louisa of prussia and her times-第134节
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what was the matter。
〃I tell you I am unable to assist you；〃 he heard his book…keeper
say。 〃I am poor myself； and Mr。 Palm is not at home。〃
〃Mr。 Palm is at home； and I implore you let me see him；〃 said a
strange； supplicating voice。 〃He has a generous heart and if I tell
him of my distress he will pity me and lend me his assistance。〃
〃Come back in a few days； then；〃 exclaimed the book…keeper； 〃Mr。
Palm will then be back； perhaps； from his journey。〃
〃In a few days！〃 ejaculated the strange voice〃in a few days my
wife and child will be starved to death； for unless I am able to
procure relief within this hour； my cruel creditor will have me
taken to the debtors' prison； and I shall be unable then to assist
my sick wife and baby。 Oh； have mercy on my distress！ Let me see Mr。
Palm； that I may implore his assistance！〃
〃Mr。 Palm is not at home as I told you already；〃 exclaimed the book…
keeper in an angry voice。 〃How am I to let you see him； then？ Come
back in a few daysthat is the only advice I can give you。 Go now；
and do not disturb me any longer！〃
〃No； people shall never say that I turned a despairing man away from
my door；〃 muttered Palm； rapidly crossing the room and opening the
door of the store。
〃Stay； poor man；〃 he said to the beggar； who had already turned
around and was about to leave the store〃stay。〃
The beggar turned around； and； on perceiving Palm； who stood on the
threshold of the door； uttered a joyful cry。
〃Do you see；〃 he said； triumphantly to the book…keeper〃 do you see
that I was right？ Mr。 Palm is at home； and will help me。〃
〃I will help you if I can；〃 said Palm； kindly。 〃What does your debt
amount to？〃
〃Ah； Mr。 Palm； I owe my landlord a quarter's rent； amounting to
twenty florins。 But if you should be so generous as to give me half
that sum； it would be enough； for the landlord has promised to wait
three months； provided I paid him now ten florins。〃
〃You shall have the ten florins；〃 said Palm。 〃Mr。 Bertram； pay this
man ten florins； and charge them to me。〃
〃Oh； Mr。 Palm； how kind you are！〃 exclaimed the beggar； joyfully。
〃How shall I ever be able to thank you for what you have done for me
to…day？〃
〃Thank me by being industrious and making timely provision for your
wife and child； in order not to be again reduced to such distress；〃
said Palm； nodding kindly to the stranger； and returning to the
adjoining room。
With the ten florins which the book…keeper had paid to him； the
beggar hastened into the street。 No sooner had he left the threshold
of Palm's house than the melancholy and despairing air disappeared
from his face； which now assumed a scornful and malicious mien。 With
hasty steps he hurried over to St。 Sebald's church； to the pillar
yonder； behind which two men； wrapped in their cloaks； were to be
seen。
〃Mr。 Palm is at home；〃 said the beggar； grinning。 〃Go into the
store； cross it and enter the adjoining sitting…roomthere you will
find him。 I have spied it out for you； and now give me my pay。〃
〃First we must know whether you have told us the truth；〃 said one of
the men。 〃It may be all false。〃
〃But I tell you I have seen him with my own eyes；〃 replied the
beggar。 〃I stood in the store； and cried and lamented in the most
heart…rending manner； and protested solemnly that my wife and baby
would be starved to death； unless Mr。 Palm should assist me。 The
book…keeper refused my application； but then I cried only the
louder； so as to be heard by Mr。 Palm。 And he did hear me； he came
out of his hiding…place and gave me the ten florins I asked him for。
Here they are。〃
〃Well； if you have got ten florins； that is abundant pay for your
treachery；〃 said the two men。 〃It is Judas…money。 To betray your
benefactor； who has just made you a generous present； forsooth； only
a German could do that。〃
They turned their backs contemptuously on the beggar； and walked
across the street toward Palm's house。
There was nobody in the hall； and the two men entered the store
without being hindered。 Without replying to the book…keeper and
second clerk； who came to meet them for the purpose of receiving
their orders； they put off their cloaks。
〃French gens d'armes；〃 muttered the book…keeper； turning pale； and
he advanced a few steps toward the door of the sitting…room。 One of
the gens d'armes kept him back。
〃Both of you will stay here；〃 he said； imperiously； 〃we are going to
enter that room。 Utter the faintest sound； the slightest warning；
and we shall arrest both of you。 Be silent； therefore； and let us do
