Part 11 (1/2)
”For two years she mourned deeply; nay, I often watched her with real anxiety; but at last time and her healthful nature a.s.serted their rights. She grew stronger, gradually became calmer, even gay, and for the last year has been the same vivacious child she was five years ago.
Now you know all, honored sir, and can judge for yourself.”
_Heinrich_ gazed into vacancy long and thoughtfully. At last he said, kindly, ”Under such extraordinary circ.u.mstances people must of course make exceptions. You are an honest man, Herr Inspector!”
”I thank you, Herr Geheimrath!”
”But now, tell me, has it never occurred to you to send some one after this strange girl, to see what direction she takes?”
”She always went to the stand of hackney-coaches and drove away in one of them. There is a consistency in everything she does, which would sometimes terrify one if he had not learned to know her kind heart.”
”I thank you for your report. Farewell, Herr Inspector.” _Heinrich_ took his hat and went out.
”Albert must be free! the Prison Fairy must become mine!” said he, as he left the prison.
IX.
FRAULEIN VERONICA VON ALBIN.
Thus his resolution was at last formed. He perceived that Albert's liberation was the only price with which he could again purchase the confidence of the obstinate girl. The impressions he had received during his voluntary confinement in the cell convinced him of the unwarrantable cruelty he should commit if he allowed poor Albert to suffer unjustly any longer. The useless hours of waiting for the Prison Fairy had increased his interest in her to a longing, and the inspector's story gave him the a.s.surance that she was worthy of a sacrifice. The simple experience of this afternoon had destroyed the web of doubt that overpowered him. He intended to treat the whole affair with the ease of a man of the world, and disarm the malicious public by a display of amiable qualities which no one could resist, and which must of course win the heart of the Prison Fairy. He was conscious of the power of his personal attractions, and, after he became accustomed to the thought of a public examination, took pleasure in the idea of making all his advantages sparkle in the light of her delighted glances. Since there was no other way of gaining possession of her, he ordered the investigation of Albert Preheim's murderous a.s.sault to be once more taken up by the courts.
A week pa.s.sed away before the matter was publicly discussed, and during this time _Heinrich_ and _Henri_ pursued but one object: to find the Prison Fairy. But all plans were set at naught by the cunning obstinacy with which she eluded him. Ottmar went daily to the jail and showed the prisoners every conceivable kindness, but none of them could tell him anything more than that she had not come of late. The poor men were almost in despair,--it was the first time for five years that she had remained away so long. No one could explain the cause. _Heinrich_ knew it and wondered at her firmness,--it could not be indifference that made her avoid him so anxiously; and this thought goaded his impatience to its height.
The day of the examination came. Upon this all his hopes were fixed.
The galleries of the hall were crowded. Ottmar, the haughty, dreaded aristocrat, enters the lists to defend a poor, persecuted plebeian, and confesses his own error to prove the innocence of his _protege_. This was the rumor that ran through the whole city. Every one wanted to see it for himself before he believed it; and instead of the malicious public he had expected, appeared a joyful throng, already half conciliated. A crowd of ladies of all ranks and ages had also a.s.sembled to see the famous Ottmar in the role of a penitent sinner. It is characteristic that women in general will not pardon the smallest error if it is concealed, while, on the contrary, they will forgive the greatest sin if an appeal is made to their generosity by a frank confession. _Heinrich_ hoped to find this experience confirmed by the Prison Fairy, and was persuaded that his conduct on this occasion would completely subdue her defiance. The examination began. All eyes were fixed compa.s.sionately upon the pallid Albert, broken down in the flower of his years, as entered the court-room with tottering steps, supported between two gendarmes.
