giving you far too much trouble. In +your great kindness and friendship you come to me almost in the middle +of the night, when you ought to be resting from your day's heavy toil; +you come of your own accord, simply impelled by a faithful care for my +well-being; and, finally, you have to return with ingratitude and +disobedience for your reward. Well, well--let us hope for better +things, and let me have the pleasure of seeing you again to-morrow."</p> + +<p class="normal">Konski came in with a candle to show the doctor the way down, for the +lights in the house had long since been extinguished. The gentlemen +were once more shaking hands, and the physician slipped his on to +Bertram's wrist Then he shook his head.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Konski," he said, turning to the servant, "if your master has a fancy +one of these days to drink a glass of champagne, you may give him one, +as an exception; but only one."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now remember that, Konski!" said Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is not likely that it will happen," grumbled Konski.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Konski will leave me to-morrow," explained Bertram.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Will, is it? No, I won't, but ..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"All right!" said his master, "we must not bother the doctor with our +private affairs. Good-bye, my friend! With your leave I will dine with +you to-morrow."</p> + +<p class="normal">The physician left; Bertram immediately again sat down at the +writing-table, and resumed the work which this late visit had +interrupted. It was a disputed election case, and he would have to +report upon it to the House. There had been some irregularities, and it +was in the interest of his own party that the election should be +declared null and void; he had been examining the somewhat complicated +data with all the greater conscientiousness and care. But now he lost +the thread, and was turning over the voluminous page of the evidence, +when, lo! a daintily-folded sheet of paper--a letter--fell out.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good heavens! how came this here?"</p> + +<p class="normal">He seized upon it with eagerness, as a wandering beggar might seize +upon a gold coin which he saw glittering among the dust on the road. +The hot blood surged to the temples from the sick and sore heart; the +hand that held the slight paper trembled violently.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now he would not be grumbling at my slow pulse!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Yesterday morning he had received this letter, but had not succeeded in +composing himself sufficiently to read more than a few lines. He +thought that, perhaps, on his return from the <i>Reichstag</i> he might have +been in a more settled frame of mind. Then he had not been able to find +again the letter which had been laid aside, although he had searched +for hours, first alone, then with Konski.</p> + +<p class="normal">And now--after all those documents were pushed aside--he was again, as +yesterday, staring hard at the page, and again, as yesterday, the +different lines ran into each other; but he shook his head angrily, +drew his hand over his eyes, and then read:--</p> +<br> + +<p class="right">"<span class="sc">Capri</span>, <i>April</i> 24.</p> + +<p class="normal">"<span class="sc">Dearest Uncle Bertram</span>,--If to-day for the first time, in our travels I +write to you, take this as a gentle punishment for not having come to +our wedding. Take it--no, I must not tell you a falsehood, not even in +jest. We--I mean Kurt and myself--regretted your absence greatly, but +were angry only with those wretched politics which would not release +you just at a time, when, as Kurt explained to me, such important +matters were at stake. Take, then, I pray you, my prolonged silence as +a proof of the confusion under which I labour, amidst the thousand new +impressions of travel, and through the hurry with which we have +travelled. Kurt has just four weeks' leave, so we had indeed to make, +haste; and, therefore, we steamed direct from Genoa to Naples, calling +at Leghorn only, and yesterday evening we arrived there only to leave +this morning, and to sail to Capri, favoured by a lively <i>tramontane</i>.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am writing this my first letter upon the balcony of a house in +Capri.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dearest Uncle Bertram, do you know such a house which 'stands amidst +orange groves, with sublimest view of the blue infinity of the ocean, a +fair, white hostelry embowered in roses'?</p> + +<p class="normal">"The words are your own, and do you know when you spoke them to me? On +that first night when I met you in the forest on the Hirschstein hill. +You have probably forgotten it, but I remember it well, and all through +the journey your words were ever before me; and of all the glories of +Italy, I wanted first to see the house which had, since then, remained +in your fond remembrance, where you 'ever since longed to be back +again,' and the very name of which was always to you 'a sound of +comfort, of promise: <i>Qui si sana!</i>'</p> + +<p class="normal">"And now we are here--we who need no comfort, we to whom all promise of +earthly bliss has been fulfilled, and so drink in the blue air of +heaven, and inhale the sweet fragrance of roses and oranges.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And you, dearest Uncle Bertram, you dwell--your heart full of longing +for fair Quisisana--yonder in the dull grey North, buried beneath +parliamentary papers, wearied and worn--and, uncle, that thought is the +one grey cloud, the only one in the wide blue vault of heaven, like the +one floating yonder above the rugged rocky front of Monte Solaro, of +which our young landlord, Federigo, foretells that it will bring us a +<i>burrasca</i>. I gave him a good scolding, and told him I wanted sunshine, +plenty of sunshine, and nothing but sunshine, but I thought of you +only, and not of us. And surely for you too, who are so noble and good, +the sun does shine, and you walk in its light, in the sunny light of +great fame! Yes, Uncle Bertram, however modest you are, you must yet be +glad and proud to learn how your greatness is recognised and admired. I +am not speaking of your friends, for that is a matter of course, but +of your political opponents. In Genoa, at the table d'hôte, we made +the acquaintance of some Count from Pomerania--I have forgotten his +name--with whom Kurt talked politics a good deal. In the evening the +Count brought us a Berlin paper, which contained your last great +speech. 'Look here,' he said, 'there is a man from whom all can learn, +one of whom each party should be proud.' He had no idea why Kurt looked +so pleased and proud, nor why I burst into tears when I read your +splendid speech.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Only fancy, Uncle Bertram! Signor Federigo has just brought me, at my +request, an old visitors' book--the one for the year 1859, the year in +which I knew you had been here. Many leaves had been torn out, but the +one upon which you had written your name was preserved, and the date +turns out to be that of the very day on which I, was born! Is not this +passing strange? Signor Federigo has, of course, had to present the +precious leaf to me, which he did with a most graceful bow--the paper +in one hand and the other laid upon his heart--and we have resolved to +celebrate here the day of your arrival in Capri and of my arrival in +the world. Why, indeed, should we travel on so swiftly? There can be no +fairer scene than this anywhere. Sunshine, the fragrance of roses, the +bright blue sky; the everlasting sea, my Kurt, and the recollection of +you, whose dear image every rock, every palm tree, everything I see +brings as if by magic before my inner eye! No, no; we surely will stay +here until my birthday.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Signor Federigo is calling from the verandah that 'Madama' has only +five minutes more for writing if the letter is to leave to-day. Of +course it is to leave to-day; but I have the terrible conviction of +having written nothing so far. It cannot now be helped. So next time I +will tell you everything that I could not do to-day: about my parents, +who are writing letters full of happiness--papa, in particular, who +seems delighted that he has given up his factories--which surprised me +greatly; about Agatha's engagement to Herr von Busche, which did not +surprise me, for I saw it coming during the merrymakings previous to my +wedding; about ...</p> + +<p class="normal">"Signor Federigo, you are intolerable!</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dear Kurt, I cannot let you have the remaining space of two lines, for +I absolutely require it myself to send my beloved Uncle Bertram a most +hearty greeting and kiss from Quisisana."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bertram laid the paper very gently down upon the table; he was stooping +to imprint a kiss upon it, but before his lips touched the letter, he +drew himself up abruptly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; she knows not what she does, but you know it, and she is your +neighbour's wife! Shame upon you! Pluck it out, the eye that offends +you, and the base, criminal heart as well!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He seized the parliamentary papers, then paused.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Until her birthday! Well, she will assuredly expect a few kind words, +and has a right to expect them; nay, more, she would interpret my +silence wrongly. I wonder whether there is yet time? When is her +birthday? She has not mentioned the date; I think somewhere in the +beginning of May. Now, on what day did I arrive there?"</p> + +<p class="normal">He had not long to seek in the old diaries, which he kept methodically, +and preserved with care. There was the entry: "May 1.--Arrived in +Capri, and put up at a house which I found it hard to climb up to; the +name had an irresistible attraction for me: Quisisana--<i>Sit omen in +nomine!</i>"</p> + +<p class="normal">The first of May! Why, to-morrow is the first. It is too late for a +letter, of course, but a telegram will do, if despatched at once.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Konski!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The faithful servant entered.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My good Konski, I am very sorry, but you must be off to the +telegraph-office at once. To-morrow is the birthday of Miss Erna--well, +well, you know! Of course she must hear from me."</p> + +<p class="normal">He had written a few lines in German, then it occurred, to him that it +might be, safer to write them in Italian. So he re-wrote them.</p> + +<p class="normal">Kanski, who had meanwhile got himself ready, entered the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will scarcely be back before midnight. And, Konski, we must begin +the morrow cheerfully. So put the key of the cellar into your pocket, +and bring a bottle of champagne with you when you return. No +remonstrance, otherwise I shall put into your character tomorrow, +'Dismissed for disobedience'!"</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>XXVIII.</h2> +<br> + +<p class="center" style="letter-spacing:5px">* * * * *</p> +<br> + +<p class="continue">It was nearly three o'clock when the doctor came hurrying in. Konski +would not leave the master, and had despatched the porter. Konski +took the doctor's hat and stick, and pointed in silence--he could not +speak--to the big couch at the bottom of the room. The doctor took the +lamp from the writing-table, and held it to the pale face. Konski +followed and relieved him of the lamp, whilst the doctor made his +investigation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He must have been dead an hour and more," he said, looking up. "Why +did you not send sooner? Put the lamp back upon the writing-table, and +tell me all you know."</p> + +<p class="normal">He had sat down in Bertram's chair. "Take a chair," he went on, "and +tell me all."</p> + +<p class="normal">Then Konski told.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had come back at a quarter-past twelve from the telegraph-office, +and had found his master writing away busily, when he brought in the +bottle of champagne which he had been ordered to fetch from the cellar. +His master had scolded him for bringing only one glass, and made him +fetch another, for they must both drink and clink glasses to the health +of the young lady.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then," the servant went on, "I sat opposite to him, for the first time +in my life, in that corner, at the small round table, he in the one +chair and I in the other. And he chatted with me, not like a master +with his servant, no; exactly--well, I cannot describe it, sir; but you +know how good and kind he always was. I never heard an unkind word from +him all these ten years I have been with him, and if ever he was a bit +angry, he always made up for it afterwards. And, to-morrow I was to +leave for Rinstedt to get married, and he had given us our furniture +and all, and fitted up a new shop for us into the bargain. Then we +talked a good deal of Rinstedt, and of the manœ vres last year, and +of Miss Erna that was, and of Italy, where, as you know, sir, I was +with the master two years ago. Well, I mean, it was not I who was +talking so much, but master, and I could have gone on listening, +listening for ever, when he was telling of Capri, where we did not get +that time, and where Mrs. Ringberg is staying now--Miss Erna as was. +And then his eyes shone and sparkled splendidly, but he hardly drank +any wine, just enough to pledge the young lady's health with, and the +rest is in his glass still. But he made me fill up mine again and +again, for I could stand it, said he, and he could not, he said, and he +would presently finish his work; and there are the papers on the table +in front of you, sir, that he had been looking at. And then, of a +sudden like, he says, 'Konski, I am getting tired; I shall lie down for +half an hour. You just finish the bottle meanwhile, and call me at +half-past one sharp.' It was just striking one o'clock then.</p> + +<p class="normal">"So he lay down, and I put the rug over him, sir, and, oh--I'll never +forgive myself for it; but all day long I had been running backward and +forward about these things of mine, and then at last the long walk at +night to the telegraph-office, and perhaps the champagne had gone to my +head a bit, since I am sure, that I had not sat for five minutes before +I was asleep. And when I woke it was not half-past one, but half-past +two, so that I was regular frightened like. But as the master was +a-sleeping calm and steady, I thought, even as I was standing quite +close to him, that it was a pity to wake him, even though he was lying +on his left side again, which formerly he could not bear at all, and +which you, sir, had forbidden so particularly. I mind of our first +evening in Rinstedt, sir, but then he did wake up again ... and now he +is dead."</p> + +<p class="normal">Konski was crying bitterly. The doctor held out his hand to him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is no fault of yours. Neither you nor I could have kept him alive. +Now, leave me here alone; you may wait in the next room."</p> + +<p class="normal">After Konski had left, the doctor went to the little round table on +which the empty bottle and two glasses were standing, one empty, one +half-full. Above the sofa, to the right and left, were gas-brackets, +with one lighted jet on either side. He held the half-full glass to +the light and shook it. Bright beads were rising from the clear, +liquid.</p> + +<p class="normal">He put the glass down again, and murmured--</p> + +<p class="normal">"He never spoke an untruth! It was in any case solely a question of +time. He drank his death-draught six months ago. The only wonder is +that he bore it so long."</p> + +<p class="normal">Erna's letter was lying upon the table. The doctor read it almost +mechanically.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pretty much as I thought!" he muttered. "Such a clever and, as it +would seem, large-hearted girl, and yet--but they are all alike!"</p> + +<p class="normal">A scrap of paper, with something in Bertram's hand writing caught his +eye. It was the German telegram.</p> + +<p class="normal">"All hail--happiness and blessing--to-day and for ever--for my darling +child in Quisisana."</p> + +<p class="normal">The doctor rose, and was now pacing up and down the chamber with folded +arms. From the adjoining room, the door of which was left ajar, he +heard suppressed sobs. The faithful servant's unconcealed grief had +well-nigh unchained the bitter sorrow in his own heart. He brushed the +tears from his eyes, stepped to the couch, and drew the covering back.</p> + +<p class="normal">He stood there long, lost in marvelling contemplation.</p> + +<p class="normal">The beautiful lofty brow, overshadowed by the soft and abundant hair, +the dark colour of which was not broken by one silvery thread; the +daintily curved lips, that seemed about to open for some witty saying, +lips the pallor of which was put to shame by the whiteness of the +teeth, which were just visible; the broad-arched chest--what wonder +that the man of fifty had felt in life like a youth--like the youth for +whom Death had taken him.</p> + +<p class="normal">From those pure and pallid features Death had wiped away even the +faintest remembrance of the woe which had broken the noble heart.</p> + +<p class="normal">Now it was still--still for evermore!</p> + +<p class="normal">He laid his hand upon that silent heart.</p> + +<p class="normal">"<i>Qui si sana!</i>" he said, very gently.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h3>FOOTNOTE.</h3> +<br> +<p class="hang1"><a name="div2_01" href="#div2Ref_01">Footnote 1</a>: +<div class="poem"> +<p class="t4" style="text-indent:-6px">"Und immer ist der Mann ein junger Mann,<br> +Der einem jungen Weibe wohlgefällt."</p> +</div> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h3>THE END.</h3> +<br> +<br> +<br> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Quisisana, by Friedrich Spielhagen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK QUISISANA *** + +***** This file should be named 34764-h.htm or 34764-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/7/6/34764/ + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the Web Archive + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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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 + + +Title: Quisisana + or Rest at Last + +Author: Friedrich Spielhagen + +Translator: H. E. Goldschmidt + +Release Date: December 27, 2010 [EBook #34764] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK QUISISANA *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the Web Archive + + + + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + 1. Page scan source: + http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924031341906 + + 2. The diphthong oe is represented by [oe]. + + + + + + Q U I S I S A N A + + + OR + + + REST AT LAST + + + + + From the German of F. Spielhagen + + + BY + + H. E. GOLDSCHMIDT + + + + + ONLY TRANSLATION SANCTIONED BY THE AUTHOR AND BY + THE INTERNATIONAL LITERARY ASSOCIATION + + + + + NEW YORK: + JAMES B. MILLAR & CO., PUBLISHERS. + 1885. + + + + + + + TROW'S + PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY, + NEW YORK. + + + + + + + QUISISANA. + + + I. + + +"Why have you roused me, Konski?" + +"You were lying on your left side again, sir," the servant, who held +his master clasped by the shoulder, replied, as he completed the task +of restoring him to a sitting posture on the sofa; "and you have been +drinking champagne at dinner, more than a bottle, John says, and that +surely is ..." + +Konski broke off abruptly, and turned again to the travelling boxes, +one of which was already unlocked; he commenced to arrange its contents +in the chest of drawers, and went on, apparently talking to himself +rather than to his master-- + +"I am merely doing what the doctor has insisted upon. Only last night, +in Berlin, as I was showing him to the door, he said: 'Konski, when +your master is lying on his left side and begins then to moan, rouse +him, rouse him at once, be it day or night. I take the responsibility. +And, Konski, no champagne; not for the next six weeks, anyhow, and best +not at all. And when you have once got into Italy, then plenty of water +to be mixed with the wine, Konski, and ...'" + +"And now oblige me by holding your tongue." + +Bertram had remained sitting on the sofa, his hand pressed to his brow; +he now rose rapidly and strode impatiently about the room, casting +every now and then an angry glance at his valet. Then he stepped to one +of the windows. The sun must be setting now. The high wooded hills +yonder still shone forth in sunny splendour, but the terrace gardens +sloping towards the valley, and the valley itself, with the village +within, lay already in deepest shadow. The picturesque view, the +graceful charm of which he was wont to appreciate so heartily, had no +charm to-day for his dulled brain. Konski was quite right; the +champagne which he had to-day taken for the first time since his +illness, in direct defiance of the doctors injunctions, had not agreed +with him. Well, he had taken champagne because his throat had got +unbearably dry from much talking, and he had talked so much because the +frequent pauses in the dinner conversation were making him nervous. The +whole thing had been a positive bore; the genial host, the fair hostess +had surely fallen off, changed sadly for the worse during the last +three years. Or ... could he possibly have changed himself? Did he +really begin to grow old? If you get seriously ill at fifty, you are +apt to go downhill with startling rapidity! + +This had been the second emphatic _memento mori_--after an interval of +twenty years! The first--the first had been her work. Aye, and she had +kissed him a thousand times, and had vowed deathless fidelity yonder on +the mountain-slope, where the giant oak still lifted its mighty crown +of foliage above the bronze-coloured leafy roof of the beeches. Why the +deuce did they always give him these rooms? He'd better ask Hildegard +this very evening for other rooms--at once, before that blockhead +Konski had unpacked everything. + +"Leave these things alone," he exclaimed, turning round from the +window; "I do not intend to remain in these rooms. I do not intend to +stay here at all, I think. We shall probably be off to-morrow." + +Konski, who was already deep in the recesses of box number two, +believed he had not heard aright. He lifted his head out of the box and +looked in amazement at his master. + +"To-morrow, sir? I thought we were to stay a week at the least." + +"Do what I bid you." + +Konski replaced, the shirts which he was holding in the portmanteau and +rose hastily from his knees. His master was evidently in a very bad +temper; "but that kind of thing never lasts long with him," Konski was +saying to himself, "and then the champagne ..." + +Aloud he said-- +"You can be sure, sir, that there won't be much trouble about the +officers who are going to be quartered here. I know all about it from +Mamsell Christine. Only a colonel, a major, a couple of captains, and +some six lieutenants or so, and perhaps a surgeon-major. None of our +princes, and certainly none of theirs. A mere handful for a large place +like this; they'll be lost, like currants in a bun. And you can remain +in these rooms, where we always have been, and you'll see none of them, +for I don't suppose they'll have this blessed man[oe]vre in the garden +below." + +"I do not know at, all what you want with your everlasting +man[oe]vres," Bertram exclaimed angrily. + +He had gone back, to the open window, through which there came a strong +current of air. Konski went and closed the door of the adjoining room, +then stepped up to within a certain respectful distance of his master, +and said modestly, lowering his voice-- + +"I beg your pardon, sir, but what does it matter, after all, if Miss +really comes ..." + +"What do you mean?" Bertram said without turning round. "What has that +to do with my going or staying? Why should the little one not come?" + +Konski rubbed up his stiff black hair with a certain sly smile, and +said-- + +"Not Miss Erna; the other lady--who is never allowed to come when you +are here." + +"Lydia? Fraeulein von Aschhof? Are you mad?" + +Bertram turned round with the rapidity of lightning, and now uttered +these words in a rough tone, whilst his eyes, generally so gentle, +shone out in great anger. Konski was frightened; but his curiosity was +greater than his terror. He would gladly have at last learned the real +truth about the young lady who was not allowed to come when his master +came on a visit to Rinstedt, and whom he had therefore never yet seen, +although in the course of years he had accompanied his master half a +dozen times. But he was once more doomed to disappointment; his master +had suddenly become perfectly calm again, or at least preserved the +appearance of perfect calmness, and now asked in his usual voice-- + +"From whom have you got your information? Of course from Mamsell +Christine?" + +"From Mamsell Christine, of course," Konski made answer. + +"And she got it from My Lady?" + +"From her Ladyship direct." + +"And when is the lady expected to arrive?" + +"This very evening, along with Miss Erna; and there will also come a +Baron Lutter or Lotter--I could not quite make the name out; they +pronounce things so queerly here in Thuringia." + +"Well, well!" + +Bertram now remembered that Hildegard, his hostess, had at table +mentioned more than once the name of the Baron von Lotter-Vippach. Of +Lydia, too, although he made it a point never to be drawn into +conversation about her, she had again and again commenced to speak; +clearly, as he perceived now, with the intention of preparing him to +some extent for the intended surprise. But My Lady had reckoned without +her host. This was a downright want of consideration; nay, worse, it +was a breach of good faith. There was no reason why he should put up +with it, and he did not mean to put up with it. + +"Where's the master? and where is My Lady?" he asked aloud. + +"The master has ridden over to the coal mines; her Ladyship has gone +into the village. They left word that they would be back before you +were awake again; and you had not lain down on your left ..." + +"That'll do. Into the village, did you say? Give me my hat." + +"Please take your overcoat too, sir," said Konski; "there's a nasty +mist rising from the valley, sir; and the doctor, he did say that if +you caught cold now, sir ..." + +Bertram had put his hat on, and waived the proffered garment back. In +the doorway he turned, and said-- + +"Do not trouble about the boxes. We leave again in an hour. And one +thing more. If you say one word to Mamsell Christine, or to anybody in +the house, now or later--you understand me--and I hear of it--we +part--for all that." + +He had left. Konski was now standing by the open window scratching his +head, and the very next minute he saw him striding swiftly down the +garden. + +"Upon my word!" he murmured; "who'd think that six weeks ago he lay at +the point of death?--And off this evening again--an hour hence! Not if +I knows it. First, I must settle my little business with Christine, and +that is not to be done all at once. Christine says that at that time +the Fraeulein would have nothing to say to him. I can't make it out. +Twenty years ago he must have been a very handsome fellow; why, he is +so almost still. Nor was he a poor man even then, though, of course, he +has inherited lots since. I am devilish keen about seeing the old maid. +One thing is sure and certain, she will arrive this very evening." + +Then he cast one dubious look at the boxes. Perhaps it was taking +needless pains to unpack them. + +"But, but--he'll surely think better of it--he is not the one to run +away from any woman, even if she should number forty years or +thereabout; and--and ..." + +And so the faithful Konski, after having given a most incredulous shake +of the head, set to work, and continued to unpack his master's +travelling boxes. + + + + + II. + + +Meanwhile Bertram, had already crossed the bridge which spanned the +brook at the bottom of the garden terrace, and was hurrying along to +the village along the line of meadows. His hostess, Hildegard, had said +at dinner that she meant to-day, like every Thursday afternoon, to +visit her newly-founded Kindergarten; so he thought there would be no +difficulty in finding her. He had been a frequent visitor at Rinstedt, +and knew every lane in the village; and the Kindergarten, they said, +was on the main road, not far from the parsonage. Well, and what did he +mean to say to Hildegard when he met her? First, of course, make sure +of the facts. But there was little need for that. Konski was a smart +fellow, who was not likely to have made a mistake; and then he was on +such excellent terms with the omniscient Mamsell Christine! He would +ask her what had induced her to break through the agreement to which +she had now adhered for the last twenty years. And yet--what a needless +question! Why, women are never consistent! And in such things they +always like to assist each other and work into each other's hands, even +if they are by no means specially fond of each other. And now it seemed +as if there were special fondness between these two. His beautiful +hostess had, quite contrary to her wont, sung Lydia's praises in every +possible variety of way! And then, take the fact that she had sent her +own daughter to Lydia's _pension_, and had left the girl there in the +small _Residenz_ for three years. Poor Erna! Fancy her for three years +under the care of that crazy woman! Poor Erna--the beautiful creature +with the great, deep, blue eyes! That should never have happened. It +was a positive insult to him. He had urged every argument against it; +had found out a supremely suitable place in Berlin for her; had offered +to undertake careful personal supervision; had urged them to confide +the child to his care, to give the child an opportunity of seeing +something of life under its larger, nobler aspect. And they had said +yes to everything; had thanked him so very much for his exertions, his +kindness; and at the last moment they had contentedly plumped back into +the beloved mire and stagnant waters of the pettiness of life in the +small _Residenz_. To be sure, My Lady herself had been brought up in +that social quagmire, and still cherished with plaintive delight +recollections of bygone splendour, and mourned in secret over her own +hard fate which had not permitted her, like Lydia, to sun herself all +the days of her life in the immediate rays of princely favour, but had +doomed her to marry a man who was not nobly born--a man rich enough, +forsooth, but bearing the unaristocratic name of Bermer, and having +friends of similarly unaristocratic names, to whom, for all that, one +had to be civil. Yes, a real Baron--a Baron von Lotter-Vippach--would, +of course, be infinitely preferable! And fancy her, fancy My Lady +forcing the Baron's company upon him after he had expressly urged that, +being only half convalescent, he needed perfect repose; and would, if +they were to have company in the house, rather in the meanwhile deny +himself the delight of seeing his old friends, and would come to them +in spring instead on his return from Italy! + +Yes, something like this he would say to his beautiful hostess, in +perfect calmness and good temper, of course, only tinged with a touch +of finest irony.... And this new building by his side--why, it must +surely be the Kindergarten! + +So it was. But the girl who was in charge of the children who were +playing on the garden-plot in front of the building, said to him, in +answer to his question, that My Lady had left half an hour ago; had +gone to the parsonage, she thought. A couple of boys who were running +about told him My Lady had gone to the village-mayor along with the +parson. + +The mayor's farm was situated at the opposite end of the village. +Bertram started off in that direction, but before he had got half way +he bethought himself that the parson would probably walk back with +Hildegard, and that in that case he would of course have no opportunity +of speaking plainly to her. So he turned back, determined to wait for +her near the parsonage, which she was bound to pass on her way home. +And yet, how could he wait? He could not tell whether he would have +time left to carry out his intended flight; nay, every moment brought +Lydia nearer, every moment he must expect to see the carriage whirl her +past him where he stood. What? was he to stand here like this, and be +compelled to bow to her? Never! To the left a narrow lane led direct to +the forest, which, higher up, almost bordered on the mansion-house. +This road back was somewhat longer than the one he had come by, and was +steeper too; but anyhow it was much shorter than the carriage-drive, +for that branched off from the high road in the main valley at the +entrance to the side valley, thus intersecting the whole length of the +village, and ultimately wound its long serpentine road up the high hill +crowned by his friend's stately mansion. This way he would gain an +advance of a good half-hour anyhow. It was to be hoped that his friend +and host, Otto Bermer, had meanwhile returned from the coal mines; they +lay in the opposite direction. He'd make a clean breast of it to Otto, +and make Otto take his farewell compliments to My Lady. Poor Otto! "The +grey mare was the better horse," no doubt; and poor Otto would not +relish the task; but what was to be done? And did not he, Bertram, +anyhow enjoy the doubtful reputation of being selfishness incarnate! +Well, then, this done, they would swiftly get some conveyance or other +ready for him. If required, Konski could stay behind with boxes and +such-like impedimenta; and in two or three hours' driving, first +through the forest, to avoid the danger of meeting her, then along the +high road, he would reach Fichtenau. He was fond of Fichtenau. There he +would rest in that evergreen dale for a few days, and recover from the +fatigue of the journey and from this day's manifold annoyances. Anyhow, +he would have escaped from Lydia, have broken away from the snare which +those women had set for him! He owed this satisfaction to himself, and +perhaps the reflection would smooth the rough forest path he had now +entered upon. + +For it was rough, was that path; much more so than he remembered it +being formerly. Much rougher and much steeper too; in fact, most, +most--abominably steep. Never mind; by following the tiny brooklet +which was murmuring in the glen by his side, and which fell into the +big brook in the valley below, he must speedily reach the little bridge +leading to the opposite side; and then a smooth, or at least a fairly +smooth, path would lead him on to the mansion. + +What on earth could she have to do, she and the parson, at the mayor's? +Something, probably, about getting appropriate quarters for those who +were coming to the man[oe]vres; to be sure, My Lady, never idle, must +needs take an interest in everything! Or perchance it was some +charitable purpose, something for the sick, for the poor; in the +pursuit of such noble aims My Lady never spared herself now, that is +never since Royalty had set the example, and made it fashionable! And +anyhow, it was hardly polite, in one so uniformly polite as My Lady, to +leave the house and walk right away to the far end of the village with +one guest already in the house, and with other guests expected every +minute. Possibly--possibly My Lady was not unwilling to avoid the one +guest; and the others, to be sure, must needs drive past the mayor's +house. What more natural than, in such a case, to enter the carriage +that brought the new guests; whilst driving with them through the +village, what more simple than to give a confidential hint or two, just +the merest suggestion, as to the treatment of the bird which she had +captured--oh, so cleverly! No, no, My Lady--not captured yet ... not +yet! + +But where was the little bridge? It ought to have appeared long ere +this. What! Climb down the steep glen, get your feet wet in the brook +below, and climb up again the opposite side? Perish the thought! Why, +everything seemed to go against him to-day! + +At last. And a broad new bridge too. And pair fully rustic, with +elaborate rustic ornaments of curiously entwined and intertwisted tree +branches. And, worst of all, such a confounded bit higher up the stream +than where the old bridge had been. + +And the path on the opposite side, too; new, new like the bridge, new +and fashionable, a regular promenade path; belonging, no doubt, to the +elaborate system of paths which his noble and beautiful hostess had for +years woven, like a complicated network, through the woods around. Of +course, like Charlotte in the "Elective Affinities," the fair +chatelaine must needs have that passion for beautifying everything; +like Charlotte, but not, oh dear! no, with any tender _penchant_ for +her husband's well-born friends. Well, well! He himself had never +doubted the unapproachable virtue of My Lady: what if she now, tried +her gentle hand ever so little at this, surely it was only the outcome +of the excessive goodness of her chaste, and cool, and philanthropic +heart.... Heart! ... And oh the wretched pain, the horrid, horrid +sensation in my own heart. Who the mischief could be philanthropical if +he felt like this? Perhaps this insane running and climbing has brought +on a relapse. The story might then close where it began, and fair Lydia +would come just in the nick of time to see that when people talk of a +broken heart, they are not necessarily talking nonsense.... What +rubbish, though! If my heart breaks, it will be because it has got some +organic fault, and because I took champagne when I should not have done +so. + +He had dropped upon a bench by, the wayside, and there he crouched, +almost bent double, pressing his handkerchief to his mouth, to prevent +his moans from being heard in the silence of the darkening woods. + +The attack passed away. Gradually the agonising pains grew less. With +the physical anguish much of the fierce passion into which he had +worked himself passed away too. In its stead he felt a terrible +heaviness, a dull languor in all his limbs, and there was a sort of +stupor about his brain. + +Supposing it had given way, he mused. Fancy, sitting alone here in the +wood, a dead man, for goodness knows how long, and then terrifying a +poor wretch who chanced to pass this way first! This was not a pleasing +thought. But this anyhow would have been the worst. Death in itself he +did not dread. Why should he? Death was but the end of life. And life? +His life? If he could say that his living harmed no one, except perhaps +poor Konski whom he sometimes tormented by his wayward moods--yet, on +the other hand, it gladdened no one, least of all himself. The few poor +students or struggling artists would have their allowances paid out to +them for the time fixed, whether he lived on or not, and a few public +institutions were welcome to divide the residue between them. All that +would be settled in the shortest and most business-like manner. Never a +tear would be shed by any human being, unless perchance by old Konski. +But no; it was impossible to think of the good, easy-going fellow in +tears. + +He was sitting at the foot of a spreading beech tree. A crow, perched +on the top, uttered a shriek. + +Bertram looked up with a grim smile. "Patience!" he said. + +But it was not on his account that the crow had uttered that cry, but +probably because somebody was approaching. He saw a lady coming down +the side-path which led from the forest direct to his bench. Again, +this convulsive pain at the heart! But he forced himself to look again; +and no, it was not Lydia. Lydia was taller, and her blonde hair was of +ashen hue; this lady's hair was dark, very dark. And the style of +walking, too, was different, very different: an easy, even, step, +making it appear as if she were floating down the somewhat steep path, +although he could see the movement of the feet beneath the light summer +dress. And now she had come quite close to him. She gave a little +start, for, gazing up to the shrieking crow, she had not noticed him, +and he had sprung up somewhat abruptly from the bench. But in a moment +she was collected again, and the flush faded as quickly from her cheek +as it had spread. + +"Is, it possible?--Erna!" + +"Uncle Bertram!" + +There was something wondrously melodious in the voice, but not the +slightest trace of the glad emotion which he himself had experienced +which he himself had experienced on seeing his darling. His heart +contracted; he would fain have said: "You were wont to give me a +different reception;" but he blushed to face the young beauty as a +beggar, and letting, go her hands, he only said-- + +"You did not expect to find me here?" + +"How could I?" was her reply. + +"To be sure!" thought Bertram. "How could she? What a silly question of +mine!" + +He knew not what next to say, and, in some embarrassment, he stood +silent. The crow above had been silent during the last half-minute or +so, and now commenced to croak, abominably. Both had involuntarily +gazed up; now they were, walking silently side by side along the path. + + + + + III. + + +The evening was closing in around them. Through the thick undergrowth +of wood which bordered the path on both sides but little light could +penetrate; overhead the leafy crowns of the beeches interlaced and +formed an almost continuous roof. At a certain abrupt declivity a few +rough steps had been placed. + +"Will you take my arm. Uncle Bertram?" said Erna. It was the first word +spoken between them since, several minutes ago, minutes which had +weighed like lead upon Bertram, they had left the bench under the beech +tree. + +"I was just going to put the same question to you," he replied. + +"Thanks," said Erna. "I know every step here; but you--and then, you +have been ill." + +This might, of course, have been meant in all friendliness; but there +was a coldness about the tone, something like giving alms, Bertram +thought. + +"Have been," he made answer; "but quite well again--quite well." + +"I understand you are going to Italy for the winter--for the sake of +your health." + +"I am going to Italy because I hope I shall be rather less bored in +Rome than in Berlin--that is all." + +"And suppose you are bored in Rome too?" + +"You mean, bores are bored everywhere?" + +"No, I do not mean that; indeed, it would have been most disagreeable +on my part had I meant anything of the kind. I only wanted to know +where people go to from Rome, if they desire still to travel on. To +Naples, I should say?" + +"To be sure. To Naples, to Capri! In Capri there stands amidst orange +groves, with sublimest view of the blue infinity of the ocean, a fair +white hostelry, embowered in roses, Quisisana. Years ago I was there, +and I have longed ever since to be back again. _Qui si sana!_ What a +sound of comfort, of promise! _Qui si sana!_ Here one gets well! Even +those who ate fairly well, physically, have something to recover from. +Why, life itself--what is it but a long disease, and death its only +cure?" + +Another pause. He had intended that there should be no new break in +their conversation and yet the very words he had just uttered, still +under the impulse of the invalid's peevish humour, were little likely +to induce the beautiful and taciturn girl by his side to talk. He +wanted to make heir talk. It never occurred to him that her silence was +due to a lack of ideas, or even to shyness. Quite the reverse. She +interested him more and more every moment, and he was strongly +impressed that he was dealing with a girl of marked individuality, +reposing securely in her own strength. Of her whom he had known and +loved as a child, and whose image he had cherished in fondest, truest +memory, never a trace! + +"You know, Uncle Bertram, that you are going to see Fraeulein von +Aschhof--Aunt Lydia--to-night?" she resumed abruptly. + +Bertram started. That name--from her, fair, chaste lips--had a doubly +hateful sound. + +"I know," he answered; "not from your parents, but I know." + +"They will have shrunk from telling you," Erna continued. "Mamma was +most reluctant to sanction Aunt Lydia's coming; but Aunt Lydia begged +so very hard to be allowed to see you once more, and she thought that +now, when you have been so very, very ill, and when you are going away +for such a long time, you might be in gentler mood. And yet she was +afraid to encounter you. She grew so nervous as we were driving along, +that I believe she was uncommonly near getting out and leaving us to +continue the journey without her. At last I could scarcely bear to +witness her uneasiness any longer, and I felt considerable relief when +I got out myself in order to walk across the hill--from Fischbach, +don't you know--and as I was coming along, I was debating whether, if I +reached home before them, I might not beg you to be a little friendly +towards auntie. You ... but I am not sure whether to go on ..." + +"I beg you will do so." + +"I only wanted to add: you owe it to her." + +"Do I?" + +"I should think so; for her only fault has been that she has loved you +and still loves you, and you ..." + +"My dear child, I beg you will go on without any shyness. I am anxious, +very anxious, you should do so." + +"And you ... left her, after you had been engaged for a whole year!" + +"And then I wrote her a letter of renunciation, did I not? And the poor +forsaken one, in her despair, engaged herself within four-and-twenty +hours to Count Finkenburg, who had long been vainly suing for her hand? +And the old gentleman was so enchanted that scarce a week after he died +from rapture and paralysis combined, without even having time to +remember his fair bride in his will! Was it not so?" + +"Let us change the topic, Uncle Bertram," Erna replied. "I hear from +your words and from your tone that you are excited, and I now feel +doubly how awkward I was in turning our talk, for auntie's sake, to a +subject I ought to know nothing of, and which I certainly should never +have mentioned." + +"I cannot let you off like that, alas! my child," Bertram said in +reply. "I must still ask you from whom your information is derived. +From Fraeulein von Aschhof, of course?" + +"I cannot find it unnatural," Erna said, "if Aunt Lydia, in the +excitement she has laboured under ever since your visit here was +announced, and since she determined to see you again, has unburdened +her overflowing heart to me, and has told me all which--or the greater +part of which--I knew or guessed. And she has urgently entreated me not +to repeat a word of this to you, and I am sure she is convinced that I +would do nothing of the kind. But I gave her no promise, for I have +always been very fond of you, Uncle Bertram, very, very fond; and I was +so sorry that you ... that I now could no longer be fond of you. I have +always in my heart taken your side, when they were saying that you were +cold and selfish, and cared for nobody but yourself. I have always +thought: he has never found any one worthy of him! And now I know all, +I should like to say: perhaps Aunt Lydia was not worthy of him either; +she has many qualities which I do not like at all--but she would surely +have turned out differently if you had not betr ... had not forsaken +her. How can a girl remain good, if she is forsaken by the man she +loves! How can she, if her heart is easily touched, become aught but a +coquette, and assume manners that people will laugh and jeer at; or, if +she be proud, and ashamed of her misfortune, she must needs grow cold +and heartless, and full of contempt for all men, nay, for all mankind!" + +The calm, low voice had remained the same to the very last word, but in +striking contrast to that calm and that self-control there was the +passionate gleam of the great dark eyes, which now looked up to Bertram +with wondrous firmness, such as the ancients may have imagined the gaze +of the gods--"whose eyelids quiver not, like those of mortals." + +The narrow path had widened to a glade; there they stood for a few +moments gazing in each other's eyes; and Bertram felt the fascination +of that wondrous firmness, felt, too, that no consideration could +condemn him to stand before those eyes as a contemptible wretch, and +that, at any cost, he must tear to pieces the dark curtain which +unscrupulous lies had woven and spread between her and him. + +He took her arm, as though to make sure that she would not escape from +him, and, striding swiftly along, and almost dragging her with him, he +said-- + +"And now hear me, too, and despise me, if you still can do so after you +have heard me! Forsaken, did you say, forsaken and betrayed? Yea, +verily! But she it was who practised the treachery--most infamous, most +horrible treachery, with never the shadow of an excuse for it, if +indeed anything ever can excuse treachery. I loved her--I will not say +more than ever man did love--I know not how other men love--I only, +know, that I loved her with the best and purest strength, of my heart. +I was no longer a youth when, at your parents' wedding, I made the +acquaintance of your mother's friend. I was almost thirty years +of age, and was living, as you know, in Leipzig as a mere private +scholar--_Privat-Gelehrter_ they call it. I had planned my scheme of +study on a very great scale, and, being very much, in earnest about +science and art, as indeed about all things I take up, I was wont to +devote years to tasks which other men, with less time or more genius, +accomplish in as many months. Moreover, I had what I required for the +expenses of living, perhaps even a little more--I, am not given to +paying attention to that kind of thing. Now everything became changed +at once. I loved her, I fancied myself loved in return. We had met here +again, and, more than once, and had become engaged, though at first, +and at my own special request, in all secrecy. I comprehended that a +man engaged to so high-born and gifted, a girl as Lydia von Aschhof, +must needs be something better than a mere obscure private scholar, and +I readily 'pulled myself together,' determined to reach my goal. Some +time, of course, was required before my great work could be completed. +Some time; too much for her patience. Perhaps she doubted its ultimate +success. Perhaps she cared naught for the success, notwithstanding the +enthusiasm which she pretended to feel for my efforts, notwithstanding +her being so very kind as to assure me a thousand times that my genius, +my talent, had made her my captive, and would hold her my captive, yea, +though a crown were laid at her feet. As it turned out, no princely +crown was needed; only a plain coronet--and one surmounting a grey, +decrepit head into the bargain. Oh! she wrote me a most touching, most +generous letter of renunciation. 'I am but hindering you in your lofty +striving; an artist, a scholar must be free, unshackled; your fame is +more to me than my love,' and so on, and so on. Two or three pages +more, high-sounding phrases in daintiest handwriting, concluding, of +course, with the announcement of her new engagement, by which, as by a +_fait accompli_, she must needs assist her wavering heart. + +"The letter was written from here, from Rinstedt. I hurried to the +railway; at the last station I got hold of a vehicle. When we got to +Fischbach, the poor overdriven steeds could not get on any further. By +the shortest, steepest path I climbed to the top of the Hirschstein, +the hill you have just come by; here, on the top, I fell down like one +dead. I gathered myself together again, and staggered on, on, until I +reached your father's house. She must have had some foreboding that I +would not submit to this in all patience; she had left your father's +house an hour before, driving to Fichtenau, taking the road by which it +was impossible for me to come. Afterwards I came to be grateful to her +for her circumspection and her precaution, for I think I must have been +simply raving mad; and it was well for both of us that my power was +broken, that I could not pursue the fair fugitive, but had to remain +here, a burden on your parents, sick unto death, given up by the +doctors, until some six or eight weeks' after, I surprised them all by +recovering, enabled to live on as best one can with a sorely wounded +heart--and a heart injured, not in the physical sense alone. What good, +do you think, did it do me whilst I was struggling with death here, and +afterwards dragged myself on crutches through the terrace-gardens, that +my work had appeared, had taken the world by storm, and made me, once +for all, what they call a famous man? What good that, just at that time +a childless old miser of an uncle took it into his head to die, and +that, in default of other heirs, his whole huge fortune fell to me? I +had had enough of the lying and cheating of humanity. Fame, love--I +cared no longer for these things. I became what I am, what my +acquaintances know me to be, what they have called me to you--a cold +egotist. What if for all that I do not cross my hands idly in my lap +but work on, and now and again utter a word of freedom which others, +less independent, might lack the courage to utter; or if I start and +encourage works of general utility; or if here and there I help some +lame dog over a stile; these things I surely do not for the love of the +Lord, nay, solely, so as not to lose that modicum of self-respect which +belongs to the indispensable stock-in-trade of a discreet egotist. And +talking of self-respect, dear, I begin to perceive with pain that I am +lessening the aforesaid modicum considerably in telling you all this. +For, in affairs of the hearts a gentleman should always spare the lady +the utterance of the first word and leave her the last, and if she +asserts that he is Don Giovanni and she Donna Elvira, why, he has but +to bow and thank her for assigning so brilliant a part to him. And now, +my dear child, now try to be fond of your garrulous old uncle once +more, will you not?" + +The girl made no reply. A feeling of shame had gradually stolen over +Bertram as he spoke, and he had tried in vain to weaken it by +concluding with a semi-humorous turn. Now this feeling grew intensified +by Erna's silence. How had, it been possible for him to forget himself +so far as to reveal to a young girl, one almost a child still, one +without comprehension for such sad, ugly, painful experiences, the +deepest secret of his heart--a secret which he had trained himself to +pass by, as it were, with his own face turned away? And he had told of +this, to a girl who stood to the object of his vehement denunciation in +the peculiarly tender and delicate relation of pupil! How mean, how +ignoble of him! He had acted like a raw, immature lad! He wished +himself a thousand miles away; he cursed his want of determination, +inasmuch as he might have left the place abruptly an hour ago, and thus +have escaped all this horrible confusion. Now he must needs depart at +once, this very evening, if possible without seeing, without speaking +to, a soul; most certainly without entering upon any explanation +whatever. He had just tasted the delight of such explanations, and it +would be long before he lost the bitter after-taste of them!... + +They were quite cleat of the wood now, and were approaching--walking +across some meadow land--a tiny gate in the thick old wall, which led +to the courtyard. + +Suddenly Erna said, "And you have told nobody all this?" + +"No," he answered; and it cost him a curious struggle to get the one +brief word--out. + +They passed through the tiny gate; it was almost dark in the yard now. +Before the entrance to the house stood a large open travelling +carriage; servants were removing the belongings of the travellers who +had already alighted. Through the main gate, on the opposite side, a +cart, laden with the heavier articles of luggage, was entering. + +"Uncle Bertram," whispered Erna. + +Just as they were about to cross the threshold of the tiny gate she had +seized his hand with gentle pressure. He had involuntarily stopped. +Again she was gazing up at him, but not now, as before in the wood, +with a stern expression. Was it a reflection of the radiance of the +young moon, just then rising above the gloom which was enfolding the +buildings around--or could it be tears that glistened in the great +eyes? + +"You want to leave us, Uncle Bertram?" + +"Who told you so?" + +"It matters not. You want to leave us?" + +"Yes." + +"Stay! Pray, stay--for my sake!" + +She dropped the hand which she had clasped until now, and hurried +across the yard to the mansion-house, while he ascended the stairs to +the side wing where his own rooms were situated, his whole soul full of +the image of this wondrous girl, whose words, whose looks, had so +potent a spell over him, that he no longer seemed to have a will of his +own as against hers. + + + + + IV. + + +His master's long absence had at length commenced to disquiet faithful +Konski considerably. True, he knew from his ten years' experience that +he need not pay much attention to any orders that master gave him when +in a state of great excitement; and, of course, the later it grew, the +more improbable it became that the departure, although announced, would +really take place; but then, supposing some accident had happened to +him? The doctor in Berlin had most strongly urged him to take every +possible precaution lest, during the first few weeks anyhow, his master +should over-exert himself in any way--and master had hurried down those +terrace steps like one possessed! And all on account of this infernal +old maid who was never allowed to visit at this house when they, master +and he, were here! Oh, why had he not held his silly tongue, and not +brought the great news at once to his master! + +He would have liked hurrying after him into the village, but dared not +leave his post. And now their host came in and inquired for master, and +seemed greatly concerned when Konski, to soothe his own anxiety as it +were, hinted that his master had not been over pleased when told that +additional guests were expected; and Konski added, as a sort of +conjecture of his own, that he had probably gone out for a walk, so as +to avoid having to be present at their reception. And meanwhile My Lady +had returned and had sent for him, and Konski had to repeat to her +Ladyship--for whom he entertained the most confounded respect--what he +had already told her Ladyship's husband; and her Ladyship had looked so +hard at him with those piercing brown eyes of hers, that he was jolly +glad when he was back at his post of observation at the lobby-window, +whence he could survey the whole extensive court-yard. And there--an +open carriage was just entering it; only two people in it--a lady and a +gentleman--thank Heaven, one lady only! In the gathering twilight +Konski could not distinguish, the lady's features or figure, but, if +there was only one lady, why, who could it be but dear Miss Erna? And +from her, master was not likely to run away; and all was well now, if +only he himself were safely back. + +The door below was opened. Konski heard his master's step upon the +stairs and hurried to meet him, joyfully telling him all that he had +observed; and did master know already that Miss Erna was the only lady +who had arrived? + +His master had thrown himself into an arm-chair in the sitting-room, +where careful Konski had already lighted a liberal supply of candles, +and was staring hard in front of him, passing at intervals his hands +over brow and eyes. Suddenly he sat bold upright and said: + +"What did you say?" + +Poor Konski had said nothing at all during the last few minutes, but +inquired now whether his master would not dress for supper; he thought +it was getting quite late enough. + +Bertram rose and passed into the adjoining bedroom where Konski had +laid out such a costume as he deemed appropriate for the occasion. He +lent him the necessary aid, and marvelled greatly that his master, who +was wont to talk to him during the process of dressing more than at any +other time, did not say a single word to-night. Another curious thing +was this: quite contrary to his custom, the master looked hard at +himself in the mirror again and again, and, strangest sight of all, he +pulled and twisted his moustache about! However, seeing that master, +though looking very grave, did not appear either annoyed or angry, +Konski was quite satisfied. To-night then, anyhow, their departure need +not be provided for. + +There was a knock at the door. Their host entered as hurriedly as was +consistent with his being so very stout. + +"Thank Heaven that you are here!" he exclaimed, shaking both his +friend's hands again and again, as though he had been 'long looked-for, +come at last!' "Thank Heaven; we have been quite frightened about you. +Hildegard was very angry that I had left you alone. I said to her, +'Why, he is not a child, requiring to be watched at every step;' that +is to say, I did not actually say so in so many words. I ... thought +so. My wife is terribly nervous to-day. I had told her at once ..." + +Here he noticed the servant's presence, and in some embarrassment broke +off abruptly. Bertram having now completed his toilet, the two +gentlemen left the room together. As they were walking through the long +passage which led to the main building, his host put one arm round his +friend's slender waist and said confidentially, lowering his voice by +way of precaution-- + +"I had told Hildegard at once that you would be annoyed; at least I did +not say so in so many words, but I--hinted it, for, you know, my wife +cannot beat contradiction; and I soon found out that the two women, +between them, had determined that the meeting should take place. Now +Erna tells me--she is a darling, is she not? a little peculiar, a +little odd, but always good to me; how nice that you met on the +hills--well, Erna tells me that you were not particularly angry that +Lydia had accompanied her; that is to say, Erna does not know anything +of the old stories, or has only heard some vague rumours that you +cannot bear each other, or that you cannot bear Lydia. Never mind, it's +all the same now; only tell me that you are not particularly angry." + +"I was at first, but I am so no longer." + +"That's all I ask for. And after all, old chap, well, misunderstandings +and all that sort of thing! But the blame is sure to be yours, or +almost entirely yours. Why, it's always the man who is to blame, eh? I +should know that much, having been married these twenty years!" + +He laughed. Bertram, to change the conversation, asked where the others +were. + +"The ladies are on the verandah; the Baron was still in his room when I +came away." + +"By the by," Bertram asked, "who is this Baron? You were talking about +him once or twice at table, but I confess I hardly listened." + +"Lotter?" his friend said. "Look here; you'll like him immensely. +Stunning fellow, Lotter. Has read every mortal thing; plays the piano; +paints--portraits, landscapes, anything you like. Has come home to do +some painting; studies at our academy, don't you know?