louisa of prussia and her times-第76部分

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heart；　and　what　would　you　care　if　I　should　tell　you　now　that　there
is　no　longer　a　coffin　in　it；　that　it　has　awoke　to　a　new　life；　and〃

〃Baron！〃　exclaimed　Fanny；　rising　quickly　and　proudly；　〃will　you；
perhaps；　carry　your　magnanimity　and　delicacy　so　far　as　to　make　me　a
declaration　of　love？　Did　I　express　myself　in　my　imprudent
impetuosity　so　incorrectly　as　to　make　you　believe　I　was　anxious　even
now　to　gain　your　love；　and　that　I　was　complaining　of　not　having
obtained　it？　Do　you　believe　me　to　be　an　humble　mendicant；　to　whom　in
your　generosity　you　want　to　throw　the　morsel　of　a　declaration　of
love？　I　thank　you；　sir；　I　am　not　hungry；　and　do　not　want　this
morsel。　Let　us　at　least　be　truthful　and　sincere　toward　each　other；
and　the　truth　is；　we　do　not　love　each　other　and　shall　never　do　so。
Let　us　never　try　to　feign　what　we　never　shall　feel。　And　if　you　now
should　offer　me　your　love　I　should　have　to　reject　it；　for　I　am
accustomed　to　a　freezing　temperature；　and　I　should　fare　like　the
natives　of　Siberia；　I　should　die　if　I　were　to　live　in　a　warmer　zone。
Both　of　us　are　living　in　Siberia；　well；　then；　as　we　cannot　expect
roses　to　bloom　for　us；　let　us　try　at　least　to　catch　sables　for
ourselves。　The　sable；　moreover；　is　an　animal　highly　valued　by　the
whole　world。　People　will　envy　our　sable　furs；　for　they　know　them　to
be　costly；　they　would　laugh　at　us　if　we　should　adorn　our　heads　with
roses；　for　roses　are　not　costly　by　any　means；　they　are　common；　and
every　peasant…girl　may　adorn　herself　with　them。〃

〃You　are　joking；〃　said　the　baron；　mournfully；　〃and　yet　there　are
tears　glistening　in　your　eyes。　However；　your　will　shall　be　sacred　to
me。　I　shall　never　dare　to　speak　to　you　again　about　my　heart。　But　let
us　speak　about　you　and　your　future。　The　five　years　of　our　agreement
have　elapsed；　and　I　am　here　to　confer　with　you　about　your　future。
Tell　me　frankly　and　honestly；　Fanny；　do　you　wish　to　be　divorced　from
me？〃

She　started　and　fixed　a　long　and　searching　look　on　her　husband。

〃Your　father　died　a　year　ago；〃　she　said；　musingly；　〃you　are　now　the
chief　of　the　firm；　no　one　has　a　right　to　command　any　longer　what　you
are　to　do；　and　being　free　now；　you　may　offer　your　hand　to　her　whom
you　love；　I　suppose？〃

The　baron　uttered　a　shriek；　and　a　death…like　pallor　overspread　his
face。　〃Have　I　deserved　to　be　thus　deeply　despised　by　you？〃　he
ejaculated。

Fanny　quickly　gave　him　her　hand。　〃Pardon　me；〃　she　said；　cordially。
〃I　have　pained　you　quite　unintentionally；　the　grief　of　this　hour　has
rendered　me　cruel。　No；　I　do　not　believe　that　you；　merely　for　your
own　sake；　addressed　this　question　to　me；　I　know；　on　the　contrary；
that　you　entertain　for　me　the　sympathy　of　a　brother；　of　a　friend；
and　I　am　satisfied　that　your　question　had　my　happiness　in　view　as
well　as　yours。〃

〃Well；〃　he　said；　with　the　semblance　of　perfect　calmness；　〃let　me
repeat　my　question；　then：　do　you　want　to　be　divorced　from　me？〃

Fanny　slowly　shook　her　head。　〃Why？〃　she　asked；　sadly。　〃I　repeat　to
you　what　I　told　you　once　already；　we　are　living　in　Siberialet　us
remain　there。　We　are　accustomed　to　a　freezing　temperature；　we　might
die；　perhaps；　in　a　warmer　zone。〃

