louisa of prussia and her times-第33节

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have　given　my　heart　to　him。　Let　God　decide　whose　is　the　true
morality。　The　world　is　on　your　side　and　condemns　me；　but　some　day　I
shall　hurl　back　into　its　teeth　all　its　contempt　and　scorn；　and　I
shall　compel　it　to　bow　most　humbly　to　me。〃

〃And　whosoever　sees　you　in　your　proud；　radiant　beauty；　must　feel
that　you　will　succeed　in　accomplishing　what　you　are　going　to
undertake；〃　said　Fanny；　bending　an　admiring　glance　on　the　glorious
creature　by　her　side。

Marianne　nodded　gratefully。　〃Let　us　pursue　our　aim；〃　she　said；　〃for
it　is　one　and　the　same。　Both　of　us　have　a　mission　to　fulfil；　Fanny；
we　have　to　avenge　the　Jewess　upon　the　pride　of　the　Christian　women；
we　have　to　prove　to　them　that　we　are　their　equals　in　every　respect；
that　we　are　perhaps　better；　more　accomplished；　and　talented　than　all
of　those　haughty　Christian　women。　How　often　did　they　neglect　and
insult　us　in　society！　How　often　did　they　offensively　try　to　eclipse
us！　How　often　did　they　vex　us　by　their　scorn　and　insolent　bearing！
We　will　pay　it　all　back　to　them；　we　will　scourge　them　with　the
scourges　with　which　they　have　scourged　us；　and　compel　them　to　bow　to
us！〃

〃They　shall　at　least　consider　and　treat　us　as　their　equals；〃　said
Fanny；　gravely。　〃I　am　not　longing　for　revenge；　but　I　want　to　hold　my
place　in　society；　and　to　prove　to　them　that　I　am　just　as　well…bred
and　aristocratic　a　lady；　and　have　an　equal；　nay；　a　better　right　to
call　myself　a　representative　of　true　nobility；　for　ours　is　a　more
ancient　nobility　than　that　of　all　these　Christian　aristocrats；　and
we　can　count　our　ancestors　farther　back　into　the　most　remote　ages
than　theyour　fathers；　the　proud　Levites；　having　been　high…priests
in　Solomon's　temple；　and　the　people　having　treated　them　as　noblemen
even　at　that　time。　We　will　remind　the　Christian　ladies　of　this
whenever　they　talk　to　us　about　their　own　ancestors；　who；　at　best；
only　date　back　to　the　middle　ages　or　to　Charlemagne。〃　〃That　is
right。　I　like　to　hear　you　talk　in　this　strain；〃　exclaimed　Marianne；
joyfully。　〃I　see　you　will　represent　us　in　Vienna　in　a　noble　and
proud　manner；　and　be　an　honor　to　the　Jews　of　Berlin。　Oh；　I　am　so
glad；　Fanny；　and　I　shall　always　love　you　for　it。　And　do　not　forget
me　either。　If　it　pleases　God；　I　shall　some　day　come　to　Vienna；　and
play　there　a　brilliant　part。　However；　we　shall　never　be　rivals；　but
always　friends。　Will　you　promise　it？〃

〃I　promise　it；〃　said　Fanny；　giving　her　soft　white　hand　to　her
friend。　Marianne　pressed　it　warmly。

〃I　accept　your　promise　and　shall　remind　you　of　it　some　day；〃　she
said。　〃But　now　farewell；　Fanny；　for　I　see　your　young　husband　yonder；
who　would　like　to　speak　to　you；　and　yet　does　not　come　to　us　for　fear
of　coming　in　contact　with　the　mistress　of　the　Prince　von　Reuss。　God
bless　and　protect　his　virtue；　that　stands　in　such　nervous　fear　of
being　infected！　Farewell；　don't　forget　our　oath；　and　remember　me。〃

