Part 22 (1/2)

”Yes, over the new thres.h.i.+ng machine he has bought. When I came I listened a moment before I entered. He was singing the praise of the before-mentioned thres.h.i.+ng machine, and you were listening attentively.

Oh, you will reign as a model couple, but--may heaven protect me in mercy from such a marriageable blessing!”

”You are very naughty. Marietta,” said the young Baroness, now really angry, but her mischievous little friend instantly clung to her neck.

”Don't be mad, Toni. I do not mean any harm, and wish you happiness with all my heart, but you see my husband has to be of a different nature.”

”Ah, and how, pray?” asked Toni, half pouting, half reconciled by the coaxing plea.

”First, he has to be under my command, and not under his mother's.

Second, he must be a genuine man in whose protection I feel safe. He need not talk much--I do that--but he must love me so much--so much that he will not talk about papa or mamma, or his estates, or the new thres.h.i.+ng machine, but let them all go if only he has--me.”

Toni shrugged her shoulders with compa.s.sionate superiority.

”You have very childish views at times, Marietta--but now let us talk about the dresses.”

”Yes, we will, before your elect returns and posts himself at our side like a guard. He has a remarkable talent for mounting guard. Now, you wear with the blue silk----”

The pending question was not destined to receive a solution this time, either, for the door opened and Frau von Eschenhagen entered, calling for Antonie, whose presence was desired elsewhere.

Antonie arose obediently and left the room. Frau Regine made no effort to follow her, but took her vacant seat at the window instead.

The reigning mistress of Burgsdorf was not diplomatically inclined like her brother; she had to interfere everywhere with force. She had become impatient, for w.i.l.l.y had as good as reported nothing. He grew red and stammered every time he should have repeated what the ”theatre princess” had said and done, and his mother, who would not believe in a harmless girls' chat, concluded to take the affair in her own hands.

Marietta had dutifully risen at the entrance of the older lady, whom she had scarcely seen at the first visit, and whose hostile bearing she had not observed in the joy of the first meeting. She only thought that Toni's future mother-in-law had little friendliness about her, but troubled herself no further about the severe lady who was now measuring her from head to foot, with the stern mien of a judge.

In point of fact this Marietta looked just like other young girls, but she was pretty--very pretty, which was that much worse. She wore her hair in short curls--that was improper; other bad attributes would doubtless make their appearance in the conversation which was now begun.

”You are a friend of the fiancee of my son?”

”Yes, gracious lady,” was the unembarra.s.sed rejoinder.

”A friends.h.i.+p which dates from childhood, as you were raised in the house of Dr. Volkmar?”

”Certainly; I lost my parents very early.”

”Quite right; my brother-in-law told me so. And to what calling did your father belong?”

”He was a physician like my grandpapa,” replied Marietta, more amused than surprised at this examination, the object of which she did not guess. ”My mother was also the daughter of a physician--a whole medical family, is it not? Only I have taken a different course.”

”Alas, yes,” said Frau von Eschenhagen with emphasis.

The young girl looked at her with surprise. Was that a jest? The mien of the lady was not at all mirthful, though, as she continued: ”You will admit, my child, that if one has the good fortune to come from an honorable and respected family, one ought to show oneself worthy of it.

You ought to have chosen your vocation accordingly.”

”Mon Dieu! but I could not study medicine like my father and grandfather,” exclaimed Marietta, breaking into an amused laugh. The affair gave her endless fun, but the remark displeased her stern judge, who replied with considerable sharpness:

”There are, G.o.d be thanked, plenty of proper vocations for a young girl. You are a singer?”