old fritz and the new era-第49部分

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〃Every　thing　is　arranged；〃　murmured　Trude。　〃The　marriage　license　is
already　made　out；　and　Parson　Dietrich　has　promised　to　be　ready　at
any　hour。　Herr　Ebenstreit　has　sent　the　money；　doubling　the　amount
required　to　the　'Invalids'　Hospital'　at　Berlin；　so　that　when　the
papers　of　nobility　arrive；　there〃

〃Hush！〃　interrupted　Marie；　〃do　not　speak　of　it。　It　is　fearful　to
think　of；　and　it　crazes　me　to　hear　it。　I　will　resort　to　every
extreme。　Since　my　father　and　mother　are　deaf　to　my　entreaties；　I
will　try　to　move　him　to　pity。　I　have　never　been　able　to　see　him
alone；　my　mother　is　watchful　that　an　explanation　should　be
impossible　between　us。　I　will　implore　this　man　to　have　pity　upon　me；
and　confide　in　him　to　whom　they　would　sell　me。〃

Trude　shook　her　head　mournfully。　〃I　fear　it　will　be　in　vain；　dear
child。　This　man　has　no　heart。　I　have　proved　him；　and　I　know　it。
Hark　the　bell　rings！　Who　can　it　be？〃

Both　stepped　out　of　the　little　garret…room　to　peep　over　the
banister。　Since　Marie　had　been　betrothed　to　the　rich　banker
Ebenstreit；　the　general　had　received　from　his　kind　wife　a　servant　in
pompous　livery　for　his　own　service。　This　servant　had　already　opened
the　door；　and　Marie　heard　him　announce　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Herr
Ebenstreit！〃

〃He！〃　Marie　started　back　with　horror。　〃He；　so　early　in　the　morning！
this　is　no　accident；　Trude。　What　does　it　mean？　Hush！　the　servant　is
coming！〃

〃I　will　go　down；〃　whispered　Trude；　〃perhaps　I　can　hear　something。〃

Trude　hurried　away　as　her　young　lady　glided　back　into　her　room；　and
never　glanced　at　the　servant　who　sprang　past　her　upon　the　stairs。

〃He　is　a　hypocrite　and　a　spy；　he　has　been　hired　to　watch　and　observe
my　child；　and　he　will　betray　her　if　he　discovers　any　thing。〃

The　servant　announced；　with　respectful；　humble　mien；　that　Herr
Ebenstreit　had　arrived；　and　Frau　von　Werrig　desired　her　daughter　to
descend　to　the　parlor。

〃Very　wellsay　that　I　will　come　directly。〃

The　servant　remained　rubbing　his　hands　in　an　undecided；　embarrassed
manner。

〃Why　do　you　not　go　down？〃　asked　Marie。　〃Have　you　any　thing　further
to　tell　me？〃

〃I　would　say；〃　said　he；　spying　about　the　room；　as　if　he　were　afraid
some　one　were　listening；　〃that　if　a　poor；　simple　man　like　myself
could　be　useful　to　you；　and　you　could　confide　in　me　your
commissions；　I　should　be　too　happy　to　prove　to　you　that　Carl
Leberecht　is　an　honest　fellow；　and　has　a　heart；　and　it　hurts　his
feelings　to　see　the　miss　suffer　so　much。〃

〃I　thank　you；〃　said　Marie；　gently。　〃I　am　glad　to　feel　that　you　have
sympathy　for　me。〃

〃If　I　can　be　of　the　least　service　to　you；　have　the　goodness　to　call
me；　and　give　me　your　commissions。〃

〃Indeed　I　will；　although　I　do　not　believe　it　practicable。〃

〃I　hope　miss　will　not　betray　me　to　Frau　von　Werrig　or　old　Trude。〃

〃No；　I　promise　you　that；　and　here　is　my　hand　upon　it。〃

The　servant　kissed　the　extended　hand　respectfully。　〃I　will　enter
into　the　service　of　my　young　lady　at　once；　and　tell　her　she　must
prepare　for　the　worst：　Herr　Ebenstreit　just　said；　'The　diploma　of
nobility　has　arrived。'〃

Marie　turned　deadly　pale；　and　for　an　instant　it　seemed　as　if　she
would　sink　down　from　fright；　but　she　recovered　herself　and　conquered
her　weakness。

〃Thank　you；　it　is　very　well　that　I　should　know　that；　I　will　go　down
directly；〃　said　she。

