old fritz and the new era-第54部分

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The　horsemen　surrounded　the　carriage；　the　riders　upon　panting
steeds！　Two　officers　in　uniform　sprang　to　the　side；　laying　their
hands　upon　Moritz's　shoulder。　〃Conrector　Philip　Moritz；　we　arrest
you　in　the　name　of　the　king！　You　are　accused　of　eloping　with　a
minor；　and　we　are　commanded　to　transport　you　to　Spandau　until
further　orders！〃　Upon　the　other　side　two　other　horsemen　halted。　The
foremost　was　Herr　Ebenstreit；　who　laid　his　hand　upon　Marie；　and　saw
not　or　cared　not　that　she　shudderingly　shrank　away。

〃My　dear　Marie；　I　come　as　the　ambassador　of　your　parents；　and　am
fully　empowered　to　lead　your　back　to　your　father's　house。〃

She　answered　not；　but　sat　immovable　and　benumbed　with　terror；　the
tears　rolling　down　her　cheeks。

〃You　arrest　me　in　the　name　of　the　king；〃　cried　Moritz；　I　bow　to　the
law。　I　beg　only　to　speak　to　that　man；〃　pointing　to　Ebenstreit；　with
contempt。　〃Sir；　dismount；　I　have　important　business　with　you！〃

〃We　have　nothing　to　say　to　each　other；〃　answered　Ebenstreit；　calmly。

〃But　I！〃　cried　Moritz；　springing　forward；　furious　as　a　lion；　〃I　have
something　to　say　to　you；　you　rascal；　and　I　will　treat　you
accordingly！〃

He　savagely　tore　the　whip　from　the　postilion's　hand；　and　struck
Ebenstreit　in　the　face。　〃Now；〃　cried　he；　triumphantly；　〃I　have
forced　you　to　give　me　satisfaction！〃

The　police　swung　themselves　from　their　saddles；　and　Leberecht
quickly　dismounted。　They　clinched　Moritz　by　the　feet　and　hands。　It
was　a　desperate　struggle；　and　Marie　gazed　at　them　with　folded　hands；
praying　without　words。　They　seized　him　and　held　him　fast　with
manacles。　A　shriek；　and　Marie　sank　fainting。　Moritz's　head　sank　upon
his　breast；　almost　in　the　agony　of　death。

〃Take　him　to　the　next　station；　my　friends；〃　commanded　Ebenstreit；
〃the　carriage　is　already　ordered　to　remove　him　to　Spandau。〃　He
dismounted；　and　now　took　the　place　by　Marie；　who　still　lay　in　a　dead
faint。　〃Postilion；　mount　and　turn　your　carriage；　I　retain　you　until
the　next　station。　If　you　drive　quickly；　there　is　a　louis　d'or　for
you。〃

〃I　will　drive　as　if　the　devil　were　after　me；　sir！〃　shouted　the
postilion；　and　turned　to　gallop　off；　when　Ebenstreit　ordered　him　to
halt；　and　Leberecht　to　get　up　on　the　box。

Then　turning　to　the　officers；　〃Gentlemen；〃　said　he；　proudly；　〃you
are　witnesses　to　the　ill…treatment　and　insults　of　this　woman…
stealer。　You　will　certify　that　the　blood　flowed　down　my　face。〃

〃I　will　myself　make　it　known　before　all　men；〃　cried　Moritz；　with　a
contemptuous　laugh。　〃I　have　insulted　you　and　branded　you。〃

〃We　will　give　our　evidence；〃　respectfully　replied　the　officers。　〃As
soon　as　we　have　delivered　our　prisoner　at　Spandau；　we　will　announce
ourselves　to　you。〃

〃Then　you　will　receive　from　me　the　promised　reward　of　a　hundred
thalers。　If　you　hush　up　the　entire　adventure；　so　that　it　is　not
noised　about；　after　three　months；　still　another　hundred。〃

〃We　will　be　silent；　Herr　Ebenstreit。〃

〃I　believe　you；　a　hundred　thalers　is　a　pretty　sum。　Forward；
Leberecht；　make　the　postilion　push　on；　that　we　may　arrive　in　Berlin
before　daybreak；　and　no　one　know　of　this　abominable　affair。〃

