louisa of prussia and her times-第86节

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found　my　husband　here；　and　that；　of　course；　dissolves　the　whole
poetry　of　your　words　into　plain　prose；　for　she；　whom　in　your
enthusiastic　strain　you　styled　your　cherub；　is　simply　the　wife　of
this　noble　and　excellent　man；　whom　you　were　free　to　compare　with　a
calculating　machine。〃

〃You　are　angry　with　me！〃　exclaimed　the　young　prince；　disconsolately。
〃You　make　no　allowance　for　my　grief；　my　disappointment；　yea；　my
confusion！　You　have　punished　me　so　rudely　for　my　presumption；　and
will　not　even　permit　my　heart　to　bridle　up　and　give　utterance　to　its
wrath。〃

〃I　did　not　know　that　you　were　presumptuous　toward　me；　and　could　not
think；　therefore；　of　inflicting　punishment　on　you；〃　said　Fanny；　〃but
I　know　that　you　have　no　right　to　insult　the　man　whose　name　I　bear。〃

〃You　want　to　drive　me　to　despair；　then！〃　retorted　the　prince；　wildly
stamping　on　the　floor。　〃It　is　not　sufficient；　then；　that　you　let　me
find　your　husband　here；　you　must　even　praise　him　before　me！　I　will
tell　you　why　I　was　presumptuous。　I　was　presumptuous　inasmuch　as　I
believed　it　to　be　a　favor　granted　to　me　exclusively　to　enter　this
room；　and　you　have　punished　me　for　this　presumption　by　proving　to　me
that　this　door　opens　to　others；　too；　although　you　assured　me
yesterday　that　the　contrary　was　the　case。〃

〃Then　you　question　my　word？〃　asked　Fanny。

〃Oh；〃　he　said；　impetuously；　〃you　do　not　question　what　you　see　with
your　own　eyes。〃

〃And；　inasmuch　as　you　have　satisfied　yourself　of　my　duplicity　with
your　own　eyes；　as　you　have　seen　that　every　one　is　at　liberty　to
enter　this　room；　and　as　you　consequently　cannot　take　any　interest　in
prolonging　your　stay　here；　I　would　advise　you　to　leave　immediately；〃
said　Fanny；　gravely。

〃You　show　me　the　door？　You　turn　me　out！〃　exclaimed　the　prince；
despairingly。　〃Oh；　have　mercy　on　me！　No；　do　not　turn　away　from　me！
Look　at　me；　read　in　my　face　the　despair　filling　my　soul。　What；　you
still　avert　your　head？　I　beseech　you　just　grant　me　one　glance；　only
tell　me　by　the　faintest　smile　that　you　will　forgive　me；　and　I　will
obey　your　orders；　I　will　go；　even　if　it　should　be　only　for　the
purpose　of　dying；　not　here　before　your　eyes；　but　outside；　on　the
threshold　of　your　door。〃

〃Ah；　as　if　it　were　so　easy　to　die！〃　ejaculated　Fanny；　turning　her
face　toward　the　prince。

〃You　look　at　meyou　have　forgiven　me；　then！〃　exclaimed　the　young
man；　and　impetuously　kneeling　down　before　her；　he　seized　her　hands
and　pressed　them　to　his　lips。

〃Rise；　sir；　pray　rise；〃　said　the　baroness；　〃consider　that　somebody
might　come　in。　You　know　now　that　everybody　is　permitted　to　enter
this　room。〃

〃No；　no。　I　know　that　nobody　is　permitted　to　enter　here！〃　he
exclaimed；　fervently；　〃I　know　that　this　room　is　a　sanctuary　which　no
uninitiated　person　ever　entered；　I　know　that　this　is　the　sacred　cell
in　which　your　virgin　heart　exhaled　its　prayers　and　complaints；　and
which　is　only　known　to　God；　I　know　that　no　man's　foot　ever　crossed
this　threshold；　and　I　remain　on　my　knees　as　if　before　a　saint；　to
whom　I　confess　my　sins；　and　whom　I　implore　to　grant　me　absolution。
Will　you　forgive　me？〃

