louisa of prussia and her times-第87节

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baptized　Jewess；　would　move　in　order　to　obtain　that　happiness　she　is
yearning　for。　NeverBut　what　is　that？〃　interrupting　herself　all　at
once；　〃what　is　the　matter　in　the　adjoining　room？〃

Two　voices；　one　of　them　angrily　quarrelling　with　the　other；　which
replied　in　a　deprecating　manner；　were　heard　in　the　adjoining　room。

〃I　tell　you　the　baroness　is　at　home；　and　receives　visitors！〃
exclaimed　the　violent　and　threatening　voice。

〃And　I　assure　you　that　the　baroness　is　not　at　home；　and　cannot；
therefore；　receive　any　visitors；〃　replied　the　deprecating　voice。

〃It　is　Baron　Weichs；　the　proud　prebendary；　who　wants　to　play　the
master　here　as　he　does　everywhere　else；〃　said　the　prince；
disdainfully。

〃And　my　steward　refuses　to　admit　him；　because　I　have　given　orders
that　no　more　visitors　shall　be　received　to…day；〃　whispered　Fanny。

The　face　of　the　young　prince　became　radiant　with　delight。　He　seized
Fanny's　hands　and　pressed　them　impetuously　to　his　lips；　whispering；
〃I　thank　you；　Fanny；　I　thank　you！〃

Meantime　the　voice　in　the　reception…room　became　more　violent　and
threatening；　〃I　know　that　the　baroness　is　at　home；〃　it　shouted；　〃and
I　ask　you　once　more　to　announce　my　visit　to　her！〃

〃But　you　know；　sir；〃　said　the　gentle　voice　of　the　steward；　〃that　the
baroness；　when　she　is　at　home；　is　always　at　this　hour　in　the
reception…room；　and　receives　her　visitors　here　without　any　previous
announcement。〃

〃That　only　proves　that　the　baroness　receives　her　visitors　in　another
room　to…day；〃　shouted　the　voice　of　Baron　Weichs。　〃I　know　positively
that　there　is　a　visitor　with　the　baroness　at　this　very　moment。　Go；
then；　and　announce　my　visit。　It　remains　for　the　baroness　to　turn　me
away；　and　I　shall　know　then　that　the　baroness　prefers　to　remain
alone　with　the　gentleman　who　is　with　her　at　the　present　time。〃

〃Ah；　this　prebendary；　it　seems；　is　growing　impudent；〃　exclaimed　the
prince；　with　flashing　eyes；　walking　toward　the　door。

The　baroness　seized　his　hand　and　kept　him　back。　〃Pay　no　attention　to
him；〃　she　said；　imploringly；　〃let　my　steward　settle　this　quarrel
with　that　insolent　man。　Just　listen！　he　is　even　now　begging　him
quite　politely；　yet　decidedly；　to　leave　the　room。〃

〃And　that　fellow　is　shameless　enough　to　decline　doing　so；〃　said　the
prince。　〃Oh；　hear　his　scornful　laughter！　This　laughter　is　an　insult；
for　which　he　ought　to　be　chastised。〃

And　as　if　the　words　of　the　prince　were　to　be　followed　immediately　by
the　deed；　a　third　voice　was　heard　now　in　the　reception…room。　It
asked　in　a　proud　and　angry　tone；　〃What　is　the　matter　here？　And　who
permits　himself　to　shout　so　indecently　in　the　reception…room　of　the
baroness？〃

〃Ah；　it　is　my　husband；〃　whispered　Fanny；　with　an　air　of　great
relief。　〃He　will　show　that　overbearing　Baron　Weichs　the　door；　and　I
shall　get　rid　of　him　forever。〃