--and is a +constant guest at Court, of course." + +"Does he belong to these parts?" + +"Oh; dear no! hails from Wuertemberg. A very, very old family; +Lotter-Vippach. His father was a General, I believe; his uncle a +Minister of State; that sort of thing, don't you know? He has been in +the army himself; was in the '70 campaign. But he is a bit of a rover. +Has been up and about a good deal; in Algiers, South America; that, +sort of thing. I pressed him to come and stay here during the +man[oe]vres, to help me to do the honours, as I never was in the army +myself. He is awfully anxious to make your acquaintance; has read all +your works and--and--but where on earth are our ladies? I'll go and +look. You stop where you are; do not come out bareheaded." + +The last words had already been spoken in the garden saloon, the great +French windows of which, leading to the verandah, stood wide open. His +host had hurried off to look for the ladies, and Bertram, left alone, +strode up and down in the large, half-darkened room. Had he not, +perhaps, yielded all too readily to Erna's command? If obedience was to +be easy to him, nay, if it was to be at all possible for him, she ought +to have stayed by his side. And now her very image was gone from his +inner eye, and its place had been taken by her whom he had once so +passionately loved, as if twenty years had not gone by since he last +saw her, as if she had only passed a minute ago with her beautiful +friend and hostess into the garden, thence to return immediately under +some pretext or other, to rush to his embrace, to shower hot, +passionate kisses upon him--here, in this very saloon, as she had so +often, so often done--here, where the faint fragrance of violets still +seemed to float, that she was so fond of, and which in those days he +was ever associating with her presence! + +He was standing in the semi-darkness, his back turned to the verandah; +a gentle rustling sound was coming up the steps. He turned. Framed in +by one of the doors against the brighter background of the evening sky, +appeared the shadowy outline of a lady, lingering a moment or two on +the threshold, then hastening with raised arms towards him, as he stood +motionless, spellbound. + +Before he could prevent it, she had sunk on her knees before him, had +seized his hands which he was involuntarily stretching forth to lift +her up, and now she was pressing them to her bosom, to her lips. A +dense cloud of violet perfume came floating up to him. + +"Mercy, Charles, mercy!" + +"I entreat you, My Lady, ... for Heaven's sake ..." + +He had been barely able to stammer out these words; he felt the most +acute physical anguish at his heart; cold beads of perspiration stood +upon his forehead; ice-cold were the hands which Lydia had held till +then, and which now she dropped, terrified, rising as she did so from +the ground. + +"My Lady!" she murmured, "My Lady ... Ah, I knew it!" + +The convulsive pain at his heart had ceased now; it beat on, but +slowly, heavily; even so his anger and pain were giving way to +compassion. + +"Let bygones be bygones," he said. + +"If it were possible!" whispered Lydia. + +"It must be possible." + +She knew from his gentle but firm tone that, for the moment, she dare +go no farther; and though she had to confess to herself that she had +been deceived in her fond hope of reconquering his affections by one +grand assault at starting, something was secured anyhow, and something +desirable and even necessary--a fairly satisfactory footing when they +met in society. + +"The dear voice!" she whispered; "the old, dear, gentle voice! But ... +those hard, cruel words! Yet I have no right to complain, and I will +not lament; it must, indeed, be possible!" + +Much to his relief Bertram was spared the necessity of replying, for +his host and hostess were just then coming in from the garden, +accompanied by Erna and Baron Lotter. At the same moment a servant +opened the folding-door which led to the dining-room; the two gentlemen +were introduced to each other; the Baron offered his arm to the lady of +the house, Lydia was clinging to the master, and thus Erna fell to +Bertram's share. They were lingering a little behind the rest. + +"How good you are!" whispered Erna. + +"Am I?" he made answer. "I feel most contemptible." + + + + + V. + + +In very truth the feeling that he had done wrong in thus opening his +heart to Erna had come back in renewed strength to Bertram, since he +had to admit to himself that he had emphatically broken his own dictum +that bygones were to be bygones. The past was no longer a secret +between those concerned; and what would henceforth happen--each word, +each look which they exchanged, all, all would have a sense, a meaning +for somebody else--for the beautiful girl who was so grave beyond her +years, the girl with the great, still, godlike eyes. + +Thus Bertram was profoundly in earnest when he declined to accept +Erna's praise; but, anyhow, he hoped that the worst was over now. + +How greatly he was mistaken in this, came most painfully home to him +with the first stolen glimpse which he ventured to take of Lydia's face +in the pitiless radiance of the bright candles which shone upon the +round table in the dining-room, where he sat opposite her. Was that +really ... Lydia? Or had some mischievous imp, by cruel witchcraft, put +a caricature of herself in her place, and changed the picture of the +bright and gifted girl, overflowing with jest and fun, with humour and +wit; the girl with the somewhat irregular but most piquant features, +with the big, light-blue, mischievous eyes, fresh and rosy of colour, +with wild, fluttering, blonde locks, into the picture of an aging +coquette, for ever pouting her thin lips, even when she laughed, so as +to hide her false teeth; now lowering, now lifting her eyelids, like an +actress, in vain endeavouring to give some light to her eyes--a light +as treacherous as the all too bright pinkiness of the lean cheek, the +all too dark carmine of the ears, adorned though they were with +sparkling diamonds? An ugly old woman, who now let the gold embroidered +white silk shawl glide from the scraggy shoulders, only to draw it up +again immediately and attempt a more picturesque drapery--which was not +a success, so that the game had to be renewed forthwith! + +And he had once loved this painted, dressed-up, revoltingly coquettish +person; had loved her with the best, purest strength of his heart, as, +but a little while ago, he had assured Erna with passionate eagerness. +It was horrible! Would Erna believe that yonder withered shrub had ever +blossomed in vernal brightness and beauty? How could she believe it, +when she looked at the friend of Lydia's youth, her own mother, whose +majestic beauty was barely touched by Time in his flight? Her great +brown eyes had lost none of their velvety softness, her raven hair +still shone in undimmed splendour. And if the difference in appearance, +in manner, was now so great between the two ladies, must it not always +have existed? And must not the taste of a man, whose feelings could at +any time have led him so far astray, have been at all times most +lamentable? + +And if the pitiless brightness had brought so terrible a discovery to +him, how would he himself appear before Erna's searching gaze? Had not +some horrible change taken place with him too? Why, these twenty years +had altered Erna's father, who at college had been rightly surnamed +'The Beauty,' into an excessively stout gentleman, with a somewhat +bloated countenance, and a mighty skull, which was getting painfully +bald in the region of the temples! And he himself had never been +distinguished for personal attraction; true, his hair was as dark as +ever; and, before supper, in the glass, he had thought that he saw a +pale and grave, but not a worn, face. But then the complaisant mirror +of vanity might make one fancy one saw all sorts of things. No doubt +Lydia had just such a mirror in her room! + +Bertram felt more and more sad at heart. He no longer dared lift his +eyes, but kept them fixed upon the plates, which the servants changed +without his having tasted any of the dishes to which he helped himself +mechanically. So he sat on, scarcely hearing a word of the +conversation, which was principally carried on by Lydia and the Baron. +Apparently they were talking about some Court affairs, and very amusing +and piquant they would appear to be. Anyhow, there was much laughter, +chiefly on the part of Lydia and the Baron, and My Lady held up her +hand once or twice, and reminded the two of the respect due to the +Grand Ducal family. Then the conversation touched upon the approaching +man[oe]vres, and the Baron proclaimed his minute knowledge of every +detail, and endeavoured to explain to the ladies, with the help of +spoons and forks and what not, the original positions both of the +attacking party and the attacked, and duly weighed the various events +which might or must occur, according whether the commanding officers +did or did not take certain steps. Under any circumstances, the +decisive portion of the sham-fight must come off in the immediate +neighbourhood of Rinstedt itself, if not in Rinstedt itself; +unfortunately, the ground being singularly unsuitable for cavalry, the +ultimate issue would lie between artillery and infantry. He himself, +said the Baron, having formerly been a cavalry officer, was very sorry +for that; but, anyhow, the ladies, could look forward to a glorious +sight. What, a pity, he added, that in spite of his having so many +friends in the army, he did not chance to have any personal +acquaintances among the officers of this particular regiment. + +"Well, I know a number of them," said the host. "The 99th were +stationed at Erfurt until a twelvemonth ago. I used to meet the +officers over and over again out shooting." + +"Then," said the Baron, turning to Lydia, "you must know some of them +too. They are sure to have attended some of our Court balls." + +"Of course," the lady replied; "and they were also in the habit of +coming over in shoals to the play; but who is to distinguish one red +collar from another? Not I! I love plain, quiet, civilian colours. Ask +Erna; she is sure to know. She spent six weeks last summer with her +Aunt Adelheid in Erfurt, and there the officers, are constantly coming +and going. Is it not so, Erna?" + +"You are forgetting," said Erna, "that aunt was in mourning at the +time. Of course there were no parties then." + +"But still," the Baron observed, "people go to a house without being +actually bidden to parties, inspire of the family being in mourning, if +there are six marriageable daughters in it, as is the case in your +aunt's house." + +"Possibly; then my power of discriminating between different red +collars is not more strongly developed than Aunt Lydia's; anyhow, I do +not remember any one of the gentlemen." + +This was uttered in such a stern tone, as of one who would decline to +pursue the subject, that Bertram looked up involuntarily. Her dainty +features were perfectly composed, but the blue eyes, which she was +bending upon him, not upon her interlocutor the Baron, seemed to have a +deeper radiance than that of suppressed annoyance. This was the first +time that their looks had met across the table, and a curious thrill +passed through his frame. He felt the hot blood surging to his temples; +and to mask his growing embarrassment, he asked who was in command of +the regiment in question. + +"Colonel von Waldor," the Baron replied promptly. + +"I knew an officer of that name," said Bertram, "long ago, in Berlin; +at that time he had been told off to the Military Academy of that town. +For some years I kept up a correspondence with him, but somehow I lost +sight of him afterwards. But I rather think that was not his regiment?" + +"No," replied the Baron. "You are quite right; he used to be in the +210th. He got the colonelcy of the 99th about a year ago. He made quite +a name for himself in the '70 campaign." + +"Even at the time I recall, my friend was considered a very smart +officer," said Bertram. + +"No doubt, no doubt," replied the Baron; "it must be the same man. As +far as I know, there are not two Waldors in the army, at least not +among regimental commanders, for I think I know all their names by +heart. Your Colonel is a queer fish, anyhow." + +"What is a 'queer fish'?" asked Lydia, touching the Baron's arm with +her fan. + +He laughed, and said: "Well, that question is more easily asked than +answered." + +"Then, pray, do not answer it at all," said Hildegard, the hostess, +glancing at her daughter Erna. + +"Why not, my Lady?" the Baron exclaimed. "It is harmless enough to let +the facts speak, and it is a fact that Waldor who--I do not know him +personally, but Dr. Bertram will assuredly confirm my statement--was +known throughout the army not only on account of his gallantry, but +also on account of his manly beauty, and who had consequently broken +countless hearts, is still a bachelor." + +"You say 'consequently,'" exclaimed Lydia, "and consequently you think +very meanly of our sex." + +"How so?" + +"Well, you seem to assume that manly beauty suffices to touch--or, as +you are pleased to call it, to break--female hearts. Alas, my dear +Baron, how little do you know our sex!" + +"I beg a thousand pardons--but I really said nothing of the kind. Venus +and Mars--the alliance of valour and beauty, you know--your poets know +something of this. Why, there is a poet here among us--let him speak up +for me!" + +With these last words the Baron had turned to Bertram; his tone and the +accompanying gesture had something insultingly patronising about them; +in fact, in Bertram's eye the whole demeanour of the young man, +almost a giant in stature, was saturated with an arrogant sort of +self-complacency, which seemed to take unanimous applause for granted. +Nevertheless he replied with calm politeness: + +"I neither consider myself a poet, nor am I, to the best of my +knowledge, considered one by anybody who has read the few miserable +trifles in verse which I published years ago." + +"I protest against this most emphatically," exclaimed Lydia. "I have +read those 'miserable trifles in verse,' as you call them--what a +horrible expression. I know them by heart, and I consider the author to +be a poet--a poet by grace divine." + +"I am extremely obliged to you," replied Bertram. "However, surely what +a man is born for is wont to announce itself, sooner or later, in a +man's own heart. With me that voice is absolutely silent; and, +therefore, I might surely claim the right of refusing to give the +evidence required of me. But not being specially qualified, and being +absolutely impartial, I would fain warn my friends not to repose +overmuch confidence in poets on that particular point. Anxious for the +applause of the many, as their trade seems to demand, they accommodate +themselves but too readily to the taste of the many, who, as we all +know, like very children, seize eagerly upon anything bright, +glistening, motley-coloured. Therefore, why should they not picture the +heroine as beautiful beyond compare, the hero as valorous beyond +comparison, and heap any number of additional titles to fame upon their +blessed heads! Whether one quality does not perchance exclude another, +whether the measure dealt out does not, anyhow, exceed all that is +reasonably possible--dear, dear, there are few who'll ask that +question; and if any one does, why, then, he is a pedant, and for +pedants the heroes of romance have no existence, any more than real +heroes have for their valets." + +"Oh! you scoffer--you wretch!" exclaimed Lydia. "Why, you will prove +next that beauty, that valour, that every virtue in the world, belongs +to the region of romance. What a terrible thing scepticism is! But our +friend was ever thus. Did I not say a short while ago: Hildegard, I +cannot believe that he has changed; he cannot change! And behold, he +is exactly what he always was!" + +"Well, that's coming it pretty strong, seeing it's twenty years since +..." + +The corpulent host had laughingly given utterance to these words, then, +feeling his wife's dark eyes bent upon him in stern disapproval, he +broke off abruptly with Ahem! poured some wine into his own glass, +which was but half emptied, and then wanted to know why the gentlemen +present were not doing justice to the wine that night. + +Bertram, wishing to relieve his friends in their evident embarrassment, +came to the rescue, saying, with smiling, easy politeness: "Fraeulein +von Aschhof only proves by her kind assertion of my immutability, that +she is indeed looking upon the world and mankind with a poetical eye. +But let us remember this--the poets themselves allow only the fair sex +to participate in the pleasing prerogative of the calmly careless ever +youthful gods; and the poets may venture on this deception, because the +listener is willing to be deceived. 'Breathes there a man with soul so +dead,' who ever ventured to count up the years of an Antigone, an +Iphigenia, a Helena? They are what they were--else they are not. But, +even the poet's flattering arts cannot keep the man from aging; and if +the poet would grant perennial youth to a man, he must needs let him +die in his youth--like Achilles." + +"I protest against this theory," Lydia exclaimed eagerly. "I assert +that heroes age as little as heroines." + +"Even that," Bertram replied with a smile, "would not help me, seeing +that I am no hero, assuming even that you were right. But I may be +permitted to indulge in some humble doubt. At best the hero of the +Odyssey appears distinctly as a man of mature age,--to put it +mildly,--and Pallas Athene must practise upon him her divine art of +beautifying before she ventures to introduce him among the Phaeaci." + +The Baron was meanwhile playing with his spoons and forks again; he was +evidently annoyed at having been so long kept out of the conversation. + +Bertram went on as though he did not notice it at all; he very surely +was not speaking for that fellow's sake. He only cared to clear himself +in Erna's eyes from any suspicion that he, like the aged coquette +opposite him, was laying claim to a juvenility which had gone by for +ever; and seeing those eyes steadily bent upon him, he took heart of +grace, and went on in the same tone of easy, good-humoured banter-- + +"Goeethe, a modern, and in this case a tragic, poet too, in his +Nausicaan fragments, wisely forebore to bring in that art of +beautifying, which is only lawful for the epic poet in his antique +naivety, and in order to bridge over the mighty difference and distance +of years, and to change the evidently improbable into something at +least credible, he takes refuge in illusion, causing it to arise from +the child's very heart, like a fog enveloping those pure eyes, that +clear mind-- + + + 'That man must ever be a youthful man, + Who is well-pleasing to a maiden's eyes.'[1] + + +Thus the aged nurse, taking the unspoken words, as it were, from +Nausicaa's chaste lips. A touching saying, touching, like children's +belief in the omnipotence of their parents! And about that +youthfulness, which exists nowhere except in the glorious dreams of a +young, inexperienced, generous soul, well, Goethe has told us something +with exquisite humour, not, as true humour indeed never is, without a +touch of melancholy, in the novelette of the man of fifty. Poor old +Major! I have always been heartily sorry for him. Remember how he begs +the services of the valet (skilled in the use of cosmetics) from his +friend the great actor; how that adroit official uses his balm, and his +stays, and his wadding for the aged gentleman, and yet cannot save the +diseased front tooth, and certainly cannot keep fair Hilarie from +falling vehemently in love with young Flavio, solely because she sees +him in raptures with the clever widow, solely because in Flavio's +raptures she beholds for the first time a representation of genuine, +ardent, youthful passion. All this is as true as it is charming, as +charming as it is melancholy, at least for the reader who is in a +position to test the hero's experiences and sentiments by his own +sentiments and experiences." + +"Of course; 'there's no fool like an old fool,' and I suppose that +really is the final outcome of the whole business," said the Baron. + +"How dare you talk of things you know nothing about, you prosaic +individual?" exclaimed Lydia, bringing her fan down upon the giant's +arm. "There is no talk of old people here. A man of fifty is not old, +he is in the prime of life, and is often ten times younger than your +used-up so-called young gentlemen. But I must really say something for +Goethe against our 'learned friend.' Yes, yes, my friend, I know the +novelette well; I read it aloud to the Court barely a week ago. Who +bids you take a comedy in that tragic way?--for the novelette in +question is a comedy--a 'Comedy of Errors.' Hilarie fancies she is in +love with the uncle, and really loves Flavio; Flavio fancies himself in +love with the young widow, whilst really he loves Hilarie; and how the +Major--well, I think the final scene at the inn proves emphatically +that he had only turned his feelings to--to--to--the wrong address, if +I may venture upon the expression; and that he and the clever widow +subsequently became a happy pair is perfectly clear to me. Or, do you +think not?" + +A warning glance flashed from Hildegard's dark eyes. Lydia positively +blushed through her layers of paint. She had shown her hand too +plainly! + +Bertram struggled successfully against a strong inclination to smile; +nay, curiously enough, something like pity for her indiscretion stirred +within him. He went on-- + +"To be sure, you are right, right, above all, in calling the novelette +a comedy. How little Goethe cared to have a tragic conflict is evident +from the fact that he chose circumstances as favourable as possible for +a happy conclusion, and that he from the very beginning secured a line +of retreat for every one concerned. The Major is the uncle of Hilarie, +the only daughter of his widowed mother, and he has doubtless acted the +part of father to her--has, up till now, loved her as his own child. +His rival, in whose favour he resigns his claims, is his own only son, +to whom he is also very much attached, and with whom he is on excellent +terms, whom he in fact treats like a comrade. Again, behind Hilarie, as +she vanishes from him, stands as it were the young widow; and in her +arms the Major will speedily forget the small humiliation. And lastly, +and this seems to me to be the chief point, Goeethe has wisely avoided +to introduce the one element whereby he would have been enabled, nay +compelled, to turn the comedy into tragedy; he has ... but I beg pardon +of our fair hostess for being so garrulous. To be sure, it is high time +we rose from table!" + +Truly enough, the turn which the conversation had taken had, for Erna's +sake, been unwelcome to her mother. So she seized the opportunity and +rose from table. Erna, who had sat without turning her gaze from +Bertram, took a deep breath, like some one who is being recalled from +deep dreams to the consciousness of present realities, and followed the +example of the others. She and Bertram were the last couple that left +the dining-room on their return to the garden-saloon, which had +meanwhile been lighted up, and Bertram thought she was walking very +slowly--on purpose. + +"What was the one element, Uncle Bertram?" she asked. + +"What one element?" + +He knew what she meant; but he had broken off at table, because he +himself dreaded the utterance of the word. So he delayed his reply, and +just then his host appeared, bringing cigars: the gentlemen might smoke +on the verandah, whilst Lydia would give them some music. + +"You remember, Charles, do you not," he went on, "the _sonata +pathetique_--that used to be your favourite piece? And Lydia has +practised it often since, I think." + +Lydia was ready. Bertram, however, begged to be excused from remaining. +He felt, he said, after all, tired with the day's journey, and it was +but the charm of their company which had made him forget that he was +still a convalescent. He barely gave Hildegard time to draw him aside, +and to say to him in a whisper-- + +"You really are most amiable. How good of you to take it so kindly. I +had not at dinner to-day courage enough to make my confession. Indeed I +have to confess, to say much to you--to-morrow ..." + +"To-morrow be it, fair friend," said Bertram, kissing the lady's hand, +bowing to the rest, and making hastily for the door. He had not reached +it before Erna was by his side. + +"You used to say good-night to me less formally." + +He did not venture to press a kiss on the proffered brow, but only took +her hand. + +The great grave eyes gazed at him as though they would fain read what +was passing in his inmost soul. + +"Good-night, dear child," he said hurriedly. + +"Good-night," she replied slowly, letting his hot, trembling hand glide +out of her own cool little one. + +"It is lucky," said Bertram to himself, after he had dismissed Konski, +and as he stood alone by the open window in his bedroom, "it is very +lucky, indeed, that it is not very easy to read what is passing in +somebody else's soul. She would have found queer reading!" + +He leaned out of the window and gazed into the darkness. Not a breath +of air. From the garden below the fragrance of mignonette was wafted +up; the brook murmured aloud; a thin white veil was spread over the +valley, with here and there a dim speck of light. The sky was +cloudless, of deep blue, almost black colour; the moon looked like a +mass of gold, and one solitary star near it shone forth in red +splendour. + +Bertram recalled just such a night, long years ago, when a friend, the +assistant-astronomer, had given Erna's father and himself the +opportunity of witnessing, from the Bonn Observatory, the transit of +that same star--Aldebaran--through the moon! Afterwards he had +accompanied Otto back to Poppelsdorf, and Otto had in his turn walked +back with him to the Pfoertchen in Bonn; and so backward and forward, +all through the mild summer's night, until the light of morning had +come, and the birds were beginning to twitter in the leafy crowns of +the chestnut trees. And they had been raving of friendship and love--of +the love they both, most fraternally, cherished for one and the same +black-eyed beauty, the daughter of one of their professors, and they +had both been sublimely happy, all their misery notwithstanding, for +the black-eyed one was known to love another--"Great Heaven, how long, +how long ago? A generation, and more. And now ...?" + +"Now," he went on, "you are about to fall in love with the daughter +of the same man whom then you rivalled in absurdly exaggerated, +donkey-like phantasies--with a girl of eighteen, whose father you could +be. And this time you would not get off with raving incoherently for a +night of two, and with scribbling a few mediocre sonnets! Be +reasonable, old man. Let it go--let it go! You know full well you can +have no abiding place here, any more than the horseman in the +Piccolomini. Behind you, too, as you ride along, crouches the lean +companion and clasps you in his bony arms, and every now and again taps +at your heart, to test if it is still stupid enough to throb for a +beauteous maiden who is seated by the window among wallflowers and +rosemary. + +"And behind the curtain stands her lover, and bends across her, that +he, too, may look upon the mad horseman, who is stretching out his neck +to see his darling. And the clumsy fellow with the bull's neck wrinkles +his silly brow, twirls his mustachio, strokes his beard, mutters _Mort +de ma vie!_ and shakes his coarse fist. But she pouts, and giggles and +bursts out laughing, and falls on the neck of the jealous one ... + +"No, no; it cannot be! You only want to hear from her lips that it +cannot be. And then--away, away--ride out of the gate--to swift, +honourable death. And God's blessing on thee, thou gentle, lovely, and +beloved child!" + +He closed the window gently, and so to bed; to bed, but not to sleep. +He could not find that repose he stood so much in need of. The brook +murmured so loudly, or was it the hot bloody surging to his temples? + +And was he about to sink into slumber, he would start up again +immediately; he seemed again, to be holding her by the hand, and she +bent her forehead to be kissed by him. + +"No--no! Lead me not into temptation! Do not ask me what the one thing +is! I would not say it, even, if--what God forbid!--it were so. I will +not let you beguile me into a tragedy, any more than from one comedy +into another." + + + + + VI. + + +This thought, which had at length quieted Bertram's, wildly tumultuous +spirits, was also his first, when late next morning he awoke from deep +and dreamless slumbers--neither tragedy nor comedy! Calm and clear +observation, as best becomes a solitary individual who has done with +life; who neither hopes nor fears anything from Fate for himself; +maintaining a benevolent interest in the fate of others, where +benevolence is merited and interest is justified; cherishing throughout +the conviction that, after all, every one makes or mars his own life; +that interference and advice are rarely of much use, and generally +distinctly hurtful; and that, even under the most favourable +circumstances, the task of mediator is ever, of all tasks, the most +thankless. + +In the clear light of these contemplations and of the delicious morning +which was resting in sunny radiance above the lovely landscape, last +night's scenes appeared to Bertram like the confused darkness of a +feverish dream; nay, he derived some comfort from the thought that he +probably had been ill, and was therefore only partly responsible for +his extraordinary demeanour. Still, he was gravely responsible for one +thing--he ought sooner to have become conscious of his condition. He +might well thank his stars that in his excited state he had not behaved +even more strangely; above all, that to-day, for the first time since +his last long and severe illness, he felt as fresh and strong as in his +best days. Assuredly with the morning all things seemed to have become +better--much better than he could have expected--than he deserved! + +The master's disposition was singularly serene, and he gave it a most +friendly expression in the course of his toilet, showing himself ready +for a friendly gossip with Konski; but Konski, strange, to say, was out +of temper, and refused to be gossiped with. + +At last Bertram said: "What ails you? If you are displeased, at what I +said yesterday about our speedy departure, you may calm yourself. We +still remain here for the whole time we had originally arranged. I see +you have unpacked already." + +"We may leave to-day, for aught I care!" grumbled Konski. + +"What's up now? Out with it, Konski! You know I cannot bear sour looks. +Anything in connection with Mamsell Christine?" + +"Of course it is!" replied Konski; "and I wonder who's to keep from +sour looks under these circumstances! I had written to her that this +was to be my last trip with you, and when we returned from Italy in +March we might go and be spliced. I did not want to tell you at all, +but don't you see, sir, one gets older every year, and it has to be +some time or other, and ..." + +"And now you wish to marry at once, and I am to give you your +discharge?" + +"Marry at once, indeed!" sniffed Konski; "she won't marry at all +now--leastways, not me--and that, after we have been engaged these +five years! But there is no trusting them women, and especially the old +ones! She is five and forty years of age, she is,--a year older than I +am myself; and now she's going to marry a young greenhorn of five and +twenty!" + +It was some time before Konski, generally so calm and patient, could +explain in detail to his master how badly he had been treated. +According to his account, Mamsell Christine had written the tenderest +letters to him until a few weeks ago, and had declared herself +agreeable to all his suggestions and proposals; and now it appeared +from the statements of the other servants whom he had cross-questioned, +and whose evidence the faithless one could not but corroborate, that +she had been "carrying on" for a long while with one Peter Weissenborn, +who had formerly been head-gardener at Rinstedt, and who had been +settled in the neighbouring town for the last six months, and who was +now, it was said, likely to be appointed one of the Court gardeners, +thanks to the protection of the Herr Baron. The Herr Baron, Konski went +on, had also induced My Lady to give Mamsell Christine leave to quit +her service at any time without formal notice; and, indeed, the +servants all said, that the way to get My Lady's consent to anything, +was to get the Herr Baron on your side; that made success quite +certain. And My Lady was said to be quite in favour of this marriage +between Christine and the future Court gardener. In that case she would +always have two of her former servants at hand when she came to town, +and that was likely to be an event of frequent occurrence now; if, +indeed, she did not go to live there altogether, as some of the +servants asserted--Aurora, for instance--My Lady's maid, who was her +second favourite, next to Christine. + +Bertram endeavoured to comfort the poor fellow. He pointed out to him +that he should be glad to be rid of a person who had evidently never +meant honestly by him, and who would in all probability have been as +faithless in marriage as she had now proved before. This conviction led +him to reject any wish there might exist to get the matter rectified +again, as was done sometimes, and in much higher social circles too; +otherwise he would have been willing to use his influence with My Lady, +which presumably would have been at least as telling as that of the +Herr Baron. + +Konski shook his head. "I am extremely obliged to you, sir," said he. +"I am quite content if you will still keep me on, after I have proved +myself to be such a thorough ass. And, as far as talking to her +Ladyship goes, that would be in vain--the Herr Baron is cock of the +walk there. I could tell you a good deal more about that, but I know +you do not like that sort of thing!" + +Bertram was startled. The man's last remark could have but one meaning, +and the image of the girl among the wallflowers and with the jealous +lover, emerged in singular distinctness from last night's feverish +phantasies. He would fain have for once broken through his rule of +never going out of his way to listen to the gossip of kitchen and +servants' hall, but, as Konski did not volunteer any further remarks, +he was ashamed to put any direct questions. Just at that moment, too, +there came a knock, and a servant brought a message from her Ladyship. +She had learned that the Herr Doctor had risen, and might she request +the Herr Doctor's' company on the verandah to tea? + +Bertram lost no time in following the invitation. Hildegard, who had +been sitting in a shaded corner of the verandah at the deserted +breakfast-table, came forward to meet him. As she moved towards him +with well-balanced step, he could not but recall last night's talk +about the never-changing beauty of a poet's heroine. He gazed upon the +lofty figure in its youthful slimness, the clear, deep colouring of the +incomparably beautiful countenance, the blue-black splendour of the +ample hair, smooth at the temples, and crowning the glorious head with +a dense braid. + +There was a smile on her dainty lips, and if deepened a little as she +saw her guest's speaking eyes bent upon her in undisguised admiration. +She was making tender inquiries about the state of his health, leading +him the while to the table and making him sit beside her, with the +kettle bubbling in front of them. + +"Otto," she said, "is, as usual, somewhere about the estate. The Baron +is painting a portion of the village from the bottom terrace, and Lydia +is, I believe, keeping him company with a book. Erna, you will probably +find later on in her favourite place, under the big plantain tree. I +have sent them all away, because I so long to have a comfortable +confidential chat with you. Yesterday we did not manage to have one. +And first of all, dear friend, accept my hearty thanks for having so +kindly pardoned a breach of confidence of which I--not from choice--had +been guilty. Nay, do not refuse the expression of my gratitude. I saw +how hard you found it to appear unconscious and serene; I thank you all +the more. But I knew that with your wonted cleverness you would at once +find the only correct point of view--that of pity. Whatever has been +done and sinned between the two of you,--she is the one to be pitied. A +poor girl, growing old, even if she is in favour at Court; and although +the Grand Ducal family could not be kinder, yet all this cannot satisfy +the cravings of her eager mind--but I perceive that this is a painful +topic for you!" + +"It is not painful for me," replied Bertram; "or at least only so far +as the description of a dissatisfied, unquiet soul must ever be painful +for us, if it is hopelessly out of our power to bring satisfaction and +peace to it." + +"I understand you," said Hildegard; "and you will understand me when I +beg of you not quite to rob the poor soul in question of its utterly +foolish hopes to which it clings, alas! with incredible tenacity. You +can do this so easily: you need but be amiable and, courteous to her, +as you are to everybody--no more, but, to be sure, no less--do you +consent?" + +"I will try, since you wish it--on one condition!" + +"And this condition?" + +"I have come to the following determination--indeed, it is a matter of +course for me. In the drama of human life I will not henceforth ever +again leave, my well-won place in the stalls, and under no +circumstances will I take a part on the stage itself--no tragic +part--and still less a comic one!" + +"From the latter," replied his fair hostess with a smile, "you are +safe under any circumstances, through your own cleverness; from the +former----" + +"Through my age." + +"I meant to say, also through your cleverness; or, if you prefer it, +through the cool, unimpassioned frame of mind which you have grown +into, and which I often envy you!" + +Bertram looked up in amazement, and then quickly busied himself with +his tea-cup. Hildegard, to envy him his coolness! Hildegard, who had +ever appeared to him the very embodiment of conscious equanimity! + +"You may be surprised to hear this from me," she continued; "but must +we not all, sooner or later, learn the lesson of resignation? And my +time surely has come. Indeed, it has been so all my life. What have not +I had to resign in the course of my life! Or do you think that the +husband's wealth can blind the wife, if she be proud, to the +consciousness that she is not loved as she longs, and as, may be, she +deserves to be loved?" + +Bertram knew these phrases from of old; but he said to himself that +to-day particularly he must make the best of everything, so he +exclaimed-- + +"Is it possible, my friend, that you still cherish this hypochondriacal +fear which you have given utterance to before, but from which I deemed +you cured long ago? How can you complain of a deficiency in love, when +your husband positively adores you? You can utter no wish, simply +because what you could wish for is already fulfilled. Or you need but +have a wish, and it is forthwith fulfilled." + +"You are pleading for the friend of your youth," she made answer, +raising her dark eyebrows. "Do not forget this: I am bringing no charge +against him. I am resigned. Were I to die to-day, what would his loss +come to? What would he miss?" + +"The brightness of his life," Bertram replied gallantly. + +"As if he cared for the brightness of his life!" said his wife. "Is it +so? Does he share one of my fancies, my harmless _penchants_? Does he +not vainly strive to appear interested in the things of beauty with +which I love to surround, myself and to decorate our dwelling? Did he +not consent wit evident repugnance to have the mansion-house restored +in a style befitting a whilom princely residence--to let me seek out +and renew the old, tangled paths through the Park? Does he support me +in my humane undertakings? Have I not had to beg the few thousand +thalers from him that I required for my Kindergarten and for my +poorhouse? Why, he lives solely for his porcelain factory, his sugar +refinery, his coal-mines, his new railway project! I say again: I have +accepted all this as inevitable, and as a matter of course, as long as +I alone was concerned, as long as I alone suffered. But, indeed, to +bring Erna into this life of trivialities, to leave the dear child in a +sphere where she sees nothing, hears nothing, that could give the +slightest nourishment to head or heart, where anything and everything +revolves round Mammon, is sacrificed to Mammon--that is beyond me, +beyond my strength!" + +"Then, if I understand you aright, you wish, to get Erna married?" + +Through the soft, velvety radiance of the deep-brown eyes flashed +something like a deeper light. The question was evidently not +expected--at least not yet--but the next moment already her eyes had +resumed their customary expression, and she forced those beautiful lips +to smile, as she said, in a tone of gentle reproach-- + +"Let us express it rather less egotistically. I should like Erna to +find a husband worthy of her." + +"A most natural wish too! One which every mother cherishes for a +grown-up daughter. And as an old friend of the family I heartily join +in the wish, and do not for a moment doubt that we shall readily agree +as to what we shall expect her husband to be." + +"I am not so sure on that point." + +"Let us try anyhow. Firstly, he should be noble!" + +"That is not your conviction." + +"Then let it be a concession. If people wish to come to an +understanding they must be prepared to make concessions." + +"This concession I accept gladly. Go on, please." + +"He should not be a scholar by profession; but have a good--a man of +the world's--education, and a taste for the fine arts. In fact, we want +a cavalier, of course, in the best sense of the word." + +"Agreed." + +"He need not be wealthy. In fact, it would be preferable that he had no +fortune, he would in that case be all the more indebted to Erna." + +"Most true!" + +"He should not be a landed proprietor, or at least not a man who feels +it a duty and an absolute necessity to live in the country and devote +himself to agriculture. Best of all, he should have no definite +calling, or, anyhow, only one which did not impose difficult and +troublesome duties; say a position which should have it as a natural +consequence that the man in question moved in the best society, and +even came occasionally into pleasant contact with Court circles." + +"Best of friends, how strangely skilled you are in reading a mother's +heart!" + +"Let me, then, look to the very bottom of it, where possibly the name +of the individual in question is already written. If I read the +characters correctly, they form the name ..." + +"Now I am truly keen to know." + +"Baron Kuno von Lotter-Vippach." + +"Lydia has told you!" + +"No. Neither Fraeulein von Aschhof nor any one else has spoken to me, I +give you my word of honour." + +"But it is most strange ..." + +"Why so strange? Am I not a very old friend, to whom you have many a +time talked on most important topics, and whom you have many a time +honoured with your most intimate confidence?" + +"Then it is all the better, all the more deserving of my gratitude; +and I thank you heartily, sincerely ..." + +She had seized both his hands; her beautiful countenance, now lighted +up with a flush of gladness, had never been more beautiful; yet to +Bertram it appeared like some hideous mask. + +"I cannot accept your thanks," he said, withdrawing his hands with +slight and very hurried pressure. "I could but do so honestly, if I +shared those wishes of yours which I have guessed. That is not quite +the case. The impression which Baron Lotter made upon me yesterday was +not specially favourable; to be quite open, the impression was +unfavourable." + +"That," Hildegard replied eagerly, "leaves me very calm. You men +seldom like each other at a first encounter, and at a second you find +one another charming. In the Baron's case no second encounter has even +been necessary; he overflows with your praises; he calls you the +cleverest and most amiable of men; he is charmed to have made your +acquaintance; and I am convinced that you, too, my friend, will soon +modify your judgment--I should almost like to say your prejudice--once +you come to know the Baron better. He is somewhat spoiled, like all +very handsome men; somewhat conceited, if you like; but at bottom very +modest, easily led, good as gold. He will please you, believe me, and +more than please you! You will come to esteem and love him!" + +"Is the more important question, to me the most important, already +settled? Does Erna think as favourably of the Baron? Does she love him? +For that he loves her, I must, I suppose, assume." + +"That is beyond all doubt," Hildegard made answer; "as for Erna, I hope +so, I believe so; anyhow she does not express herself unfavourably +about him, and that, with Erna, means a good deal, for she is not at +all easily pleased, and is not accustomed to conceal her dislike, if +dislike there be. It is of course difficult to form a correct opinion +of Erna's sentiments; doubly difficult for me, because she has +been so long from home, and we are not always in accord in our +views and tendencies. Again, in Lydia she has never placed full +confidence--which, by the by, I can scarcely wonder at. I only know one +being whom she thoroughly trusts--and you dear friend, are the one!" + +"I?" + +"Are you surprised to hear this? Surely not? Has not the child always +been so fond of Uncle Bertram, that we, her parents, might have grown +jealous? Has she not ever been your favourite? If she is so no longer, +for goodness sake do not let the poor girl see it. She would be +inconsolable." + +"Now, you are laughing at me." + +"Indeed, I am not. Ask Lydia. That Lydia often speaks of you, you will +find natural enough, and that now and again a word of bitterness slips +in, you will find pardonable. Erna does not pardon it. In her eyes you +are once and for good raised above all reproach. You are, as it were, +her ideal. It is a downright case of infatuation, and it goes so far +that she once assured us, with all a child's gravity--she was still +almost a child--that if ever she married, Uncle Bertram must be her +husband and she got quite angry when Lydia and I laughed at her." + +The beautiful lady smiled, and Bertram succeeded in forcing a smile +too. + +"How very funny," he said; "but then very young girls are proverbially +prone to conceive infatuation for some one or other of their masters, +and I think, in Lydia's eyes, I have always been one of her +instructors, in literature and what not. Poor girls! they give their +affections to old Mentor, but they mean young Telemachus. Well, and +there is apparently a young Telemachus on the stage already, if you +have seen aright." + +"Just to decide that point," replied Hildegard, "Mentor must not yet +resign his functions. On the contrary, I must entreat him most urgently +to help the mother with his clear vision and his advice, and to use his +old influence with the daughter. I may rely upon this, my trusty +friend, may I not?" + +She held out her hand to him with these words. He raised it +deferentially to his lips and said-- + +"You may rest convinced that Erna's well-being is dearer to me than +anything else in the world." + +Hildegard had wished and had expected another, a more definite, answer. +It was still doubtful whether she had really acquired an ally in him. +However, the main point was gained; she had taken the initiative, had +represented the affair from her own point of view, had appealed to +Bertram's friendship, had asked for his assistance, had given him a +proof of her confidence, which he would doubtless accept as +unconditional. This sort of thing is always flattering to a man, always +makes him feel indebted. Of course, a woman must flatter a man if she +would make him feel indebted. + +Just then it was anyhow impossible to obtain a more definite assurance +from Bertram, for the Baron and Lydia were ascending the main steps of +the terrace; the Baron, in his temporary capacity as artist, clad in a +costume of brown velvet, and a straw hat with a stupendously broad +brim, and Lydia in such a grotesquely fantastic morning costume as to +suggest the idea that she had been acting as model for some wonderful +sketch of the artist. And indeed she did figure upon the canvas, but +only as a bit of the foreground, which represented a portion of the +terrace, across which you looked down into the valley and at the +village, with the wooded hills rising behind. The Baron was evidently +much pleased with his work, although he declared again and again not to +have half finished it; it was not fair, he added, to apply to a hasty +sketch the same standard of judgment as to a regular studio picture, in +which everything would of course turn out quite different. This, +Bertram could not but think, would be most desirable, but hardly very +probable. This so-called sketch was evidently a picture which had +already been touched and retouched, some portions had been painted over +two, even three times, and divers desultory dilettante endeavours had +failed to bring anything like harmony into the composition. +Nevertheless he politely agreed with the ladies' words of praise, which +flowed freely from Hildegard's lips, while Lydia, as was her wont, +launched out in extravagant eulogy: wonderful, was it not, what +progress the Herr Baron made day by day? At last there was once more a +painter with a mission for historical landscapes on a grand scale! The +resemblance of his genius to that of a Rottmann, a Preller--became more +and more apparent. Nor did she alone think so. Only the other day, at +Court, when they were talking of the pupils at the Academy of Arts, and +some one mentioned the Baron's name, Princess Amelia said, and said +with marked emphasis, "No pupil he, ladies, nay, a master, and a great +master! The Baron is a distinct acquisition for our School of Arts; he +represents a triumph!" + +"Yes, it is true; the august lady is very graciously disposed towards +me," asserted the Baron, stroking his natty beard. "I wonder what she +will say to my new sketches." + +Fortunately for Bertram, who was planning his escape under some pretext +or other from this painful scene, his host now came up to greet his +friend, and to ask if he felt strong enough and was inclined to go for +a little drive with him; only to the porcelain factory, they would be +back in an hour. Bertram declared his readiness. + +"The Baron would surely like to go with you," said Hildegard, +exchanging glances with her husband; "but I fear there is barely +comfortable room even for two in your little trap." + +The Baron hastened to assure her that he could not go, anyhow, as he +had promised Miss Erna to try the accompaniment to some new songs with +her. + +Hildegard asked Bertram if he would not, before starting, say good +morning to Erna, who would be hurt if he left without having done so. + +They called for Erna in vain. It seemed to Bertram that Hildegard only +wished to find time enough to beckon him aside, and to whisper to him +that he need not conceal from her husband what they had been discussing +in reference to Erna. On the contrary, she was anxious to learn Otto's +opinion of the whole matter; he would probably speak with less reserve +to his friend than, alas! to her, and that Bertram would take her side +she felt sure now. + +"But Erna is not coming, I see," she exclaimed aloud; "I will not keep +you gentlemen any longer. _Au revoir_--an hour hence." + + + + + VII. + + +The little trap was so light, and the road was in such good condition, +that the friends were able to drive at a very fair pace, in spite of +the not inconsiderable gradient. Soon they passed into the wood. +The easy, comfortable motion, the perfect beauty of the morning, the +fact that the friends were for the first time in undisturbed +companionship--all seemed to favour a confidential exchange of +thoughts. Yet both men were silent, and barely exchanged a word or two +on indifferent topics. At last Otto said, after he had taken a stolen +side-glance or two of his friend-- + +"What do you think, Charles--shall we walk a bit? The road now will be +virtually level for some distance." + +Bertram nodded assent. The carriage stopped. Otto bade the man drive +slowly on in front of them, in the direction of the factory. + +"You never can be sure," he began, as they were striding along the +well-kept footpath by the side of the road, "that these beggars do not +hear more than they should; and I particularly want to ask you +something. Tell me--but quite honestly, mind--how do you like the +Baron?" + +"Let us come to the point at once," replied Bertram; "I have had a talk +with your wife." + +"Oh! indeed!" exclaimed Otto, hiding his embarrassment as best he could +by bursting out laughing, and abruptly leaving off again. "That is to +say, I rather thought you would. I should like to have done the same--I +mean had a talk with you--yesterday, in fact; but my wife told me not +to ... and, don't you know, the ladies always claim precedence." + +"Very well; then let me commence at the point where my conversation +with your wife came to an end--with the question which she either could +not or would not answer when I pressed her, and which seems to me of +paramount importance--Does Erna love the Baron? Have you, between you, +or have you yourself, any proof of--any support of this? Have you made +any observation from which you could conclude such a thing?" + +"Look here, old man," said Otto, "you are asking a lot at once. I can't +follow you. Proof--support--observation! Good Heaven! Who can look into +a girl's head and heart? She has said nothing to me, and rather than +ask her--ask her--it's such a queer question to ask, and possibly one +might only do harm by it, and learn nothing in the long run, or at +least not the truth. Of course she is fond enough of me, and has +confidence in me. Heaven knows how fond I am of her! but father and +daughter, you know--or rather you do not know, for you never had a +daughter--that's a curious business!" + +He had taken off his hat and was scratching his head in his perplexity. +Bertram understood that he was not likely to get anything out of him +that way. After a pause Bertram said-- + +"Well, let us assume--although, to say the truth, I find it very hard +to do so--let us assume that Erna does love this man. Would you then be +able to say Yea and Amen with a good conscience? In other words, are +you convinced that the man would make Erna happy? That he has, anyhow, +the qualities which according to human reasoning and experience, render +her happiness at least possible? That he is a man of honour, of fit and +upright disposition;--in a word, that he is a gentleman?" + +"A gentleman!" exclaimed Otto in amazement "Why, good Heaven!--a man +belonging to such a family--bearing such a name--a constant guest at +Court--invited to every ball, every evening party there; besides +joining their private circle, once or twice every week--why, he must be +a gentleman!" + +"The deuce he must!" exclaimed Bertram angrily. "If you have no better +guarantee than Court balls and such like humbug!" + +"But what more would you have?" said Otto. "What more would any one +have? If that is no guarantee I wonder what you would call one. I have +it as a matter of certainty from Lydia, that his nomination as +Chamberlain is made out, is lying ready for signature in the Grand +Duke's cabinet; and Lydia ought to know, for, between you and me, she, +with the help of our Court Marshal, an old friend of Lotter's father, +has been urging the matter strongly at Court. Lotter is very grateful +to her, and says quite frankly, that but for her he might have had to +wait much longer; and I think that is, a trait in his favour--although +I am convinced--but you must please not give any indication that you +know--although I am convinced that Lydia has not tried her hardest for +Lotter's own sake, but to conciliate my wife, who is bent upon seeing +her future son-in-law hold some Court appointment. And the reason why +Lydia had to keep in my wife's good graces is not far to seek; and, old +fellow, she has had her way at last, and is allowed to sojourn once +more under the same roof with you. You see: _manus manum lavat._" + +"So I see, indeed," laughed Bertram. "And now Hildegard must again keep +me in good-humour, that I, in my turn, may keep you in good-humour. It +were strange indeed, if, under these circumstances, we were not, all of +us, in the very best humour!" + +"This hardly seems to be your case as yet," said Otto, "your laughter +notwithstanding." + +"Nor, I hope, yours either," exclaimed Bertram. + +"Why do you hope so?" + +Bertram made no answer. His Heart was full of sorrow and wrath. He saw +that the whole affair was arranged--among the two women anyhow--and the +easy-going henpecked husband by his side would be sure to say yes to +everything, had probably done so already, and this was but the second +scene this morning in a nicely-arranged comedy, with all the parts +carefully distributed beforehand. Evidently the drive had but one +object--to give Otto an opportunity of saying his part. And he, +himself?