Auerbach_On_the_Heights.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
request. those days, when, with the king and , was sitting
under the weeping ash, was gentle and forgiving toward the fallen,
and said deserved that thousands should pray for me.
really deserve it then? deserve it now? that time, no one had
ever offended or injured me, and it was easy to appear forgiving.
as soon as was wronged, gave way to scorn and hatred, and pride in
my own virtue, and encouraged myself in that feeling. changed his
whole life, put all that was trivial and vain away from him, and
devoted his whole mind to faithful labors for the sake of his people,
while became more and more austere and inflexible just because was
so virtuous. you so virtuous, after all? is the virtue that
lives for itself alone? she who erred so bitterly; has she not
expiated still more bitterly? though she be, she stands far
above me. died for my sake, and yet what has her death profited me?
have left my husband to achieve his difficult work unaided and alone,
deserted him in the hour of greatest need. have lived for myself
alone, for to live for my child was to live for myself. have had
charity for the poor and helpless. how as to my first duty? could
not conquer myself--and am the one who dares say that am capable of
the highest, and "if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out?" was
right. one can save you but yourself, for no one else can so often
tell you the truth.
the many years in which she has been striving to perfect
herself, and in which he has strengthened himself in noble deeds for
his people, what have been doing? is who have sinned. shall
not die, ! must still live, so that can tell you that am
lost if you die without having forgiven me.
queen gladly gave way to these thoughts, for they gradually
lightened the burden which had so long exerted a depressing influence
upon her.
" we much further to go?" she asked .
again seized her. were dead! it were too late for the
meeting that would free them both!-- pressed her hand to her
throbbing heart, as if it too must cease to beat when the heart up
there had ceased to live. her mind's eye, she beheld , as if
glorified and transfigured, while she herself seemed so pitifully
small.
"'ll soon be there," said .
voice above was heard, calling:
"!"
sound was echoed again and again from the mountains.
"'s my husband," said to the queen, and, in an equally
loud voice, she called out:
"!"
answered again from above.
drew near, and when he saw the grand gentlemen, the ladies on
horseback, and the liveried servants, he took off his hat and passed
his hand over his eyes, as if to satisfy himself that he saw aright.
" is it with her?" asked .
"'s still alive, but she won't last long. left about an hour ago,
and who knows what may have happened since then? doctor's with her,
though."
" can't ride any farther," said the inspector. queen and
alighted. and the servants followed, while they climbed the last
hill.
"'s the queen there, in the light silk shawl," said ,
addressing with a significant gesture.
"'s all the same to me," he answered. " 's better than any
of them. matters the queen? death comes we're pretty much the
same all around. 'll all of us have to die one of these days, and
then it won't matter what we've been in these few years."
a hurried glance on , and beckoning to remain
behind, the queen hastened forward. was unattended, but yet, at her
right and her left, before and behind her, were the spirits of fear and
of deliverance. cried: " is dead; you are too late--" and it
seemed as if this would arrest her steps and deprive her of her breath.
cried: " on--why loiter? are free, you bring
freedom with you, and shall gain freedom for yourself."
put forth her hands, as if to wave off the powers that were
contending within and about her.
gained the mastery and, with a wailing shriek for help, she cried
out:
"! !" and ", ," was echoed again and again from the
mountains. whole world was shouting 's name.
was still lying within the room, and was sitting at her
bedside. breathing was difficult. scarcely ever turned her
head, and only now and then slightly opened her eyes.
had taken 's note-book with him, and found an
opportunity to read these words of his to : " this serve to
enlighten me on the day and in the hour when my mind becomes obscured."
he read the words: " yet dwells in that which, to us, seems
lost and ruined," raised herself, but she soon leaned back again
and beckoned him to proceed. read: " should my eye be dimmed in
death-- have beheld the eternal -- eyes have penetrated eternity.
from distortion and self-destruction, the immortal spirit soars
aloft."
stopped and laid the note-book on 's bed. rested her
hand upon it. a while she raised her hand and, pressing it to her
brow, said, while she closed her eyes:
" yet he chastised me!"