The　postilion　laughed　with　delight；　at　the　thought　of　the　louis
d'or。　Upon　the　box　sat　Leberecht；　a　smile　of　malicious　triumph　upon
his　face。　〃This　has　been　a　lucky　night；〃　said　he；　〃we　have　all　done
a　good　business；　but　I　am　the　most　fortunate；　with　my　three　thousand
thalers　and　a　fine　place。　I　wish　he　had　waited　an　hour　later；　and
then　I　should　have　had　another　thousand！〃

Ebenstreit　sat　with　triumphant　smile　also；　by　his　betrothed。　〃Money
is　the　king　of　the　worldwith　it　one　can　accomplish　all　things；〃
said　he　to　himself；　〃if　I　had　been　a　poor　fellow；　the　general　would
not　have　chosen　me；　nor　the　king　have　given　me　a　title；　nor　could　I
have　won　back　my　beautiful　bride。　Money　gives　position；　and　I　hope
will　give　me　the　power　to　revenge　myself　for　the　pain　in　my　face。〃
He　turned　menacingly　toward　Moritz；　who　saw　it　not。

With　bowed　head；　speechless；　as　if　numb　with　the　horror　of　his
misfortune；　he　rode　with　fettered　hands　between　the　two　officers；
incapable　of　fleeing；　as　they　had　even　bound　a　cord　around　his　arms；
each　end　held　fast　by　one　of　the　riders。

The　stars　and　the　moon　shone　down　upon　him　as　brightly　beautiful　as
an　hour　previous。　Oh；　Marie；　you　were　right；　falling　stars　betoken
misfortune！　Your　star　has　fallen！




CHAPTER　XXVII。

THE　SACRIFICE。


Since　that　painful　night；　four　weeks　had　passed；　four　long　ones　to
poor　old　Trude。　To　her　beloved　child　they　had　fled　in　happy
unconsciousness。　In　the　delirium　of　fever；　her　thoughts　wandered　to
her　lover；　always　dwelling　upon　her　hopes　and　happiness。　In　the
intervals　of　reason　she　asked　for　him　with　fearful　excitement　and
anxiety；　then　again　her　mind　was　clouded；　and　the　cry　of　anguish　was
changed　into　a　smile。

Then　came　the　days　of　convalescence　and　the　return　to　consciousness；
and　with　it　the　mourning　over　crushed　hopes。　Slowly　had　Trude；　the
faithful　nurse；　who　watched　by　her　bedside　day　and　night；　answered
her　excited　questions；　and　to　her　little　by　little　the　circumstances
of　the　elopementhow　Leberecht　had　played　the　eavesdropper　and　sold
Marie's　secret　for　gold；　how　he　had　previously　arranged　to　pursue
them；　informing　the　police；　ordering　the　horses；　and　sending　forward
a　courier　to　provide　fresh　relays　at　every　station。

Trude　depicted　the　anger　of　her　father　and　the　threats　of　her　mother
to　send　her　to　prison。　But　before　she　could　execute　her　purpose；
Ebenstreit　had　brought　home　the　unconscious　child；　and　she　herself
had　lifted　her　from　the　carriage　and　borne　her；　with　the　aid　of　her
mistress；　to　her　own　little　attic　room。

Marie　listened　to　these　relations　with　a　gloomy　calmness　and　a
defiant　sorrow。　Illness　had　wrought　a　peculiar　change　in　her　mind；
and　hardened　the　gentle；　tender　feelings　of　the　young　girl。　Grief
had　steeled　her　soul；　benumbed　her　heart；　and　she　had　risen　from　her
couch　as　one　born　anew　to　grief　and　torture。　Her　present　situation
and　lost　happiness　had　changed　the　young；　loving；　tenderly…sensitive
maiden　to　the　courageous；　energetic；　and　defiant　woman；　who
recognized　a　future　of　self…renunciation；　combat；　and　resignation。

Trude　observed　these　changes　with　disquietude　and　care。　She　wished
Marie　would　only　once　complain；　or　burst　into　tears。　After　the　first
storm　of　despair　had　passed；　the　tears　refused　to　flow；　and　her　eyes
were　bright　and　undimmed。　Only　once　had　profound　emotion　been
awakened；　as　Trude　asked　her　if　she　had　forgotten　her　unhappy　lover；
and　cared　no　more　to　learn　his　fate。　It　had　the　desired　effect。

