Part 34 (2/2)

Thus, on the following day, she met Ottmar. The strength of her soul conquered her physical weakness; and when the dinner was over and the prince was conversing with the other guests, she calmly approached Ottmar with an air of quiet dignity.

”The prince has commissioned me to speak to you, count,” she whispered, almost inaudibly.

”His Highness?” asked _Heinrich_, in astonishment.

”Yes; but I do not do so in his name, but my own. We are anxious about you, for we both see that you are suffering. Your manner reveals it to me, while he notices the change by the decreasing interest you take in your business.”

”I know it!” exclaimed _Heinrich_.

”He now wishes to obtain some explanation through me; he hopes you will be more open than with him; but fear nothing, I shall not degrade myself to become a spy upon you; nor should I need to do so, for I know the cause of your anguish, and shall guard it as a sacred secret. Yet I consented to the conversation the prince desired because I believed the wish to be a sign from G.o.d. Besides, I wanted to speak to you once more about some of the last events in your life; perhaps I may finally produce some good result.”

_Heinrich_ gazed at her in the greatest astonishment.

”Will you permit a friend of many years' standing to meddle with your secrets? Will you trust me?” she asked, with all her former winning grace.

”Oh, my princess!” cried _Heinrich_, in delight. ”How long it is since you have bestowed any such words upon me! how your returning favor soothes and cheers me!”

”G.o.d is my witness that my favor was never withdrawn from you, count.”

She raised her sparkling blue eyes, and her lips parted to say more; then she recollected herself: her lids drooped again, and she was silent. After a pause she began, in an altered tone, ”The prince wishes through me to learn the cause of the change in you, that he may help you; but I can aid you without telling him your secret, and thus save both, and betray no one. Is that right?”

”Perfectly! But, my beloved, n.o.ble princess, how can you help me?”

”You have been deserted by the young girl you loved. Is it not so?”

”Yes, yes; but how do you know?”

”The unhappy fate that has come between you is a secret to me, and one I do not wish to fathom. The fault, my friend,--pardon my usual frankness,--must be with you; for I know her, and will answer for it that you were loved with a rare, pure, and fervent affection.”

”Oh, your Highness, you cut me to the heart!”

”I must do so, count, if I am to be of use to you; and this is the only occasion upon which I can. That you love Cornelia Erwing with the first real pa.s.sion of your life I see by the deep sorrow expressed in your outward appearance, as well as your acts and conduct; and I hail this mood with joy, count, as the gloomy twilight which precedes the dawn of a new day.”

”Princess, you do not know what I suffer. If I ever sinned against a n.o.ble heart, I am now making bitter atonement. Pity me; do not triumph in my anguish.”

”Oh, how greatly you misunderstand me, count I triumph in your anguis.h.!.+

May G.o.d keep me from such a thought! I rejoice because your sorrows are a proof of a salutary change in your heart! I rejoice that you love deeply, truly, sadly; because I hope to be able to restore that to which your heart clings so loyally!”

”Could you do so, your Highness?” whispered _Heinrich_, his eyes sparkling with new life.

”Cornelia Erwing conceals her residence from you. Have you searched for her?”

”I have summoned the police of the whole country to my aid, left no means untried, but all in vain.”

”Why did you do that?”

”Why?” asked Ottmar, in astonishment. ”Because I wished to win her, to have her again.”

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