〃He　has　already　dared；　then；　to　importune　you？〃　asked　the　prince；
turning　his　threatening　eyes　toward　the　door。　〃Oh；　I　will　release
you　from　further　molestation　by　this　madman；　for　I　tell　you　the
gentle　words　of　your　husband　will　not　be　able　to　do　so。　Baron　Weichs
is　not　the　man　to　lend　a　willing　ear　to　sensible　remonstrances　or　to
the　requirements　of　propriety　and　decency。　He　has　graduated　at　the
high…school　of　libertinism；　and　any　resistance　whatever　provokes　him
to　a　passionate　struggle　in　which　he　shrinks　from　no　manifestation
of　his　utter　recklessness。　Well；　am　I　not　right？　Does　he　not　even
dare　to　defy　your　husband？　Just　listen！〃

〃I　regret　not　to　be　able　to　comply　with　your　request　to　leave　this
room；〃　shouted　now　the　voice　of　the　prebendary；　Baron　Weichs。　〃You
said　yourself　just　now；　baron；　that　we　were　in　the　reception…room　of
the　baroness；　accordingly；　you　are　not　the　master　here；　but　merely　a
visitor　like　the　rest　of　us。　Consequently；　you　have　no　right　to　show
anybody　the　door；　particularly　as　you　do　not　even　know　whether　you
belong　to　the　privileged　visitors　of　the　lady；　or　whether　the
baroness　will　admit　you。〃

〃I　shall　take　no　notice　of　the　unbecoming　and　insulting　portion　of
your　remarks；　baron；〃　said　the　calm　voice　of　Baron　Arnstein；　〃I　only
intend　at　this　moment　to　protect　my　wife　against　insult　and
molestation。　Now　it　is　insulting　assuredly　that　a　cavalier；　after
being　told　that　the　lady　to　whom　he　wishes　to　pay　his　respects　is
either　not　at　home　or　will　not　receive　any　visitors；　should　refuse
to　withdraw；　and　insist　upon　being　admitted。　I　hope　the　prebendary；
Baron　Weichs；　after　listening　to　this　explanation；　will　be　kind
enough　to　leave　the　reception…room。〃

〃I　regret　that　I　cannot　fulfil　this　hope；〃　said　the　sneering　voice
of　the　prebendary。　〃I　am　now　here　with　the　full　conviction　that　I
shall　never　be　able　to　reenter　this　reception…room；　hence　I　am
determined　not　to　shrink　back　from　any　thing　and　not　to　be　turned
away　in　so　disgraceful　a　manner。　I　know　that　the　baroness　is　at
home；　and　I　came　hither　in　order　to　satisfy　myself　whether　the
common　report　is　really　true　that　the　baroness；　who　has　always
treated　me　with　so　much　virtuous　rigor　and　discouraging　coldness；　is
more　indulgent　and　less　inexorable　toward　another；　and　whether　I
have　really　a　more　fortunate　rival！〃

〃I　hope　that　I　am　this　more　fortunate　rival；〃　said　Baron　Arnstein；
gently。

〃Oh；　no；　sir；〃　exclaimed　the　prebendary；　laughing　scornfully。　〃A
husband　never　is　the　rival　of　his　wife's　admirers。　If　you　were　with
your　wife　and　turned　me　away；　I　should　not　object　to　it　at　all；　and
I　should　wait　for　a　better　chance。　But　what　keeps　me　here　is　the
fact　that　another　admirer　of　hers　is　with　her；　that　she　has　given
orders　to　admit　nobody　else；　and　that　you；　more　kind…hearted　than
myself；　seem　to　believe　that　the　baroness　is　not　at　home。〃

　〃This　impudence　surpasses　belief；〃　exclaimed　the　prince；　in　great
exasperation。

〃Yes；〃　said　Fanny；　gloomily；　〃the　Christian　prebendary　gives　full
vent　to　his　disdain　for　the　Jewish　banker。　It　always　affords　a　great
satisfaction　to　Christian　love　to　humble　the　Jew　and　to　trample　him
in　the　dust。　And　the　Jew　is　accustomed　to　being　trampled　upon　in
this　manner。　My　husband；　too；　gives　proof　of　this　enviable　quality
of　our　tribe。　Just　listen　how　calm　and　humble　his　voice　remains；　all
the　while　every　tone　of　the　other　is　highly　insulting　to　him！〃