--Why, barely an hour ago he had solemnly protested to the fair +stage-manager that never more would he act again! And she had listened +to his solemn protest without laughing in his face! Well, well; there +might yet be a chance of interpreting some passage in a way that the +clever lady had not thought of! + +Otto broke the silence, after they had been walking side by side for +some little time, by saying somewhat humbly-- + +"You are angry with me!" + +"What right could I have to be so?" replied Bertram. "I am no relation +of yours. I am nothing but a friend; and, as such, I have no right +whatever. It is only my duty to give an honest answer if you consult me +on a matter of importance. And there is properly no consultation in +this case. You are not in need of any advice; you, her parents, are +resolved. Nothing is wanting, but the merest trifle--Erna's consent. +And, as that is sure to be given in good time, the whole thing is +clearly settled, and we may as well talk of something else." + +"No, no!" exclaimed Otto, "nothing is settled; and the matter is by no +means clear--clear--not in my mind, anyhow; and Hildegard has not the +faintest conception how things really stand. She thinks it is only my +want of resolution that ... And because she knows how much I value your +judgment--if I could only tell you everything ..." + +"But you cannot, and you would be, sorry for it afterwards. Therefore, +you had better not try." + +"But I must at length tell some one, and there is no one else in the +world whom I could say it to. Listen: I ... I ..." + +A kind of spasm passed over the full, round, good-humoured face; the +blue eyes, which he kept rigidly fixed upon his friend, seemed to +struggle against rising tears. + +"I--I am ruined!" + +He had just managed to pronounce these words hoarsely; then he broke, +down and sunk upon a log of wood which was lying by the roadside. + +Bertram had, at first to struggle against the terrible notion that his +friend had suddenly gone mad. But his look, though one of utter +despair, was not that of a madman. + +"What is this you say, Otto? Impossible, impossible!" he said, sitting +down upon the log by the side of his friend, who seemed bereft of all +strength. "Go on, anyhow, that I may judge what it comes to. I am quite +convinced--beforehand that it comes to nothing at all. But speak, for +goodness sake, speak!" + +Otto nodded assent, and murmured-- + +"Yes, yes, I will speak. Come to nothing, forsooth! I have seen it +coming--for a long time past--for the last four years at least--ever +since I started, in addition to all the other things, that confounded +sugar refinery. We made it a Company; but I hold all the shares myself +now--I could not bear to ruin the poor beggars who, trusting in me, +had taken up the rest. This has cost me untold money; and the whole +thing was a failure, and the building is ready to be pulled down +again--would already have been pulled down if that, again, did not +require money. Besides, a thousand acres of my best soil planted with +beetroot--food for the pigs now. And yonder is that porcelain factory, +year by year a balance on the wrong side; and then the mines--yes, yes, +formerly, but not now ..." + +There had been one long series of enterprises, each of which had turned +out more unsatisfactory, and, in the long run, more ruinous than the +other; and with increasing swiftness they had swallowed up ever bigger +sums, and had now at length given at least a most severe shock to a +very considerable fortune. This much Bertram gathered clearly from the +statements of his friend, although he only understood a small part of +the technical and mercantile details. + +"But how on earth," he exclaimed, "could a quiet, sensible man like +yourself ever dream of venturing on this 'inclined plane'? How could +you graft one reckless, foolhardy speculation upon another; neglect, +ruin those splendid estates, the legacy of your fathers; stake your +peace of mind, your happiness? And if it had been a question of +yourself only! But your child--your wife ..." + +He paused abruptly. + +"Poor chap!" he murmured. "I think I understand after all--poor, good +chap!" + +He was pressing Otto's hand warmly. Their eyes met. His unhappy friend +was smiling, and a most melancholy smile it was. + +"To be sure, to be sure," he said; "I did not want it cried from the +house-tops; I knew you would find the reason. I myself--dear, dear--I +would not have cared to increase my gains. I should have been more than +satisfied with the estates and the mines, or with the estates alone, if +the mines ceased to yield a profit. You know how as a young man I used +to be quite ashamed of having so much money, never a farthing of which +I had earned, when I saw how my betters had to toil and moil. And I +knew too that I was not good enough for her--that it was great +condescension on her part to marry me at all--that I must needs ever +be in her debt. From the very commencement I let her have her own +way--she should never be able to say that I, the _bourgeois_ +proprietor's son, was ignorant of what befitted and became a beautiful +young lady of high degree. I even--don't laugh at me, man--even tried +to procure a patent of nobility, she wished it so very much; and I have +made many a sacrifice with that object. This whole, ill-starred +porcelain factory, for instance--I had been told that at Court they +would like me to establish one, and indeed they buy here what they +require, though, to be sure, only for kitchen and servants' hall--and +there was many another thing besides. And then she wanted the terraces +and the park and the mansion-house restored--in the true style, I think +they call it--and she takes delight in all this, trumpery rubbish of +dim old mirrors, and shaky old chairs, and worm-eaten old cabinets, and +coffee-coloured, pictures, and abominable old pots and pans; and I, +great God! would willingly buy the whole world for her--lay it at her +feet--if only she would love me a little in return. But--you see, +Charles, it has all been in vain--quite in vain!" + +The big man had buried his face in his hands, and was sobbing like a +child. Bertram's soul was filled with pity. The wretched weakness of +his friend in reference to his beautiful and beloved, but cold, +unloving wife, and its mournful consequences--he now understood it all +too well not to be ready to pardon--to a certain extent. But that, +husband and wife must settle, must bear, among them--only Erna should +not be dragged to ruin, should not also be sacrificed to her mother's +unbounded selfishness. And perhaps this was the one bright spot in the +dark picture which his friend had drawn of his position. + +"You have not endeavoured to give the Baron a clear view of your +situation?" he asked. + +"For goodness sake--no; certainly not," exclaimed Otto, rising in +terror from his stooping position. "Anything but that!" + +"And yet you will have to do so as soon as he formally asks Erna's hand +from you." + +"How can I tell him the truth? He would withdraw immediately." + +"Otto, are you not ashamed of yourself? And you would really give Erna +to such a cur?" + +"What am I to do?" + +"What you are simply obliged to do as a man of honour, not to say as a +father!" + +"And he'll talk about it--here, in the town, at Court--and everything, +everything depends upon my credit remaining unquestioned, at least a +little longer. If the projected railway is made to pass through here in +lieu of through the valley below, it would be done mainly on account of +my establishments, my factories, and what not. And in that case I am +saved--nay, I must needs grow wealthier than ever I have been. But the +ultimate granting of the concession--our local Parliament +notwithstanding--rests with the Government; and Lotter, with his divers +relations, his well-known influence ..." + +He paused, then resumed in a somewhat less confident tone-- + +"If, therefore, I do not reveal everything to him at present--and, by +the by, there is no need for it yet--I am not acting dishonestly, but +in everybody's interest. You will grant me this much." + +"To be sure," replied Bertram. "I only fear you will not be able to +continue this profitable silence for any length of time. For any +day it may happen that the young people come to an understanding, +and--to-morrow, perhaps, or this very day--they may come and ask for +your blessing." + +"It would kill me!" + +"It would, anyhow, be extremely awkward! Therefore, I beg to make the +following proposal to you. I am already authorised by your wife to +sound Erna; I now ask you to give me the same commission; and you will +tell your wife that you have spoken to me about it. Thus you will both +have placed the matter into my hands as it were. Now I shall find Erna +either distinctly favourable to your plan, or else distinctly +unfavourable, or undecided. In the latter case, I will try to confirm +her in that state of mind; and would prove to your wife that to advance +with inconsiderate rashness must needs be risking, and, probably, +spoiling everything. But even if Erna, really loves the Baron, or, on +the other hand, if she is satisfied in her own mind that he is not the +man who corresponds to her ideal--all girls create such an ideal for +themselves--well, I think I have influence enough with her--or, in case +of need, I possess diplomatic talent enough, to get the ultimate +decision put off one way or the other. For how long--we shall judge by +and by, once you and I are so far agreed." + +"My dear boy, I put myself entirely in your hands. I'll not take a step +without you. Gracious me--what a lucky thing that you have come! I do +not know what would have become of me, and of the whole business." + +He shook and pressed both his friend's hands in the excess of his +gratitude, looked upon his situation already in a much more hopeful +light, turned the conversation again to the new railway and to the +stupendous chances which would come to him in case the decision was +favourable, and that it would be so, he suddenly assumed to be +probable, nay, certain. He never noticed that Bertram had made the +little carriage turn which was waiting for them at the end of the wood, +and that now they were driving back the way they had come. The +suggested inspection of the factory had only been a pretext for having +an undisturbed hour with Bertram. + +His friend was now sitting in silence by his side. Otto kept on talking +to him, lowering his voice on account of the driver's presence. Bertram +hardly heard what he said. He hardly saw, either--or if he saw, it was +like in a dream--the golden lights flash down through the top of the +giant firs, and play around the brown stems and along the mossy ground; +he saw but as in a dream the lovely vistas which opened here and there, +giving glimpses of loveliest landscape beauty in the valley far below. +His busy mind was working and modelling away at the part in the family +drama which had, after all, been forced upon him, and which he had not +dared to decline--for Erna's sake. + + + + + VIII. + + +For Erna's sake! How often he repeated that phrase to himself in the +course of the day! He wanted nothing for himself. What, indeed, could +he have wanted for himself? Nothing more than a man who should see a +child lost, in danger, among a crowd of carriages, and who should bound +to the spot and carry the child away to some place of safety; nothing +more than a wanderer, who sees a fellow-traveller start upon a road of +which he knows of old the insecure state, and who warns the heedless +man to take some other road instead. One does so because it is one's +duty as a human being; one does so because one's heart urges one to do +it, because one cannot help doing it. + +Yes, a man acts and speaks in such situations as he would hardly act or +speak for his own sake. He is more courageous or more anxious than he +would be, if his own weal or woe were at stake. One grows beyond one's +self, or else sinks beneath one's own everyday moral level. + +"And the latter is meanwhile my case," said Bertram to himself, as he +played his part with due zeal, and, as he thought, with great success. +It was a natural consequence, of that part that he lectured Hildegard +(after the event), because she had not yesterday taken him at once into +her confidence; that he exchanged with his friend Otto looks of the +completest accord and understanding; that he used with Lydia--to her +evident delight--a tone of mingled melancholy and fun, which appeared +half to express and half to hide a deeper emotion; and that with the +Baron he completely dropped his calm manner of the day preceding. How +else could he form an opinion of the man? And how could he be a +faithful counsellor to Erna without having formed an opinion? + +So he examined the Baron's portfolio with patient attention, whilst +that nobleman turned over the leaves and gave explanations. The +collection would have been a priceless treasure if the quality had +corresponded with the quantity. There were sketches from almost every +country in Europe; the northern coast of Africa, too--Algiers, +Tunis--was largely represented. And then the painter's talent +embraced all styles and kinds of painting:--landscape, architecture, +still-life, portraiture--nothing had escaped the unwearied brush, +nothing had appeared too difficult. On the contrary, there were the +most unlikely effects of light and shade, the oddest scenes, the most +_risque_ situations, involving the wildest inroads on the laws of +perspective and the most reckless foreshortening--and the daring +sketcher seemed positively to have revelled in these. And yet Bertram +had to confess to himself that a not inconsiderable talent, which, with +patient and careful schooling, might have borne beautiful fruit, had +been recklessly wasted--and, indeed, generally recklessness did seem to +him to be the Baron's leading characteristic. Anyhow, the painter's +fluent comments on his own sketches quite corresponded to the reckless +style of painting. Everywhere his ideas, good ones and bad ones, and +some really original ones, were clothed in the same hurried, flurried, +sometimes absurd form, showing a ready, but never a profound insight +into human relations, into manners and customs of nations; much, but +most desultory reading; extensive, and yet scattered knowledge. The man +spoke as he painted, and painted as he played music. Reckless, +superficial, inconstant, like his work and his talk, will and must his +love be too, thought Bertram. + +Could love like that lastingly suffice for Erna? It seemed impossible. +But is there such a word as impossible in connection with the magic +world of the human heart? Are not the natures of truly noble women at +times visited by irresistible and undying passion for wavering, +unstable, yes, even for morally worthless men? Does it not well-nigh +seem to have all the stability of a law of nature, that totally opposed +characters, all inward resistance notwithstanding, feel drawn to and +fascinated by each other? + +Was this fatal fascination visible in Erna? + +Bertram kept his attention unconsciously fixed on that one decisive +point, but without being able to come to any definite result. True, he +had to confess to himself that even a still keener observer would have +vainly tried his hand at the task. Erna joined to-day even less +directly than on the previous day in the general conversation; nay +more, he thought he noticed what had not been the case yesterday, or +what had at least escaped him then, that her gaze, usually so firm, +seemed at times fixed on vacancy, then again appeared directed inward, +anyhow was not dwelling on her surroundings--a symptom which by no +means pleased the observer, because from it one might surely conclude +that there existed a deeper sentiment, one which absorbed her inner +life. And this sentiment was not likely to be one of aversion to the +Baron, to whom she talked more, in her own calm way, than to anybody +else; with whom she played music two or three times during the day; and +with whom she played chess after supper in her own grave, attentive +manner. Hildegard came and explained all these details to Bertram ... + +"Believe me," she said, "I know Erna. Mind, my words of this morning. +She may be long in confessing her preference for any man, but if she +were to dislike any one, he would find it out pretty soon." + +"I fear that I am experiencing something of the sort," Bertram replied. + +"How so?" + +"Have you not noticed that she has not said three words to me all the +evening?" + +"Insatiable man! Are you not satisfied with Lydia who is ransacking her +repertory for your sake? Would you have all womankind at your feet? I +shall warn Lotter against you as against his worst rival." + +"Do not destroy our budding friendship. But, joking apart, can there be +a rival?" + +"What are you thinking of? And if there were, I should be sure to know +it through Lydia, who, like all elderly girls, is apt to err on the +side of seeing too much rather than too little. Moreover, we two, Lydia +and I, have never lost sight of the child, and in Erfurth, where, it is +true, she went alone once or twice during the last few years, she was +always in the company of my sister and her six girls, and I never heard +a word, nor the slightest hint. One of the girls, Agatha, the third, +Erna's bosom friend, is coming here, by the way, in a day or two; and a +good, modest, sensible girl she is, though not as pretty as the rest. +But you surely remember Agatha? Well, I'll question her a little when +she comes, but I know beforehand that she will not have anything to +tell. Oh, you'd better concentrate your jealousy upon Lotter!" + +Hildegard surely felt very certain of her ground, else she would not +have jested--a rare occurrence with her. Bertram took up a similar +tone, and during the game of whist to which he and Otto soon afterwards +sat down with the two older ladies, he was remarkably merry and +talkative. + +But two hours later Konski found him all the more gloomy and taciturn, +and so silent that he did not even reply to the "good-night, sir," of +that faithful servitor. + +"It's the old one," soliloquised Konski, as he meditatively brushed his +master's boots in his own little room, "who is bothering him. 'Dear Mr. +Konski,' here, 'My good Mr. Konski,' there--I know what she is after. +And then, to give me a whole dollar! And she has not any to spare, I +can see that much, in spite of her grand airs and her trimmings. And +she to rule the roast for master and me! Not if we knows it! And now +we'll both marry; and marry smart young ones too! And may the devil fly +away with all old women!" + + + + + IX. + + +For this morning, after breakfast, a general expedition had been +planned--a drive to a certain eminence, from which the Baron was +desirous of expounding to them all the arrangements for the forthcoming +man[oe]vres. Bertram had at the last moment made an excuse: much to his +regret, he sent Konski to say, that he had forgotten to write some +really important letters, and must needs stay at home to do so now. +Would the others, please, on no account give up their drive for his +sake. + +"At first they would not go without you, sir," Konski reported; "but I +got them to do it, and they are getting the horses ready now; the +ladies are to drive, the gentlemen will go on horseback. So you may +stay quietly in bed and try to get another hour's sleep. I am afraid, +sir, you have had another awful night!" + +And indeed it had been a worse night for Bertram than the preceding +one, and this time the morning had not improved him. That he had to +admit to himself when, after having first vainly endeavoured to follow +the faithful servant's advice, he had at length risen in very low +spirits and dressed, trying whether a stroll along the terrace +garden-walk would cool his fevered brow and refresh his weary heart. + +He had no right to be wearied. He was bound, when they came back, to +meet them merrily and serenely; that belonged to his part. How could +they give their confidence to one who appeared to have none in himself, +in his own strength, his own courage? + +And he would need all his courage to look, if it could be done, deeper +than hitherto into Erna's eyes, into Erna's heart: and he would need +all his strength if that look were to confirm what, yesterday, he had +deemed impossible, but what, during the awful night, had come to appear +to him as thoroughly possible, nay, as probable. If it were so, then +the whole elaborate plan which he had yesterday confided to his friend, +had therewith fallen to the ground. Otto's embarrassments were scarcely +as great as he had represented them; and even if he had not, according +to his wont, exaggerated things, what would be the use of delaying the +decision? On the contrary, the more swiftly it came, the better for +all. If the Baron was a man of honour; he would not withdraw on +learning that the maiden of his choice was not wealthy; if he had +influence at Court, if this influence really amounted to something +considerable, he would now try all the more to use it for his future +father-in-law. They might then make their own arrangements, as best +they could; and they would make arrangements; sacrifice some things on +both sides, give up some hopes. What would one not sacrifice, what +would one not give up, if one loved from one's very heart? But to have +to look on at such hearty love, love delighting in sacrifice--never! To +run away would be cowardly, no doubt. But then valour, like honesty, is +appropriate only when it is needed, and when it will be of some use. He +would have to think beforehand of some suitable pretext which should +render a sudden departure possible. + +Thus lost in mournful thought, Bertram was pacing backward and forward +along the terrace-walk, now past sunny espaliers, along which ruddy +grapes were already commencing to shine through the dense clusters of +vine-leaves, anon between rows of beeches, which were entwined overhead +and formed dusky arbour-like groves. + +Having reached the end of one of these groves, he paused as one +terrified. In front of him, on the platform where the terrace widened, +Erna was seated beneath the great plantain tree which overshadowed the +whole place with its broad branches. An open volume lay upon the +round table before her; she was writing busily, bending over a +blotting-book. The graceful form, the finely-chiselled features, stood +out in clearest profile against the green terrace above her. In this +subdued light the dainty cheek seemed even paler than usual; and as she +now paused, pen in hand, lifting a long eyelash and glancing +meditatively up at the leafy roof above, the great eyes shone like +those of an inspired Muse. + +"One draught before I pass onward--on the shadeless remainder of my +dreary road," Bertram muttered to himself. + +He might have stepped back without being noticed, but he did not do so; +his motionless eyes clung to the beautiful picture before him, as one +perishing of thirst might gaze upon a brimming cup, when, lo! she +turned. + +"Uncle Bertram!" + +She had said it quite calmly, and now, slowly, she laid down her pen +and closed her blotting-book, rising at the same time and holding out +her hand to him as he came up. + +"I felt that somebody, was looking at me." + +"And you wished, to remain unseen, or at least undisturbed. But could I +have guessed that I should find you here? Why are you not away with the +others?" + +A smile flitted over her face. + +"I had important letters to write, too." + +"Well, you have written, anyhow." + +"And have you not? For shame. If you make any excuses you should +yourself take them in earnest; then you will come to fancy afterwards +that the excuses were really valid." + +"I'll remember this in future. But what makes you tell me to my face +that my important letters were but an excuse?" + +"I thought that you did not care to go; and I think I know the reason +why." + +"Indeed! I am curious to hear it from you." + +"I will tell you. I wanted to say so last night already, for then I +noticed quite well how gladly you would have made an excuse, only you +could not at the moment think of a suitable one; but I could not have +said what I wished to say in a few words, and so I determined to try +and have an undisturbed talk with you. Shall we not sit down?" + +They sat dawn, Erna with her blotting-book before her, Bertram on the +seat opposite. Her large eyes were lifted up to him. But a minute +before he had greatly longed to be able to see deep, deep into these +eyes, right to the innermost recess of her soul; and now, when it could +be, when it was to be, he shrank from it, he wished the time deferred. +He would in any case learn the secret all too soon. + +"Uncle Bertram, I wanted to tell you that ..." + +The dark eyelids had closed after all; well, she anyhow did not see the +breathless excitement with which he hung upon her lips. In his mind he +heard already the words--"that--I engaged myself last night to be +married to the Baron." The pause she made--of a second or two--seemed +to him an eternity. + +"My dear child," he said in a voice well-nigh inaudible ... + +"That ... you shall not for my sake lay upon yourself a burden which +you can no longer bear." + +The large eyes were gazing firmly at him again, while he bent his own +in deadly confusion. + +He murmured-- + +"I--I do not understand you." + +"You are too good to wish to understand me; but the excess of your +goodness weighs me down and frightens me. I know that you are fond of +me, that you do it only because you love me. But I love you too, Uncle +Bertram, love you very much, more than formerly, when I did not really +know you, did not at all understand you. I am no longer a child, and +therefore you should not treat me like a spoiled child and do what I +ask, especially when I see that I ask for something to which I had no +right. I had no right to ask--I should not have entreated you to be +kind to Aunt Lydia. And now I beg of you not to be so any longer, or to +the same extent. I cannot bear it. She has harmed you as terribly, as +terribly as only an evil heart can harm a good one. And she to be +allowed to take your hand, look into your eyes, jest with you, as if +nothing had occurred! If this had happened to me, I would not tolerate +it--never, never!" + +Her voice quivered, her lips trembled; the pale cheek was flushed now, +the great eyes were flashing. She said she had not known him, had not +understood him--and he? What had he known of her? of the strength of +feeling of that heart of hers which had seemed to him to beat in such +steady measure? His gaze was fastened on her now in raptured amazement, +like the gaze of a mortal to whom something divine is being revealed. + +But next moment the wondrous girl had conquered that passionate +impulse, her features regained their usual expression, and she went on, +calmly enough-- + +"And you, Uncle Bertram, should not tolerate it either--you, least of +all. You cannot lie, cannot play the hypocrite. Let others do so; it +befits you ill, it is unworthy of you. I cannot, will not see anything +unworthy in you. I will have one human being whom I can believe and +trust unconditionally. This one you are, you must be; is it not so, +Uncle Bertram?" + +She held out her hand to him across the table. He could not refuse it, +and yet, as he touched those slender fingers, something thrilled +through him as though he had been guilty of some act of desecration. + +"You think me too good, too great," he said. "I can only reply, I will +try to deserve your confidence." + +"And I will give you an opportunity at once. I am not contented with +myself either. I too--for the sake of others, to please papa and mamma +who seemed greatly to wish it--have been kinder to somebody than at +heart I felt justified in being, and I must henceforth change my +conduct towards him." + +"He has proposed to you?" + +"Proposed? To me?" + +A scornful smile played round her exquisite lips. + +"I beg your pardon, dear Erna. He was so remarkably assiduous in his +attentions to you yesterday. You admit yourself that you have been +kinder to him than now you care to have been, and he strikes me as +being one of those men who grasp the whole hand the moment you hold out +your little finger to them. And moreover, I know that your parents +encourage him much, and he is surely aware of that too. Thus my +question was not wholly groundless; still, I beg your pardon." + +"And indeed you need it in this case, Uncle Bertram. Or, have I perhaps +behaved so childishly that even a clever man like you could deem such a +thing possible?" + +"No, no; pray, try to forget what I said without thinking, or take it +for a proof that I was right, that I am neither so good nor so clever +as you thought." + +The words sounded diffident, almost submissive, but his heart was +swelling with proud delight, and the songsters perched above in the +shady recesses of the big plantain tree seemed to have been silent till +now, and to be then commencing all at once to twitter and sing and make +sweetest melody; and from the terraces beneath there was wafted up to +them in fragrant cloudlets the perfume of carnation and mignonette. +What a beautiful, divinely beautiful morning it was! + +"Henceforth," said Erna, "we will be open to each other, and then such +misunderstandings will not occur again. This one, truly, should make me +blush. The Baron is the very last man in whom I could take the very +slightest interest. I find nearly everything he says stupid and silly, +and if a fairly good idea turns up, as it does every now and then, it +is impossible to enjoy it, for the question is sure to obtrude itself: +'What nonsense will he talk next?' I am only now making his +acquaintance; he, it is true, has been often here before, but in my +absence; and in town, when he came, as he sometimes did, to see Aunt +Lydia, I always avoided having to meet him." + +"You have met few young men yet?" + +"And those few have not made me anxious to meet any more." + +"This sounds very hard; but, to say the truth, you are not the first +girl whom I have heard talk like this." + +"My only wonder is that all do not talk, or, at least, think like this. +My own idea is, that men are naturally selfish, frivolous, and vain, +and only become with advancing years good, and noble, and amiable, and +this applies only to the few exceptions; for I suppose the bulk remain +as they were." + +"Are you serious?" + +"Perfectly. And that is why, the night before last, I could not agree +with you at all when you asserted that a young girl could not love a +much older man, or was at least committing an act of folly if she did +so, which, to her sorrow, she was bound to realise sooner or later, and +therefore the sooner the better. Nor is it at all this consideration +which makes Hilarie change, and which throws her into the arms of that +youth who is behaving so childishly and insanely, that Flavio;--there +is quite a different reason for it." + +"Then you know the novelette?" + +"No; I only read it now; and I had to hunt a long time for it, until I +found it in the _Wanderjahre_. The book is lying there. And now I also +understand the 'one element,' which you said the night before last +that Goethe had excluded, or had not made use of--which is the right +expression in this case?--because otherwise the comedy would have been +turned into a tragedy." + +"And this 'one element,' what is it?" + +"The fact that her uncle is not in love with her at all. Was not that +it?" + +"To be sure. I only wonder at your having found it out." + +"And my only wonder is that Hilarie did not discover it sooner. She +must have been very blind not to have seen that her uncle returns--or +rather does not return--her love from sheer kindliness of disposition; +that at best his _penchant_ is but the faintest reflex of her +passionate love. Look at this passage: 'You are making me the happiest +man beneath the sun! Exclaiming this, he fell at her feet.' How feeble, +how strained! And it contents her, makes her happy. I should have been +ashamed of the whole business." + +"You must make some allowance for the spirit of the time, for the +manner and expression of the period; in that case, these things do not +look or sound quite as bad. But now for the other side of the medal: +You hold that Hilarie did truly love her uncle, and would have remained +faithful to her love, in spite of any number of Flavios, if her passion +had been returned?" + +"Most certainly!" + +"Well, be it so. He loves, loves passionately. Enter Flavio, loving, +loving passionately, too. The father perceives it. He sees that his own +love would seal the doom of the son whom he loves. Moreover, he is +sure--if he is not a conceited fool, but a man of heart and head, he +must be sure--that Hilarie would undoubtedly, return his son's passion, +if he, the father, the uncle, did not unfortunately stand between them; +that the girl's love for the young man, and _vice versa_, is the only +natural--that means, the only right thing; that therefore Hilarie +cannot truly love him; that her love rather, if it be not absolutely +unnatural, is anyhow an error, an aberration, from which she shall and +must turn. Given these things, am I wrong in asserting that then, +indeed, the comedy changes to tragedy--a tragedy the secret and silent +stage of which, I admit, will be solely ... the elderly man's heart? Do +you not agree with me?" + +"I must, I think; if I have first granted your suppositions and +assumptions, particularly this: that a girl's love for a man much older +than herself must needs in every case be an error, an aberration. But +then, again, I do not see why the elderly man's love for the girl does +not also tend to self-deception, to a fact which he, being more +far-sighted, clever, experienced; is bound to realise all the sooner. +And then, where is your tragedy?" + +Once more the great eyes flashed, the dainty lips quivered, an angry +cloud lay on her brow. There was a wild voice in his heart crying: +"Where?--here, here--for I love, I love thee! and it is impossible that +into thy maiden heart, there should ever fall one spark of the wild +conflagration raging here." But he succeeded this time, too, in +subduing the tumult in his heart, and he said smilingly-- + +"I hoped, nay, I knew that you would make this objection, which is +absolutely correct, and which helps the Master to regain that absolute +sovereignty and undeviating correctness in matters of the heart in +which I, wantonly, tried to argue Goethe was deficient. Of course, so +the matter stands, turn and twist it as you will--Hilarie's love is an +illusion; or, more correctly, it is a foreshadowing of that true and +genuine passion which she will feel one day. The Major's love is a +reminiscence of what his heart once, in the bygone days of his far-away +youth, was glowing with, and what it never again will glow with now. +Anything of a warmer feeling that haply still survives, may be +sufficient for a sensible, reasonable marriage, with the clever widow, +in whose sentiments towards him again reminiscence acts the part of a +kindly mediator, and ... but surely ... why, they are back already! +Shall we go and meet them?" + +From the verandah Lotter's loud voice was heard. Lydia, too, was +calling out; she was calling Erna. Bertram had risen, glad of the +interruption; he felt his strength very nearly exhausted. He was +resting his hand on the back of her chair, lest Erna, if they shook +hands, should feel how his hand trembled. But Erna was gazing straight +before her with a very gloomy expression of countenance. + +"I should like to finish my letter first," she said. + +"Then I will disturb you no longer." + +He had gone; had gone without offering her his hand. Erna sat for a +while without looking up; then she re-opened her blotting-book, and +read the last page she had written:-- + +"I see him always, absent or present; I see his noble, pale +countenance, the deep, thoughtful eyes, that mouth which can jest so +delicately, and which yet (for me) quivers so often in sorrow for a +wasted life, a lost happiness. For me! The others never see it; how +should they? To them he is the cold-hearted egotist, the bitter jester, +who believes in nothing, least of all in love. To be sure--once +betrayed as he has been--alas! Agatha, that is the very thing which +draws me irresistibly to him. I can now gaze deep, deep into his noble +heart, can feel all the pangs that have torn it, and must be tearing it +again now in the presence of the viper who--oh, I do hate her! ... And +he manages to be quite friendly in his demeanour to her, because I +asked him to, before I knew all the circumstances. But he shall do so +no longer. I cannot bear it, when he turns his good, truthful eyes to +me, as though he would ask: 'Is it right thus?' No, it is wrong, a +thousand times wrong! But is it not wrong, too, that I should be +allowed to read in his heart, and he not in mine? Shall I tell him ... +all? It is ever on my lips, but then ... no. I should not be ashamed in +his presence, he is so kind, and he would understand me! Resting on his +protecting arm he would let me shed the last of those hot, angry tears, +which will yet persist in sometimes rising to my eyes, and which I +brush away indignantly; and I would gratefully accept his mercy, but on +one condition only, that I may go on resting on that arm, that he would +permit me to love, to serve him, to-day and for ever, as his friend, +his daughter, his slave! ... Shall I tell him?" + +Erna gave a bitter smile, and took the sheet of paper in both her hands +in order to tear it in pieces. Then she laid it down again, and seized +her pen once more. + +"She who has written this is a conceited little fool, and deserves +exemplary punishment for her conceit, and the said punishment is to +consist in her sending these lines to her granny, in order to receive +by return of post the requisite scolding, even if granny, and this is +an urgently repeated request, is coming here the day after to-morrow. +For between granny and me there shall not be said one word on this +subject, and even less about the other thing and the other one; and +now, dearest granny ..." + +"Ah, there is Miss Erna!" exclaimed the Baron, issuing with Lydia from +the terrace walk. + +"We have been looking everywhere for you," said Lydia. "Heavens! how +the child has flushed and heated herself over her writing! To Agatha, +of course!" + +"Ah, if one could read the letter!" exclaimed the Baron. + +"There is nothing about you in it, I can give you that assurance, if it +will set your mind at ease," said Erna, closing her blotting-book with +the unfinished letter in it, and rising. + + + + + X. + + +"Have you availed, yourself of the opportunity to talk to Erna?" +Hildegard asked Bertram as soon as they were alone. + +Bertram had expected this question, and had sought and found time to +prepare his answer to it. His first impulse has been to taste the full +delights of triumph, and to assure Hildegard, in strict accordance with +the actual truth, that the Baron need never expect to gain Erna's +affection. But then he considered that so brusque a revelation, would, +without the slightest doubt, cause the proud lady to burst forth into a +tempest of indignation, would bring Erna into a disagreeable position, +and possibly involve her in extremely awkward scenes. Her feeble father +would be no support to her whatever--on the contrary, he wished the +decision to be put off as long as possible. And, lastly, he saw now +quite clearly that Hildegard's pressing invitation to make a lengthened +stay had had the very definite aim to secure in him, as in a very +influential friend, an ally in the execution of her plans. Now he had +failed in his diplomatic mission, and though they would not openly +deprive him of his confidential position, they would very surely not +consult him again. Future events would then occur behind his back, and +the sooner he went away the better for them. And was he to go now? He +felt as though he could as readily bid farewell to life and light. + +And so his answer came to be nothing but an adroit evasion. He had, he +said, done his best, and Erna had met him in the heartiest and most +confiding manner. But on this very ground he considered himself +justified in stating that there was at present no trace of any definite +_penchant_ for the Baron on Erna's part, and that he could only advise +them all to possess their souls in patience, to bide their time, and to +hope for the best from the gradual, but all the more sure, influence of +daily intercourse. + +The apparent genuineness of conviction with which all this was +expressed deceived Hildegard completely. Her assumption that Erna took +a special interest in the Baron was chiefly founded on Lydia's +assertions, and Lydia, poor soul, was for ever weaving matrimonial +projects, was much addicted to exaggeration, and to the making of +molehills into mountains, and would, in this particular case, to get +into Hildegard's good graces and maintain herself there, amply confirm +anything she might be desirous of hearing. Now, when Hildegard was for +the moment looking at things through friend Bertram's clearer and, as +she thought, perfectly unprejudiced eyes, she was bound to admit the +justice of his observations; indeed, in Erna's manner to the Baron +there was very little indication of anything like a warmer sentiment, +so little in fact, that the varying ways in which she treated him might +almost seem matters of congratulation. Bertram asked himself why +Hildegard did not give up a project which looked so very unlike +fulfilment, since Erna, in all the charm of her young beauty, would +assuredly have no lack of suitors, while her mother, not having the +slightest suspicion of her husband's awkward financial situation, must +needs, as indeed she did in her matrimonial plans in reference to Erna, +reckon wealth among the attractions. There seemed to be something +self-contradictory here, anyhow it was passing strange; and yet, as he +went on meditating, he thought he had found the key to the enigma. Fair +Hildegard herself was most pleasantly impressed by the Baron's striking +appearance and confident manner, and was much flattered by the homage +he paid to her beauty, her cleverness, her kindness, a homage to which, +he gave even in company a very perceptible, and in their not infrequent +_tete-a-tetes_ probably even a more emphatic expression. And then the +circumstance which, by the by, the Baron by no means concealed, that, +to use his own words, he was as poor as a church mouse, she looked upon +as a distinct point in his favour. + +"Herein," she said to Bertram, "I see the finger of a just and +compensating Fate. I know, my friend, that you are too wise and +enlightened not to pardon an aristocratic fancy of mine, namely, that +it is best if the aristocracy marry among themselves, and the +_bourgeoisie_, for whom I have the greatest respect, also among +themselves. Well, I, being a very poor lady with a long pedigree--for, +indeed, the traditions of our family are reckoned by centuries--have +had to break with these traditions, and was in this way the first to +contract a _bourgeois_ alliance. I do not complain of my lot; it was my +lot, and there's an end of it; but I have never ceased to pray to God +that my only daughter might be granted a different fate. And if a +family, which is still older than mine, is enabled to resume its +rightful position in the world, I really do not know what better I +could wish, assuming always that Erna, as would doubtless be the case, +gets a husband who loves her, and who--not to reckon his little +cavalier's foibles, in reference to which a wise woman will be +judiciously blind, knowing that this kind of thing is sure to stop of +its own accord--is in every way worthy of her love." + +"And whom," added Bertram mentally, "I hope to bring as completely +under my control as my husband." + +He was convinced that this thought was the leading one in the +calculations of the selfish lady, in spite of the great care with which +she endeavoured to avoid even the faintest appearance of any egotistic +motive. Even as she was fond of representing her life as one long chain +of sacrifices made by her on behalf of others, so she would now appear +prepared to give up her own comfort for Erna's sake. Of course, she +explained, it would not be possible to leave the poor child alone in +town, among indifferent strangers; and she and Otto must in consequence +make up their minds to spend the winter there in future. This, to be +sure, would necessitate the purchase of a house of their own in town; +but the question of expense was not to be taken into consideration +where the happiness of their child was concerned; and, by a lucky +accident, there happened to be for sale, and at quite a reasonable +price, a newly-erected villa close to the Park, surrounded by a pretty +garden, and roomy enough to enable them all, parents and children, to +live comfortably together. And it would be quite feasible and not +very expensive either, to build a studio for the Baron, she added. +Perhaps Bertram would not mind driving to town with Otto, to look +at the house? When? Why not to-day? Otto, as usual, could not make +up his mind, although it would be an excellent investment, even +supposing--supposing--but no, that case was not likely to occur, the +momentary, somewhat unfavourable, aspect of things notwithstanding. + +"For in this, too, my friend," she said, in concluding her +explanations, "you will agree with me: the more carefully we prepare +all things needful, and thus show the child, as it were, an image of +the safe and sure and peaceful happiness awaiting her, the more swiftly +and fondly her fancy will busy itself with that image, and from the +fair image to the fairer reality--_il n'y a qu'un pas_. But first we +must settle about the villa. There will be no difficulty if you speak +seriously to Otto." + +"I promise," replied Bertram. + +The incident was most opportune, he thought. Here Otto, already +harassed on all sides, was threatened, with huge additional +expenditure, before which even his fatal readiness to yield must needs +pause at length, as before an absolutely insuperable obstacle. The +consequences were clear. He could not simply meet his wife's request by +a refusal. There must be a full explanation between husband and wife; +there would be a fearful storm, but it had to come, it was absolutely +required to clear the sultry atmosphere, to disentangle the wretchedly +involved situation. Hildegard's frivolous scheme would burst like a +soap-bubble, and at one stroke Erna would be freed from an importunate +suitor, and her father from an unworthy and intolerable position. +Yesterday already he had been determined to stand by his friend through +all the anxieties, embarrassments, and perils which were bound to +ensue. To-day his heart beat anxiously, eager as he was to face those +perils, for every peril cleared out of her path and victoriously +conquered, was a trophy laid at her feet, hers, for whom he would have +willingly shed his heart's blood drop by drop. + +Fancy his terror and his indignation when, driving to town with Otto +later in the day, he found his friend more removed than ever from any +manly resolve. + +"The purchase of this villa, dear me--why, if Hildegard cares for it so +much--would, after all, be a comparative trifle--really. And then, what +I told you yesterday regarding my situation, why, dear me, you know me +well enough, old man, to ... to know how I am influenced by passing +moods. That makes me look at all things accordingly; things are either +black or white to me. And yesterday, why, I had a black, a very black +mood. To be sure, my factories are not a success, and, indeed, may now +and again involve a loss. But, then, look at those fields, and think of +the crop we'll have; and with such a prospect I can afford to leave +myself a very fair margin, the more so as the harvest in Russia and in +Hungary promises to be very bad--so the reports say--and in that case +we shall make no end of money. And then--look here--just you read his +paragraph in the paper about the railway question. Eh--and the +paragraph, I feel sure, is from the pen of the President of our own +local Parliament, who is, by the by, a great friend of mine, and has +for years been my lawyer. Well, what do you say now?" + +"I say," replied Bertram gravely, "that things are exactly in the +position which you described yesterday. Your friend here clearly +represents only his own, or, if you like, your views and wishes; and +will, moreover, naturally put some pressure upon Government, by +representing it as impossible for them to decide differently from your +wishes and hopes." + +"But the Government--which means the Court--is already more than half +won over. Lotter assures me...." + +"For Heaven's sake! leave him out of the business." + +"Oh, of course, of course; if you are so prejudiced against him that +you refuse him even the common credibility which you allow otherwise to +everybody!" + +"There is no question here of credibility or incredibility," exclaimed +Bertram indignantly; "but the thing is this: you are mistaking your +illusions and hopes for realities and facts; you are voluntarily +blinding yourself lest you see the abyss into which you are about to +plunge. And mind this: by your miserable hesitation you are really +accelerating the coming of the dreaded moment; nay, you render it only +the more dreadful. There is still time; this very day you can go and +say to your wife: I have met with losses, terrible losses, and we must +needs retrench, and therefore.... Why, man, you will let it come to +this, that you must confess to her: We have nothing further to lose; +all is gone! Think of this, friend, I entreat you. Your boat is +overloaded; away with the ballast which all but sinks it now; overboard +with it all! Were it a question of yourself alone, you would be manly +enough not to hesitate; and with wife and child on board, whose ruin is +certain unless you act at once, you ... cannot, will not act!" + +Otto would say neither yea nor nay. Bertram was silent in his despair. +What would come of it all? + +And so they arrived in town, having hardly exchanged a word more. They +looked over the villa, and again hardly a word was exchanged; just an +indifferent remark here and there, nothing more. Otto was apparently +annoyed at something, but Bertram saw well enough that this appearance +of annoyance was but assumed to hide his irresolution. + +"I know, I know," Otto said at last grumpily, "we are not likely to +agree as it is. Had we not better call together upon my lawyer and hear +his opinion about the whole business? He is, moreover, on your side, in +politics, and will be delighted to make your acquaintance." + +Bertram seized eagerly upon so sensible a proposal, and to the lawyer's +they drove accordingly; but when they had got to the door, Otto +remembered that he had to do some commission for Hildegard: he even +explained-- + +"About those officers who are going to be quartered upon us, don't you +know?--extra provisions and that kind of thing. She can never, she +thinks, have too much on hand, in case.... Well, well, it's her nature +to ..." + +And so the broad-shouldered figure of his friend passed down the lonely +sunlit street; and Bertram added, speaking to himself, this comment, +"And your nature is ... to do things by halves only, unless you mean, +in this case, to throw the whole responsibility upon my shoulders." + +And in this view his friend's lawyer completely confirmed him. + +"Look here," said the latter to Bertram, when, after a hearty, mutual +welcome, the two had swiftly grown to be confidential with each other, +"you may take my word for this, he is most anxious we should have a +perfectly unrestrained talk about his affairs, and has backed out of +being present simply to avoid having to hear all the disagreeable +things we could not spare him; moreover, he might oppose to you and to +me, separately, a certain resistance which he would not have the +courage to do if he, found us confronting him together. Under these +circumstances I do not consider it indiscreet, but I think I am acting +according to the wishes, and I know I am acting in the interest of our +common friend, if I now add a few words of explanation to what you know +already; then, indeed, you will be thoroughly acquainted with the state +of his affairs." + +The lawyer then proceeded to describe Otto's position in detail; and to +his amazement Bertram found his own conception confirmed throughout. +Why, even his own image of the ballast which required to be heaved +overboard to set the ship once more afloat, figured in the exposition. +To be sure, Bertram now learned for the first time how weighty that +ballast really was. Thus, to give but one example, Otto had never +mentioned, had not even hinted at the fact that Hildegard's elder +sister, the widow of the late Secret Counsellor von Palm, and her whole +family, lived entirely upon Otto's bounty. "And that," said the lawyer, +"is an awful item! For the lady in question is, in every respect, a +true sister of your friend's wife. She thinks that death and the end of +all things must needs be at hand, if she and hers cannot live on a very +grand scale indeed. And then her house in Erfurth is a sort of +gathering-place for all who, by rank or position, may aspire to the +honour of appearing in such sublime surroundings; half-pay general +officers and colonels galore--and the little town was ever full of +them--and, of course, the whole number of officers actually on +duty in the garrison, and so on, and so on. The girls--and there is +half-a-dozen of them--are as bad as their mother, always excepting one +dear, sensible creature--not one of the pretty ones, though--whom, I +understand, you are about to meet in Rinstedt. Well, if the daughters +are extravagant, the two sons--both, as you know, in the army, go on as +though their uncle's cashbox had no bottom to it. Three times, four +times, already he has paid the debts of those young men, whom, by the +by, he cannot bear at all, and this, and all this, simply _in majorem +gloriam Hildegardis_, his well-beloved wife, a lady of such an old +family that the scions thereof cannot, of course, be measured by the +same standard as common mortals." + +"And do you not perceive any way of escape from this vicious circle our +friend is wandering in?" Bertram asked. + +"Only the one you have already pointed to," the lawyer made answer. +"But how the deuce can you advise a man who will not be advised, or +rather, who accepts all the advice you give him and never acts upon it +for all that ...? And there is one thing yet in which you have, too, +judged aright. It is by no means too late yet! If he give up those +factories of his which will never pay, even if--and on that his whole +hope is now centred--the new line of rails passes straight through his +estates, and if he meets My Lady with a _sic voleo, sic jubeo_, and if, +with one determined cut, he severs the boundlessly costly train from My +Lady's garment, leaving it, for all that, a very respectable garment, +he would be enabled to discharge his other liabilities gradually, or at +once if somebody would, at fair interest, lend him a biggish capital. +This, of course, times being bad, will not be very easy to manage, more +particularly if people begin to talk about his being embarrassed." + +"And how large, think you, should that capital be?" + +"I think that I could settle everything if I had a hundred thousand +thalers at my disposal, without there being any formal arrangement with +his creditors, or even a voluntary surrender." + +"In that case I beg to put the sum mentioned at your disposal." + +The lawyer looked up in amazement. + +"I had no idea that you were so wealthy," he said simply. + +"It does not represent half my fortune. Anyhow, I am not running any +risk." + +"No, to be sure," replied the lawyer; "I should be able to secure you +against any loss; the rate of interest, as I observed before, would be +low. But I may tell you beforehand that your generous offer will be +refused. I know our friend. He would rather borrow from the most +unscrupulous cut-throat of a usurer than from you, for whom he has, as +I know, the profoundest respect. For, though you may be the best of +friends, you are not his brother, not his cousin, not a kinsman at all. +If you could say to him, you owe it to our family to do so--such an +appeal to the family honour, which he holds in the highest esteem, he +would comprehend much better. But as it is, his very pride, or his +vanity rather--for vanity is distinctly his ruling passion--will be +hurt; he will appear to be immensely grateful to you, will say that you +are his good angel, and--will not accept a farthing from you, as long +as he sees, or fancies he sees, any other way out. He may possibly come +to his senses when his last hope, the railway, proves illusory. I +fear--I am a keen promoter of the project myself, but on different +grounds--I fear that will occur presently. Meanwhile, try your luck, or +his rather, by all means. But I repeat, you will not succeed with the +mere appeal to your friendship." + +Bertram, as previously arranged, then called for his friend, and as +they drove home together he made his attempt The lawyer's prophecy was +literally fulfilled. Otto overflowed in expressions of the greatest +gratitude for an offer so thoroughly characteristic of his generous +friend, and which, for the sake of their long friendship, he would +unconditionally accept--if there were any occasion for it. But that, +thank goodness, was not the case. + +And then came the wretched old story which Bertram knew by heart +already, and to which, for all that, he now listened; not, as before, +with disgust, but with an odd feeling of anxiety and doubt. To be sure, +mere friendship was not sufficient. He would have required another +title, one giving the right to demand what now he begged for in vain. +Should he venture upon the word that was trembling on his lips, and +that yet was ever beating a cowardly retreat to the tremulous heart? +Cowardly? No! It would have been cowardice, miserable cowardice, if he +had spoken it; cowardice, trying to take by miserable money-bribes a +fortress invincible to valour and high courage; cowardice and treason, +treason to the sanctity of a love which had hitherto been unselfish and +as pure as the heart of the great waters. If things came to the worst, +if it was a question of guarding the beloved child against common want, +she would be noble enough not to refuse the helping hand of a +protecting friend. But woe to him if that hand were not unsullied; if +even the shadow of a suspicion of selfishness fell upon it! + +And as they thus drove homewards, with the evening darkening around +them, he fixed his eye on high, where now the heavenly lights were +appearing in ever-increasing numbers, with ever-growing splendour; and +he reverently repeated to himself the poet's great saying of the stars +above, in whose majestic beauty man should rejoice without coveting +their possession. + + + + + XI. + + +But no poet's word could henceforth stay the wild conflagration which +raged in his heart; and every thought by which his mind strove to +obtain rest and clearness proved a faint-hearted hireling soldier that +takes the first opportunity of deserting to the ranks of the more +potent foe. In vain did he recall the arguments by which, in a certain +memorable conversation, he had tried to refute Erna's assertions--it +had been a lie, a lie--or, at best, mere theoretical twaddle. His love +a reminiscence merely? And of what, pray? Perhaps of that mournful +aberration when his heart, his thirty years notwithstanding, was +still full of faith and devoid of experience? Or of the coquettish +phantom-fights and ugly caricatures of passion with which a heart that +has ceased to believe, in love, endeavours to deceive itself regarding +its own needs? Thee, he exclaimed, thee I have always loved. My whole +life has been one unbroken longing for thee; and when now at length I +have reached the land of promise, am I solely to see it, bless God, and +die? I am no longer weary of life. Nay, life has never yet appeared so +fair to me, and never yet have I so felt the desire and the power to +enjoy it. Die we must; die, however empty life may have been; but oh, +how better far to die in the full bliss of love! No, no! If I love her, +my only reminiscence is one of weary deserts traversed until I reached +her: if she could love me, her love should be no mere mirage of an +oasis in the future; palms should rustle above her fair head, silvery +brooks should run at her feet. Love surely has this potent spell: it +can create a paradise on earth! + +And from these fairy dreams of future bliss he was startled by the +thought that Erna's heart must have already once received some mighty +impression. For it was surely passing strange that she knew so well how +to interpret some of the mysterious symbols in the book of passion; +that she evidently liked to read in that book. But since all his +cautious questioning led to no result, since she spoke of the few young +men whom she seemed to know at all either with indifference, or even, +as in the case of her two cousins, with a perceptible touch of irony, +he could not but conclude that his suspicion was unfounded, and he +became more and more familiar with a fond hope, from which he at first +recoiled as from a temptation to sheer madness. + +But he still had the full use of his senses, and they, had never been +so acute as now. How was he to explain that her voice, whenever she +turned to him, and particularly when they were alone, was quite +different from its usual tone--softer, deeper, more intense? How was he +to explain that she--surely without being aware of it--kept sometimes, +at table, if he happened to speak eagerly, her gaze fixed upon him for +several minutes--that strange, fixed gaze which he had never before met +from any human eye, and which reminded him again and again of the gaze +of the gods,-- + + + "Whose eyelids quiver not like those of mortals;" + + +and then when he ceased to, speak she was like one awakening from a +dream, drawing a long breath, which caused her maiden bosom to rise and +sink! + +Nor were other promising tokens wanting. He had, for good reasons of +his own, disregarded Erna's request to be henceforth less kind to +Lydia; nay, he had doubled his attentions and courtesies, not only +towards the coquettish lady, but towards the Baron too. It seemed so +easy now to pardon, to show indulgence, to look at all things from the +best and most amiable point of view; and politeness is a veil behind +which one may hide so much. At first he had been prepared for +opposition or serious displeasure on the part of the proud, self-willed +girl; but nothing of the kind occurred; she either seemed not to notice +his disobedience, or actually to approve of it; and once or twice, when +he somewhat overdid his part, a meaning smile played about her mouth. +Nay, more, she followed, though with evident hesitation, his example; +she no longer met Lydia's fantastic exaggerations with short and sharp +replies, or with that frigid non-recognition which is more cutting than +direct blame: she continued, as on the first evening or two, to sing +and play with the Baron; she even suffered herself to be put into the +famous terrace picture, and was patient enough to sit to him for a +couple of hours, in which the Baron, with his brush, was constantly +taking one step forward and two backward, as it were; while he vowed +again and again that this was the most grateful, but also the most +difficult, task which he had ever undertaken in his life. + +And there was yet one thing more which had struck him as peculiarly +strange and important. Erna was accustomed to repeat her interlocutors' +names frequently in the course of conversation, and to add them, even +to quite trivial phrases or questions. From the first days of his +visit he still recalled with delight her sweet "How are you, Uncle +Bertram?"--"Yes, Uncle Bertram"--"No, Uncle Bertram." But sweeter, +sweeter far it seemed to him that he now no longer heard it--no, not +once--that her conversation now was plain yea and nay, as enjoined in +Holy Writ, and quite in accordance with the wild wish of his heart. +Hilarie, too, had surely ceased to call her lover--Uncle. Poor Major! +But it served him right, after all, for it was not youth so much that +he lacked, as the courage and force of genuine passion. + + + "That man must ever be a youthful man + Who is well-pleasing to a maiden's eyes!" + + +And he does please her well, because she feels with the unerring +instinct of true love that he can and will give love for love. + +And as though he would force Fate to grant him all, because he was +staking his all upon it, he looked on with a happy smile, whilst the +fire of his great love burned up with increasing vehemence with every +day, with every hour, spreading around and engulfing his entire being. +He was proud that he could no longer feel anything else, think of +anything else, but always her, and her alone. If she was away, how +empty, how barren did the whole world seem! With what painful +impatience did he await the moment when he should behold her again; and +when he beheld her again, it seemed as though he had never beheld her +before--as though the Creator had but just uttered the command: "Let +there be light!" and as though the world lay before him in all the dewy +freshness and brightness of the morn of creation. + +Then, when the torment of delight became overpowering, he fled from +her, to dream, often for hours, in the solitude of the forest, in lone, +rocky caves, or on sunny summits--to listen in the deep silence around +for the echoing of her sweet voice within his heart, to whisper her +loved name to the discreet herbs and trees; to hear that name in the +murmur of the brooks, in the rustling of the breezes, in every note of +the birds' songs; to see her fair image smiling down upon him from +among the dainty white cloudlets that flecked the deep-blue sky, or +gazing at him with musing gravity from the dusky shadows of the +towering trees, gazing with those great, still, potent, godlike orbs. + +That those orbs were now smiling more rarely, that they were fuller of +gravest thought, often gazing with a certain sweet fixity of intensest +concentration, he had not failed to observe, and he had not interpreted +it as a symptom unfavourable to himself; how should, how could it be +otherwise, if there fell into her young soul even the faintest reflex +of the bright radiancy that was filling his own to its deepest depths? + +But he had not failed to observe either, and this he knew not how to +explain, that this musing gravity from which his own love in its +hopefulness drew sweetest sustenance--like a bee from the chalice of a +budding blossom--was turning to a gloomy indignation, which not only +was for ever veiling the beloved eyes, but was not unfrequently +enfolding the fair face with its fine, energetic features in darkest +night, luridly illumined by wrathful flashes. + +This startling change had occurred quite suddenly, coincident, +strangely enough, with the day, almost with the hour, of Agatha's +arrival. + + + + + XII. + + +On the occasion of former visits at Rinstedt Bertram had repeatedly +seen Agatha, and had always been on the best of terms with the ever +equally pleasant, amiable child. Now, of course she had, like Erna, +developed during the last few years into a maiden, though one could not +say that she had gained by the process of metamorphosis. The blonde +hair now was almost red, freckles abounded unpleasantly on brow and +cheek, and an awkward tendency to one side had become an undoubted +lurch; so that, taking all these things together, one might indeed be +tempted to take the nickname "Granny," which Erna had bestowed upon her +cousin and bosom friend, not in its moral meaning alone. But the bright +blue eyes had faithfully preserved the old, dear expression; nay, even +more openly than of old, there spoke out of them a heart full of +kindliest goodwill to all men, desirous of riving in peace and +friendship with all men, and seeming not so much to loathe as simply +not to comprehend the evil emotions and passions of the human heart. + +So gentle a creature, made but for sympathy in joy or in sorrow, could +scarcely have found the requisite courage to destroy even the +commonplace illusions of a commonplace heart, and would most likely +have recoiled from the mere attempt to lay violent hands upon a heart +like Erna's, deviating as it did so greatly from the humdrum, everyday +pattern. And, again, Bertram had to drop the suspicion which at first +had come to him in his perplexity; to wit, that Agatha had, whether in +carelessness or intentionally, blabbed about something confided to her +by Erna. Such a thing would have been in downright contradiction to the +character of the girl, who was as clever as she was good; and, lastly, +that he himself should have betrayed his feelings to the rest--that was +absolutely impossible. He was only too painfully conscious of having +from the very first moment put a most careful guard on his conduct, of +having weighed his every word, controlled his every smile and look: of +course he had! Why, he recoiled in horror from the very thought that +Erna might discover his great secret; it was certain that she had not +discovered it, and how could others have done so? + +But why should they, again, not have seen, and seen in envy, +uncharitableness, and terror, what it was the utmost delight to him to +see? Though he, in the full consciousness of his love, in the anxious +doubt as to whether that love was not a folly, a crime even, had put +the utmost restraint upon himself, yet Erna had assuredly not been +equally careful in expressing her feelings, whose real significance she +might guess at, though most assuredly she could not measure it. Why, +the most harmless and innocent things in the attentions she was +spoiling him with, the many kindly little offices which she did for him +without any fuss, _en passant_, as it were--all these things might have +been malevolently criticised and viciously explained, suspicion being +once aroused one way or the other! + +And that such must be the case he could scarcely doubt any longer, when +he submitted the demeanour of the others towards him during the last +few days to a subsequent examination. Thus, in the light of newly-won +knowledge, sundry things stood out in a very marked way, which, under +other circumstances, he would either not have heeded, or anyhow have +interpreted differently. His beautiful hostess, who used to avail +herself of every tete-a-tete with him to turn their talk to Erna and +the Baron, had not resumed her favourite topic of conversation; and, on +the other hand, Lydia now manifested infinite interest in Erna, and +never wearied of starting contemplative talks in reference to the +qualities of her former pupil, wondering how one should represent to +oneself the future of such a singular being as likely to develop +itself. The Baron had still, on each Occasion when Bertram and he had +met, overflowed with civility, but had yet tormented him less often +with challenges to billiard-matches and to contests in pistol-shooting, +but had on the other hand undertaken more frequent solitary shooting +expeditions--neither Bertram nor Otto, their host, cared for shooting, +as it happened--and had extended them farther too. Otto himself had +certainly and most clearly avoided him. At first he had thought that +Otto did it to avoid new and painful discussions in reference to his +financial position, but Bertram now assumed that it was done lest Otto +should distinctly show that he was angry with his friend for Erna's +sake, or, what--with his natural weak readiness to yield--came +virtually to the same thing, that he had been bidden by the ruling +spirit to be angry with Bertram. + +These were curiously mixed feelings which were roused within him by his +recognition of the new position he so suddenly found himself in. He +said to himself that the things which caused anxiety and terror to his +adversaries were for himself objects of joy and triumph, and +constituted the clearest proof that he had not only dreamed a dream of +rapturous delight. And to be sure, his love could not for ever remain +in the far-off regions of starry splendour; it was bound some time to +approach this earth, to become visible to the dull, mole-like eyes of +these men. But then again, putting himself in the place of these +others, and examining himself and his love, as these others were +undoubtedly doing, he would hear anew, and this time from the lips of +unjust accusers, the old evil questions which he thought had long ago +been done with, to wit--Is your longing and your desire really and +truly free from every vestige of selfishness, from every frivolous +admixture? Has the satisfaction of your own vanity, inasmuch as you may +prove that you, a man of fifty, are able to win the love of such a +youthful, and, in every respect, such a highly-favoured and gifted +girl, against the wishes of her own parents, before her who had once +spurned your love, in the presence and to the shame and discomfiture of +so much more likely a rival--have these considerations nothing, nothing +whatever to do with your love? + +And supposing he were to allow himself to be urged by pressure on the +part of his foes to make a declaration before the right time; or +supposing there never had been and never would be such a time at +all--supposing he and all of them had blundered;--supposing Erna's +heart knew nought of love, and rejected his love, amazed, terrified, +insulted--what then? Ye Heavens above! what then? Where was then that +line of retreat which Goethe had so wisely secured for his hero? + +He