old fritz and the new era-第50部分

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face　with　her　hands。

〃Rather　say　rescued　from　misfortune；〃　answered　Ebenstreit；　quietly。
〃Believe　me；　there　is　but　one　sorrow　that　may　not　be　borne；　may　not
be　conquered；　and　that　is　poverty；　which　is　a　corroding；　consuming
malady；　annihilating　body；　and　soul；　swifter　and　surer　than　the　most
subtle　poison。　It　stifles　all　noble　feelings；　all　poetical　thoughts
and　great　deeds；　and；　believe　me；　love　even　cannot　resist　its
terrible　power。　One　day　you　will　understand　this。　I　will　be　patient
and　indulgent；　and　await　it　with　hope。〃

〃Oh；　what　a　noble　and　high…minded　man！〃　cried　the　mother；　with
emphasis。〃Marie　should　kneel　and　thank　her　Maker　for　such　a
magnanimous　savior　and　lover；　who　will　shield　her　from　all　evil　and
misfortune。〃

Sobbing　and　sighing；　the　daughter　had　stood　with　her　face　concealed；
now　she　regarded　the　cold…hearted；　smiling　woman；　with　flashing　eyes
and　keen　contempt。

〃Thank　him！〃　she　cried；　〃no；　I　accuse；　I　curse　him。　He　is　an
atheist；　and　denies　love。　He　is　not　capable　of　a　noble　thought　or
action；　scorning　and　defaming　all　that　is　beautiful　and　elevated；
worshipping　only　mammon。　I　will　never　marry　him。　You　may　force　me　to
the　altar；　and　there　I　will　denounce　him。〃

〃She　will　kill　me；〃　cried　the　general；　〃she　will　murder　her　aged
parents；　leaving　them　to　starve　and　perish；　and〃

〃Silence！〃　commanded　his　wife。　〃Leave　off　your　complaints；　she　is
not　worth　the　tears　or　remonstrances　of　her　parents。　She　would　try
to　be　our　murderess；　but　she　shall　not。My　son；　inform　her　of　your
decision。　Answer　her。〃

〃The　response　to　your　romantic　language　is　simple　and　natural；　my
dear　Marie。　I　have　already　entered　into　your　feelings；　and　am
prepared　for　this　idea　of　refusing　your　lover　at　the　altar；　which　is
found　in　novels；　and　I　supposed　that　it　might　occur　to　you。　Money
compasses　all　things　and　according　to　our　wishes。　My　fortune
procures　for　me　a　dispensation　from　public　authorities　to　be　married
here　in　the　house　of　our　dear　parents。　The　law　demands　four
witnesses；　who　will　be　represented　by　your　parents；　my　servant
Philip；　and　the　sacristan　whom　the　clergyman　will　bring。〃

〃And　they　will　hear　me　abjure　you。〃

〃It　is　very　possible；　dearest；　but　the　witnesses　will　not　listen　to
you。　Money　makes　the　deaf　to　hear；　and　the　hearing　ones　deaf。　Old
parson　Dietrich　knows　the　story　of　your　love；　and　believes；　with　us；
that　it　is　a　malady　that　you　must　be　cured　of。　Therefore；　in　pity　to
you；　he　will　not　listen；　and　the　others　arc　paid　to　keep　silent。〃

〃Is　there　no　hope；　O　Heaven？〃　cried　Marie；　imploringly。　〃O　God；　Thou
hast　permitted　ithast　Thou　no　pity　in　my　need；　and　sendest　me　no
aid？〃　Rushing　to　her　father；　and　kneeling　at　his　feet；　she
continued：　〃Have　mercy　upon　your　poor　child！　You　are　an　old　man；　and
may　live　but　a　few　years；　do　not　burden　your　conscience　with　the
fearful　reproaches　of　your　only　child；　whom　you　will　condemn　to　an
inconsolably　long　and　unhappy　life。〃

〃Have　you　no　pity　yourself？　Do　you　not　know　that　I；　your　father；　am
so　poor；　that　I　have　not　even　the　necessary　care？　You　wish　your
parents　to　sacrifice　themselves　for　you；　and　suffer　want！　No；　the
daughter　should　sacrifice　herself　for　her　parents。〃

〃A　beautiful　sacrifice；　a　fine　sorrow！〃　sneered　her　mother。　〃She
will　be　a　rich　woman；　and　have　the　most　splendid　house　and　furniture
and　most　costly　equipage　in　Berlin！〃

