louisa of prussia and her times-第88节

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question　which　you　have　so　often　put　to　me；　and　to　which　I　have
heretofore　only　answered　by　silence！〃

〃Oh；　not　now；　not　now！〃　muttered　the　prince。

〃Yes；　I　will　tell　you　now　what　has　been　so　long　burning　in　my　soul
as　a　sweet　secret；〃　whispered　Fanny；　constantly　endeavoring　to　draw
him　away　from　the　door。　〃You　have　often　asked　me　if　I　loved　you；　and
my　heart　made　the　reply　which　my　lips　were　afraid　to　pronounce。　But
now　I　will　confess　it　to　you：　yes；　I　love　you；　my　whole　soul　belongs
to　you！　I　have　secretly　longed　for　the　hour　when　I　might　at　last
confess　this　to　you；　when　my　heart　would　exult　in　pronouncing　the
sweet　words；　'I　love　you！'　Good　Heaven！　you　hear　it；　and　yet　you
remain　silentyou　avert　your　face？　Do　you　despise　me　now　because　I；
the　married　woman；　confess　to　you　that　I　love　you？　Is　your　silence
to　tell　me　that　you　do　not　love　me　any　longer？〃

He　knelt　down　before　her　and　kissed　her　dress　and　her　hands。　〃I　love
you　boundlessly；〃　he　said　with　panting　breath；　〃you　are　to　me　the
quintessence　of　all　happiness；　virtue；　and　beauty。　I　shall　love　you
to　the　last　hour　of　my　life！〃

〃If　Prince　Charles　von　Lichtenstein　should　be　near；〃　shouted　the
voice　of　the　prebendary；　close　to　the　door；　〃if　he　should　be　able　to
hear　my　words；　I　want　him　to　hear　that　I　pronounce　him　a　coward；　a
fool；　and　impostora　coward；　because　he　silently　suffers　himself　to
be　insulted〃

The　prince；　unable　to　restrain　his　feelings　any　longer；　rushed
forward　and　impetuously　pushing　back　the　baroness；　who　still
endeavored　to　detain　him；　he　violently　opened　the　door。

〃No；〃　he　shouted；　in　a　threatening　and　angry　voice。　〃No；　Prince
Charles　von　Lichtenstein　does　not　allow　himself　to　be　insulted　with
impunity；　and　he　asks　satisfaction　for　every　insult　offered　to　him！〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　the　prebendary；　turning　with　a　wild；　triumphant
laugh　to　Baron　Arnstein；　〃did　I　not　tell　you　that　the　prince　was
concealed　in　your　house？〃

〃Concealed！〃　ejaculated　the　prince；　approaching　his　adversary　with
eyes　sparkling　with　rage。　〃Repeat　that　word　if　you　dare！〃

〃I　shall　do　so；〃　said　the　prebendary；　with　defiant　coolness。　〃You
were　concealed　in　this　house；　for　nobody　knew　of　your　presence；
neither　the　steward　nor　the　baron。　You　had　crept　into　the　house　like
a　thief　intending　to　steal　valuables；　and　this；　indeed；　was　your
intention；　too；　however；　you　did　not　want　to　purloin　the　diamonds　of
the　fair　baroness；　but〃

〃I　forbid　you　to　mention　the　name　of　the　baroness！〃　exclaimed　the
prince；　proudly。

〃And　I　implore　you　not　to　compromise　the　baroness　by　connecting　her
with　your　quarrel；〃　whispered　Baron　Arnstein　in　the　prince's　ear；
then　turning　to　the　prebendary；　whose　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　prince
with　a　threatening　and　defiant　expression；　he　said：

〃You　are　mistaken；　sir；　Prince　Charles　von　Lichtenstein　did　not　come
here　in　a　stealthy　manner。　He　wished　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　baroness；
and　the　latter；　as　you　know；　being　absent　from　home；　the　prince　did
me　the　honor　to　converse　with　me　in　that　room；　when　we　were
interrupted　all　at　once　by　the　noise　which　you　were　pleased　to　make
in　the　reception…room　here。〃

