Part 26 (2/2)
”Well?”
Suddenly these two, who had been gazing into the distance for a while, looked at each other eye to eye, and they were afraid, one because of the refusal he read there--and the other because of the pain he was going to give.
”No!” said the voice, grown harsh in order to dominate its emotion, which would have made it tremble. ”I will not!”
”I expected that; but if I tell you that they love each other?”
”That may be. I cannot!”
”You have some very serious reason then?”
”Yes.”
”What is it?”
M. Bastian pointed through the trees to the house of the Oberles.
”To-day, in that house, they are expecting the visit of the Prefect of Strasburg.”
”I could not tell you, and I had to wait before speaking about it till every one knew it.”
”It is public property now. All the town of Alsheim has been told by the servants. They even say that M. von Ka.s.sewitz is coming to ask for the hand of Lucienne for his nephew, Lieutenant von Farnow.”
”I know it!”
”And you would have it so?”
”Yes!”
”That I should give my daughter to Jean Oberle so that she should have a father-in-law who will be a governmental candidate in the coming elections and a brother-in-law who is a Prussian officer?”
M. Ulrich kept calm under the indignant gaze of M. Bastian and answered:
”Yes; these are terrible things for him, but it is not Jean's fault.
Where will you find a man more worthy of you and of your daughter?”
”What is he doing to oppose this marriage? He is here--his silence gives consent. He is weak.”
M. Ulrich stopped him with a movement.
”No; he is strong!”
”Not like you--you who knew how to close your house.”
”My house belongs to me.”
”And I have the right to say 'Not like me!' All these young people accept things too easily, my friend. I do not mix myself up with politics. I keep silent. I plough my land. I am looked on with suspicion by the peasants, who no doubt like me, but who begin to find me 'compromising.' I am hated by Germans of every kind and colour. But, as G.o.d hears me, that only makes me drive my roots deeper in, and I do not change. I will die with all my old hatreds intact--do you understand--intact?”
His eyes had a gleam in them such as a sharpshooter has when, with gun in hand, and sure that his hand will not tremble, he covers his enemy.
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