louisa of prussia and her times-第89节

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followed　them　with　her　distended；　terrified　eyes。　When　the　door
closed　behind　them；　she　hastily　laid　her　hand　on　her　husband's
shoulder；　and　looked　at　him　with　an　air　of　unutterable　terror。

〃They　will　fight　a　duel？〃　she　asked。

〃I　am　afraid　so；〃　said　the　baron；　gloomily。

The　baroness　uttered　a　shriek；　and　after　tottering　back　a　few　steps；
she　fell　senseless　to　the　floor。　　Early　on　the　following　morning；
four　men　with　grave　faces　and　gloomy　eyes　stood　in　the　thicket　of　a
forest　not　far　from　Vienna。

Two　of　them　were　just　about　divesting　themselves　of　their　heavy
coats；　embroidered　with　gold；　in　order　to　meet　in　mortal　combat；
their　bare　breasts　only　protected　by　their　fine　cambric　shirts。
These　two　men　were　Prince　Charles　von　Lichtenstein　and　the
prebendary；　Baron　Weichs。

The　other　two　gentlemen　were　engaged　in　loading　the　pistols　and
counting　off　the　steps；　they　were　Baron　Arnstein　and　Count　Palfy；
the　seconds　of　the　two　duellists。　When　they　had　performed　this
mournful　task；　they　approached　the　two　adversaries　in　order　to　make
a　last　effort　to　bring　about　a　reconciliation。

〃I　implore　you　in　my　own　name；〃　whispered　Baron　Arnstein　in　the　ear
of　the　Prince　von　Lichtenstein〃I　implore　you　in　the　name　of　my
wife；　if　a　reconciliation　should　be　possible；　accept　it；　and　avoid
by　all　means　so　deplorable　an　event。　Remember　that　the　honor　of　a
lady　is　compromised　so　easily　and　irretrievably；　and　that　my　wife
would　never　forgive　herself　if　she　should　become；　perhaps；　the
innocent　cause　of　your　death。〃

〃Nobody　will　find　out　that　we　fight　a　duel　for　her　sake；〃　said　the
prince。　〃My　honor　requires　me　to　give　that　impertinent　fellow　a
well…deserved　lesson；　and　he　shall　have　it！〃

Count　Palfy；　the　prebendary's　second；　approached　them。　〃If　your
highness　should　be　willing　to　ask　Baron　Weichs　to　excuse　your
conduct　on　yesterday；　the　baron　would　be　ready　to　accept　your
apology　and　to　withdraw　his　challenge。〃

〃I　have　no　apology　to　offer；〃　exclaimed　the　prince；　loudly；　〃and　I
am　unwilling　to　prevent　the　duel　from　taking　its　course。　I　told　the
prebendary　that　I　disliked　his　nose；　and　that　I　wished　to　amputate
its　impertinent　tip。　Well；　I　am　now　here　to　perform　this　operation；
and　if　you　please；　let　us　at　once　proceed　to　business。〃

〃Yes；　let　us　do　so；〃　shouted　the　prebendary。　〃Give　us　the　pistols；
gentlemen；　and　then　the　signal。　When　you　clap　for　the　third　time；　we
shall　shoot　simultaneously。　Pray　for　your　poor　soul；　Prince　von
Lichtenstein；　for　I　am　a　dead　shot　at　one　hundred　yards；　and　our
distance　will　only　be　twenty　paces。〃

The　prince　made　no　reply；　but　took　the　pistol　which　his　second
handed　to　him。　〃If　I　should　fall；〃　he　whispered　to　him；　〃take　my
last　greetings　to　your　wife；　and　tell　her　that　I　died　with　her　name
on　my　lips！〃

〃If　I　should　fall；〃　said　the　prebendary　to　his　second；　in　an
undertone；　but　loud　enough　for　his　opponent　to　hear　every　word　he
said；　〃tell　the　dear　city　of　Vienna　and　my　friends　that　I　have
fought　a　duel　with　Prince　Lichtenstein　because　he　was　my　rival　with
the　beautiful　Baroness　Arnstein；　and　that　I　have　died　with　the
conviction　that　he　was　the　lover　of　the　fair　lady。〃

A　pause　ensued。　The　seconds　conducted　the　two　gentlemen　to　their
designated　places　and　then　stood　back；　in　order　to　give　the　fatal
signals。

When　they　clapped　for　the　first　time；　the　two　duellists　raised　the
hand　with　the　pistol；　fixing　their　angry　and　threatening　eyes　on
each　other。

Then　followed　the　second；　the　third　signal。

Two　shots　were　fired　at　the　same　time。

The　prebendary　stood　firmly　and　calmly　where　he　had　discharged　his
weapon；　the　same　defiant　smile　playing　on　his　lips；　and　the　same
threatening　expression　beaming　in　his　eyes。

Prince　Charles　von　Lichtenstein　lay　on　the　ground；　reddening　the
earth　with　the　blood　which　was　rushing　from　his　breast。　When　Baron
Arnstein　bent　over　him；　he　raised　his　eyes　with　a　last　look　toward
him。　〃Take　her　my　last　love…greetings；〃　he　breathed；　in　a　scarcely
audible　voice。　〃Tell　her　that　I〃

His　voice　gave　way；　and　with　the　last　awful　death…rattle　a　stream　of
blood　poured　from　his　mouth。

〃Hasten　to　save　yourself；〃　shouted　Count　Palfy　to　the　prebendary；
who　had　been　looking　at　the　dying　man　from　his　stand…point　with
cold；　inquisitive　glances。　〃Flee；　for　you　have　killed　the　prince；　he
has　already　ceased　to　breathe。　Flee！　In　the　shrubbery　below　you　will
find　my　carriage；　which　will　convey　you　rapidly　to　the　next　post…
station。〃

