Part 108 (2/2)
She mutely motioned him to give her the letter. Gunther handed it to her.
The queen read it and turned pale as a corpse. Her features grew rigid; her hands fell to her side, as if palsied; her eyes closed, an expression as of death lay on her lips. Presently, she shook as if in a chill, and then her face became flushed, as if burning. She sprang to her feet and exclaimed:
”No! no! Have you done this? Could you act thus, Irma? You--”
She fell back in her chair, covered her face with both hands, and exclaimed:
”And she kissed my child, and he kissed it! Oh, they kissed that which was purest of all, well knowing how impure their own lips were. They talked in the loftiest strain, and yet the words did not cut their tongues like sharp knives! Oh, how disgusting! How disgusting, how tainted everything seems! How I loathe myself! And he dared to tell me that a prince could have no private actions, for his deeds are an example to others. Shame! shame! Everything is vile, everything is despicable! Everything!”
She looked around, bewildered. She was as terrible in her indignation as she had been beautiful in her grief.
With vacant gaze she regarded every object that had once met Irma's eye, and when her glance again fell upon the flower-table, she turned away with a convulsive start, as if serpents had darted from the flowers. Again she exclaimed:
”Oh, how loathsome! Oh, how vile, how disgusting! I beg of you, leave me alone! May I not be alone?”
”Let me remain with Your Majesty,” said the Doctor, taking her hand, which hung as if lifeless at her side.
Countess Brinkenstein withdrew.
For a long while, the queen did not speak a word. She seemed to be staring at vacancy, breathed heavily and would, at times, start convulsively. She was suddenly seized with a chill, and fell back insensible.
The doctor bathed her forehead and wrists with a few drops of some restorative, and then called her maid. Accompanied by the latter, he conducted the queen to her apartments, and ordered that she should be put to bed.
”I shall never again see the light of day, nor a human face; and he--and he!” cried she; then she forced her lace handkerchief into her mouth and tore it to pieces with her teeth.
She lay thus for some time, the doctor sitting silently by her bedside.
At length she heaved a deep sigh, opened her eyes, and said:
”I thank you, but I would like to sleep.”
”Yes, do so,” said the doctor. He was about to leave, but she called to him:
”One word more. Does the king know--?”
”Yes, Your Majesty.”
”And he went to the hunt?”
”He is king, Your Majesty.”
”I know, I know!--Anything to avoid creating a sensation. Yes, yes.”
”I beg of you, Your Majesty, don't think now. Don't worry about anything. Try to sleep.”
”We can give ourselves the sleep eternal, but not temporal sleep.”
”I entreat you. Your Majesty; don't give way to this violent excitement; do try to sleep.”
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