louisa of prussia and her times-第90节

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being　conveyed　to　the　place　of　execution；　which　would　be　a　most
welcome　spectacle　for　them。　You　ought　to　have　mercy　on　this　amiable
rabble；　gentlemen；　and　inform　them　of　the　evil　tidings　that　I　have
unfortunately　not　been　sentenced　to　be　hanged　on　the　gallows；　nor　to
be　broken　on　the　wheel；　but　only　to　be　imprisoned　in　a　fortress　for
ten　years；　which　I　shall　pass　at　the　beautiful　citadel　of　Komorn。〃

The　two　officers　only　replied　to　him　by　silently　nodding；　and　the
carriage　passed　on。　But　some　compassionate　and　talkative　police
agent　had　informed　the　people　that　the　emperor　had　sentenced　the
prebendary；　Baron　Weichs；　to　ten　years'　imprisonment　in　a　fortress；
and　that　he　was　at　this　moment　on　his　way　to　Komorn。　The　people
received　this　intelligence　with　jubilant　shouts；　and　dispersed
through　the　city　in　order　to　inform　their　friends　and　acquaintances
of　the　welcome　news；　and　then　to　go　home；　well　satisfied　with　the
day's　amusements　and　diversions。

And　the　waves　of　life　closed　over　the　lamentable　event；　and　carried
it　down　into　the　abyss　of　oblivion。　A　few　days　passed　by；　and
another　occurrence　caused　the　colloquies　concerning　the　duel　of
Prince　Lichtenstein　and　what　had　brought　it　about　to　cease；　as　some
new　subject　of　conversation　took　its　place。

One　heart　alone　did　not　console　itself　so　rapidly；　one　soul　alone
bewailed　him　on　comfortless　days　and　restless　nights；　and　paid　to
him　the　tribute　of　tears　and　sighs。　Since　that　last　meeting　with　the
prince；　Fanny　Arnstein　had　not　left　her　cabinet　again；　its　doors　had
been　closed　against　everybody；　and　she　had　wept　and　sighed　there
during　these　three　days；　without　taking　a　morsel　of　food。

Vainly　had　her　husband　often　come　to　her　door　in　order　to　implore
her　to　open　it　at　last；　and　to　take　some　nourishment。　Fanny　had
never　answered　him；　and　if　he　had　not；　constantly　and　stealthily
returning　to　her　door　at　night；　heard　her　low　sobs　and　half…loud
wailing；　he　would　have　believed　that　grief　had　killed　her；　and　that
love　had　intended　to　unite　her　in　heaven　with　him　to　whom　her　heart
belonged；　as　they　had　been　so　hopelessly　separated　on　earth。

To…day；　after　the　prince's　funeral；　the　baron　again　entered　the
reception…room　adjoining　his　wife's　cabinet；　but　this　time　he　did
not　come　alone。　A　lady；　whose　face　was　covered　with　a　large　black
veil；　accompanied　him；　and　walked　at　his　side　to　the　constantly
closed　door。

The　baron　knocked　at　this　door；　and　begged　his　wife；　in　words　of
heart…felt　sympathy；　to　open　it　to　him。

There　was　no　reply；　not　a　word　was　heard　from　the　unhappy　baroness。

〃You　see；　your　highness；〃　whispered　the　baron；　turning　to　the　veiled
lady；　〃it　is　as　I　told　you。　All　prayers　are　in　vain；　she　does　not
leave　her　room；　she　will　die　of　grief。〃

〃No；　she　will　not　die；〃　said　the　lady；　〃she　is　young；　and　youth
survives　all　grief。　Let　me　try　if　I　cannot　induce　her　to　admit　us。〃

And　she　knocked　at　the　door　with　bold　fingers；　and　exclaimed：　〃Pray；
Fanny；　open　the　door；　and　let　me　come　in。　It　is　I；　Princess
Eibenberg；　it　is　I；　your　friend；　Marianne　Meier；　I　want　to　see　my
dear　Fanny　Itzig。〃