realised it to be one of those horribly hideous contradictions of +human life that, while before his inner eye the possibilities of his +future fate concentrated themselves as in a focus, he was busied before +the mirror in exchanging the cravat which Konski had put out for him +for the early dinner, for another (the first dressing-bell having just +rung), in reference to which Erna had once said that it suited him +particularly well. + +He stepped, annoyed, from the mirror to the open window. There came +floating through the balmy, sunny air a gossamer thread and fixed +itself on his shoulder. He sighed wearily, he felt unutterably sad. + +There was always one line of retreat open, and that was--Death. Perhaps +his life was really hanging on as slight a thread as this bit of +gossamer. But then, was not his love for that very reason both madness +and sacrilege? Was that love which at bottom thought, after all, of +itself only, and thought not first and last of this? Could one, +according to human judgment, really undertake the guarantee for the +well-being of those whom one ... made believe one loved? Whether, for +her, weal would not swiftly change to woe, whence, even though time and +that youthful vigour which refuses to be crushed were to heal the +grievous wounds, there could never again blossom forth a full, whole +happiness? And thus, and for this reason, to have henceforth, like +humdrum everyday folks, to dread death, when he had already again and +again looked into his hollow eyes! + +There was some noise behind him, and he started in terror. It was only +Konski who had come back bearing a letter. The post which was due in +the morning had arrived now, and there had been lots of letters for the +other ladies and gentlemen too, and some of them would seem to be +mighty important, for My Lady had given orders to put dinner back half +an hour, so the Herr Doctor could anyhow read his letter in peace. + +Konski had gone away again, and Bertram held the letter still unopened +in his hand. How odd that his physician and friend should write to him +just now--that the busiest of men should so swiftly reply to his own +letter, in which, on the second day of his visit, he had, as requested, +given news of his state of health, a letter which really called for no +reply at all. Was his friend now going to tell him that he ... was +doomed to speedy death? Well, the letter could not have come at a more +opportune moment. + +With trembling hand he broke the seal and read this-- + +"Dearest Friend,--Laugh if you like. On reading your letter a second +time--your letters are not, like most others, consigned to the +waste-paper basket--I have even more strongly the same impression which +the first perusal had given me; namely, that, possibly unknown to +yourself, there is to be read between the lines of your letter a +question, which can be answered only by omniscient Fate and by 'Yours +Truly;' and which, seeing Fate is not altogether to be relied upon in +this respect, Yours Truly has the honour and likewise the great +pleasure of answering herewith. Reduced to its simplest formula, then, +the question comes to this: May I marry? Seeing that you do not laugh, +but, on the contrary, look extremely grave, I will not keep you +needlessly on the tenter-hooks of expectation, but will reduce my +reply, too, to the simplest form, viz.:--Yes, best of friends, you may +marry, in spite of your late serious attack; nay, oddly enough, all the +more because of it. For although even before your illness I had no +doubt that your curiously powerful nature would for years continue to +hold its own against the severe damage done (to deny or reason away the +existence of which was unfortunately impossible), I now have hardly any +misgiving in that respect. For your last illness was simply and solely +a remarkably energetic attempt at self-help on the part of nature, and +the attempt has all but succeeded. What remains to be done to complete +the cure is but little, and that this little be done as swiftly and +thoroughly as possible, you can yourself greatly help. How so? Well, by +marrying! You, having always been over-conscientious and abnormally +scrupulous, having ever lived but for ideal aims and for the benefit of +other folk, should now at length begin to live for yourself, should now +at length find that quiet happiness which you so richly deserve, and be +happy in that happiness; though, to be sure, for the last condition +more good sense is required than what the majority of mankind have been +ready to employ. You, my good friend, have that amount of sense. +_Ergo_--marry for goodness' sake, marry for your own good, marry for +the good of those whom you love, and, lastly, marry with my full +consent, without which I know you would not do it at all. + +"But now, seeing that you are too accustomed to suffering of some sort +to be able to dispense with it altogether, I owe you a fresh supply to +make up for what I am depriving you of, and I am going to saddle you +with one of the most awful kinds of suffering a free man can be +tormented with in these hard and distressing times--you must stand for +Parliament. There is no help for it; we must have you in the +_Reichstag_. Good old S. can bear the burthen no longer; he is going to +retire. I should have insisted upon it on medical grounds if he had not +at length come to see himself that there was no help for it. He is done +for, and doomed to speedy death. And you, who are vigorously advancing +to complete restoration of health, shall and must take his place--by +order of the Electoral Committee, who met at a late hour last night and +ultimately came to a unanimous conclusion on the subject, all, finally, +voting for you! There is no reason why I should keep back the fact +that, to begin with, O. and B. were opposed to it, and so were a few +others, asserting that you could be of greater use to the common cause +as an outsider. They went on arguing that your absolutely independent +position within the party had hitherto enabled you, and would continue +to enable you, to ventilate certain grievances which really require to +be ventilated, and which it is impossible for ourselves, sitting as +members of the _Reichstag_, to bring forward, because, sitting there, +we must pay a certain regard to ... what not. This great and invaluable +activity of yours, they wisely contended, would be rendered absolutely +barren by your entering the serried ranks of a definite political +phalanx within the House itself. Right they are, I know well enough, +none better; for I have, as you know, always maintained the same view. +But, for all that, you must stand. The need is imperative. We have, +alas! none but you; and therefore our arguments prevailed: and the +requisition I am now forwarding to you in the name of our common party +is, as aforesaid, unanimous. Knowing you as well as I do, and knowing +therefore with what a struggle you make up your mind, ever determined +to adhere unswervingly to a resolution you have once arrived at, I'll +give you three days to think it over. Perhaps you'll talk it over with +our friend G. in W., whose acquaintance you have probably made ere +this; not to get him to appeal to your conscience--small need for that +in your case--but because an old veteran like him may be able, from the +fulness of his experience, to give you some hint or other which may be +of use to you in your candidature. It is very probable that you may +have to appear speedily in the arena. The Government would appear to +feel very confident of success, and will not delay the election. Four +weeks hence everything may be settled. That would leave you another +month before the meeting of Parliament to recover from the fatigue of +the electioneering campaign. The Italian trip will have to be given up, +it is true. But no one can serve two masters; and as for the mistress, +if my conjecture be correct, I do not dread her jealousy. If it were +permitted to harbour any doubt whether you have chosen wisely, or if +there were any need to apply a special test, there could be no surer +touchstone than this. The true gold of a genuine woman's love never +shines more brightly than when a sacrifice has to be made for the sake +of letting a man's worth stand out clearly. Commend me cordially to the +fair unknown, and accept my own affectionate greetings." + +The second dinner-bell had rung, and Bertram still sat staring at the +letter. Could this be true? It looked like witchcraft. By what +wonderful ingenuity had his friend rightly interpreted the state of his +heart, judging from hints which were not intended to be hints at all? +Well, if it was a miracle, it was a very auspicious one--one that could +only have had its origin in the great strength of truest friendship. +Impossible for the tempter to have assumed the guise of the best and +noblest of men! + +He pressed the letter to his lips, and gazed upward to the blue sky. +And, lo! as he moved, the gossamer thread floated away from his +shoulder, away into the sunny afar. + +With glowing eye he followed its flight. + +"Right, right! Fly and float with it, ye cowardly thoughts of retreat! +Who fears not death has already half won the battle!" + + + + + XIII. + + +Below, in the garden saloon, Bertram found only Otto and the Baron, who +abruptly stopped an eager conversation as Bertram entered. Otto looked +greatly embarrassed; the Baron gave him one angry look, then turned +away to the young ladies, who were walking on the verandah. + +"I seem to have disturbed you," said Bertram. + +"Don't be annoyed," replied Otto. "The Baron had, last night already, +disagreeable news from home, which is confirmed to-day, and will compel +him to travel back; and just now, in this time of tension, he wishes of +course--it is extremely awkward ..." + +"In one word, he has officially asked you for your daughter's hand?" + +"Not exactly officially; we really do not know about Erna. You had +undertaken to put us _au courant_, to advise and help us, and now you +are not helping us at all, and--and my wife is rather annoyed with you +on this ground." + +"So I have observed; and therefore, to make up for previous omissions, +I'll give you my advice now: get rid of him as quickly as possible, and +spare Erna the humiliation of having to refuse the fellow." + +"Humiliation? The fellow? How oddly you talk!" + +"I talk how I feel. He is unworthy of Erna, absolutely." + +"So you say; but why?" + +Bertram made no answer. What good could it do now to have a dispute +with Otto about the worthiness or unworthiness of the Baron? + +"You see," said Otto triumphantly, "you have no real reason to give!" +Then, seeing his friend look extremely grave, he went on--"I know of +course that you mean well by Erna, by me, by all of us. Perhaps you are +right, too, at least in this--that Erna may say: No. If she does, well, +then there is an end of it, and Hildegard and he may see how they can +best put up with it. If only it had not happened just now. I have my +head quite full enough as it is--all these officers coming to be +quartered here to-morrow, then the final debate on the railway +question, and then I just remember that I have also to redeem +to-morrow a certain mortgage, not much, only five thousand thalers, but +it happens most inopportunely, I wanted to talk to you about it before, +but I did not like to disturb you in your rooms; perhaps after dinner, +or to-night sometime--there is my wife coming, for God's sake no fuss, +I entreat you!" + +Hildegard entered, Lydia followed soon after, the young ladies and the +Baron came in from the verandah, and they all went to dinner. +Conversation somehow flagged; every one was busy with his own thoughts, +and, if one were to judge by looks, these thoughts did not seem to be +pleasant ones, except in Hildegard's case. She kept smiling +mysteriously to herself, and at last, when there had been a pause of +some little duration, she held up a couple of letters which she had +laid by the side of her plate, and said-- + +"It is really too bad; here, I am sitting with quite a treasury of most +interesting surprises, and none of you take the trouble to show the +slightest symptom of curiosity. It would really serve you right if I +were not to say a word to you; but I will be gracious, as usual, and +let you participate in my joy. First, then, your mother, Agatha, has +after all yielded to my entreaties. It is most kind of her. She has a +big party to-morrow, too; some twenty officers, she says, and can ill +spare any of the girls. Still, she understands that I have even greater +need of them in our solitude, if the crowd of uniforms is not to become +intolerably monotonous--_enfin_, she'll send Louise and Augusta. They +will arrive to-day; so we shall really be able to have a dance to +morrow evening, if we invite the girls from the parsonage and a few +others. Well, what do you say?" + +Erna made no reply; she seemed hardly to have listened. Agatha said-- + +"You are very kind, aunt," but it did not sound hearty. + +"Is that all?" exclaimed Hildegard. "Of course I am kind, far too kind +to you ungrateful _blasee_ girls, who cannot rise to enthusiasm even +with the prospect of a dance! But you, Baron?" + +"I envy the gentlemen," replied he, "who will benefit by your kindness; +I myself, as you are aware, will scarcely be able to participate in +it." + +Hildegard raised her eyebrows. + +"I thought," she said, "that the matter was settled. Your relations may +see how they can best do without you. I wish to hear nothing more upon +the subject. This is my ultimatum, and I beg you will respect it." + +The Baron bowed, and muttered something about _force majeure_. +Hildegard paid no heed to it; she had already taken up the second +letter. + +"I must beforehand apologise for my bad French accent. The letter is +from the Residenz, and I ought to mention ..." + +"From Princess Amelia?" the Baron asked eagerly. + +"Not from our gracious Princess," replied Hildegard with a courteous +smile, "but from a princess, for all that." + +"Perhaps you would translate it?" suggested Otto timidly. + +"Very well," replied his wife. "I was thinking of doing so anyhow, for +I know you pretend that you do not understand French. Well, then-- + +"Madam,--Will you pardon a perfect stranger who ventures to request a +favour which it is usual to grant only to one's friends, or to duly +accredited persons--the favour of being your guest for a short time? +You are amazed, madam; but why do you own a mansion whose classic style +of architecture and whose internal fittings are the marvel of the land? +Why does every one who can judge, laud you as unsurpassed in the +horticultural art? I travel through Germany chiefly with the object of +studying all that is best and most beautiful in these things, in order +to try and imitate it upon my estates in Livadia. I shall not, as I +said, trouble you long; only a day or two. To-morrow and the day after, +if I may, for I can unfortunately not dispose differently of my time. +And as regards the inconvenience I must needs cause you, I will try to +reduce it to a minimum. A gardener or forester to pilot me about +outside, a steward to show me some of the things inside, a little +corner by your fireside, a little place at your table, a little chamber +to sleep in; that is all! True, already too much, if I reflect; but one +should not reflect, if one is the thorough egotist who has the honour +of remaining, Madam, your obedient servant,--Princess Alexandra +Paulovna ..." + +Hildegard looked up from her letter, and said with a smile-- + +"I cannot make out the surname." + +She passed the letter to Bertram, who was sitting on her right. + +"Well," said the Baron, on her left, "she would seem to be a Russian, +anyhow." + +"No doubt of that. Well, my friend?" + +"No," replied Bertram, "I cannot make it out." + +"Will you allow me?" said the Baron. + +Bertram handed the letter back to Hildegard, who passed it on to the +Baron. + +"Why," he exclaimed, "it is quite plain, Bo--Bo!" He paused. + +"Bo, Bo, Bo!" laughed Lydia. "Let me try." +But Lydia failed too; the note was passed round the table; Otto and +Agatha tried and failed; Erna passed it on to Bertram without casting +one glance at it. + +"Will you not try?" asked Bertram. + +"No." + +She uttered this so sharply that Bertram looked up terrified. + +"How very unkind," said her mother. + +Bertram had the same impression at first, but he knew Erna too well; +there was assuredly something else going on in her mind, something +which had tried to find expression in the abrupt No. She was very pale, +and had pressed her teeth against her under lip, whilst her eyes looked +gloomily and fixedly straight in front of her. One might have expected +her to burst into a flood of tears the next moment. To turn the +attention of the rest from her, and also to overcome his own feelings +of uneasiness, he began once more diligently to spell away at the +signature, and suddenly exclaimed-- + +"I have got it, I think--Volinzov--Alexandra Paulovna Volinzov!" + +"Let me see, please?" exclaimed Hildegard. "Really, Volinzov; and quite +plain too. How blind we have been! Dear me, Herr Baron, what is the +matter with you?" + +"I beg a thousand pardons," said the Baron from behind his +handkerchief, which he held pressed to his face, rising from the table +as he spoke, and swiftly withdrawing from the room. + +Hildegard looked sadly after his retreating figure. + +"Poor fellow!" she said, "I am so sorry. He is in a terrible state of +excitement. And now, in addition, this home news--if I only knew what +it is all about, but he is discretion personified." + +Bertram, still pondering over Erna's strange demeanour, had almost +mechanically cast his eye over the whole letter, and only became +conscious of this on coming to a passage which he did not remember +having heard in Hildegard's translation. + +"Here," he said, "is one line, my fair friend, which has escaped you, +and which yet strikes me as important. Listen: 'thorough egotist who +has the courage to follow her letter at once, and has the honour,' &c." + +"Impossible!" exclaimed Hildegard. + +"There it stands; see for yourself. You passed from the last line but +two on to the last." + +"Oh dear! oh dear!" exclaimed the hostess. "She will be wanting to +dine of course; and that is not the worst, but all the rooms will be +occupied by to-morrow afternoon." + +"The officers must do with a little less accommodation," said Otto. "It +will be all right." + +"No, it will not be all right," said his wife, "if each of them is to +have a room of his own; and we cannot put less than two each at the +disposal of the two Majors and the Colonel." + +"Let me help you in your embarrassment," said Bertram. "You know, I +originally intended leaving early to-morrow, let us adhere to the old +plan; the more so, because I have just received a letter which +necessitates my very speedy return to Berlin." + +"That is an excuse," exclaimed his friend. + +"No excuse, my dear fellow; you may see the letter yourself. But I may +as well say what it is about. I have been selected by my political +friends for a forthcoming vacancy in the _Reichstag_." + +"But you will surely not stand?" + +"Indeed, I mean to do so." + +"And your Italian trip?" + +"Postponed to some future day." + +"But your illness?" + +"Thanks to your excellent nursing, I never felt better in my life." + +"But it's quite out of the question!" cried Otto. "I cannot let you. +It would be downright ..." + +In thus urging his friend to stay, Otto was simply following the +dictates of his own good-natured heart, without any reference to his +own special interests; now it suddenly occurred to him that his wife +had that very morning called Bertram's presence a positive misfortune, +and had accused him of standing--the one obstacle--between herself and +the execution of her favourite plan. + +So he broke off abruptly, casting a sheepish, embarrassed look at his +wife. + +Hildegard blushed to the very temples. Now she was obliged to urge him +to stay, if everything she had been settling during the last few days +in secret with Lydia and the Baron, and at last with her husband too, +was not to lie like an open book before Bertram, and unless there was +to be a real rupture, which, of course, it was desirable to avoid as +long as possible. In order to conceal the true reason of her blush, she +seized, as though obeying some uncontrollable impulse, both his hands, +and said-- + +"I am almost speechless with amazement, my friend! Otto is quite right; +the thing is impossible, it would be downright--abominable--that is +what you were going to say, is it not, dear Otto? You cannot, must not +leave us now. In a few days, if it really must be, well and good; but +not now. I have--quite apart from our own feelings--revelled in the +thought of the pleasant surprise it will be for Herr von Waldor to meet +here, upon the threshold of a strange house, an old friend of his own. +And if old friendship cannot exercise a spell over you, are you not +allured by the prospect of meeting the mysterious Russian, whose name +you alone were able to decipher, and who will not care to converse with +any one except yourself, once she has heard how beautifully you speak +French? But come--Otto, Lydia, Agatha--help me to entreat our friend to +stay." + +In the general excitement, every one had risen from table, dinner being +finished anyhow, and now they were talking on the verandah. The Baron +had reappeared too, but was keeping at some little distance; he +evidently had not quite recovered from his attack. Those to whom +Hildegard had appealed by name hastened to comply with her request, and +were all urging Bertram to remain. He never heard them at all; he did +not even see them; he had eyes for Erna only. + +Erna, as though she had no interest whatever in the matter under +discussion, had stepped down from the verandah to one of the +flower-plots on the lawn. Suddenly she turned, retraced her steps +slowly, ascended the verandah again, and approached him. Her cheeks--so +pale but a short time ago--were flushed now; there was a light in those +large eyes, and a defiant smile played round her dainty lips. She +fastened a beautiful red rose, just about to unfold, in his buttonhole. + +"I prayed you the night you came--I pray you again: Stay! stay--for my +sake! Come, Agatha!" + +She had seized her cousin by the hand, and drawn her away into the +garden; Bertram had stepped into the billiard-room, and was knocking +the balls about; the others looked at each other, amazed, embarrassed, +frightened, scornful. But, greatly though their various feelings +desired expression and exchange, and opportune though the occasion +might appear, there was no chance in the meantime. For the very next +moment the sound of a post-horn was heard coming from the great +courtyard, and announced, to Hildegard's terror, that Princess Volinzov +had interpreted her own letter literally, and had really followed it +without delay. + + + + + XIV. + + +The sunny brightness of the day was suddenly interrupted by a +thunderstorm, and the evening closed in dark and stormy. Up from the +valley and down from the wooded hills thick grey mists came rolling +along, and violent showers of rain ensued. It was chilly and +disagreeable; and the "corner by the fireside," referred to in the +letter of the Princess, seemed no longer to be a mere phrase, but to +embody a very natural wish, and one which Hildegard took care to +fulfil, by having fires kindled in all the drawing-rooms. There was +quite a party at the mansion this evening. An hour after the arrival of +the Princess, the sisters of Agatha had come; then the forest-ranger, +the Herr _Oberfoerster_, had turned up, without having brought his +ladies, on account of the disagreeable weather, but there had come with +him a young gentleman from the Forests and Woods' Department, Herr von +Busche, who had been absent for a week, and who, as he laughingly +assured them, must try very hard to make up for the many pleasant hours +he had lost. He seemed determined to carry this into practice, for he +was most indefatigable in suggesting new games and new jests, and kept +the four young ladies in constant laughter. + +"_Qu'y a-t-il de plus beau_," said the Princess, talking, as before, +now French, now German with equal readiness, "thus to hear, from an +adjoining room, the happy laughter of girls, while one is sitting +snugly by the fire talking to a friend. The past and the present mingle +and separate again, like the red and blue flames among those coals; and +sometimes there flashes between them a green one, which we may take for +a light giving a glimpse of the future--and indeed it vanishes again +very swiftly. How comfortable, how beautiful everything's in your +house, _ma chere_. And how can I thank you enough for admitting me to +the full enjoyment of your charming home?" + +She had seized both Hildegard's hands as she spoke, and seized them so +eagerly that the bracelets on her round white arms jingled. + +"I have to thank you, Princess ..." + +"For goodness' sake, do not call me that any longer. Say Alexandra, +will you not?" + +"Will you say Hildegard?" + +"_Cela va sans dire_--Hildegard--a beautiful name--beautiful like her +whose it is! What were we talking about? The future, yes, to be sure. +Well, there is a glorious future in store for you in your lovely +daughter." + +"Do you like Erna?" + +"Like her? _Mon Dieu!_ only a mother's modesty can ask this. She is +simply divine. Not that I never saw more beautiful girls--you see I am +quite frank--but there is something in her whole bearing, the way in +which she walks or stands, every movement, every gesture, her +expression, her smile, her gravity even, there is a grace and a charm +about it all which completely bewitch me, woman though I am. How may +men feel? Poor men! Poor broken hearts, I pity you!" + +"She has scarcely had the chance yet of breaking hearts," replied +Hildegard with a smile; "she has only just left school." + +"But even very young ladies, I am told, manage sometimes to do it," +said the Princess. "I am afraid I broke one or two myself whilst I was +at a boarding-school, and it was a strict one, too! But to be serious, +have you already chosen for your fair child?" + +"Our girls in Germany are wont to claim the right of choice for +themselves," replied Hildegard, casting a stolen glance at Bertram, +who, walking up and down the saloon with Otto, happened just at that +moment to be inconveniently near. + +"A bad German peculiarity," said the Princess. "If a girl who does not +know the world, does not know men--except her father, of whom she is +afraid, and her brothers, whom she thinks ridiculous--is allowed to +choose a husband according to the confused illusions of her silly +little head--you may bet a hundred to one that the result will be +either a _betise_ or a _malheur_--which, according to the saying of +the witty Frenchman, are, however, identical terms." + +"That is quite my idea, dear--Alexandra," said Hildegard, bending her +head with a courteous smile to her new-found friend; "quite my idea!" + +"Clever women understand each other _a demi mot_," replied Alexandra. +"But there are exceptions, and your Erna is such an exception. She +would never dream of losing her heart to a man simply because he stands +six feet, and knows how to brush himself up and to cut a figure, +however confused things may look beneath the smoothly-parted hair, +however rotten a heart may beat behind the dainty cambric shirt-front." + +Hildegard did not dare to stir; she had noticed that during the last +few words of the Princess the Baron had been standing within a couple +of steps from them, evidently with the intention of joining them. But +as neither lady seemed to see him, or wish to see him, he examined a +vase which stood upon a marble table near, and turned on his heel +again. Hildegard breathed more freely. + +"You may be quite assured," said Alexandra, "I spoke in French on +purpose when I saw him coming. I had made sure that he speaks it very +badly, and understands it even worse, which, by the by, is rather +curious in a cavalier who is anxious to obtain a Court appointment." + +Hildegard felt very uneasy, although it was of course out of the +question that the Princess should have meant the Baron when she spoke +of a "man standing six feet." + +"You know," she said with some little hesitation, "that the Baron is +very intimate at Court?" + +"I was at Court last night," replied Alexandra, "to tea. We Russians +are in very good odour at your Court, you know; and, moreover, I had +made the acquaintance of their Highnesses during their last visit to +St. Petersburg. Princess Amelia is specially gracious to me, and she is +the one who interests herself in the Baron." + +"To be sure," Hildegard assented eagerly. "Pray, tell me more, it has +much interest for me." + +"I have not much to tell. I mentioned in the course of general +conversation that I intended to pay you a visit to-day. This led to +Fraeulein von Aschhof and the Baron being mentioned as your guests. For +that curious lady every one seemed to have a smile, nothing more, +which, by the by, I can quite understand. About the Baron--well, _chere +amie_, since you are interested in the young man, I must be indiscreet +enough to tell you of a very confidential conversation I had afterwards +in a window recess about him with that dear old man, Count Dirnitz, the +Court-Marshal. He told me that the opinions regarding the Baron were at +least much divided at Court. The Grand Duke himself, he said, in +particular, could not overcome a certain antipathy to him, and that was +the reason why his appointment as one of the chamberlains, although +duly made out, still awaited the Grand Duke's signature. The Count said +that he himself, although he had been an intimate friend of the Baron's +father, did not know what to advise. Just then the Grand Duke came up +to us; he had heard the last words of Count Dirnitz, and said +laughingly: 'That, my good Count, happens pretty often to you; but may +I ask what it is about?' And when Dirnitz, who, I suppose, had no +option, had told him, he said: 'Well, in this case, I must admit I am +perplexed myself; I should so much like to oblige Princess Amelia, and +yet ...' Then the Grand Duke suddenly turned to me and said: '_A +propos_, Princess Volinzov, as you are going to Rinstedt to-morrow, you +might have a good look at our man. I will gladly confide the matter to +your unprejudiced decision. If you think him suitable for us, _eh +bien_, I'll risk it.' ... What a truly charming ceiling this is! Quite +a work of art." + +Princess Alexandra was leaning back in her arm-chair examining through +her double eye-glass the painted ceiling. + +"I see," she said, "a fine imitation of that Guercino in the Villa +Ludovisi. It is superb, truly superb!" + +Hildegard was in a state of painful excitement. The young Princess had, +anyhow, impressed her greatly; now this unexpected, but of course +perfectly natural, intimacy at Court, and specially such a mission, +possibly the one solitary motive of the whole visit, and upon which the +Baron's fate depended. She felt almost dizzy, and it cost her a +considerable struggle to be able to say with some calmness-- + +"I beg your pardon, my dear Alexandra, but you have forgotten the main +thing." + +"The main thing! What main thing? + +"What your unprejudiced opinion of the Baron now is." + +"To be sure!" + +She looked again at Hildegard. There was an odd smile on her lips now. + +"If my opinion were only unprejudiced. But how can that be when the +friends of our friends are our own, or ought to be?" + +"You shall not escape thus," said Hildegard, whose sinking courage the +fair visitor's smile had revived a little. + +"I do not mean to escape," replied the Princess; "only I do not quite +like to confess a silly trick to you which my memory, which is +generally very fair as far as physiognomies are concerned, is playing +me in this case. But it is simply impossible to free one's self +altogether from the influence which a marked personal likeness +exercises; and when I first saw the Baron, there came to me the most +disagreeable reminiscence of an episode of the last journey I made with +my lamented mother to Italy. However, as I ought at once to state, +there is no harm in the matter, for the Baron, whom I asked, says he +was not in Monaco that year." + +"In Monaco?" cried Hildegard. + +"Alas, my good mamma, the Countess Lassounska, you must know, was a +great votary of the green cloth. Well, she could afford to indulge a +passion which, among the ladies of the Russian aristocracy, not seldom +survives or reappears, when they have had to bury all other passions. +And in all others poor mamma had been so very unfortunate; but in this +she was singularly lucky. Thus, one night--it was in autumn '72--she +died next spring, four weeks after my marriage with the Prince, who had +at that time followed us to Monaco, and to whom I had just, being then +sixteen years of age, become engaged--good Lord, and he has been dead +these two years! How time passes! But what was I going to say? Oh yes; +mamma had won an immense sum one night, so much that at last she was +barely paying any attention to what she was staking, and when she +noticed a friend, she turned round to talk to him, without leaving her +chair, until the gentleman himself called her attention to the +accumulating gains, and asked if she would not withdraw them. But she +said there was no hurry, and went on chattering, to the amazement of +her neighbours and the terror of the bank, for they kept and kept +losing on the red. At last mamma did turn round again to the table, her +own curiosity roused by the divers exclamations of the bystanders; but +just at that moment a gentleman, who had been sitting by her side all +night, was pocketing the whole huge heap of banknotes and rouleaux of +gold. Mamma claimed her property, of course; the gentleman assured her +she was mistaken. Mamma knew that this was not the case, but a scene in +a gambling-room, don't you know, dear, _c'est une horreur_ for a lady +with aristocratic nerves like poor mamma, the friend she had been +conversing with wanted to interfere, so did a number of the bystanders, +and play had to be suspended. Mamma said that if the gentleman asserted +that the money was his, she would waive her claim; rose, took her +friend's arm, and left the room. Here the matter ended, and nothing +further followed, for the 'gentleman' elected to leave that very night +for Nice. There, they say, he speedily got rid of his illgotten gains. +At least, when we arrived there four weeks later, they pointed out a +gentleman in the play saloon to us who had recently lost fabulous sums. +On that occasion I saw him for the first time--I was not generally +allowed to enter the gambling-rooms--and for the last time, for he had +no sooner caught sight of our party, than he rose from the table and +vanished from the room, and I think from Nice; anyhow, he never, +appeared again during the rest of our sojourn. Mamma had given strict +orders not to take any notice; whatever of the adventurer." + +"And this--adventurer, had a distant likeness to the Baron?" + +"A distant likeness? No, dear, a most distinct one. That's the +misfortune!" + +Alexandra was leaning back again in the arm-chair and toying with her +rings. Hildegard was staring gloomily in front of her. The execution of +her long-cherished, plan, the fulfilment of her eager desire, was now +threatened by an obstacle which seemed much worse than any previous +one; and she was already almost reduced to despair by the others that +she had to struggle against. + +"A misfortune, indeed!" she said; "a great misfortune for our friend, +who, will now have to suffer so bitterly for an accident he is +guiltless of." + +"How suffer, dear?" + +"Were you not saying yourself a short while ago that this wretched +likeness was making it impossible for you to arrive at an unprejudiced +opinion about the Baron? Well, it matters everything to him, of course, +that your opinion should not only not be prejudiced but favourable. +And--to confess the truth--to me, to us, it matters much, very much." + +Alexandra drew herself up, the old odd smile was hovering about her +lips again. + +"Does it really matter so much to you?" she said. "Do I understand you +correctly?" + +"Let us assume that you do," replied Hildegard, trying as she spoke to +imitate Alexandra's smile. + +"Then I can only answer: _Je n'en vois pas la necessite._" + +"Of what?" + +"That this particular man should marry Erna. Where is the necessity? If +she were in love with him, the matter would have to be discussed at +least. Now it is not worth while. A girl like your Erna--proud, +self-willed, large-hearted--will never be in love with this Baron, +never! It is impossible, it is contrary to nature--I mean contrary to +the nature of a gifted heart, for there are gifted hearts, just as +there are gifted heads. One can, nay, one must, have absolute +confidence in both, even supposing that, from very excess of feelings +or thoughts, they seem not to have confidence in themselves. One must +let them have their way, they cannot err long." + +"But they can err for all that," replied Hildegard bitterly. "Would +you not call it an error, would you think it to be in accord with the +nature of that gifted heart you speak of, if the girl in question were +to take a special interest in--out with it, were to love--a man who, +according to years, might be her father, a man of fifty?" + +The question seemed to come upon Princess Alexandra as a great +surprise. She had almost risen from her chair, and was staring fixedly +at Hildegard with a burning blush on her cheek. But the very next +moment mien and colour had resumed their former state, and nestling +even more snugly in the recesses of the deep arm-chair, she said +slowly-- + +"This question it is impossible to answer with an unconditional Yes or +No. So much would depend upon the individual. Let us speak of the girl +first. You are of coarse referring to ..." + +"To Erna." + +The eyes of the Princess were all but closed now; something seemed to +flash from beneath the long eyelids. + +"Of course," she replied very slowly. "And ... he?" + +Hildegard bent her eyes in the direction of the opposite side of the +drawing-room, where Bertram was conversing with the forest-ranger. + +"Ah!" was all the Princess said, putting up her double eyeglass and +surveying Bertram curiously. Then, after a long pause-- + +"Are you sure?" + +"Quite." + +"It is so easy to make a mistake in these things." + +"There is no chance of a mistake here." + +"How so?" + +Hildegard hesitated before she replied. But her heart was too full. The +pain--repressed with difficulty--caused her by the merciless +condemnation of the Baron, her displeasure in reference to Bertram, her +anger against Erna--all these emotions were clamouring for expression, +although her pride bade her desist. She bent over the Princess and +whispered hurriedly-- + +"You will not condemn a mother even if, in her despair, she has +recourse to desperate remedies, or, at least, allows things to be done +on which she could never voluntarily determine. I was positively free +from the faintest suspicion, but Lydia--Fraeulein von Aschhof--who had +reasons of her own for exercising minute control over the gentleman's +demeanour, felt sure she had found it out. Indeed, she communicated to +me observations she had made--words she had heard, looks she had +intercepted--I thought the charge monstrous, incredible, abominable; +but my confidence was shaken--I saw with new eyes, heard with new +ears--saw and heard what caused me to shudder. And yet I would +certainly have shrunk much longer from accepting a conviction which +every day and every hour was urging upon me anew; but two days ago +Fraeulein von Aschhof brought me a letter which my daughter had written +to her cousin Agatha, written but not sent--why, I know not. Nor do I +know how Lydia--Fraeulein Von Aschhof--got hold of the letter. I +believe ..." + +"Go on, go on!" said Alexandra, as Hildegard, embarrassed, was pausing. +"That does not matter at all. The chief thing is that you have seen the +letter. And what did the letter say? That she loved this man?" + +"Not in these words, but in words which it were impossible to interpret +differently." + +"Have you the letter still?" + +"No, I am sorry to say. Lydia has ..." + +"Has replaced it where she found it; of course. It's a pity, though. It +might be possible to imagine another interpretation. However, let us +assume that it is so. What have you resolved?" + +"To die rather than give my consent--a thousand times rather!" + +Their eyes met, and they looked; steadily at each other for a few +moments. Then the Princess nodded, and said-- + +"I see you are in earnest. I can quite understand it; nay, more, I will +help you. You will not have to die. I promise my help. Will you reject +it?" + +She had seized Hildegard's hand. + +"I shall be eternally grateful to you," said Hildegard; "but ..." + +"No 'but!' I am one of these people who always do what they undertake. +You shall be content with me." + +"I fear, I fear it is too late." + +"We shall see about that. Now, in the first instance, bring me the man, +and leave me alone with him. One more condition: you are never to ask +me what means I have employed. Will you promise?" + +"Anything you wish, my kind, good friend!" + +She would have pressed the little ringed hands, (which she still held +clasped) to her lips, but the Princess prevented it by a swift +movement, saying as she did so-- + +"For goodness sake, do not be demonstrative! People are not to see what +intimate friends we have become!" + +Hildegard had risen to fetch Bertram. Alexandra was again examining, +with the help of her double eyeglass, the painted ceiling above; but +her thoughts were not with Apollo and the nymphs. + +"So now we are going to see Mr. Right! To be sure, the other one was +scarcely worth the trouble. But this one it will not be so easy to +subdue. Poor Kurt--I could take such sweet revenge here! But no, no! I +have vowed to myself, by the love wherewith I loved you, wherewith I +love you still--as a brother--that I would bring you back your loved +one though I should have to fetch her out of Inferno. I will keep my +vow. I will be able to look with a clear conscience into your beautiful +eyes to-morrow.... Ah, Mr. Bertram! Now I call this very nice of you. I +was already beginning to feel offended. I am not accustomed to be +neglected by clever people. You must try to atone for it now. Pray, sit +down!" + + + + + XV. + + +Bertram had no difficulty in replying merrily to the merry questions of +the fair stranger. His head was full of merry thoughts, there was +nothing but rapture in his heart. All the world seemed to him to be +filled with the fragrance of that rose Erna had given him to-day, that +rose which he had since worn near his heart, and from which the hostile +looks of Hildegard and the others fell off harmless, as from a potent +talisman. Human envy notwithstanding, things awarded him by the grace +of the gods were coming to him, nay, had come. If he had still required +any confirmation, what confirmation more delightful could he have had +than the exuberant mirth to which the beloved child's melancholy +gravity had suddenly turned? Like fairy music her rippling laugh seemed +to him, coming from the adjoining room, where, surrounded by her +cousins, she was as indefatigable in admiring Herr von Busche's feats, +as that gentleman himself was in performing them. And he was willing to +bear in patience that she was taken up by her friends all the evening, +even as he was himself by the rest of the company, and that thus he had +not found one single moment when he might have approached her, might +have told her what she knew already, what no longer required to be +said, what could be said only by a kiss on those pure, sweet lips. + +In such rapturous dreams his soul was rejoicing whilst he was +conversing gaily with the Russian beauty. And rapture, too, it was to +compare this foreign beauty, from whom, in spite of her youth, the +strong and not always pure breath of the great world had long ago +brushed away the dainty down, with the chaste grace of the beloved +maid. She needed no sparkling diamonds, no jingling of golden +bracelets; she could dispense with all these over-refined arts of the +toilet, this coquetterie which calculated every pose of the plump +little frame, every movement of the round arms and the white hands, +every rise and fall of the long lids, every glance, every smile from +the black eyes! His Erna was the fairer and nobler of the two, a born +Princess! + +In their conversation, which was carried on, as far as Bertram was +concerned, all the more eagerly the less his heart was touched by it, +and to which Alexandra, passing as lightly as a bird from one subject +to another, was constantly adding fresh topics of interest, they were +interrupted by the loud laughter of the girls. Indeed, two of the +sisters came rushing into the drawing-room to invite those who were +there to come and admire a positively incredible trick which Herr von +Busche had just performed, and which he was prepared to repeat--but by +universal desire only. They drew the others away with them, uncle and +aunt, the Herr _Oberfoerster_ and the Baron. + +"You would like to go," said Alexandra. "Do not stay on my account. I +have already withdrawn you too long from the society of the others." + +"You dismiss me?" + +"One should never detain any one who wants to escape!" + +"But what has brought such evil suspicion upon me?" + +"Your eyes, which are constantly, though ever so discreetly, wandering +to that door, in whose frame, it is true, the group of young ladies +appears as full of charms as one of Winterhalter's tableaux. Four +girls, one of whom, for the sake of contrast, I suppose, has had the +superb inspiration to be ugly, while the other three vie with each +other in beauty. Which of the girls do you think the most beautiful?" + +"I thought the question could not be asked." + +"Do you think so? But since I have asked it, I suppose you will have to +be polite enough to answer it. You mean the young lady with the lovely +neck and the glorious Titian-like hair? I could wager that you do." + +"Don't; you would lose your wager." + +"Then I declare that you are not an impartial judge, perhaps absolutely +bribed; bribed by the rose, say, that you wear in your button-hole." + +Alexandra had dropped the eye-glass which she had raised to look upon +the group of girls in the doorway, and now, turning swiftly round to +Bertram, she looked laughingly into his eyes, and said-- + +"That was indiscreet, was it not?" + +"Not at all," Bertram replied. "This rose, it is true, is the gift of +one of the young ladies, and indeed, of the one who seems to me to be +by far the most beautiful--the daughter of our host, if you wish to +know. But it was no secret gift. I have had it awarded to me before the +whole party assembled, as a reward, by the way, for staying a few days +longer than I had promised. You see in this case, as in so many others, +the small merit is out of all proportion to the great reward." + +"Then I was not altogether wrong," said Alexandra, "there was a certain +amount of bribery connected with it, although there was no call for it. +Openly speaking, I can but confirm your decision. Fraeulein Erna is by +far the most beautiful, most graceful, most interesting, not only of +the few young ladies yonder, but of all those I have recently, perhaps +whom I have ever seen. And my evidence is assuredly unprejudiced and +unbribed, nay, more, it is generous, for, between you and me, Fraeulein +Erna is not treating me in a friendly way." + +"That," Bertram asserted eagerly, "is assuredly a mistake; it may seem +so, but her cousins are claiming so much of her attention, and, perhaps +too, having been so little in society as yet, she may be a little shy +before a lady of the _grand monde_." + +"Perhaps," said Alexandra, "although the latter alternative would not +be very flattering for me, seeing that I fancy, besides being somewhat +of a grand lady, I have remained a good deal of the _bonne enfant_. Nor +have I at all given up the hope of proving to the dear child that I am +indeed her friend. I believe I have found out that she needs one. Do +you not think so?" + +Bertram was puzzled. But she had spoken kindly, naturally, just like +some one rather given to blurt out whatever thought came uppermost. + +"Who does not need friends?" he answered with a smile. + +"Very true," replied the Princess, "and very diplomatic. I quite +understand your diplomacy. You are the friend of this fair creature; it +is therefore your bounden duty, if other people clamour for admission +to the ranks of her friends, to be very critical, particularly so if it +strikes you as incomprehensible whence those others derive the sudden +sympathy to which they lay claim. But, _que voulez-vous?_ A young +woman, whose heart is wholly unoccupied, and who is driven about in the +world by this aforesaid unoccupied heart, like a balloon that has lost +its ballast--what other and what better thing can she do, than be +interested in anything interesting that chance puts in her way? This is +my occupation. Any occupation seriously pursued makes you an expert, +sooner or later, in that occupation. I have always pursued mine +seriously, and have pursued it long enough to claim to be something +like an expert in it. Now here everything is so simple and clear that +the meanest understanding can make for itself a fairly correct picture +in half a dozen hours. Given: a man who would be the very pattern of a +loving father for his daughter, if he were not a rare specimen of the +truly obedient husband; a wife who would swear by all she held sacred +that she thinks of nothing but how to make her daughter happy, and who +makes her as unhappy as only a narrow-hearted narrow-minded mother +can make a singularly gifted, large-hearted daughter; an aged +scandal-loving, intriguing _confidante_, who likes to make mischief, +the better to pursue her own mean objects in troubled waters; a young +suitor, endowed by nature for the very part of _jeune premier_ at a +second-rate theatre; an older friend of the family whose clear, clever +eyes see all this, of course, and whose whole sympathy, equally a +matter of course, is enlisted for the girl whose gradual growth and +glorious development he has watched. Why, I should think the matter was +as plain as the 'secret' in the most casual novel. And, should you care +for a more complicated ... fable,--let the friend of the family +conceive a serious, passionate attachment to the 'dear child,' and then +you have abundant material for volume number two." + +Bertram started. This could no longer--it was impossible--be the mere +inspiration of the moment, and only a harmless _causerie_. There was +treachery at work here, evidently inspired by Hildegard, with whom the +Russian lady had, a short time ago, conversed so long and so eagerly. +And if the Princess, as was quite possible, considering the great +vivacity of her disposition, had already chosen a side: which side? +Erna's? or that of her mother? Probably the latter, for she spoke so +very bitterly of her. One does that kind of thing to draw one's +opponent out. But in that case the great lady must use greater cunning +yet. + +"I admire your wonderful imagination," he said, "and if I were a poet, +I would envy it. How charming to see poetical elements everywhere, and +also to be at once clear as to the arranging and dove-tailing which +torments the poet so much. You should really make a book of it. Even if +the subject is not quite new--where, indeed, could, quite new ones be +found nowadays?--a clever author will see something new even in the +most hackneyed subject. For myself, of course, the second volume would +be specially interesting, when the old friend of the family comes on +the stage; for him, of course, the business cannot possibly end well." + +"I beg," said the Princess, "that you, will not spoil my text. I have +by no means said that my hero is old. On the contrary, he is in the +prime of life; of that age when we women only begin to find you men +amiable, and rightly so, for you only begin then to become amiable; +somewhere about fifty, we'll say." + +Bertram bowed. + +"Accept my sincere thanks," he said, "in my own name, seeing I am of +the amiable age, and in the name of my many contemporaries. You are +taking a load off my heart, for now, equally of course, the issue need +by no means be so bad. The chances for and against are anyhow equal." + +"There, again, you go too far," replied the Princess. "The bad issue, +to be sure, is no longer necessary; it must, however, always remain +probable." + +"Always?" + +"I think so, even under the most favourable circumstances." + +"What would you call favourable circumstances?" + +"We will talk of that later on. Let us first take a specially +unfavourable case, which, perhaps, is so all the more the less it would +appear to be so. It seems, for example, that our fair young friend +would feel less keenly the difference in years, and all the unpleasant +and awkward things connected with it, and resulting from it. She is--at +least so I judge her to be, and that is sufficient for our purpose--one +of those deeply serious natures who are greatly given to confounding +the wild phantasies of the head with the true enthusiasm of the heart, +and who will conscientiously, and to its utmost consequences, adhere to +what once they have seized upon and vowed. But I presume that she is as +passionate as she is conscientious; and if her passion and her +conscience once come in conflict, the struggle will be terrific. She +may come forth victorious from the battle, but what avails a victory +that ends in resignation? There we should have an issue, which may be +convenient enough for the oldish husband, but then--his convenience and +her happiness are surely very different things." + +"If I under stand you correctly," Bertram made answer, "you plead for +the same theory which I hold, too, and which, as it happens, I have had +to defend repeatedly during the last few days in our little circle: +namely, that a man who is no longer young, cannot become the object of +a passionate attachment on the part of a young girl; or it is anyhow in +some way an aberration, and therefore cannot last." + +"That is exactly what I mean," the Princess assented eagerly. "We come, +then, to a law of nature, which we must accept like other laws, +although they are by no means flattering, nay, downright humiliating to +our pride. Perhaps, however, on the other hand, the danger of an error +and of the consequent conflict is not quite so great in the case in +point, since the curiously-veiled radiance of the glorious eyes of that +fair child seems to imply that she has already more than a mere vague +foreboding of that passion--that she has already loved, perhaps loved +unhappily, and would, consequently, not have to make these bitter +experiences, which teach us to be wise, and quiet, and resigned, one +after the other, in actual wedlock. But who is to give us the guarantee +that the last supposition is correct? I could tell you a curious story, +if you care to hear it." + +"You simply owe me the story, my gracious Princess, as a proof of our +joint theory." + +"Well, it is fortunately not a long story, and the rest of the company +have given us up, anyhow. Listen, then." + +Alexandra's eyes had been examining the large chamber; they were quite +alone in it now, for all the others were crowding with merry laughter +round the magician's table. She leaned forward in her chair; Bertram +courteously, approached his own, and she began with a lowered voice, +keeping her black eyes under the half closed lids steadily fixed upon +him:-- + +"The scene is Paris; the time some two years ago; the heroine is a +friend of mine, a lady belonging to the highest society in France, +whose fate had been similar to my own in one respect only: she too had +married at sixteen, and been shortly after left a childless widow. +Claudine--I give you her Christian name alone, for the other is +unimportant to us--was not only, of course, much more beautiful than I, +in fact, extraordinarily beautiful and much more gifted; she was also +for good--and, as I may add without boasting, for evil--a much greater, +more energetic creature. Not that I have anything very bad to say of +dear Claudine, or, at least, nothing worse than has been said of many a +woman who could not, perhaps, claim such weighty 'extenuating +circumstances.' Her mother had, for reasons of her own, persuaded her +into this marriage, which had turned out singularly unhappy. Her +husband, although allowing for the difference of sex, he was scarcely +older than she herself at the time of the marriage--he was then +two-and-twenty--had, though so young, already managed to be +acknowledged as one of the completest _roues_ of all Paris, in spite of +the keen rivalry of his high-born compeers. He had seen in the innocent +young girl only an additional mistress whom, after a brief period, one +could neglect with the greater impunity, since one could feel sure of +her, and since she, moreover, in spite of, or perhaps, rather because +of, her pride, did not seem to belong to those troublesome women who +make 'scenes.' And indeed, after she had realised what, from another +side, was made clear to her, they had but one 'scene,' but a terrible +one, a recurrence of which was both impossible and unnecessary. He +thoroughly understood her then--and she had proved a hundred times the +stronger of the two. He was allowed to continue his own way of living, +on the one condition that he did not concern himself in the least about +hers. And hers? Well, I told you hers was a passionate nature, and she +was an unhappy wife; that combination can yield nothing but +unhappiness. Fortunately for her, she was speedily set free from the +worst impulse, the one which had poisoned and warped her passionate +nature; for her husband died. She was free once more, and vowed to +remain free. Not that she did not mean to marry again; in the circles +where she lived, she could only by a second marriage escape from the +bondage of those relationships into which one is forced as into a new +fashion, abominable though you may think either. Her second marriage +was but to guarantee her a clear position in the world; the other +guarantees for peace and for freedom she thought she bore within +herself. And so she made her choice. + +"At this period of the story I became intimate with Claudine, whose +acquaintance I had previously but hurriedly made when travelling. It +was in Trouville. You know how swiftly people become intimate in a +watering-place. She introduced to me the victor in the endless row of +suitors for her hand. After careful examination I could not altogether +agree with her choice. In most points, it is true, he answered the +requirements of the programme. He was no longer young--fifty-one, +or -two; held a high command in the army, and brought her as dower a +not inglorious past. He had led a wild and wandering life, and been the +hero of a thousand adventures, but there was not the slightest stain +upon his name--at least not in the eyes of society. Moreover, though +not an intellectual man,--which she would have disliked in the long +run,--he was one of those who are able to captivate even the most +fastidious company, by their quick perception, their lively +temperament, and their varied and abundant experience, upon which they +can, aided by an excellent memory and natural eloquence, draw at all +times. All this was, as I said, excellent as far as it went; but one +thing I thought very hazardous--it seemed by no means impossible to me +that he should still be capable of a serious, passionate attachment, +and--this comes, almost to the same thing--still capable of inspiring +it. Now, either lay assuredly beyond the programme which my friend had +sketched out for herself. + +"I told Claudine of my fears. She endeavoured to argue me out of them +thus: 'What you think to be real and direct light,' she would say, 'is +nothing but the reflection of the sun that set long ago upon glacial +Alpine summits. It looks beautiful, and people cry, Ah! and Oh! when +they see it; and for their sake I would not willingly miss it. But one +cannot be warmed by it, or set on fire by it! My dear child, with all +that blaze you could not make your kettle boil, far less rekindle the +bitter and bare embers of a heart like mine!' + +"As far as the gentleman was concerned, Claudine might be right. At +least the somewhat boastful and exaggerated gallantry with which he +laid his homage at her feet corresponded, as far as I could judge, +exactly with her prediction. But how greatly she had been mistaken +about herself the immediate future was to show. + +"There were delays before the marriage could be concluded. Both +Claudine and her friend had to free themselves from certain tender +bonds. That required tact, management, caution. Moreover, she had +become entangled in a law-suit with the family of her first husband, +which, for some reason or other, might end badly for her, if it became +known that she was contemplating a second marriage. Enough, absolute +secrecy regarding their relations and intentions was requisite for some +considerable time, and they had both taken their measures accordingly. +Claudine had retired from society, and lived in deepest seclusion near +Paris, on the estate of a widowed sister of her friend's--she, of +course, being in the secret. Her friend went to see her when he +could--which was not often the case. The requirements of the service +were just then peculiarly exacting, and it was not possible for him to +indulge in frequent absences, which anyhow, in the case of a man whom +society did not care to miss, and whose doings society carefully +controlled, would have caused remarks. The situation became even more +critical when, in spite of all precaution, Claudine's place of sojourn +had after a little been discovered, and when she saw herself watched by +her foes at every turn. At last they scarcely dared to write to each +other, dreading lest by treason on the part of bribed domestics a +letter should be intercepted or purloined. It became absolutely +indispensible to employ a thoroughly trustworthy go-between, on whom, +at the same time, it should be impossible that suspicion could fall, +and her friend found one--found him in the person of a young officer in +his regiment, the son of an old companion in arms who had fallen in the +last campaign--a young officer whom he loved like his own son, and who +was likewise devoted to his chief in most loyal love. The youth had +soon an opportunity of indeed proving that love and loyalty." + +Alexandra drew a long breath, as though she were fatigued by the rapid +low-voiced utterance. In her deep black eyes which now, after a quick +survey of the still untenanted chamber, she turned upon Bertram again, +there was an uneasy light, and the soft voice quivered as she went on, +now speaking even quicker and lower than before, so that Bertram could +scarcely follow her-- + +"I must be more brief if I am ever to finish my story. And why, indeed, +picture in detail to a man like you what you understand without +comment, and what, understanding, you pardon! Poor Claudine! She +thought she needed no forgiveness. She thought she was in the right +when she abandoned herself without resistance to a passion, which +indeed would seem to have brooked no resistance. I had never observed +anything like this with any other woman--least of all, God be thanked, +with myself. I should simply not have deemed it possible. It was like a +hurricane--a cyclone; it was simply awful! I trembled for the reason, +for the very life of the unhappy woman: for she could not conceal from +herself that her passion was not returned, although she, being anyhow +little accustomed to control herself, and being now solely engaged by +her own overpowering feelings, neither would nor could hide her great +love from the handsome young officer. Fortunately for her, the +catastrophe was not long in coming. Nay, rather, she brought it about +herself, resolute and energetic as she always was; and now feeling that +so, and only so, she might yet save herself from herself, she forced +from him the avowal that his heart was no longer free, that it was +entirely filled by his love for a charming young girl whose +acquaintance he had made in a distant garrison-town where a portion of +his regiment had until recently been quartered, and to whom he had +become engaged in secret. The youth was bitterly poor, the girl's +parents were rich and proud; he wanted to have his captain's commission +before he ventured to apply for her hand, and--dear, dear--they were +both of them so young and so romantic, and so fond of each other, and +in their love they were so sure of the future. Why then be niggardly +with the moment? And secrecy is like a phantastic mask through the +hollow apertures of which the light in the eyes of those we love shines +with doubly seductive brilliancy. + +"Claudine was at first utterly crushed by a blow which, in spite of +everything, had found her unprepared--for where is the loving heart +that would willingly let the last faint gleam of hope die out? Then +there came a fierce burst of jealous resentment, raging like a fever; +then she endeavoured to wrap herself in her pride and to see in the +idol of her heart the last and least of men; and ultimately she +grovelled at his feet and entreated him to look upon her as his slave, +and the slave of her whom he loved, and to ask from her what he would, +to bid her do what he chose, and do it she would by all that she held +sacred! + +"Nor was it long before he took her at her word. + +"One day he came to her presence, haggard of look, in a state of +desperation, scarcely worse than the one over which she herself had but +so recently triumphed. The girl had sent him back the half-dozen +letters which he had written to her in the twelvemonth since they were +separated, and the tiny collection of ribbons and flowers and other +tokens with which innocent love tries to prove to itself its own +fabulous fairylike existence. I know not, nor does it matter, how she +had heard the story of his connection with Claudine; not of course, the +true story, but a caricature, such as the clumsy hands of one's own +good friends and the subtle hands of one's foes are equally able to +sketch and fill in with revolting effectiveness. Anyhow, the young lady +had made up her mind, and as she belonged to those energetic characters +that cling tenaciously to their errors, things really looked desperate +for Claudine's youthful friend. Every attempt on his part to bring an +understanding about was abruptly refused; the poor fellow at last was +in downright despair; he told his sorrows to Claudine, who told him +that she would bring him back the loved one whom, for her sake, he had +lost; he looked at her with an incredulous smile. How was she--she +particularly--to manage that? + +"But she had never yet let herself be baulked by difficulties if she +really cared to have her own way, even though, it might have been but a +whim. And now the noblest impulse that can fill a woman's heart urged +her to energetic action. Above all, she had to prove to herself, and to +those to whom she had so greatly boasted, that, though she had become +unfaithful to her programme, and had not guarded herself against a +passionate attachment--which she called the only real one of all her +life--she yet possessed the force to subdue this passion, and to +re-conquer her own peace of heart. Only personal interference on her +part could now bring them to the wished-for goal; but that alone would +not suffice; the friend, too, for whose sake the youth had sacrificed +himself, must needs come forward. That, of course, would completely put +an end to the secrecy of their connection, and this just at the moment +when the lawsuit was at last about to be settled, and when so much +depended upon having the veil drawn as closely as possible. For herself +no such consideration existed; but she was by no means sure that her +friend, who, of course, did not know her real motives, and could never +be allowed to know them, and who equally, of course, took things much +more coolly, thought the same; nor did she know at all whether the +young man would accept the sacrifice. So it became necessary to create +a situation, which should not leave either of them a choice, whether +they cared to join or not; and whilst she was cudgelling her brain how +to bring such a situation about, an unprecedentedly lucky accident had +already arranged everything according to her wishes, nay, far beyond +her most daring wishes, in the very best manner possible. To explain +the full details would take me too long, and is not really called for; +enough, circumstances over which they could not possibly have control, +would bring both gentlemen on a given day to the house of the parents +of the young lady in question. Claudine, still keeping her own counsel, +managed to get a day's start of them, introduced herself--by what means +I cannot remember--into the family who, I may add, was absolutely +unknown to her, and she was, having presumably got hold of some +excellent letters of recommendation or something of that sort, most +kindly received by every one, excepting, of course, the young lady +herself, who, with feelings that can be readily imagined, saw the foe +suddenly in the secure camp of her parental abode, and avoided her in +every way. That, Claudine had expected; she looked forward with glee to +the following day which was to remove all obstacles, solve all enigmas. +But who can describe her terror when she, who has eyes and ears for +everything, and who, in a few hours, was completely at home on the new +and strange ground, discovered among the visitors, besides a suitor +_sans consequence_, a man whom an abundance of exquisite gifts and +qualities and a whole sequence of special relations, every one of which +spoke for him, might turn, nay, if everything did not belie assurances, +had already turned into a terrible rival for her young friend. For ..." + +Alexandra paused, glancing at the same time at the other room; then she +said with a laugh which sounded quite natural-- + +"But I really do not think it right to keep you any longer from the +rest of the company, and to go on with my experiment as to whether is +greater, your patience or my garrulousness. Moreover, the rest does not +properly belong to the story, at least not to the story I meant to tell +you. Come away!" + +She had risen swiftly; Bertram followed her example so hesitatingly +that she could hardly leave at once. And then, having risen, he +remained standing, leaning one arm on the mantelpiece, and said-- + +"What a pity! What a great pity! I should have so much liked hearing +the rest. The more so, as I believe it contains a new illustration to +the moral of the fable. Or am I mistaken in assuming that the +unexpected rival is ... no longer a young man?" + +His lips were smiling; still Alexandra thought that his large +expressive eyes we're resting upon her with a very meaning, very +searching look; yet she managed to put on an air of surprise, deeming +it absolutely requisite now. + +"Indeed!" she exclaimed. "How very curious! But then there is no hiding +anything from you clever men!" + +"Oh yes, yes. For example, which of the two suitors succeeded--the +older and younger, or the newer and older?" + +"Charming! Charming! An exquisite play on the words. What a suitable +language yours is for that kind of thing, in the hands of a real +master, I mean. Ah! which succeeds? Why, the former, of course!" + +"I should scarcely have considered it such a matter of course. I should +not be surprised if, for all that, the young lady's feelings for him +had never again recovered the former degree of warmth. Your beautiful +and clever friend, I admire her extremely, but--do not be angry with me +for what I am going to say--but I had, during your description of her, +always to think of Circe. There was only one man who left the palace of +the sorceress with absolute impunity, and he only by the aid of a +certain herb a god had given him. Now, young and ardent officers are +not said to meet the god very frequently." + +"But I really cannot make the story anything different from what it +truly was like," cried the Princess, half pouting, half laughing. + +"Certainly not; but what became of the man who was no longer young? How +bore he the loss of hopes to which he had clung all the more +tenaciously because he had not many more to lose?" + +"That, as a punishment for your scepticism, you are to say yourself." + +"How can I? Had he been a poet he might have written a novel, after the +manner of the 'Elective Affinities,' and thus cleared his soul from the +purgatory of jealousy and humiliation. But being no poet ..." + +"How do you know that?" + +"I assume it. I am driven to assume things, am I not?" + +"Well then?" + +"Therefore his ultimate fate is quite problematical to me. There are so +many and such various possibilities. Perhaps he killed himself, or +perhaps he married your fair friend." + +"My friend--Claudine? Oh, this is exquisite!" The Princess laughed +aloud, and Bertram laughed too. + +"It is not," he said, "after all so very laughable, or at least so very +improbable. Upon the basis of mutual imperturbability, I should think +one could erect and overthrow and rebuild relationships, like houses of +cards." + +"Mow malicious!" cried Alexandra, "and yet how true! Claudine must hear +of this; I must write this to Claudine!" + +"For goodness sake not, most gracious lady; or, anyhow, do not mention +me by name! I travel a good deal, the lady probably too; we might meet +some day by some unlucky chance, even as the luckiest of chances has +brought me into your presence. How hideously embarrassed I should be!" + +"Very well, your name shall not be mentioned, then. Here is my hand in +pledge of this." + +And she held out to him her small hand with its many rings. + +"But now I really must disturb your tete-a-tete," said Hildegard, +entering from the adjoining drawing-room. + +"It is just finished!" the Princess called out to her; then turning +again to Bertram, she said, "And thank you very much for a most +charming _causerie_!" + +"It is for me to say thank you, my Lady. Your story was most +interesting, and you told it capitally." + +He touched those slim fingers with his lips as Alexandra left him. She +hurried up to Hildegard, who had remained standing, gazing with great +wondering eyes at the group by the fireside, and putting her arm +through that of her hostess and drawing her away with her, the Russian +lady whispered-- + +"You are absolutely mistaken, or else the man is the greatest actor I +ever saw." + +Bertram had bent over the fire; with his left hand he was half +unconsciously stirring up the dying embers in the grate, his right hand +was laid on the rose he wore, which he wore above a heart now quivering +in spasmodic agony, and he painfully whispered to himself-- + +"Ashes to ashes!" + +His hand, nerveless, glided down. + +"No," he murmured, "no, not yet; I will hear it from herself." + + + + + XVI. + + +The company was breaking up now. The gentlemen from the _Oberfoersterei_ +were anxious to avail themselves of the momentary cessation of the rain +for their homeward drive; the Princess, pleading fatigue, had retired, +and Hildegard speedily gave the signal for retreat to the others. + +"We shall have a trying day to-morrow," she said, "we all need rest +beforehand. And this remark is specially meant for you young ladies; I +really must request you not to lark and laugh, as is usual with you, +till a late hour!" + +The unexpected visit of Princess Alexandra had considerably diminished +the available spare rooms, seeing so many were reserved for the +officers, who were expected on the following day; for her protest +against having to accept a splendid saloon, a dressing-room, and a +couple of bedrooms for herself and her maid, had met with no response. +Hildegard had assured her that there was abundant room, and that she +blushed as it was at having to offer such humble quarters to so valued +and cherished a guest. But the two bedrooms had really been originally +intended for the three sisters von Palm, who had now to be content with +a tiny chamber in the turret, whilst a bed for Agatha was rigged up in +Erna's bedroom. Fortunately for the young ladies, the corridor by the +side of which Erna's rooms were situated, brought one after a very few +steps to the door of the turret-chamber; and thus, in spite of +Hildegard's special injunction to the contrary, there was for an hour +or so plenty of rushing to and fro, and no end of laughing and giggling +and eager secret whispering and chattering, until at last 'Granny' +Agatha blew out the light in her sisters' room, and drawing with her +Erna, who this evening was in the highest spirits imaginable, groped +her way to the door. + +"I could not bear your mirth any longer," she said, when they had +arrived in Erna's room; "I thought every moment ... Good Heaven! I knew +how it would be." + +She had begun to undo her hair before the mirror, and now started on +hearing a pitiful moan. Erna was sitting in a low chair by her own +bedside, both hands pressed to her face. The slender frame seemed +shaken as though by a fit of ague, the gentle bosom rose and fell +feverishly, and her breath came and went with difficulty, as if she +were moaning. Her friend was now kneeling by her side, and held her +clasped with both arms; her head fell on Agatha's shoulder, and at last +the long-repressed tears welled forth in a violent flood. She was +weeping as though her very heart must break. + +"My poor, poor Erna! My own sweet love! Weep, weep away! Better this, +better far than that awful unnatural mirth of yours all day. You will +come round now. You will be again my own sensible Erna. Poor, unhappy, +darling child! All things will come right now. It is impossible for any +one not to love you, and, believe me, he, too, loves you still." + +"I would not have his love. I am no longer thinking of him. I hate, I +loathe him!" + +"Then why should you weep like this?" + +Erna started to her feet, flinging off Agatha's protecting arm. + +"Do you think I weep for him?" + +She was pacing up and down the bed-chamber. Her long hair, which she +had previously undone, fell in dark masses over her neck and bosom; her +face was aglow, her eyes were flashing wildly. + +"For him? Never say that again! For him, forsooth! I have wept for very +shame, because that woman dares to come before me, and I must bear it! +because I cannot step up to her and hurl defiance at her painted face: +Away from this house--honest people live here! Even audacity should +have its bounds, and hers is boundless!" + +Agatha had now risen from her knees, and was sitting in her chair +casting looks of pain at Erna and waiting in patience, until at least +the first tempest of wrath should have passed. + +"I am sure," she said at last, "that he does not even know that she is +here, and--you are sure, too." + +"And were it so," cried Erna, "what does it alter? The sting lies in +her daring to do it at all. She would not do so, did she not know from +the beginning how he will take it. Perhaps he will be terrified just at +first--I dare say he will--and then he will thank her for having had +the base courage to help him to achieve this vile triumph. In fact, +they are a worthy couple!" + +"It would be quite too terrible," said Agatha, shaking her head. +"People cannot be as bad as that; it is impossible." + +"Oh, of course!" cried Erna scornfully; "quite impossible; as +impossible as that he will himself be here to-morrow." + +"But, Erna, an officer is surely bound to go to any place to which he +is ordered. In such a case he has no will of his own." + +"Then he should have a pistol of his own, and rather put a bullet into +his head than let a shameless woman make him figure in such a +spectacle, if indeed she, the wretch, has arranged a spectacle for my +humiliation. But she is very much mistaken. I shall not let her have +her triumph. I, even I, shall triumph. Let her boast of her conquest, I +shall outshine it and her by far. Oh! how I look forward to to-morrow's +joy! What are a thousand like him to the best of men, the only one?" + +"Erna! Erna!!" cried Agatha aghast, lifting both her folded hands in +agonised entreaty, "I conjure you, do not go too far. Do not make +yourself for ever unhappy. Do not make Kurt unhappy...." + +"Do not mention his name!" Erna exclaimed. "I wish to hear no more." + +"I must mention his name, for I must speak of him, and you must hear +me, lest you do something of which you will for ever and ever repent." + +"Why repent? I love Bertram!" + +"You do not." + +"Can you read in my heart?" + +"Yes, dear, better than you can yourself, being now blinded by passion. +And however angrily you may look at me with those beautiful eyes of yours, +that I myself am in love with, and though you send me away for good and +all, and though I cry myself to death for love of you--I should not be +loving you, and I should not be your poor, unhappy 'Granny' if ..." + +Poor child! She could get no further. Like Erna half an hour ago, she +was now sitting, her hands pressed to her face, weeping convulsively, +and now Erna was kneeling by her side, and tried to draw those hands +away from her countenance, and begged her to calm herself, and to be +fond of her again, and to be once more her own good 'Granny.' + +Then--neither could have said how the change of scene had been brought +about--Erna was lying in her bed, and Agatha, in her nightgown, was +sitting on the edge of the bedstead, and all they had discussed during +these last days in many a fragmentary talk was once more, and now +connectedly, discussed between them. But if clever Agatha had flattered +herself that she would thus induce the fair penitent to see that her +little soul was not, after all, as black as she thought in her +excitement, that hope was not destined to be fulfilled; the very +contrary happened. With every word she uttered Erna seemed to talk +herself more and more into a passion, in the existence of which Agatha +would not, and yet all but had to, believe, when her friend now +recapitulated all her relations to Bertram, beginning with that first +meeting in the woods, and continuing her account, to this very evening, +and when Erna tried to prove from a hundred minute details, which she +strung together with marvellous logic, that there was on her part no +whim, no caprice, no aberration of an extravagant fancy, no +satisfaction of injured pride, no despair, no, nought but true and +genuine love that knew no bounds, and knew only the one doubt whether +she herself was worthy of the man she loved. But not unworthy because +she had once before thought herself in love. That was a necessary error +for the sake of getting her to understand herself; to convince her that +love was not an intoxication, but a deep and clear sentiment attracting +and absorbing all other feeling and thought, even as a mighty stream +absorbs the springs and brooks around; and now in her love, like banks +in the waves of a stream, were mirrored her whole existence, her past +and her present, mirrored and beautified, made far more glorious than +reality. + +Erna's words flowed on, not unlike the object of the image in which she +saw her life and love; and her voice, although pitched so low, had such +a curiously intense ring, and her great eyes, which were opened wide, +shone so strangely in the flickering light of the tall candles upon the +dressing-table, that poor Agatha was almost beside herself with terror. +Was Erna still aware of what she was saying? Was she raving? And, +horrible to think of, could she be going mad? + +"Erna! Erna!" she cried aloud, seizing and pressing both her hands. +"Awake, awake! I have just been counting it up--when you are +eight-and-thirty, like your mother now, he will be seventy--only he +will never reach that age." + +Erna gave a contemptuous smile. + +"I thought so!" she said. "As if time had anything to do with love! As +if one year during which I can serve him, love him, did not outweigh a +century! O Agatha, how meanly you think of love! And if he dies +to-morrow, I'll die with him! There, that is the way I count, and I +think it is simple and plain enough." + +Despair lent Agatha courage enough to revert to the one point on which, +as she had observed more than once during the last day or two, Erna was +most sensitive. + +"I will grant it all," she said. "I will believe all you assert about +yourself, for I cannot read your heart. But Herr Bertram's heart is not +your heart, and what is going on in his heart, Heaven only knows; you +do not know it, at least he has never betrayed it to you by word or +look. And I hold that he would have done so long ago if he loved you. +What reasons should he have for hiding his love?" + +"A thousand!" exclaimed Erna. "Or is it not a reason that he should +have tortured himself for days with the idea that I might be fond of +the Baron?" + +"That idea he has assuredly given up ere this." + +"Then, that mamma will be furious." + +"For all that, he might tell you what he feels for you." + +"And what if he doubts whether I love him?" + +"Good Heavens, dearest! how can he doubt that?" + +"He can indeed. During the first few days I was not clear about it +myself. And when I was feeling that I loved him, I often was odd and +capricious and defiant; and above all, when I discovered that the +letter was missing from my blotting-book, and I hunted for it +everywhere, and when suddenly it turned up again, having in the +meantime passed through I do not know how many hands, and having very +surely been read by mamma too--I was so indignant, I could see that he +sometimes did not know what to think of me." + +"You did not make him feel your indignation; on the contrary, you gave +him one token of your favour after the other." + +"And in that I did right, for I was determined to let mamma see that I +was not afraid of her wrath." + +"And that rose to-day! and your prayer that he should stay--for your +sake! Was that right too?" + +"Was I to let him go to-morrow?" + +"If he wanted to go, was it for you to keep him? Erna, there is but one +thing wanting now. Why not say to him: 'Will you marry me?'" + +"And I should not think it shame to say so, if I were sure that he +wished me to do so. Yes, yes; he does wish it; I see it clearly now; he +wishes to avoid even the semblance of suspicion of having beguiled and +over-persuaded me; he wishes it on account of my father and mother. +Well, God be thanked, now I know what I have to do to-morrow." + +"Nay, the pity of it, Erna, the pity of it, that you can talk in such a +way; for it is impossible that you should really think so, really do +it. My proud Erna cannot forget herself so far. I entreat you, by our +great friendship, Erna, follow my advice in this one thing; if it must +be, let him at least say the first word--the word that then will be +decisive of your fate; and then let come what God will!" + +She had folded her hands as if in prayer; big tears were coursing down +her cheeks. The simple expression of her great grief touched Erna. She +embraced "Granny" and kissed her, and promised at last that she would +do what Agatha kept asking of her again and again. + +"And now get to your bed, you poor child! You are so wearied, and I +too." + +Agatha had already lain quietly in bed for an hour or so, mournfully +thinking it all over again, and assuming that Erna, who did not stir +either, had fallen asleep, when suddenly she thought that she heard +subdued sobs. + +"Erna!" + +No answer. + +"Erna! If it comes out that Kurt is really innocent, what will you do?" + +Again no answer. + +Had she been mistaken? Had Erna wept in her sleep? Had she really asked +that question of Erna? Or had she only thought of it? + + + + + XVII. + + +It was a day of tremendous excitement for all the in habitants of +Rinstedt. True, the arrival of the soldiers was not to occur before +four o'clock in the afternoon, but it was known that the corps to which +the 99th belonged had been on the march from the north since four +o'clock in the morning, in order to take possession of certain +positions whence they were to operate against the fortress. And that +might turn out an awkward job, for not only was the fortress strongly +manned, but there was also approaching from the west, in forced +marches, a large hostile corps, and against them the 99th would have to +be on their guard, if they did not mean to get wedged in between them +and the garrison, who were simply awaiting the moment for making a +sally. Thus the attacking party being themselves attacked, might get +into desperate straits. + +The village-mayor had expounded this situation to the farmers, +and he ought to know. He had been only three days ago to see his +brother-in-law, who was employed in the War-Office branch at Erfurt. He +had himself served in the French war as sergeant, and in that capacity +he had, during the fighting about Orleans, been in command of a +company, every officer of which was dead or _hors de combat_. And as +almost half his auditory consisted of men who had served in the army, +and who only required to draw upon the ample treasury of their +experiences and reminiscences, in order to confirm or contradict the +assertions of their chief, there had been no lack of eager discussion +in the village inn. But from the very beginning the opposition had not +been strong, and ultimately it was almost completely silenced. The +whole village now stood like one man on the side of the attacking +party, and the 99th was only spoken of as "Our Regiment." Their arrival +was looked forward to with the utmost impatience, as though they were +bringing relief and release from some yoke long borne. + +My Lady's urgent appeal to give "Our Regiment" a brilliant reception, +and to let nothing be wanting, had met with the readier a response, +since she had not only, with customary liberality, taken upon herself +the cost of any "extraordinaria," to use the expression of the +village-mayor, but in the case of the poorer inhabitants in whose +houses accommodation and larder were not of the best, had specially +promised to pay for anything and everything, and had actually freely +distributed money beforehand. The mansion-house was moreover setting +the village a capital example. The long winding road up to the house +was transformed into a _via triumphalis_ with towering poles, from +which fluttered the German and Thuringian flags, with garlands of +fir-branches stretching from pole to pole all the way up the hill, up +to the richly-decorated portals which opened upon the equally +decked-out great courtyard. And at night a ball in the mansion-house, +and fireworks on the village-common in front of the lowest flight of +the terrace-steps, with blue-lights and what not!--No wonder that the +young barbarians of the village, down to the tiniest lads and lasses, +were only kept from breaking out into frantic disorder by being +employed, for days beforehand, in lending a hand in the preparation of +all these glories. + +And yet, much to Hildegard's dismay, it seemed doubtful whether +everything would be ready in time. Her own attention was fully absorbed +indoors by the preparations for banquet and ball; and now, at the last +moment, the Baron had to go to town on business that brooked no delay, +and she had to entrust the supreme command of the department of the +exterior to new hands: fortunately Herr von Busche, the young gentleman +from the Forests and Woods' Office, was willing to take the Baron's +place. + +But yesterday Hildegard would, under no circumstances, have allowed the +Baron to go, for then his star was still in the ascendant, whilst now +it was sinking rapidly. For the Princess he no longer existed, after +she had given her judgment upon him last night; she had not observed +his entry into the breakfast room, had not returned his bow, just as +though the not inconsiderable space filled by his presence had been +vacant. And the Grand Duke had a certain antipathy to this man; and +even his father's old friend, the influential Court-marshal, did not +dare to stand up for him energetically. No one seemed to favour him at +Court, except Princess Amelia, whose caprices, it was notorious, were +frequently as changing as the phases of the moon. And then that ugly +Monaco story! It was, of course, not possible that Lotter could be the +man--gracious goodness, no! Nor had Alexandra said so! But--one ought +not to have an awkward likeness to people who figure so unpleasantly in +the memory of distinguished visitors; and then--and this made the +matter peculiarly unpleasant for Hildegard--she was aware that the +Baron, even if he was no gambler, was very fond of high play. Up to +last night this had been one of his gentlemanly foibles, now it was a +wicked passion which he who was wooing Erna had no right to indulge in! + +It was nearly eleven o'clock when the Baron went to find Otto, to ask +for a carriage to take him to town, and to tell him at the same time +the drift of the disagreeable news which he had received from home. A +younger brother, in the army of course, had contracted debts, and was +on the point of being cashiered if those debts--in the contracting of +which there would seem to have been some discreditable element or +other--were not forthwith paid. His relatives, poor people every one of +them, were incapable of helping the young man; as a last refuge they +had applied to him, the elder brother, who, though not likely to be +himself possessed of the necessary means, might yet probably be able to +obtain the money on loan from the wealthy friends with whom he was on +such good terms. Could Otto help him in an embarrassment that was +weighing more heavily upon him than any one of his own making had ever +done? It was not a big sum which he required--a mere miserable three +thousand thalers! + +Otto was quite distressed. His stock of cash was exhausted by the +incessant demands that Hildegard had made upon him during the last few +days, and to-morrow he would have to redeem that mortgage of five +thousand thalers which he had mentioned to Bertram, without as yet +knowing where to lay his hands on the money. The moment, of which +Bertram had said that it would very surely come, was at hand, had, in +fact, virtually come already; the terrible moment when he must discover +his situation to his wife. And yet his wife could parry the first +thrust for him. He had in the course of years given her, on different +occasions, considerable sums of money as special donations, and all +this was invested in excellent securities, though she was for ever +spending the interest beforehand. He loathed the idea of claiming back +a portion of the money from her, and he had vowed that he would not do +so, come what might. But still a man will do for a friend what he would +not have the courage to do for himself; and so he told the Baron that, +being for the moment unable to oblige him himself, he would ask +Hildegard to do so, and he felt sure that she would willingly render +this small service to her _protege_. The Baron hesitated for a moment, +but opined that one could not discuss such things with women; he would +find help some other way. He then begged Otto to make his excuses to +the ladies--who were not to be found, and promised to return, if not +for dinner, at the latest before the beginning of the ball; managed to +see Lydia, and so drove off. + +Otto would have liked nothing better than to have gone with him. The +ground beneath him seemed to be on fire. To-day the all-important +debate in Parliament was coming off. If the vote was in his favour, he +really might, without being too sanguine, expect his factories to rise +so greatly in value as to enable him, after all, to weather the +threatening storm. But, with an adverse vote, he knew he was ruined, +and he kept repeating this to himself, unless he would take the extreme +step of requesting Bertram's assistance. Bertram certainly would not +refuse it, but, as assuredly, he could not ask for it, considering the +awkward relations now subsisting between his wife and his friend. + +After considerable hesitation, Hildegard had the day before yesterday +communicated to him her suspicions that no one but Bertram was standing +in the way of the alliance upon which she had set her heart. She wisely +refrained from mentioning the impure source from which she had drawn +her suspicions--though it was not of a suspicion that she spoke to her +husband, but of a fact. Poor Otto naturally had to express the utmost +horror, though at heart he was anything but dissatisfied. He would +certainly have liked Erna to have a younger husband, but he himself +loved and admired the friend of his youth sincerely, and if Erna loved +him in her own way, why she had always had a taste of her own; he had +never comprehended her; she would herself know best how it stood with +her heart; and then if Bertram, as friend, would gladly have helped +him, as son-in-law he would very surely have done so, and in that case, +he too would get over the shrinking which he felt now. But it was not +to be. Hildegard would never sanction it, and yet, how strange, just as +he was returning to the house after seeing the Baron off, here was +Hildegard coming to explain that she had been absolutely mistaken about +Bertram, that Bertram was completely innocent, that she had to crave +his forgiveness for much, and that she would be truly disconsolate if +Bertram were to go away after all, as she concluded from some hints of +Konski's. Would Otto please go up to him at once and make sure of his +staying? She would do so herself, but she really had not a moment to +spare, for, he could judge for himself, the Princess did not leave her +alone for a minute. + +Otto knew not whether to rejoice or to grieve over the new turn of +events. He had, suffered intensely from the tension between his wife +and his friend; and that things were right once more and better than +ever, was of course very nice and pleasant. But with Hildegard's +assurance that Bertram was not thinking of marrying Erna, there +vanished the last ray of hope that help in his need would come from +that quarter. Moreover, he said to himself that Bertram would never +dream of going without speaking once more, for the last time, of his +money difficulties and repeating the previous offer; and Otto was +afraid of himself, afraid he might be weak enough to close with the +offer. So he promised Hildegard that he would at once go to Bertram and +try every means in his power to induce him to stay, but he did not go. +There really seemed no need for all this hurry. Bertram could not leave +without asking for a carriage too. And that had not yet been done. +Perhaps it would not be done at all, and in that case, why needlessly +bring such terrible excitement on one's self? And again, Herr von +Busche was sure not to get on with the decoration of the portals unless +he went to help him. Hildegard had been saying all along that the old +Gothic structure, being the termination of the _via triumphalis_, must +also be the chief point of splendour. Hildegard should be really +pleased. + +And five minutes later Otto was waging furious war with Herr Von +Busche, who wanted the flag of the country to float from the left-hand +balcony, whilst Hildegard had given express orders that it should float +from the right-hand one. + +Hildegard had meanwhile hurried to rejoin the Princess; she had not +exaggerated,--Alexandra really would scarce leave her for a moment. She +was bent upon knowing how, on such an occasion, things were managed in +a German household. She could not, she said, form any idea of it, +because in Russia all these things were left to the steward and other +officials, and the hostess, like her guests, was simply among the +spectators. It would be such a pleasure to her to be allowed to peep +behind the scenes for once; if Hildegard was really fond of her, if +ever so little, she should not deny her the treat. Hildegard did not +find it too difficult to overcome the first shyness which she felt at +such an odd request being made. The arrangements about her kitchens, +pantries, and store-rooms were as splendid and in as grand a style as +in any princely palace, quite in keeping with the colossal preparations +for the entertainment; she could modestly accept the many exclamations +of amazement and admiration which the young Princess indulged in +lavishly, as a fit and proper tribute. But mere idle admiration did not +satisfy Alexandra; she insisted upon lending a helping hand, and +pushing back her rich lace sleeves from her fair white arms, she seized +a big wooden spoon, and, to the delight of all the servants employed +about the kitchen, she set to work stirring up a pudding. With all this +exuberance of good-humour she was so charmingly amiable, so utterly +free from all affectation, and the wildest nonsense she indulged in +suited her so quaintly and funnily, that Hildegard was positively +enchanted, and called upon Lydia in passing, to study in the appearance +and demeanour of the Princess the mighty difference which existed +between a really gifted woman and one who merely affected to be clever, +and who thereby only provoked the scornful laughter of really clever +people. + +These cruel words were the first she had addressed to Lydia since last +night. + +It was impossible for the Baron to fall so suddenly into dire disgrace +without involving Lydia in his fall; nay, in Hildegard's eyes she was, +if possible, the guiltier of the two. Had she not been incessantly +singing the Baron's praises, giving the most glowing testimony to him, +been scarcely able to paint the great position he enjoyed at Court in +sufficiently bright colours; and all this, of course, solely to beguile +her unsuspecting hostess and to deceive her in reference to her own +intentions as to Bertram. Serve her right, the story-teller, if she was +completely foiled in her intentions! And now, as though the measure of +her iniquity had not been already abundantly full, she must actually +bring these terrible charges against poor innocent Bertram; must needs, +to confirm and apparently substantiate these charges, commit a theft, +and make her--a mother--an accomplice, forcing that miserable letter +upon her, which, as it turned out now, had been nothing more than the +harmless enough effusion of a somewhat overstrained imagination that +the child had indulged in--well, well, the time would come when she +could show the intriguing old maid this long list of offences; +meanwhile, silent contempt should be her well-deserved, only far too +lenient, chastisement. + +Now, it is true she had broken through her contemptuous silence, but +poor Lydia knew her friend quite well enough to be aware of the evil +plight into which she had fallen. And had she been still able to have +any doubt on the subject, the reproaches with which the Baron had +overwhelmed her would certainly have enlightened her. Last night, even, +he had ventilated his bad humour by all sorts of bitter and scornful +utterances; but to-day, when he had sought Lydia in the garden after +his conversation with Otto, and before he hurried off to town, his +wrath knew no bounds. This, then, he sneered, was his boasted firm +position in the house! A casual adventuress could come and deprive him +in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, of the good graces of the +mother--in those of her daughter he had long since ceased to believe +anyhow--rob him of the father's friendship, and expose him to a +treatment no commercial traveller would put up with! And he would not +put up with it, not he; Lydia might be sure--quite sure of that! He +would prove it to the miserable toady and sycophant who changed her +friends as readily as her gloves; to the poor henpecked husband, the +miser who could not even spare a few dirty thousands to a friend in +need of help; he would prove to them that a Lotter-Vippach was not to +be insulted with impunity. And, above all, that conceited amorous old +pedant should suffer for it, for he, of course, had set the whole train +going against him! If Lydia,--if the others, could not or would not +see, he kept his eyes open, and was not to be taken in; he knew what +was what, and ... but they should see. And to-night, to the sorrow and +annoyance of his so-called friends, who would wish him far enough, he +would make a point of turning up in good time. Would Fraeulein Lydia be +gracious enough to reserve the first Lancers for her obedient servant? + +So, with a mocking bow, he had hurried away, leaving Lydia in sorrow +and terror. But the terror was greater than the sorrow. She had never +seen the Baron like this, never dreamed that he could be like this. +What if he carried out his threats! His eyes had been bloodshot and had +a glassy kind of stare; and then his laugh had been awful; and he was a +great strong man, assuredly in physical strength ever so much the +superior of poor delicate Bertram. What if the Baron were to-night to +bring about a scene, have recourse to actual violence! What will men +not do in rage and despair! + +Her old love for Bertram, which after all she had felt in her own way, +and which long ago she had sacrificed to her vanity and worldliness, +was stirring again. Lydia felt it, and was enraptured. True, she had +been lying and cheating to reach a certain goal that pure calculation +had fixed. Still, she was a better woman than she had thought herself. +She had thought that she was following the dictates of her reason only, +and lo! she had unconsciously remained faithful to her own heart. She +knew it now, at the moment when a serious danger was threatening the +loved one. And, curiously, although during the last few days she had +positively given up all hope of regaining the loved one, and had in +envy and anger seen him in the bonds of affection for a fair young +rival--an affection which, moreover, was warmly reciprocated; yet she +suddenly began to doubt the justice of her observations; the old dreams +were coming back and asserted that they were a reality, and that +everything else was but a chimera. All, all would yet come right. +Falsehood and hypocrisy had been powerless; truth and love, however, +would be omnipotent! + +Then she began to rehearse in her mind that unfortunate letter which +she had purloined in order to gain a clear insight into Erna's +sentiments, now endeavouring to give the gentlest interpretation to +every word that referred to Bertram; she remembered, too, the passage +which seemed to refer to a former love affair of Erna's. But she and +Hildegard, eager only to discover what they most, or rather what they +only, feared, namely, an attachment to Bertram, had added no weight to +the brief allusion in question. Some childish "dancing-lesson +fondness," Hildegard had said, and she had assented to it, partly to +guard against the possibility of the reproach that she, in her +responsible position as Erna's educator and second mother, had +overlooked or actually allowed any serious attachment on her part. +"Betrayed"--that surely was plain enough, and made many things clear, +even though in itself it was hard to understand, was, in fact, all but +absolutely incomprehensible. Such a charming creature as Erna no one is +likely to betray, no one at least who is in possession of his five +senses, as young gentlemen generally are. If the thing was anything +more than a passing fancy--and that one had to assume, considering how +averse from anything frivolous Erna was--then her easily-wounded pride +must have brought the rupture about, and it might yet be healed; and if +it were healed, would turn the child from her caprice for Bertram, +would set Bertram free again, if indeed he had allowed himself to be +captivated by Erna's unconcealed admiration for him, set him free for +herself, his first, his true, his only love! + +With fancies like these, Lydia, now banished from the favour and the +presence of Hildegard, was wandering along the garden-terraces, now +dissolved in tears and lamenting her bitter lot, now smiling +complacently and congratulating herself upon a happiness which was all +the more precious the longer she had been compelled to wait for it. If +she were now to meet Erna, if she could have an explanation with her, +become reconciled to her, prove to her in very truth how well she meant +by her! She was in the very mood for this, and here was Erna coming +along! The shrinking which she often felt in the presence of the proud +and self-willed girl was making itself perceptible again, but one swift +glance showed her that Erna had been weeping quite recently, and that +she could risk it now. + +Erna had been weeping quite recently, and so indeed she had done ever +since last night, whenever she felt sure that no one was looking upon +her despair. For the gentle creature was in despair. All through the +long sleepless night she had seemed to hear Agatha's whispered +question, "What will you do if it comes out that Kurt is innocent?" She +had seemed to hear it like the voice of a warning angel, and neither +head nor heart had been able to reply anything but, again and again: +"In that case I have betrayed him, and I have made him unhappy." Could +he be innocent? She had struggled so long against the belief in Kurt's +guilt, and had only accepted it when he declared that he could not +explain his relations to the Russian lady; no, not even to her, from +whom, for the sake of their love, he was to expect entire confidence; +for confidence was the very soul and at the same time the touchstone of +love. Alas, she knew yet another and a more terrible touchstone, and +that was the jealousy which she had cherished in secret towards the +unknown lady, and which had blazed up brightly when yesterday she +beheld her, the hated temptress, in the splendour of her youth, beauty, +and grace. In vain did she struggle against the charm which the lady +seemed to radiate; in vain did she declare everything about her to be +unreal, except her diamonds perhaps; with every furtive glance at her +rival she felt herself more and more fascinated, allured, beguiled, +and, in equal measure, conquered, and at last crushed. + +It was a terrible state which wrapped her poor fluttering heart in +absolute night, and yet even then there was something like a faint +glimmering of the star of hope. If Kurt had ever loved her--and he +had--he had done so once--how could he love another woman, who, however +charming and seductive, was yet in all things the very opposite of +herself? Kurt, who had so often assured her that he hated all display +and all vanity, that he loved her because there was nothing of display, +nothing, of vanity about her, because she was his own rose, which, in +its dewy freshness, he would not exchange for a world of brilliant +exotics! + +And his large brown eyes had shone down upon her so gravely and +lovingly as he spoke, and his lips had trembled with genuine +emotion--and had all this been naught but lies on the part of him whom +she in her turn had loved, because he had appeared to her as a lofty +and lordly image of truthfulness and fidelity? + +It could not be. + +But then, again, what had she done? What was she to do when the other +one, that good and noble man, to whom--so Agatha said, and her own +heart could not but confirm it--she had given such unequivocal proof of +her affection, when he came into her presence and said: "I have come to +take you at your word. Not all the Flavios in the world would have kept +Hilarie from loving her uncle, had she been convinced that he truly +loved her. And you know it: I love you!" What could she do, but, with +Hilarie, say: "I am yours for ever"? He would not fall at her feet +and exclaim: "You make me the happiest man beneath the sun," but she +knew,--she knew that he would be happy! + +Ah me!--why had she not obeyed the voice which called to her that first +evening when she met him in the wood, and he laid his heart open to +her: "Open thy heart to him too," the voice had said, "tell him all." +That would have been the time, the only right time. For the very next +day she had read in his eyes what now made her so proud--so happy. So +happy? Gracious heavens! + +This was happiness, was it, that she now desired nothing better than +death, swift death, to escape from the torments that tore her heart to +pieces? + +Did he divine nothing of these torments! Why had he not come to her +last night? He might surely have spared her a minute--he had given the +Princess a full hour. It was, perhaps, a relief, a sort of recreation, +for him, seeing he had so long had to dispense with any intellectual +conversation. Was she perchance the beautiful widow in the novelette +who consoled the uncle for the loss of Hilarie? And had Hilarie already +got to the point of wishing and longing for such consolation for her +uncle? + +Her shamefaced gaze wandered up to Bertram's windows, under which she +had arrived--not quite unintentionally. What if he were to appear +above--signalling: "Wait, I am coming down!" + +Like a startled fawn she flitted away to one of the terrace-walks, +behind whose protecting wall she could not be seen from those windows +of his, and burst into tears, as she became conscious of her cowardice. +Lydia appeared at the opposite entrance; she could not avoid Lydia now; +she bent toward the espalier, to dry her eyes unobserved, and lo! there +was Lydia at her side, at her feet, clasping Erna's knees, pressing her +face against Erna's robe, sobbing. + +It was a theatrical display, such as Lydia employed on all possible +occasions, suitable or otherwise; Erna knew that well enough. But she +had not the courage to tear herself away; never a harsh or ironical +expression came forth from her to-day; nay, she all but envied a human +being that found such expression for its feelings, whatever they might +be. She endeavoured to raise the kneeling lady. + +"I must remain on my knees until you have pardoned me," murmured Lydia. + +"I'll do anything you wish--but rise, rise, I entreat you!" + +She had drawn Lydia up and away into a niche in the wall, thus gaining +at least some shelter from the eyes of the servants, many of whom were +still busy everywhere up and down the terraces with the preparations +for the illumination. There was a stone bench with a stone table in +front inside the niche. Lydia sank down upon the bench, laid her face, +covered by her hands, against the edge of the table, and murmured her +miserable confession of guilt in a voice which was scarcely audible, +owing to her constant weeping and sobbing. She had, she whined out, +found out by questioning the servants that the letter had not been +sent, which Erna had on the morning in question written beneath the +plantain tree, and which, she assumed, was certainly addressed to +Agatha; and she had, moreover, learned from Agatha--who evidently +suspected nothing--that she had received no letter just before her +departure from home. Then, passing through Erna's rooms, she had seen +her blotting-book lying about, unlocked, as she had been astonished to +notice. Then she had been unable to resist the temptation of trying if +the letter was still there. The letter had been there--a sort of +dizziness had come over her, and-- + +"I said to myself," she went on, "that you have no secrets from Agatha, +that you were likely to have written to her what you felt towards +Bertram, whether you loved him--I required to know it--my future, my +happiness, my salvation--all, all depended upon that one question. Have +pity on a poor wretched woman whom jealousy made a criminal--against +her own child, too! for I have ever loved you as my own child, ever, +and would gladly have sacrificed all for you, all, only not this--the +trial was too much for my strength." + +Then Lydia in her self-abasement and grief wept bitterly. Again Erna +felt it strange that she did not spring up from her place beside the +weeping old woman, did not leave her alone with her silliness and her +lies; that she could listen to her exaggerated and sentimental twaddle +without positive disgust. There was something stirring within her that +she was frightened at herself--something almost like a wish that, this +time, Lydia might not be lying. + +Lydia noticed through the veil of tears in which she had wrapt herself +that Erna was accepting her confession much more favourably than she +had dared to hope. This gave her courage enough to pursue to the utmost +the advantage thus already gained. + +"I cannot and will not try to prove that I have been quite free from +blame," she cried. "I have been vain and frivolous. I did yield to the +temptation of becoming Countess of Finkenburg! Many more would have +yielded who cannot retrace, like one of the family of von Aschhof, the +long line of their ancestors to the time of the Crusaders, and who do +not, as we do, have Moors' heads in their escutcheons! But vanity and +frivolity alone did not make me do it. I was honestly convinced that +this alliance with a poor lady of high lineage, who would bring him no +other dower but her many claims and wants, could be nought but a +hindrance to Bertram; that he might have made, and probably thereafter +would make, a better and a more suitable choice if I released him from +his engagement. Indeed, indeed; if I could but have divined how he +would take it to heart, nothing in the world would have made me act as +I did. And now I would give everything in the world to atone, as far as +I still may, for what I did. Must it really be out of the question, +dearest? Look here. He is about fifty years of age, and how long will +it be before he is an old man? He is very delicate too. His servant +tells me that he suffers from palpitation of the heart, and from +insomnia, and that his Berlin doctor has enjoined upon him no end of +precautions and care for these travels of his. Why then, he really +needs some one who will nurse him and who will patiently bear with all +his sickly caprices--all sick folk are capricious, don't you know? I +know it but too well; I saw it in the case of my own uncle, the +Minister of State, whom every one thought a very lamb in the way of +kind, gentle equanimity, and who was so until one of his asthmatic +attacks came upon him; and then never a living soul could bear to stay +near him. Yes, yes, one must have gone through these things to know; +and may God in His mercy keep you, my own dear, sweet, good child, from +ever knowing it, from mourning away your sweet young life by the side +of a broken-down man who has no passion left, save his books and his +politics. If his politics call him he must needs follow, and poor +Konski must pack the trunks. Poor fellow, Konski! I spoke to him a +little while ago; he'd like to stay and see all the fun that is coming +now with these man[oe]vres here, and what not. Besides, I rather think +he is in love with Aurora. But he says there is no help for it, and off +they go to-morrow, his master and he. Perhaps it is right enough, for +the Baron is furious with him, and I really know not what the Baron +will do, unless you convince him that he has been mistaken, like the +rest of us. Oh, that we had! My own sweet child, you would be restoring +peace and happiness to us all, and I would never weary of kissing your +dear hands, nay, the very hem of your garment!" + +She covered Erna's hands and robe with kisses. Erna let her have her +way, she paid no heed to what Lydia was saying and doing; there she sat +gazing fixedly across the gardens and across the village on the +mountain slope, where a portion of the high road was visible which led +from the north across the hills to Rinstedt. Lydia, following the +direction of Erna's gaze, saw what Erna saw--a great cloud of dust, +with occasional flashes of bright arms, winding down the high road, and +now there came, softened by the great distance but still distinctly +audible, the sound of the drum; and below, at the entrance to the +village, they fired a cannon as a signal that the regiment was coming +up. + +Erna started as though the shot had gone through her heart! + +"For goodness sake, child, what ails you?" exclaimed Lydia, terrified +on noticing the pallor of her cheek and her fixed rigid look. + +And again she was terrified when Erna suddenly flung herself into her +arms as seeking help from a threatening danger, and then with equal +suddenness tore herself away, hurried up the walk and straightway +vanished behind a projecting portion of the wall. + +"What does it all mean?" Lydia asked herself. + +As if in answer, there came across the garden, now more distinctly, the +sound of the drum. + +"Ah!" said Lydia, and a meaning smile flitted over her face. "It would +not be impossible," she murmured, "and if it is the case, I'll find it +out!" + +She turned to enter the mansion house just as the big flag was being +hoisted upon the turret as a salute to "Our Regiment," at the moment +when the soldiers set foot upon the village road. + + + + + XVIII. + + +Bertram, too, had heard the warlike sounds. He leaned back in his +writing chair and listened with bated breath. + +"How her heart is sure to beat!" he said to himself. + +He rose and went to the open window. From the elevation on which he +was, he could see a considerable portion of the high road, could +discern the flash of the bayonets through the clouds of dust which a +brisk breeze was scattering at times, so that sections of the columns +on the march became visible. + +In the village below they were firing cannon; from the mountains yonder +the echo came rolling. + +"How this will resound within her heart!" + +From the adjoining bedroom, where he had already begun to put up his +master's things in view of their departure, fixed for the day +following, Konski came hurrying in to ask, if the Herr Doctor was not +going to dress? It was getting late. + +"I am in no hurry," said Bertram. + +"Well, sir," said Konski, "My Lady is most anxious you should be +present at the reception of the officers. Aurora has twice come to the +door with a message about it." + +And he pointed, as he spoke, to the bedroom door and grinned. + +"I do not intend to be present at the reception," Bertram said; "but I +may as well dress now." And he followed Konski into the bedroom. + +As Konski was assisting him, he said to him-- + +"Well, on what terms are you with that girl now? You will have to make +haste if you wish to settle everything before we go." + +"It is already settled, and settled very nicely," Konski made answer, +"since last night, sir. With the like of us, such things are settled +smartly, Herr Doctor, and I have a favour to ask of you in connection +with it. Aurora--it's a strange name that, sir, is it not? and her two +others are just as bad: Amanda Rolline--thank you, says I. Well, it is +not her fault, though, poor thing, and I won't mind re-baptizing her +once we, are in Berlin. But, as I was going to say, Herr Doctor, she +insists upon our getting married in the beginning of October, because +at the end of October Christine is going to be married to Peter +Weissenborn, and she wants to annoy Christina by being married before +her, so she says; but I fancy it's meant for Peter, who used to be +uncommonly sweet upon her, and, I rather think, promised to marry her +at one time. And if the Herr Doctor is not going to Italy at all, or +leastways not now, we thought ..." + +"You know," said Bertram, "how sorry I shall be to part with you; but I +will not stand in the way of your happiness." + +"It would be my greatest happiness, sir," said Konski, "to remain with +you as long as I live. And there's just one way, so Aurora says ..." + +"Well?" + +Konski hesitated a little, then took heart of grace, and said, with an +embarrassed sort of smirk-- + +"If the Herr Doctor would be so very kind as to marry too!" + +"I am afraid," said Bertram, "you will have to devise some other way +out of the difficulty." + +Konski was meditatively removing some specks of dust from the black +waistcoat which he held in his hand, and said-- + +"No offence, sir! These women are always a-puzzling out something or +other in their brains, and Aurora's brains are by no means bad brains. +She thinks it would be uncommon nice, if I would remain the Herr +Doctor's valet, and she was to be maid to your lady, sir; and then, +whether you went to Italy or elsewhere, we four would always be nice +and snug together." + +"I have no idea what you are talking about," said Bertram. "Give me my +waistcoat." + +"No offence, sir," Konski repeated, as he handed his master the +waistcoat and took up the dress-coat; "but she leaves me no peace, she +does not, and she says that it's all up with the Baron; and from what +she heard My Lady say to master this morning about the Herr Doctor, +says she, the Herr Doctor need but ask and they'd give him a half dozen +daughters, only they have not got more than one; and that one, dear +Miss Erna--why, I knows, and no one knows better than me--how fond she +is of the Herr Doctor." + +As Bertram had again turned away, the poor fellow, much to his regret, +could not see what impression his remarks had made upon his master; and +now they heard a heavy, hurried step coming through the study. There +was a knock, then Otto put in his head and asked if he might trouble +Bertram for a minute. Bertram begged him to come in, and beckoned his +man to leave the room. + +"I have been repeatedly wishing to come up and see you," said Otto; +"Hildegard is so afraid that you mean to go--and--dear me, you have +really been packing." + +"For to-morrow," Bertram made answer. "In no case can I remain longer. +For to-day I am, as you see, already, like yourself, in evening dress. +Only--you must please excuse me if I do not put in an appearance before +dinner; I have not finished my letters yet, and, to say the truth, I +should like to cut the reception business." + +"So should I," said Otto, "if I could. They will be here in less than +ten minutes now. I have not a minute to spare, not a minute." + +But for all that he did not stir from the chair into which he had +dropped. His mind was clearly far away. Presently he muttered-- + +"What if Parliament has decided against the railway!" + +"We must be prepared for it," replied his friend. + +"It is half-past four now, the sitting is sure to be over by this +time." + +"You will know the result to-morrow, and early enough, too!" + +"I think that Lotter, who has had to go to town, will have waited to +hear the result of the vote; I asked him to. He said he would be back +in time for dinner. But I no longer believe in his influence." + +"All the better." + +Both were speaking in gloomy tones, as though a heavy pressure was +weighing equally on either. Bertram was staring down in front of him +with arms crossed behind his back, and Otto's eyes were wandering about +the room--he was mechanically fingering the arms of his chair, then +suddenly gave a convulsive clutch at them. + +"I must go," he said. + +He jumped up and was making for the door. + +"Otto!" + +"Are you coming too?" + +"No; I have a small favour to ask which you are not to refuse me." + +Bertram had meanwhile gone up to his friend, holding out his hand to +him. Otto mechanically put his own into it. + +"I wanted to ask you to make use of me in case you have not yet +arranged about redeeming, to-morrow, that mortgage, and in the present +hurry and worry, what more likely? I have not even had to write to +Berlin about it. My Italian trip is given up. You know I had made +arrangements for a very lengthened absence. My letter of credit is +addressed to your own banker, as I had anyhow been intending to draw a +large sum; I can get the money at once, and there will be just enough." + +"Time enough to-morrow," murmured Otto; "however, I am much obliged to +you for your kind intention. Perhaps I'll drive you to town to-morrow, +if you insist upon going; we can then see about it." + +His cheeks were burning; his hand, which Bertram was still holding, +trembled like that of a man in great physical pain. Bertram noticed it +all. + +"I am very sorry," he said, "that I must thus torment you, but you left +me no choice as to the time. I am sure I shall not be able to speak to +you again to-day, and perhaps not to-morrow. Therefore, look here: I +have made all the requisite preparations, with due despatch, to make as +much of my fortune available as you will need for the settlement of +your affairs. You remember our conversation when we were driving back +from town last Saturday. I put no other conditions now than I did +then; that you arrange the settlement with the help of your lawyer, +that you leave him as free as possible in his dispositions regarding +the factories, and lastly, that your wife is taken into your +confidence--these are not so much conditions, as necessities. And of +the last, and doubtless the most painful one, I am willing to relieve +you." + +Otto flushed to the roots of his hair. + +"It is impossible!" he ejaculated. "I cannot take it." + +"I am not making you a present of the money, man!" + +"The money--the money--but Hildegard! To-day all this display--the +Princess--all those officers--a huge party--covers for a hundred +or so; and then to-morrow the most awful wretchedness--it is quite +impossible. And even if you had the courage--if you were to speak to +her, I mean--you are on such good terms again, she had intended to come +herself and see you, and I had thought--but that, that she would never +forgive you--never!" + +"I am prepared for that," replied Bertram. "To be quite frank, I care +infinitely more for your welfare than for your wife's favour. Otto, +these is no time for long debating. A plain yes from you, and the thing +is settled--now or never--do you hear me?" + +From the great courtyard there came the sound of merry military music; +many voices, too, were heard. Otto was still standing by the door +irresolute. + +He suddenly seized Bertram's other hand and exclaimed-- +"Then marry Erna at least! Hildegard will get reconciled to it, once +she knows all. Erna is fond of you--let me talk to her!" + +"One word from you, and--I shall not alter my resolve, it is fixed for +good; but you and I will never meet again." + +Bertram had torn himself away and was striding along the chamber. Now +he came back to Otto who was standing there in utter helplessness, laid +his hand on his shoulder, and said to him-- + +"Otto, remember what we vowed to each other in the dear old student +days in Bonn: to be and to remain friends in gladness or sadness, +friends to the death! This surely is sufficient. Let us not speak of +Erna, or, at least, let us not connect her name with this business; +such a connection is an insult to me, because it is casting doubt upon +the purity of my motives. I can tell you something else, in reference +to which I must, in the meantime, request your discreet silence. I have +good reasons for assuming that Erna has already disposed of her heart, +and this may explain certain oddities in her demeanour which have +struck us both. I believe I shall soon know if I am right. In warning +you, and your wife against Lotter, I gave you a proof of my careful +observation and of my faithful friendship. Confide in me further: you +will not repent of it. And now, old boy, go with a lighter heart than +you came, and receive your guests, or else the great event will come +off without you, and for that Hildegard would never forgive you, and +she would be right." + +He was almost pushing poor helpless Otto out of the door, when Konski +came hurrying up with an impatient message from My Lady. + +"Would Otto come at once? The military were just marching up the +courtyard." + +Otto hurried away. Bertram was still standing near the door, his eye +rigidly fixed upon it. + +He was murmuring to himself: "That was the first step. I should not +have thought, after all I have already endured, that it would prove so +hard. But it had to be done!" + +He walked slowly up and down, and paused again. + +"Had it to be done? And thus? Would it not have been better if I had +not absolutely denied it? Anyhow, I have not resigned in every case; +only, in case it is as I fear. Supposing it is not? What if the young +man who has gone through the schooling of a Princess Volinzov, is not +one whom our Erna can and should love? What if the Princess is mistaken +in this part of the story, or if she has been deceived by the man who +may have, had good reasons of his own? What if the whole thing has been +a little gentle dallying which Erna has all but forgotten, and I were, +with my diplomatic wiles, to fan again into life and light the almost +extinguished flame, were to repel her from me and push her into his +arms, which will be willing enough to open?" + +He stretched out his hands, as though he wished to ward off something. +They were all assailing him again now in the broad light of the day, +those dread phantoms with which he had wrestled in the awful darkness +of the night. Then he had conquered them. Was he to be vanquished now? +Was his strength exhausted? + +No, no; the worst had yet to come. Though he had persuaded himself that +it would be only fair and proper not to be a witness of their first +meeting, yet he would have to see them together, perhaps learn at the +first glance that they had already made it up, and that the great +sacrifice, which the beautiful Princess was making for her darling, had +been wholly unnecessary. All the better! In that case the torture of +uncertainty would be over all the sooner, and he would at least be +spared the humiliation of pushing Quixotic generosity to its utmost +limits, and of acting the part of an obtrusive mediator, who clears +away all obstacles and ultimately joins the lovers' hands with a "Bless +you, my children!" + +He sat down at the writing-table to complete his election address. But +he could not write, could not think. Pen in hand he sat, hearkening to +all the confused sounds which came up and across him from courtyard, +garden, and mansion house. The music, after some little pause, is now +playing again in long-drawn triumphant strains--representing the salute +of the regiment to the house that now guarded its colours; the fair +mistress appears on the threshold, surrounded by the other ladies, and +the tall and gallant-looking Colonel, hastening up, followed by his +officers, bows deferentially and kisses her hand. And lo! from the +circle around the mistress of the house, there steps forth another +lady, at whose sight the gallant soldier starts. But she smiles, and +signals with those mobile orbs of hers-- + +"Be calm, my friend, be calm! I shall explain all as soon as we are +alone for a minute, or, if not all--that being contrary to my habit--as +much as you need know. It is a matter concerning these people." + +And she points aside to another pair, bowing to each other and +presumably renewing--a casual acquaintance, shall we say? + +"I hardly know, my gracious Fraeulein, whether I still have the +honour..." + +What a farce it all was! + +And what a ghastly tragedy too--its silent scene his heart--forsaken, +lonely as he was. + +So he sat on, brooding gloomily, musing dismally, he knew not how long. +Silence now reigned around without. Had they forgotten him? Oh, that +they had! and that he could steal away from the house--from the +farce--from life! + +But no, they would not be so pitiful. Hearken!