Part 56 (1/2)
”Only a simple thing--have her get married.”
”What do you mean?”
”O, Will, to be so wise and yet see nothing,” said his wife with her old sweet silvery laugh. ”Have you no idea why uncle Schonau was in such a bad humor when we met him in Berlin, and urged him to visit us? Your mother didn't invite him because she feared another proposal; he understood that, and it made him furious. I saw them at Waldhofen the time of our marriage, and I knew he would have been very glad to have a similar ceremony performed for himself, only your mother said him nay.
Don't put on such a face, Will; you look exactly as you did the first day I saw you.”
Her husband was gazing at her in boundless astonishment. He had never dreamed of such a possibility as his mother marrying again, or his uncle either, for that matter. It struck him now as a most excellent arrangement.
”Marietta, how wise you are!” he said, looking with admiration at the smiling girl, who was beaming with satisfaction at the manner in which her news had been received.
”I'm wiser than you think,” she declared triumphantly, ”for I have set the wheel going. I took occasion to let uncle Schonau know that if he stormed the fort again, a complete surrender might follow. He said he had no intention of being refused again, but you'll see him sooner than you think. In fact he's in the house now, came half an hour ago, but I determined to say nothing about it before mamma--here he is now!”
The head forester stepped on the terrace just in time to hear the last words.
”Yes, here I am,” said Herr von Schonau. ”It's all your little wife's fault, Will, that I am at Burgsdorf. I'm here at her suggestion, and if that mother of your's is not obstinate and unreasonable and pig-headed as usual--why I'll marry her.”
”I pray to G.o.d you may, uncle,” answered Will, to whom this summary of his mother's wonted characteristics was very singular, to say the least.
”Yes, so do I,” agreed Schonau, ”your wife thinks--”
”I think that you shouldn't lose a moment,” cried Marietta, ”Mamma has just gone to her sitting-room and knows nothing of your arrival. Will and I will remain behind, and if the worst comes to the worst call on us. Forward, march!”
With these words she gave him a push, and the st.u.r.dy, broad shouldered man turned at her bidding, saying to Will, who entered the house with him:
”They are all commanders whether they be large or small--it's born in them, I suppose.”
Regine von Eschenhagen stood at the window of her cosy room looking out upon her beloved Burgsdorf, which she was to leave in a few days. Though she had said so decidedly she would go, the decision had been no light matter to her. The strong, active, capable woman who had been mistress here for thirty years and over, dreaded the quiet and inactivity of city life, of which she had had some slight experience at the time of her quarrel with her son. She dreaded going back to it now, though she knew it was but just and fitting to leave Willibald and his wife alone, and she had the courage to do what was right. She heard the door open and turned to see the head forester enter the room.
”Moritz, you here?” she said, surprised. ”It was very sensible of you to come.”
”Yes, I'm always sensible,” answered the head forester, with his usual lack of tact. ”You didn't have the grace to invite me, but I thought I'd come in person to invite you and your children to Toni's marriage. You will come to Furstenstein, will you not?”
”Certainly we will come, but we were surprised to hear it was to take place so soon. I thought you were going to buy them an estate first and settle the matter more slowly!”
”No, they wouldn't wait or listen to reason. Our warriors make great demands when they come home covered with glory. Walldorf said to me quite coolly: 'You know you said first conquer then marry. Well we have conquered; now I shall marry without any delay. The estate can wait, the land won't run away, but we must be married now!' Of course Toni seconded everything he said. What could I do? I let them name the day then and there.”
Frau von Eschenhagen laughed.
”The young are in a hurry to marry, though they have plenty of time to wait.”
”The old have none to spare, though,” said the head forester promptly, glad of so good a chance to get on the subject near his heart. ”Have you reflected enough over our little affair, Regine?”
”What affair?”
”Why, our marriage. I trust you are in the humor for it now.” Regine turned away somewhat embarra.s.sed.
”How you do love to take one by surprise, Moritz.”
”So that is what you call taking by surprise?” cried the head forester, irritated. ”Over five years ago I asked you to marry me, then last year a second time, and now for the third time, so you have had plenty of time to consider the matter. Yes, or no? If you send me away this time I'll never come again, understand that!”