Every　thing　remained　silent；　nothing　stirred　behind　that　locked
door。　Marianne　removed　her　veil；　and　showed　her　proud；　pale
countenance　to　the　baron。

〃Baron；〃　she　said；　gravely；　〃at　this　hour　I　forgive　you　the　insult
and　contempt　you　hurled　at　me　five　years　ago　on　your　wedding…day。
Fate　has　avenged　me　and　punished　you　cruelly；　for　I　see　that　you
have　suffered　a　great　deal　during　the　last　three　days。　My　heart　does
not　bear　you　any　ill…will　now；　and　I　will　try　to　restore　your
beautiful　and　unhappy　wife　to　you；　and　to　console　her。　But　I　must
request　you　to　leave　this　room。　I　know　a　charm；　by　which　I　shall
decoy　Fanny　from　that　room；　but　in　order　to　do　so　I　must　be　alone；
and　nobody；　save　herself；　must　be　able　to　hear　me。〃

〃Very　well；　I　will　go；〃　said　the　baron；　mournfully。　〃But　permit　me
first　to　ask　you　to　do　me　a　favor。　My　request　will　prove　to　you　the
confidence　I　repose　in　you。　Please　do　not　tell　Fanny　that　you　saw　me
sad　and　deeply　moved；　do　not　intimate　any　thing　to　her　about　my　own
grief。〃

〃She　will　perceive　herself；　from　your　pale　face　and　hollow　cheeks；
poor　baron！〃　exclaimed　Marianne。

〃No；　she　is　not　accustomed　to　look　at　me　attentively；　it　will　escape
her；〃　said　the　baron；　sadly；　〃and　I　would　not　have　it　appear　as
though　I　were　suffering　by　her　grief；　which　I　deem　but　natural　and
just。　I　beg　you；　therefore；　to　say　nothing　about　me。〃

〃I　shall　fulfil　your　wish；〃　said　Marianne。　〃Fanny　will；　perhaps；
thank　you　one　day　for　the　delicacy　with　which　you　are　now　behaving
toward　her。　But　go　now；　so　that　I　may　call　her。〃

The　baron　left　the　room；　and　Marianne　returned　to　the　door。　〃Fanny；〃
she　said；　〃come　to　me；　or　open　the　door　and　let　me　walk　in。　I　have
to　deliver　to　you　a　message　and　a　letter　from　Prince　Charles　von
Lichtenstein。〃

Now　a　low　cry　from　the　cabinet　was　heard；　the　bolt　was　drawn　back；
the　door　opened；　and　Baroness　Arnstein　appeared　on　the　threshold。
Her　face　was　as　pale　as　marble；　her　eyes；　reddened　by　weeping；　lay
deeply　in　their　orbits；　her　black；　dishevelled　hair　fell　down　on　her
back　like　a　long　mourning　veil。　She　was　still　beautiful　and　lovely；
but　hers　was　now　the　beauty　of　a　Magdalen。

〃You　bring　me　a　message　from　him？〃　she　asked；　in　a　low；　tremulous
voice；　and　with　tearful　eyes。

〃Yes；　Fanny；〃　said　Marianne；　scarcely　able　to　overcome　her　own
emotion；　〃I　bring　you　his　last　love…greetings。　He　believed　that　he
would　fall；　and　on　that　fatal　morning；　before　repairing　to　the
duelling…grounds；　he　paid　me　a　visit。　We　had　long　been　acquainted
and　intimate；　both　of　us　had　a　great；　common　goal　in　view；　both　of
us　were　pursuing　the　same　paths；　this　was　the　origin　of　our
acquaintance。　He　knew；　too；　that　I　had　been　a　friend　of　yours　from
your　childhood；　and　he　therefore　intrusted　to　me　his　last　message　to
you。　Here；　Fanny；　this　small　box　contains　all　the　little　souvenirs
and　love…tokens　which　he　has　received　from　you；　and　which　he　deemed
much　too　precious　to　destroy　or　to　take　into　his　grave；　hence　he
requests　you　to　preserve　them。　They　consist　of　withered　flowers
which　you　once　gave　him；　of　a　ribbon　which　you　lost；　of　a　few　notes
which　you　wrote　to　him；　and　from　which　the　malicious　and　slanderous
world　might　perceive　the　harmless　and　innocent　character　of　your
intercourse；　and；　last；　of　your　miniature；　painted　by　the　prince
himself；　from　memory。　This　casket　the　prince　requests　you　to　accept
as　his　legacy。　It　is　a　set　of　pearls；　an　heirloom　of　his　family；
which　his　dying　mother　once　gave　to　him　in　order　to　adorn　with　it
his　bride　on　his　wedding…day。　The　prince　sends　it　to　you　and
implores　you　to　wear　it　as　a　souvenir　from　him；　because　you　were　the
bride　of　his　heart。　And　here；　Fanny；　here　is　a　letter　from　him；　the
last　lines　he　ever　wrote；　and　they　are　addressed　to　you。〃