--yes, this is Konski's +swift step. + +"I beg your pardon, sir, but My Lady bade me urge you to come. They are +just going to dinner, and are only waiting for the Herr Doctor!" + + + + + CHAPTER XIX. + + +It was a princely banquet that Hildegard had prepared for her guests in +the dining-hall of the whilom princely abode. The closed curtains had +excluded the daylight from the beginning, and the light of innumerable +candles fell upon the table from the three great chandeliers and from a +number of candelabras fixed to the wall. The table shone and sparkled +with crystal and silver, was decked with a profusion of the choicest +flowers, and surrounded by a most brilliant company. There were five +and twenty officers in their uniforms--and the general _coup d'[oe]il_ +was truly enchanting. Everything went off well. Hildegard herself could +scarcely distinguish from her own serving-men the extra waiters ordered +from town, and put into liveries; in the adjoining hall the band of the +99th was playing, for Colonel von Waldor had insisted upon My Lady thus +honouring his regiment, although she had a band from town in readiness. +The toasts, in reference to which she had been somewhat uneasy, had +been a wonderful success. Otto had not blundered or stopped short in +the first toast--His Majesty the Emperor, of course; then Bertram, whom +she had, at dinner, by means of a pencilled note, asked to do so, had +in the name of the host, and as the oldest friend of the family +present, welcomed the guests and proposed the health of the 99th. +Thereupon Colonel von Waldor returned thanks in a really capital +speech, abounding in merry quips and happy inspirations. He called the +brilliant reception given to the regiment, a posthumous celebration of +their doings in the last war, and a lordly payment "on account" for +what they were destined to do in the campaigns of the future. He then +proceeded to describe the reception in detail, and added that to him, +personally, it had been the most charming of all the charming surprises +of the day, to find in the gentleman who had so cordially welcomed them +all to this most hospitable house, an old and dear friend from whom he +had been separated for years; and at last, passing adroitly from the +host's representative to the host himself, he proposed the health of +"their far too generous entertainer, and of the kind, gracious, and +beauteous lady of the manor, by whose side, he had the rare happiness +of being seated." + +And the other officers--four and-twenty in number--had started from +their seats like one man, and had three times shouted their _Hoch_ in +singularly sharp and definite intervals, overpowering the _Hoch_ of the +other guests as the roar of cannon drowns the sound of musket firing, +and the band had joined in the celebration; and they had all crowded +around Hildegard, with their champagne-goblets held on high; and as she +received all these homages, she looked radiantly, superbly beautiful, +and so the Colonel had told her, adding that she was by far the fairest +of all the fair ladies there; and as they settled in their places +again, he had kissed her hand in eager gallantry. + +Hildegard thanked the enchanted Colonel with a gracious smile for his +flattery, and thanked him warmly, too, for his excellent toast, in +which she had missed but one thing, to wit, some clever allusion, +some dainty reference to her illustrious guest, the Princess, who, from +her place of honour next to Otto, on the opposite side of the +banqueting-table, had, followed the speaker with the greatest +attention, and had evidently expected something of the kind. + +The Colonel smiled and shrugged his shoulders. + +"I had thought of it, too, My Lady," he said; "but, upon honour, it +could not be done." + +"Why not? + +"I have already told My Lady that the Princess and I met last year in +Teplitz. Since My Lady--and I must express my sincere gratitude for the +condescension--did me last night repeatedly the honour of mentioning my +name to her, without, it would appear, recalling any reminiscence on +her part, I surely could not indulge in reminiscences. My wounded +vanity peremptorily forbade any such thing. And, moreover, it was +wounded ere then. It is no joke for a Colonel who has been somewhat +spoiled, to see a young officer, and particularly one belonging to his +own regiment, preferred to himself, and such, was then undoubtedly the +case. The young gentleman suffering, like myself, from a severe wound +received during the '70 campaign, had accompanied me to Teplitz, and +was my constant companion, so that he can bear witness to everything. +The reminiscence of that wound inflicted upon my vanity is at this +moment the more vivid, because the young gentleman is here." + +The Colonel pointed, as he spoke, to a slender young officer, dark of +eye and hair, who was sitting between Agatha and Augusta, and who was +conversing eagerly with the former, while Augusta, a coquettish beauty, +looked supremely bored. + +Upon Hildegard the young man's appearance had already made so pleasing +an impression after he had been introduced to her, that she had +actually remembered his name and rank--Premier-Lieutenant and Adjutant +Ringberg. But she thought she was acting prudently in saying that she +saw nothing remarkable in the young gentleman. Much to her amazement, +the Colonel seemed almost offended at this; Ringberg, he said, was +really in every way a remarkable man, the most studious, and at the +same time the smartest officer in his regiment, a man of excellent +character; and a jolly companion, for whom he himself had a sort of +paternal fondness; indeed, Ringberg was the son of a dear friend of his +own, left early an orphan, and he, the Colonel, had acted for him _in +loco parentis_, and wished him every happiness under the sun, including +the conquest of the beautiful Russian and her millions. + +"But there seems little prospect of that," Hildegard said, smilingly +interrupting the Colonel in his eager talk; "as far as I have been able +to observe, your _protege_ does not exist for our beautiful friend." + +"That may be one of her masks," replied the Colonel. "I think the lady +has a great many." + +"You must not talk like this to me; I adore Alexandra." + +"But, My Lady, so do I too, otherwise I should never dream of abusing +her." + +"That, too, I must forbid." + +"Then I will swear that she does not even know what a mask is, and I am +ready to face a world in arms in proof of the assertion," laughed the +Colonel, and Hildegard laughed too, and kissed her hand to the Princess +across the table, a compliment which the fair Russian returned eagerly. + +Hildegard felt so happy by the side of her brilliant cavalier, that she +could scarcely make up her mind to give the signal for rising from the +table. But at last it had to be done, after she had exchanged a few +hurried words with Herr von Busche, who had quietly come up behind her +chair. When, a few minutes later, she rose from her seat, the curtains +were suddenly and simultaneously withdrawn from the windows and doors, +the glass doors flew wide open, and before the amazed eyes of the +company lay the garden in fairy-like illumined splendour. Rows of +coloured balloons were drawn like garlands along and adown the +terraces; and every prominent point--and there were many of them--had +been utilised for some effective purpose of decoration: a pyramid of +stars, a wreath of light, or a radiant crown. And the guests, now +hurrying away from the tables, had scarcely all gathered upon +the verandah before they found themselves enveloped in the dazzling +brilliancy of coloured lights; the magnificent facade of the +mansion-house, wrapt in a glorious purple glow, stood out with +wonderful effect against the darkening sky, and a deep green flame sent +a soft and tender light along the terraces and mingled on the great +grass plot in front of the verandah with the red light, the combination +yielding a dim, mysterious kind of magic dawn. And before the glow had +faded away, and before the admiring and wondering exclamations of the +delighted and surprised guests had ceased, there was the thunder of +cannon, a signal, and lo! from the wide common below, a rocket winged +its shining flight upwards, followed by another and yet another, in +such swift succession that the fiery missiles bursting anon high, high +up in the air, seemed to fill the dark sky with a galaxy of glowing +stars, whilst below squibs and crackers were exploding and wheels of +fire were whirling round in all directions. + +But now the younger members of the company could be restrained no +longer. In vain did anxious mammas preach patience and caution and call +for shawls and cloaks, the young ladies would not wait, and fortunately +the night was so calm and warm that they could really dispense with +wrappings; the officers had, anyhow, to remain bare-headed unless they +cared to put on the spiked helmets with which they had appeared at the +banquet. So they all danced merrily down the wide steps; and were soon +scattered over the terraces; and from all sides there came the laughing +shouts of those who were looking for each other, who perhaps met +unexpectedly at some turn in the labyrinth, or who were pretending to +escape, a merry game in which the young ladies, whether staying in the +house or belonging to the neighbourhood, being familiar with the +locality, gladly assumed the leadership, adroitly using their knowledge +to their own advantage. + +Meanwhile the greater part of the guests had gradually withdrawn to the +chambers on either side of the great banqueting-hall, the ladies to the +music-rooms and tea-rooms on the left, the gentlemen mostly to the +billiard-room, which opened into the smoking- and card-rooms. Some +still went in and out at the great French windows, all of which opened +on the verandah, but on the verandah itself there were now +comparatively few people, so that Bertram had but now and again to +exhort the Colonel to lower his sonorous voice a little. The friends +were pacing up and down arm in arm; the Colonel's uniform was all but +entirely unbuttoned, he was puffing vigorously at his cigar, and his +handsome, gallant features were aglow with the after-effect of the +champagne, and with the excitement which increased with every word +which he was rapidly uttering. + +"Believe me," he cried, "my good fellow, if anything could still +increase my feeling of absolute worship for this unique woman, it would +be the pluck with which she went into action for young Ringberg. But +unfortunately with all those fair and adorable creatures, intention and +execution never correspond. A masterly outflanking of the foe, an +assault _comme il faut_, and then at once this ludicrous mistake! I +could have died with laughter! Not the slightest idea on her part that +you are such a very special and intimate friend of mine! And so she +goes and tells you all the minutest details of our story, as to an +absolute stranger, supposed to be quite incapable of translating it +back into German from the French, because he can have no idea as to the +identity of the real persons involved! And why this stupendous want of +caution? To frighten you away! From what? From falling in love with the +little damsel, or to induce you, in case you had already done so, to be +kind enough to retire immediately! As though the like of us were to be +rightened away from our purpose by a reconnoitring like this, however +forced! 'You may thank your stars,' I said to her 'that Doctor Bertram +has better things to occupy himself with than the childishness which +you impute to him!' To be sure she swears that she became convinced of +it last night, for you remained perfectly calm and self-possessed, and +had the contrary been the case, it would certainly not have escaped +her, as she was scrutinising your every mien with the upmost care; but +then her own mien, as she was telling me all this, proved how pleased +and relieved she felt that all had gone off so happily!" + +"And what," asked; Bertram, "have you decided in Ringberg's affair? +Will you not at least take Erna, and, of course, her parents, into the +secret?" + +"The deuce I will!" cried Waldor. "I surely should not hesitate to +rescue Ringberg at any cost from some position of great danger, but +this is, not a question of my making a sacrifice, but of Alexandra +making one that she cannot make, unless she wishes to give up half her +fortune, which goes to the deuce as soon as our engagement gets +known. But I want the whole fortune and not the half! When I was but +a lieutenant I swore a great oath to myself that I would die a +Field-Marshal, and would live like a Prince until I got to be one! Now +you surely cannot expect that I should break my oath, and, to myself +too?" + +Bertram did not think it advisable to point out to his friend, the +contradictions he was guilty of in one breath. He only said-- + +"I should think the sacrifice might be avoided, if you made the people +who are interested pledge themselves to secrecy. None of them would +hesitate to accept that objection." + +"In such things," replied the Colonel, "one should not trust any one's +promise of secrecy. Why, every thing would already be betrayed, if +Alexandra had honoured any one but yourself with her indiscretions!" + +"But if the Princess absolutely insists upon making the sacrifice?" + +"Then I shall as absolutely forbid her doing anything of the kind! The +services which Kurt has rendered us are considerable, I admit; but +then, in the first case, they were rendered to me. How can I ask her to +act such a generous part? Nay, what does she mean by wishing to do it? +One would not, one could not, do more for one's lover! And, to the best +of my knowledge, she is in love with me, and not with Ringberg!" + +His cigar had gone out and he flung it away, turning to light a new one +at one of the lights placed along the verandah. Thus he did not see the +smile which Bertram--though his heart was little attuned to mirth--had +not been able to repress at the words which his not over-modest friend +had been uttering. + +"In that case the Princess will have to say, like the priest Domingo, +in Schiller's 'Don Carlos:' 'We have been here in vain,'" he resumed, +as the Colonel took his arm again. + +"To be sure," was the calm reply; "and I have strongly urged her to +leave to-morrow. Surrounded as we are here by my officers, one or two +of whom are already likely enough to know more than I care for, we are +not for a single moment safe from startling disclosures. I think I have +as strong nerves as most people, but to be seated upon a powder-barrel +when there is a conflagration raging all round, is uncomfortable for +the most courageous." + +"What is uncomfortable, Colonel?" asked Alexandra's voice behind them. + +The Colonel turned on his heels; and quickly buttoning his uniform, +exclaimed-- + +"Ah, most gracious Princess!" + +"Let us call each other by our names before this good friend," said +Alexandra. "Give me your arm, dear Doctor Bertram; and you, my friend, +please to come to the other side. So now we can talk confidentially." + +"May I go on with my cigar?" + +"I should like to smoke one myself, if I dared! But now to the point. +What have you decided?" + +"That is the very question," Bertram said, "which I was just submitting +to Waldor." + +"I have decided, that the young people are to see how they can best +settle things for themselves!" + +"That is an abominable decision!" + +"It is necessary." + +"Not for me! I shall speak to the young lady." + +"You will not do so if you value my advice ever so little. Moreover, if +you felt so sure of this, why did you not do so yesterday?" + +"Because I require your co-operation." + +"Which I refuse!" + +They were talking excitedly, almost vehemently now. Then, there was a +pause, a very uncomfortable one for Bertram, although he said to +himself that discord between the two ought to be welcome to him. He had +closely watched Erna and Ringberg. At dinner, where they had been +seated almost directly opposite to each other, they had not exchanged a +single word; and just now, whilst Erna had followed the other young +ladies into the garden, Ringberg had remained on the verandah and had +subsequently gone into the billiard-room. As Erna was so very proud, a +meeting of the two seemed difficult, almost impossible, without kind +and skilful mediation, and there would be little time or opportunity +for it now. To-morrow the regiment was again to leave its quarters. +They would again be separated for long--for ever, if he chose to avail +himself of the influence which he doubtless had over Erna; and if he +could only bring into play something of the robust egotism, with which +the handsome soldier by his side was smoothing his own way to rank and +unlimited riches. + +"Then I only know one way to achieve our object," the Princess said at +last, speaking somewhat huskily. + +"I knew you would find something," said Waldor; "but what is it?" + +"It is this ..." + +Alexandra paused abruptly, for as they reached the end of the verandah, +and were turning round, the very man of whom they were all thinking was +approaching them. + +"Anything for me, my dear Ringberg?" exclaimed the Colonel. + +"Yes, Colonel; an orderly from the General in command ..." + +"May the ..." muttered the Colonel through his teeth. + +He went up to the young officer, who made his report in a low voice, +whilst the Princess and Bertram remained standing at some little +distance. They saw the Colonel angrily fling away his cigar, and draw +himself up. + +"Thank you, my dear Ringberg; you need not come with me. It is bad +enough if one of us has to lose all the fun. No remonstrance, sir! I +shall want an orderly to go with me, and, perhaps, you will, in +passing, kindly bid them saddle Almansor." + +"Yes, Colonel," said the young officer, saluting. + +Ringberg had gone. Waldor turned round. + +"It seems," he said, "that the soldiers have taken a different position +from what His Excellency had expected, and now he is getting all the +officers in command of regiments together, to get things done as +noisily as possible. The old owl! Upon my word, I would let him have a +bit of my mind, if he did this in actual war, and summoned me at such a +time two or three miles off from a position where we may be 'alarmed' +at any moment. However, there is no help for it. I shall not spare the +horse, but I am afraid I shall not be back before one o'clock. My +officers must be in their quarters by twelve o'clock precisely, and the +rest of the party are likely to vanish too. I presume that we shall be +attacked between two and three o'clock. If, then, I do not see you +again, dearest Alexandra, the arrangement is this: you drive to town +to-morrow and remain there until I can look in for a moment, as I hope +to be able to do the day after, or else until I send word. Farewell, +dearest! And you, my good friend, will probably not have gone to bed +before I return. I will come to your room, and learn what the best and +cleverest of women will have planned in the interest of our +_proteges_." + +The Colonel kissed her hand again, and hurried away. Alexandra looked +gloomily after him, standing with her hands crossed over her bosom, +until he had vanished through the door of the billiard-room; where +several of the senior officers were advancing to meet him. Then, with a +passionate gesture, she turned to Bertram. + +"He is mistaken! Alexandra Volinzov is not to be ordered about like a +pack of recruits. I shall not leave to-morrow! I shall not leave at +all, until I have achieved my object; and you, friend, you must help me +to achieve it." + +She flung the end of her shawl impatiently across her shoulder, and +took Bertram's arm, drawing him away from the verandah down into the +garden, whence the young people, in pairs and in groups, were now +hurrying merrily back to the mansion-house, attracted by the sound of +the band striking up a polka in the banqueting-hall, which had been +cleared in the interval. + +"And what is my help to consist in?" asked Bertram. + +"You must speak to Erna. You must explain all to her. I am powerless +without Waldor's co-operation, and you have heard how he refuses it? +Nay, more; I have learned from Hildegard, that he has definitely +denied standing in any special relation to me, and as he could not +disown me altogether, has accounted for it all by talking of a casual +watering-place acquaintance; nay he has actually gone the length, of +reviving the old suspicion of there being something between Kurt and +myself; in a word, he has done his utmost to shake my credibility +with the parents, and with Erna; and to make my interference, if I +dared interfere, appear a ridiculous and hideous farce. You are the +intimate friend of the parents; you are Erna's natural protector and +guardian--you are more to her than her own father. The foolish dread of +the mother, that you loved the dear child in a different way, I have +absolutely put an end to; you will be met on all sides with the utmost +confidence, and if any doubt still existed, if any objections were +still raised, why, you are so clever, so wise, so eloquent, that you +will with ease remove every objection, that you will with a sure hand +bring all things to a good end, be the saviour of those two poor dear +souls, and rescue them from the infernal torments of jealousy, doubt, +and despair. I shall not be found wanting; I shall confirm everything +that you say; I shall take the full responsibility of it all, of +course. I am firmly resolved upon this; it is simply my duty, and I +shall do it, and Waldor may put up with it or not, as he pleases." + +Alexandra had been saying all this with hurried breath and heaving +bosom. Bertram's own excitement was intense, too, but he managed to +reply in calmer accents-- + +"You ask much, My Lady. You call me Erna's guardian, her second +father. I accept these titles; now, will you please and try to fancy +yourself in the position of a guardian, a father, under these +circumstances. In the story of Claudine you have told me your own, +striving, I do not doubt for a moment, to be strictly truthful, seeing +no danger in this, when speaking to a stranger, and being, moreover, +impelled to do so, both by your quick temperament and by your +passionate sympathy. But now comes the question: Has your truthfulness +really brought out the truth? Not the truth of yesterday and to-day, +but of to-morrow. The truth, the truthful picture of the future, when +you will be constantly and closely brought into contact with the former +object of your ardent love, when you will be ever seeing him by the +side of a woman who is not much younger than yourself, who is not as +beautiful as you, not as clever as you; who, however graceful, lacks +that nameless charm which is radiated by a beautiful and clever woman +of the great world, and which is so apt to beguile the hearts of men; +can you then--I am now speaking of yourself only, My Lady, only of what +is in your power--can you, for your part, for your own heart, undertake +the guarantee for the future? I conjure you, by all you hold sacred, +can you conscientiously give the guardian, the father, this assurance?" + +"By all I hold sacred," replied. Alexandra, "yes! And I will rather die +than break my oath!" + +She had stooped suddenly, and was about to draw Bertram's hand to her +lips, but he prevented her with gentle force. + +"We must not soften each other's hearts," said he, his own voice +quivering with emotion, "must not dim the clearness of our vision by +tears of emotion. I accept your vow. And now I crave but one boon from +Fate, to wit, that I be permitted one look, one deep, searching look +into the young man's heart,--and into Erna's heart!" + +He had been murmuring the last words in a scarcely audible tone; his +lips were trembling; Alexandra also was too much moved to be able to +speak. Thus they had silently reascended the verandah-steps and moved +on--unintentionally--to the open door which led to the card-room. +Alexandra paused, uttering a slight exclamation. + +"What is it, My Lady?" + +She made no answer, but drew her arm swiftly out of his, and hurried +away from him into the card-room. Bertram did not follow her; amazed +and hurt that she could so suddenly leave him, attracted it would seem +by the large oval table, around which there stood a fairly large group +of gentlemen, either staking money themselves or watching the progress +of the game which was evidently some game of chance, with Lotter acting +as banker. Bertram anyhow saw that hated person sitting at the head of +the table and dealing the cards, and next moment he heard that loud +voice of his, which he disliked so much, exclaiming: "_Faites votre +jeu, messieurs!_" Alexandra had advanced to the table as though she +meant to join in the game, and Bertram turned away in grave +displeasure. How could he have full confidence in a being, who was +accustomed to obey every movement of a restless heart, every temptation +of a light-winged fancy? No, no! If he was to resign, Erna's happiness +must be anchored in firmer ground! + +He leaned against the door of the hall in which the couples were taking +their places for the Lancers. Erna and her partner were standing but a +few yards off. She was conversing with him in her usual, measured way; +he could watch every movement of those beloved lips, when she spoke or +when, with a fleeting smile, she answered a jesting word of her +partner's. Her face was partly turned in his direction; he thought +every moment that she would turn round completely and look at him. I +"felt that some one was looking at me," she had said on that memorable +morning, when he found her writing beneath the plantain-tree. Now she +did not feel it. What had broken the magic spell of his glance? Was it +because his love was no longer unselfish? Because a fierce wild longing +seized him to press the slender white-robed form in his arms, to cover +the sweet lips with wild kisses? No, no--it was not that! It was this! +her heart no longer knew anything of him. It was this: new and younger +gods had moved inside the temple, and the old one's might now depart +ingloriously and hide their disgrace in the darkness of night! + +The music struck up, Erna held out her hand to her partner and floated +across to the other side of the hall; and Bertram hurried away, down +the verandah steps, away into the garden. + +Then he wandered about aimlessly, muttering wild words, wringing his +hands despairingly. The deserted garden, with the coloured lamps +swinging in the night wind, some dead, some dying, seemed a fit image +of his wasted and desolate life; whilst the strains of mirthful music +wafted across to him in mighty volumes from the brightly illumined +mansion-house, and the sounds of singing and rejoicing that came up to +him from the village below, seemed to mock the solitary self-tormentor. +He felt that this could not go on, if he did not wish to go mad; he +asked himself, pressing his hands to his throbbing temples, whether he +was not mad already? Whether he was not the ill-omened victim, pursued +by the relentless furies of jealousy, pursued until he breaks down--and +to be spared only by voluntary resignation? Yet you surely can but +resign what you own, what--if need be--you could defend; the possession +of which you could dispute anyhow with your adversary to the last gasp. +Despair does not resign, it only lets go what can no longer be held. +What had he done to hold Erna? What was he doing at this very moment, +except again making room for a rival, for whom, as it was, the stars in +their courses were fighting, one who had youth and the privilege of an +earlier attachment on his side? No, he deserved to be conquered, he who +neither had the strength to conquer himself, nor the courage to join +issue with the rival. Let the decision come then! + + + + + XX. + + +Bertram stood on the lowest step of the terrace when this decision +struggled forth from his tempest-tossed soul, that could no longer bear +the torment. A small steep stair led upward from this place, at the +very extremity of the garden, without any landing-places; he hurried +up, taking two and three steps at a time. He had reached the top; next +he turned to the right, across the lawn, in the direction of the +verandah, when suddenly the music was silent within the hall, and +instantly the dancers came forth from the many doors to cool and +refresh themselves in the balmy night air. He did not care to meet the +merry, motley multitude. Here and there isolated couples were +descending the stairs. He withdrew into the darkness of the shrubberies +surrounding the winter garden. It was lighted up; and, as far as he +could judge by a glance through the windows, was deserted; he would +pass through it, and so regain, unseen and undisturbed, the rooms where +the others were. + +He entered. Between palm-trees and many broad-leaved plants there was a +narrow passage, bisected in the centre by a shorter and broader one. +Where the two passages met, towered a huge palm, set in a tub of mighty +dimensions, and all but touching the glass-dome above. Behind, within +the enclosure of the wall, was a small recess, furnished with dainty +iron garden-chairs and with a table. + +This, he knew, was a favourite spot of Erna's, where, on rainy days, +she was wont to spend hours. He could not resist the temptation of +visiting the spot which on her account was sacred to him. He sank into +one of the chairs, put his folded hands to his head, and let it rest +upon the little table. As he sat thus in the attitude of one praying, +his thoughts became a prayer: and he prayed that Fate would now +determine his lot, now and here, be it bliss or be it--death. He was +willing to submit to either, in all humility, knowing himself subject +to the heavenly powers that would deal with him by their own +inscrutable will. + +He lifted his head and rose slowly, hesitatingly, from his stooping, +position. Was his prayer not heard? Could love not work a miracle, like +faith, which was less strong? Surely, she would come, for whom he was +longing with all the force of his heart! + +And lo!--as he turned his gaze to the door, the velvet curtain which +draped it was drawn aside, and she appeared on the threshold, a +slender, white-robed figure, bending forward, gazing into the silent +green wilderness before her, listening! And now she was descending the +stairs with lightsome step, moving along the passage that led to the +tall palm-trees, and again she paused, leaning one hand against the +edge of the tub, pressing the other against her bosom. + +"Erna!" + +He had, for fear of frightening her, uttered her name in a very low +voice; yet she started where she stood, but did not turn to him who was +so near, but stooped, listening, towards the other side; and at the +same moment he heard, the little door open, by which he had himself +entered the winter garden; and now some one was hurrying along the +passage, towards Erna, who made a movement as though she would escape, +but could not. + +"Miss Erna!" + +She made no answer, and Lieutenant Ringberg seemed to have exhausted +his strength and his presence of mind with these two words, which he +had uttered in a very diffident tone of voice. For a few seconds they +both stood motionless. Then Erna said-- + +"Fraeulein von Aschhof has told me that you wished to speak to me. I +only came to request you not to honour Fraeulein von Aschhof any longer +with your confidence. I--I am indignant that you could do so at all." + +"By Heaven! there is some misunderstanding here. I should never have +dared to apply to Fraeulein von Aschhof. She began, and spoke so +confidently that no doubt ever arose in me. I could not but believe +that you--that yourself, Miss Erna...." + +"This is too much!" + +The breathless listener heard the rustling of her robe, and then some +hurried words of entreaty which again chained her to the spot. +Meanwhile they had somewhat changed their position; the dense foliage +of some shrubs now intervened between himself and them, and he could +now scarcely see anything of them, but he could hear every word even +better than before. + +"You must not let me suffer for a misunderstanding of which--I swear +it--I am so innocent, that I cannot even guess how it has come about. +But be this as it may, I bless it as a heavenly favour, for surely +Heaven would not have me condemned unheard. I pray and entreat you: +listen!" + +"What have you to say?" + +"What I wrote in my last letter. If you will not believe in my +assurances--and indeed I can understand that, as things are, +appearances are against me--give me time--only a little time, until +these unfortunate circumstances have become clearer, and those +appearances will dissolve themselves into nothing. Only this much I +can, I must say, I am not in love with the Princess, and I never have +been, I have never felt anything for her but sympathy, respect,--and +friendship, if you will,--feelings which that rarely-gifted woman will +awaken in all who come to know her intimately. She is here for no other +purpose but to plead for me, to clear up this wretched mystery which +condemns me to silence, at the sacrifice of considerable personal +advantages to herself. But she has met with resistance which she cannot +overcome, and which compels her, and compels me also, to remain in this +miserably odd position. Therefore, once more, give me time--give me a +respite. A criminal gets that, and I am free from guilt, unless it be a +crime that I look upon those duties which gratitude and the friendship +of years impose upon me as sacred, even now, when it is so unspeakably +hard for me, and when it puts me to the risk of forfeiting the +happiness of my life!" + +"Is this all you have to say to me?" + +"All; for what else. I might say would find no credence, if your faith +in my veracity does not go even this length." + +"Good-bye." + +"Erna! is it possible? Is every voice silent in your heart? Does +nothing stir, nothing plead for one whom once you--I dare not say the +word any longer, for I must fear to offend you again if I remind you of +what once was? Great heavens! and I had thought, that if my pen were +powerless, and my pleading on paper appeared clumsy and lifeless, I +should but require to be once more face to face with you, looking into +your loved eyes whilst you looked into mine, and that then you would +believe me even before I uttered a word. And now, now, my glance is +powerless, my words are mere sound. I no longer know what to say; I am +standing here like a beggar who has been telling his story of bitter +woe, and in whose face people close the door at which he has knocked +with trembling hand. Have I become so poor? Well, I am most unwilling +to appeal to a friend for help, but you leave me no choice. There is, +living in your own circle, a gentleman who is in the secret, to whom +the Princess has told it, half involuntarily; drawn on by the vivacity +of her temperament, which she has never learned to control, half +voluntarily, hoping that she was not betraying anything which all, or +at least all concerned, would not know to-day. Well, this hope of hers +has not been fulfilled. The gentleman in question knows it; and not +deeming himself, under the circumstances, justified in speaking, he +will, if I judge him correctly, be silent, although the Princess has +already given him full liberty, nay, has entreated him to tell you all. +I must confess, I was much taken aback when, a little time ago, she +came and told me this; apart from other considerations, it was painful +to me to know that the key to the fatal enigma was in the hands of a +third person. But now, when, to my sorrow, I realise my impotence, let +him plead for me, if he will. He will do it, if I, too, entreat him. I +have barely exchanged three words with him, but looks like his, so +imbued with the true nobility of the soul, cannot lie. Ask him--you +will believe him!" + +"Never!" + +"You will not believe him?" + +"I will die rather than hear from him, speak to him of ... It is a +shame, a shame! This is going too far. What happened before was ... but +this, this ..." + +"How now? By the heavens above us, what is the meaning of this?" + +"The meaning is this: my last word to you is, Begone!" + +"I go. But one thing more, and let it be my last word. It is very +bitter to have to say it. There is one greater misfortune yet than to +see one's love misjudged, scorned, rejected, and that is, to have to +say to one's self that she whom one had loved more,--a thousand times +more than one's self,--is surpassed by other women, whom one had never +dared to put on the same level as her, had barely dared to compare with +her, in kindness and in generosity." + +There was a quick step passing away over the tiled passage, then the +sound of the little garden-door being opened and closed, and then a cry +of anguish, half suppressed, and all the more terrible on that account, +the cry of one who had met with a deadly hurt. + +Bertram hurried round the intervening shrubs to where Erna stood with +her arms raised on high, with wild staring eyes. + +And then she gave another cry, and the next moment she lay in his arms, +clutching him, clinging to him, as a drowning man would clutch, would +cling to, a rock. + +"Uncle Bertram! dear, dear Uncle Bertram!" + +"My sweet child!" + +"Save me! save me!!" + +A great gush of tears relieved her. She was now sobbing aloud, bending +over his shoulder. Thus had come to pass that for which, but a brief +time before, he had longed as the greatest bliss; a bliss he would fain +taste for a moment, and for which he would willingly die, after having +tasted it. He held her close to his heart, held the slender maiden's +frame, the tender, heaving bosom; her sweet breath was floating around +his heated cheek, and he knew she was his, was in his keeping; he had +the power to hold her now, and it would cost him but one word. And yet +it was all a dream-gift, which one may retain for a second or two by +keeping one's eyes closed, but which fades away, to return no more, as +soon as the eyes re-open. + +"Yes, I will save you, save you from yourself; you have lost yourself, +and I will restore you." + +She lifted her head and looked at him, confused, questioning. + +"Not to-day, my sweet child, to-morrow; but you must be a good and +obedient girl." + +"I will do all that you wish, that you command, dear one, beloved one! +For there is none as good, as noble as you, not one, and I love no one +as I love you!" + +Again she clasped him, more violently even than before, and pressed her +hot, quivering lips, to his. + +But he did not return her kiss, and a gentle, melancholy smile played +about his mouth as he said, putting her gently from him, and stroking +her dark hair-- + +"And never did father love his dearest child better than I love you." + +And again she gazed up to him with a strange expression of fear and +shame. + +"Now go, my child; to-morrow we will talk together. I shall not leave +to-morrow. I shall not go until you need me no longer. Good-bye till +then. And then your dear eyes are to weep no more." + +She clung to him still, but hesitatingly, shyly now; he disengaged +himself gently, and repeated-- + +"Go, my child, go." + +She went, slowly, reluctantly, holding her head very low. On the +topmost step, in the doorway leading to the tea-room, she paused and +turned, as though expecting that he would summon her back. + +But he beckoned with eye and hand: "Go!" + +She vanished behind the velvet curtain. He was alone! + + + + + XXI. + + +The mirth and fun of the feast were at their height now. The +commander-in-chief had ordered that at twelve o'clock all officers +should be in their respective quarters, including those who had been +told off to the houses of the ranger, the mayor, and the other chief +denizens of the village. It was past eleven o'clock already. No time +was to be lost, if the guests wished to drain the cup of delight which +the hospitable mansion-house proffered in such abundance. + +"Vivat Champagne!" exclaimed one of the young officers, taking a glass +of the foaming wine from the salver which a footman offered him. + +"And pretty girls!" returned his friend von Koeppingen, emptying his +goblet at one draught, replacing it on the salver, and turning upon his +heel to hurry to the fair Augusta, with whom he was engaged to dance +the _Rheinlaender_, the music of which the orchestra was just playing. + +"And where have you been, Ringberg?" asked another comrade, Herr von +Rollintz; "been gambling a little?" + +"You know I never play," replied Kurt, who was leaning against the +door. + +"Nor dance? Well, well, you are always so sensible; I feel half dead +already, upon my honour! And yet I have to dance this _Rheinlaender_ +with the belle of the ball. I am looking for her everywhere; have you +seen her, perchance? Ah, there she is!" + +Von Rollintz flew right across the room to meet Erna, who was just +entering from the tea-room. A minute later the pair whirled past Kurt; +von Rollintz, with radiant and glowing face, chattering even during the +dance, Erna still and pale, the long dark eyelashes lowered. + +Kurt gazed gloomily after them; then he turned away and began pacing +the verandah. After a little while he saw, at the end opposite to him, +a gentleman ascending the steps, in whom, as soon as the bright light +fell upon him, he recognised Bertram. The young man advanced rapidly +two or three steps, then paused hesitatingly. + +"Why, after all!" he murmured, "everything now would be in vain." + +Bertram, who had gone up to one of the windows of the ball-room, was +now slowly coming along the verandah. It was painful to Kurt to meet +the man to whom, but a minute ago, he had been willing to apply for +help. So, happening to be just in front of the card-room, he slipped +in. + +"He avoids me," said Bertram to himself. "In that case the mountain +will indeed have to go to Mahomet!" + +As he was about to look for Kurt in the card-room, he saw, on his way +past the open doors of the ball room, Lydia in conversation with one of +the older officers, a conversation carried on by Lydia with her +customary abundance of gesture and the frequent use of her fan. He drew +nearer, and, as he had hoped, her ever-roving glance had soon lighted +upon him. A slight movement of his eyes was sufficient for the highly +experienced lady, who left the Major with a jesting word, and tripped +up to Bertram. + +"You have something to tell me, dear friend?" + +"Can you spare me one minute?" + +"One minute? For you?" + +She gave a sentimental glance at Bertram and started. + +"Merciful Heaven!" she exclaimed, "you are ill. You wish the doctor +sent for; but there is one here, nay, there are two,--pray let me...." + +"Pray remain here," said Bertram, seizing her by the hand as she was +hastening away. "It is true that I feel rather worn out--a consequence +of the unrest and noise to which I am not accustomed--but otherwise +perfectly well. Let us sit down there!" + +He pointed, to a couch near, and sat down; Lydia followed him with +trembling knees, shaking all over, feeling her heart rising to her +throat. The whole unusual approach of Bertram who was generally so +reserved, his pallor, his solemn manner--all this could have but one +reason, one meaning--and what was she to reply? Act surprise and +terror, of course! But not too long, just a few moments of half +fainting, with her head leaning back against the wall and her eyes +turned rapturously towards the chandelier. + +"My dear friend--for I must appeal to your friendship--to your +love...." + +"Good Heavens!" murmured Lydia. + +"To the love which you doubtless cherish for Erna, and which has, I +assume, misled you to this last extremely equivocal step of yours." + +"Good Heavens!" murmured Lydia again, but this time with accents of the +greatest terror, as of some one who suddenly feels the ground beneath +him giving way. + +"I will not reproach you," continued Bertram, "which indeed I have no +right to do. I was wrong myself in not taking you into my confidence in +reference to Erna, in wrapping myself in secrecy and silence, and thus +all but compelling you to act alone and independently in order to help +our dear child to what, let us trust, will prove her lasting happiness. +But the remedy which you applied came too soon and was too strong; it +has not had the desired effect, at least not in the meantime; indeed, +at present things look desperately bad. Do not ask me how I have +learned this, I may tell you later on, when perhaps you will tell me, +too, how you discovered the secret which both guarded so carefully. All +this does not matter just now; but one thing is of the greatest +importance, and this I heartily beg you will grant me. We must +henceforth act in common, take no one into our confidence of whom we +cannot be sure that he aims at the same thing as we do--namely, at +Erna's happiness. And I think you will do best if you leave me to judge +when this is the case. Are you agreed?" + +Poor Lydia was sadly embarrassed. For her terrible disappointment it +was some compensation that Bertram himself had evidently no matrimonial +intentions with reference to Erna, and that he was offering Lydia his +alliance and friendship. How gladly would she have agreed! How gladly +said yes to everything, averring that she would blindly obey his +behests. But alas, in addition to her first indiscretion which he had +so kindly pardoned, she had meanwhile committed another which he would +scarcely pardon. + +"It is too late, I see," said Bertram, who had not failed to notice the +terribly anxious expression of her mobile countenance. "You have +already told Hildegard." + +"No, no--not Hildegard--worse! far worse!" murmured Lydia, wringing her +hands and casting down her eyes. "In my anxiety, my--ye Heavens! I +cannot excuse myself on any other ground--in my tender anxiety, for you +... the Baron ... you ..." + +"Pray speak distinctly," said Bertram, repressing his anger. "I must +know all. The Baron ..." + +"He was so angry with you ever since that miserable letter--no, I +cannot tell you that; I am too much ashamed of myself--but Erna has +already pardoned me, and so will you. We had all lost our heads. He +asserted that you alone were to blame for his failure with Erna. And +that Otto had not given him the money--a great big sum--three thousand +thalers--was your doing too, he said. This morning already, before he +drove away, he vowed in my presence that he would inflict a terrible +vengeance upon you; and at dinner, when he sat next to me, he talked +dreadfully, and drank ever so much champagne--and I knew--I thought I +knew--I saw that Erna and Ringberg--Erna had denied him altogether; and +the girls--Augusta, you know, and Louise--told me that Ringberg used +constantly to meet her at their house ...! Erna was so excited when the +regiment came, and ..." + +"Go on!" cried Bertram. + +"And now the Baron wanted to make you suffer for it. And I really could +not tolerate it, seeing that perhaps I had contributed to the Baron's +wrath against you." + +"And so you told the Baron all?" + +Lydia was sitting with rigid, tearful eyes, and started in terror as +Bertram quickly rose. + +"What would you do?" + +"Try if I can repair the mischief a little." + +"Let me go, I entreat you! and I will tell the Baron ..." + +"And I wish you to tell him nothing. I wish you to remain where you +are, and to appear as unconcerned as possible to all, specially to +Erna, if she should come to you, which, however, I doubt; and mind that +you do not betray one word of what we have been discussing here. Will +you promise that?" + +"I promise everything you wish." + +"I shall not be ungrateful." + +Lydia gazed after him with tears in her eyes as he hurried away. "I +shall not be ungrateful," he had said; and saying that, he had pressed +her hand--for the first time since they had met--and supposing, +supposing that it came to pass after all! + +Major von Keberstein approached her again, and said laughingly-- +"You seem to have had quite a long confidential conversation with the +gentleman who carried you off so abruptly from my side. And then a poor +old bachelor like me is not to get jealous!" + +"I will do my best now to make up for it." + +"It will take you all your time, we shall have to tramp back to our +quarters in ten minutes." + +"Can you not throw in half an hour?" + +"Not for worlds!" exclaimed the major, replacing his watch which he had +been consulting. "My orders are very strict." + +"Then I must claim the ten minutes at least," she rejoined, gathering +her robe together and making way for the stout old gentleman by her +side on the couch. + +In the adjoining card-room, too, the guests were bent upon making the +most of the last few minutes by doubling and trebling their high +stakes. All the players now were civilians, chiefly neighbouring +proprietors, who could afford to lose a few hundreds. Some of the +officers had at first joined in the game, but only at first, and with +very small stakes, as if to show that, so far as they were concerned, +the whole thing was a little harmless social amusement--nothing more. +When heavier sums began to be staked, they had at once ceased playing, +and had gradually melted away. The _Oberfoerster_, or ranger, who was +only looking on, thought that this had been done in obedience to a +signal from the Colonel himself, who had passed through the card-room +on his way out. + +"All the better," the Baron had sneered; "then we shall remain snugly +among ourselves. _Faites votre jeu, Messieurs!_" + +And indeed the Baron, so the gentlemen present thought, had good reason +to find his position a snug one. He was winning almost without +interruption. The heap of bank-notes and gold coins by his side was +ever increasing; among the bank-notes were already a good few slips, on +which the players had written their names and the amount of their +stakes; his gains were said to be several thousands. He asserted that +it was nothing like that sum, and repeatedly offered to let some one +else take the bank; but no one cared to accept his offer; and thus the +losers had no right to grumble, although for some time now they had +been, as one of them said, hurrying in pursuit of their own money. They +had need to hurry if they would overtake the money which was ever +fleeting. The Baron's proposal that the game should cease punctually at +half-past eleven, the time fixed for the conclusion of the ball, had +been agreed to, and it was now almost a quarter past. The Baron saw +already, from the large stakes which the players were venturing, that, +as the cards were more than ever in his favour, his gains would be +doubled; his jubilant mirth proved the excitement he was labouring +under; he had some funny word for every card he dealt, every deal he +scored, and all the while his eyes were glowing, and his busy hands +were twitching nervously. Suddenly there was a change. One of the +players had staked a sum equivalent to the total of his losses during +the evening--and had won! This daring play, and the success which had +crowned it, stimulated the others; and now everything went against the +banker. In a few minutes his heap had dwindled down to less than half, +and it became evident that if, during the remaining quarter of an hour, +the bank were pursued by the same bad luck, it must needs end with a +considerable balance the wrong way. The jests of the Baron became more +and more bitter; presently he took to whistling savagely through his +closed teeth, interspersing this with muttered curses; his eyes, now +roving restlessly around the room, seemed repeatedly to be fixing +themselves upon same one within the room. Suddenly he stopped in the +middle of a deal, and exclaimed, with a semi-audible curse-- +"You are bringing me bad luck, sir! You are in my way, sir!" + +These words, which he had uttered in the most violent way, were +accompanied by a fierce look at Kurt, who, to avoid meeting Bertram, +had entered the room a few minutes ago, and had since been standing +with folded arms among the spectators, who, attracted and enchained by +the sight of the maddening game, had, in ever-increasing numbers, +grouped themselves around the board of green cloth. The scene had not +had any attraction for him; his mind was far away; he had stared +mechanically before him without seeing anything; nor had he heard the +Baron's words; he only felt it disagreeable that several gentlemen near +him were looking hard at him. One of them thought it incumbent upon +himself to whisper to Kurt that the Baron had meant his remarks for +him. Kurt, under the impression that Lotter had been asking him to join +in the game, and not wishing to say it aloud, replied in a courteous +whisper to the gentleman who had called his attention to the fact that +the Baron had meant his remarks for him-- + +"I am sorry, but I never play." + +He accompanied this by an apologetic shrug of the shoulders towards the +Baron, and turned upon his heel. As soon as he was free of the crowd +surging around him, he made for the door leading to the verandah, +hoping that there he would be left to himself and to his own sad +thoughts. + +The Baron burst into a hoarse, mocking laughter when he saw Kurt turn; +he went on dealing, with trembling hands, then jumped suddenly to his +feet, exclaiming-- + +"Excuse me, but I must ask the gentleman, what he means by shrugging +his shoulders." + +He flung the remaining cards upon the table, and was rushing towards +the door through the crowd of amazed and excited spectators, whom he +pushed rudely aside if they did not make way quickly enough. Before he +reached the door, however, Bertram faced him, barring the way. + +"What do you want?" the Baron hissed through his teeth. + +"I want to call your attention to the fact that you are the guest of +this house, and that you are on the point of basely violating its +proffered hospitality." + +Bertram had spoken firmly, but in so low a voice that the Baron alone +could hear him. His look, too, was perfectly calm; even those next to +him, who saw but his face, whilst the Baron was turning his broad back +upon them, could not but think that it was simply some indifferent +communication. + +The Baron was speechless with wrath. Bertram gave him no time to break +out. He continued in the same low, incisive tone-- + +"I see that you quite understand me. I need scarcely add that I am at +any time at your service, should you consider yourself in need of a +comment upon the lesson which I have given you." + +"You shall hear from me, and forthwith!" + +"The sooner the better!" + +He bowed slightly; then, raising his voice as he turned to the others, +he said-- + +"A thousand pardons, gentlemen; but I was commissioned by our amiable +host to remind you that his military-guests have, alas! to retire +already; and that they will be wishing to bid you farewell." + +As if in confirmation of Bertram's words, the music just then broke off +in the adjoining ball-room, the door flew open, and quite a host of +officers came rushing in. There could no longer be any question of +resuming the game, even if the players had been willing, which they, +however, certainly seemed not to be. Some of the older ladies had come +in, looking for their husbands; some others, young ones, followed; the +room was overflowing with guests; the players had difficulty in +getting back to the table to pocket their stakes. Not a few of them +had yet to square accounts with the Baron; they crowded round him, but +he was shoving the remnant of his gains--gold coins, bank-notes, +I.O.U.s--higgledy-piggledy into his pockets, and when questioned, as he +constantly was, replied with surly mien and in briefest words, and +repelled rather than answered their questions--muttering that they +might apply to-morrow; and that, in this confusion to-night, the devil +himself could neither hear nor impart information. + +Bertram had eagerly watched, this scene, keeping close to the door +which led to the verandah. He made sure that the Baron's time was +meanwhile absolutely taken up, and that he would, not be able to think +of following Kurt and inventing some new reason for a quarrel, since +the first attempt had failed. Under any circumstances, the Baron would +have to settle with him first; and then he saw how, breaking away from +the players who were still surrounding him, the Baron hurried up to +meet Herr von Busche, who, looking very heated and flushed, was just +coming from the ball-room. The two gentlemen Bertram knew to be, as +shooting companions, on good, though not on specially friendly terms; +anyhow, there could be no doubt as to the subject of their present +discussion in yonder far-away corner, where the Baron was +gesticulating, while Herr von Busche, the young gentleman from the +Woods and Forests' Office, listened intently, now and again shaking his +head, and at last nodding it, more, it seemed, in courtesy than in +assent. Then Bertram remembered that it was time for him also to look +out for a second. + +Looking for Ringberg, he saw him on the verandah, which now was filled +by the guests, among a small group of officers, already with helmets +and overcoats on, who were bidding him good-bye. These departing heroes +had their quarters in the village; they were in a mighty hurry; a +couple of servants were in readiness with lanterns to light up the +shorter way to the village, down the terraces; fair Hildegard had, +indeed, been mindful of everything needed. As the other officers were +hastening down the steps, Bertram stepped up to Kurt. + +"Can you spare me a minute, Lieutenant Ringberg?" + +Kurt was evidently very much surprised, but he at once bowed his +assent. + +"To be sure, a minute will not suffice, if, as I hope, you will grant +my request." + +The young man's bronzed cheeks assumed a yet deeper hue, as he said-- + +"Pray, speak; and be assured beforehand that it will be a pleasure and +an honour to me to be of use to you in any way." + +"Then have the kindness to give me your arm and to accompany me into +the garden, that I may tell you uninterruptedly what is the matter. +Well, it is briefly this: Baron Lotter--I do not know whether you have +had the doubtful pleasure of making his acquaintance--a friend of our +host's, by the way, with whom he and I have been staying here for the +past week,--thinks himself insulted by me, and, according to the usual +code and my own conviction, he has good cause for it. It is an old feud +resulting from a certain mutual rivalry as to the respective +consideration and influence which he and I claim, or think we may +claim, in this house, an old feud about to be ultimately settled. The +actual occasion of the quarrel is merely accidental, and, as such, +absolutely irrelevant. I mention this particularly to enable me to add +the request that in the subsequent negotiations, supposing that you are +willing--well, very well, then, and I am really obliged to you--that in +these negotiations you may lay absolutely no stress upon that occasion, +nay, that you may avoid touching upon it at all. You will please accept +the conditions for the hostile meeting exactly as they may be proposed +by the other side; I have my own reasons for wishing to be particularly +obliging in that respect. Only the fixing of time and place troubles +me. Here of course the duel cannot take place. I should therefore +propose some spot near town. This would suit me all the better, as I +have, anyhow, announced my intention of leaving this place to-morrow, +and could, therefore, remain in town for a short while without +attention being called to it; and as the Baron also was to leave +to-morrow too, and as he also must pass through town, the delay will be +very brief for him. The only question now is: Whether and when do you +think you can be free yourself?" + +"In no case," replied Kurt, "before