A　deathly　paleness　overspread　her　delicate；　transparent　cheek。　〃I
know　how　he　is；〃　she　said；　turning　away　her　face；　〃I　realize　his
sufferings　by　my　own。　We　are　miserable；　lostand　no　hope　but　in
death。　Ere　this　comes；　there　is　a　desert　to　traverse　in　heat；　and
dust；　and　storm；　and　frost；　alone；　without　consolation　or　support。
Hush；　Trude！　do　not　seek　to　revive　miserable　hopes。　I　know　my　fate；
and　I　will　endure　it。　Tell　me　what　you　know　about　him？　Where　is　he？
Have　they　accused　him？　Speak！　do　not　fear　to　tell　me　every　thing！〃
But　fearing　herself；　she　threw　her　handkerchief　quickly　over　her
face；　and　sat　with　it　covered　whilst　Trude　spoke。

〃I　know　but　little　of　poor；　dear　Moritz。　He　has　never　returned　to
his　lodgings。　A　day　or　two　after　that　night；　two　officers　sealed　his
effects；　and　took　away　his　clothes。　His　hostess　has　not　the　least
suspicion　of　the　mysterious　disappearance　of　her　otherwise　quiet；
regular　lodger。　The　secret　of　the　elopement　has　been　carefully
guarded；　as　no　one　of　the　neighbors　know　it；　and　there　is　no　gossip
about　you　and　Moritz。　Those　who　think　he　is　travelling　are　not
surprised　at　his　having　left　without　taking　leave；　as　they　say　he
was　accustomed　to　do　so。　But；〃　continued　Trude；　in　a　lower　tone；
〃Herr　Gedicke　looked　very　sad　and　grave；　as　I　asked　for　the
Conrector　Moritz。　'He　has　disappeared；'　he　sighed；　'and　I　know　not
if　we　shall　ever　see　him　again。'　'Oh；　Jemima！'　I　screamed；　'you　do
not　think　that　he　has　committed　a　self…injury！'　'No；'　said　the
director；　'not　he　himself；　he　is　too　honorable　a　man。　Others　have
ill…treated　him　and　made　him　unhappy　for　life。'　It　was　in　vain　to
ask　further；　he　knew　not　or　he　would　not　say　any　thing。　I　believe
your　family　know　where　poor　Moritz　is；　for　your　mother　speaks　of　him
as　one　in　the　penitentiary；　and　quite　triumphantly　she　told　me
yesterday　that　the　king；　in　his　new　book　of　laws；　had　expressly
condemned　the　person　who　elopes　with　a　minor　to　be　sent　to　the　house
of　correction　for　ten　years；　and　then　she　laughed　so　cruelly；　that　I
trembled　to　hear　her。〃

As　Trude　related　this；　she　searchingly　glanced　at　Marie　to　observe
the　effect　of　her　words；　hoping　to　see　her　weep　or　complain　and
that；　at　last；　grief　would　melt　the　icy　crust　around　her　heart。

But　Marie　sat　motionless　and　without　uttering　a　soundnot　a　sigh　or
a　moan　escaped　her。　After　a　long　silence；　when　her　grief　was　too
deep　for　tears；　she　drew　the　handkerchief　from　her　face；　the　pallor
and　rigidity　of　which　startled　Trude。

She　sprang　forward；　folding　her　in　her　arms。　〃Marie；　child　of　my
heart；　do　weep；　do　complain！　I　know　that　he　loved　you　dearly；　and
deserves　that　you　should　mourn　for　him。　Have　you　no　more　confidence；
though；　in　your　old　Trude？　Is　she　no　longer　worthy　to　share　your
grief？〃

Marie　laid　her　languid　head　upon　the　bosom　of　her　faithful　nurse；　a
long…drawn；　piercing　cry　of　anguish　was　her　response；　she　trembled
violently；　and　the　tears　ran　down　her　cheeks。

Trude　raised　her　eyes　to　heaven；　murmuring；　〃I　thank　thee；　O　Lord！
Her　heart　is　not　dead！　It　lives；　for　it　suffers！〃

〃It　suffers；〃　groaned　Marie；　〃the　anguish　of　death。〃

This　passionate　outburst　of　feeling　was　of　but　short　duration。　Her
tears　were　dried；　and　her　quivering　face　assumed　its　usually　calm
expression。

〃Trude；〃　said　she；　gently；　continuing　to　repose　upon　her　bosom；　〃I
am　so　wretched　that　words　cannot　express　it　or　tears　soothe　it。　If　I
should　give　myself　up　to　sorrow　and　mourning　I　should　die；　and　that
cannot　be；　for　I　must　live　to　wait　for　himto　rescue　him。　How　I
know　not　yet；　my　thoughts　and　resolutions　are　so　confused　th