Part 34 (1/2)
”She is well?”
”No, she was very weary to-day at dinner, she had a sleepless night from anxiety on my account--my poor mother! And now since your mind is easy on all points, old fellow, it is to be hoped that you'll torment yourself no longer with gloomy forebodings, but do your best to get well and strong. Let us recall our poor exiled Georges, shall we not--_ca_! who's there? some one knocked!”
”Come in!” said Fritz.
Conte Capriani entered, a roll of parchment in his hand.
Oswald winced.
”For Heaven's sake stay,” panted Fritz, holding his friend fast by the wrist.
”Yes, pray stay, my dear Count,” said Capriani, who must have heard Fritz's words, or had understood his gesture. ”I knew that I should meet you here, but what I have to arrange with our friend, Malzin, might as well be discussed before a hundred witnesses. I am really glad to see you again--our last conversation came to so sudden a termination,” and the Conte familiarly held out his hand to the young man.
Oswald measured him from head to foot with a haughty glance, and put his hand in his pocket. Then leaning his elbow upon the high back of Fritz's easy-chair, he stood motionless while Capriani angrily pushed a chair near to the table and sat down.
”So, my dear Malzin, you are off for Gleichenberg,” he began, with his left thumb stuck into the arm-hole of his waistcoat, and his right hand resting on the roll of parchment on his knee.
Oswald's gaze was fixed with a strange curiosity upon the face of the stock-gambler; all the loathsome ideas which had sullied his soul of late recurred to him; how disgraceful, nay how ridiculous his foul suspicions seemed when confronted with the flesh and blood Capriani.
Meanwhile the Conte, irritated to the last degree by the young Count's cold stare, continued, ”You must, of course, be desirous of settling your affairs, Malzin, before your departure. Under present circ.u.mstances you ought to be glad to be able to provide for the future of your children.”
”Certainly; I have discussed it fully with my relatives,” murmured Fritz, trembling with agitation, and clasping his thin hands on the table.
”Discussed?--that can lead to nothing,” Capriani a.s.serted, ”I see, I see, the same loose way of attending to business. A matter of such importance ought to be definitely settled. It is time for you to listen to reason, as regards that vault; of course we all hope that you will return from Gleichenberg sound and well, but we must be prepared for the worst. If you close your eyes to this you leave your children unprovided for, and you, you alone will be to blame, seeing that by merely executing this deed of sale for that burial-vault--downright rubbish--you will receive the extremely handsome and liberal sum of thirty thousand gulden. Now, pray be reasonable.”
The Conte spread the parchment out on the table before Fritz, dipped a pen in the ink, and handed it to him.
The tears came into the wretched man's eyes. ”My poor children!” he groaned and took the pen.
On the instant Oswald s.n.a.t.c.hed the fateful parchment from the table, and threw it on the floor; ”You shall not sign it, Fritz!” he exclaimed, his voice hoa.r.s.e with indignation; then turning to the Conte, he said sharply, ”You see that my cousin is not equal to the excitement of an interview like the present. May I beg you to leave us?”
The Conte sprang up, his breath came in quick gasps, and a dark menace shot from the eyes that he rivetted upon the young man's face.
”May I beg you to leave the room,” Oswald repeated with icy disdain.
”You show me to the door?”--the Conte said, beside himself with rage,--”you dare to do this to me--you--were not my hints the other day plain enough?....”
Oswald lost all self-control; ”Scoundrel! Liar!” he gasped hoa.r.s.ely.
His riding-whip lay on the table--he seized it and pointed to the door; ”Begone!” he thundered.
For an instant Capriani hesitated, baleful threatening flas.h.i.+ng in his eyes. ”I am going,” he said, ”but you shall hear from me!” and the door closed behind him.
Quivering with rage, Oswald turned about. ”My G.o.d! Fritz ....!” he exclaimed in terror. Fritz had risen from his chair, and after advancing a step, had fallen drenched in blood beside his couch!
CHAPTER IX.
The hemorrhage had at last been arrested, the doctor sent for, and the sick man put to bed. Oswald was sitting beside him, awaiting the arrival of the physician. From time to time he whispered a comforting word to the invalid or gave him a bit of ice. Some one gently lifted the latch of the door. ”Ossi!” Georges called softly.