" he may have done to you, was not done with his free, pure
will. paroxysm, a relapse into mortality, affected it. the spirit
of your father, and as surely as hope that truth may dwell with me in
my own dying hour, forgive you. have achieved your own pardon.
him, as he has surely forgiven you. would bless you now, as
bless you. him lovingly, for the sake of the love he bore
you."
seized the hand which had laid upon her brow, and kissed
it. , without turning around, and as if speaking to herself, she
said: " with me," again and again.
hours, sat by her bedside. a sound was heard but her
painful breathing, which was gradually becoming more and more
difficult.
now, when the mountains echoed her name again and again,
raised her head and looked to right and left. " you hear it, too?"
she asked. " name--voices, voices everywhere! --" door
opened, and the queen entered the room.
"! at last you are here!" gasped , with a deep sigh.
all the strength yet left her, she raised herself up and knelt in the
bed. long hair fell over her, her eyes sparkled with a strange
luster. folded her hands and, stretching out her arms, she cried,
in heart-rending tones:
" me! me!"
" me, ! sister!" sobbed the queen, clasping in her
arms and kissing her.
smile passed over 's face. , uttering a loud cry, she fell
back and was no more.
queen knelt at her bedside and , who had stood in the
background, stepped forward and closed 's eyes.
was hushed. a sound was heard, save the sobbing of the queen
and .
were heard approaching.
"? is she?" cried the king.
opened the door and with both hands motioned to him to be
silent.
"!" cried the king.
nodded affirmatively. beckoned to , and she left the
room with him.
king knelt down silently beside the corpse.
queen arose and, placing her hand on her husband's head, said:
" me, , as am forgiven!"
seized the proffered hand, and, hand in hand, they stood there for a
long while, gazing at , on whose face there rested a gentle smile,
even in death. seemed as if they could not turn away from the sight.
last, the queen removed her white shawl and spread it over .
left the hut. sun was setting in purple glory, and all about
them was hushed in silence.
approached the queen, gave her the journal wrapped in the
bandage, and said: " is 's bequest to ."
queen went up to , silently offered her hand, and kissed
the child that she was carrying in her arms.
king offered his hand to and said: " thank you; shall see
you again."
little pitchman went up to the king and queen and said:
" reward you for having come to her. deserved it."
king and queen walked away in the direction of the forest.
retinue kept in the background.
.
king and queen went into the forest.
were walking hand in hand.
drew on. wind rustled through the tree-tops.
queen stood still for a moment and then, impelled by the ardent
love she had so long repressed, embraced her husband, kissing his eyes,
his mouth and his brow, and said:
"'ve asked the departed one to forgive me! died with my kiss on
her lips. now ask you who still live, to forgive me. have both
expiated--she, alone, by herself; you, alone, while at my side!"
took out an amulet which she had worn hidden next to her heart.
was the betrothal ring which the king had given to her.
" this ring, and put it on your hand," she said.
" are united anew," replied the king, while he put the ring on his
finger and embraced the queen. clasped her in his arms and her head
rested against his heart.
a firm step, they descended the mountain unto where their
carriages were waiting for them.
by the servants, , , and also descended the
mountain.
king and queen were in the first carriage; and in the
second. went back with to the cottage.
newly espoused arrived at the dairy-farm. first thing they did
was to go to the crown prince's apartments and, while they stood at the
child's bed, the king said:
" sleeps, and his innocent, infant mind knows nothing of our
differences. is well for us that, with his dawning powers, he will
see in us only love and harmony, enduring unto death."
all that night, the king and queen sat by the lamp, reading the
journal of the solitary worldling.
and had lingered in the hut above. sat with
for a while, holding her hand in his, while he told her that
her perfect innocence had now been brought to light. silent nod was
her only reply.
cows gathered about the hut. bellowing and snorting proved
that their unerring instinct told them of the presence of death, and
scarcely were they driven away, before they returned again.
little pitchman dug a grave during the night. was up at the spot
where had so often rested. shed many a tear over his work, and
once, when he paused to take breath, said to himself: " the kid is
old enough to run of itself, 'll let it go back into the woods."
was buried at early dawn. , the little pitchman, and
carried her, and the child following after them.
and had covered the sides and the bottom of the grave with
roses. in the queen's white mantle, was silently
laid to rest, just as the rosy dawn appeared in the east.
in the valley, the king and queen had been reading 's journal.
was breaking. gazed at the rosy dawn and lifted their eyes to
the mountains--to where was being buried on the heights.