old fritz and the new era-第29部分

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leaning　upon　his　crutch；　〃here　is　the　answer　from　our　most　gracious
lord　and　king。　The　courier　arrived　to…day　from　the　war　department；
and　sent　it　to　me　by　an　express。〃

〃What　is　the　king's　answer？〃　asked　the　general's　wife；　a　pale；　gaunt
woman；　with　a　pock…marked　face；　harsh；　severe　features；　dull　gray
eyes；　which　never　beamed　with　emotion；　and　thin；　bloodless　lips；
upon　which　a　smile　never　played。　〃What　is　the　king's　answer？〃　she
repeated；　in　a　rough　voice；　as　her　husband；　puffing　and　blowing　from
the　effort　of　walking；　sank　down　upon　a　chair；　and　dried　his　fat；
ruby　face　with　a　red　cotton　pocket…handkerchief。

〃I　have　not　read　it；〃　panted　the　old　man。　〃I　thought　I　would　leave
the　honor　to　you；　as　you；　my　very　learned　wife；　wrote　the　letter　to
his　majesty。〃

His　wife　was　not　in　the　least　astonished　at　this　thoughtful　conduct
of　her　husband。　She　impetuously　seized　the　sealed　document；　and；
retiring　to　the　window…niche；　slowly　unfolded　it；　whilst　the　old
general　fixed　his　little　gray　eyes　upon　her　emotionless　face。　His
own　was　bloated　and　red；　expressing　the　greatest　anxiety　and
expectation。　Perfect　stillness　reigned　for　some　minutes；　only　the
regular　strokes　of　the　pendulum　were　heard　from　the　clock　on　the
wall；　and；　as　the　hands　pointed　to　the　expiration　of　the　hour；　a
cuckoo　sprang　out　of　the　tree　painted　over　the　dial；　and　eleven
times　her　hoarse；　croaking　voice　was　heard。

〃It　gets　every　day　more　out　of　tune；〃　growled　the　general；　as　he
looked　up　to　the　old；　yellow　dial；　and　ran　his　eye　over　the　cords
which　supported　the　weights。　Then　glancing　around　the　room；　he　saw
everywhere　age；　decay；　and　indigence。　There　was　an　old　divan；　with　a
patched；　faded　covering　of　silk；　and　a　grandfather's　arm…chair　near
it；　the　cushion　of　which　the　general　knew；　by　the　long　years　of
experience；　to　be　hard　as　a　stone。　A　round　table　stood　near　the
divan；　covered　with　a　shabby　woollen　cover；　to　hide　the　much…
thumbed；　dull　polish。　A　few　cane…chairs　against　the　wall；　an　old
black…oak　wardrobe　near　the　door；　and　the　sewing…table　of　Madame　von
Werrig　in　the　window…niche；　completed　the　furniture　of　the　room。　At
the　window　hung　faded　woollen　curtains；　and　on　the　green　painted
walls　some　pictures　and　portraits；　conspicuous　among　them　a
beautiful　portrait　of　the　king；　painted　on　copper；　which　represented
Frederick　in　his　youthful　beauty。　It　was　a　morose；　sullen…looking
room；　arranged　most　certainly　by　its　feminine　occupant；　and
harmonized　exactly　with　her　fretful　face　and　angular　figure；　void　of
charms。　At　last　the　general　broke　the　silence　with　submissive　voice：
〃I　pray　you；　Clotilda；　tell　me　what　the　king　wrote。〃

She　folded　the　paper；　joy　beaming　in　her　eyes。　〃Granted！　every　thing
granted！〃

The　general　jumped　up　to　embrace　his　wife　with　youthful　activity；　in
spite　of　the　gout。　〃You　are　a　capital　wife；〃　he　cried；　at　the　same
time　giving　her　a　loud；　smacking　kiss　upon　her　cold；　gray　cheek。　〃It
was　the　brightest；　cleverest　act　of　my　life　marrying　you；　Clotilda。〃

〃I　might　well　say　the　reverse；　Emerentius；〃　she　replied；
complainingly。　〃It　surely　was　not　sensible　for　me；　a　young　lady　from
such　a　genteel　family；　and　so　spoiled；　to　marry　an　officer　whom　the
king　ennobled　upon　the　battle…field；　and　who　possessed　nothing　but
his　captain's　paya　fickle　man；　and　a　gambler；　too。〃

