old fritz and the new era-第48部分

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dreams。　The　air　was　filled　with　perfumes；　wafted　to　the　balcony　upon
which　dreamed　the　poet　with　unclosed　eyelids　and　waking　thoughts。
The　clouds　were　all　dispersed；　full　and　clear　was　suspended　the　moon
in　the　deep；　blue　vault；　where　twinkled　thousands　of　stars；
whispering　of　unknown　worlds；　and　the　mysteries　of　Nature；　and　the
greatness　of　Him　who　created　them　all。

〃Oh；　beloved；　golden　moon；　how　calmly　you　look　down　upon　me；　sublime
and　lovely　at　the　same　time！　When　I　gaze　at　you；　moving　so　quietly；
floating　in　infinity；　and　contemplating　reflect　thyself　in
finiteness；　I　think　of　you；　oh　Charlotte；　who　stands　above　me　like
the　moon　so　bright　and　mild；　and　I　envelop　myself　in　your　rays；　and
my　spirit　becomes　heavenly　in　your　light。

Mir　ist　es；　denk　ich　nur　an　Dich；　Als　in　den　Mond　zu　seh'n；　Ein
suesser　Friede　weht　um　mich；　Weiss　nicht；　wie　mir　gescheh'n！

〃Yes；　like　sweet　peace；　and　quiet；　sacred　moonlight；　my　thoughts
shall　be　of　you；　Charlotte；　not　like　the　glowing　rays　of　the　sun；　or
the　cold　light　of　the　stars。　Bright　and　beaming　like　the　moon　you
are　to　me；　spreading　around　me　your　soft　light。　Oh；　beautiful　golden
moon；　mirrored　in　the　water；　you　lie　as　in　a　silvery　bath；　and　would
entice　me　to　seek　you　in　the　murmuring　depths。　Hark！　how　the　ruffled
waves　of　the　Ilm　with　repeated　gentle　caresses　kiss　the　shore；　rush
from　thence　in　golden　links　down　the　river！　Sweet　of　the　Ilm；　I
come；　I　come！〃

Goethe　hastened　from　the　balcony；　threw　aside　his　apparel；　plunged
into　the　silvery　flood；　shouting　with　joy。

What　heavenly　pleasure　to　float　there；　rocked　by　the　murmuring
waves；　gazing　at　the　silvery　stars　and　the　golden　moon；　a　lovely　May
night；　listening　to　the　voices　of　Nature！　Add　to　that　the　perfume…
laden　breeze　rising　from　the　rain…refreshed　meadows。　How　glorious　to
plunge　into　the　cool　stream；　splashing　and　dashing　the　water；　and
then　to　shoot　like　a　fish　through　the　drops　falling　like　golden
rain！　Suddenly；　while　swimming；　Goethe　raised　his　head　to　listen。　He
thought　he　heard　footsteps　on　the　poet's　forbidden　bridge。　The　moon
distinctly　revealed　a　peasant　from　Oberweimar；　who　would　be　early　to
the　weekly　market；　and　so　serve　himself　to　the　shortest　route　while
no　one　could　see　him。

〃Such　presumption　deserves　punishment；　my　good　peasant；　and　if　there
is　no　one　else　to　do　it　the　ghosts　must。〃

Listen；　what　a　savage　yell　from　under　the　bridge；　and　then　another
more　unearthly！

The　peasant；　frightened；　stopped　suddenly；　and　looked　down　into　the
river。　〃Oh；　what　can　it　be？〃

A　glistening　white　arm　is　raised　menacingly　toward　the　bridge。　A
white　figure；　with　a　black　head　and　long　black　hair；　is　seen
plunging　and　splashing；　while　fearful　yells　are　heard　from　the　deep。
Then　it　disappeared；　to　return；　and　menace；　and　yell；　and　plunge
again。

The　peasant　shrieked　with　terror；　and　was　answered　with　a　cruel
laugh。　The　white　figure　sank　and　rose　from　the　river　screeching　and
yelling；　and　the　peasant　shrieked　also　with　terror。

〃A　ghost！　a　ghost！　oh；　have　mercy　upon　us！　Amen！　amen！〃

Fright　lent　him　wings；　and　he　fled；　followed　by　the　savage　yells　of
the　white　figure；　and　never　stopped　until　he　reached　Oberweimar；
where　he　related　to　the　astonished　and　terrified　neighbors　that
there　was　a　river…ghost　just　by　the　bridge　which　led　to　the　cottage
of　the　mad　secretary　of　legation；　Goethe；　and　which　howled　in　the
moonlight。＇Footnote：　This　tradition　of　the　ghost　of　the　Ilm　has　been
preserved　in　Weimar；　since　Goethe's　nocturnal　bath；　until　our　time。…
…See　Lewes；　vol。　i。；　p。　451。＇