〃Or　your　heart　might　exult；　perhaps；　with　happiness　and　delight；〃
said　the　baron；　and　now　HIS　eyes　were　fixed　inquiringly　upon　her
face。　〃You　called　me　just　now　your　friend；　you　admitted　that　I　felt
for　you　the　sympathy　of　a　brother；　well；　then；　let　me　speak　to　you
as　your　brother　and　friend。　Do　not　reject　the　offer　of　a　divorce　so
quickly；　Fanny；　for　I　tell　you　now　I　shall　never　renew　it；　and　if
you　do　not　give　me　up　to…day；　you　are　chained　to　me　forever；　for　I
shall　never　be　capable　again　of　a　courage　so　cruel　against　myself。
Consider　the　offer　well；　therefore。　Think　of　your　youth；　your
beauty；　and　your　inward　loneliness。　Remember　that　your　heart　is
yearning　for　love　and　pining　away　in　its　dreary　solitude。　And　now
look　around；　Fanny；　see　how　many　of　the　most　distinguished　and
eminent　cavaliers　are　surrounding　you；　and　longing　for　a　glance；　for
a　smile　from　you。　See　by　how　many　you　are　being　loved　and　adored；
and　then　ask　yourself　whether　or　not　among　all　these　cavaliers　no
one　would　be　able　to　conquer　your　heart　if　it　were　free？　For　I　know
your　chaste　virtue；　I　know　that；　although　chained　to　an　unbeloved
husband；　you　never　would　prove　faithless　to　him　and　avow　love　to
another　so　long　as　you　were　not　free。　Imagine；　then；　you　were　free；
and　then　ask　your　heart　if　it　will　not　decide　for　one　of　your　many
adorers。〃

〃No；　no；〃　she　said；　deprecatingly；　〃I　cannot　imagine　a　state　of
affairs　that　does　not　exist；　as　I　am　not　free；　I　must　not　entertain
the　thoughts　of　a　free　woman。〃

Her　husband　approached　her；　and　seizing　her　hand；　looked　at　her　in　a
most　touching　and　imploring　manner。

〃Then　you　have　forgotten　that　five　years　ago；　on　our　wedding…day；
you　promised　me　always　to　trust　me？〃　he　asked。　〃You　have　forgotten
that　you　took　an　oath　that　you　would　tell　me　so　soon　as　your　heart
had　declared　for　another　man？〃

Fanny　could　not　bear　his　look；　and　lowered　her　eyes。

〃It　has　not　declared　for　another　man；　and；　therefore；　I　have　nothing
to　confide　to　you；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　voice。

The　baron　constantly　held　her　hand　in　his　own；　and　his　eyes　were
still　fixed　on　her　face。

〃Let　us　consider　the　matter　together；〃　he　said。　〃Permit　me　to　review
your　cavaliers　and　admirers；　and　to　examine　with　you　if　there　is　not
one　among　them　whom　you　may　deem　worthy　of　your　love。〃

〃What！〃　ejaculated　Fanny；　having　recourse　to　an　outburst　of
merriment　in　order　to　conceal　her　embarrassment；　〃you　want　to　make
me　a　Portia；　and　perform　with　me　a　scene　from　the　'Merchant　of
Venice？'〃

〃Yes；　you　are　Portia；　and　I　will　play　the　role　of　your　confidant；〃
said　Baron　Arnstein；　smiling。　〃Well；　let　us　begin　our　review。　First；
there　is　Count　Palfy；　a　member　of　the　old　nobility；　of　the　most
faultless　manners；　young；　rich；　full　of　ardent　love　for〃

〃For　your　dinner…parties　and　the　rare　dishes　that　do　not　cost　him
any　thing；〃　interrupted　Fanny。　〃He　is　an　epicure；　who　prefers　dining
at　other　people's　tables　because　he　is　too　stingy　to　pay　for　the
Indian　birds'…nests　which　he　relishes　greatly。　As　for　myself；　he
never　admires　me　until　after　dinner；　for　so　soon　as　his　stomach　is
at　rest　his　heart　awakes　and　craves　for　food；　and　his　heart　is　a
gourmand；　tooit　believes　love　to　be　a　dish；　voila　tout！〃

〃Next；　there　is　the　handsome　Marchese　Pallafredo；〃　said　her　husband；
smiling。

〃He　loves　me　because　he　has　been　told　that　I　speak　excellent　and
pure　German；　and　because　he　wants　me　to　teach　him　how　to　speak
German。　He　takes　me　for　a　grammar；　by　means　of　which　he　may　become
familiar　with　our　language　without　any　special　effort。〃