〃And　a　husband　who　adores　her；〃　cried　Ebenstreit；　〃and　who　will　feel
it　his　duty　to　make　her　and　her　parents　happy。　Resolve　bravely　to
bury　the　past；　and　look　the　immutable　future　joyfully　in　the　face。
Eleven　will　be　the　happy　hour；　fear　not　that　the　altar　will　not　be
worthy　the　charming　bride　of　such　a　rich　family。　Money　will　procure
every　thing；　and　I　will　send　a　florist　who　will　change　this　room
into　a　blooming　temple；　fit　to　receive　the　goddess　of　love。　In　your
room　you　will　find　the　gift　of　my　affection；　a　simple　wedding…dress；
which　I　trust　you　will　approve　of。　Oh；　do　not　shake　your　head；　do
not　say　that　you　will　never　wear　it；　you　must　believe　that　all
resistance　is　in　vain。　You　will　become　my　wife；　I　and　my　money　will
it。〃

〃And　I；〃　cried　Marie；　standing　before　him　pale　and　defiant；
regarding　him　with　unspeakable　contempt；　〃I　and　my　love　will　it　not。
May　God　judge　between　us！　May　He　forgive　those　who　have　brought　this
misfortune　upon　me！　I　can　only　say；　'Woe　to　them！'〃

〃Woe　to　you！〃　cried　her　mother。　〃Woe　to　the　seducer　who　has
persuaded　our　child　to　sin　and　crime；　and〃

〃Hush　mother！　I　will　not　permit　you　to　slander　him　whom　I　love；　and
ever　shall；　so　long〃

〃Until　you　forget　him；　and　love　me；　Marie；〃　said　Ebenstreit。
Approaching　her；　he　seized　her　hand；　and　pressed　a　kiss　upon　it。

She　drew　it　away　with　disgust；　and　turned　slowly　to　the　door；
tossing　back　her　head　proudly。　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　demanded　her
mother。

With　her　hand　upon　the　knob；　she　replied；　turning　her　pale；　wan　face
to　her　mother；　〃To　my　own　room；　which　I　suppose　is　permitted　to　me；
as　there　is　nothing　more　to　be　said。〃

Her　mother　would　reply；　and　retain　her；　but　her　son…in…law　held　her
gently　back。　〃Let　her　go；〃　said　he；　〃she　needs　rest　for　composure
and　to　accustom　herself　to　the　thought　that　her　fate　is
unavoidable。〃

〃But　what　if　she　should　resort　to　desperate　means　in　her　mad
infatuation　and　foolish　passion？　Some　one　must　watch　her
continually；　for　she　may　try　to　elope。〃

〃You　are　right；　dearest　mother；　some　one　must　be　with　her；　in　whom
she　will　confide。　Would　it　not　be　possible　to　win　old　Trude？〃

〃No；　nothing　would　gain　her；　she　is　a　silly　fool；　who　thinks　only
Marie　is　of　consequence。〃

Ebenstreit　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃That　means　that　she　would　sell
herself　at　a　high　price。　I　beg　that　you　will　send　for　her。〃

〃You　will　see；〃　said　she；　calling　the　old　woman；　who　entered　from
the　opposite　door。

Trude　looked　about；　scowling　and　grumbling。　〃Leberecht　told　me　my
mistress　called　me。〃

〃Why　do　you　then　look　so　furious；　and　what　are　you　seeking　on　the
table？〃　asked　Frau　von　Werrig。

〃My　money；〃　cried　Trude；　vehemently。　〃I　thought　that　you　called　me
to　pay　me；　and　that　my　wages　were　all　counted　out　on　the　table。　But
I　see　there　is　nothing　there；　and　I　fear　I　shall　get　none；　and　be
poor　as　a　church…mouse　all　my　life　long。　Your　honor　promised　me
positively　that；　as　soon　as　the　wedding　was　decided　upon；　you　would
pay　me　every　farthing；　with　interest；　and　I　depended　upon　it。〃

〃You　shall　have　all；　and　much　more　than　the　general's　wife　promised
you；　if　you　will　be　a　true　and　faithful　servant　to　us；〃　said
Ebenstreit。

〃That　I　always　have　been；　and　ever　shall　be；〃　snarled　Trude。　〃No
person　can　say　aught　against　me。　Now；　I　want　my　money。〃

〃And　obstinate　enough　you　have　been　too；〃　said　her　mistress。　〃Can
you　deny　that　you　have　not　always　taken　my　daughter's　part？〃

