louisa of prussia and her times-第78部分

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anxiety；　was　waiting　for　her　reply。

〃You　ask　me　if　I　love　you；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　but　firm　voice；　〃you
put　that　question　to　me；　and　yet　you　are　standing　now　on　the　same
spot　on　which　my　husband　stood　fifteen　minutes　ago　and　also　asked　me
a　question。　I　must　not　answer　your　question；　for　I　am　a　married
woman；　and　I　have　taken　an　oath　at　the　altar　to　keep　my　faith　to　my
husband；　and　I　have　to　keep　it；　inasmuch　as　my　heart　has　no　love　to
give　him。　But　I　will；　nevertheless；　give　you　a　proof　of　the　great
confidence　I　am　reposing　in　you。　I　will　tell　you　why　my　husband　came
to　see　me　to…day；　and　what　was　the　question　which　he　addressed　to
me。　Hush；　do　not　interrupt　me；　do　not　tell　me　that　my　conversations
with　the　baron　have　no　interest　for　you。　Listen　to　me。　The　baron
came　to　me　because　the　five　years；　which　we　had　ourselves　fixed　for
that　purpose；　had　elapsed　to…day；　and　because　he　wanted　to　ask　me
whether　I　wished　to　remain　his　wife；　or　whether　I　wanted　to　be
divorced　from　him。〃

〃And　what　did　you　reply？〃　asked　the　prince；　breathlessly。

〃I　replied　to　him　as　I　replied　to　you　a　little　while　ago：　'I　have
taken　an　oath　at　the　altar　to　keep　my　faith　to　my　husband；　and　I
have　to　keep　it；　inasmuch　as　my　heart　has　no　love　to　give　to　him。'〃

〃Ah；　you　told　him　that　you　did　not　love　him？〃　asked　the　prince；
drawing　a　deep　breath。　〃And　after　this　confession　he　felt　that　he
ought　no　longer　to　oppose　your　divorce；　for　his　heart　is　generous
and　delicate；　and　consequently　he　cannot　desire　to　chain　a　wife　to
himself　who　tells　him　that　during　the　five　years　of　her　married　life
she　has　not　learned　to　love　him。　Oh；　Fanny；　how　indescribably　happy
you　render　me　by　this　disclosure。　Then　you　will　be　free；　your　hands
will　not　be　manacled　any　longer。〃

〃I　did　not　tell　you　the　reply　I　made　to　my　husband　when　he　left　it
to　me　again　to　say　whether　I　would　be　divorced　from　him　or　not；〃
said　Fanny；　with　a　mournful　smile。　〃I　replied　to　him　that　every
thing　should　remain　as　heretofore；　that　I　did　not　want　to　inflict
the　disgrace　of　a　divorce　upon　him　and　upon　myself；　and　that　we
would　and　ought　to　bear　these　shackles　which；　without　mutual　love；
we　had　imposed　upon　each　other　in　a　dignified；　faithful；　and　honest
manner　until　our　death。〃

〃That　is　impossible！〃　exclaimed　the　prince。　〃You　could　not；　you
ought　not　to　have　been　so　cruel　against　yourself；　against　the　baron；
and　also　against　me。　And　even　though　you　may　have　uttered　these
words　of　doom　on　the　spur　of　that　exciting　moment；　you　will　take
them　back　again　after　sober　and　mature　reflection。　Oh；　say　that　you
will　do　so；　say　that　you　will　be　free；　free；　so　that　I　may　kneel
down　before　you　and　implore　you　to　give　to　me　this　hand；　no　longer
burdened　by　any　fetters；　to　become　my　wife；　and　to　permit　me　to　try
if　my　boundless；　adoring　love　will　succeed　in　conferring　upon　you
that　happiness　of　which　none　are　worthier　than　you。　Oh；　speak；
Fanny；　say　that　you　will　be　free；　and　consent　to　become　my　wife！〃

〃Your　wife！〃　said　Fanny；　lugubriously。　〃You　forget　that　what
separates　me　from　you　is　not　only　my　husband；　but　also　my　religion。
The　Jewess　can　never　become　the　wife　of　the　Prince　von
Lichtenstein。〃

