old fritz and the new era-第74部分

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overshadowed　his　amiable　face。

Wilhelmine　threw　her　arms　gently　around　his　neck　as　she　sat　beside
him　upon　the　divan；　and　looked　up　to　him　with　a　tender　questioning
glance。　〃Your　thoughts　are　veiled；　dearest；　will　you　not　confide　to
me　that　which　lies　concealed　there？〃

〃Ah；　Wilhelmine；　it　is　a　mourning　veil；　and　hides　the　sorrow　of
renunciation。〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you；　Frederick；〃　she　smilingly　replied。　〃Who
could　compel　you　to　an　abnegation　which　would　cause　you　grief？〃

〃Listen　to　me；　Wilhelmine；　and　understand　that　I　am　suffering　from
circumstancesan　oath　taken　in　the　pressure　of　the　moment。　Try　to
comprehend　me；　my　dear　child。〃

Drawing　her　closer　to　him；　he　faithfully　related　to　her　the　night　of
the　communion　of　the　spirits；　and　his　consequent　oath。

〃Is　that　all；　my　dear？〃　she　replied；　smiling；　as　he　finished。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　asked；　astonished。

〃Nothing　more　than　I　would　know　if　you　have　only　sworn　to　renounce
Wilhelmine　Enke！〃

〃What　could　I　have　done　more　prejudicial　to　you？〃　he　cried；　not　a
little　irritated。

〃Surely　you　could　not　injure　or　grieve　me　more；　and　therefore　I　am
not　a　little　surprised　that　the　pious　Fathers　could　so　carelessly
word　their　oaths。　You　have　sworn　to　renounce　your　affection　to　and
separate　from　Wilhelmine　Enke；　so　it　follows　that　the　Invisibles
only　demand　that　you　give　up　my　name；　not　myself；　and　that　is　easily
changed；　and　my　dear　prince　will　not　become　a　perjurer。〃

〃I　do　not　quite　understand　you；　but　I　perceive　by　the　arch
expression　of　your　face　that　you　have　conceived　a　lucky　escape　for
your　unhappy　Frederick　William。　Explain　to　me；　dearest；　your
meaning。〃

〃I　must　change　my　name　by　marrying　some　one！〃　she　whispered。

〃Marry！　and　I　give　you　to　another？　I　will　never　consent　to　that；〃　he
cried；　alarmed。

〃Not　to　a　husband；　only　a　name；〃　said　she。　〃These　Rosicrucians　are
such　extraordinarily　virtuous　and　pure　beings；　loving　you　so
infinitely　and　disinterestedly；　that　it　grieves　them　that　my　love
for　you　does　not　shun　the　light；　and　throw　over　itself　the　mantle　of
hypocritical　virtue！　We　will　yield　to　the　zealous　purity　of　the
Rosicrucians；〃　continued　Wilhelmine；　her　eyes　sparkling；　〃and　wrap
this　Wilhelmine　Enke　in　a　mantle　of　virtue　by　giving　her　a　husband；
and　then；　when　she　walks　out　with　her　children　the　passers…by　will
not　have　to　blush　with　shame；　and　cry；　'There　goes　the　miss　with　her
children！'　I　have　conceived　and　planned　during　this　long　and　painful
separation；　and　I　am　resolved　to　submit　humbly　to　the　pious　Fathers；
who　are　so　zealously　watchful　for　the　salvation　of　your　soul　and　my
good　fame。〃

〃That　is　to　say；　you　are　determined　to　snap　your　fingers　at　them！
Your　plan　is　a　good　one；　but　you　will　find　no　one　to　aid　you　in　a
sham　marriage！〃

〃I　have　already　found　one；〃　whispered　Wilhelmine；　smiling。　〃Your
valet　de　chambre　Rietz　is　willing　to　stand　with　me　in　a　sham
marriage。〃

〃My　body…servant！〃

〃Yes；　Frederick　William！　You　will　confess　that　I　am　not　ambitious；
and　only　consent　to　it　to　secure　our　happiness　from　the　persecution
of　these　virtuous　men。　Here　is　the　contract；〃　said　she；　drawing　from
her　dress…pocket　a　paper；　which　she　unfolded。　〃He　promises　to　give
me　his　name；　and　regard　me　as　a　stranger　always；　for　the　sum　of　four
hundred　thalers　annually；　with　the　promise　of　promotion　to
confidential　servant　when　the　noble　crown　prince　shall　ascend　the
throne。　＇Footnote：　Historical。See　F　Forster；　〃Latest　Prussian
History；〃　vol。　1。；　p。　74＇　Will　you　sign　it？〃

