old fritz and the new era-第68部分

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crowded　our　drawing…rooms；　charmed　with　the　beauty；　distinguished
manners；　tone　of　the　world；　of　your　daughter。〃

〃I　beg　of　you　to　make　but　one　subject　the　sole　object　of
conversation；〃　said　Marie；　harshly。　〃I　have　said　that　I　will　avail
myself　of　the　privilege；　as　mistress　of　this　house；　of　receiving　no
one　whom　I　do　not　wish　to　see；　and　no　one　can　enter　without　consent。
Is　it　clearly　understood；　husband？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　somewhat　agitated；　〃it　is　the　right　of　every
housekeeperI　understand　you。〃

〃It　is　also　clear　to　me；〃　cried　Frau　von　Werrig；　with　difficulty
suppressing　her　wrath。　〃But　I　will　await　the　decisive　word；　and　see
whether　it　is　possible　for　a　daughter　to　have　the　insolent
presumption　to　drive　he　mother　from　her　house！〃

〃I　have　already　informed　you　that　I　have　no　mother；　and　that　no　one
has　the　right　to　call　me　daughter。　If　you　await　my　decision；　you
shall　now　hear　it；　you　are　not　included　among　those　that　I　wish　to
receive　in　my　house！〃

〃Ah；　dear　Marie；　you　are　cruel！〃　cried　her　husband；　quite
frightened。

〃She　is　a　degenerate；　good…for…nothing　creature！〃　cried　the　mother。

〃If　I　am　so；　who　has　caused　it　but　you；　both　of　you？　Who　broke　my
heart；　and　crushed　it　under　foot　until　it　ceased　to　feel；　and　turned
to　stone？　Bear　the　consequences　of　your　cruelty　and　heartlessness！　I
cannot　change　it；　and　I　repeat；　Frau　von　Werrig　has　not　the　right　to
enter　this　house；　or　to　remain　here　any　longer！〃

Scalding　tears　fell　from　the　mother's　eyes　as　she　shrieked；　〃She
drives　me　from　her　house！〃

〃I　am　only　treating　you　as　you　behaved　to　one　of　the　noblest　and
best　of　men；〃　replied　Marie；　voice　and　look　betraying　her　deep
feeling。　〃You　thrust　from　your　door；　with　scorn　and　contempt；　a　man
worthy　of　your　esteem　and　recognition；　although　you　knew　that　my
heart　was　breaking。　I　am　only　following　your　example　and　exercising
my　just　rights；　and　am　less　guilty　than　you　are；　as　neither　of　us
has　need　of　the　respect　or　esteem　of　the　other。〃

〃Can　you　suffer　this；　my　son？　Do　you　allow　any　one　in　your　presence
to　treat　me　so　shamefully？　After　all；　it　is　your　house；　do　speak　and
exercise　your　right　as　master　here：　tell　your　wife　that　I　am　her
mother；　and　you；　my　adopted　son；　who　bears　my　name；　and　that　I　have
the　just　right　to　come　here　as　often　as　it　pleases　me。〃

〃Speak　your　mind　to　Frau　von　Werrig；〃　said　Marie；　as　Ebenstreit
remained　silent。　〃Decide　which　shall　remain；　as　one　or　the　other　of
us　must　leave；　you　are　perfectly　free　to　choose。〃

〃Then；　naturally；　there　is　no　choice　left　me；〃　replied　Ebenstreit；
despondingly。　〃I　declare　myself　for　my　wife；　of　course；　who　is　the
noblest　and　proudest　beauty　in　Berlin；　and　will　make　my　house　the
centre　of　attraction　to　the　aristocracy；　nobility；　and　wealth。　This
is　my　greatest　pride；　and　to　secure　this　I　wooed　my　beautiful　bride；
and　have　submitted　to　all　the　sorrow　and　humiliation　which　have　been
my　portion。　If　I　must　choose　between　the　mother　and　daughter；　I
naturally　prefer　the　latter。〃

〃He　abandons　me　also！〃　cried　the　mother。　〃You　are　an　ungrateful；
wretched　man！　You　forget　that　you　owe　every　thing　to　me；　and　that
without　me　you　were　a　miserable　mercenary；　whose　stupidity　and
tediousness　were　the　ridicule　of　every　one；　and　you　had　never　gained
the　entrance　to　a　genteel　house。　What　have　you　now　become？　A　high…
born　man；　whose　house　every　one　will　crowd；　and　who　could　even
appear　at　court；　as　he　bears　our　noble　and　distinguished　name。　To
whom　do　you　owe　all　this；　but　to　me　alone？〃

