Part 76 (1/2)

She buried her face in her hands; her frame was shaken with her sobs.

”Little daughter,” said he, greatly agitated, ”rise; come, remain here for a few moments; I wish to speak to your mother--alone. Natalie!”

The elder woman accompanied him a short distance across the lawn; they stood by the fountain.

”By Heaven, I would do anything for the child!” he said, rapidly; ”but you see, dear friend, how it is impossible. Look at the injustice of it.

If we transferred this duty to another person, what possible excuse could we make to him whom we might choose?”

He was looking back at the girl.

”It will kill her, Stefan,” the mother said.

”Others have suffered also.”

The elder woman seemed to collect herself a little.

”But I told you we had not said everything to you. The poor child is in despair; she has not thought of all the reasons that induced us to come to you. Stefan, you remember my cousin Konrad?”

”Oh yes, I remember Konrad well enough,” said the general, absently, for he was still regarding the younger Natalie, who sat on the bench, her hands clasped, her head bent down. ”Poor fellow, he came to a sad end at last; but he always carried his life in his hands, and with a gay heart too.”

”But you remember, do you not, something before that?” the mother said, with some color coming into her face. ”You remember how my husband had him chosen--and I myself appealed--and you, Stefan, you were among the first to say that the Society must inquire--”

”Ah, but that was different, Natalie. You know why it was that that commission had to be reversed.”

”Do I know? Yes. What else have I had to think about these sixteen or seventeen years since my child was separated from me?” she said, sadly.

”And perhaps I have grown suspicious; perhaps I have grown mad to think that what has happened once might happen again.”

”What?” he said, turning his clear blue eyes suddenly on her.

She did not flinch.

”Consider the circ.u.mstances, Stefan, and say whether one has no reason to suspect. The Englishman, this Mr. Brand, loves Natalie; she loves him in return; my husband refuses his consent to the marriage; and yet they meet in opposition to his wishes. Then there is another thing that I cannot so well explain, but it is something about a request on my husband's part that Mr. Brand, who is a man of wealth, should accept a certain offer, and give over his property to the funds of the Society.”

”I understand perfectly,” her companion said, calmly. ”Well?”

”Well, Mr. Brand, thinking of Natalie's future, refuses. But consider this, Stefan, that it had been hinted to him before that in case of his refusal, he might be sent to America to remain there for life.”

”I perceive, my old friend, that you are reading in your own interpretations into an ordinary matter of business. However--”

”But his refusal was immediately followed by that arrangement. He was ordered to go to America. My husband, no doubt considered that that would effectually separate him and Natalie--”

”Again you are putting in your own interpretation.”

”One moment, Stefan. My child is brave; she thought an injustice was being done; she thought it was for her sake that her lover was being sent away, and then she spoke frankly; she said she would go with him.”

”Yes?” He was now listening with more interest.

”You perceive then, my dear friend, my husband was thwarted in every way. Then it was, and quite suddenly, that he reversed this arrangement about America, and there fell on Mr. Brand this terrible thing. Knowing what I know, do you not think I had fair cause for suspicion? And when Natalie said, 'Oh, there are those abroad who will remove this great trouble from us,' then I said to myself, 'At all events, the Society does not countenance injustice; it will see that right has been done.'”

The face of the man had grown grave, and for some time he did not speak.