〃I　will　do　any　thing　that　will　grant　me　your　affection；　in　spite　of
my　unhappy　oath。　Give　me　the　paper。　I　will　sign　it。　When　is　the
wedding？〃

〃The　moment　that　you；　my　dear　lord　and　master；　have　inscribed　your
name；〃　said　Wilhelmine；　handing　him　the　pen；　and　pointing　to　the
paper。

The　prince　wrote　the　desired　signature；　quickly　throwing　the　pen
across　the　room；　shouting；　〃Long　live　Wilhelmine　Rietz；　who　has
rescued　me　from　perjury　and　sin！　Come　to　my　arms；　outstretched　to
press　to　my　heart　the　most　beautiful；　most　intelligent；　and　most
diplomatic　of　women！〃

Two　days　later　it　was　related　in　Berlin　that　Wilhelmine　Enke　had
married　the　princely　valet　de　chambre　Rietz；　the　crown　prince　being
present　at　the　ceremony；　which　took　place　at　a　small　village　near
Potsdam。

Under　the　head　of　marriages；　the　Berlin　newspapers　announced
〃Wilhelmine　Enke　to　Carl　Rietz。〃

〃Ah；　my　Rosicrucians；〃　cried　Wilhelmine；　laughingly；　as　she　read
this　notice；　a　mischievous　triumph　sparkling　in　her　eyes；　〃ah；　my
heroes　in　virtue；　for　once　you　are　outwitted；　and　I　am　victorious！　I
would　like　to　witness　their　surprise。　How　they　will　laugh　and　swear
over　it！　The　favorite　of　a　prince　married　to　a　valet　de　chambre！
Wait　until　the　prince　becomes　a　king；　then　Wilhelmine　Rietz　will
develop　into　a　beautiful　butterfly；　and　the　wife　of　the　valet　de
chambre　will　become　a　countessnay；　a　princess。　The　Great　Kophta
has　promised　it；　and　he　shall　keep　his　word。　I　wear　his　ring；　which
sparkles　and　glistens；　although　the　jeweller　declares　the　diamond
has　been　exchanged　for　a　false　stone。　No　matter；　if　it　only　shines
like　the　real　one。　Every　thing　earthly　is　deception；　falsehood；　and
glitter。　Every　one　is　storming　and　pressing　on　in　savage　eagerness
toward　fortune；　honor；　and　fame！　I　will　have　my　part　in　it。　The
storm　and　pressure　of　the　world　rage　in　my　own　heart。　The　fire　of
ambition　is　lighted　in　my　soul；　and　the　insatiable　thirst　for
fortune　consumes　me。　Blaze　and　burn　until　the　day　that　Frederick
William　ascends　the　throne；　then　the　low…born　daughter　of　the
trumpeter　will　become　the　high…born　countess。　The　false　stone　will
change　to　the　sparkling　diamond　and　Cagliostro　shall　then　serve　me。〃




CHAPTER　XXXVIII。

REVENGE　FULFILLED。


Since　the　soiree　at　the　house　of　the　rich　banker；　Ebenstreit；　an
entire　winter　had　passed　in　pleasures　and　fetes。　The　position　of
Baron　Ebenstreit　von　Leuthen　had　been　recognized　in　aristocratic
society；　thanks　to　his　dinners；　soirees；　balls；　fetes；　and
particularly　to　his　lovely；　spirited；　and　proud　wife。　Herr
Ebenstreit　von　Leuthen　had　reached　the　acme　of　his　ambition；　his
house　was　the　resort　of　the　most　distinguished　society；　the
extravagance　and　superb　arrangements　of　his　dinners　and　fetes　were
the　theme　of　every　tongue。　This　excessive　admiration　flattered　the
vain；　ambitious　parvenu　extremely；　and　it　was　the　happiest　day　of
his　life　when　Prince　Henry　of　Prussia；　brother　of　Frederick　the
Great；　did　him　the　unspeakable　honor　to　dine　with　him。　This
gratifying　day　he　owed　to　his　wife；　and；　as　he　said；　it　ought　to　be
kept　as　the　greatest　triumph　of　money　over　prejudice　and　etiquette
the　day　upon　which　a　royal　prince　recognized　the　rich　and　newly…
created　noble　as　his　equal。　Ebenstreit's　entrance　into　the　highest
circle　of　aristocracy　was　due　to　the　management　and　tone　of　the
world　of　his　wife；　who　understood　the　elegancies　of　life；　passing　as
an　example　and　ideal　of　an　elegant　woman；　of　which　her　husband　was
very　proud。　He　lauded　his　original　and　crafty　idea　of　devoting　his
money　to　such　a　satisfactory　purchase　as　a　sensible　and　ladylike
wife；　although　the　union　was　not　a　happy　one；　and；　in　the　proper
acceptation　of　the　word；　no　marriage　at　all。