The　baroness　uttered　a　cry　of　joy；　seizing　the　paper　with　passionate
violence；　she　pressed　it　to　her　lips；　and　knelt　down　with　it。

〃I　thank　Thee；　my　God；　I　thank　Thee！〃　she　murmured；　in　a　low　voice。
〃Thou　hast　sent　me　this　consolation！　Thou　dost　not　want　me　to　die　of
despair！〃

And　now；　still　remaining　on　her　knees；　she　slowly　unfolded　the　paper
and　read　this　last　glowing　farewell；　this　last　tender　protestation
of　his　love；　with　which　the　prince　took　leave　of　her。

Marianne　stood；　with　folded　arms；　in　a　bay　window；　watching　her
friend　with　grave；　sympathetic　eyes；　and　beheld　the　pallor　and
blushes　which　appeared　in　quick　succession　on　her　cheeks；　the
impetuous　heaving　of　her　bosom；　the　tremor　of　her　whole　frame；　and
the　tears　pouring　down　like　rivers　from　Fanny's　eyes　on　the　paper；
with　a　mingled　feeling　of　pity　and　astonishment。

〃It　must　be　beautiful　to　be　able　to　love　in　such　a　manner；〃　she
thought。　〃Beautiful；　too；　to　be　able　to　suffer　thus。　Enviable　the
women　living　with　their　hearts　and　deriving　from　them　alone　their
happiness　and　grief。　Such　a　lot　has　not　fallen　to　MY　share；　and　I　am
almost　afraid　that　I　do　not　love　any　thing　but　myself。　My　life　is
concentrated　in　my　head；　and　my　blood　only　rushes　from　the　latter　to
my　heart。　Who　is　more　to　be　pitied；　Fanny　with　the　grief　of　her
love；　or　I；　who　will　never　know　such　a　grief？　But　she　has　wept　now；
and　her　tears　might　finally　cause　me　to　weep；　too；　and　to　awaken　my
love。　That　must　not　be；　however。　One　who　has　to　pursue　great　plans；
like　myself；　must　keep　a　cool　head　and　a　cold　heart。〃

And　she　approached　with　quick　steps　the　baroness；　who　was　yet　on　her
knees；　reading　and　re…reading　the　farewell　letter　of　the　prince。

〃Rise　from　your　knees；　Fanny；〃　she　said；　almost　imperiously。　〃You
have　paid　the　tribute　of　your　tears　to　the　departed　friend；　you　have
wept　for　him　for　three　days；　now　bury　the　past　in　your　heart　and
think　of　your　future；　my　poor　girl。〃

〃My　future？〃　said　Fanny；　permitting　her　friend　to　raise　her　gently。
〃My　future　is　broken　and　darkened　forever；　and　there　is　a　cloud　on
my　name；　which　will　never　leave　it。　Oh；　why　is　there　no　convent　for
the　Jewess；　no　lonely　cell　whither　she　might　take　refuge；　with　her
unhappiness　and　disgrace？〃

〃Do　as　I　have　done；〃　said　Marianne；　〃let　the　whole　worl