louisa of prussia and her times-第139节

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emotion；　and　stretching　out　her　arms　to　the　women；　exclaimed：　〃Pray
with　me；　my　sisters；　that　I　may　be　permitted　to　see　Palm　and　bid　him
farewell！　I　am　his　wife；　and　have　come　to　die　with　him！〃

And　like　a　broken　lily　she　sank　down　at　the　general's　feet。　The　mass
of　the　women　was　surging　as　if　a　sudden　gust　of　wind　had　moved　the
waves；　murmurs　and　sighs；　sobs　and　groans；　filled　the　air；　and　were
the　only　language；　the　only　prayer　the　deeply…moved　women　were
capable　of。

The　general　bent　down　to　Anna　and　raised　her。　〃Madame；〃　he　said；　so
loudly　as　to　be　heard　by　the　other　women；　〃madame；　your　prayer　is
granted。　The　only　favor　for　which　the　prisoner　asked　was　to　see　YOU
before　his　death；　and　we　granted　it　to　him。　Follow；　therefore；　my
adjutant：　he　will　bring　you　to　him。　Palm　is　waiting　for　you！〃

〃Ah；　I　knew　very　well　that　he　was　waiting　for　me；　and　that　God　would
lead　me　to　him　in　time！〃　exclaimed　Anna；　raising　her　radiant　eyes
toward　heaven。




CHAPTER　LIX。

THE　LAST　HOUR。


Palm　had　returned　to　his　cell　without　uttering　a　complaint；　a
reproach。　Nothing　in　his　bearing　betrayed　his　profound　grief；　his
intense　indignation。　He　knew　that　neither　his　complaints　nor　his
reproaches　were　able　to　change　his　fate；　and　consequently　he　wanted
to　bear　it　like　a　man。

He　greeted　Balthasar　with　a　touching　smile；　the　jailer　received　him
at　the　door　of　his　cell；　and　concealed　no　longer　the　tears　which
filled　his　eyes。

〃My　poor　friend；〃　said　Palm；　kindly；　〃then　you　already　knew　what　was
in　store　for　me；　and　it　cut　you　to　the　quick　to　see　me　so　merry　and
unconcerned！　Well；　now　you　may　accept　my　gift；　for　now　I　shall　be
free；　so　free　that　no　shackles　and　chains　will　ever　be　able　to　hold
me　again。　And　you　promised　me　not　to　reject　my　gift　when　I　should　be
restored　to　liberty。　I　have　got　it；　my　friend；take　my　present；
therefore！〃

He　took　the　breastpin　from　the　table　and　handed　it　to　the　jailer。
The　latter　received　it　with　a　scarcely　suppressed　groan；　and　when　he
bent　down　to　kiss　the　hand　which　had　given　it　to　him；　a　scalding
tear　fell　from　his　eyes　on　Palm's　hand。

〃Oh；〃　said　Palm；　feelingly；　〃I　gave　you　only　a　small　trinket；　and
you　return　to　me　a　diamond　for　it！　I　thank　you；　my　friend；　I　know
you　will　pray　for　me　in　my　last　moments。　Now　leave　me　alone　for　an
hour；　for　I　must　collect　my　thoughts　and　consult　with　God　about　what
is　in　store　for　me。　Are　you　allowed　to　give　me　pen　and　ink？〃

〃I　have　already　placed　writing…materials　in　the　drawer　of　your
table；〃　said　Balthasar；　in　a　low　voice；　〃for　all　prisoners　like　you
have　the　right　to　draw　up　their　last　will　for　their　family；　and　I
solemnly　swear　to　you　that　I　will　forward　what　you　are　going　to
write　to　its　address。〃

〃I　thank　you；　my　friend；　leave　me　alone；　then；　so　that　I　may　write。
But　listen！　Do　not　go　too　far　away；　remain　in　the　corridor　so　that
you　can　open　the　door　to　her　as　soon　as　SHE　comes。〃