our duty。〃
The two clerks dared not stir； and saw with silent dismay that the
two gens d'armes approached the door of the sitting…room and hastily
opened it。
Then they heard a few imperious words； followed by a loud cry of
despair。
〃Oh； the poor woman！〃 muttered the book…keeper； with quivering lips；
but without moving from the spot。
The door of the sitting…room； which the gens d'armes had closed；
opened again； and the two policemen stepped into the store； they led
Palm into it。 Each of them had seized one of his arms。
Palm looked pale； and his brow was clouded； but nevertheless he
walked forward like a man who is determined not to be crushed by his
misfortunes； but to bear them as manfully as possible。 When he
arrived in the middle of the store； near the table where his two
clerks were standing； he stopped。
〃Then you will not give me half an hour's time to arrange my
business affairs with my book…keeper； and to give him my orders？〃 he
asked the policemen； who wanted to drag him forward。
〃No； not a minute；〃 they said。 〃We have received stringent orders to
take you at once to the general； and if you should refuse to follow
us willingly； to iron you and remove you forcibly。〃
〃You see I offer no resistance whatever；〃 said Palm； contemptuously。
〃Let us go。 Bertram； pray look after my wifeshe has fainted。
Remember me to her and to my children。 Farewell！〃
The two young men made no reply； their tears choked their voices。
But when Palm had disappeared； they rushed into the sitting…room to
assist the unhappy young wife。
She was lying on the floor； pale； rigid； and resembling a lily
broken by the storm。 Her eyes were half opened and dim； the long
braids of her beautiful light…colored hair； which she had just been
engaged in arranging when the gens d'armes entered； fell down
dishevelled and like curling snakes on her face and shoulders； from
which the small； transparent； gauze handkerchief had been removed。
Her features； always so lovely and gentle； bore now an expression of
anger and horror； which they had assumed when she fainted on hearing
the French policemen tell her husband that they had come to arrest
him； and that he must follow them。
They succeeded only after long efforts in bringing her back to
consciousness。 But she was not restored to life by the salts which
her servant…girl rubbed on her forehead； nor by the imploring words
of the book…keeper； but by the scalding tears of her little girls
which melted and warmed her frozen blood again。
She raised herself with a deep sigh； and her wild； frightened
glances wandered about the room； and fixed themselves searchingly on
every form which she beheld in it。 When she had satisfied her…self
that he was not among them； he whom her glances had sought for so
anxiously； she clasped her children with a loud cry of horror in her
arms and pressing them convulsively against her bosom； sobbed
piteously。
But she did not long give way to her grief and despair。 She dried
her tears hastily and rose。
〃It is no time now for weeping and lamenting；〃 she said； drawing a
deep breath； 〃I shall have time enough for that afterward； now I
must act and see whether I cannot assist him。 Do you know whither
they have taken him？〃
〃To the headquarters of Colomb； the French general； who is stationed
in this city；〃 said the book…keeper。
〃I shall go to the general； and he will have to tell me at least if
I cannot see my husband in his prison；〃 she said； resolutely。
〃Quick； Kate； assist me in dressing…； arrange my hair； for you see
my hands are trembling violently； they are weaker than my heart。〃
She rose to go to her dressing…room。 But her feet refused to serve
her； she turned dizzy； and sank down overcome by a fresh swoon。
It was only after hours of the most violent efforts that the poor
young wife succeeded in recovering from the physical prostration
caused by her sudden fright； and in becoming again able to act
resolutely and energetically。 Then； as bold and courageous as an
angry lioness； she was determined to struggle with the whole world
for the beloved husband who had been torn from her。
CHAPTER LVII。
A WIFE'S LOVE。
Anna went in the first place to General Colomb； and begged him to
grant her an interview。
About four hours had passed since Palm's arrest when the general
received her。
〃Madame；〃 he said； 〃I know why you have come to me； you are looking
for your husband； but he is no longer here at my headquarters。〃
〃No longer here？〃 she ejaculated in terror。 〃You have sent him to
France？ You intend to kill him； then？〃
〃The law will judge him； madame；〃 said the general； sternly。 〃I