She　tenderly　embraced　her　friend　and　imprinted　a　glowing　kiss　upon
her　forehead；　and　then　quickly　turning　around；　walked　across　the
room。　All　eyes　followed　the　tall；　proud　lady　with　admiring　glances；
and　some　whispered；　〃How　beautiful　she　is！　How　proud；　how　glorious！〃
She　took　no　notice；　however；　she　had　so　often　received　the　homage　of
these　whispers；　that　they　could　no　longer　gladden　her　heart。　Without
saluting　any　one；　her　head　proudly　erect；　she　crossed　the　room；
drawing　her　ermine　mantilla　closely　around　her　shoulders；　and
deeming　every　thing　around　her　unworthy　of　notice。

In　the　anteroom　a　footman　in　gorgeous　livery　was　waiting　for　her。　He
hastened　down…stairs　before　her；　opened　the　street　door；　and　rushed
out　in　order　to　find　his　mistress's　carriage　among　the　vast　number
of　coaches　encumbering　both　sides　of　the　street；　and　then　bring　it
to　the　door。

Marianne　stood　waiting　in　the　door；　stared　at　by　the　inquisitive
eyes　of　the　large　crowd　that　had　gathered　in　front　of　the　house　to
see　the　guests　of　the　wealthy　banker　Itzig　upon　their　departure　from
the　wedding。　Marianne　paid　no　attention　whatever　to　these
bystanders。　Her　large　black　eyes　swept　over　all　those　faces　before
her　with　an　air　of　utter　indifference；　she　took　no　interest　in　any
one　of　them；　and　their　impertinent　glances　made　apparently　no
impression　upon　her。

But　the　crowd　took　umbrage　at　her　queenly　indifference。

〃Just　see；〃　the　bystanders　whispered　here　and　there；　〃just　see　the
proud　Jewess！　How　she　stares　at　us；　as　if　we　were　nothing　but　thin
air！　What　splendid　diamonds　she　has　got！　Wonder　if　she　is　indebted
for　them　to　her　father's　usury？〃

On　hearing　this　question；　that　was　uttered　by　an　old　woman　in　rags；
the　whole　crowd　laughed　uproariously。　Marianne　even　then　took　no
notice。　She　only　thought　that　her　carriage　was　a　good　while　coming
up；　and　the　supposed　slowness　of　her　footman　was　the　sole　cause　of
the　frown　which　now　commenced　clouding　her　brow。　When　the　crowd
ceased　laughing；　a　woman；　a　Jewess；　in　a　dirty　and　ragged　dress；
stepped　forth　and　placed　herself　close　to　Marianne。

〃You　think　she　is　indebted　to　her　father　for　those　diamonds！〃　she
yelled。　〃No；　I　know　better；　and　can　tell　you　all　about　it。　Her
father　was　a　good　friend　of　mine；　and　frequently　traded　with　me　when
he　was　still　a　poor；　peddling　Jew。　He　afterward　made　a　great　deal　of
money；　while　I　grew　very　poor；　but　he　never　bought　her　those
diamonds。　Just　listen　to　me；　and　I　will　tell　you　what　sort　of　a
woman　she　is　who　now　looks　down　on　us　with　such　a　haughty　air。　She
is　the　Jewess　Marianne　Meier；　the　mistress　of　the　old　Prince　von
Reuss！〃

〃Ah；　a　mistress！〃　shouted　the　crowd；　sneeringly。　〃And　she　is　looking
at　us　as　though　she　were　a　queen。　She　wears　diamonds　in　her　hair；
and　wants　to　hide　her　shame　by　dressing　in　purple　velvet。　She〃

At　that　moment　the　carriage　rolled　up　to　the　door；　the　footman
obsequiously　opened　the　coach　door　and　hastened　to　push　back　the
crowd　in　order　to　enable　Marianne　to　walk　over　the　carpet　spread　out
on　the　sidewalk　to　her　carriage。

〃We　won't　be　driven　back！〃　roared　the　crowd；　〃we　want　to　see　the
beautiful　mistresswe　want　to　see　her　close　by。〃

