old fritz and the new era-第76部分

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detestation　you　regard　me！〃

〃Do　you　wonder　at　it？　Have　I　ever　concealed　this　hate　from　you；　or
ever　given　you　hope　to　believe　that　a　reconciliation　would　be
possible　between　us？〃

〃No；　truly　you　have　not；　but　now　you　will　forgive　me；　for　you　know
how　I　love　you；　and　have　provided　for　your　future。　You　will　remain
rich；　and　I　shall　be　poor。〃

Marie　regarded　him　with　unspeakable　contempt。　〃You　are　more
despicable　than　I　thought　you　were。　You　do　not　deserve　forbearance
or　pity；　for　you　are　a　dishonorable　bankrupt；　who　cares　not　how　much
others　may　suffer；　provided　his　future　is　secured。　I　will　not；
however；　suffer　the　name　which　I　have　borne　against　my　will；　to　be
defamed　and　become　a　mark　for　scorn。　I　will　compel　you　to　remain　an
honest　man；　and　be　just　to　your　creditors。　I　propose　to　pay　the
bills　of　exchange；　which　will　be　presented　to　you　to…day；　provided
you　will　consent　to　my　conditions。〃

〃Oh；　Marie；　you　are　an　angel！〃　he　cried；　rushing　toward　her　and
kneeling　at　her　feet；　〃I　will　do　all　that　you　wish；　and　consent　to
every　thing　you　propose。〃

〃Will　you　swear　it？〃　she　coldly　replied。

〃I　swear　that　I　accept　your　conditions。〃

〃Bring　the　writing…materials　from　the　window…niche；　and　seat
yourself　by　this　table。〃

Ebenstreit　brought　them；　and　seated　himself　by　the　Florentine　mosaic
table；　near　which　Marie　was　standing。

She　drew　from　her　pocket　a　paper；　which　she　unfolded　and　placed
before　him　to　sign。　〃Sign　this　with　your　full　name；　and　add；　'With
my　own　free　will　and　consent；'〃　she　commandingly　ordered　him。

〃But　you　will　first　make　known　to　me　the　contents？〃

〃You　have　sworn　to　sign　it；〃　she　said；　〃and　unless　you　accept　my
conditions；　you　are　welcome　to　be　incarcerated　for　life　in　the
debtor's　prison。　You　have　only　to　choose。　If　you　decide　in　the
negative；　I　will　exert　myself　that　your　creditors　do　not　free　you。　I
should　trust　in　the　justice　of　God　having　sent　you　there；　and　that
man　in　miserable　pity　should　not　act　against　His　will　in　freeing
you。　Now　decide；　will　you　sign　the　paper；　or　go　to　prison　as　a
dishonorable　bankrupt？〃

He　hastily　seized　the　pen　and　wrote　his　name；　handing　the　paper　to
Marie；　sighing。

〃You　have　forgotten　to　add　the　clause；　'With　my　own　free　will　and
consent；'〃　she　replied；　hastily　glancing　at　it；　letting　the　paper
drop　like　a　wilted　leaf；　and　her　eyes　flashing　with　scorn。

Ebenstreit　saw　it；　and　as　he　again　handed　her　the　paper；　he
exclaimed；　〃I　read　in　your　eyes　the　intense　hate　you　bear　me。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　composedly；　〃not　only　hate；　but　scorn。　Hush！　no
response。　You　knew　it　long　before　I　was　forced　to　stand　at　the　altar
with　you。　I　warned　you　not　to　unite　yourself　to　me；　and　you　had　the
impious　audacity　to　defy　me　with　your　riches。　The　seed　of　hate　which
you　then　sowed；　you　may　to…day　reap　the　fruits　of。　You　shall
recognize　now　that　money　is　miserable　trash；　and　that　when　deprived
of　it　you　will　never　win　sympathy　from　your　so…called　friends；　but
they　will　turn　from　you　with　contempt；　when　you　crave　their　pity　or
aid。〃

〃I　think　that　you　exaggerate；　dearest；〃　said　Ebenstreit；　fawningly。
〃You　have　many　devoted　friends　among　the　ladies；　and　I　can　well　say
that　I　have　found；　among　the　distinguished　gentlemen　who　visit　our
house；　many　noble；　excellent　ones　who　have　met　me　with　a　warmth　of
friendship〃