〃Then　there　is　Count　Esterhazy；　one　of　our　most　brilliant　cavaliers；
you　must　not　accuse　him　of　stinginess；　for　he　is　just　the　reverse；　a
spendthrift；　squandering　his　money　with　full　hands；　nor　must　you
charge　him　with　being　an　epicure；　for　he　scarcely　eats　any　thing　at
all　at　our　dinner…parties；　and　does　not　know　what　he　is　eating；　his
eyes　being　constantly　riveted　on　you；　and　his　thoughts　being
occupied　exclusively　with　you。〃

〃It　is　true；　he　admires　me；〃　said　Fanny；　calmly；　〃but　only　a　few
months　ago　he　was　as　ardent　an　adorer　of　my　sister　Eskeles；　and
before　he　was　enamoured　of　her；　he　was　enthusiastically　in　love　with
Countess　Victoria　Colloredo。　He　loves　every　woman　who　is　fashionable
in　society　for　the　time　being；　and　his　heart　changes　as　rapidly　as
the　fashions。〃

〃Besides；　there　is　the　prebendary；　Baron　Weichs；〃　said　her　husband；
〃a　gentleman　of　great　ability；　a　savant；　and　withal　a　cavalier；　a〃

〃Oh；　pray　do　not　speak　of　him！〃　exclaimed　Fanny；　with　an　air　of
horror。　〃His　love　is　revolting　to　me；　and　fills　me　with　shame　and
dismay。　Whenever　he　approaches　me　my　heart　shrinks　back　as　if　from　a
venomous　serpent；　and　a　feeling　of　disgust　pervades　my　whole　being；
although　I　am　unable　to　account　for　it。　There　is　something　in　his
glances　that　is　offensive　to　me；　and　although　he　has　never　dared　to
address　me　otherwise　than　in　the　most　respectful　and　reserved
manner；　his　conversation　always　makes　me　feel　as　though　I　were
standing　under　a　thunder…cloud　from　which　the　lightning　might　burst
forth　at　any　moment　to　shatter　me。　As　you　say；　he　is　a　man　of
ability；　but　he　is　a　bad　man；　he　is　passionately　fond　of　the　ladies；
but　he　does　not　respect　them。〃

〃And　he　does　not　even　deserve　mentioning　here；〃　said　the　baron；
smiling；　〃for；　even　though　you　were　free　already；　the　prebendary
never　could　enjoy　the　happiness　of　becoming　your　husband；　and　I　know
that　your　heart　is　too　chaste　to　love　a　man　who　is　unable　to　offer
you　his　hand。　Let　us；　then；　look　for　such　a　man　among　the　other
cavaliers。　There　is；　for　instance；　Prince　Charles；　of　Lichtenstein；
the　most　amiable；　genial；　and　handsome　of　your　admirers；　a　young
prince　who　is　neither　haughty　nor　proud；　neither　prodigal　nor
stingy；　who　neither　makes　love　to　all　ladies　so　soon　as　they　become
fashionable　as　does　Count　Esterhazy；　nor　wants　to　learn　German　from
you；　as　does　the　Marchese　Pallafredo；　a　young　man　as　beautiful　as
Apollo；　as　brave　as　Mars；　modest　notwithstanding　his　learning；　and
affable　and　courteous　notwithstanding　his　high　birth。　Well；　Fanny；
you　do　not　interrupt　me？　Your　sharp　tongue；　that　was　able　to　condemn
all　the　others；　has　no　such　sentence　for　the　Prince　von
Lichtenstein。　You　suffer　me　to　praise　him。　Then　you　assent　to　my
words？〃

〃I　can　neither　contradict　you　nor　assent　to　your　words；〃　said　Fanny；
with　a　forced　smile；　〃I　do　not　know　the　prince　sufficiently　to　judge
him。　He　has　been　at　Vienna　but　a　very　few　months〃

〃But　he　has　been　a　daily　visitor　in　our　house　during　that　period；〃
said　her　husband；　interrupting　her；　〃and　he　is　constantly　seen　at
your　side。　All　Vienna　knows　that　the　prince　is　deeply　enamoured　of
you；　and　he　does　not　conceal　it　by　any　means；　not　even　from　myself。
A　few　days　ago；　when　he　was　so　unfortunate　as　not　to　find　you　at
home；　because　you　were　presiding　over　a　meeting　of　your　benevolent
society；　he　met　me　all　alone　in　the　reception…room。　Suddenly；　in　the
midst　of　a　desultory　conversation；　he　paused；　embraced　me
passionately；　and　exclaimed：　'Be