〃SHE！〃　asked　the　jailer。　〃Who　is　it？〃

Palm　hesitated；　he　was　unable　to　utter　the　word　at　once；　for　the
tears　arose　from　his　heart　and　paralyzed　his　tongue。　〃My　wife！〃　he
said；　painfully；　at　last。　〃Go　and　await　her；　for　I　am　sure　she　will
come！〃

He　motioned　Balthasar　to　withdraw；　and　then　sat　down；　weary　and
exhausted；　in　his　cane…chair。　For　a　moment　he　was　overwhelmed　by　the
whole　misery　of　his　position；　and　his　grief　rolled　like　an　avalanche
on　his　poor　heart。　He　dropped　his　head　on　his　breast；　his　arms　hung
down　heavy　and　powerless；　and　a　few　tears；　as　large　as　those　of
children；　and　burning　like　fire；　rolled　over　his　cheeks。　But　this
did　not　last　long；　for　these　scalding　drops　aroused　him　from　the
stupor　of　his　grief。

He　raised　his　head　again　and　dried　the　tears　on　his　cheeks。　〃I　have
no　time　to　spare　for　weeping；〃　he　said　to　himself　in　a　low　voice；
〃my　hours　are　numbered；　and　I　must　write　to　my　poor　Anna　my　will　for
her　and　my　children！〃

He　took　from　the　drawer　the　writing…materials　which　Balthasar　had
kindly　placed　there；　and　took　a　seat　at　the　table　in　order　to　write。
He　placed　his　chair；　however；　in　such　a　manner　that　he　was　able　to
see　the　door　of　his　cell；　and　frequently；　while　writing；　raised　his
eyes　from　the　paper　and　fixed　them　anxiously　on　the　door。

Now　he　really　heard　approaching　steps；　and　the　key　was　put　into　the
lock。

Palm　laid　his　pen　aside　and　rose。

The　door　openedAnna　entered。　She　glided　toward　him　with　a　heavenly
smile；　he　clasped　her　in　his　arms；　and；　kissing　her　head　which　she
had　laid　on　his　breast；　whispered：　〃God　bless　you　for　having　come　to
me！　I　knew　that　I　should　not　look　for　you　in　vain！〃

The　jailer　stood　at　the　open　door　and　wept。　His　sobs　reminded　Palm
of　his　presence。

〃Balthasar；〃　he　said；　imploringly；　and　pointing　his　hand　at　Anna　who
was　still　reposing　on　his　breast；　〃Balthasar；　I　am　sure　you　will
leave　me　alone　with　her；　my　friend？〃

〃I　have　received　stringent　orders　never　to　leave　prisoners　under
sentence　of　death　alone　with　others；〃　murmured　Balthasar。　〃They
might　easily　furnish　arms　or　poison　to　them；　that　is　what　my
superiors　told　me。〃

Palm　placed　his　hand　on　his　wife's　head　as　if　going　to　take　a　solemn
oath。　〃Balthasar；〃　he　said；　〃by　this　sacred　and　beloved　head　I　swear
to　you　that　I　shall　not　commit　suicide。　Let　my　murderers　take　my
life。　Will　you　now　leave　me　alone　with　her？〃

〃I　will；　for　it　would　be　cruel　not　to　do　so；〃　said　Balthasar。　〃God
alone　ought　to　hear　what　you　have　to　say　to　each　other！　I　give　you
half　an　hour；　then　the　officers　and　the　priest　will　come；　and　it
will　no　longer　be　in　my　power　to　keep　this　door　locked。　But　until
then　nobody　shall　disturb　you。〃

He　left　the　cell　and　locked　the　door。

Man　and　wife　were　alone　now；　they　had　half　an　hour　for　their　last
interview；　their　last　farewell。

There　are　sacred　moments　which；　like　the　wings　of　the　butterfly；　are
injured　by　the　slightest　touch　of　the　human　hand；　and　which；
therefore；　must　not　be　approached；　there　are　words　which　no　human
ear　ought　to　listen　to；　and　tears　which　God　alone　ought　to　count。