〃Yes；　Clotilda；　love　usurped　reason；〃　soothingly　replied　the
general；　〃love　is　your　excuse。〃

〃Nonsense！〃　cried　Madame　von　Werrig。　〃Love　is　never　an　excuse；　it　is
folly。〃

〃Well；　let　us　suppose；　then；　that　you　did　not　marry　for　love；　only
from　pure　reason；　because　you　found　that　it　was　quite　time　to
espouse　some　one；　and　that；　in　spite　of　your　many　ancestors　and
genteel　family；　no　other　chance　was　offered　you；　unfortunately　no
one　but　this　captain；　whom　the　king　ennobled　upon　the　battle…field
of　Leuthen　on　account　of　his　bravery；　and　who　was　a　very　handsome；
agreeable　officer；　expecting　still　further　promotion。　And　you　were
not　deceived。　I　was　major；　when　the　Hubertsburger　treaty　put　an　end
to　a　gay　war…life。　You　will　remember　I　was　advanced　during　peace；
his　majesty　did　not　forget　that　I　cut　a　way　for　him　through　the
enemy；　and　he　made　me　lieutenant…colonel　and　colonel；　when　I　was
obliged　to　resign　on　account　of　this　infamous　gout；　and　then　I
received　the　title　of　general。〃

〃Without　'excellency；'〃　replied　his　wife；　dryly。　〃I　have　not　even
this　pleasure　to　be　called　'excellency。'　It　would　have　been　a　slight
compensation　for　my　sad；　miserable　existence；　and　vexed　many　of　the
female　friends　of　my　youth　if　they　had　been　obliged　to　call　me
'excellency。'　But　my　marriage　brought　me　only　cares；　not　even　a
title。〃

〃Do　not　forget　a　lovely　daughter；　Clotilda。　Our　Marie　is　beautiful；
wise；　and　good；　and　through　her　you　will　yet　have　tranquil
happiness。　For　you　say　the　king　has　granted　all　we　wish。〃

〃Every　thing！〃　repeated　the　wife；　with　emphasis。　〃We　have　at　last
finished　with　want　and　care；　and　can　count　upon　an　independent；
quiet　old　age；　for　God　has　been　gracious；　and　forced　you；　from　the
gout；　to　give　up　gambling；　and　we　are　freed　from　the　misery　which
has　so　often　threatened　us　from　your　unhappy　passion。〃

〃At　the　beginning；　I　played　from　passion；　afterward；　I　only　played
to　win　back　what　I　had　lost。〃

〃And　in　that　manner　played　away　all　we　possessed；　and　played　upon
your　word　of　honor；　so　that　for　years　the　half　of　our　pension　went
to　pay　your　gambling…debts。　Heaven　be　thanked；　the　king　did　not　know
it；　or　we　would　have　experienced　still　worse！〃

〃I　pray　you；　beloved　Clotilda；　do　not　fret　yourself　needlessly　about
the　past；　it　is　all　over；　and；　as　you　say；　I　am　unfortunately　a
prisoner　in　the　house　from　the　gout；　which　shields　me　from　the
temptation。〃

〃I　did　not　say　unfortunately；　I　said　'Heaven　be　praised；　the　gout
had　put　an　end　to　your　fickle　life。'〃

〃Then；　thank　Heaven；　my　dear；　we　will　not　quarrel　about　it。　It　is
past；　and；　as　the　king　has　granted　all；　we　shall　have　a　pleasant
life　now。〃

〃We　will　soon　receive　from　our　son…in…law　a　yearly　pension；　which
will　be　paid　to　me；　and　I　shall　spend　it。〃

The　general　sighed。　〃In　that　case　I　fear　that　I　shall　not　get　much
of　it。〃

〃At　any　rate；　more　than　I　have　ever　received　from　your　pension。〃

〃There　is　but　one　thing　wanting；〃　replied　the　general；　evasively；
〃Marie's　consent。〃

Madame　von　Werrig　gave　a　short；　gruff　laugh；　which　did　not　in　the
least　brighten　her　sullen　face。　〃We　will　not　ask　her　consent；　but
command　it。〃

The　general　remarked；　timidly；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃Marie　had　a
very　decided　character；　and〃

〃What　do　you　hesitate　to　speak　out　for？　Whatand〃

〃I　think　she　still　loves　the　Conrector　Moritz。〃

A　second　laugh；　somewhat　menacing；　sounded　like　a　challenge。　〃The
schoolmaster！〃　she　cried；　contemptuously。