〃He　is　dead　and　I　am　alive！〃　said　the　prebendary；　quietly。　〃It　would
not　have　been　worth　while　to　die　for　the　sake　of　a　woman　because　she
has　got　another　lover。　It　is　much　wiser　in　such　cases　to　kill　the
rival；　and　thus　to　remove　the　obstacle　separating　us　from　the　woman。
But　I　shall　not　escape；　on　the　contrary；　I　shall　go　to　the　emperor
myself；　and　inform　him　of　what　has　occurred　here。　We　are　living　in
times　of　war　and　carnage；　and　a　soul　more　or　less　is；　therefore；　of
no　great　importance。　Inasmuch　as　the　emperor　constantly　sends
hundreds　of　thousands　of　his　innocent　and　harmless　subjects　to　fight
duels　with　enemies　of　whom　they　do　not　even　know　why　they　are　their
enemies；　he　will　deem　it　but　a　matter　of　course　that　two　of　his
subjects；　who　know　very　well　why　they　are　enemies；　should　fight　a
duel；　and　hence　I　am　sure　that　his　majesty　will　forgive　me。　Brave
and　intrepid　men　are　not　sent　to　the　fortress。　I　shall　not　flee！〃




CHAPTER　XXXIX。

THE　LEGACY。


Three　days　had　passed　since　that　unfortunate　event。　Early　on　this；
the　third　day；　the　corpse　of　the　prince　had　been　conveyed　to　the
tomb　of　his　family；　a　large　and　brilliant　funeral　procession　had
accompanied　the　coffin；　even　the　carriages　of　the　emperor；　the
archdukes；　and　high　dignitaries　of　the　state　had　participated　in　the
procession；　and　the　Viennese；　who　for　three　days　had　spoken　of
nothing　else　but　the　tragic　end　of　the　young　and　handsome　Prince
Charles　von　Lichtenstein；　derived　some　satisfaction　from　the
conviction　that　they　were　sharing　the　sympathy　of　the　imperial
family　for　the　deceased；　thousands　of　them　consequently　joined　the
procession　and　accompanied　the　coffin。

But　this　manifestation　of　sympathy　did　not　seem　sufficient　to　the
good…hearted　and　hot…blooded　people。　They　did　not　merely　wish　to
show　their　love　for　the　deceased；　they　also　wanted　to　manifest　their
hatred　against　the　man　who　had　slain　him；　and；　on　their　return　from
the　funeral；　the　people　rushed　to　the　Kohlmarkt　and　gathered　with
loud　shouts　and　savage　threats　in　front　of　the　house　of　the
prebendary；　Baron　Weichs。

It　was　reported　that　the　prebendary；　whom　the　people　charged　with
having　assassinated　Prince　Lichtenstein；　was　constantly　in　Vienna；
and　as　this　fact　seemed　to　indicate　that　the　emperor　did　not　intend
to　punish　his　misdeed；　the　people　wanted　to　take　it　upon　themselves
to　chastise　him；　or　to　give　him　at　least　a　proof　of　the　public
hatred。

〃Smash　the　murderer's　windows！〃　shouted　the　people；　who　were
constantly　reenforced　by　fresh　crowds　appearing　on　the　Kohlmarkt。
And；　passing　from　threats　to　deeds；　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　busy
hands　tore　up　the　pavement　in　order　to　hurl　the　stones　at　the　house
and　windows　of　the　prebendary。　And　the　rattling　of　the　windows；　the
loud　noise　of　the　stones　glancing　off　on　the　walls；　increased　the
rage　and　exasperation　of　the　people。　Soon　they　were　no　longer
contented　with　doing　this；　but　wished　to　get　hold　of　the　malefactor
himself；　and　to　punish　him　for　his　crime。　The　crowd　rushed　with　wild
clamor　toward　the　closed　street…door　of　the　baron's　house；　one　among
them　quickly　climbed　on　the　shoulders　of　another；　in　order　to　tear
down　the　coat…of…arms　of　the　prebendary；　fixed　over　the　entrance；
and　thundering　applause　greeted　him　when　he　had　accomplished　his
purpose。　The　infuriated　men　then　commenced　striking　at　the　door
itself；　which　offered；　however；　to　all　attacks；　a　firm　and
unyielding　resistance。

Suddenly　a　stern；　imperious　voice　shouted：　〃Stop！　Stand　back！　stand
back！〃

The　people　turned　around　in　terror；　and　discovered　only　then　that　a
carriage；　surrounded　and　followed　by　twenty　mounted　policemen；　was
approaching　from　the　alley　on　which　the　principal　door　of　the
prebendary's　house　was　situated。　This　carriage；　with　its　sinister
escort；　could　make　but　slow　headway　through　the　dense　mass　of　the
people；　who　looked　inquisitively　through　the　lowered　windows　into
the　interior　of　the　coach。　Every　one　was　able　to　recognize　the　three
gentlemen　who　were　seated　in　the　carriage；　and　who　were　none　other
than　the　prebendary；　Baron　Weichs；　and　two　of　the　best　known　and
most　feared　high　functionaries　of　the　police。　The　baron's　face　was
pale　and　gloomy；　but　the　defiant；　impudent　smile　was　still　playing
on　his　thin　lips。　He　looked；　with　an　air　of　boundless　contempt；　at
the　crowd　surging　around　his　carriage　and　staring　at　him　as　if　it
wished　to　read　in　his　pale　features　the　sentence　that　had　been
pronounced　against　him。

〃How　inquisitive　is　the　populace！〃　said　the　prebendary；
disdainfully。　〃They　are　so　anxious　to　find　out　whether　I　am　now
being　conveyed　to　the　place　of　execution；　which　would　be　a　most
welcome　spectacle　for　them。　You　ought　to　have　mercy　on　this