〃You　will　cast　off　the　semblance　of　a　religion　which　in　reality　is
yours　no　longer；〃　said　the　prince。　〃You　have　ceased　to　be　a　Jewess；
owing　to　your　education；　to　your　habits；　and　to　your　views　of　life。
Leave；　then；　the　halls　of　the　temple　in　which　your　God　is　no　longer
dwelling；　and　enter　the　great　church　which　has　redeemed　mankind；　and
which　is　now　to　redeem　you。　Become　a　convert　to　the　Christian
religion；　which　is　the　religion　of　love。〃

〃Never！〃　exclaimed　the　baroness；　firmly　and　decidedly〃never　will　I
abandon　my　religion　and　prove　recreant　to　my　faith；　to　which　my
family　and　my　tribe　have　faithfully　adhered　for　thousands　of　years。
The　curse　of　my　parents　and　ancestors　would　pursue　the　renegade
daughter　of　our　tribe　and　cling　like　a　sinister　night…bird　to　the
roof　of　the　house　into　which　the　faithless　daughter　of　Judah；　the
baptized　Jewess；　would　move　in　order　to　obtain　that　happiness　she　is
yearning　for。　NeverBut　what　is　that？〃　interrupting　herself　all　at
once；　〃what　is　the　matter　in　the　adjoining　room？〃

Two　voices；　one　of　them　angrily　quarrelling　with　the　other；　which
replied　in　a　deprecating　manner；　were　heard　in　the　adjoining　room。

〃I　tell　you　the　baroness　is　at　home；　and　receives　visitors！〃
exclaimed　the　violent　and　threatening　voice。

〃And　I　assure　you　that　the　baroness　is　not　at　home；　and　cannot；
therefore；　receive　any　visitors；〃　replied　the　deprecating　voice。

〃It　is　Baron　Weichs；　the　proud　prebendary；　who　wants　to　play　the
master　here　as　he　does　everywhere　else；〃　said　the　prince；
disdainfully。

〃And　my　steward　refuses　to　admit　him；　because　I　have　given　orders
that　no　more　visitors　shall　be　received　to…day；〃　whispered　Fanny。

The　face　of　the　young　prince　became　radiant　with　delight。　He　seized
Fanny's　hands　and　pressed　them　impetuously　to　his　lips；　whispering；
〃I　thank　you；　Fanny；　I　thank　you！〃

Meantime　the　voice　in　the　reception…room　became　more　violent　and
threatening；　〃I　know　that　the　baroness　is　at　home；〃　it　shouted；　〃and
I　ask　you　once　more　to　announce　my　visit　to　her！〃

〃But　you　know；　sir；〃　said　the　gentle　voice　of　the　steward；　〃that　the
baroness；　when　she　is　at　home；　is　always　at　this　hour　in　the
reception…room；　and　receives　her　visitors　here　without　any　previous
announcement。〃

〃That　only　proves　that　the　baroness　receives　her　visitors　in　another
room　to…day；〃　shouted　the　voice　of　Baron　Weichs。　〃I　know　positively
that　there　is　a　visitor　with　the　baroness　at　this　very　moment。　Go；
then；　and　announce　my　visit。　It　remains　for　the　baroness　to　turn　me
away；　and　I　shall　know　then　that　the　baroness　prefers　to　remain
alone　with　the　gentleman　who　is　with　her　at　the　present　time。〃

〃Ah；　this　prebendary；　it　seems；　is　growing　impudent；〃　exclaimed　the
prince；　with　flashing　eyes；　walking　toward　the　door。

The　baroness　seized　his　hand　and　kept　him　back。　〃Pay　no　attention　to
him；〃　she　said；　imploringly；　〃let　my　steward　settle　this　quarrel
with　that　insolent　man。　Just　listen！　he　is　even　now　begging　him
quite　politely；　yet　decidedly；　to　leave　the　room。〃

〃And　that　fellow　is　shameless　enough　to　decline　doing　so；〃　said　the
prince。　〃Oh；　hear　his　scornful　laughter！　This　laughter　is　an　insult；
for　which　he　ought　to　be　chastised。〃

And　as　if　the　words　of　the　prince　were　to　be　followed　immediately　by
the　deed；　a　third　voice　was　heard　now　in　the　reception…room。　It
asked　in　a　proud　and　angry　tone；　〃What　is　the　matter　here？　And　who
permits　himself　to　shout　so　indecently　in　the　reception…room　of　the
baroness？〃

〃Ah；　it　is　my　husband；〃　whispered　Fanny；　with　an　air　of　great
relief。　〃He　will　show　that　overbearing　Baron　Weichs　the　door；　and　I
shall　get　rid　of　him　forever。〃