And　laughing；　shouting；　and　jeering；　the　bystanders　crowded　closely
around　Marianne。　She　walked　past　them；　proud　and　erect；　and　did　not
seem　to　hear　the　insulting　remarks　that　were　being　levelled　at　her。
Only　her　cheeks　had　turned　even　paler　than　before；　and　her　lips　were
quivering　a　little。

Now　she　had　reached　her　carriage　and　entered。　The　footman　closed　the
door；　but　the　mob　still　crowded　around　the　carriage；　and　looked
through　the　glass　windows；　shouting；　〃Look　at　her！　look　at　her！　What
a　splendid　mistress　she　is！　Hurrah　for　her！　Long　live　the　mistress！〃

The　coachman　whipped　the　horses；　and　the　carriage　commenced　moving；
but　it　could　make　but　little　headway；　the　jeering　crowd　rolling
along　with　it　like　a　huge　black　wave；　and　trying　to　keep　it　back　at
every　step。

Marianne　sat　proudly　erect　in　her　carriage；　staring　at　the　mob　with
naming　and　disdainful　eyes。　Not　a　tear　moistened　her　eyes；　not　a
word；　not　a　cry　issued　from　her　firmly…compressed　lips。　Even　when
her　carriage；　turning　around　the　corner；　gained　at　last　a　free　field
and　sped　away　with　thundering　noise；　there　was　no　change　whatever　in
her　attitude；　or　in　the　expression　of　her　countenance。　She　soon
reached　the　embassy　buildings。　The　carriage　stopped　in　front　of　the
vestibule；　and　the　footman　opened　the　coach　door。　Marianne　alighted
and　walked　slowly　and　proudly　to　the　staircase。　The　footman　hastened
after　her；　and　when　she　had　just　reached　the　first　landing　place　he
stood　behind　her　and　whispered；

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　madame；　I　was　really　entirely　innocent。　Your
carriage　being　the　last　to　arrive；　it　had　to　take　the　hindmost
place；　that　was　the　reason　why　it　took　us　so　long　to　get　it　to　the
door。　I　beg　your　pardon；　madame。〃

Marianne　only　turned　to　him　for　a　moment；　bending　a　single
contemptuous　glance　upon　him；　and　then；　without　uttering　a　word；
continued　ascending　the　staircase。

The　footman　paused　and　looked　after　the　proud　lady；　whispering　with
a　sigh

〃She　will　discharge　meshe　never　forgives！〃

Marianne　had　now　reached　the　upper　story；　and　walked　down　the
corridor　as　slowly　and　as　proudly　as　ever。　Her　valet　stood　at　the
door；　receiving　her　with　a　profound　bow；　while　opening　the　folding
door。　She　crossed　gravely　and　silently　the　long　suite　of　rooms　now
opening　before　her；　and　finally　entered　her　dressing…room。　Her　two
lady's　maids　were　waiting　for　her　here　in　order　to　assist　her　in
putting　on　a　more　comfortable　dress。

When　they　approached　their　mistress；　she　made　an　imperious；
repelling　gesture。

〃Begone！〃　she　said；　〃begone！〃

That　was　all　she　said；　but　it　sounded　like　a　scream　of　rage　and
pain；　and　the　lady's　maids　hastened　to　obey；　or　rather　to　escape。
When　the　door　had　closed　behind　them；　Marianne　rushed　toward　it　and
locked　it；　and　drew　the　heavy　curtain　over　it。

Now　she　was　alonenow　nobody　could　see　her；　nobody　could　hear　her。
With　a　wild　cry　she　raised　her　beautiful　arms；　tore　the　splendid
diadem　of　brilliants　from　her　hair；　and　hurled　it　upon　the　floor。
She　then　with　trembling　hands　loosened　the　golden　sash　from　her
tapering　waist；　and　the　diamond　pins　from　her　hair；　and　th