Marlitt_Gold_Elsie.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
7mn ! who would have thought that! , if even |
in our sphere shame and lofty pnde cease to exist, if every |
one follows his lower inclinations and casts his most sacred
privileges beneath the feet of the people, then is it, indeed,
no wonder that we can no longer uphold its glory, and that
the people will shake the throne itself!- '
" not be vexed, my dear baroness,'^ said the prince,
who was present, evidently amused. " introduction
has something of the majestic style of .
see no trace yet of the earthquake you have foretold, and to ]
my great satisfaction observe also,^' casting his eye with
a smile down upon the quiet market-place, " that my
faithful subjects are very quiet and well behaved.
have you to report?*'
looked at him, perplexed; his sarcastic tone made
her feel uneaefy.
" , but if your highness only knew!** she at length
continued. " very man npon whose proud blocd
would have founded noble families! . von has {
just officially announced to me that he is engaged, and to |
whom to whom does your highness imagine ' ^
" , the niece of my brave old forester,'* |
the prince supplied, witli a smile. " knew i
what he was about, see. is, am told, a perfect j
miracle of beauty and loveliness. hope he wiU not post- ]
pone too long a time her presentation at our court.'* \
" highness!" exclaimed the baroness, in amaze-
ment, * ' she is the daughter of your highuess's f orest-clerik. ' *
'* , my dear baroness," added the princess, in a con-
soling tone, "we know that quite well. do not be
unhappy about that, for we are told that is really of
noble birth."
" highness will most gracioudy pardon me," re-
plied the old lady, turning crimson in the face and pointing
to the crumpled note in her hand; " here it is in black and
white ^this engagement with a woman of the commonalty;
here stands the name, , and no other; and thus it
will appear upon the family tree of the von for all
time. almost seems as if the gentleman emphasizes the
fact with a kind of ostentation! these people have
nothing in common with the noble race of von ,
they prove in the moftt convincing manner by tiieir refusal
. 281
to assnme the grand old name and bear it with pride.
small drop of noble blood has in the coarse of years
disappeared from their veins, and according to my ideas of
noble blood this young girl is, and will continue to be,
without it. sincerely sympathize with poor . von -
feld, who, as your highnesses will certainly graciously con-
cede, is a knight of the purest water. will lose by this
mesalliance at least half a million, and poor von
, from whom received by the same post with the
engagement-card a few sad lines of farewell, has to-daj
left , doubtless to avoid this scandalous affair.'^
" are considerations that appeal more especially
to your friendly sympathies, and consequently shall not
reason with you as to your views of the matter,^ 'replied the
prince, not without some sharpness in his tone of voice.
** shall further request you to report at once to the
princess and myself when . von desires to present
his bride tous.^'
the next room, the door of which was standing open
wiEW whirling around on her heels, clapping her
hands.
" , that was the reason why the old polar bear wanted
to escape certain loquacious ladies!^' she exclaimed, with
suppressed laughter. " , where were your eyes,
usually so sharp at ferreting out love matters, on that
eventful day? whole affair amuses me beyond meas-
ure, on account of old /^ she said, in a whisper,
turning to her companion, who was crocheting in the win-
dow. " shall now have the pleasure, for fifteen days
at least, of seeing the faithful old royalist looking daggers
at their highnesses whenever their backs are accidentally
turned, while she will pour from her withered lips rivers of
honey over this beloved land, when the sunshine of the
princely eyes falls upon her. mi^ht really wish that
all the gentleman throughout our principality would make
such fools of themselves, if so much enjoyment were the
result of it. '*
" heavens, , are you perfectly crazy?^* ex-
claimed her companion, letting her work fall on her lap.
again, at the same hour, when all the aristocratic
blood in the veins of the von was in a
turmoil of indignation. . returned home and entered
the nursery, where his wife was just engaged in bathing the
283 .
baby and saperintending the knitting of her two littlt
daaghters.
" darling, rejoice with mel'* he exclaimed, with
beaming eyes, almost before he had entered the door.
" has found a mistress, and a noble one!