〃I　will；〃　she　said；　smilingly；　bending　over　him；　〃I　will；　if　it　were
only　to　induce　you　to　rise　from　your　knees。　And　as　you　now　perceive
and　regret　your　mistake；　I　will　tell　you　the　truth。　It　was　an
accident　that　the　baron　entered　this　room　to…day；　and　it　was　the
first　time；　too；　since　we　were　married。　Nor　did　he　come　here；　as　he
said；　in　delicate　self…derision；　for　the　purpose　of　settling
accounts　with　me；　but　in　order　to　fulfil　a　promise　which　he　gave　me
five　years　ago；　and　which；　I　confess　to　my　shame；　I　had　forgotten；
so　that；　instead　of　expecting　my　husband；　I　permitted　you　to　come　to
me。〃

〃I　thank　you　for　your　kind　words；　which　heal　all　the　wounds　of　my
heart　like　a　soothing　balm；〃　replied　the　prince。　〃Oh；　now　I　feel
well　again；　and　strong　enough　to　conquer　you　in　spite　of　the
resistance　of　the　whole　world。〃

〃And　do　you　know；　then；　whether　you　will　be　able　to　conquer　me　in
spite　of　my　resistance？〃　asked　Fanny；　smiling。

〃Yes！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I　know　it；　for　in　true　love　there　is　a
strength　that　will　subdue　and　surmount　all　obstacles。　And　I　love　you
truly；　you　know　it；　you　are　satisfied　of　it。　You　know　that　I　love
you；　every　breath；　every　look；　every　tremulous　note　of　my　voice
tells　you　so。　But　you？　do　you　love　me？　Oh；　I　implore　you；　at　length
have　mercy　on　me。　Speak　one　word　of　pity；　of　sympathy　I　Let　me　read
it　at　least　in　your　eyes；　if　your　lips　are　too　austere　to　utter　it。
I　have　come　to…day　with　the　firm　determination　to　receive　at　your
hands　my　bliss　or　my　doom。　The　torment　of　this　incertitude　kills　me。
Fanny；　tell　me；　do　you　love　me？〃

Fanny　did　not　answer　at　once；　she　stood　before　him；　her　head
lowered；　a　prey　to　conflicting　emotions；　but　she　felt　the　ardent
looks　which　were　resting　on　her；　and　her　heart　trembled　with　secret
delight。　She　made　an　effort；　however；　to　overcome　her　feelings；　and；
raising　her　head；　she　fixed　her　eyes　with　a　gentle　yet　mournful
expression　upon　the　young　man；　who；　breathless　and　pale　with
anxiety；　was　waiting　for　her　reply。

〃You　ask　me　if　I　love　you；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　but　firm　voice；　〃you
put　that　question　to　me；　and　yet　you　are　standing　now　on　the　same
spot　on　which　my　husband　stood　fifteen　minutes　ago　and　also　asked　me
a　question。　I　must　not　answer　your　question；　for　I　am　a　married
woman；　and　I　have　taken　an　oath　at　the　altar　to　keep　my　faith　to　my
husband；　and　I　have　to　keep　it；　inasmuch　as　my　heart　has　no　love　to
give　him。　But　I　will；　nevertheless；　give　you　a　proof　of　the　great
confidence　I　am　reposing　in　you。　I　will　tell　you　why　my　husband　came
to　see　me　to…day；　and　what　was　the　question　which　he　addressed　to
me。　Hush；　do　not　interrupt　me；　do　not　tell　me　that　my　conversations
with　the　baron　have　no　interest　for　you。　Listen　to　me。　The　baron
came　to　me　because　the　five　years；　which　we　had　ourselves　fixed　for
that　purpose；　had　elapsed　to…day；　and　because　he　wanted　to　ask　me
whether　I　wished　to　remain　his　wife；　or　whether　I　wanted　to　be
divorced　from　him。〃