〃And　being　in　that　room；　you　were　pleased　to　enter　the　reception…
room　through　THIS　door；〃　said　the　prebendary；　sneeringly；　pointing
to　the　two　opposite　doors。〃　But　why　did　not　the　prince　accompany
you？　It　would　have　been　so　natural　for　one　friend　of　the　baroness　to
greet　the　other！〃

〃I　did　not　come　because　I　heard　that　YOU　were　there；〃　said　the
prince；　disdainfully；　〃and　because　I　am　in　the　habit　of　avoiding　any
contact　with　your　person。〃

〃Ah；　you　are　jealous　of　me；　then？〃　asked　the　prebendary。　〃Why　is　my
person　so　distasteful　to　you　that　you　should　always　escape　from　me？〃

〃I　escape　from　no　one；　not　even　from　venomous　serpents；　nor　from　an
individual　like　you；〃　said　the　prince；　haughtily。　〃I　avoided　you；
however；　because　I　dislike　your　nose。　Do　you　hear；　my　impertinent
little　prebendary？　I　dislike　your　nose；　and　I　demand　that　you　never
let　me　see　it　again！〃

〃Ah；　I　understand；〃　replied　the　prebendary；　laughing。　〃In　order　to
spare　the　feelings　of　the　fair　baroness；　and　not　to　injure　her
reputation。　Pardon　me；　for；　in　spite　of　your　prohibition；　I　am
constantly　compelled　to　defer　to　this　amiable　lady。　You　wish　to　give
another　direction　to　our　quarrel；　and　my　innocent　nose　is　to　be　the
BETE　DE　SOUFFRANCE。　But　you　shall　not　entrap　me　in　this　manner；
prince；　and　you；　my　dear　Baron　Arnstein；　can　you　allow　us　to
continue　the　quarrel　which　we　commenced　about　your　lady；　now　about
my　nose；　and　to　conceal；　as　it　were；　the　fair　Baroness　Arnstein
behind　it？〃

〃Baroness　Arnstein　has　no　reason　whatever　to　conceal　herself；〃　said
the　baron；　coldly　and　proudly。　〃As　she　was　not　the　cause　of　this
quarrel；　I　do　not　know　why　you　are　constantly　dragging　her　name　into
it。　You　behaved　here　in　so　unbecoming　a　manner；　that　I　had　to　come
to　the　assistance　of　my　steward。　You　were　then　pleased　to　utter
insults　against　the　Prince　von　Lichtenstein　in　his　absence；　and
being　in　the　adjoining　room　and　overhearing　your　offensive　remarks；
he　came　to　call　you　to　account　for　them。〃

〃And　to　tell　you　that　I　dislike　your　nose；　and　that　I　must　take　the
liberty　to　amputate　its　impertinent　tip　with　my　sword；〃　exclaimed
the　prince；　pulling　the　prebendary's　nose。

It　was　now　the　prebendary's　turn　to　grow　pale；　while　his　eyes
flashed　with　anger。　〃You　dare　to　insult　me？〃　he　asked　menacingly。

〃Yes；　I　confess　that　is　exactly　my　intention！〃　replied　the　prince；
laughing。

〃Ah；　you　will　have　to　give　me　satisfaction　for　this　insult！〃　shouted
the　prebendary。

〃With　the　greatest　pleasure；〃　said　the　prince。　〃This　is　not　the
place；　however；　to　continue　this　conversation。　Come；　sir；　let　us
leave　this　house　together　in　order　to　make　the　necessary
arrangements〃

At　this　moment　the　folding…doors　of　the　anteroom　were　opened；　and
the　voice　of　the　steward　shouted：　〃The　baroness！〃

