Part 18 (1/2)
Again they sat at table side by side as before the accident, and Magelone forced herself to discuss indifferent topics indifferently, but all the while the question would obtrude itself, ”What did her cousin's 'into the world' mean?” Was he only jesting, or was it a concealed menace, or the mere whim of a sick man?
”He is too indolent to go away,”--it was thus she consoled herself,--”and grandpapa would not allow it, nor would I.” So long as she could consider Johann Leopold as securely her own he was more than indifferent to her, but now when it looked as if he were freeing himself, withdrawing from her sway, she wanted at all hazards to hold him fast, and this not from calculation alone. He had repulsed her advances to-day, but ice does not melt beneath the first sunbeam, and her amiability must conquer, like the suns.h.i.+ne, through persistency. If the doctor were only gone! His keen, observing glance made her uncomfortable.
Her wish was shortly to be fulfilled; Ludwig departed on the following morning. Very early, while he was busy packing, Johann Leopold came to his room. ”I do not mean to disturb you,” he said, throwing himself down on a sofa, ”but I cannot spare one moment of you. You have spoiled me; I shall be doubly lonely now.”
Ludwig frowned. ”Do not be so weak,” he said; ”it is not fitting. You look badly,--you have not slept well.”
”I have not slept at all,” Johann Leopold replied. ”After our conversation of last evening, after your answer to my questions----”
”You wanted the truth,” Ludwig interrupted him, ”and I thought I owed it to you.”
”You did, and I thank you for it; but it is hard to bear.”
Ludwig's lips quivered, as they always did when he was moved, and for a while he went on stuffing some things into his portmanteau; then he said, ”Finish it all quickly; there should be no half measures where the knife is necessary.”
Johann Leopold pa.s.sed his hand wearily across his forehead and eyes.
”You are right; it is time I should do what must be done.”
”If you see that, do it instantly,--to-day,--within an hour! Can I help you? Perhaps it would be easier for you if I spoke with the Freiherr----”
Johann Leopold started up and changed colour. ”No, no, I must do it myself; I must first be clear in my own mind. But I thank you,” he added more quietly, ”and later I may entreat your help in another way. I may reckon upon it, may I not?”
”Upon my best efforts, a.s.suredly,” Ludwig answered, pressing the delicate white hand extended to him. ”But what do you mean? I am not fond of vague promises.”
”You shall know more as soon as possible. Your s.h.i.+p sails on the 14th of March,--time enough to arrange everything,” said the other, sinking back among the sofa-cus.h.i.+ons.
”Time enough to fall back into the old indolence,” thought Ludwig, but he did not utter his thought, and hurriedly finished locking his trunk and portmanteau.
The servant came to say that the carriage was waiting.
”Stay here!” Ludwig said, decidedly, as Johann Leopold rose. ”The morning is bitterly cold; it is another kind of hardening process to which I would have you subject yourself. Good-by.”
They shook hands, and before Johann Leopold could add a word of grat.i.tude to his 'Farewell,' Ludwig had left the room and closed the door after him.
Leave-taking was so painful to him that he had suppressed all mention to the family of the time of his departure, and had only late on the preceding evening requested of Johann Leopold to order his conveyance in the morning; but he was not to escape thus. In the lower story old Christian requested him to step into the drawing-room for a moment, and there, to his surprise, he found the entire family, with the exception of Johann Leopold; even Magelone had not ventured to absent herself.
The Freiherr came towards him with outstretched hands. ”My dear doctor, you wanted to steal away,” he said, ”but we could not allow it. It is not my fas.h.i.+on to talk of grat.i.tude, but I hope you know what obligations we are all under to you. You have grown dear to us, and I beg and hope that you will in future consider Donninghausen as another home in the full sense of the word. So soon as you return from your travels we shall expect you.” And he kissed the young man's forehead, as he was wont to do in taking leave of all belonging to him. Aunt Thekla with tears in her eyes wished him a happy journey, and hoped he had breakfasted well. Magelone offered him her finger-tips with a smile, and Johanna, who had on her hat and cloak, declared that she was going to drive to Thalrode with him.
With sparkling eyes he followed her into the corridor, but at the head of the stairs he paused and took her hand. ”Dear Johanna, I thank you; but let me drive off alone,” he said. ”It is only prolonging a farewell if you accompany me. Stay here for my sake. Good-by! good-by!”
His last words were scarcely audible. He took her in his arms, and for the first time in his life kissed her on the lips,--a long, ardent kiss, that thrilled her to the heart. Then, while she stood as in a dream, he ran down the stairs. The next moment the door of the carriage was shut, and the wheels rattled over the pavement of the court-yard.
CHAPTER XII.
CELA N'ENGAGE a RIEN.
The first days of March had come. The Freiherr wished to ride to the saw-mill, and asked Johanna to go with him; but, just as they had mounted their horses, a farmer arrived to speak with the Freiherr, who never allowed a working-man to wait. So he gave Johanna directions, and she started off for the saw-mill in the clear morning, escorted by Leo.
The long frost had been followed by a rain, and now the sun was s.h.i.+ning.