With　the　peasant　also　disappeared　the　ghost　of　the　Ilm。

Like　a　happy　child　of　Nature；　refreshed；　Goethe　went　to　his　room　and
then　again　sought　the　balcony；　to　throw　himself　upon　the　carpet　and
gaze　at　the　blue　starry　vault；　and　enjoy　the　glories　of　heaven　with
thoughtful　devotion；　and　think　of　Charlotteonly　of　her；　not　once
of　the　poor　Thusnelda　von　Goechhausen；　who　passed　the　night　upon　the
stairs　of　the　Palace　Belvedere；　and　who；　at　last　weary　with　fright
and　exhaustion；　fell　asleep；　and　was　awakened　by　the　Duchess　Amelia
in　the　morning；　laughingly　demanding　why　she　preferred　the　landing
of　the　stairs　for　a　place　of　repose。

〃Because　I　am　bewitched；　duchess；　and　my　sleeping…room　has
disappeared　from　earthbecause　some　cursed　demon　or　wizard　has
enchanted　me；　this　wicked〃

〃Beware　what　you　say！〃　interrupted　the　duchess；　〃it　is　most　probably
the　duke　that　you　are　inveighing　against；　and　calling　a　demon　and
wizard。〃

At　this　Thusnelda　sprang　up　as　if　struck　by　an　electric　shock〃The
surprise；　this　is　what　the　duke　promised　me。〃

〃Very　likely；〃　laughed　the　duchess。　〃The　courier　just　arrived　with　a
letter　from　my　son　to　you；　and　I　came　to　bring　it　myself；　and　found
you；　to　my　surprise；　sleeping　here。　Read　it；　and　tell　me　what　he
says！〃

〃Oh；　listen；　your　highness！〃　cried　Thusnelda；　after　having　hastily
perused　the　contents　of　the　ducal　missive。

〃'I　hope　I　have　succeeded　to　surprise　you！
Demons　and　wizards　have　closed　your　doors；
And　weeping　you　slept　on　the　stairway　alone。
All　witchcraft　has　now　disappeared。
Go　seek　The　surprise　that　from　Berlin　I　brought　you；
Which　I　now　offer　for　an　atonement。'〃

〃An　insolent　fellow；　indeed；　is　my　son；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃but　you
see；　Thusnelda；　he　says；　pater　peccavi；　and　I　am　convinced　that　you
will　find　something　very　pretty　and　acceptable　in　your　room。〃

〃I　will　not　take　itindeed　I　will　not；〃　pouted　the　lady　of　honor。
〃He　so　fearfully　tormented　me　last　night。　I　assure　your　highness　I
was　half　dead　with　terror　and〃

〃And　yet　you　will　forgive　him；　Thusnelda；　for　the　duke　is　your
declared　favorite；　you　dare　not　reproach　him　were　he　never　so
insolent；　for　you　are　just　as　much　so；　and　not　a　hair's…breadth
better。　Come；　go　up　and　see　what　it　is。〃

She　went；　and　found　four　masons；　who　had　been　at　work　since　daybreak
to　remove　the　wall　and　replace　the　door。　Thusnelda　was　obliged　to
laugh　in　spite　of　the　unhappy　night　she　had　passed；　as　she　climbed
over　rubbish　and　ruins　into　her　room；　and　met　her　maid　dissolved　in
tears；　who　related　to　her　that　〃the　duke　had　had　her　walled　in；　for
fear　she　would　tell　the　trick　to　her　mistress。〃

〃And　so　you　were　really　hermetically　sealed？〃　said　the　duchess。

〃Yes；　your　highness；〃　whimpered　the　maid；　〃I　thought　I　never　should
see　daylight　again。　I　wept　and　prayed　all　night。　The　only　thing　that
consoled　me　was　the　duke's　command；　which　Philip　brought　to　me；　to
give　this　little　box　to　Fraulein　so　soon　as　the　wall　should　be　taken
away　in　the　morning。〃

〃Give　it　to　me；　Lieschen；〃　cried　Thusnelda；　impatiently；　her　face
beaming　with　satisfaction；　however；　when　she　opened　the　box。　〃Now；
duchess；　that　is　what　I　call　a　surprise；　and　the　duke　shall　be；　as
he　ever　has　been；　my　favorite。　If　he　does　sometimes　play　rude
tricks；　he　makes　it　all　right　again；　in　a　very　generous　and　princely
manner。　See　what　a　beautiful　watch　his　highness　has　brought　me；
ornamented　with　diamonds！〃