, pretty little ! you hear, my love?
it begins to grow bright again, and the sun is break-
ing forth. thought has gained a glorious victory,
and the spirit of darkness, which has cast a blight upon the
hearts of men, is fleeing away. have just seen it pass by
in . von 's carriage. hour ago in ,
venture to say, there were numerous invisible crosses flyiuj
around. notice of the engagement fell like a boml
into our noble town. tell you it is a great pleasure to see
the long, the incredulous and the envious faces on all
hands. news, however, did not surprise me at all.
knew very well what was going to happen after that at-
tempt of 's. was driving on tne same afternoon
at . von 's side, returning to to see
whether the excitement had produced any deleterious effects
upon the brave little girl, 1 suddenly discovered that at
last hour had come, and that he, too, had a
heart one full of deep, passionate love.^'
. .
the reader vrill skip over a period of two years, and
again visit the ruins of ifordeck under our guidance, we
will conduct him along the tortuous windings of a broad
and beautiful drive leading up the mountwn to the gate of
the castle, which has been recently repaired and newly
{)ainted, and has exchanged its rusty old locks and bolts
or brightly polished new ones. recall with a shudder
the cold, damp court behind this large gate, which was in-
closed on three sides by dismal colonnades, while the upper
stories showed the murderous intention of falling down
upon us. remember the lonesome basin in the middle
of the court, guarded by its lions of stone, which for years
had been in vain londng for the- silvery floods that were to
fill it to the rim. these recollections fresh in our
minds we pull the beU. response to the deep sound of.
.
the bell a neat-looking maid opens the ponderous gate and
invites us to walk in. , however, start back, dazzled,
for a brilliant stream of light and colors meets our eyes.
ruins have disappeared, only the high solid walls are
still standing, and a glance shows us what an immense
space it incloses.
do not walk upon the hard, reverberating stones of
fche court, but upon soft and yielding gravel. front of
us a gorgeous and weU-kept lawn spreads itself out.
the middle of this lawn is seen the large granite basin, and
from the mouths of the savage lions issue forth four mighty
streams of water. chestnut-tree^ like faithful senti-
nels, are still standing around; but since they have been
bathing their tops in free and unsullied streams of air they
have recuperated, and are, now adorned with countless
white blossoms. turn into one of the gravel walks that
surround the lawn, wander among the tastefully arranged
beds, and feast our eyes upon the blooming shrubbery and
tenderly nursed flowers that lend to the lawn all the colors
of the rainbow.
on the other side stands the dwelling house.
air bathes its four walls, which have put on a clean, bright
garment, but its face has assumed a more stately expression.
^Qw windows flash on all sides. . has added four
new rooms to the house; for, as soon as the forester with-
draws from active life, he intends to bring and take
possession of the new apartments that have been provided
for him.
. 's chamber, the two tall windows of which
still command the same view they formerly did, with the
exception of the bay-window in 's little room,
. von has had the limbs of the trees trimmed, so
that . and . can always have the home of
their child before their eyes. . 's chamber is
now standing the young . von . has been
confined to her room for several weeks, and her first visit
carries her up the mountain to present her first-born to its
grandparents. is lying in her arms. , or
rather . ^for she has long been happily mar-
ried has taken the little fellow into her arms, and is
gently removing the veil that covers its dear little face.
has the features of the von , and from beneath the
little lace hood a fine dark lock of hair falls upon his fore^
.
head. is almost killing himself with laughter at
the clumsy motions of his funny little red fist^ that is wildly
stretching and reaching in all directions. forester^ in
the greatest anxiety^ has taken the precaution to place his
own powerful hands behind his back, as though he was
afraid he might hurt the little fellow by some accidental
leg
sture with his mighty arms. is no less charmed with
grandnephew than the grandparents with their grand-
child. has forgetfeen for the time being his grief over
's disgrace, and consoles himself with 's
happiness, which at first seemed very extraordinary, and
which he has to persuade himself to believe in afresh every
morning, as he declares. because he thought such
good fortune undeserved by his darling on the contrary,
he would have thought the highest crown on earth in its
proper place upon 's brow it was only very won-
derful to him to see the young girl, " with her nimble feet
and sunny face,'' give herself up, with such devotion, to
this sedate, mature man.
is happy in the highest sense of the word.
husband adores her, and his declaration has proven true;
for that expression of melancholy and seventy has dis-
appeared from his brow forever.
this moment she rapturously gazes upon the tender
little creature in her arms, and then casts her eyes down
into the valley, whence he will presently appear, coming to
carry home herself and baby.
a moment an expression of sadness appears upon
her face, and her eye grows moist, as it rests upon a tall,
gilded cross that flashes from among the trees on the lake.
, beneath their moaning branches, in a handsome
mausoleum, has been slumbering for a year.
died in 's arms, with the prayer upon her lips
that would bless her her, who had faithfully borne
with her her burden of sorrow, and had supported and
comforted her until her broken heart had burst loose from
its perishable prison. had caused to
be sold, and no one knows in what corner of the earth he is
now mourning over the failure of all his aims and plans.