〃Let　her　dare　to　tell　me　again　she　loves　the　schoolmaster；　she　the
daughter　of　a　general；　and　a　native…born　countess　of　the　empire！〃

〃My　dear；　it　was　your　faultthe　only　fault　you　ever　committed；
perhaps。　How　could　you　let　such　a　young；　handsome；　and　agreeable　man
come　to　the　house　as　teacher　to　our　daughter？〃

〃How　could　I　suppose　my　daughter　was　so　degenerated　as　to　love　a
common　schoolmaster；　and　wish　to　marry　him？〃

〃It　is　truly　unheard　of；　and　it　would　make　any　one　angry；　my　dear
wife；　for　she　insists　upon　loving　him。〃

〃She　will　not　insist；　she　will　do　what　she　is　commanded　to　domy
word　for　it！　But　why　talk　about　it？　It　is　better　to　decide　the
matter　at　once。〃

So　Frau　von　Werrig　rose　with　a　determined　manner；　and　rang　the　small
brass　bell　which　was　upon　the　sofa…table。　But　a　few　seconds　elapsed
before　a　little；　crooked　servant　appeared　at　the　side…door；　with　her
dirty　apron　put　aside　by　tucking　the　corner　in　her　belt。　〃Go　to　my
daughter；　and　tell　her　to　come　down　immediately！〃

The　servant；　instead　of　hastening　to　obey　the　order；　remained
standing　upon　the　threshold。　〃I　dare　not　go；〃　said　she；　in　a　hoarse；
croaking　voice。　〃Fraulein　told　me　not　to　disturb　her　to…day；　for　she
has　still　two　bouquets　of　flowers　to　arrange；　and　two　lessons　to
give；　and　she　is　so　busy　that　she　is　not　at　home　to　visitors。　She
torments　herself　from　morning　till　night。〃

〃I　order　you　to　tell　Fraulein　to　come　down　at　once；　we　have
something　important　to　tell　her。　No　contradiction！　go；　Trude！〃

The　servant　understood　the　cold；　commanding　tone　of　the　mother；　and
dared　not　disobey。

〃It　is　nothing　good　that　they　have　to　tell　her；〃　grumbled　Trude；　as
she　hurried　up　the　stairs　which　led　from　the　first　story　into　the
little；　low　room　in　the　attic；　under　the　sloping　roof。　Here　and
there　a　few　tiles　could　be　lifted；　which　lighted　the　garret
sufficiently　to　show　the　door　at　the　end。　〃May　I　come　in；　my　dear
Fraulein？　it　is　Trude。〃

〃The　door　is　open；〃　cried　a　sweet　voice；　and　Trude　entered。　It　is　a
most　charming　little　room；　just　that　of　a　young　girl。　The　bed　has　a
snow…white　covering；　and　white　curtains；　suspended　from　a　hook　in
the　wall　around　it。　The　same　curtains　at　the　low　gable…windows；
whose　depth；　so　to　speak；　made　a　light　anteroom　to　the　real　gloomy
one　in　the　background。　In　this　little　anteroom　the　young　girl　had
placed　all　that　was　necessary　for　her　pleasure　and　use。　There　were
the　most　beautiful；　sweet…scented　flowers　upon　the　window…stool；　in
a　pretty　metal　cage　was　a　light…colored　canary。　There　were　also
pretty　engravings；　and　upon　the　table　stood　a　vase　filled　with
superb　artificial　flowers；　and　before　it　sat　the　possessor　of　this
room；　the　daughter　of　General　and　Frau　von　Werrig；　surrounded　with
her　work…tools；　paper；　and　colored　materialsa　young　girl；　scarcely
twenty；　of　a　proud；　dignified　appearance；　but　simply　and　gracefully
dressed。　According　to　the　fashion　of　the　day；　her　hair　was　slightly
powdered；　and　raised　high　above　her　broad；　clear　brow　with　a　blue
rosette；　and　ends　at　the　side。　The　nobly…formed　and　beautiful　face
was　slightly　flushed；　and　around　the　month　was　an　expression　of
courageous　energy。　As　old　Trude　entered；　the　young　girl　raised　her
eyes　from　the　rose…bud　which　she　was　just　finishing；　and　looked　at
her。　What　beautiful　black　eyes　they　were　as　they　sparkled　underneath
the　delicately…arched；　black　eyebrows！

〃Now；　old　one；〃