to-morrow afternoon, but then for +certain, because, if circumstances were less favourable, I could then +get leave of absence from the Colonel--without, of course, mentioning +the special reason why I needed it. Circumstances are, however, +favourable, and, if our suppositions are at all correct, and if the big +sham-fight is once over, the regiment will, sometime to-morrow +afternoon, be somewhere between this and town, and may even have to +bivouack there. Under any circumstances, I shall be able to attend +punctually at the time required. + +"This," said Bertram, "will do excellently. So we are now free from +this trouble; and this, I think, is all that we need settle in the +meantime. Now it may be as well if I put you in communication with Herr +von Busche. I have no doubt that he is to be the Baron's second. If +required, a question from you, as to whether he chanced to have a +commission, a message, for me, would at once settle things." + +They had meanwhile come again near the verandah, and just then Herr von +Busche was coming out of the card-room, looking round apparently in +search of some one. Bertram and Kurt hurried their advancing steps, and +he again turned swiftly round, to speak to Bertram, the moment he had +recognised him, saying-- + +"I am so glad, Herr Doctor, to have met you at last, since I was about +to do myself the honour of bringing you a message of some importance. I +have already been looking, and looking in vain for you, in all the +rooms." + +"A thousand pardons," replied Bertram; "but I, myself, have not in the +meantime been idle in this affair. May I now have the pleasure of +introducing to you the Premier-Lieutenant Ringberg, who ..." + +"I have already had the honour," said Herr von Busche with a bow. + +"All the better. Then I will no longer disturb you, gentlemen. You will +find me in my rooms. Good-bye till then." + +He shook hands with Kurt, bowed to Herr von Busche, and left them both, +as they retreated into the semi-obscurity of the shrubbery, until, +passing along the verandah and the side building, he reached a postern, +from which a stair led, straight from the garden, to his rooms. + + + + + XXII. + + +Even on this stirring evening Konski had not been oblivious of his +duty. He knew from experience that his master was wont to retire from +festivities before their actual close, and thus Bertram, on entering +his rooms, found his candles duly lighted, and all preparations made +for the night. He praised his faithful servant for his careful +attention, but told him he was not in a hurry to go to bed, as he was +expecting a visit from Lieutenant Ringberg, and that Konski might hurry +back to his sweetheart, as no doubt he would like. + +This he said in his wonted playful tone, to Konski's intense delight, +for the servant gathered from this that his fear, lest his master +should again be the worse for all the noise and excitement of the big +entertainment, had been uncalled-for. He even ventured upon a remark on +the subject. + +"I am astonished myself," Bertram said in reply. "I think you must be +right; we both had put ourselves down too soon as old fogies." + +Bertram smiled as he spoke, and Konski thought that his hint had fallen +upon fruitful soil, and that his own favourite wish would, after all, +be fulfilled. Perhaps his Aurora might know some details. To be sure, +My Lady had given strict orders that within ten minutes after +the departure of the last carriage no soul was to stir about the +mansion-house, lest any of the officers billeted there should be +disturbed in their brief slumbers. But Aurora would surely find out +some place where they could quietly converse. + +So the faithful servant left Bertram, and instantly the master's serene +mien changed, and assumed a look of great anxiety. He listened: perhaps +his expected visitor was even now crossing the servant's path. No; the +noise died away in the corridor and on the stair. Konski had vanished +somewhere in the court-yard, and all now was silent. Bertram began to +pace softly up and down his room, then paused again, listening. What if +Kurt were to learn that the duel was to be fought for his sake? In that +case, the chances were everything to nothing that he would insist upon +precedence, and would himself challenge the Baron. Bertram, anyhow, had +some scruples as to whether he should not have told the young man the +true state of affairs, because he had now exposed Kurt to the +possibility of one or other of the witnesses of the scene in the +card-room misinterpreting Kurt's action, and asserting that he had +simply been unwilling to understand Lotter's insulting remarks; and +this would, of course, according to the military code of honour, have +been identical with a reproach of downright cowardice. + +But, then, it might be hoped that in the wild confusion and frantic +excitement of the moment, no one had been at leisure to observe the +little incident minutely enough to be able to give a clear account of +it either to himself or to any one else. On such occasions a dispute or +wrangle was by no means of rare occurrence, and none of the spectators +had looked as though they were in the habit of attaching much +importance to such scenes; and it certainly would be foreign to the +good, easy-going Thuringians to have done so. Fortunately, not one of +Kurt's fellow-officers had been present at the time; and even Herr von +Busche, the young gentleman from the Woods and Forests, had only come +in at the last moment. The question was simply whether the Baron would +subsequently try to pick a quarrel with Kurt, seeing his first attempt +had clearly failed through no fault of Kurt's; and now, of course, the +Baron would have a capital chance of doing so. The pity of it, thought +Bertram; why had he blindly followed that inner voice which bade him +choose Kurt for his second? Why? It had been Bertram's only chance of +getting one deep, searching look into the young man's heart? But was +not the fulfilment of his ardent prayer purchased all too dear, if it +led the way to the very thing which he was desirous of preventing at +the sacrifice of his own life? + +And yet, he said to himself, he need not quite despair. Lotter, to be +sure, now knew who was his real rival. And the desire to wreak his +vengeance upon that rival, to annihilate him, if possible, was very +sure to become overpowering in the heart of a hot-blooded, terribly +angered, absolutely unscrupulous man, one never at a loss, and one +passionately in love with Erna. But was this really the case? No, and +again, no! That man never had loved Erna. His whole suit had, from +beginning to end, been nothing but a vulgar speculation upon Erna's +presumably colossal fortune, by means of which he hoped to free himself +from disagreeable temporary embarrassments, and to continue his +good-for-nothing life of self-indulgent ease. Even before Kurt had +appeared upon the scene, those dreams of a brilliant future had become +greatly obscured; he had, it was clear, been virtually dropped; and he +was surely quick enough to have found out speedily to whom he was +indebted for this fate. His savage utterances to Lydia were sufficient +proof that he knew quite well who, from the very beginning, had stood +between Erna and him, who afterwards had delayed the decision, +prevented any further approach, roused the distrust of the parents, +turned the daughter's thoughts away, and ultimately had done the very +worst for him. If there was any one who had deserved the Baron's wrath +and hatred, on whom his vengeance was certain to fall, surely it was +himself. Why pick a quarrel with any one else as well? The Baron was no +coward, far from it; yet, being a perfect shot, he would have it all +his own way with an opponent like Bertram, who had hardly ever hit the +target when they practised together. Why then should the Baron not play +a trump card when lie had one in his hands? + +Thus cudgelling his brain, carefully weighing every reason for and +against it, Bertram kept viewing his position, and all the while the +weary moments seemed to creep slowly, slowly by, and each succeeding +one weighed more and more heavily upon his soul. And yet, would he not +perchance learn all too soon, that his bold attempt to take the place +of Erna's lover, and thus to guard their new-born happiness, which was +already so much endangered, against a new and most serious peril, had +failed, and that he himself had missed this most excellent opportunity +of dying? He was doomed to go on living this life of his, which had +lost its savour and had no longer any meaning for him! Half an hour had +already gone by; they might have finished their consultation long ere +this, for there was little enough to consult about--unless it was the +other duel! + +In the court-yard, whence the noise of the departing carriages and +divers shouts had been ascending, silence began to prevail. Bertram +could master his impatience no longer; he stepped across the corridor +and went to one of the windows looking out upon the court-yard which +the expected lieutenant would have to cross. Presently he heard a +swift, elastic step upon the stairs; he hastened to meet his hurrying +visitor, and cried, holding out his hand to him-- + +"Is everything settled?" + +"Everything." + +"Thank Heaven!" Bertram had all but said; he just managed to change it +into a polite, "Thank, you so much!" + +He kept Kurt's hand in his own as he led him into his room. He made him +sit upon the sofa, and seated himself by his side. Kurt thought that +one could not welcome a dear friend, the bringer of the most pleasant +news, with greater warmth and delight. This feeling was still more +strengthened when his singular host presently sprang up again, and +fetched from his stock of provisions for the journey a bottle of wine, +which he proceeded to uncork; next he brought some glasses, and even a +small box of cigars. Although no smoker himself, he said, he always had +some cigars by him for his friends. + +He filled the glasses, and held out his own to Kurt. + +"May everything turn out as we wish!" + +"With all my heart!" replied the young officer. + +Kurt said these words with a deep, almost melancholy gravity; which +contrasted strangely with the gladsome excitement of the older man; +Kurt's lips barely touched the wine, whilst Bertram drained his glass +hurriedly, greedily, and instantly refilled it. + +"I have fasted almost all day," he said, as if by way of excuse. "A +festive entertainment always puts me out and takes away my appetite. +But now, please, tell me--do they agree to everything?" + +Kurt reported with military brevity and precision. The only difficulty +had been to fix the time, as the Baron had at first asserted that he +could not delay his departure beyond noon on the following day at the +latest; ultimately, however, he had agreed to the meeting coming off at +six o'clock in the afternoon. The place was to be a certain spot in the +great forest, almost exactly midway between Rinstedt and the town, by +the banks of a little lake. It would be easy to move thence to a still +more remote portion of the wood, in case the man[oe]vres should have +brought any one to the neighbourhood, which, in its normal state, is +absolutely deserted. + +"I remember the place exactly from former walks," Bertram said. + +"Capital," replied the young man, "for that removes another +difficulty--namely, how you were to find your way to it from the town. +The spot suits me singularly well, because we shall probably bivouac +not a mile from it. I forgot to mention that I have already secured the +services of our very skilful staff-surgeon, and that Herr von Busche +will provide a carriage. Lastly, for the sake of keeping the whole +affair secret, it seemed desirable that the Herr Baron should not go +straight from here to the meeting. So, under pretext of wishing to make +to-morrow an excursion to the scene of the man[oe]vres in company with +Herr von Busche, of returning here at night, and leaving definitely on +the day following, he has sent word asking his host and hostess to +excuse him until to-morrow evening, and even now he is driving with +Herr von Busche to the ranger's house, where he is to pass the night." + +"Excellent! excellent!" exclaimed Bertram. "Everything is arranged most +thoughtfully and carefully. I thank you very much. Herr von Busche +appears to have been perfectly willing to facilitate all arrangements?" + +"He was charming," replied Kurt; "nay, more, he told me quite openly +that he was doing the Herr Baron this service most reluctantly, very +much against his own will indeed, and only in deference to the +traditional courtesy in such matters, and that he would give a good +deal, if it lay in his power to settle the whole affair amicably. I +confess I fully sympathise with him in the last point. It was a most +painful thought for us both that a man like you should risk his life +against a Baron Lotter, who, it seems, does not enjoy any one's special +sympathy; and all the chances are against you, too." + +"Why all the chances?" + +"Herr von Busche said that your opponent was one of the best +pistol-shots that he knew, unerring of aim, and steady of eye and hand. +Herr von Busche, of course, has never seen you practise, but he fears, +and so do I, that ..." + +"That I am a miserable shot?" exclaimed Bertram smilingly. "Out with +it! Yes, yes, you gentlemen have little confidence in us bookworms for +this sort of thing. But fortunately you are mistaken. I am more or less +out of practice, I admit; but I can shoot a little, and at such a short +distance too!" + +"I am delighted to hear you say so," replied Kurt. "And yet I would +like to ask you if there is no possibility of bringing about an +amicable settlement. It is not by any means too late yet. Herr von +Busche quite agrees with me in this. Only, as we are both absolutely +ignorant of the real cause ..." + +"But I have already told you that an old feud is about to be settled," +Bertram interrupted him somewhat impatiently. "The momentary cause--by +the way, a small lesson in good manners which I gave the Baron--is of +no consequence at all." + +"So Herr von Busche, too, had been told by his client, and we agreed to +accept this as sufficient, considering that a man like you would not +act in such an affair except with due deliberation, and that we younger +men must respect your motives, even if we regret that they are not +communicated to us." + +"I thank you both all the more for the sacrifice which you are making +for me," exclaimed Bertram, holding out his hand to Kurt. + +"Then I will say good-bye; you will be in need of rest." + +Kurt had risen; Bertram retained him. + +"Stay a little longer," he said, "if you are not too tired. I am not +fatigued at all. To-morrow's meeting is not weighing upon my mind in +the slightest; nay, more, I am as sure of my good fortune as ever Caesar +was of his; and I hope, confidently, that we two shall meet many a time +again in the land of the living. Yet one should not claim from the +future what the present offers, and therefore let me, at this present +moment, touch upon a matter which concerns you very specially, and +which I have, Heaven knows, much more at heart than this wretched +business over which we have already wasted far too much precious time." + +A deep blush burned upon the young officer's cheeks; his dark eyes now +evaded the bright light of those great blue orbs, whose extraordinary +brilliancy and beauty he had already repeatedly admired in the course +of their previous conversation. + +"You know what I wish to speak about?" Bertram asked next; and again +the young man was struck by the complete harmony of the ring of that +voice and of the radiance of those eyes. + +"I think I do," he replied, almost in a whisper. + +"Then you will know, too, the sort of relation in which I stand to +Erna?" + +Kurt still dared not look up. He nodded his assent. + +"But you cannot know," continued Bertram, "how very intimate this +relation is--so much so, that I cannot find quite an appropriate name +for it. I should say that of a father towards a most beloved child, if +there did not mingle with my feelings for her a touch which--perhaps +you will understand me--I would call chivalrous tenderness. This touch +may perhaps occur in other cases too, I mean between a real father and +daughter--I am sorry to say I never had a daughter of my own--and I +only mention this element, because it helps me to understand why Erna, +who otherwise confides in me unconditionally, has kept her love a +secret from me. Perhaps it was solely an outcome of the long interval +of time during which we had not met; in such cases a kind of +estrangement is apt to occur, which, to be sure, once overcome, is wont +to be followed by a greater cordiality. But above all, the poor darling +deemed herself rejected, betrayed. Her happiness she would gladly have +let her paternal friend share; unhappiness always seals the lips of the +proud; and yet I know that more than once the secret was trembling upon +those sweet lips of hers, and that had she overcome her shy shrinking, +she would have spared herself--and spared you, my friend--much +suffering; and the palms in the winter garden would, an hour ago, have +waved their magnificent heads above two happy, blissful souls, and not +above two young fools who, from sheer love, were tearing each other's +hearts to pieces!" + +Kurt gave a quick quiver, and all but jumped from the sofa; but +Bertram's eyes shone forth in glorious radiance, and a smile of +infinite tenderness played about his mouth. A strange thrill passed +through the young man's heart, as though he were in the presence of +something unapproachably lofty, something which imperatively demanded +humble submission and confiding obedience. So he lowered his eyes, +which had flashed indignantly for a moment, and said, scarcely above +his breath-- + +"I thank Heaven that He led you to that spot." + +"And I," replied Bertram, taking both the young man's hands and +pressing them heartily, "I thank you for that word which sets me free +from all restraint, and takes away the last remnant of shrinking +shyness. Who, indeed, would not shrink, feel awe-struck, when it comes +to touching those tender threads that spin themselves from heart to +heart, until, God willing, they become united in a woof so strong that +death itself cannot rend, it? What God joins, let no man put asunder; +what God puts asunder, let no man try to join! What has come between +you two is sheer misunderstanding, provoked by extraordinary +circumstances, which would have puzzled even older and more experienced +people, and in which you young, passionate, inconsiderate folk knew +not what to do. And being so thoughtless and helpless, you have +assuredly committed mistakes, mistakes on either side, and the demon of +pride--'by that sin fell the angels'--will have gloated over it all. +Not to enable me to register and chronicle your mutual faults, but only +in order that, being taught by the past, we may look the future more +clearly in the face, just tell me how it all came about? When did you +make Erna's acquaintance? Was it not in her aunt's house in Erfurt?" + +"Yes," replied Kurt; "and to know her and love her was one and the same +thing; nay, I may say, without the slightest exaggeration, that she was +one 'whom to look at was to love.' One evening, I saw her at a party. I +had been visiting at the house for some time, and I think I was rather +fond of Augusta von Palm, who is staying here now, and with dear Agatha +I was on terms of heartiest friendship; but Agatha; wishing to give me +a surprise, had not told me of Erna's visit. So I saw her quite +unexpectedly among the other young ladies. It would be quite bootless +for me to try and describe what went on in my heart. So, I thought +afterwards, the men must have felt of whom the Bible tells us that they +were held worthy of beholding some divine apparition. My breath failed +me; all the others present seemed to vanish from my sight; I saw only +her, or, properly speaking, not her, only her eyes. It seemed like a +double stream of unearthly, transcendent light; and again it was a +stream which bore me resistlessly onward and upward into realms of +bliss, whereof but an hour before I had known nought, divined nought, +and which yet were, I felt clearly, my true home, to which I was soon +returning after much aimless wandering in far off regions." + +The young man's voice quivered. He drained the glass which, before, his +lips had scarcely touched. Bertram filled it afresh. Kurt never saw how +his hand shook as he poured out the wine, nor observed how curiously +veiled the voice was in which Bertram, breaking the pause, said-- + +"Strange, or perhaps less strange than highly gratifying, that at least +for once I find, this kindling effect of Love's divine flash confirmed +in reality, of which the poets of all times and in all climes have sung +in praise. I am almost ashamed to confess that although I do not think +I am a hopelessly prosaic individual, I have always thought this but a +fond and fair dream." + +"And it is a dream," Kurt made answer, "inasmuch as things real are +most curiously shifted and changed in it, and as one can give scarcely +a clearer account than a somnambulist, of what occurs and of what one +does one's self. I do not remember how I got home that night; I have no +idea whether it was several days after, or really on the day following, +that, during a picnic in the country, I was strolling apart from the +rest by her side through a leafy grove. The light of the dying sun was +trembling among the trees, and a few subdued notes of birds' song were +heard. Silence was all around; and in silence we passed on, side by +side. Sometimes she stooped to gather a flower for the tiny bunch which +she held in her hand, and once, as she stooped again, and I wished to +anticipate her, our hands touched; and, startled, we both looked up, +looked into each other's eyes, and the flowers dropped from her hands, +and--well, it was just a dream, a brief and blissful dream. Who can +tell the story of a dream?" + +The young man had risen and gone to the window. Bertram kept his seat, +leaning his head on his hands. When Kurt turned back to the table, he +thought that the noble countenance which now looked up with a very +sweet smile was paler than before. + +"Pardon me," he said, "but I think I see that you are in need of rest; +let me pause here. You know what happened next." + +"Yes, but not quite how it happened," said Bertram in reply. "Please +sit down by my side again, unless you are tired yourself. As for me, I +am a regular old night-owl. How it happened, yes--how did Erna come to +hear of your connection with the Princess? Some malevolent traitor must +have been at work there." + +"Would that it had been the case!" answered Kurt. "A traitor Erna's +clear eyes would have speedily recognised as such. But the one who told +her of it was a dear friend of my own, a fellow-officer, who in the +course of a visit to our former garrison--our own regiment had +meanwhile been transferred to Magdeburg--made Erna's acquaintance, +without having the slightest conception of our relations. And as the +conversation chanced to turn upon me, he babbled, under a promise of +discretion, of the secret; and probably adorned and amplified matters, +so as to let the enormous stroke of good luck which was supposed to be +in store for me appear in its greatest splendour. As he was known to be +on very intimate terms with me, as I had myself given him an +introduction to the von Palms, and specially commended him to Erna, she +had to believe that his romantic story was sheer truth; nay, the awful +thought came to her that I had myself authorised my friend to make +these communications, or, if this had been quite too infamous, she +assumed at least that he had been commissioned by me to prepare her, +and had solely blundered over his commission, so that I was personally +responsible, if not for the manner, certainly for the matter. We +corresponded, and with the connivance of Agatha, under cover of a +correspondence of hers with an old school-friend in my present +garrison; but Erna's next letter contained nothing but the question +whether it was true that I had some relations or other with the +Princess? The question thus put, I could not but answer in the +affirmative, begging her at the same time, in connection with the +subject, not to believe in what any one, except myself, might say. My +request came somewhat late, but still did not fail to have its effect +upon Erna's heart, which had assuredly opened with the greatest +reluctance to the terrible suspicion, and which was now jubilant at +being freed from it. She teased my friend about his fertile fancy which +invented stories devoid of a particle of foundation, as she had since +learned from a trustworthy source. Thus challenged, and piqued at being +declared undeserving of credit, my friend stated that he had the +knowledge, if not at first, at least at second hand, for his authority +was my own Colonel, whose testimony Erna would surely not reject. Again +he begged her to be discreet, but hinted pretty plainly that other +fellow-officers were aware of it too, and had likewise learned it from +the Colonel. And now for Erna the doubts which she thought she had +vanquished turned to despair. She knew through me the very intimate +terms on which Herr von Waldor and I stood, and indeed many a time I +had called him to her my best and kindest friend, my protector and +second father. Erna wrote another question. Did Herr von Waldor know my +relations to the Princess? And again I had to answer in the +affirmative, without being able to mention the suspicion which now--and +now for the first time--rose within me, that Herr von Waldor might have +purposely misrepresented those relations in his own interest--you know +why. What need to continue to describe the wretched position in which I +now was placed; how the net was tightened more closely and more fatally +round me, so that I at last had given up all hope of ever being freed +from it; all the more because Erna--as you heard yourself--repelled +with such passionate indignation your mediation, which I was about to +claim. I must confess, I cannot even guess why." + +The dark eyes of the young man were raised inquiringly to Bertram, who +did not at once reply to the questioning look. He had turned aside a +little, and was busied refilling the glasses; he did not seem to notice +that he was filling the second to overflowing, and that the wine was +saturating the table-cloth. + +"Dear me," he said, presently, "I beg your pardon; I was--thinking. +Why, did you ask? Well, we settled already that, according to all +experience, girls are not fond of confiding to their fathers the +secrets of their hearts. They dread paternal jealousies, a paternal +prejudice against the one who ventures to claim the little hand, which, +as a matter of course, is far too precious even for the best of the +best. But fear not! Erna shall find in me a friend, protector, and +counsellor, who hopes to give the proof that one may love like a father +without being blinded by a father's prejudices, and, above all, one who +means more honestly by her than, I am sorry to say, Herr von Waldor +does by you." + +A dark shadow flitted over the young man's open countenance. + +"I thank you," he said very gently, "I thank you from the bottom of my +heart for so much goodness, and to deserve it will be the fairest task +of my life. But pray do not condemn Herr von Waldor. It is impossible +to measure him by the common standard. Contempt of death and greed of +life, princely generosity and petty egotism, tenderest love and +bitterest hatred--all these things lie side by side in his soul, and +cross and re-cross each other in such a way that even to me (and I +think I know him better than any one else) it is a perfect enigma. But +if at times I cannot solve it all, if in this present case I cannot but +see that he is willing--I must not say to sacrifice, but to stake--me +and my happiness in the hope of gaining his own great stakes, then I +need only remember what he has been to the orphaned boy, after he had +carried my father, fatally wounded, upon his own shoulders out of the +bloody struggle around the fortifications of Dueppel; how he, of all men +the most impatient, has watched over me with a mother's loving patience +when I have been ill; how he resumed his studies in order to be able to +supervise and guide mine; how he paid my expenses when I was a cadet; +how he equipped and helped the ensign, the young officer; how he +pressed upon the poor young man of _bourgeois_ birth abundant help to +enable him to hold his own in an expensive and aristocratic regiment; +and how he thundered in his wrath when I refused to accept it any +longer, as I had learned that he had himself to borrow the needful +money at usurer's interest. Surely you will admit that one so deeply +indebted to Herr von Waldor as I am, has lost the right, nay, more, the +ability to struggle and resist, even if the hand which has done so much +in the way of kindness weighs heavily, terribly so, upon him." + +"I think I can follow you in your feelings," replied Bertram, "although +Waldor is by no means thereby excused in my eyes; on the contrary, I +adhere firmly to the Scriptural saying, that the right hand should not +know what the left does; and I hold that he who claims gratitude has +already his reward. Moreover, was the sacrifice really requisite, which +Waldor expected from you, when he put you into this ominous position? +From a moral point of view it is a matter of indifference; but I should +like, if possible, to be enlightened on this point, which I have not +hitherto understood." + +"How things stand exactly," Kurt replied, "I can hardly say myself. I +assume that the marriage-contract of the Princess contains certain +conditions which deprive her of the greater part of her present +fortune, if she contracts a new matrimonial alliance; or rather, would +seem to deprive her, for a judicial interpretation of this dubious +point is to be the result of the law-suit which is now reaching its +final stage. Further, it may be assumed that the view of the Princess +herself is the only correct one by all the laws of sound logic; but she +fears--whether rightly or wrongly I know not--that the decision will be +adverse to her if the authorities learn that her choice has fallen upon +an alien." + +"But you are an alien, too," objected Bertram. + +Kurt shrugged his shoulders. + +"An obscure lieutenant, not of noble birth, and Princess Volinzov! No +one need imagine that they would have taken this _au serieux_, any more +than a dozen other _liaisons_...." + +He paused abruptly, blushing to the very roots of his hair. + +"For shame!" he cried, "that was basely said. Let others sit in +judgment upon the poor victim of a most abominable bad education and of +most wretched circumstances. I dare not, I dare not feel for her aught, +but admiration and gratitude, and renewed gratitude, for I know and +have experienced in my own person that, through all the badness and +baseness that have been crowding around her from her childhood, she has +preserved the capacity for a great and heroic love, a love of which we +men are scarcely ever, and of which among women only the best and +noblest are, capable." + +Only at the last words Kurt had again ventured to look up, and he +swiftly lowered his eyes again. Bertram's great eyes shone in wondrous +radiance, and a curious smile, half melancholy, half ironical, was +hovering about his lips, as he slowly answered-- + +"To be sure! you are quite right. Only the noblest women! We men are +egotistical scoundrels; that is our lordly privilege; and he who +resigns it, deserves to be crucified with malefactors on either side." + +He had risen and was now pacing up and down the room; then he stepped +to the open window. Kurt had kept his seat, thinking that Bertram would +turn to him again. But he did not. The young man grew embarrassed. +Reverence forbade him to disturb the dreamer. Never before had Kurt met +one whose presence had thus thrilled him as with a breath of highest, +purest vitality. And to this consciousness, which seemed to lift him +out of and above himself, was joined the painful feeling which +humiliated him in his own sight: that he had but just now been petty +enough to say a bitter word about the woman of whom he yet knew, that +she had come here to bring the greatest of all sacrifices that a loving +heart can bring. And he, Bertram, knew this too; for Alexandra had said +to Kurt: I have confessed all to Bertram! What a painful discord his +own evil words must have been in the pure and high-souled Bertram's +ear! And now Bertram, who had in all good faith shown him so much +sympathy, had found him ungrateful, had turned from him, now and for +ever. + +He would, he must go! + +But invisible fetters seemed to chain him to the spot; and as he sat +there, angry with himself, in gloomy thought, it was no longer only the +heavy, weary limbs that refused to obey him. His thoughts, too, flitted +and wandered beyond his control. Something like a dense veil sunk upon +his eyelids, and he saw surrounding objects but momentarily, +indistinctly; the lighted candles upon the table seemed to be far-off +bivouac fires, then they turned to dim and distant stars, then were +lost in night and darkness. + +Bertram had carried the candles to the writing-table, and shadows now +rested upon the weary sleeper. Then he returned to the sofa and spread +a coverlet over him. + +"Poor lad! I saw how you were struggling against your sleepiness. The +examination was a long one. But I could not spare you, and you have +done well!" + +He stood gazing upon him. + +"And, like this, his head will rest by the side of hers--on one +pillow!" + +He drew his hand over his eyes, stepped noiselessly back to the +writing-table, and presently his pen was gliding lightly and gently +over the paper. + +"My dear child,--I may henceforth with good right call you so, since +Fate gives me one opportunity after another, to prove myself a good, +and, I hope, also a thoughtful, father to you. But an hour ago I had to +calm and comfort my beloved child, and yet dared not give her true +comfort, dared not express my full and firm conviction that a good, +upright heart always makes choice of the right thing at once. For good +and upright as my dear child's heart is, yet it is a very defiant heart +too, and would rather be miserable in its own way, than happy and +blessed in other people's way; and it would have steeled itself against +my persuasion and against my testimony, and would again and again have +reverted to this: You do not know him! But now I say to you: I do know +him; and you must accept my testimony as that of a man of great +experience and knowledge of the human heart, of a man whose eyes--sharp +as human eyes go--love for you and care for your welfare have filled +with divine perspicuity. I know him now, after one hour spent here in +my room in confidential conversation, as though I had known him from +childhood, stalwart young man as he is; and even as I sit writing this, +he is sleeping, under my watchful care, the sweet sleep of exhausted +youthful vigour, notwithstanding his painful anxieties and the bitter +sorrow of his heart. I have been watching him in his sleep. Sleep is a +terrible betrayer of narrow minds and feeble hearts. Here there is +nothing to betray, and sleep can but put its soft yet sure seal upon +the beauteous image of a great and noble soul. And even as this soul, +helpless and resistless as it were, is in my keeping, receive it, loved +one, from my hands, as a great and glorious gift of the gods on high, +who have deemed me worthy to be their envoy and the executor of their +sacred decision. + +"I promised you not to leave as long as you had need of me. You need me +no longer, and I shall leave in the morning without bidding you +farewell. From your mother, too, I shall take leave in writing; she +knows my weakness for vanishing noiselessly from society. It is a long +journey that lies before me, and we shall not soon meet again. +Separation is death for a time, and time, again, is nought but a tiny +speck, and its complement is eternity. A noble human being should plan +his thoughts and action not in reference to the former, but the latter. +Let, therefore, what I now say to you, for the brief space wherein we +shall not behold one another, be said for evermore: Fare thee well, +_Lebe wohl!_ that is, live according to the bidding of your heart, as +you hear it when you listen to it in secret silence and reverence! +Howsoever this our life may be shaped, it is no longer our concern, but +that of the powers on high, over whom we have no influence, and +therefore it matters nothing to us. Once more then: _Lebe wohl!_ + +"My kindliest greetings to sweet Agatha! She is your true friend. I +always felt that she would counsel nothing that I would not counsel +myself. + +"And another is your friend, too, though you do not think her to be +one. You know I am speaking of the Princess. She also will leave your +house to-morrow, not without making an attempt to prove to you that she +is your friend. Be good to her for my sake; in that case I feel +convinced that you will part from her with kind and grateful feelings, +and that she herself will have inspired them. Whatever she may say to +you, I guarantee its truth. Hers is one of those natures that may go +astray, but that can never be untrue. + +"Should you have a message to send me, send if through your father, +whom I shall see in W---- tomorrow. Should I have anything else to say +to you, I will send my message through Kurt, whom also I shall meet +again to-morrow. + +"And now remember your promise to be my good and obedient child; and +again, and for the last time: _Lebe wohl!_" + +He had put the letter into an envelope, and now turned in his chair, +looking towards the sofa. His young guest was still lying in the same +position, only his head had fallen back a little. Perhaps deeper +shadows were now falling on the forehead and on the closed, eyes, +whilst chin and lips stood out in brighter light and bolder relief; +anyhow, the features that appeared so soft awhile ago seemed sharper, +and the expression of almost feminine gentleness was turned to one of +manly resolution, nay, of angry indignation. + +"Thus Simon Peter may have contracted his brows, thus his lips may have +quivered that night! And yet he could sleep, although he knew what was +to happen. Even as this one, knowing, yet sleepeth!" + +Again he stood by the open window, leaning against it. + +A dead silence; only at times the night wind came rushing past, and +there was rustling and roaring among trees and shrubs. In the village, +veiled in mist, a dim red light gleamed faintly here and there. At +times confused sounds, as of far-off horses' tramp and the measured +step of soldiers on the march, with clashing of arms. Then deep, dead +silence again, and then, piercing the deep silence, the half-smothered +crow of a cock. Over the edge of yonder mountains the moon--almost at +the full--hung, bloody-red, in the vapour which came steaming up from +the woods. + +"Did you look so mournfully up to it that night? And had all the +heavenly stars to expire for Him too, that He might remember the heaven +within His heart? + +"Alas! He knew that He was dying for the world. I humbly claim but to +die for her,--she is my world. + +"One cannot choose one's own Gethsemane. One must take it as it comes, +whether to the sound of the last trump on the Day of Judgment, ringing +through the hearts of all the generations of men, or in deep and +world-forgotten loneliness and secrecy, whither human eye shall never +penetrate, any more than it penetrates into the nethermost depths of +the sea. + +"And this is my silent Gethsemane!" + +The moon had sunk behind the hills, and the cool morning breeze came +floating along. Bertram was about to close the window when he heard +from afar a short, sharp sound, soon succeeded by other similar sounds, +succeeding each other so swiftly that the echo could clearly continue +the scattered noises and reverberate them as thunder. And now shrill, +long-drawn trumpet-blasts were heard, mingling with the beat of the +drum. + +Bertram quickly turned to the sleeper, who was not, for his sake, to +neglect his military duties. But already Kurt had staggered up from his +sofa-corner, his eyes wide open, though still veiled by slumber, and +his arms stretched out, clutching the air, as though in search of some +weapon. + +"I--I--not you! I will fight him! Give me the pistol!" + +Bertram touched his shoulder. + +"They are sounding the assembly in the village!" + +"Oh! I thought ..." + +He brushed his hand across his eyes. + +"I have been asleep! Pardon me. How good you are! You have been +watching for me. Is it long since ...?" and he pointed to the window. + +"Not half a minute." + +"Then I am in good time!" + +He had already fastened his sword, and seized his helmet. + +"Excuse my hurry. You know ..." + +"No excuses! A matter of course. _Au revoir_." + +He held out his hand to the young man, in whose fine features, now full +of life again, he noticed a strange quiver. Kurt evidently wanted to +say something, and could not hit upon the right word. So he only +pressed Bertram's hand vigorously. + +"Well, _au revoir!_" + +He hurried away. Bertram stood gazing at the door through which the +slender young figure had vanished. + +"Heaven be thanked! It is at least no disgrace to yield to him. He is +thoroughly sound and sweet,--mind and body alike!" + + + + + XXIII. + + +In the mansion-house which had until now been hushed in slumber, many +voices were heard shouting, and the tramp of horses came echoing from +the court-yard. A smart, heavy step was heard below in the passage. + +"Which door?" + +"The second, Colonel. Allow me, Colonel." + +But Bertram had already opened the door, and Colonel von Waldor came +rushing in. + +"Good evening, friend, or rather good morning. A good thing that I met +your servant at once--otherwise I might have been hunting for you ever +so long--I have only one minute to spare--where is Ringberg? Your +servant said he was here." + +"He left five minutes ago, when they were sounding the assembly." + +"That came unexpectedly, eh?" cried the Colonel. "An hour before +the time--I did it on my own responsibility. His Excellency will +be furious--wait for the attack, forsooth!--in such an exposed +situation--not if I know it!--we shall have to retreat ultimately as it +is--so I'll give them some trouble first. But that does not concern +you. Here is something that does, a little, and which will greatly +please you. Read this!" + +Waldor drew a folded paper from between a couple of buttons in his +uniform and handed it to Bertram. The telegram was in French, and in +the following! words:-- + +"I sincerely congratulate Madame la Princesse. Lawsuit definitely +gained. + + Your obedient servant, Odintzov." + +"Odintzov," Waldor explained, "is our Petersburg lawyer and +business-man, a most trustworthy fellow. What do you say now?" + +"That I do congratulate you heartily. How did you get hold of this?" + +"See what it is to be in luck! I knew that the lawsuit would soon be +decided, though Alexandra refused to believe it. So I gave orders that +any telegram arriving, by day or by night, was to be straightway sent +here by mounted express. Returning just now from the outposts, close to +Rinstedt, I overtook on the high-road a fellow trotting along in front +of me. 'Telegram from Rinstedt?' 'Yes, sir.' 'Princess Volinzov?' 'Yes, +sir.' 'Give it to me.' The beggar had got rid of the telegram before he +knew what was up. I read it by the light of my cigar; hence this stain. +May I trouble you for an envelope? Or perhaps you would be so kind as +to hand it to the Princess with my respectful compliments? It would +give her double pleasure. I can assure you that you are still as +fortunate as ever with the sex! Alexandra quite raves about you. Good! +Now, you may both put your wise heads together and settle how and when +the battle, which is won, is to be utilised for the benefit of our +young _proteges_. I give you two _plein pouvoir_. I should say, let +them dangle a little longer. I could come over with Kurt, never saying +a word of this to him. We would have a nice little supper. 'Ladies and +gentlemen, I have the exquisite pleasure of presenting my future wife +to you--the Princess Alexandra Paulovna.' Capital! The amazed look in +the eyes of our beautiful hostess is worth doing it for. And then the +young ones immediately afterwards--only, of course, you must first +pitch into the little girl properly; she seems to have a bit of a will +of her own. All right, you'll see to it all between you, no doubt. +Good-bye, _mon cher_! You are looking deucedly fagged. That's the +result of being so much indoors. I have been on my legs since four +o'clock yesterday morning, and feel as fresh as paint. Is this Kurt's +glass? Oh, bother all ceremony! It is not the first that he and I have +been using the same glass." + +He filled the glass and drained it at one draught. + +"Capital wine that! Well, good-bye, and _au revoir!_" + +The Colonel had rushed off again. + +"And thus," said Bertram with a smile, "one conquers the world. Perhaps +it looks harder than it really is." + +He again sat down at the writing-table and took up a fresh sheet of +paper. + +"Gracious Princess,--Waldor has just left me, after handing me, for +transmission to you, the enclosed telegram, on the contents of which I +beg to offer my hearty congratulations. I am sorry I must do so in +writing, for a few hours hence I shall leave this--secretly--not to +return. Business that will brook no delay makes this imperative, and I +have not told Waldor of it. He hopes to find me here this evening, that +I may be a witness to the amazement which the announcement of your +engagement will cause in this friendly circle, as all obstacles to it +are now removed. I am sincerely sorry that I cannot afford him that +pleasure--for to him it would really be a pleasure. + +"I regret it the more, because I must prepare a worse disappointment +for him. For I consider it, in the interest of our _proteges_, to be +desirable--necessary, if you wish--that you, My Lady, should also leave +to-morrow; without waiting for Waldor's evening visit. The +communication which you were resolved to make to our fair young friend +Erna, before Waldor had given you _plein pouvoir_ (which he now begs to +do through me), will only have the right calming effect if you strike +the proper note on Erna's heart, and then let it ring out full and +clear. In life, as on the stage, a good ending has to be provided for. +This is missed if one lingers on the stage, when once the decisive word +has been spoken. + +"And what about the communication itself? + +"I should deem it presumptuous on my part, were I to venture to advise +Claudine's clever friend on this point. She knows that one is compelled +to say the whole truth only in a court of law. In life it is +sufficient, nay, it is often requisite in the interest of humanity, to +say nothing but the truth, to be sure, but, of the truth, only what is +needful and useful--to use the words which Lessing puts into the mouth +of his wise Jew Nathan. + +"And, now, let me add to my requests, a word of deep and sincere +gratitude that you deemed me worthy to make the acquaintance of +Claudine and of yourself. Your friend is perhaps more interesting and +intellectual--at least you said so--but your heart is a thousand times +more noble. + +"I have always paid due respect to intellectual capacity; but before a +noble heart I gladly and reverently bend my knee." + +Silence had for a long time been reigning again in the mansion-house. +The combat, too, though it had commenced in the immediate vicinity, was +now being continued a long way off, and one only heard something like +the rumbling of a distant thunder-storm. The candles on Bertram's +writing-table had all but burned down to the sockets; he turned his +wearied eyes towards the window, through which the dull grey morning +light was coming. Konski came into the room. + +"What time is it?" + +"Just five, sir." + +"So late? Well, I am ready. Did you get hold of a carriage?" + +"It is waiting at the bridge below." + +"Did you get if from the mayor?" + +"Yes, Herr Doctor. At first he was making no end of excuses; for they +all want to drive to the man[oe]vres, every man of them; and Herr von +Busche has ordered a trap, too, for the afternoon. He'll have to be +content with a common cart and a sack. Never mind that, though!" + +"Why should you look so miserable about that?" + +"It isn't about that at all, Herr Doctor." + +"Well?" + +"It is because I do not like to let the Herr Doctor drive away like +this. Can you not take me with you?" + +"Impossible! You see yourself that you have a couple of hours' work +before you yet. These sealed packets are to go into the small +portmanteau which you keep by you. These letters you will deliver, when +the ladies have risen. This money is for the servants. Do not forget +any one, and do not be stingy, Konski! And remember me kindly to your +Aurora. And now my cloak, please, and so good-bye, Konski." + +"Am I not at least to see the Herr Doctor to the carriage?" + +"No." + +"Herr Doctor, do not be angry; I really mean so well by you, and Aurora +does too. We have been speaking of nothing else. And she swears that +the Herr Doctor, if he wished it, could have Miss Erna for the asking." + +"Then tell your Aurora that the Herr Doctor does not wish it, and that +the Herr Doctor has better things to do than to spoon and fool about, +like you and her." + +He had held out his hand to the faithful servant, and now he was gone. +A minute later, Konski, standing mournfully by the window, saw the +dark figure striding swiftly past the lawn, and vanish behind the +terrace-wall. He closed the window with a sigh. + +Bertram lessened his pace, as soon as he knew himself unobserved. +Slowly he descended the steps to the second terrace. Here was the +leafy grove which, on the left, led to the platform beneath the +plantain-tree. He glanced timidly that way. His foot had already +touched the next step, he wanted to get down,--to get away,--but +something like a magic spell drew him to the spot. + +There, in this chair, she had sat; he was facing her; and the golden +sunbeams had flitted through the dense foliage, and the birds had been +holding a gleeful festival in the branches, and from the gardens below +fairest fragrance of flowers had been wafted up, and his heart had been +full of light and joy, and of all the blissfulness of spring. And now! +and now! + +"Thou sacred dawn of early morn, forgive me! You quiet trees and +bushes, tell it not! I have borne what man can bear; more, I cannot." + +And pressing his hand to his face, he wept. + + + + + XXIV. + + +In the little-garden, under wide-spreading chestnut-trees, the lawyer +and Bertram were sitting, about four o'clock in the afternoon, at a +table covered with books, documents, and papers. From, the small garden +one could look across a narrow court-yard, at the windows of the +office, where they had just begun to make a fair copy of the will, +which had been settled after long deliberation. + +"And now, most grave and most conscientious of men, seeing that you go +into this election campaign as into actual war, let us drink that +victory may be on your side--that is, on ours, on the side of liberty, +and right--and that the victor be granted, over and above his allotted +time, as special allowance for special services rendered, a respectable +series of not inglorious years, at least as many as this '68 +Ruedesheimer wine numbers!" + +The lawyer took a venerable-looking bottle, from a side table, filled a +couple of green goblets, and touched Bertram's with his own. + +"I thank you for the kindly wish, and drink to its fulfilment, although +as you know, I have well-founded reasons for assuming that it will not +occur." + +"Nonsense!" cried the lawyer. "I am not a giant either, but I +confidently expect to outlive all the giants among my contemporaries. +What does Wallenstein say?--'Es ist der Geist der sich den Koerper +bauet' (It is the mind that builds, this frame of ours). And I would +add, that also keeps the building together, even if it were shaky in +every joint; and that is assuredly far from being the case with you." + +Bertram smiled absently. His looks were wandering away to the garden +gate. + +"I wonder where Otto can be?" he said. "I urgently asked him to be here +at four o'clock at the latest." + +"I am in no hurry at all," replied the lawyer. "After having had to +keep you waiting the whole forenoon, my entire evening is at your +disposal instead; or, if you insist upon leaving at five, we can have +another second witness in, and you can communicate to our friend in +writing those points which have special reference to him." + +"I am most anxious to do so by word of mouth." + +Upon the wretched pavement of the narrow street which lay behind the +garden wall, a carriage came hurriedly thundering along. + +"_Lupus in fabula!_" exclaimed the lawyer. "Any one coming from +Rinstedt would have to pass this way." + +As he spoke, Otto's broad-shouldered figure appeared in the little +yard. + +The two men had meanwhile risen from their seats below the +chestnut-trees, and had gone to meet the newcomer. + +"What tricks are these of yours?" Otto was saying, "to cut away from +the village in the middle of the night in a trap? What will people +think? Why, that I am driving my guests from my house! But, of course, +you intellectual people never can do things like the rest of us +mortals; always something out of the way! Eh, old fellow?" + +He brought his hand with a laugh down upon Bertram's shoulders; but the +laugh was forced, and, indeed, in all his look and manner there was +painful unrest. + +"I am sorry that I must leave you gentlemen alone for a little," said +the lawyer, with a meaning look at Bertram; "but you can call me at any +time from the office. By the way, there is an empty glass here, Bermer. +You must be thirsty after your drive along the hot road, and you have +not in your own cellars at Rinstedt a better Ruedesheimer than this." + +He turned his back upon the friends now, and forthwith the last trace +of forced mirth vanished from Otto's face. He had flung himself into a +garden chair, and there he sat, his elbows leaning on his knees, his +hands put to his full round cheeks, staring fixedly in front of him. + +"This has been a day which I shall remember!" he said. + +"You have spoken to your wife?" + +Otto nodded. + +"In detail?" + +"Well, yes; that is to say ..." + +"That you might have spoken in greater detail. It does not matter, +however, as long as you have informed her of your situation in the +main. That has surely been done?" + +"Been done!" exclaimed Otto. "Great Heavens! it was fearful! At first +she seemed to think that I had gone mad; at least she looked so ... so +frightened at me, don't you know, and wanted to ring the bell. But I +told her that I was, unfortunately, still quite in my right mind, and +perfectly sober, although yesterday I did perhaps, in my despair, +drink a little too much. And then, I do not know how it came about, +but one word led to another; and when she told me that the whole thing +was my own fault, and the outcome of my bad economy and my costly +foibles,--she could not mean anything more by this, than that I like to +drink a good glass of wine and to smoke a decent cigar;--why, then, +something passed within me that I cannot describe. I felt as though my +very heart were turning, and as though I had never loved her in all my +life. And then there was no longer any need to hunt for appropriate +words; they came fast enough, and harder, too, than I liked at last. It +was horrible!" + +Otto gave a deep sigh and drained his glass. + +"This is really good wine," he said, taking up the bottle and looking +at the mouldy label. "I wonder where he got hold of it. But what does +it matter to me? All grapes are sour for me henceforth." + +"I hope not," said Bertram. "Anyhow, I thank you for having taken to +heart and faithfully carried out what I wrote to you last night. This +was indeed the first needful step, if the execution of my plan, the +details of which I will immediately communicate to you, was to be +possible. But one question first: you have not let Erna hear anything +of the subject of the conversation between you and your wife? And, as I +know your wife, she will surely keep as long as possible from Erna, +what she considers less a misfortune than a disgrace?" + +"You can rely on that," replied Otto; "she would rather bite her tongue +off. But how long will it be before Erna has to learn all?" + +"I hope that will never be the case!" replied Bertram. "Now, to come to +the point. I have asked you to come here to-day to be a witness to my +last will and testament. I might have told you its contents yesterday, +but I did not do so, because--to speak quite frankly--I was afraid you +would not keep the secret entirely, and thus the impression upon your +wife, on learning the whole truth, might have been considerably +lessened. If, after all, things come round again and change for the +better, then--for she is not bad, your wife, only spoiled and not given +to looking beneath the surface--then something like gratitude will stir +within her. And should this really not be the case, then I am, as it +were, master of the situation and you will both yield; you willingly, +she, because she must. Well then: in this will of mine, of which they +are now making a fair copy in the office, I have made Erna my residuary +legatee, except some smaller legacies, among which there is a suitable +annuity for Lydia. From her future inheritance, there will at once be +taken and made immediately available the sum which you require to set +your affairs thoroughly right again, with our legal friend's help. He +guarantee's that with this sum the greater part of your fortune +may yet be saved, if you agree to his arrangements, above all about +the factories. This sum will be advanced as a mortgage on your +estates--our friend will explain to you how it can be done--at a +moderate percentage, and the total revenue accruing from it is to be +Erna's from the day of her marriage. Concerning that marriage, Erna has +of course absolute freedom of choice, although I for my part hope that +she will fall in with the wishes which I have expressed to her on this +subject. And now shake hands, old man, and pardon me if I have had to +add another unpleasant hour to the one which I already caused you +to-day. _Tu l'as voulu!_ From me you would not accept anything; with +your own child you will, I trust, stand upon less ceremony." + +"It is your money for all that," murmured Otto. + +"As long as I live; who knows how long that will be! And there is our +legal friend coming, bringing the document in question with him, which +you are now to hear read, and which afterwards you are to adorn with +your signature, as one of the two witnesses." + +"The other," said the lawyer, now approaching the group with his chief +clerk, "will be Mr. Kasper here. Sit down, Kasper, and read away." + +During the reading of the somewhat lengthy document Otto's countenance +kept changing colour; his eyes were very wet, and he repressed his +tears with difficulty. When the lawyer handed him a pen for signature, +his big powerful hand trembled to such an extent, that he could +scarcely produce a few strokes in lieu of writing his name. + +The document in question was now legally completed, and the lawyer had +left the friends, to put it himself into a safe place of keeping. He +came back at once. Would the gentlemen kindly excuse him? His +Excellency the Herr Oberhofmarshal von Dirnitz had just appeared in the +office, and desired to see him on business of importance. + +"It probably will not be so very important, after all," said the +lawyer, "I hope to settle, it in a very few minutes, and then we can +talk at our ease." + +Again the friends were alone. Otto seemed to have paid no heed to the +lawyer's coming or going. He sat still at the table, supporting his +head upon it, and staring gloomily before him. Bertram bent over him, +and said, laying his hand upon his friend's shoulder-- + +"Otto, old man, you must not view the matter in too tragic a light." + +"Perhaps I ought to look upon it as a joke having signed my own +death-warrant," murmured Otto, without stirring from his position. + +"You have done nothing of the kind," replied Bertram. "I should rather +say, that now a new life was beginning for you; a life of purpose, +sobriety, energy, independence, however strange the last word may sound +to you. Until this day you were not living an independent life; nothing +but a sham existence, in slavish subjection to the caprices of your +wife, to whom you sacrificed your fortune, and, worse than that, your +own better judgment. Now, having come to see this, you are enabled, by +means of some assistance, to re-conquer your fortune, or at least the +greater part of it; and this surely is no alms, but a mere loan, for +which you are responsible in every respect; and, perhaps, in addition, +you may conquer what you never possessed before--I mean, the love, or, +at the very least, the respect of your wife, which she only denied to +the husband who had no will of his own, but which she will not refuse +to grant to the husband who is strong, determined, and who respects +himself." + +"Yes, yes," Said Otto; "it all sounds very well, and I surely mean to +try to atone for my miserable shortcomings; but this I know already +to-day, it will not do. I mean, I shall not have the energy you speak +of, nay, I shall look upon myself as a downright scamp, and I shall not +dare look my wife or any one else in the face, far less confront them +energetically, as long as I see no chance of paying off my whole +stupendous debt to you. Not to the uttermost farthing, that may perhaps +be made possible--but in my heart. I do not know how to express it +aright, but you will understand my meaning--by giving you in exchange +something that no one else could give you." + +He lifted his eyes to Bertram in anxious inquiry. Bertram shook his +head. + +"I thought we were not to mention it again," he said. + +"Nor should I, to be sure, have done so," replied Otto; "however fond +one may be of a man, and however indebted to him, one's only child is +of course one's only child; and just now, above all, to have to give +her up, to live in the big house alone with--but I cannot give up the +thought that now, after all, nothing is to come of it, after they, +Lydia and my wife, have tried to prove to me in writing--in black and +white, don't you know--that you loved each other, and that at least +Erna ..." + +"I hardly know what you are talking about," Bertram impatiently +interrupted his friend; "and what do you mean by 'in black and white'?" + +"A stupid story," Otto made answer, embarrassed, "in which those women +have got me involved, and which; yesterday, I did not wish to refer to, +as I was desirous of sparing Hildegard. But now let the whole thing +come out; it may as well. Listen, then!" + +So he told him of the letter which Erna had written to Agatha, and +which Lydia had purloined for a few hours. Hildegard had read the +letter to him, and his excellent memory enabled him to reproduce it +now, if not literally, at least in its general bearings. He also had +remembered well the passage referring to some _liaison_ which Erna +would seem to have had, and to which the ladies had not attributed any +special significance. + +"Now," he concluded his report, "you see why my wife, who was so bent +upon having Lotter for a son-in-law, was so annoyed with you during the +last few days; nor do I know what would have come of it all, if the +Princess had not yesterday brought, her round to reason: how she +managed it is a riddle to me, but it is a fact, there, is an end of +Lotter, for good and all. This morning Hildegard went the length of +saying that it had been I who had favoured Lotter, and--for I may as +well tell you all now--you suddenly appeared to her not only as an +acceptable husband for Erna, but rather she saw in your union the only +possibility--if my carelessness had really wrought our ruin--to save +Erna at least, and to preserve for her such a position in society as +she was born for. Well, old man, it's off my mind at last, and for all +that, and, all that, it would be the grandest day in my whole life if +you were able to say to me: 'Well, better late than never!'" + +"It is too late!" Bertram replied. + +He had ejaculated those words, in intensest excitement, bounding from +his chair as he did so, and now he was, with uneven step, pacing up and +down beneath the chestnut-trees. But presently he returned to Otto, +who, frightened, had not stirred from his seat, and said in his usual +calm tone-- + +"It would be too late, even if everything were--as it is not. I did not +mean to speak about it, because I am not commissioned to do so, and +because, therefore, those interested might have had good reason to be +annoyed, if I told you before they themselves thought the time had come +for doing so. I meant to rest satisfied with paving the way, so that +there should be no obstacle to the fulfilment of their wishes. But now, +since you seem unable to rid yourself of the curious idea of an +alliance between Erna and myself; since, oddly enough, your wife finds +pleasure therein; and since now, perhaps the fact of my making Erna my +heiress, might seem to both of you an indirect confirmation of your +opinion, I had better tell you this. I know that Erna has already given +away her heart, that for more than a year she has loved Lieutenant +Ringberg, and has been loved by him. It is my most earnest wish that +the union of the lovers may meet with no obstacle, and I firmly believe +that this marriage will lead to Erna's supreme happiness. And now let +me confess one thing more, so that I may have nothing whatever on my +conscience with regard to you. It was not for nothing that I have thus +hastened to put order into my own, and, I trust, into your affairs, and +to secure Erna's future. In the very next hour I have to go forth on an +errand from which, in all human probability, I shall not return with my +limbs whole, and where, very possibly, I may lose my life." + +Then he briefly told his friend of his quarrel with the Baron last +night and of its consequences. The true reason he did not refer to any +more than he had to Kurt. + +Otto was quite beside himself when he heard of it. + +"It must not be, it shall not be!" he cried again and again. "It is +sheer madness. How can you go and fight a duel with pistols when you +scarcely know how to fire one? And with Lotter, of all men, who hits an +ace at twenty paces. This is no duel, it is downright murder. I will +not allow it!" + +"Please do not speak so loud, anyhow," said Bertram; "they can hear you +in the office." + +"All the better!" cried Otto; "every one may hear that you cannot fight +the fellow. Why, Ringberg is far more sensible than you, for he +pretended last night not to notice the fellow's impertinence, and left +the card table without replying a word." + +"Who told you that?" cried Bertram, terrified. + +"The forest-ranger," replied Otto, "He came over to breakfast this +morning. Yesterday's events were discussed; I did not pay much +attention to the talk, for the scene which I expected to have with +Hildegard was weighing upon my mind; but I remember now. The ladies +were discussing, whether Ringberg had done right in ignoring Lotter's +impertinence. Lydia thought yes, but the Princess declared that it +could not be thus, because ... I cannot remember why not; it had no +interest for me. If I had been able to divine that Ringberg and +Erna--that you ..." + +"Was Erna present?" + +"Erna? No. That is to say, I do not know--I was very absent--she went +out riding afterwards with the Princess, who sent me word that I had +better drive to town alone. Confound the fellow! Picking quarrels with +everybody! And we are to blame; good Heaven, it is my fault that you +... I thought the worst had already come, but this is far worse than +anything. But I cannot allow it, and I will not. Never! When did you +say it was to come off? And where?" + +"I shall tell you nothing more, and I am sorry I told you anything at +all." + +Bertram rose swiftly, Otto sprang up too, exclaiming as he did so-- + +"I shall go with you." + +"You are about to leave, gentlemen?" a thin voice behind them was +asking. + +In their excitement neither had noticed that the lawyer and the Herr +Oberhofmarshal had entered the garden, and had already approached +within a few yards of them. + +"Will you very kindly introduce me to the Herr Doctor?" said the +Marshal, after he had courteously tendered his hand to Otto. + +The introduction was made. + +"It is not quite right," said the Marshal, "that only now I have the +honour ... I hear you have been for more than a week at Rinstedt, and +yet you have not had a minute to spare for us! Not for our theatre, our +school of art, our museum! Not to mention my humble self, although I +have for years been accustomed to no stranger of distinction passing my +threshold. You must make up for this yet, you really must." + +Bertram answered the old gentleman in a few courteous words, looking at +the same time entreatingly at the lawyer. + +"Your Excellency will excuse me," said the lawyer, "if, considering how +pressed the Herr Doctor is for time, I venture ..." + +"Quite right, quite right," said the old gentleman. "Indeed, I already +noticed myself that the gentlemen were leaving. Let us come to the +point--a very, very disagreeable point, in reference to which, acting +on the advice of our common legal friend, with whom I originally +intended only to discuss the judicial bearings of the case, I should +now like to be allowed to claim also your assistance, my dear Mr. +Bermer." + +"In that case," said Bertram, who in his impatience almost felt the +ground burn beneath his feet, and who also thought this a splendid +opportunity for getting rid of Otto Bermer, "you will perhaps allow me +to take my departure." + +"Pray remain, Herr Doctor, I entreat you!" exclaimed the Marshal +eagerly. "Quite apart from the painful interest which the matter will +have on psychological grounds for such a profound student of human +nature, I feel a moral necessity to have an affair, which it is +desirable to withdraw from the cognisance of the judge, adjudicated +upon by a forum of men of enlightened intelligence and honourable +character--adjudicated upon and,--alas, alas!