〃Yes；　it　is　very　pretty；　give　it　to　me　that　I　may　return　it　to　the
duke；　and　not　mortify　him　too　much；　as　you　will　not　wear　it。〃

〃I　will　accept　it；　duchess；〃　cried　Thusnelda；　laughing〃and　all　is
forgiven　and　forgotten。〃




CHAPTER　XXIV。

THE　PURSE…PROUD　MAN。


〃Trude；　is　there　no　news　from　him　yet？　Have　you　never　seen　him
since？　Did　he　not　tell　you　about　it？〃

〃No；　my　dearest　Marie；〃　sighed　old　Trude。　〃There　is　no　word；　no
message　from　him。　I　have　been　twenty　times　to　the　baker's　in　eight
days；　and　waited　at　the　corner　of　the　street；　where　we　agreed　to
meet；　but　no　Moritz　was　there；　and　I　have　not　been　able　to　hear　any
thing　about　him。〃

〃Something　must　have　happened　to　him；〃　sighed　Marie。　〃He　is　very
ill；　perhaps　dying；　and〃

〃No；　no；　my　child；　he　is　not　ill；　I　will　tell　you　all　about　it；　if
you　will　not　worry。　I　have　been　to　Herr　Moritz's　lodgings　to…day。　I
could　not　wait　any　longer；　and〃

〃Did　you　see　him；　and　speak　with　him；　Trude？〃

〃No　Marie；　he　was　not　there；　and　the　people　in　the　house　told　me
that　he　had　been　gone　for　a　week。〃

〃Gone！〃　repeated　Marie；　thoughtfully。　〃What　does　it　mean？　What　could
persuade　him　to　abandon　me　in　this　hour　of　need？　Tell　me；　Trude；
what　do　you　think？　Console　me　if　you　can。　You　really　know　nothing
further　than　that　he　is　gone？〃

〃A　little　bit　more；　but　not　much；　my　heart's　child。　When　the　people
told　me　that　he　had　disappeared　eight　days　ago；　it　seemed　as　if　one
of　the　Alps　had　fallen　on　my　heart；　and　my　limbs　trembled　so　I　could
go　no　farther；　and　I　was　obliged　to　sit　down　upon　the　stairs　and　cry
bitterly；　picturing　all　sorts　of　dreadful　things　to　myself。〃

〃Dreadful　things？〃　asked　Marie。　〃Oh；　Trude；　you　do　not　believe　that
my　good；　brave　Moritz　could　do　any　thing　sinful　and　cowardly；　like
wicked　men？　You　do　not　think　that　my　belovedoh；　no；　noI　know
that　he　is　more　noble；　he　will　bear　the　burden　of　life　as　I　will；　so
long　as　it　pleases　God。〃

The　old　woman　hung　down　her　head；　and　humbly　folded　her　hands。
〃Forgive　me；　my　child；　that　I　have　such　weak　and　sinful　thoughts。　I
will　apologize　for　them　in　my　heart　to　you　and　your　beloved　so　long
as　I　live。　After　I　had　cried　enough；　I　determined　to　go　to　the　Gray
Cloister；　and　beg　the　director　to　see　me！〃

〃Did　you　see　him　to　speak　with　him；　dear　good　Trude？〃

〃Yes；　dear　child。　I　told　him　I　was　an　aged　aunt　of　Herr　Moritz；　who
had　come　to　Berlin　to　visit　him；　and　finding　that　he　was　absent；　I
would　like　to　know　where　he　had　gone；　and；　how　long　he　would　remain
away。〃

〃Oh；　Trude；　how　clever　you　are；　and　how　kindly　you　think　of　every
thing！〃　cried　Marie；　embracing　her　old　nurse；　and　kissing
affectionately　her　sunburnt；　wrinkled　cheek。　〃What　did　he　say？〃

〃He　told　me　that　Herr　Moritz　had　begged　permission　to　be　absent
fourteen　days　to　take　an　urgent；　unavoidable　journey；　that　ten　days
had　already　expired；　and　he　would　soon　return。〃

〃Then　he　will　be　here　in　four　days；　and　perhaps　will　bring　hope　and
aid！　He　has　gone　to　seek　it；　I　know　and　I　feel　it；　though　I　cannot
divine　where　the　assistance　will　come　from。　Oh；　Trude；　if　I　could
only　gain　a　favorable　delay　until　Moritz　returns！〃

〃Every　thing　is　arranged；〃　murmured　Trude。　〃The　marriage　license　is
already　m