An　exclamation　of　surprise　escaped　from　the　lips　of　the　three
gentlemen；　and　their　eyes　turned　toward　the　door；　the　threshold　of
which　Fanny　Arnstein　was　crossing　at　that　moment。　She　seemed　just　to
have　returned　home；　her　tall　form　was　still　wrapped　in　a　long
Turkish　shawl；　embroidered　with　gold；　a　charming　little　bonnet；
adorned　with　flowers　and　plumes；　covered　her　head；　and　in　her　hand
she　held　one　of　those　large　costly　fans；　adorned　with　precious
stones；　which　were　in　use　at　that　time　in　the　place　of　parasols。　She
greeted　the　gentlemen　with　a　winning　smile；　not　the　slightest　tinge
of　care　or　uneasiness　was　visible　in　her　merry　face；　not　the
faintest　glimmer　of　a　tear　darkened　the　lustre　of　her　large　black
eyes。

〃Gentlemen　will　please　accept　my　apology　for　making　them　wait；
although　this　is　the　hour　when　I　am　in　the　habit　of　receiving
visitors；〃　said　the　baroness；　in　a　perfectly　careless　manner。　〃But　I
hope　my　husband　has　taken　my　place　in　the　mean　time　and　told　you
that　I　had　to　preside　over　a　meeting　of　our　Hebrew　Benevolent
Society；　and　you　will　acknowledge　that　that　was　a　duty　which　I　ought
not　to　have　failed　to　fulfil。　Ah；　you　smile；　Baron　Weichs；　you　must
explain　to　me　what　is　the　meaning　of　this　smile；　if　you　wish　to
intimate　thereby；　perhaps；　that　there　are　no　important　duties　at　all
for　us　ladies　to　perform。　Come；　gentlemen；　let　us　sit　down　and　hear
in　what　manner　Baron　Weichs　will　he　able　to　defend　his　smile。　Sit
down　here　on　my　right　side；　prince；　and　you；　Baron　Weichs；　on　my
left；　and　my　husband　may　take　a　seat　opposite　us　and　play　the　role
of　an　arbiter。〃

〃I　regret　that　I　cannot　comply　any　longer　with　your　amiable
invitation；〃　said　the　prebendary；　gloomily。　〃You　have　made　me　wait
too　long；　baroness；　my　time　has　now　expired；　and　I　must　withdraw。　I
suppose　you　will　accompany　me；　Prince　Lichtenstein？〃

〃Yes；　I　shall　accompany　you；〃　said　the　prince；　〃for　unfortunately　my
time　has　also　expired；　and　I　must　go。〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　exclaimed　the　baroness；　smiling；　〃you　must　stay　here；
prince。　I　dare　not　prevent　the　prebendary　from　attending　to　his
important　affairs；　but　you；　prince；　have　no　such　pretext　for　leaving
me；　I　therefore　order　you　to　remain　and　to　tell　me　all　about
yesterday's　concert　at　the　imperial　palace。〃

〃I　regret　exceedingly　that　I　am　unable　to　obey　your　orders；〃　said
the　prince；　mournfully。　〃But　I　must　go。　You　just　said；　dear　lady；
that　an　important　duty　had　kept　you　away　from　home；　well；　it　is　an
important　duty　that　calls　me　away　from　here；　hence　I　cannot　stay。
Farewell；　and　permit　me　to　kiss　your　hand　before　leaving　you。〃

She　gave　him　her　hand；　which　was　as　cold　as　ice　and　trembled
violently　when　he　took　it。　He　pressed　his　glowing　lips　upon　this
hand　and　looked　up　to　her。　Their　eyes　met　in　a　last；　tender　glance；
the　prince　then　rose　and　turned　toward　the　prebendary；　who　was
conversing　with　Baron　Arnstein　in　a　low　and　excited　tone。

〃Come；　sir；　let　us　go；〃　he　said；　impetuously；　and　walked　toward　the
door。

〃Yes；　let　us　go；　〃repeated　the　prebendary；　and　bowing　profoundly　to
the　baroness；　he　turned　around　and　followed　the　prince。

Fanny；　who　was　evidently　a　prey　to　the　most　excruciating　anguish；
followed　them　with　her　distended；　terrified　eyes。　When　the　door
closed　behi