Whilst　all　were　entertained　at　the　fetes；　and　envied　the　splendor
and　wealth　of　Baron　von　Ebenstreit；　there　were　many　sinister　remarks
as　to　the　possibility　of　sustaining　this　expenditure　upon　such　a
grand　scale。　It　was　whispered　about　that　the　banking…house；
conducted　under　another　name；　had　lost　in　extensive　speculations；
and　that　the　baron　lived　upon　his　principal　instead　of　his　interest。
The　business　community　declared　that　the　firm　entered　into　the　most
daring　and　senseless　undertakings；　and　that　it　must　go　to　ruin。　The
old　book…keeper；　Splittgerber；　who　had　for　many　years　conducted　the
business；　had　been　pensioned　by　the　baron；　and　commenced　for
himself。　His　successor　had　once　ventured　to　warn　the　nobleman；　and
represent　to　him　the　danger　which　threatened　him；　for　which　he　was
immediately　dismissed；　and　the　fact　communicated　to　the　entire
house；　at　a　special　assemblage　of　the　clerks　for　the　purpose；　with
the　warning　of　a　like　fate　for　every　subordinate　who　should　presume
to　criticise　the　acts　of　the　principals；　or　proffer　advice　to　them。
Since　this　no　one　had　ventured　to　repeat　the　offence；　but　every
member　of　the　house　occupied　himself　in　drawing　a　profit　from　the
general　and　daily　increasing　confusion；　and　save　something　from　the
wreck　which　would　inevitably　ensue。　The　baron；　with　pretentious
unconcern；　dazzled　by　his　unusual　honors；　permitted　his　business
affairs　to　take　their　course　with　smiling　unconcern；　and　when
unsuccessful；　to　hide　the　mistakes　of　the　banker　under　the　pomp　of
the　baron。

Marie；　indulging　in　the　style　of　a　great　lady；　appeared　not　to
notice　or　trouble　herself　at　all　about　these　things。　She　entertained
most　luxuriantly；　and　spent　enormous　sums　upon　her　toilet；　changed
the　costly　livery　of　her　numerous　retinue　of　servants　every　month；
as　well　as　the　furniture　of　the　drawing…rooms；　and　presented　with
generous　liberality　her　superfluous　ornaments；　dresses；　and
furniture　to　her　dear　high…born　friends；　who　greedily　accepted　them；
and　were　overflowing　in　their　tender　protestations　and　gratitude；
whilst　they　in　secret　revolted　at　the　presumption　of　the　arrogant
woman；　who　permitted　herself　to　send　them　her　cast…off　things。

They　rejoiced　to　receive　them；　however；　and　reappeared　in　her
splendid　drawing…rooms；　enduring　the　pride　and　neglect　of　the
baroness；　and　calling　her　their　dear　friend；　whom　they　in　secret
envied　and　hated。

Did　Marie　know　this；　or　did　she　let　herself　be　deceived　by　these
friendly　protestations？　Occasionally；　when　her　friends　embraced　and
kissed　her；　a　languid　smile　flitted　over　her　haughty　face；　and　once
as　she　wandered　through　the　suite　of　rooms；　awaiting　her　guests；　she
caught　the　reflection　of　a　beautiful　woman　in　the　costly　Venetian
mirrors；　sparkling　with　diamonds　and　wearing　a　silver…embroidered
dress　with　a　train。　She　gazed　at　this　woman　with　an　expression　of
ineffable　scorn；　and　whispered　to　her：　〃Suffer　yet　awhile；　you　shall
soon　be　released。