louisa of prussia and her times-第35节

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beautiful　hands　to　his　lips。

〃Are　you　in　earnest；　my　friend？〃　she　said；　smiling。　〃So　you　offer
your　hand　to　me？　You　want　to　marry　me？〃

Gentz　started　back；　and　looked　at　her　with　a　surprised　and
frightened　air。　Marianne　laughed　merrily。

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　〃your　face　is　the　most　wonderful　illustration　of
Goethe's　poem。　You　know　it；　don't　you？〃　And　she　recited　with
ludicrous　pathos　the　following　two　lines：

　　　　　〃'Heirathen；　Kind；　ist　wunderlich　Wort；
　　　　　Hor　ich's；　mocht　ich　gleich　wieder　fort。'〃

〃Good　Heaven；　what　a　profound　knowledge　of　human　nature　our　great
Goethe　has　got；　and　how　proud　I　am　to　be　allowed　to　call　him　a
friend　of　mineHeirathen；　Kind；　ist　wunderlich　Wort。〃

〃Marianne；　you　are　cruel　and　unjust；　you〃

〃And　you　know　the　next　two　lines　of　the　poem？〃　she　interrupted　him。
〃The　maiden　replied　to　him：〃

　　　　　〃'Heirathen　wir　eben；
　　　　　Das　Ubrige　wird　sich　geben。'〃

〃You　mock　me；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　smiling；　〃and　yet　you　know　the
maiden's　assurance　would　not　prove　true　in　our　case；　and　that　there
is　something　rendering　such　a　happiness；　the　prospect　of　calling　you
my　wife；　an　utter　impossibility。　Unfortunately；　you　are　no
Christian；　Marianne。　Hence　I　cannot　marry　you。〃　＇Footnote：　Marriages
between　Christians　and　Jews　were　prohibited　in　the　German　states　at
that　period。＇

〃And　if　I　were　a　Christian？〃　she　asked　in　a　sweet；　enchanting　voice。

He　fixed　his　eyes　with　a　searching　glance　upon　her　smiling；　charming
face。

〃What！〃　he　asked；　in　evident　embarrassment。　〃If　you　were　a
Christian？　What　do　you　mean；　Marianne？〃

〃I　mean；　Frederick；　that；　I　have　given　the　highest　proof　of　my　love
to　the　man　who　loves　me　so　ardently；　constantly；　and　faithfully。　For
his　sake　I　have　become　a　Christian；　Yesterday　I　was　baptized。　Now；
my　friend；　I　ask　you　once　more；　I　ask　you　as　a　Christian　woman：
Gentz；　will　you　marry　me？　Answer　me　honestly　and　frankly；　my　friend！
Remember　that　it　is　'the　beloved　of　your　heart　and　of　your
enthusiasm；'　as　you　called　me　yourself　a　few　moments　ago；　who　now
stands　before　you　and　asks　for　a　reply。　Remember　that　this　moment
will　be　decisive　for　our　futurespeedily；　nay；　immediately
decisive。　For　you　see　I　have　removed　all　obstacles。　I　have　become　a
Christian；　and　I　tell　you　I　am　ready　to　become　your　wife　in　the
course　of　the　present　hour。　Once　more；　then；　Gentz；　will　you　marry
me？〃

He　had　risen　and　paced　the　room　in　great　excitement。　Marianne
followed　him　with　a　lurking　glance　and　a　scornful　smile；　but　when　he
now　stepped　back　to　her；　she　quickly　assumed　her　serious　air。

〃Marianne；〃　he　said；　firmly；　〃you　want　to　know　the　truth；　and　I　love
you　too　tenderly　to　conceal　it　from　you。　I　will　not；　must　not；
cannot　marry　you。　I　WILL　not；　because　I　am　unable　to　bear　once　more
the　fetters　of　wedded　life。　I　MUST　not；　because　I　should　make　you
unhappy　and　wretched。　I　CANNOT；　while；　doing　so；　I　should　act
perfidiously　toward　a　friend　of　mine；　for　you　know　very　well　that
the　Prince　von　Reuss　is　my　intimate　friend。〃

