第96章

With calm, proud bearing Marie entered the sitting-room of her parents, and returned the salutations of her betrothed, who hastened toward her with tender assiduity.

"My dear Marie," cried her mother, "I have the honor to present to you Herr Ebenstreit von Leuthen. The certificate of nobility arrived this morning.""I congratulate you, mother--you have at last found the long-desired heir to your name.""Congratulate me above all, my beautiful betrothed," said Herr Ebenstreit, in a hoarse, scarcely intelligible voice. "This title crowns all my wishes, as it makes me your husband. I came to beg, dear Marie, that our marriage should take place to-morrow, as there is nothing now to prevent.""Sir," she proudly interrupted him, "have I ever permitted this familiar appellation?""I have allowed it," blurted out the general, packed in cushions in his roiling chair. "Proceed, my dear son."The latter bowed with a grateful smile, and continued: "I would beg, my dear Marie, to choose whether our wedding-journey shall be in the direction of Italy, Spain, France, or wherever else it may please her.""Is it thus arranged?" asked Marie. "Is the marriage to take place early to-morrow, and then the happy pair take a journey?""Yes," answered her mother, hastily, "it is so decided upon, and it will be carried out. You may naturally, my dear daughter, have some preference; so make it known--I am sure your betrothed will joyfully accord it.""I will avail myself of this permission," she quietly answered. "Iwish to have a private conversation with this gentleman immediately, and without witnesses.""Oh, how unfortunate I am!" sighed Herr Ebenstreit. "My dear Marie asks just that which I unfortunately cannot grant her.""What should prevent your fulfilling my wish?" asked Marie.

"My promise," he whined. "On the very day of my betrothal, I was obliged to promise my dear mother-in-law never to speak with you alone or correspond with my sweet lady-love.""These are the rules of decency and of etiquette, which I hope my daughter will respect," said Frau von Werrig, in a severe tone. "No virtuous young girl would presume to receive her betrothed alone or exchange love-letters with him before marriage!""After the wedding there will be opportunities enough for such follies," grumbled the general.

"You may be sure that I shall use them, dear father," laughed Ebenstreit. "I would beg my respected mother to release me a half-hour from my oath to-day, that I may indulge the first expressed wish that my future wife favors me with.""It is impossible, my son. I never deviate from my principles. You will not speak with my daughter before marriage, except in the presence of her parents.""Mother, do you insist upon it?" cried Marie, terrified. "Will you not indulge this slight wish?""'This slight wish!'" sneered her mother. "As if I did not know why you ask this private conversation. You wish to persuade our son-in-law to what you in vain have tried to implore your parents to do. Amodest maiden has nothing to say to her future husband, which her parents, and above all her mother, could not hear. So tell your betrothed what you desire.""Well, mother, you must then take the consequences.--Herr Ebenstreit, they will force me to become your wife, they will sell me as merchandise to you, and you have accepted the bargain in good faith, believing that I agree to sacrifice my freedom and human rights for riches. They have deceived you, sir! I am not ready to give myself up to the highest bidder. I am a woman, with a heart to love and hate, who esteems affection superior to wealth. I cannot marry you, and I beg you not to teach me to hate you."A savage curse broke forth from the general, who, forgetting his gout, rose furious, shaking his clinched fist at his daughter.

His wife was immediately by his side, and pushed him into his arm-chair, commanding him, in her harsh, cold to remain quiet and take care of his health, and listen to what his son-in-law had to say to his unfeeling and unnatural daughter. "He alone has to decide.--Speak, my dear son," said she, turning to the young man, who, with a malicious smile, had listened to the baroness, fixing his dull-blue eyes upon the young girl, who never seemed so desirable to him, as she now stood before him with glowing cheeks.

"Again I say, speak, my dear son, and tell my daughter the truth; do you hear, the truth?""If you will permit me, my dearest mother, I will," answered Ebenstreit, with submissive kindness, again regarding the daughter.

"You have made me a sad confession, Marie," said he, sighing, "but Iwill acknowledge that I am not surprised, for your mother told me when I asked for your hand, that she feared I should never gain your consent, for you did not love me, although she herself, and the general, would grant theirs.""Was that all that I told you?" asked the mother, coldly.

"No, not all," continued Ebenstreit, slightly inclining; "you added, 'My daughter loves a beggar, a poor school-master, and she entertains the romantic idea of marrying him.'""And what did you reply?" asked Marie, almost breathless.

"My dear Marie, I laughed, repeating my proposal of marriage to your mother, saying, that I was ready to take up the combat with the poor pedagogue, and that you seemed all the more interesting and amiable for this romantic love. Life is so tedious and wretched, that one is glad to have some change and distraction. I assure you, I have not been so entertained for long years, as in the last fourteen days in this silent war with you. It amuses me infinitely to see you so stubborn and prudish, and increases my love for you. How could it be otherwise? The rich banker, Ebenstreit, has never seen a woman who was not ready to accept his hand, and why should he not love the first one who resists it? You have excited my self-love and vanity.