Half　an　hour　later　the　jailer　opened　the　door　and　reentered。　Palm
and　his　wife　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　cell；　and；　encircling　each
other　with　one　arm；　looked　calmly；　serenely；　and　smilingly　at　each
other　like　two　spirits　removed　from　earth。

The　paper　on　which　Palm　had　written　was　no　longer　on　the　table；　it
reposed　now　on　Anna's　heart；　the　golden　wedding…ring　which　Palm　had
worn　on　his　finger　had　disappeared；　and　glittered　now　on　Anna's　hand
near　her　own　wedding…ring。

〃The　priest　is　there；〃　said　the　jailer；　〃and　the　soldiers；　too；　are
already　in　the　corridor。　It　is　high　time。〃

〃Go；　then；　Anna；〃　said　Palm；　withdrawing　his　arm　from　her　neck。

But　she　clung　with　a　long　scream　of　despair　to　his　breast。　〃You　want
me　to　live；　then？〃　she　exclaimed；　reproachfully。　〃You　want　to　sever
our　paths？　Oh；　be　merciful；　my　beloved；　remember　that　we　have　sworn
at　the　altar　to　share　life　and　death　with　each　other！　Let　me　die
with　you；　therefore！〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　tenderly　and　firmly。　〃No；　Anna；　you　shall　live　with
me！　My　children　are　my　life　and　my　heart；　they　will　live　with　you。
Every　morning　I　shall　greet　you　from　the　eyes　of　our　children；　and
when　they　embrace　you；　think　it　were　my　arms　encircling　you。　Live
for　our　children；　Anna；　teach　them　to　love　their　father　who；　it　is
true；　will　be　no　longer　with　them；　but　whose　soul　will　ever　surround
you　and　them！　Swear　to　me　that　you　will　live　and　bear　your　fate
firmly　and　courageously！〃

〃I　swear　it；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice。

〃And　now；　beloved　Anna；　leave　me！　My　last　moments　belong　to　God！〃

He　kissed　her　lips；　which　were　as　cold　as　marble；　and　led　her　gently
to　the　door。

Anna　now　raised　her　head　in　order　to　fix　a　long；　last　look　on　him。

〃You　want　me　to　live；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　do　so　long　as　it　pleases
God。　I　bid　you；　therefore；　farewell；　but　not　forever；　nor　even　for　a
very　long　while。　All　of　us　are　nothing　but　poor　wanderers　whom　God
has　sent　on　earth　to　perform　their　pilgrimage。　But　at　length　He
opens　to　us　again　the　doors　of　our　paternal　house　and　calls　us　home！
I　long　for　my　return　home；　my　beloved！　Farewell；　then；　until　we　meet
again！〃

〃Farewell　until　we　meet　again！〃

They　shook　hands　once　more；　and　gazed　at　each　other　with　a　smile
which　lighted　up　their　faces　like　the　last　beam　of　the　setting　sun。

Then　Anna；　walking　backward　in　order　to　see　him　still；　and　to
engrave　his　image　deeply　on　her　heart；　crossed　the　threshold　as　the
jailer　hastily　closed　the　door　behind　her。

Palm　heard　a　heart…rending　cry　outside；　then　every　thing　was　silent。

A　few　minutes　later　the　door　opened　again；　and　a　Catholic　priest
entered。

〃My　wife　has　fainted；　I　suppose？〃　asked　Palm。

〃No；　a　sudden　vertigo　seemed　to　seize　her　when　the　door　closed；　but
she　overcame　her　weakness　and　hurried　away。　May　the　Lord　God　have
mercy　on　her！〃

〃He　will；〃　said　Palm；　confidently。

〃May　He　have　mercy　on　you；　too；　my　son；〃　said　the　priest。　〃Let　us
pray；　open　to　me　your　soul　and　your　heart。〃

〃My　soul　and　my　heart　lie　open　before　God；　He　will　see　and　judge
them；〃　said　Palm。　〃I　do　not　belong　to　your　church；　my　father；　I　am　a
Protestant。　But　if　you　will　pray　with　me；　do　so；　if　you　will　give　me
y