The presiding officer opened the proceedings by a short history of the case, the statements of the absent Severinus were read aloud, and pa.s.sed on for the a.s.sent of the accused and the witnesses. At first no one paid much attention to the course of affairs. They had learned five years ago that the charge against Albert was a heavy one, so they were now only curious about the examination of the witnesses, and that strange, familiar murmur of impatience became distinctly audible after the presiding officer had finished his speech. But, eagerly as the public awaited Ottmar's entrance, he still remained behind the door of the witness-box. At last the presiding officer commanded Baron von Ottmar to be summoned.
A satisfied ”ah!” ran through the crowd, as a gust of wind rustles through withered leaves, when _Heinrich_ appeared. With all the power of his natural and acquired charm of manner he revealed the psychological causes of the event, and with convincing legal acuteness represented them in their relations to the law. He forbearingly concealed the name of Albert's betrothed, and confessed his fault with the dignity of a man who, on the ground of great and n.o.ble qualities, feels ent.i.tled to rise above the errors of his youth, and has no timidity in acknowledging a wrong if by so doing he can avoid a greater one. While _Heinrich_ was speaking he scanned the galleries, and _Henri_ gazed into many a beautiful, joy-beaming face, but the one both sought was absent.
All hearts yearned towards Ottmar; only she for whom all had been done unsympathizingly avoided the sole opportunity which might show him in a more favorable light. And yet he could not believe it; she _must_ be there, and had probably only concealed herself from his gaze.
This doubt aroused the greatest agitation. Almost mechanically he continued to play his part as a n.o.ble man. He had spoken so admirably that there was very little left for Albert's lawyer to say; but his thoughts were not fixed upon Albert, but the gallery; and the more firmly he was convinced that the Prison Fairy was not there, the more his joy in his good deed disappeared; he no longer dared hope to gain access to the obstinate fairy by any such means.
The court had summoned old Anton from his home to give his testimony; but he had not yet arrived, so another session must be called. If she did not appear then, he had lost the game.
Just at that moment a thought entered his mind which might place him on the right track. She could have obtained her remarkable education only in scientific circles, and had probably been reared in a very intellectual family. Ottmar proposed to make a round of visits to all the prominent literary and scientific people in N----. ”She is not a native of this capital, her German is too correct for that, so I will begin with the strangers,” he thought. He had hitherto confined himself exclusively to the court circle, and was entirely unknown in the society he now proposed to seek.
Sunday intervened between the first and second session of the court, and Ottmar availed himself of it. He drove around the city in his elegant carriage all the morning, and was everywhere cordially received. Many, beautiful and ugly, forward and retiring, simple and highly educated young ladies were introduced to him. She was nowhere to be found.
When he paid the last visit on his list, and there also met only unfamiliar, commonplace faces, he asked the friendly head of the household, in an under-tone, whether he could mention any particularly interesting people whom a stranger in N---- ought to know.
The old gentleman reflected a short time, and finally inquired whether he had yet heard nothing of old Fraulein Veronica von Albin.
”Oh, you must seek her out!” he exclaimed when _Heinrich_ answered his question in the negative. ”She is a perfect original, a petrifaction of the period of sentimentality, and withal a really intellectual person, in whose salon you will find every one who has any pretensions to fame, and is enrolled under the banner of poetry and sensibility.”
Wearied by his minute explanation, _Heinrich_ expressed his thanks, inquired the way to her dwelling, and drove thither. He had made it a duty to follow every suggestion of destiny, but knew in advance that he should not find what he sought in the home of a sentimental old maid.
The carriage stopped before a ma.s.sive stone house. Two colossal figures on the right and left of the door held lanterns adorned with intricate iron scroll-work in the fas.h.i.+on of the last century. The lower windows were grated with thick wrought-iron bars, and the heavy oaken door did not lack the s.h.i.+ning bra.s.s lion's head, with the ring in its mouth.
Above the door was a somewhat weather-beaten coat-of-arms, carved in stone, overshadowed by a tiny balcony provided with manifold sculptured ornaments and iron scrolls. _Heinrich_ pulled the bell. The door was opened, and when he entered a statue placed in a niche in the staircase extended its arms as if in welcome.