〃I　do　not　deny　it。　I　have　nursed　her　from　childhood；　and　I　love　her
as　my　own　child；　and　would　do　any　thing　to　make　her　happy！〃

〃Do　you　believe；　Trude；〃　cried　the　general；　〃that　Marie　could　be
happy　with　that　poor；　starving　wretch　of　a　school…master？　Has　she
not　experienced　in　her　own　home　the　misfortune　and　shame　of
poverty？〃

〃I　know　it　well；〃　sighed　the　old　one；　sadly；　〃and　it　has　converted
me　to　believe　that　it　would　be　a　great　misfortune　for　Marie　to　marry
the　poor　school…master。〃

〃Well；　will　you　then　faithfully　help　us　to　prevent　it？〃　quickly
asked　Ebenstreit。

〃How　can　I　do　it？〃　she　sighed；　shrugging　her　shoulder。

〃You　can　persuade　my　daughter　to　be　reasonable；　and　yield　to　that
which　she　cannot　prevent。　You　are　the　only　one　who　can　make　any
impression　upon　Marie；　as　she　confides　in　you。　Watch　her；　that　in　a
moment　of　passionate　desperation　she　does　not　commit　some　rash　act。
You　can　tell　us；　further；　what　she　says；　and　warn　us　of　any　crazy
plan　she　might　form　to　carry　out　her　own　will。〃

〃That　is　to　say；　I　must　betray　my　Marie？〃　cried　Trude；　angrily。

〃No；　not　betray；　but　rescue　her。　Will　you　do　it？〃　asked　Ebenstreit。

〃I　wish　to　be　paid　my　wages；　my　two　hundred　thalers；　that　I　have
honestly　earned；　and　I　will　have　them。〃

Ebenstreit　took　a　piece　of　paper　from　his　pocket。　Writing　a　few
lines　with　a　pencil；　he　laid　it　upon　the　table。　〃If　you　will　take
this　to　my　cashier　after　the　ceremony　to…morrow；　he　will　pay　you
four　hundred　thalers。〃

〃Four　hundred　thalers　in　cash；〃　cried　Trude；　joyfully　clapping　her
hands。　〃Shall　all　that　beautiful　money　be　mine；　andNo；　I　do　not
believe　you；〃　she　cried；　her　face　reassuming　its　gloomy；　suspicious
look。　〃You　promise　it　to　me　to…day；　that　I　may　assist　you；　and
persuade　Marie　to　the　marriage；　but　to…morrow；　when　old　Trude　is　of
no　more　use；　you　will　send　me　away　penniless。　Oh；　I　know　how　it　is。
I　have　lived　long　enough　to　understand　the　tricks　of　rich　people。　I
will　see　the　cash　firstonly　for　that　will　I　sell　myself。〃

〃The　old　woman　pleases　me；〃　said　Ebenstreit。　〃She　is　practical；　and
she　is　right。If　I　promise　you　the　money　in　an　hour；　will　you
persuade　Marie　to　cease　her　foolish　resistance；　and　be　my　wife？　Will
you　watch　over　her；　and　tell　us　if　any　thing　unusual　occurs？〃

〃Four　hundred　thalers　is　a　pretty　sum；〃　repeated　Trude；　in　a　low
voice　to　herself。　〃I　might　buy　myself　a　place　in　the　hospital；　and
have　enough　left　to　get　me　a　new　bed　and　neat　furniture　and〃

Here　her　voice　was　lost　in　unintelligible　mumbling；　and；　much
excited；　she　appeared　to　count　eagerly。　With　her　bony　forefinger　she
numbered　over　the　fingers　of　her　left　hand；　as　if　each　were　a
fortune　that　she　must　verify　and　examine。

The　mother　and　the　banker　regarded　each　other　with　mocking　looks；
the　general　looked　at　the　money；　grumbling：　〃If　I　had　had　four
hundred　thalers　the　last　time　I　played；　I　could　have　won　back　my
money　in　playing　again。〃

〃Old　woman；〃　said　Ebenstreit；　〃have　you　not　finished　with　your
reckoning？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　with　an　exultant　laugh；　〃I　have　done！　Four　hundred
thalers　are　not　sufficient。　I　must　have　five；　and　if　you　will　give
them　to　me　in　cash　in　an　hour；　then　I　will　do　every　thing　that　you
wish；　and　persuade　Marie　to　the　marriage。　I　will　watch　her　day　and
night；　and　tell　you　every　thing　that　she　says　and　does。　But　I　must
have　five　hundred　in　cash！〃

Ebenstreit　turned　h