Part 22 (1/2)
”We will, perhaps, find means to delay the marriage,” said Moritz proudly, ”or, much more, prevent the marriage ceremony.”
”I am very curious to know the means,” said Frau von Werrig. ”From this hour Marie is the betrothed of Herr Ebenstreit, and the wedding will take place so soon--”
”So soon as the t.i.tle of n.o.bility is published. That is it, is the clause to be filled; and therefore I tell you, beloved, wait and hope!
This woman is without pity and without mercy; but G.o.d is in heaven, and Frederick the Great on the earth. Wait and hope. Be firm in hope, and constant in love. Do not lose courage, and let them force you to compliance by threats and anger. I have only you to confide in and to love in the world, and you are my hope, my goal, and the happiness of my life. If you forsake me, I lose my good angel, and am a lost, miserable man, whom it would be better to hurl into the deepest abyss than let him suffer the torments of hated existence. The knowledge of your love gives me strength and courage; it will inspire me to fight like a hero, to win the dear, beloved wife, to whom I would yield my life in order to receive it anew from her purified and sanctified. The knowledge that I had lost you, would ruin me.”
Laying both hands upon his shoulder, Marie looked at him with eyes beaming with affection, renewing her vow that she would never love or marry another. ”We will be courageous in hope, and brave in constancy.
Listen to me, my beloved; listen, my mother--I betrothed myself to this dear man! You can prevent my becoming his wife now, but in four years I am of age, and then I shall be my own mistress. Then, my dear Philip, I will be your wife. Let us wait and hope!”
”Yes, Marie, we will wait and hope.--Farewell! Do not forget that there is a great G.o.d in heaven, and a great king upon earth.--Farewell!”
He pressed the hand clasped in his own pa.s.sionately to his tips, and felt from the pressure of her delicate fingers a renewed vow of constancy. Buoyed with this hope in the sad hour of parting, they were happy and joyful. Marie accompanied him to the door--still hand in hand.
”Presume not to go a step farther,” commanded her mother, and Marie, obedient to her wishes, remained near the door, bowed to Moritz, and never ceased to regard him, with love beaming in her eyes, until the door closed. Outside stood old Trude, to tell him that she would be at the baker's at seven o'clock every morning, and wait for his commissions, ”and may be I shall have something to bring you,” she said.
”So do come!”
”I will, my good Trude; you are the only person who is friendly to us.
Watch over my angel, console her with your affection, and when they are too hard upon her, come to me.”
”I surely will, but listen--they are already quarrelling with my good angel. I will go in, to serve as a lightning-rod for dear Marie. I often do it, and it pleases me when the lightning strikes, and dashes my hard old head to the ground, but does not hurt me at all--Farewell, Herr Moritz, the lightning-rod must go in.”
Trude entered suddenly and noiselessly the sitting-room, and interrupted the angry reproaches which Frau von Werrig hurled against Marie in a furious stream of words. The countess's rage turned against Trude, who stared as if to challenge her. ”What do you want? How dare you enter uncalled?”
”I thought you were calling deaf old Trude, or why did you scream so?”
replied Trude, tartly.
”Perhaps it was the general. Ah! there lies the poor, dear old man, groaning and crying, and n.o.body has any pity for him.”
”Ah! Trude, it is good luck that you are here,” whined the general. ”No one troubles himself about me. Quick, bring warm covering for my leg, the pain is fearful!”
”Poor, dear father, I will take care of you, I will nurse you,” said Marie, hastening to him. Her mother pushed her back violently. ”Not a step farther; you have no right to go near him, you are his murderess.
On your head will fall the guilt, if these dreadful scenes should cause his death.”
”No, no, the general will not die quite yet,” said Trude busying herself about his arm-chair. ”But, Fraulein, you have got something else to do than stay here. They have already sent for the flowers twice, and the French lady is waiting up-stairs to parlez-vous.”
Marie looked her friendly thanks, and quietly and quickly left the room.
”Now, bold woman, I have a last word to say to you. Who locked the door when that creature came?” ”I, madame,” answered Trude, who was just bringing a great cus.h.i.+on from the back-room to cover the general's feet.
”You acknowledge that you locked the door intentionally?”
”Now, my dear, good Frau von Werrig, one does not lock a door by mistake. I did not want Herr Moritz to run away with fright, before you had given him your mind, and set his head straight. He would certainly have escaped, and only heard the half of your beautiful talk, for he had no idea what a miserable fellow he is. So I locked both doors, and he was obliged to listen to you, and has gone away contrite and repentant.
There, there, my poor, dear general, is your foot high enough? Shall I not bring the foot-warmer?”
”You shall not bring any thing, nor do any thing more. You are a hypocrite, who connives with Moritz. Leave my house this very hour! You are dismissed my service. Go pack up your things and be off!” cried Frau von Werrig.
”Oh, do not go, Trude, for mercy's sake, for then I have no one to help me,” cried the general.