〃And　_I_　am　his　mistress。　You　wished　to　intimate　that　to　me　by　your
last　words；　I　suppose？〃

〃I　wished　to　intimate　that　he　loves　you　boundlessly；　and　he　is　a
generous；　magnanimous　man；　whose　heart　would　break　if　any　one　should
take　you　from　him。〃

〃For　the　last　time；　then：　you　will　not　marry　me？〃

〃Marianne；　I　love　you　too　tenderlyI　cannot　marry　you！〃

Marianne　burst　into　a　fit　of　laughter。　〃A　strange　reason　for
rejecting　my　hand；　indeed！〃　she　said。　〃It　is　so　original　that　in
itself　it　might　almost　induce　me　to　forgive　your　refusal。　And　yet　I
had　counted　so　firmly　and　surely　upon　your　love　and　consent　that　I
had　made　already　the　necessary　arrangements　in　order　that　our
wedding　might　take　place　to…day。　Just　look　at　me；　Gentz。　Do　you　not
see　that　I　wear　a　bridal…dress？〃

〃Your　beauty　is　always　a　splendid　bridal…dress　for　you；　Marianne。〃

〃Well　said！　But　do　you　not　see　a　myrtle…wreath；　my　bridal…wreath；　on
the　table　there？　Honi　soit　qui　mal　y　pense！　The　priest　is　already
waiting　for　the　bride　and　bridegroom　in　the　small　chapel；　the
candles　on　the　altar　are　lighted；　every　thing　is　ready　for　the
ceremony。　Well；　we　must　not　make　the　priest　wait　any　longer。　So　you
decline　being　the　bridegroom　at　the　ceremony？　Well；　attend　it；　then；
as　a　witness。　Will　you　do　so？　Will　you　assist　me　as　a　faithful
friend；　sign　my　marriage…contract；　and　keep　my　secret？〃

〃I　am　ready　to　give　you　any　proof　of　my　love　and　friendship；〃　said
Gentz；　gravely。

〃Well；　I　counted　on　you；〃　exclaimed　Marianne；　smiling；　〃and；　to　tell
you　the　truth；　I　counted　on　your　refusal　to　marry　me。　Come；　give　me
your　arm。　I　will　show　you　the　same　chapel　which　the　Prince　von　Reuss
has　caused　to　be　fitted　up　here　in　the　building　of　the　Austrian
embassy。　The　servants　will　see　nothing　strange　in　our　going　there；
and　I　hope；　moreover；　that　we　shall　meet　with　no　one　on　our　way
thither。　At　the　chapel　we　shall　perhaps　find　Prince　Henrythat　will
be　a　mere　accident；　which　will　surprise　no　one。　Come；　assist　me　in
putting　on　this　long　black　mantilla　which　will　entirely　conceal　my
white　silk　dress。　The　myrtle…wreath　I　shall　take　under　my　arm　so
that　no　one　will　see　it。　And　now；　come！〃

〃Yes；　let　us　go；〃　said　Gentz；　offering　his　arm　to　her。　〃I　see　very
well　that　there　is　a　mystification　in　store　for　me；　but　I　shall
follow　you　wherever　you　will　take　me；　to　the　devil　or〃

〃Or　to　church；〃　she　said；　smiling。　〃But　hush　now；　so　that　no　one　may
hear　us。〃

They　walked　silently　through　the　rooms；　then　down　a　long　corridor；
and　after　descending　a　narrow　secret　staircase；　they　entered　a　small
apartment　where　three　gentlemen　were　waiting　for　them。

One　of　them　was　a　Catholic　priest　in　his　vestments；　the　second　the
Prince　von　Reuss；　Henry　XIII。；　and　the　third　the　first　attache　of
the　Austrian　embassy。

The　prince　approached　Marianne；　and　after　taking　her　hand　he　saluted
Gentz　in　the　most　cordial　manner。

〃Every　thing　is　ready；〃　he　said；　〃come；　Marianne；　let　me　place　the
wreath　on　your　head。〃