〃Because　they　would　borrow　money　of　the　rich　man；〃　interrupted
Marie。

〃Of　course　my　coffers　have　always　been　accessible　to　my　dear
friends；　and　I　prized　the　honor　of　proving　my　friendship　by　my
deeds。〃

〃You　will　realize　to…day　how　they　prove　their　gratitude　to　you　for
it。　Go；　receive　the　good　friends　whom　you　have　invited。　It　is　time
that　they　were　here；　and　I　perceive　the　carriages　are　approaching；〃

Marie　motioned　to　the　door；　with　a　dictatorial　wave　of　her　hand；　and
Ebenstreit　betook　himself　to　the　reception…room。　Just　as　he　crossed
the　threshold；　the　usher　announced　〃Herr　Gedicke！　Ebenstreit　greeted
him　hastily　in　passing；　and　the　old　man　went　on　to　meet　the
baroness；　who　was　hastening　toward　him。

〃You　have　most　graciously　invited　me　to　your　house　to…day；　and　you
will　excuse　me　that　my　earnest　wish　to　see　you　has　brought　me
earlier　than　any　other　guest。〃

〃I　begged　you　to　come　a　quarter　of　an　hour　sooner；　for　I　would
gladly　speak　with　you　alone　a　few　moments；〃

〃I　thought　so；　and　hastened　up　here。〃

〃Did　not　my　old　Trude　go　to　see　you　some　days　since？〃　asked　Marie；
timidly。

〃She　did；　and　you　can　well　understand　that　I　was　much　affected　and
surprised　at　her　visit。　I　thought　that　you　had　forgotten　me；
baroness；　and　that　every　souvenir　of　the　past　had　fled　from　your
memory。　I　now　see　that　your　noble；　faithful　heart　can　never　forget；
and　therefore　has　never　ceased　to　suffer；　which　I　ought　to　regret；
for　your　sake；　but　for　my　own　it　pleased　me　to　receive　your　kind
greeting。〃

Marie　pressed　her　hand　to　her　eyes　and　sighed　audibly。　〃Pray　do　not
speak　so　gently　to　meit　enervates　me；　and　I　would　force　myself　to
endure　to…day。　Only　tell　me；　did　Trude　communicate　to　you　my　wishes；
and　will　it　be　possible　for　you　to　fulfil　them？〃

〃Your　brave；　good　friend　brought　me　a　thousand　dollars；　praying　me
to　convey　this　to　Herr　Moritz　in　order　to　defray　the　expenses　of　a
journey　to　Italy。〃

〃Have　you　accomplished　it；　and　in　such　a　manner　that　he　does　not
suspect　the　source　from　whence　it　came？　He　would　not　receive　it　if
he　had　the　least　suspicion　of　it。　I　have　seen　him　secretly　several
times　as　he　passed　to　and　fro　from　the　Gymnasium；　and　he　appeared　to
me　to　grow　paler　and　more　languid　every　day。〃

〃It　is　true　that　since　you　have　come　back　he　has　changed。　The　old
melancholy　seems　to　have　returned。〃

〃He　needs　distraction；　he　must　go　away　and　forget　me。　It　has　always
been　his　earnest　wish　to　travel　in　Italy。　You　must　tell　him　that　you
have　succeeded　in　getting　the　money　for　him。〃

〃I　bethought　myself　of　Moritz's　publisher；　represented　to　him　how
necessary　it　was　for　the　health　of　Professor　Moritz　to　travel；
begged　of　him　to　order　a　work　upon　Italy；　and　particularly　the　works
of　art　of　Rome；　and　propose　to　Moritz　the　acceptance　of　the　money
for　that　object；　as　he　was　quite　too　proud　to　receive　it　as　a
present。〃

〃That　was　an　excellent　idea；〃　cried　Marie。　〃Has　it　been
accomplished？〃

〃Yes；　as　Herr　Maurer　made　the　proposal；　and　Moritz　replied；　sighing；
that　he　had　not　the　means　for　such　a　journey；　the　publisher
immediately　offered　him　half　of　the　remuneration　in　advance；
consequently　he　starts　to…morrow　for　Italy；　unknowing　of　the
thousand　dollars　being　your　gift。〃　＇Footnote：　This　work；　which　was
published　after　his　return；　still　excites　the　highest　interest；　and
is　entitled　〃Travels　of　a　German　in　Italy　during　1786　and　1787。
Letters　of　Philip　Carl　Moritz；〃　8　vols。；　Berlin；　published　by
Frederick　Maurer。＇