〃He　has　already　dared；　then；　to　importune　you？〃　asked　the　prince；
turning　his　threatening　eyes　toward　the　door。　〃Oh；　I　will　release
you　from　further　molestation　by　this　madman；　for　I　tell　you　the
gentle　words　of　your　husband　will　not　be　able　to　do　so。　Baron　Weichs
is　not　the　man　to　lend　a　willing　ear　to　sensible　remonstrances　or　to
the　requirements　of　propriety　and　decency。　He　has　graduated　at　the
high…school　of　libertinism；　and　any　resistance　whatever　provokes　him
to　a　passionate　struggle　in　which　he　shrinks　from　no　manifestation
of　his　utter　recklessness。　Well；　am　I　not　right？　Does　he　not　even
dare　to　defy　your　husband？　Just　listen！〃

〃I　regret　not　to　be　able　to　comply　with　your　request　to　leave　this
room；〃　shouted　now　the　voice　of　the　prebendary；　Baron　Weichs。　〃You
said　yourself　just　now；　baron；　that　we　were　in　the　reception…room　of
the　baroness；　accordingly；　you　are　not　the　master　here；　but　merely　a
visitor　like　the　rest　of　us。　Consequently；　you　have　no　right　to　show
anybody　the　door；　particularly　as　you　do　not　even　know　whether　you
belong　to　the　privileged　visitors　of　the　lady；　or　whether　the
baroness　will　admit　you。〃

〃I　shall　take　no　notice　of　the　unbecoming　and　insulting　portion　of
your　remarks；　baron；〃　said　the　calm　voice　of　Baron　Arnstein；　〃I　only
intend　at　this　moment　to　protect　my　wife　against　insult　and
molestation。　Now　it　is　insulting　assuredly　that　a　cavalier；　after
being　told　that　the　lady　to　whom　he　wishes　to　pay　his　respects　is
either　not　at　home　or　will　not　receive　any　visitors；　should　refuse
to　withdraw；　and　insist　upon　being　admitted。　I　hope　the　prebendary；
Baron　Weichs；　after　listening　to　this　explanation；　will　be　kind
enough　to　leave　the　reception…room。〃

〃I　regret　that　I　cannot　fulfil　this　hope；〃　said　the　sneering　voice
of　the　prebendary。　〃I　am　now　here　with　the　full　conviction　that　I
shall　never　be　able　to　reenter　this　reception…room；　hence　I　am
determined　not　to　shrink　back　from　any　thing　and　not　to　be　turned
away　in　so　disgraceful　a　manner。　I　know　that　the　baroness　is　at
home；　and　I　came　hither　in　order　to　satisfy　myself　whether　the
common　report　is　really　true　that　the　baroness；　who　has　always
treated　me　with　so　much　virtuous　rigor　and　discouraging　coldness；　is
more　indulgent　and　less　inexorable　toward　another；　and　whether　I
have　really　a　more　fortunate　rival！〃

〃I　hope　that　I　am　this　more　fortunate　rival；〃　said　Baron　Arnstein；
gently。

〃Oh；　no；　sir；〃　exclaimed　the　prebendary；　laughing　scornfully。　〃A
husband　never　is　the　rival　of　his　wife's　admirers。　If　you　were　with
your　wife　and　turned　me　away；　I　should　not　object　to　it　at　all；　and
I　should　wait　for　a　better　chance。　But　what　keeps　me　here　is　the
fact　that　another　admirer　of　hers　is　with　her；　that　she　has　given
orders　to　admit　nobody　else；　and　that　you；　more　kind…hearted　than
myself；　seem　to　believe　that　the　baroness　is　not　at　home。〃

　〃This　impudence　surpasses　belief；〃　exclaimed　the　prince；　in　great
exasperation。

〃Yes；〃　said　Fanny；　gloomily；　〃the　Christian　prebendary　gives　full
vent　to　his　disdain　for　the　Jewish　banker。　It　always　affords　a　great
satisfaction　to　Christian　love　to　humble　the　Jew　and　to　trample　him
in　the　dust。　And　the　Jew　is　accustomed　to　being　trampled　upon　in
this　manner。　My　husband；　too；　gives　proof　of　this　enviable　quality
of　our　tribe。　Just　listen　how　calm　and　humble　his　voice　remains；　all