Part 26 (1/2)

Brandow had recovered his composure; it was absurd that he should have been so unnecessarily anxious. The scoundrel had as many lives as a cat, and what did he care for the other?

”I have been waiting here for you almost two hours,” said he. ”But how could such an accident have happened? Poor Gotthold, and that good fellow Sellien! I must see how he is. You will probably remain here now, and you also, Herr Wollnow.”

Without waiting for a reply, he rushed out and disappeared in the darkness.

Wollnow's eyes flashed as he looked after him, but he repressed the words that seemed trembling on his lips.

”And you, my dear Gotthold?”

”I have got off so,” said Gotthold. ”But what is to be done now? How shall we tell his wife?”

”I should like to see him myself first. They know I was going to meet you, and will not miss me.”

”Then come.”

The two friends went out. Wollnow gave Gotthold his arm. ”Lean on me,”

said he; ”lean firmly, and don't speak.”

”Only one thing. The ten thousand thalers Sellien had with him are lost. We did not notice it until we were cutting off his coat here.”

”How can they be lost if you were obliged to cut off his coat?”

Gotthold made no reply; the faintness which he had already several times scarcely been able to conquer, once more stole over him, and he was obliged to lean very heavily on Wollnow's arm.

Thus, not without considerable difficulty, they reached the Furstenhof, where everything was in the greatest confusion, but did not see Brandow again. The host said that he had ordered his horse to be saddled as soon as he heard of the news of the loss of the money, and then rode away without seeing the a.s.sessor. He could do no good here, he said; but the money would scarcely be found without him.

”Nor with him perhaps,” muttered Wollnow.

There had been no change in the a.s.sessor's condition.

”If he does not recover his senses soon, we have no hope of saving the patient,” said Doctor Lauterbach.

The physician soon had two patients. Gotthold fell fainting upon Sellien's bed.

”I said so,” observed the Doctor; ”it's a miracle that he has held out so long. It is really a bad accident.”

”If it is an accident,” muttered Wollnow.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Herr Wollnow and his wife now spent days and nights of ceaseless care.

It had proved possible to move the a.s.sessor, in spite of his serious injuries, to their house, where he was much more comfortably situated in every respect, while Gotthold, who in comparison was scarcely considered wounded, they were obliged to leave at the Furstenhof. He had lain for hours, either unconscious or tossing in the wildest delirium, a prey to violent fever; the doctor shook his head gravely, and spoke of a concussion of the brain, which was not impossible, or some internal injury, which was extremely probable. Herr Wollnow was very anxious, and spent every moment he could spare by the bedside of the invalid.

”The a.s.sessor's case is really very simple,” said he; ”he has broken his left leg, and put his right arm out of joint; the arm has been set, and the leg is going on admirably. I'm not anxious about the a.s.sessor, whom you ladies will soon set to rights; but with Gotthold it is different; we don't yet know exactly where we are; I can't be spared there.”

Ottilie thought he would have believed it impossible for him to be spared from Gotthold's side, under any circ.u.mstances, but she had nothing to say against a preference she herself shared; Gotthold already seemed like her own son.

Herr Wollnow received this remarkable confession with a smile, and the same rather melancholy smile flitted over his grave face again and again, as he sat beside the sick man's bed, stroked the soft wavy hair from his burning brow, and compared the delicate features, now deadly pale and anon flushed with fever, with those of another face, which had once seemed to him the type and expression of all beauty, and whose memory his faithful heart had kept so loyally.