Marianne　took　off　her　mantilla；　and；　handing　the　myrtle…wreath　to
the　prince；　she　bowed　her　head；　and　almost　knelt　down　before　him。　He
took　the　wreath　and　fastened　it　in　her　hair；　whereupon　he　beckoned
the　attache　to　hand　to　him　the　large　casket　standing　on　the　table。
This　casket　contained　a　small　prince's　coronet　of　exquisite
workmanship　and　sparkling　with　the　most　precious　diamonds。

The　prince　fastened　this　coronet　over　Marianne's　wreath；　and　the
diamonds　glistened　now　like　stars　over　the　delicate　myrtle…leaves。

〃Arise；　Marianne；〃　he　then　said；　loudly。　〃I　have　fastened　the
coronet　of　your　new　dignity　in　your　hair；　let　us　now　go　to　the
altar。〃

Marianne　arose。　A　strange　radiance　of　triumphant　joy　beamed　in　her
face；　a　deep　flush　sufused　used　her　cheeks；　generally　so　pale　and
transparent；　a　blissful　smile　played　on　her　lips。　With　a　proud　and
sublime　glance　at　Gentz；　who　was　staring　at　her；　speechless　and
amazed；　she　took　the　prince's　arm。

The　priest　led　the　way；　and　from　the　small　room　they　now　entered　the
chapel　of　the　embassy。　On　the　altar；　over　which　one　of　Van　Dyck's
splendid　paintings　was　hanging；　large　wax…tapers　were　burning　in
costly　silver　chandeliers。　On　the　carpet　in　front　of　the　altar　two
small　prie…dieus　for　Marianne　and　the　prince　were　placed；　and　two
arm…chairs　for　the　witnesses　stood　behind　them。　Opposite　the　altar；
on　the　other　side　of　the　chapel；　a　sort　of　choir　or　balcony　with　an
organ　had　been　fitted　up。

But　no　one　was　there　to　play　on　that　organ。　All　the　other　chairs　and
benches　were　vacant；　the　ceremony　was　to　be　performed　secretly　and
quietly。

Gentz　saw　and　observed　every　thing　as　though　it　were　a　vision；　he
could　not　yet　make　up　his　mind　that　it　was　a　reality；　he　was
confused　and　almost　dismayed；　and　did　not　know　whether　it　was　owing
to　his　surprise　at　what　was　going　on；　or　to　his　vexation　at　being　so
badly　duped　by　Marianne。　He　believed　he　was　dreaming　when　he　saw
Marianne　and　the　prince　kneeling　on　the　prie…dieus；　Marianne　Meier；
the　Jewess；　at　the　right　hand　of　the　high…born　nobleman；　at　the
place　of　honor；　only　to　be　occupied　by　legitimate　brides　of　equal
rank；　and　when　he　heard　the　priest；　who　stood　in　front　of　the　altar；
pronounce　solemn　words　of　exhortation　and　benediction；　and　finally
ask　the　kneeling　bride　and　bridegroom　to　vow　eternal　love　and
fidelity　to　each　other。　Both　uttered　the　solemn　〃Yes〃　at　the　same
time；　the　prince　quietly　and　gravely；　Marianne　hastily　and　in　a
joyful　voice。　The　priest　thereupon　gave　them　the　benediction；　and
the　ceremony　was　over。　The　whole　party　then　returned　to　the　anteroom
serving　as　a　sacristy。　They　silently　received　the　congratulations　of
the　priest　and　the　witnesses。　The　attache　then　took　a　paper　from　his
memorandum…book；　it　contained　the　minutes　of　the　ceremony；　which　he
had　drawn　up　already　in　advance。　Marianne　and　the　prince　signed　it；
the　witnesses　and　the　priest　did　the　same；　the　latter　adding　the
church　seal　to　his　signature。　It　was　now　a　perfectly　valid
certificate　of　their　legitimate　marriage；　which　the　prince　handed　to
Marianne；　and　for　which　she　thanked　him　with　a　tender　smile。

〃You　are　now　my　legitimate　wife；〃　said　the　Prince　von　Reuss；
gravely