--condemned. The case is +this ..." + +"If your Excellency will allow me?" said the lawyer, in response to +another still more entreating glance of Bertram's. + +"Please, please," replied, the Marshal, conveying the pinch of snuff, +which he had just, taken from his box, somewhat abruptly to his nose. + +"The case is this," the lawyer went on, without heeding the old +gentleman's annoyance: "your friend Baron Lotter, my dear Burner, has +been guilty of an action which amounts to fraud and forgery. He had +been commissioned to, buy a couple of race-horses for the Court +during the summer, somewhere in Bavaria, and had drawn the money for +them--three thousand thalers--from the Grand Duke's privy purse, upon +an order signed by His Excellency; but he appears not to have paid the +money, but to have given a bill of exchange instead, with the forged +signature of His Excellency, as representing the Marshal's office." + +"Is not this monstrous?" cried the old gentleman, "as if the Upper +Court Marshal's office ever paid, with bills of exchange!" + +"The daring of the deed is indeed tremendous," continued the lawyer, +"considering the fact which His Excellency has stated just now, and +which was also known to the Herr Baron. And indeed he had taken the +precaution to inform the clerk of the privy purse--into whose hands the +bill of exchange would necessarily come first--when presented for +payment, that the affair was all right; that he would hand him the +money a week before it was due; the little service would not remain +without its reward, as soon as the Baron had got his foot in the +stirrup, in other words, as soon as he was Chamberlain. The poor fellow +was weak enough ..." + +"It is incredible!" murmured the Oberhofmarshal; "quite incredible!" + +"To be sure, your Excellency," said the lawyer; "nevertheless, he was +weak enough to consent to what was evidently a fraud, until to-day, two +days before the bill was due, and when the money promised by the Baron +had not appeared, his terror compelled him to make a clean breast of it +to His Excellency. Meanwhile the bill had, yesterday, been sent to a +local banker for collection. This banker, who, of course, had never +seen anything of the kind occur in business, thought it advisable to +make private and confidential inquiries of His Excellency as to the +state of affairs, just before the clerk made his confession, and now +His Excellency has the proof in his own hands." + +The little old gentleman, who accompanied the lawyer's report with many +a nod and with eager play of features, was opening his mouth, but the +lawyer continued swiftly-- + +"His Excellency at once went to His Highness ..." + +"I beg your pardon!" cried the Marshal. "I struggled for an hour as to +whether I could not spare His Highness this grief. Moreover the young +man's father was my dear old friend, who would turn in his grave if he +could hear that a Lotter, his own son--it is terrible! And be assured, +gentlemen, if I were a rich man--every one knows I am not--I ..." + +"Your Excellency would in that case not have gone to Serenissimus," the +lawyer went on; "but it was not to be avoided. His Highness, with his +customary generosity, resolved at once ..." + +"That is," the Marshal interrupted him, "in consequence of my report +and recommendation." + +"Of course, in consequence of His Excellency's report and +recommendation, resolved at once that the bill was to be paid as if +everything were in perfect order, under the condition that the Herr +Baron should never show his face at Court again, and depart +straightway. This latter point, the Grand Duke declared with very +natural anger ..." + +"I really must beg ..." objected the Marshal. + +"Declared with considerable emphasis to be the _conditio sine qua non_, +if he were to show a merciful forbearance, in lieu of allowing the law +to take its course. And now we come to the point when ..." + +"When," the Marshal said, turning to Otto, "I must claim your kind +services. You have the ... I can only say the great misfortune to be a +friend ... I mean an acquaintance of the Herr Baron, who is at present +a guest in your house. My appearance there, however greatly I should +esteem such an honour, would perhaps cause some sensation, the very +thing His Highness wishes to avoid at any cost. Serenissimus himself +suggested and our common friend here ventures to propose directly, +that ..." + +"That you, my dear Bermer," resumed the lawyer, "might give the young +gentleman the requisite strong hint, to which a letter which His +Excellency has just drawn up in my office ..." + +"And which I beg herewith to produce," said the Marshal. + +"Would give additional emphasis," concluded the lawyer. + +"I would beg your Excellency to intrust the letter to me," said +Bertram. "I chance to know where the Herr Baron, who left my friend's +house last night, is to be found at this present moment. To be sure I +must leave at once, lest I miss him. You are coming with me, Otto?" + +"Of course," cried Otto; "my carriage is at the door." + +"And your horses are swifter than the hired ones, which I had ordered +to be here at five. It is a quarter to five now. We have not a moment +to lose." + +"But tell him it as gently as possible, I entreat you," the Marshal +called out after the two friends, who were already crossing the little +courtyard. + +Bertram waved his hand in assent. + +A minute later the carriage was rattling along the narrow lane behind +the lawyer's garden towards the broad street leading to the town gates. + + + + + XXV. + + +Bertram, on entering the carriage, at once told Otto of the place in +the wood where, by the shore of the little lake, the meeting was to +take place, and Otto replied that they could easily reach it in half an +hour, going first along the high-road, then turning off to the right +and driving along some country lanes, and at last, for a brief stretch, +through the forest. + +But they had scarcely left the gates when unexpected obstacles +intervened. The high-road, which had been perfectly free and clear a +little while ago, when Otto was driving to town, now swarmed with +troops belonging to the corps which had made a victorious advance; they +were now utilising this convenient road for taking up their position +for the sham-fight which was to be resumed tomorrow. This was the gist +of the information conveyed to the friends, with due military +politeness, by an officer who had hurriedly ridden up to their +carriage, whilst Otto was vainly storming at some artillerymen in +charge of a gun which they had managed to upset in a ditch, and of +which the horses were blocking the road. The officer pointed out that +the gentlemen would do better to deviate from the high-road than to try +and force their way, and he said that, farther on it was occupied in +even greater strength, and was likely to be absolutely impassable for +the next half hour. + +The advice seemed very sensible, and it was possible to follow it at +once, for there was a country lane branching off to the right in that +very spot. + +"It is a deuced deal farther," said Otto. "We shall have to drive by +way of Neuenhof and Viehburg; however, there is no help for it now, and +after all we shall be in good time." + +"We have already lost a quarter of an hour," said Bertram. + +"We'll easily make up for that," replied Otto; "you see the road is in +good condition and quite clear. Make haste, John--as quick as the +horses can go!" + +Otto was very far from really feeling the energy which he was +displaying. On the contrary, he was cherishing the hope that the +round-about way would ultimately prove too long; and that, even if they +were to arrive in time, this insane duel should not come off. Thus the +one care which had still been weighing somewhat upon his elastic +temperament was gone. As for the rest, why all had come about as nicely +as possible. Could he have anticipated anything of the kind when, an +hour ago, he was driving to town in his despair, with the remembrance +of that awful scene with his wife upon him like a nightmare? What would +she say now? How would she take it? Not well, of course. She would call +it a terrible humiliation--disgraceful. Nonsense! It was the simplest +and most loyal arrangement in the world. Why should not Bertram make +Erna his heiress, for he had neither kith nor kin, and had always been +so fond of her? Hildegard had never liked Erna to call Bertram uncle. +In future, perhaps, she would not object to it. And what about the big +loan? Well, the bigness was its chief merit. A few thousand thalers +here, a few thousand thalers there, how ignoble, how mean! But a +hundred thousand thalers, that was decent; there was nothing derogatory +about that. Hildegard would herself see that; and moreover, if Erna was +to inherit the money anyhow, it remained, as it were, in the family. +Then he wondered how his wife would get on with the young lieutenant, +whom yesterday they had both seen for the first time. Only yesterday! +But a man must see his son-in-law once for the first time. And he +seemed to be such a charming fellow! What a pity that he was not of +noble birth, for that had, after all, been Lotter's chief merit in +Hildegard's eyes. Poor beggar! he really was sorry for him. That is +what a man may come to when he is seriously embarrassed! Awful! And all +for a mere trifle--those dirty three thousand thalers! If he had given +him the money yesterday, or if Lotter had won them at play, the whole +business might have been hushed up, and the beggar would not have run +a-muck at everybody. The fellow was not a bad sort, hang it, quite a +jolly fellow to get on with! Now, what fiend had possessed Bertram on +this occasion; Bertram, who, on principle, made a point of avoiding all +social conflicts, or, if the worst came to the worst, always knew how +to make a courteous and clever diversion; Bertram who, even as a +student, had never fought a duel, and had never concealed his aversion +on the subject? And where on earth was, in this case, the necessity for +fighting the man? Bertram must have known that Lotter's farce at +Rinstedt was played out, that Hildegard had given him up for good and +all. The foe who is running away should have golden bridges built him, +not be impeded in his retreat. Well, well, it was to be hoped that +Lotter at least had meanwhile come to his senses and gone away. To be +sure, this was the most likely thing to have happened. Lotter, cunning +fellow, had set all this duel business a-going, by way of putting them +on the wrong scent, knowing that his pursuers would presently be on the +alert, and now, whilst he was being looked for in the wood, he had most +probably decamped altogether. + +If Otto, good easy-going fellow, on arriving at this comforting +conclusion, did not actually rub his hands in sheer glee, he refrained +solely out of regard for his companion, who was sitting by his side in +silent gloom, as though he were most terribly grieved at the prospect +of the duel not taking place after all. + +And so it was. Bertram felt like a man wearied to death, drawing his +blankets around him and preparing for the greatly-desired rest, and +abruptly startled by the alarm of fire. He had, indeed, been longing +for death, but, of course, could not accept it from a dishonoured hand, +neither for his own sake nor for that of the others who had agreed to +act in what they thought an honourable cause, but which now was +irrevocably stained with dishonour. Thus he would have to live on, on, +nor might he let any one see what a torment this life was and would be +to him; no one, and least of all Erna. She was even never to guess that +he had been willing to sacrifice himself. But how was she to be kept +from this conjecture, when gradually it would appear that there had +been a connection between the Baron's insult to Kurt and his own +intervention, which occurred in the same place and the very next +minute? The remark of the Herr Oberfoerster at the breakfast table +proved that the right scent had been discovered. Had he not thought of +it at all? Or had he done so, and then quieted his scruples by assuming +that his death would spread an impenetrable veil over the real +circumstances of the case? And if that veil were really ever lifted in +Erna's sight, and if she had to say to herself that he had died for +her, it would be but as one note of melancholy, dissolving anon in the +pure and full harmony of her own firm happiness. Was this certain? Or +had he been playing a comedy after all, and assumed the easiest and +most grateful part himself? Had he but draped himself as a dying hero, +in order to hurt his rival, who might thereafter see how best to get on +with an uncomfortable part? And now the piece was not to end, and he +would have to remain upon the stage in the attitude of a hero, and Erna +would have ample time to make comparisons; and they must needs all tell +against Kurt! And would proud Erna forgive her lover this? And was this +to be the result of his own unselfish devotion for Erna's sake? + +Thus tormenting himself, he groaned aloud under the weight of the +reproach which he was heaping upon his conscience. + +"Yes," remarked Otto prosaically, "that comes from driving so fast. +However, we shall again be delayed, and no mistake!" + +After a short quick drive they reached the first village, and came upon +the rearguard of corps number two retreating towards the shelter of the +woods. In the narrow village lane a very compact mass of men and horses +had accumulated, and a forward movement was quite impossible, because +those marching on in front had not yet cleared the line. The men had +stacked their rifles; by the roadside, on the road itself, weary men +were crouching; others were crowding round the different house-doors, +whence compassionate hands were holding out water in every possible and +impossible sort of vessel. In front of the little inn had gathered an +absolutely impenetrable knot of human beings. The driver was compelled +to branch off again, this time into a very narrow little lane, thence +he had to work his way with the greatest difficulty into the open, then +drive across stubble-fields, and so back to the road, frequently +alongside of columns of soldiers on the march, who made way with the +greatest reluctance; and thus they made but slow progress. + +Slow, far too slow for Bertram, whose feverish impatience was +increasing every minute, although he knew not what to reply to Otto +when he argued that it really did not matter much, even if they arrived +a quarter of an hour or so too late. And what did too late mean in a +case like this? They would arrive in ample time for the awkward +explanation to the Baron. + +"Well, and I might as well admit," said Otto, "that personally I hope +we shall not find him at all." + +"I think we shall, though," replied Bertram; "for in spite of his +having morally gone so much astray, he is no coward. A man with weaker +nerves would not have so long borne the danger of being discovered. +And he must assume that he will be left alone until the day after +to-morrow." + +"In any case," said Otto, shrugging those broad shoulders of his, "we +cannot advance any faster." + +They had meanwhile passed the second village, and the troops on the +march were behind them, and as the road was now both smooth and clear, +the horses were really doing their best. They had by this time reached +the border of the forest, and again they were obliged to proceed at a +walking pace, for the road, which was old and ill-kept, had been made +much worse by the foot-deep furrows which the pressure of the cannons +had produced upon the soft soil. There were many traces of a hot combat +having been waged here; cartridge-cases abounded, being scattered all +over the place; there were plenty of broken branches, moreover, and now +they actually came upon a kind of barricade; and it was impossible to +drive round it, since on either side great trees skirted the road. + +"Confound those soldiers!" said Otto; "they carry on as though they +were in the enemy's country. We shall have to get out and walk whilst +John clears away this obstacle, so as to enable him to pass; +fortunately, it does not seem to be very firmly built. The lake is +within a hundred yards of this." + +The wood did indeed form a kind of glade, and in this spot a fairly +broad one; and the road now lay between the sedge-grown banks of the +little lake on the left and the edge of the forest on the right. This +was close to the very place chosen for the hostile meeting. At first +the sedge prevented a clear view, but, hurrying along, the friends soon +discovered the centre, and thence they could see the rest of the +ground, up to the spot where the wood came closing in again. All was +deserted and silent. + +Otto said-- + +"When they came, they probably found too much company hereabouts. Rely +upon it, they have passed along the cutting, and are now in glade +number two. Come along, I know every inch of the ground. Look,--a +carriage has stopped here, and has then gone on through the cutting. +And here is no end of traces of horses' hoofs. I have no idea where, +they can all come from!" + +The tracks of carriage-wheels and traces of horses' hoofs continued all +along the cutting; but the friends had only advanced a few yards in the +same direction when it occurred to Otto that his coachman, on finding +nobody on the appointed spot, would probably drive straight ahead, +possibly all the way to Rinstedt. The man was quite fool enough to do +so, he said; so perhaps he had better turn back and instruct him, +whilst Bertram went on. It was impossible, he added, for Bertram to +miss the place now. + +So Otto turned and Bertram hurried on. Already a certain gathering +brightness indicated the whereabouts of the glade which Otto had spoken +of, and to which the slope was now leading, but leading so gradually +that Bertram could not yet get a glimpse of it, although he surely must +be very near it, for he heard human voices and the neighing of a horse. +And now he saw at least a portion of the glade, and there were several +horses on the spot--as he perceived to his amazement--and grooms were +holding the horses. Looking again, and more carefully, he noticed that +several of the horses had side-saddles. An abrupt thought flashed +across him. He recoiled involuntarily somewhat to the left, and then, +standing behind some broad-stemmed fir-trees at the very edge of +the glade, he saw before him a scene which for a moment held him +spell-bound with terror. + +Four or five men, Colonel von Waldor and Herr von Busche among them, +were lifting a wounded man or a dead man upon a low country cart filled +with straw, and then the doctor and his assistant received their charge +and laid him carefully down, raising his head as they did so. The +evening light shone brightly on the pallid face--Kurt's face; but, +Heaven be thanked, Kurt wounded, but not dead! His eyes were open, and +a smile flitted across his pallid features as Erna bent over him where +he lay. Her fair countenance, darkened by the riding-hat which she +wore, was as pale as his own, but she, too, was smiling, and she bent +lower and lower still, and closed those lips of his that would speak +and that were not to speak, with a kiss; and then she leapt down from +the cart and bounded straightway, with Herr von Busche's help, into the +saddle, her horse having meanwhile been brought to her. The Colonel, +too, had mounted by this time, and the cart now set off, the wounded +man being supported by the doctor's assistant; the doctor had also +mounted his horse and joined the procession, which, following the +cutting in the opposite direction, soon vanished within the glade. +There remained but Herr von Busche and Alexandra, whom Bertram only saw +after the cart had disappeared; there were two grooms, too, and they +were now bringing up the horses; one of them a spare one, probably the +one which poor Kurt had been riding. + +The whole scene only occupied a few minutes, during which Bertram just +had time to overcome the first paralysing feelings of horror. What +subsequently retained and restrained him in the sheltering darkness of +the trees, was a flood of curiously mingled feelings, out of which +there emerged with potent forces the warning: They have found each +other for life and death; step not again between them; touch not again +with clumsy hands the dainty and complicated wheels of a fate which +laughs your calculations to scorn! + +He would have liked best to creep away unseen by any one, but here was +Otto ascending the cutting, and loudly calling Bertram's name. +Alexandra, who was just about to let Herr von Busche help her into the +saddle, started; Herr von Busche sang out in reply to Otto; Bertram +stepped forth from under the trees, and the Princess hurried up to him, +gathering her riding-habit with one hand, and holding out the other to +him. + +"My dear friend! you here? Thank Heaven! I was just debating whether I +had not better wait for you, rather than leave a servant with a +message." + +"Is Kurt badly wounded?" + +"How do you know? but never mind! No; not badly. That is to say, it +will be a tedious affair, but the surgeon guarantees a complete cure, +and states that his life is in no danger. He found the ball at once; we +were already on the spot--and, great Heaven, what a splendid, heroic +creature Erna is!" + +Otto had meanwhile come up. There was much cross-questioning, of +course; and the friends speedily gathered at least the main facts of +the occurrence. Herr von Busche was naturally best qualified to give +all the information required. He had heard from the Oberfoerster, upon +that gentleman's return from Rinstedt, of the scene in which Kurt, +evidently without knowing it, had acted a singular part--one quite +incompatible with the traditional honour of an officer--of a man who is +grossly insulted in the presence of many others, and who withdraws +without replying. The Oberfoerster had been quite excited on the subject +which he had been discussing with the ladies at the breakfast-table; he +had added that other gentlemen, who had also been present last night, +had expressed their amazement at the young' officer's conduct. + +"I am myself an officer in the _Landwehr_." continued Herr von Busche, +"and my duty was clear. I was bound to communicate as quickly as +possible to Ringberg the insulting suspicion to which he had made +himself liable. To apply to the Baron for information was out of the +question. He had left the ranger's house some hours before, to pay, he +said, some farewell-calls in the neighbourhood; besides, I think, he +wanted to procure the horse on which he afterwards came to the meeting. +We had agreed to meet here. Herr Ringberg was also to be here, of +course, but then it would have been too late; there would have been two +duels in lieu of one; and Ringberg's was bound to have precedence. Then +there was no second provided for Ringberg, unless the Herr Doctor had +acted as such, and that was not exactly feasible. Well, in a word, I +got on horseback, and searched the length and breadth of the ground +employed for the man[oe]vres, until at last, when I had given up all +hope, I found Ringberg at the moment when the regiment were stacking +their rifles. This was at five. The original hostile meeting was fixed +for half-past. Ringberg was on the point of leaving, having previously, +under some pretext or other, obtained two hours' leave of absence from +the Colonel. I told Ringberg what I had heard. He requested me to +accompany him to Colonel von Waldor to whom he would have to report the +case. You know the Colonel. 'I am your second,' he cried; 'we'll teach +the Baron a lesson in good manners.' A minute or two afterwards we were +in the saddle, accompanied by the staff-surgeon and an assistant, and +galloped here. The carriage was waiting by the side of the lake, and at +the same moment the Baron appeared. I must do him the justice to say +that he not only did not deny having made the insulting remarks, but +declared his perfect readiness to give instant satisfaction for them. +The issue unhappily was what, knowing the Baron's wonderful skill, I +expected it to be; or rather, it would probably have been even more +unfortunate, if, at the moment of firing, the ladies had not appeared. +I am sure that the Baron, who stood facing the cutting, must have seen +them coming, before the rest of us heard the sound of the horses' hoofs +upon the soft turf, and that the unexpected sight robbed him of his +usual unfailing aim. I find it natural enough that, under the +circumstances, he preferred to vanish immediately, and I expect that he +will be waiting for me at the Oberfoerster's now. To say the truth, I am +not particularly anxious to meet him again." + +Whilst the young man was relating this in his wonted vivacious style, +and whilst Otto briefly explained how Bertram and he had been detained +upon the road, they reached the end of the cutting, and had come to the +place where Otto's carriage was waiting. + +"How right we were to divide," said Herr von Busche. "The escort of the +wounded man would have been really too numerous. As it is, it will +cause a certain amount of sensation, although fortunately it will not +have to leave the wood till it is close to Rinstedt." + +"It might be as well to divide once more," said Alexandra. "I feel, to +say the truth, somewhat shaken, and would like to await in town news +about the sufferer; for his state inspires me with no alarm now, and I +am expected to appear at Court to-night. I know you will very kindly +let me use your carriage, and mount Lieutenant Ringberg's horse +instead. You will be glad to get home as speedily as possible, although +we sent word to your wife so as to prepare her." + +"But," remonstrated Otto, "most gracious Princess, you cannot go +alone...." + +"I hope the Herr Doctor will be so good as to accompany me." + +Alexandra turned, as she spoke, to Bertram who was standing silent, +evidently in deep thought, and who had scarcely joined in the previous +conversation. Now he looked up, and their eyes met. + +"I was just going to request that honour," he said. + +Otto looked amazed, but ventured upon no remonstrance. A shrug of the +shoulder behind Alexandra's back, seemed to imply that he considered +Bertram the lamentable victim of a lady's caprice. He instructed the +coachman to regain as quickly as possible the high-road, which was now +likely to be clear of troops, for this would enable the Princess to be +driven with greater ease and quickness. He pointed out to her that +there were plenty of wrappers in the carriage, and begged her to make +use of them in the cool of the evening. The Princess thanked him for +his attentions, and added that she would not fail to inquire personally +at Rinstedt on the following day. + +"And you too, of course, Charles," said Otto. + +Bertram nodded-- + +"Then I will not detain you any longer."' + +They shook hands; the gentlemen mounted their horses and galloped away, +followed by the grooms, and the carriage set off more slowly in the +opposite direction. + + + + + XXVI. + + +For a little while Alexandra and Bertram sat silently side by side; +then Alexandra said-- + +"We are at one in the conviction that it will be in the interest of our +_proteges_ if we vanish from the scene?" + +"Absolutely," replied Bertram. "I suffer acutely already, and recognise +the outrage that man is guilty of who would play Providence for +others." + +"In that case I should have been guilty too," said Alexandra, "but I am +by no means dissatisfied with myself; on the contrary, I believe it is +good that things have happened thus; it was necessary. And when you +know all, you will admit that I am right. You must know it, for the +sake of the future, which will still claim much from us. Listen in +patience. + +"I have rigidly adhered to your advice. I announced my departure for +noon to-day; my maid was despatched with the luggage a little before +ten; our host insisted upon escorting me in person to the town. Then I +went to see Erna. We had a memorable conversation which I cannot +reproduce to you in all its details, but the result was that Erna no +longer doubted the sincerity of my desire for her happiness; but her +pride revolted against receiving this happiness at my hands, or, if +that be saying too much, she had the painful impression that her +happiness could only be brought about at the cost of my own, in other +words, that I was still in love with Kurt, and that my marriage to Herr +von Waldor, which I announced to her as impending, was an act of +resignation, if not of despair. Of course she did not give utterance to +all this, nor did she even hint at it; these things one simply feels. +And there was another thing that came between her and the prospect +of calm happiness by Kurt's side. Dear friend, do not deny it any +longer--not to me, even if to all the world besides--you are in love +with Erna! Thank you for this pressure of the hand. It does not reveal +a secret to me, and yet I thank you for it with all my heart. You owed +me this satisfaction, as I have told you Claudine's story; and even as +Claudine's story is buried in your bosom, so the story of a noble human +heart shall be buried in mine." + +Alexandra withdrew her hand with a cordial pressure from Bertram's. +They were both too much moved to be able to speak for some time. At +last Bertram said-- + +"And does Erna believe me to be in love with her, after all I have done +to shake her conviction?" + +"I should not assert that her faith has not been shaken," Alexandra +replied, "but she was still under the sway of that intuitive feeling +which guides us women wellnigh always aright, and which in her case +betrayed itself in a hundred turns, every one of which had for its +object your future welfare and happiness. And then, my friend, you did +at last the very opposite of what you should have done to calm Erna, +and to brighten her future. You may thank Heaven that Erna does not +divine the real motive which influenced you; that between the two duels +she sees a sort of mechanical connection of time and place, if I may +say so, and not the real one. But for all that, if you had fallen in +this duel, Erna would never have consented to an alliance with Kurt, +and she would never in her heart have forgiven him for not being the +first on the ground. Whether it was within the limits of possibility to +have forestalled you, the woman's heart does not stop to inquire. The +loved one must be not only the best and noblest and bravest of men, but +the cleverest too; how he sets about it is his own concern! Dozens of +duels have been fought in my immediate neighbourhood, and, I am sorry +to say, I have been the direct cause more than once, so I had no +difficulty in understanding the whole business. That old chatterbox, +the ranger, was relating the circumstances to us at breakfast; I then +sent for your servant, and, examining him, found out that you had held +a long conversation with Kurt, which had been preceded by negotiations +between Kurt and Herr von Busche; and last of all came that +crackbrained person Fraeulein von Aschhof, and confessed her horribly +indiscreet statement to the Baron, and your remark, my friend, that you +would try to settle the matter. I saw it all as clearly as though it +had been acted before me. Then I knew, too, what I should have to do. +Again I sought Erna, and told her that your life and Kurt's honour were +both at stake; of course I took care to represent matters in such a way +that the idea could not well occur to her of your having wished to +sacrifice yourself directly for Kurt. She spurned with contumely the +idea that Kurt had only pretended not to hear the Baron's insulting +remarks; no need for me to tell her, she said, that Kurt must be +instantly informed of it. I am convinced that she felt that her fate +was about to be decided, that now once more she became fully and +thoroughly conscious of her love for Kurt. The great, strong, energetic +nature of the glorious girl shone forth in mighty radiance. I could +have knelt at her feet and worshipped her! I may say that I forgot +completely my own self, forgot that he for whom this passion was +flaming heaven-high had been the object of my own mad love. I even +concealed what I knew--that I had distinctly recognised the Baron, +when I saw him at the card-table last night, as the man who also, +at a card-table, had cheated my mother out of a hundred thousand +francs--that the Baron was not a fit man for an officer and a gentleman +to fight. I dreaded lest that objection should destroy what I saw +coming. How we hurried all over the ground in search of Kurt; how we +came upon his regiment when he had just ridden off; how a surgeon's +assistant who had been sent back to fetch some forgotten bandages or +instruments helped us to find his track; how we followed up that track +at the utmost speed of which our horses were capable; how we reached +the goal just in time to see Kurt fall, whilst his miserable opponent +flung the pistol to the ground and fled when he beheld me--all this you +know, or may easily picture for yourself. But I picture to myself how +Erna will now be leading her love to her parental abode, to keep and to +hold him there for her very own;--for what is more, what becomes more a +woman's very own than the man whom she loves, if she has to tend him +and wrestle with death for his possession;--and I picture to myself how +now only she recognises with a shudder what a lordly treasure she had +all but forfeited through exaggerated pride and obstinacy; and I think +of, all the wealth of love and bliss which is in store for them both! +And then I look at us both, at us who have opened for them the gates of +their paradise driving away into darkness like two exiles; and I ask +you, friend, have we really need to be ashamed of the part which we +have played? Or, rather, are we not fully and fairly entitled to +rejoice in our success and to be proud of it? Yes, friend, we must be +glad, we must be proud. Where else shall we, who are sick unto death, +gain the strength to get well again? For we must not, dare not die; but +we must live and be happy, to prove to those two that they may be happy +on our account. I, my friend, mean to live on; I will and shall +recover. I shall appear at Court to-night, and be beautiful and witty +if I can, or at least serene and in good-humour. And not to-day alone, +but to-morrow too, and every day, and most so by Waldor's side, for he +very surely does not marry the Princess Alexandra for the sake of +getting a moody, melancholy wife. Some secret corner somewhere will +surely be found where now and again one may weep in peace, and let the +grievous wound bleed. And you, dear friend? What shall you do? How will +you set about recovering? I should not have an hour's quiet if I had to +think you could not. Give me your word that you will recover, give me +your hand on it." + +Bertram's answer did not come at once. He raised his eyes and saw the +beacon-fees blazing on the mountain tops and far away in the plains. He +heard the calls of the patrols, the neighing of many horses, the talk +and laughter of the men round the bivouac-fires, the dull thud of +marching columns. It was but a mimic warfare, but it spoke to him of a +true and earnest fight in which he was called upon to take his place in +the ranks as a good and true soldier, to do his duty as long as +strength was granted him--it might be for years, or for a few days +only. And he held out his hand to Alexandra, and said-- + +"Whether I shall recover, I know not. But I swear to you that I will +try!" + + * * * * * + + + + + XXVII. + + +"Then you insist upon joining in to-morrow's debate?" the doctor was +saying. + +"I flatter myself that it is necessary!" replied Bertram. + +"As a political partisan I admit it; as your medical adviser I repeat, +it is impossible." + +"Come, my good friend, you said just now, it is undesirable; now, from +that to impossible is rather a bold step. We had better stick to the +first statement." + +The doctor, who had taken up his hat and stick a few minutes before, +laid both down again, pushed Bertram into the chair before his +writing-table, sat down again facing him, and said-- + +"Judging from your momentary condition it is merely desirable that you +should have at present absolute repose for at least a few days. But I +very much fear that to-morrow's inevitable excitement will make you +worse, and then the downright necessity for rest will arise, and that +not only for a few days. Let me speak quite frankly, Bertram. I know +that I shall not frighten you, although I should rather like to do so. +You are causing me real anxiety. I greatly regret that I kept you last +autumn from your projected Italian trip, and that I pushed and urged +you into the fatigues of an election campaign and into the harassing +anxieties of parliamentary life. I assumed that this energetic activity +would contribute to your complete restoration to health, and I find +that I made a grievous mistake. And yet I am not aware where exactly +the mistake was made. You mastered your parliamentary duties with such +perfect ease, you entered the arena so well prepared and armed from top +to toe, you used your weapons with all the skill of a past master, and +you were borne along by such an ample measure of success--and that of +course has its great value. Well, according to all human understanding +and experience, the splendid and relatively easy discharge of duties +for which you are so eminently fitted, should contribute to your +well-being, and yet the very opposite is occurring. In spite of all my +cogitations I can find but one theory to account for it. In spite of +the admirable equanimity which you always preserve, in spite of the +undimmed serenity of your disposition and appearance, by which you +charm your friends, whilst you frequently disarm your foes, there must +be a hidden something in your soul that gnaws away at your vitals, a +deep, dark under-current of grief and pain. Am I right? You know that I +am not asking the question from idle curiosity." + +"I know it," replied Bertram; "and therefore I answer: you are right +and yet not right, or right only if you hold me responsible for the +effect of a cause I was guiltless of." + +"You answer in enigmas, my friend." + +"Let me try a metaphor. Say, somebody is compelled to live in a house, +in which the architect made some grave mistake at the laying of the +foundations, or at some important period or other of its erection. The +tenant is a quiet, steady man, who keeps the house in good order; then +comes a storm, and the ill-constructed building is terribly shaken and +strained. The steady-going tenant repairs the damage as best he can, +and things go on fairly enough for a time, a long time, until there +comes another and a worse storm, which makes the whole house topple +together over his head." + +The doctor's dark eyes had been dwelling searchingly and sympathisingly +upon the speaker. Now he said-- + +"I think I understand your metaphor. Of course, it only meets a portion +of the case. I happen to know the house in question extremely well. +True there was one weak point in it from the beginning, in spite of its +general excellent construction, but ..." + +"But me no buts," interrupted Bertram eagerly. "Given the one weak +point, and all the rest naturally follows. I surely need not point out +to such a faithful disciple of Spinoza's, that thought and expansion +are but attributes of one and the same substance, that there is no +physiological case that does not, rightly viewed, turn to a +psychological one; that so excitable a heart as mine must needs be +impressed by things more than other hearts whose bands do not snap, +happen what may, and notwithstanding all the storms of Fate. Or are you +not sure that, if you had had to examine the hearts of Werther or of +Eduard in the 'Elective Affinities,' you would have found things +undreamed of by aeesthetic philosophers? I belong to the same race. I +neither glory in this, nor do I blush for it; I simply state a fact, a +fact which embodies my fate, before whose power I bow, or rather whose +power bows me down in spite of my resistance. For, however much I may +by disposition belong to the last century, yet I am also a citizen of +our own time; nor can I be deaf to its bidding. I know full well that +modern man can no longer live and die exclusively for his private joys +and sorrows; I know full well that I have a fatherland whose fame, +honour, and greatness I am bound to hold sacred, and to which I am +indebted as long as a breath stirs within me. I know it, and I believe +that I have proved it according to my strength, both formerly and again +now, when ..." + +He covered forehead and eyes with his hands, and so sat for a while in +deep emotion, which his medical friend respected by keeping perfectly +silent. Then, looking up again, Bertram went on in a hushed voice-- + +"My friend, that last storm was very, very strong. It shook the feeble +building to its very foundation. What is now causing your anxiety is +indeed but a consequence of that awful tempest. The terribly entrancing +details no one as yet knows except one woman, whom an almost identical +fate made my confidante, and who will keep my secret absolutely. So +would you, I know. You have been before this my counsellor and my +father-confessor. And so you will be another time, perhaps, if you +desire it and deem it necessary.--To-day only this one remark more, for +your own satisfaction; for I read in your grave countenance the same +momentous question which my confidante put to me: Whether I am willing +to recover? I answered to the best of my knowledge and belief: Yes! I +consider it my duty to be willing. It is a duty simply towards my +electors, who have not honoured me with their votes that I may lie me +down and die of an unhappy and unrequited attachment. If the latter +does happen--I mean my dying--you will bear witness that it was done +against my will, solely in consequence of that mistake in the original +construction which the architect was guilty of. But, in order that it +may not happen, or may at least not happen so soon, you, my friend, +must allow me to do the very thing which you have forbidden. The dream +I dreamed was infinitely beautiful, and, to speak quite frankly, real +life seems barren and dreary in comparison with it. The contrast is too +great, and I can only efface it somewhat by mixing with the insipid +food a strong spice of excitement, such as our parliamentary kitchen is +just now supplying in the best quality, and of which our head-cook is +sure to give us an extra dose to-morrow. And, therefore, I must be in +my place at the table tomorrow and make my dinner-speech. _Quod erat +demonstrandum_." + +He held out his hand with a smile. His friend smiled too. It was a very +melancholy smile, and vanished again forthwith. + +"What a pity," he said, "that the cleverest patients are the most +intractable. But I have vowed I will never have a clever one again, +after you." + +"In truth," replied Bertram, "I am giving you far too much trouble. In +your great kindness and friendship you come to me almost in the middle +of the night, when you ought to be resting from your day's heavy toil; +you come of your own accord, simply impelled by a faithful care for my +well-being; and, finally, you have to return with ingratitude and +disobedience for your reward. Well, well--let us hope for better +things, and let me have the pleasure of seeing you again to-morrow." + +Konski came in with a candle to show the doctor the way down, for the +lights in the house had long since been extinguished. The gentlemen +were once more shaking hands, and the physician slipped his on to +Bertram's wrist Then he shook his head. + +"Konski," he said, turning to the servant, "if your master has a fancy +one of these days to drink a glass of champagne, you may give him one, +as an exception; but only one." + +"Now remember that, Konski!" said Bertram. + +"It is not likely that it will happen," grumbled Konski. + +"Konski will leave me to-morrow," explained Bertram. + +"Will, is it? No, I won't, but ..." + +"All right!" said his master, "we must not bother the doctor with our +private affairs. Good-bye, my friend! With your leave I will dine with +you to-morrow." + +The physician left; Bertram immediately again sat down at the +writing-table, and resumed the work which this late visit had +interrupted. It was a disputed election case, and he would have to +report upon it to the House. There had been some irregularities, and it +was in the interest of his own party that the election should be +declared null and void; he had been examining the somewhat complicated +data with all the greater conscientiousness and care. But now he lost +the thread, and was turning over the voluminous page of the evidence, +when, lo! a daintily-folded sheet of paper--a letter--fell out. + +"Good heavens! how came this here?" + +He seized upon it with eagerness, as a wandering beggar might seize +upon a gold coin which he saw glittering among the dust on the road. +The hot blood surged to the temples from the sick and sore heart; the +hand that held the slight paper trembled violently. + +"Now he would not be grumbling at my slow pulse!" + +Yesterday morning he had received this letter, but had not succeeded in +composing himself sufficiently to read more than a few lines. He +thought that, perhaps, on his return from the _Reichstag_ he might have +been in a more settled frame of mind. Then he had not been able to find +again the letter which had been laid aside, although he had searched +for hours, first alone, then with Konski. + +And now--after all those documents were pushed aside--he was again, as +yesterday, staring hard at the page, and again, as yesterday, the +different lines ran into each other; but he shook his head angrily, +drew his hand over his eyes, and then read:-- + + + "Capri, _April_ 24. + +"Dearest Uncle Bertram,--If to-day for the first time, in our travels I +write to you, take this as a gentle punishment for not having come to +our wedding. Take it--no, I must not tell you a falsehood, not even in +jest. We--I mean Kurt and myself--regretted your absence greatly, but +were angry only with those wretched politics which would not release +you just at a time, when, as Kurt explained to me, such important +matters were at stake. Take, then, I pray you, my prolonged silence as +a proof of the confusion under which I labour, amidst the thousand new +impressions of travel, and through the hurry with which we have +travelled. Kurt has just four weeks' leave, so we had indeed to make, +haste; and, therefore, we steamed direct from Genoa to Naples, calling +at Leghorn only, and yesterday evening we arrived there only to leave +this morning, and to sail to Capri, favoured by a lively _tramontane_. + +"I am writing this my first letter upon the balcony of a house in +Capri. + +"Dearest Uncle Bertram, do you know such a house which 'stands amidst +orange groves, with sublimest view of the blue infinity of the ocean, a +fair, white hostelry embowered in roses'? + +"The words are your own, and do you know when you spoke them to me? On +that first night when I met you in the forest on the Hirschstein hill. +You have probably forgotten it, but I remember it well, and all through +the journey your words were ever before me; and of all the glories of +Italy, I wanted first to see the house which had, since then, remained +in your fond remembrance, where you 'ever since longed to be back +again,' and the very name of which was always to you 'a sound of +comfort, of promise: _Qui si sana!_' + +"And now we are here--we who need no comfort, we to whom all promise of +earthly bliss has been fulfilled, and so drink in the blue air of +heaven, and inhale the sweet fragrance of roses and oranges. + +"And you, dearest Uncle Bertram, you dwell--your heart full of longing +for fair Quisisana--yonder in the dull grey North, buried beneath +parliamentary papers, wearied and worn--and, uncle, that thought is the +one grey cloud, the only one in the wide blue vault of heaven, like the +one floating yonder above the rugged rocky front of Monte Solaro, of +which our young landlord, Federigo, foretells that it will bring us a +_burrasca_. I gave him a good scolding, and told him I wanted sunshine, +plenty of sunshine, and nothing but sunshine, but I thought of you +only, and not of us. And surely for you too, who are so noble and good, +the sun does shine, and you walk in its light, in the sunny light of +great fame! Yes, Uncle Bertram, however modest you are, you must yet be +glad and proud to learn how your greatness is recognised and admired. I +am not speaking of your friends, for that is a matter of course, but +of your political opponents. In Genoa, at the table d'hote, we made +the acquaintance of some Count from Pomerania--I have forgotten his +name--with whom Kurt talked politics a good deal. In the evening the +Count brought us a Berlin paper, which contained your last great +speech. 'Look here,' he said, 'there is a man from whom all can learn, +one of whom each party should be proud.' He had no idea why Kurt looked +so pleased and proud, nor why I burst into tears when I read your +splendid speech. + +"Only fancy, Uncle Bertram! Signor Federigo has just brought me, at my +request, an old visitors' book--the one for the year 1859, the year in +which I knew you had been here. Many leaves had been torn out, but the +one upon which you had written your name was preserved, and the date +turns out to be that of the very day on which I, was born! Is not this +passing strange? Signor Federigo has, of course, had to present the +precious leaf to me, which he did with a most graceful bow--the paper +in one hand and the other laid upon his heart--and we have resolved to +celebrate here the day of your arrival in Capri and of my arrival in +the world. Why, indeed, should we travel on so swiftly? There can be no +fairer scene than this anywhere. Sunshine, the fragrance of roses, the +bright blue sky; the everlasting sea, my Kurt, and the recollection of +you, whose dear image every rock, every palm tree, everything I see +brings as if by magic before my inner eye! No, no; we surely will stay +here until my birthday. + +"Signor Federigo is calling from the verandah that 'Madama' has only +five minutes more for writing if the letter is to leave to-day. Of +course it is to leave to-day; but I have the terrible conviction of +having written nothing so far. It cannot now be helped. So next time I +will tell you everything that I could not do to-day: about my parents, +who are writing letters full of happiness--papa, in particular, who +seems delighted that he has given up his factories--which surprised me +greatly; about Agatha's engagement to Herr von Busche, which did not +surprise me, for I saw it coming during the merrymakings previous to my +wedding; about ... + +"Signor Federigo, you are intolerable! + +"Dear Kurt, I cannot let you have the remaining space of two lines, for +I absolutely require it myself to send my beloved Uncle Bertram a most +hearty greeting and kiss from Quisisana." + +Bertram laid the paper very gently down upon the table; he was stooping +to imprint a kiss upon it, but before his lips touched the letter, he +drew himself up abruptly. + +"No; she knows not what she does, but you know it, and she is your +neighbour's wife! Shame upon you! Pluck it out, the eye that offends +you, and the base, criminal heart as well!" + +He seized the parliamentary papers, then paused. + +"Until her birthday! Well, she will assuredly expect a few kind words, +and has a right to expect them; nay, more, she would interpret my +silence wrongly. I wonder whether there is yet time? When is her +birthday? She has not mentioned the date; I think somewhere in the +beginning of May. Now, on what day did I arrive there?" + +He had not long to seek in the old diaries, which he kept methodically, +and preserved with care. There was the entry: "May 1.--Arrived in +Capri, and put up at a house which I found it hard to climb up to; the +name had an irresistible attraction for me: Quisisana--_Sit omen in +nomine!_" + +The first of May! Why, to-morrow is the first. It is too late for a +letter, of course, but a telegram will do, if despatched at once. + +"Konski!" + +The faithful servant entered. + +"My good Konski, I am very sorry, but you must be off to the +telegraph-office at once. To-morrow is the birthday of Miss Erna--well, +well, you know! Of course she must hear from me." + +He had written a few lines in German, then it occurred, to him that it +might be, safer to write them in Italian. So he re-wrote them. + +Kanski, who had meanwhile got himself ready, entered the room. + +"You will scarcely be back before midnight. And, Konski, we must begin +the morrow cheerfully. So put the key of the cellar into your pocket, +and bring a bottle of champagne with you when you return. No +remonstrance, otherwise I shall put into your character tomorrow, +'Dismissed for disobedience'!" + + + + + XXVIII. + + + * * * * * + + +It was nearly three o'clock when the doctor came hurrying in. Konski +would not leave the master, and had despatched the porter. Konski +took the doctor's hat and stick, and pointed in silence--he could not +speak--to the big couch at the bottom of the room. The doctor took the +lamp from the writing-table, and held it to the pale face. Konski +followed and relieved him of the lamp, whilst the doctor made his +investigation. + +"He must have been dead an hour and more," he said, looking up. "Why +did you not send sooner? Put the lamp back upon the writing-table, and +tell me all you know." + +He had sat down in Bertram's chair. "Take a chair," he went on, "and +tell me all." + +Then Konski told. + +He had come back at a quarter-past twelve from the telegraph-office, +and had found his master writing away busily, when he brought in the +bottle of champagne which he had been ordered to fetch from the cellar. +His master had scolded him for bringing only one glass, and made him +fetch another, for they must both drink and clink glasses to the health +of the young lady. + +"Then," the servant went on, "I sat opposite to him, for the first time +in my life, in that corner, at the small round table, he in the one +chair and I in the other. And he chatted with me, not like a master +with his servant, no; exactly--well, I cannot describe it, sir; but you +know how good and kind he always was. I never heard an unkind word from +him all these ten years I have been with him, and if ever he was a bit +angry, he always made up for it afterwards. And, to-morrow I was to +leave for Rinstedt to get married, and he had given us our furniture +and all, and fitted up a new shop for us into the bargain. Then we +talked a good deal of Rinstedt, and of the man[oe]vres last year, and +of Miss Erna that was, and of Italy, where, as you know, sir, I was +with the master two years ago. Well, I mean, it was not I who was +talking so much, but master, and I could have gone on listening, +listening for ever, when he was telling of Capri, where we did not get +that time, and where Mrs. Ringberg is staying now--Miss Erna as was. +And then his eyes shone and sparkled splendidly, but he hardly drank +any wine, just enough to pledge the young lady's health with, and the +rest is in his glass still. But he made me fill up mine again and +again, for I could stand it, said he, and he could not, he said, and he +would presently finish his work; and there are the papers on the table +in front of you, sir, that he had been looking at. And then, of a +sudden like, he says, 'Konski, I am getting tired; I shall lie down for +half an hour. You just finish the bottle meanwhile, and call me at +half-past one sharp.' It was just striking one o'clock then. + +"So he lay down, and I put the rug over him, sir, and, oh--I'll never +forgive myself for it; but all day long I had been running backward and +forward about these things of mine, and then at last the long walk at +night to the telegraph-office, and perhaps the champagne had gone to my +head a bit, since I am sure, that I had not sat for five minutes before +I was asleep. And when I woke it was not half-past one, but half-past +two, so that I was regular frightened like. But as the master was +a-sleeping calm and steady, I thought, even as I was standing quite +close to him, that it was a pity to wake him, even though he was lying +on his left side again, which formerly he could not bear at all, and +which you, sir, had forbidden so particularly. I mind of our first +evening in Rinstedt, sir, but then he did wake up again ... and now he +is dead." + +Konski was crying bitterly. The doctor held out his hand to him. + +"It is no fault of yours. Neither you nor I could have kept him alive. +Now, leave me here alone; you may wait in the next room." + +After Konski had left, the doctor went to the little round table on +which the empty bottle and two glasses were standing, one empty, one +half-full. Above the sofa, to the right and left, were gas-brackets, +with one lighted jet on either side. He held the half-full glass to +the light and shook it. Bright beads were rising from the clear, +liquid. + +He put the glass down again, and murmured-- + +"He never spoke an untruth! It was in any case solely a question of +time. He drank his death-draught six months ago. The only wonder is +that he bore it so long." + +Erna's letter was lying upon the table. The doctor read it almost +mechanically. + +"Pretty much as I thought!" he muttered. "Such a clever and, as it +would seem, large-hearted girl, and yet--but they are all alike!" + +A scrap of paper, with something in Bertram's hand writing caught his +eye. It was the German telegram. + +"All hail--happiness and blessing--to-day and for ever--for my darling +child in Quisisana." + +The doctor rose, and was now pacing up and down the chamber with folded +arms. From the adjoining room, the door of which was left ajar, he +heard suppressed sobs. The faithful servant's unconcealed grief had +well-nigh unchained the bitter sorrow in his own heart. He brushed the +tears from his eyes, stepped to the couch, and drew the covering back. + +He stood there long, lost in marvelling contemplation. + +The beautiful lofty brow, overshadowed by the soft and abundant hair, +the dark colour of which was not broken by one silvery thread; the +daintily curved lips, that seemed about to open for some witty saying, +lips the pallor of which was put to shame by the whiteness of the +teeth, which were just visible; the broad-arched chest--what wonder +that the man of fifty had felt in life like a youth--like the youth for +whom Death had taken him. + +From those pure and pallid features Death had wiped away even the +faintest remembrance of the woe which had broken the noble heart. + +Now it was still--still for evermore! + +He laid his hand upon that silent heart. + +"_Qui si sana!_" he said, very gently. + + + + FOOTNOTE. + +[Footnote 1: + + "Und immer ist der Mann ein junger Mann, + Der einem jungen Weibe wohlgefaellt."] + + + + THE END. + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Quisisana, by Friedrich Spielhagen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK QUISISANA *** + +***** This file should be named 34764.txt or 34764.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/7/6/34764/ + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the Web Archive + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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