With　calm；　proud　bearing　Marie　entered　the　sitting…room　of　her
parents；　and　returned　the　salutations　of　her　betrothed；　who　hastened
toward　her　with　tender　assiduity。

〃My　dear　Marie；〃　cried　her　mother；　〃I　have　the　honor　to　present　to
you　Herr　Ebenstreit　von　Leuthen。　The　certificate　of　nobility　arrived
this　morning。〃

〃I　congratulate　you；　motheryou　have　at　last　found　the　long…desired
heir　to　your　name。〃

〃Congratulate　me　above　all；　my　beautiful　betrothed；〃　said　Herr
Ebenstreit；　in　a　hoarse；　scarcely　intelligible　voice。　〃This　title
crowns　all　my　wishes；　as　it　makes　me　your　husband。　I　came　to　beg；
dear　Marie；　that　our　marriage　should　take　place　to…morrow；　as　there
is　nothing　now　to　prevent。〃

〃Sir；〃　she　proudly　interrupted　him；　〃have　I　ever　permitted　this
familiar　appellation？〃

〃I　have　allowed　it；〃　blurted　out　the　general；　packed　in　cushions　in
his　roiling　chair。　〃Proceed；　my　dear　son。〃

The　latter　bowed　with　a　grateful　smile；　and　continued：　〃I　would　beg；
my　dear　Marie；　to　choose　whether　our　wedding…journey　shall　be　in　the
direction　of　Italy；　Spain；　France；　or　wherever　else　it　may　please
her。〃

〃Is　it　thus　arranged？〃　asked　Marie。　〃Is　the　marriage　to　take　place
early　to…morrow；　and　then　the　happy　pair　take　a　journey？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　her　mother；　hastily；　〃it　is　so　decided　upon；　and　it
will　be　carried　out。　You　may　naturally；　my　dear　daughter；　have　some
preference；　so　make　it　knownI　am　sure　your　betrothed　will　joyfully
accord　it。〃

〃I　will　avail　myself　of　this　permission；〃　she　quietly　answered。　〃I
wish　to　have　a　private　conversation　with　this　gentleman　immediately；
and　without　witnesses。〃

〃Oh；　how　unfortunate　I　am！〃　sighed　Herr　Ebenstreit。　〃My　dear　Marie
asks　just　that　which　I　unfortunately　cannot　grant　her。〃

〃What　should　prevent　your　fulfilling　my　wish？〃　asked　Marie。

〃My　promise；〃　he　whined。　〃On　the　very　day　of　my　betrothal；　I　was
obliged　to　promise　my　dear　mother…in…law　never　to　speak　with　you
alone　or　correspond　with　my　sweet　lady…love。〃

〃These　are　the　rules　of　decency　and　of　etiquette；　which　I　hope　my
daughter　will　respect；〃　said　Frau　von　Werrig；　in　a　severe　tone。　〃No
virtuous　young　girl　would　presume　to　receive　her　betrothed　alone　or
exchange　love…letters　with　him　before　marriage！〃

〃After　the　wedding　there　will　be　opportunities　enough　for　such
follies；〃　grumbled　the　general。

〃You　may　be　sure　that　I　shall　use　them；　dear　father；〃　laughed
Ebenstreit。　〃I　would　beg　my　respected　mother　to　release　me　a　half…
hour　from　my　oath　to…day；　that　I　may　indulge　the　first　expressed
wish　that　my　future　wife　favors　me　with。〃

〃It　is　impossible；　my　son。　I　never　deviate　from　my　principles。　You
will　not　speak　with　my　daughter　before　marriage；　except　in　the
presence　of　her　parents。〃

〃Mother；　do　you　insist　upon　it？〃　cried　Marie；　terrified。　〃Will　you
not　indulge　this　slight　wish？〃

〃'This　slight　wish！'〃　sneered　her　mother。　〃As　if　I　did　not　know　why
you　ask　this　private　conversation。　You　wish　to　persuade　our　son…in…
law　to　what　you　in　vain　have　tried　to　implore　your　parents　to　do。　A
modest　maiden　has　nothing　to　say　to　her　future　husband；　which　her
parents；　and　above　all　her　mother；　could　not　hear。　So　tell　your
betrothed　what　you　desire。〃

