Part 21 (2/2)
”Sache donc qu'en ce domaine D'ou me cha.s.se encor ta haine, En seigneur j'ai commande.
At least,” he put in, ”during the absence of the Baron, for I was heir-presumptive--a presumption which, alas! is destined never to be changed into cert.i.tude----”
Francis, visibly affected by his jesting style, interrupted him, and said to me--
”Rudolf von Zwenken, my grandfather's only son.”
”It would cost my charming niece too great an effort to say 'My uncle.' It is my own fault. I have never been able to inspire people with the necessary respect for me. Well, now, Cousin van Zonshoven, you know who I am, but there is one point I must rectify: Rudolf von Zwenken no longer exists--he is civilly dead.”
”And morally,” murmured Francis.
”And if he were to rise again under that name,” he continued, without heeding Francis's interruption, ”he would commit something like suicide, for he would be arrested and shot.”
”And knowing that, after all that has been done to put you beyond danger, you show yourself in this place again! It is inexplicable,”
cried Francis.
”But, my dear, who told you I had come to show myself here? It is true we give representations in the provinces; but the person who appears in public is Mr. Smithson, so well begrimed that Baron von Zwenken himself would not recognize his own son.”
”That's very fortunate, for it would be the death of him,” retorted Francis, harshly.
”How you exaggerate, dearest. Monsieur mon pere never had so much affection for me. He shall never know Mr. Smithson. His son Rudolf, however, seeks an interview with him, and requests you, Francis, to a.s.sist in bringing it about.”
”It is useless, sir; you may neither see nor speak to your father again.”
”Can you be so hard-hearted, Francis?”
”My duty obliges me, and I must have some regard for the feelings of your father in the first place.”
”But, my dear child, try to understand me. I only wish to kiss his hand and beg his pardon. With this object I have run all risks, and imposed on myself all kinds of fatigue. I have just ridden hard for three hours, hidden myself in the old ruins, climbed the garden wall at the risk of breaking an arm or a leg; then, seeing a light here, I broke in--and all this for nothing! No, my darling, this cannot be; you will still be my good angel, and arrange the meeting I so much desire----”
”I say No; and you know when I have once said a thing I mean it.”
CHAPTER XXVII.
Rudolf, after a pause, began once more--
”You have a good heart, Francis. Ah! I know your reasons. You think I am returned again like the prodigal son, with an empty purse, 'after eating of the husks which the swine did eat.' It is just the contrary.”
”Don't be profane, Rudolf,” said Francis, severely.
”But it is true--I bring money with me, over two hundred dollars in clean greenbacks, as a commencement of rest.i.tution, an earnest of my reform. What do you think my father would say if he found them to-morrow morning on his pillow? Don't you think he would receive me with open arms?”
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