〃He　shall　not　insult　him　any　longer；〃　said　the　prince；　ardently；　〃I
willbut　what　is　that？　Did　he　not　mention　my　name？〃

And　he　went　closer　to　the　door；　in　order　to　listen　in　breathless
suspense。

〃And　I　repeat　to　you；　baron；〃　said　the　voice　of　the　prebendary；
sneeringly；　〃your　wife　is　at　home；　and　the　young　Prince　von
Lichtenstein　is　with　her。　I　saw　him　leave　his　palace　and　followed
him；　half　an　hour　ago；　I　saw　him　enter　your　house；　and　I　went　into
the　coffee…house　opposite　for　the　purpose　of　making　my　observations。
I　know；　therefore；　positively；　that　the　prince　has　not　yet　left　your
house。　As　he　is　not　with　you；　he　is　with　your　wife；　and　this　being
the　usual　hour　for　the　baroness　to　receive　morning　calls；　I　have
just　as　good　a　right　as　anybody　else　to　expect　that　she　will　admit
me。〃

〃And　suppose　I　tell　you　that　she　will　not　admit　you　to…day？〃

〃Then　I　shall　conclude　that　the　baroness　is　in　her　boudoir　with　the
Prince　von　Lichtenstein；　and　that　she　does　not　want　to　be
disturbed；〃　shouted　the　voice　of　the　prebendary。　〃Yes；　sir；　in　that
case　I　shall　equally　lament　my　fate　and　yours；　for　both　of　us　are
deceived　and　deprived　of　sweet　hopes。　Both　of　us　will　have　a　more
fortunate　rival　in　this　petty　princein　this　conceited　young　dandy；
who　even　now　believes　he　is　a　perfect　Adonis；　and　carries　his
ludicrous　presumption　so　far　as　to　believe　that　he　can　outstrip　men
of　ability　and　merit　by　his　miserable　little　title　and　by　his　boyish
face〃

〃Why　is　it　necessary　for　you　to　shout　all　this　so　loudly？〃　asked　the
anxious　voice　of　the　baron。

〃Ah；　then　you　believe　that　he　can　hear　me？〃　asked　the　voice　of　the
prebendary；　triumphantly。　〃Then　he　is　quite　close　to　us？　Well；　I
will　shout　it　louder　than　before：　this　little　Prince　Charles　von
Lichtenstein　is　a　conceited　boy；　who　deserves　to　be　chastised！〃

The　prince　rushed　toward　the　door；　pale；　with　quivering　lips　and
sparkling　eyes。　But　the　baroness　encircled　his　arm　with　her　hands
and　kept　him　back。

〃You　will　not　go；〃　she　whispered。　〃You　will　not　disgrace　me　so　as　to
prove　to　him　by　your　appearance　that　he　was　right；　and　that　you　were
with　me　while　I　refused　to　admit　him。〃

〃But　do　you　not　hear　that　he　insults　me？〃　asked　the　young　prince；
trying　to　disengage　himself　from　her　hands。

〃Why　do　you　listen　to　other　voices　when　you　are　with　me？〃　she　said；
reproachfully。　〃What　do　you　care　for　the　opinion　of　that　man；　whom　I
abhor　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart；　and　whom　people　only　tolerate　in
their　saloons　because　they　are　afraid　of　his　anger　and　his
slanderous　tongue？　Oh；　do　not　listen　to　what　he　says；　my　friend！　You
are　here　with　me；　and　I　have　yet　to　tell　you　many　things。　But　you　do
not　heed　my　words！　Your　eyes　are　constantly　fixed　on　the　door。　Oh；
sir；　look　at　me；　listen　to　what　I　have　to　say　to　you。　I　believe　I
still　owe　you　a　reply；　do　I　not？　Well；　I　will　now　reply　to　the
question　which　you　have　so　often　put　to　me；　and　to　which　I　have
heretofore