〃God　in　heaven；　Thou　hearest　it！〃　cried　Marie；　solemnly；　with
uplifted　arms。　〃She　acknowledges　that　she　alone　has　brought　this
misfortune　upon　me；　and　in　this　hour　I　stand　justified。〃

〃Pardon；　Frau　von　Werrig；〃　said　Ebenstreit；　haughtily；　〃you　are
going　too　far。　After　my　fortune；　I　thank　you　for　my　position。　I　am
certainly　of　insignificant　birth；　but　I　am　ambitious　and　rich。　I
said　to　myself；　'Money　can　bring　about　all　that　I　wish；'　and　you　see
it　has　accomplished　it。　My　wealth　procured　me　a　title；　a　splendid
house；　a　beautiful　wife；　and　a　position　in　society。　I　acknowledge
that　you　aided　me　in　the　carrying　out　of　my　plans；　but　you　would　not
have　done　it；　if　I　had　not　been　in　a　position　to　pay　you。　You
receive　a　very　considerable　annuity　from　me；　therefore　you　cannot
accuse　me　of　ingratitude；　but　must　confess　that　you　have　driven　a
very　good　bargain。　You　must　forgive　me　if　I　beg　of　you　to　end　this
painful　scene。〃

〃That　means　that　I　must　leave；〃　said　Frau　von　Werrig；　mildly；
remembering　the　gambling　debt　and　the　annuity。　〃Very　well；　I　will
go；　and　promise　you　never　to　return；　upon　two　conditions。〃

〃Have　the　goodness　to　communicate　them；〃　said　Ebenstreit。

〃The　first　is；　pay　the　gambling…debt　of　my　husband；　who　has　played
away　the　entire　sum　you　allow　us　yearly；　and　do　not　deduct　it　from
our　income。　The　second　is；　increase　your　allowance　five　hundred
thalers；　without　letting　the　general　know　it；　and　pay　it　to　me。〃

〃It　is　impossible；〃　cried　Ebenstreit；　terrified。　〃You　mistake　me　for
a　Croesus；　whose　wealth　is　inexhaustible。　If　this　expenditure　and
demand　increase；　my　colossal　fortune　will　be　entirely　wasted；　and〃

〃You　exaggerate；〃　interrupted　Marie；　with　a　peculiar　brilliancy　in
her　eyes。　〃Such　wealth　as　yours　is　never…ending；　and　the　banking
business；　which　you　are　still　engaged　in　under　another　name；　is　an
inexhaustible　source　of　wealth。　I　beg　you　to　accept　these
conditions；　that　we　may　at　last　be　at　peace。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Ebenstreit；　to　whom　the　words　of　Marie　sounded　as
the　sweetest　music。　〃I　will　then　accord　your　wishes；　and　you　shall
have　the　five　hundred　thalers　for　yourself。〃

〃For　me　alone？〃

〃Yes；　for　yourself　alone；　Frau　von　Werrig。〃

〃Who　vouches　for　the　fulfilment　of　your　promise？〃

〃My　word；　Frau　von　Werrig。〃

〃I　have　no　confidence　but　in　a　written　promise。〃

〃Then　I　will　have　it　made　out；　and　bring　you　the　document　to…morrow
morning。〃

〃Then　our　business　is　finished；　and　I　can　go。Farewell；　baroness；
this　is　my　last　word　to　you。　I　cursed　you　from　the　moment　you　came
into　being。　If　you　had　been　a　son；　the　rich　estate　in　trust　of　my
family　would　have　passed　to　you；　of　which　I　was　the　natural　heir。　As
it　was；　it　went　to　a　distant　relative；　and　we　received　nothing。
Therefore　your　parents　could　not　rejoice　at　your　birth；　and　we　only
pardoned　you　when　you　married　a　rich　man；　who　could　free　us　from
want；　and　now　the　separation　is　no　grief　to　us。　You　have　always　been
a　disagreeable　burden；　and　I　am　only　quit　of　a　discomfort；　and
renounce　forever　the　sight　of　you。Give　me　your　arm；　my　son；　and
accompany　me　at　least　to　the　threshold　of　your　house；　that　you　may
be　able　to　say　to　this　cold…hearted　viper；　that　she　is　forever　rid
of　the　sight　of　her　mother；　who　will　never　think　of　her　but　with
chilling　contempt。〃　She　seized　Ebenstreit　by　the　arm；　who　had　not
the　courage　to　resist　her；　and　drew　him　along　with　her；　casting　a
look　of　supreme　disgust　at　old　Trude；　who　stood　pale　and　sad　near
the　door。