〃How　much　I　thank　you！〃　she　joyfully　cried。　〃Moritz　is　saved；　he
will　now　recover；　and　forget　all　his　grief　in　studying　the　objects
of　interest　in　the　Eternal　City。〃

〃Do　you　really　believe　that？〃　asked　Herr　Gedicke。　〃Were　you　not　also
in　Italy？〃

〃I　was　indeed　there　two　years；　but　it　was　very　different　with　me。　It
is　difficult　to　forget　you　are　a　slave；　when　listening　all　the　while
to　the　clanking　of　your　chains。〃

〃My　poor　child；　I　read　with　sorrow　the　history　of　the　past　years　in
your　grief…stricken　face。　It　is　the　first　time　we　have　met　since
your　marriage。〃

〃See　what　these　years　have　made　of　me！a　miserable　wife；　whom　the
world　esteems；　but　who　recoils　from　herself。　My　heart　has　changed　to
stone；　and　I　feel　metamorphosed。　The　sight　of　you　recalls　that
fearful　hour；　melting　my　heart　and　causing　the　tears　to　flow。　At
that　time　you　blessed　me；　my　friend　and　father。　Oh；　grant　me　your
blessing　again　in　this　hour　of　sorrow！　I　implore　you　for　it；　before
an　important　decision！　I　long　for　the　sympathy　of　a　noble　soul！〃

〃I　know　not；　my　child；　with　what　grief　this　hour　may　be　laden　for
you；　but　I　lay　my　hand　again　upon　your　head；　imploring　God　in　His
divine　mercy　to　sustain　you！〃

〃Countess　von　Moltke　and　Frau　von　Morien！〃　announced　the　usher。　In
brilliant　toilets　the　ladies　rustled　in；　hastening　toward　the
baroness；　who　had　now　regained　her　wonted　composure；　and　received
them　in　her　usual　stately　manner。

〃How　perfectly　charming　you　look　to…night！〃　cried　Countess　Moltke。
〃To　me　you　are　ever　the　impersonation　of　the　goddess　of　wealth　and
beauty　strewing　everywhere　with　lavish　generosity　your　gifts；　and
turning　every　thing　to　gold　with　your　touch。〃

〃But　whose　heart　has　remained　tender　and　gentle；〃　added　Frau　von
Morien。〃You　are　indeed　a　goddess；　always　enhancing　the　pleasures
of　others。　To…day　I　wear　the　beautiful　bracelet　which　you　sent　me
because　I　admired　it。〃

〃And　I；　ma　toute　belle；〃　cried　the　countess；　〃have　adorned　myself
with　this　superb　gold　brocade　which　you　so　kindly　had　sent　from
Paris　for　me。〃

〃You　have　forgotten；　countess；　that　you　begged　of　me　to　give　the
order　for　you。〃

〃Ah；　that　is　true！　Then　I　am　your　debtor。〃

〃If　you　are　not　too　proud　to　receive　it　as　a　present？〃

〃Oh；　most　certainly　not；　on　the　contrary；　I　thank　you；　my　dear。
Tell　me；　my　dear　Morien；　is　not　this　woman　an　angel？〃

At　this　instant　the　French　ambassador；　Marquis　Treves；　appeared
among　the　numerous　guests；　whom　the　baroness　stepped　quickly　forward
to　welcome；　withdrawing　with　him　into　the　window…niche。

〃Welcome；　marquis；〃　she　said；　quickly；　in　a　low　voice；　〃Have　you
brought　me　the　promised　papers？〃

Drawing　a　sealed　packet　from　his　coat…pocket；　he　handed　it　to　the
baroness　with　a　low　bow；　saying：　〃I　would　draw　your　attention　to　the
fact　once　more；　dear　madam；　that　I　have　abided　by　the　price　named　by
yourself；　in　making　this　sale；　although　I　am　still　of　the　opinion
that　it　is　below　its　value。〃

〃The　sum　is　sufficient　for　my　wants；　and　I　rated　its　value　according
as　it　is　taxed。〃

〃There　are　a　hundred　thousand　dollars　in　bills　of　exchange；　payable
at　the　French　embassy　at　any　moment；〃　said　the　marquis。

〃I　thank　you；　sir；　for　this　proof　of　friendly　attention；　and　as　it
may　be　the　last　time　we　meet；　I　would　assure　you　that　I　shall　always
remember　your　many　and　thoughtful　kindnesses。〃

〃You　speak；　baroness；　as　if　you