Part 9 (1/2)
”And your cousin, the--the--” she does not know herself why she hesitates to p.r.o.nounce the name.
”The Christ-Freyer?” said Josepha finis.h.i.+ng the sentence. ”Oh! he has not spoken to me for a year, except to say what was absolutely necessary, he cannot get over my having brought disgrace upon his unsullied name. It has made him disgusted with life here and, if it were not for the Christ, he would not stay in Ammergau. He is so severe in such things.”
”So _severe!_” the countess repeated, thoughtfully.
The clock in the steeple of the Ammergau church struck two.
”It is late,” said the countess, ”the poor thing needs rest.” She wrapped her own cloak around the girl.
”Come, lonely heart, I will warm you.”
She turned once more to drink in the loveliness of the exquisite scene.
”Night of miracle, I thank thee.”
CHAPTER V.
MODERN PILGRIMS.
”What do you think. The Countess von Wildenau is founding an Orphan's Home!” said the prince, as, leaving the Gross house, he joined a group of gentlemen who were waiting just outside the door in the little garden.
The news created a sensation; the gentlemen, laughing and jesting, plied him with questions.
”Oh, _Mon Dieu_, who can understand a woman? Our G.o.ddess is sitting in the peasants' living room, with the elderly daughters of the house, indescribable creatures, occupying herself with feminine work.”
”Her Highness! Countess Wildenau! Oh, that's a bad joke.”
”No, upon my honor! If she had not hung a veil over the window, we could see her sitting there. She has borrowed a calico ap.r.o.n from one of the 'ladies of the house,' and as, for want of a maid, she was obliged to arrange her hair herself, she wears it to-day in a remarkably simple style and looks,”--he kissed his hand to the empty air--”more bewitching than ever, like a girl of sixteen, a regular Gretchen! Whoever has not gone crazy over her when she has been in full dress, will surely do so if he sees her _thus_.”
”Aha! We must see her, too; we'll a.s.sail the window!” cried his companions enthusiastically.
”No, no! For Heaven's sake don't do that, on pain of her anger! Prince Hohenheim, I beg you! Count Cossigny, don't knock! St. Genois, _au nom de Dieu_, she will never forgive you.”
”Why not--friends so intimate as we are?”
”I have already said, who can depend upon a woman's whims? Let me explain. I entered, rejoicing in the thought of bringing her such pleasant news. I said: 'Guess whom I met just now at the ticket office, Countess?' The G.o.ddess sat sewing.”
There was a general cry of astonishment. ”Sewing!” the prince went on, ”of course, without a thimble, for those in the house did not fit, and there was none among Her Highness' trinkets. So I repeated my question.
An icy 'How can I tell?' was the depressing answer, as if at that moment nothing in the world could possibly interest her more than her work! So, unasked and with no display of attention, I was forced to go on with my news. 'Just think, Countess, Prince Hohenheim, the Counts Cossigny, Wengenrode, St. Genois, all Austria, France, and Bavaria have arrived!' I joyously exclaimed. I expected that she would utter a sigh of relief at the thought of meeting men of her world again, but no--she greeted my tidings with a frown.”
”Hear, hear!” cried the group.
”A frown! I was forced to persist. 'They are outside, waiting to throw themselves at your feet,' I added. A still darker frown. 'Please keep the gentlemen away, I can see no one, I will see no one.' So she positively announced. I timidly ventured to ask why. She was tired, she could receive no one, she had no time. At last it came out. What do you suppose the countess did yesterday?”
”I dare not guess,” replied St. Genois with a malicious glance at the prince, which the latter loftily ignored.
”She sent me away at eleven o'clock and then went wandering about, rhapsodizing over the moonlight with her host, old Gross.”
A universal peal of laughter greeted these words. ”Countess Wildenau, for lack of an escort, obliged to wander about with an old stone-cutter!”