CHAPTER　XXXIV。

BEHIND　THE　MASK。


As　the　door　closed；　and　Marie　found　herself　alone　with　her　old
friend　and　nurse；　a　peculiar　change　was　visible　in　her　sad　face；
something　of　its　former　sunny　radiance　brightened　its　usually
sorrowful　expression；　and　she　turned　to　greet　Trude　with　the　smile
of　earlier；　happier　days；　though　it　was　tinged　with　sadness　and
grief。　Impulsively　she　threw　her　arms　around　her　faithful　nurse；
kissing　her；　and；　with　quivering　lip；　whispering：　〃A　greeting　and　a
blessing　for　you；　dear　mother！　Take　me　to　your　kind；　disinterested
heart；　and　let　me　there　find　repose　from　all　this　torture　and　love
the　poor　lost　one；　who〃

She　drew　suddenly　back；　her　face　assuming　its　usually　cold；　look　as
she　heard　her　husband　enter。

〃She　is　gone；　dear　Marie。　I　hope　that　you　are　gratified　with　my
decision；　and　perceive　therein　a　proof　of　my　excessive　love　and
esteem　for　you；〃　said　Ebenstreit；　drawing　a　long　breath。

〃I　did　not　desire　this　polite　evidence　of　it；〃　she　coldly　responded。
〃We　have　solemnized　our　entrance　into　this　house　in　a　fitting
manner；　and　the　important　matter　remaining　for　us　is　to　make　known
our　arrival　to　the　society　of　Berlin。　The　horses　purchased　in
Alexandria；　and　the　new　carriage　from　London；　have　already　arrived
have　they　not？〃

〃My　book…keeper　so　informed　me　a　fortnight　since；　when　we　were　in
Paris；　and　complained　of　the　enormous　sum　which　he　had　to　disburse。〃

〃You　must　forbid　him　such　a　liberty　once　for　all；〃　said　she；　and　the
strange　blending　of　joy　and　scorn　was　visible　in　her　face。　〃It　is
inadmissible　for　a　subordinate　to　presume　to　complain　to　his　master；
or　advise　him。　He　has　only　to　listen　and　obey。　This　all　your
inferiors　must　understand；　and　know　that　they　will　be　dismissed　who
murmur　or　advise！〃

〃I　will　instruct　them　accordingly；〃　he　sighed；　〃though　I　must
confess　my　head…man　well　understands　financial　operations；　and
during　the　many　years　that　he　has　been　with　me　has　won　the　right　to
be　consulted　and　advised　with。〃

〃Then　prove　your　gratitude　as　it　becomes　a　true　cavalier　and　a
nobleman；〃　dictated　Marie。　〃Settle　his　salary　as　an　annuity　upon
him；　and　replace　him。〃

〃But　he　receives　very　great　wages；　and　is　still　very　active；　though
advanced。〃

〃The　more　the　reason　to　pension　him；　that　he　may　repose　his
remaining　years　and　enjoy　the　fruit　of　his　labors。　But　do　as　you
like。　I　have　only　told　you　how　a　noble　cavalier　would　act；　if　you
choose　to　bargain　and　haggle；　it　is　your　own　affair。〃

〃Heaven　keep　me　from　acting　otherwise　than　as　a　nobleman！〃　cried
Ebenstreit。

Marie　nodded　assent；　desiring　that　the　carriage　might　be　ordered；
with　the　Arab　horses。　〃We　will　make　our　visits　at　once；　as　I　will；
for　the　first　time；　open　our　large　house　for　a　soiree　to…morrow
evening；〃　she　added。

〃Ah；　that　is　charming！〃　said　Ebenstreit；　delighted。　〃I　shall　at　last
have　the　opportunity　of　seeing　the　aristocratic　Berlin　society；　and
enter　upon　the　rank　of　my　new　title。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　with　an　expression　of　irrepressible　scorn；　〃you
will　have　this　enjoyment。　Send　me　the　steward；　I　wish　to　give　him　a
list　of　the　invited　guests。　You　can　add　to　it　at　your　pleasure。〃

〃I　have　no　one　to