Part 13 (1/2)

And he kissed the maiden's brow.

”Accompany me with your light back into the church; now that I am sinful, I am afraid of the darkness of the church.”

Both went back through the door into the pa.s.sage way, and the door closed behind them. Idalia came out of her hiding-place--the bones of the widow----! She shook the mould off her cloak. She came near letting loose the hot lava of her pa.s.sion. In the ring of the closed door hung the ring of the secret lock: the name that served as key was Hieronymus.

She had only to put the iron pole across the door, shake up the rings, and then pound with her fist on the heavy door, and cry,--”I wish you a pleasant journey, you turtle-doves! You can go out past the two bears, and that third one, your father. I send kind greetings to all three.”

But she knew how to control herself; it should not be done this way.

To-morrow is yet to come, and that shall be the _dies irae_. She had nothing more to say. She caught up her lantern, and ran hastily back, so hastily that she slipped several times on the damp ground. When she had run about a thousand feet, she looked back. She did not see the torch-light coming near her. Naturally they must take leave of each other, and that required time.

It was still the dead of night when she reached the end of the pa.s.sage-way. Saint Nepomeck stood aside for her, and then took his place again. Idalia hurried up the secret stairway to Father Peter's room.

The child in his fear had fallen asleep on the bearskin in front of the bed. The mother laid him on the bed and covered him over, and he did not awaken. Then she looked out of the window to wait until the saint's statue came down again. It was a good half hour before the figure of Father Peter appeared from underground. So then their parting must have lasted half an hour. He had escaped through the window; through the window he must come back. She waited until he began to climb up the trellis-work; then wrapped her sleeping child in her cloak and carried him to her own room. Father Peter should not speak with him again.

CHAPTER XII.

THE ICE-BLOCKED FLOOD.

This night was not for sleep. Idalia went from room to room with the death-wound at her heart. She did not herself know what she was looking for. She stopped before her mirror and gazed at herself for some time.

Her deep sorrow, her restless pa.s.sion, had made her face still more beautiful. The tears s.h.i.+ning in her eyes lent a peculiar charm to her features. ”You lie. I am not beautiful! I am a demon--the demon that pursues him!” The mirror then said to her, ”You are hideous.” Now she knew what she must do. She sat down to write a letter.

”To his Lords.h.i.+p, Grazian Likovay.

Honored Lord: If you would know whose lover Father Peter really is, keep watch to-night and when you hear the bells ring at midnight,--those bells that you think are rung by spirits, since they have no cord--then, instead of covering up your head in fear, arise and go with your servants into the ghost-haunted chapel; there you shall learn which one of us has cause to go begging for his lost honor. What I have said, I have said--to-night after midnight. If you take warning, well and good; if not, also good. It matters not to me whether you accept it, or whether you do not. You will repent if you listen to me: you will repent still more if you do not.

I remain, your respectful servant,

The widow of Franz Karponay.”

She sealed the letter with her own crest. Meantime, it had been gradually growing light. She sent for the Fool.

”Hirsko,” she said, ”Can one cross the Waag?”

”Hare and hounds can; but man could hardly do it.”

”Why not?”

”Because during the night, the ice began to move, and if it has not caught fast on the island, it must be going right merrily.”

”Would you dare cross over with this letter?”

”If I had two heads, and could lose one there and leave the other here, I do not say but that I would undertake it.”

”Listen, Hirsko; I'll give you a new suit from head to foot, if you'll take this letter through. If you return, you shall have wine enough for a lifetime.”

”And if I go to the bottom, I shall have water enough for a lifetime.”

”Just try it. It's not so very dangerous. See this purse, it's full of money; that too is yours, if you succeed.”