〃Well；　mother；　you　must　then　take　the　consequences。Herr
Ebenstreit；　they　will　force　me　to　become　your　wife；　they　will　sell
me　as　merchandise　to　you；　and　you　have　accepted　the　bargain　in　good
faith；　believing　that　I　agree　to　sacrifice　my　freedom　and　human
rights　for　riches。　They　have　deceived　you；　sir！　I　am　not　ready　to
give　myself　up　to　the　highest　bidder。　I　am　a　woman；　with　a　heart　to
love　and　hate；　who　esteems　affection　superior　to　wealth。　I　cannot
marry　you；　and　I　beg　you　not　to　teach　me　to　hate　you。〃

A　savage　curse　broke　forth　from　the　general；　who；　forgetting　his
gout；　rose　furious；　shaking　his　clinched　fist　at　his　daughter。

His　wife　was　immediately　by　his　side；　and　pushed　him　into　his　arm…
chair；　commanding　him；　in　her　harsh；　cold　to　remain　quiet　and　take
care　of　his　health；　and　listen　to　what　his　son…in…law　had　to　say　to
his　unfeeling　and　unnatural　daughter。　〃He　alone　has　to　decide。
Speak；　my　dear　son；〃　said　she；　turning　to　the　young　man；　who；　with　a
malicious　smile；　had　listened　to　the　baroness；　fixing　his　dull…blue
eyes　upon　the　young　girl；　who　never　seemed　so　desirable　to　him；　as
she　now　stood　before　him　with　glowing　cheeks。

〃Again　I　say；　speak；　my　dear　son；　and　tell　my　daughter　the　truth；　do
you　hear；　the　truth？〃

〃If　you　will　permit　me；　my　dearest　mother；　I　will；〃　answered
Ebenstreit；　with　submissive　kindness；　again　regarding　the　daughter。
〃You　have　made　me　a　sad　confession；　Marie；〃　said　he；　sighing；　〃but　I
will　acknowledge　that　I　am　not　surprised；　for　your　mother　told　me
when　I　asked　for　your　hand；　that　she　feared　I　should　never　gain　your
consent；　for　you　did　not　love　me；　although　she　herself；　and　the
general；　would　grant　theirs。〃

〃Was　that　all　that　I　told　you？〃　asked　the　mother；　coldly。

〃No；　not　all；〃　continued　Ebenstreit；　slightly　inclining；　〃you　added；
'My　daughter　loves　a　beggar；　a　poor　school…master；　and　she
entertains　the　romantic　idea　of　marrying　him。'〃

〃And　what　did　you　reply？〃　asked　Marie；　almost　breathless。

〃My　dear　Marie；　I　laughed；　repeating　my　proposal　of　marriage　to　your
mother；　saying；　that　I　was　ready　to　take　up　the　combat　with　the　poor
pedagogue；　and　that　you　seemed　all　the　more　interesting　and　amiable
for　this　romantic　love。　Life　is　so　tedious　and　wretched；　that　one　is
glad　to　have　some　change　and　distraction。　I　assure　you；　I　have　not
been　so　entertained　for　long　years；　as　in　the　last　fourteen　days　in
this　silent　war　with　you。　It　amuses　me　infinitely　to　see　you　so
stubborn　and　prudish；　and　increases　my　love　for　you。　How　could　it　be
otherwise？　The　rich　banker；　Ebenstreit；　has　never　seen　a　woman　who
was　not　ready　to　accept　his　hand；　and　why　should　he　not　love　the
first　one　who　resists　it？　You　have　excited　my　self…love　and　vanity。
You　have　made　the　marriage　a　matter　of　ambition；　and　you　will
comprehend　that　my　answer　is：　'Fraulein　von　Leuthen　must　and　shall
be　my　wife；　no　matter　what　it　costs　me。　She　defies　my　riches　and
despises　money；　so　I　will　force　her　to　respect　my　wealth　and
recognize　its　power。　Besides；　she　is　a　cruel；　egotistical　daughter；
who　has　no　pity　for　her　poor　parents；　and　is　capable　of　seeing　them
perish　for　her　foolish　attachment。　I　will　make　her　a　good　child；　and
force　her　to　make　her　parents；　and　thereby　herself；　happy。'　All　this
I　said　to　myself；　and　I　have　acted　and　shall　act　accordingly。　I　have
only　to　add　that　the　ceremony　will　take　place　to…morrow；　at　eleven。
We　will　leave　immediately　after。　Have　the　goodness　therefore　to
choose　in　which　direction；　that　I　may　at　once　make　the　necessary
arrangements。〃

〃Lostlost　without　hope！〃　cried　Marie；　in　anguish；　covering　her
face　with　her　hands。

〃Rather　say　rescued　from　misfortune；〃　answered　Ebenstreit；　qui