〃And　what　did　you　reply？〃　asked　the　prince；　breathlessly。

〃I　replied　to　him　as　I　replied　to　you　a　little　while　ago：　'I　have
taken　an　oath　at　the　altar　to　keep　my　faith　to　my　husband；　and　I
have　to　keep　it；　inasmuch　as　my　heart　has　no　love　to　give　to　him。'〃

〃Ah；　you　told　him　that　you　did　not　love　him？〃　asked　the　prince；
drawing　a　deep　breath。　〃And　after　this　confession　he　felt　that　he
ought　no　longer　to　oppose　your　divorce；　for　his　heart　is　generous
and　delicate；　and　consequently　he　cannot　desire　to　chain　a　wife　to
himself　who　tells　him　that　during　the　five　years　of　her　married　life
she　has　not　learned　to　love　him。　Oh；　Fanny；　how　indescribably　happy
you　render　me　by　this　disclosure。　Then　you　will　be　free；　your　hands
will　not　be　manacled　any　longer。〃

〃I　did　not　tell　you　the　reply　I　made　to　my　husband　when　he　left　it
to　me　again　to　say　whether　I　would　be　divorced　from　him　or　not；〃
said　Fanny；　with　a　mournful　smile。　〃I　replied　to　him　that　every
thing　should　remain　as　heretofore；　that　I　did　not　want　to　inflict
the　disgrace　of　a　divorce　upon　him　and　upon　myself；　and　that　we
would　and　ought　to　bear　these　shackles　which；　without　mutual　love；
we　had　imposed　upon　each　other　in　a　dignified；　faithful；　and　honest
manner　until　our　death。〃

〃That　is　impossible！〃　exclaimed　the　prince。　〃You　could　not；　you
ought　not　to　have　been　so　cruel　against　yourself；　against　the　baron；
and　also　against　me。　And　even　though　you　may　have　uttered　these
words　of　doom　on　the　spur　of　that　exciting　moment；　you　will　take
them　back　again　after　sober　and　mature　reflection。　Oh；　say　that　you
will　do　so；　say　that　you　will　be　free；　free；　so　that　I　may　kneel
down　before　you　and　implore　you　to　give　to　me　this　hand；　no　longer
burdened　by　any　fetters；　to　become　my　wife；　and　to　permit　me　to　try
if　my　boundless；　adoring　love　will　succeed　in　conferring　upon　you
that　happiness　of　which　none　are　worthier　than　you。　Oh；　speak；
Fanny；　say　that　you　will　be　free；　and　consent　to　become　my　wife！〃

〃Your　wife！〃　said　Fanny；　lugubriously。　〃You　forget　that　what
separates　me　from　you　is　not　only　my　husband；　but　also　my　religion。
The　Jewess　can　never　become　the　wife　of　the　Prince　von
Lichtenstein。〃

〃You　will　cast　off　the　semblance　of　a　religion　which　in　reality　is
yours　no　longer；〃　said　the　prince。　〃You　have　ceased　to　be　a　Jewess；
owing　to　your　education；　to　your　habits；　and　to　your　views　of　life。
Leave；　then；　the　halls　of　the　temple　in　which　your　God　is　no　longer
dwelling；　and　enter　the　great　church　which　has　redeemed　mankind；　and
which　is　now　to　redeem　you。　Become　a　convert　to　the　Christian
religion；　which　is　the　religion　of　love。〃

〃Never！〃　exclaimed　the　baroness；　firmly　and　decidedly〃never　will　I
abandon　my　religion　and　prove　recreant　to　my　faith；　to　which　my
family　and　my　tribe　have　faithfully　adhered　for　thousands　of　years。
The　curse　of　my　parents　and　ancestors　would　pursue　the　renegade
daughter　of　our　tribe　and　cling　like　a　sinister　night…bird　to　the
roof　of　the　house　into　which　the　faithless　daughter　of　Judah；　the
baptized　Jewess；　would　move　in　order　to　obtain　that　happiness　she　is
yearning　for。　NeverBut　what　is　that？〃