第62章

"Nothing more with our lips, but our hearts still implore you.""I do not understand this language, sir, and you have not succeeded in giving me hearing, or ears to hear with. In this useless strife Iwill say a last word, which I hope will be for life. You shall never be the husband of my daughter! You can never be united."Marie and Moritz sprang from their knees, laying their hands in each other's, and looked what words could not have better expressed--"We are inseparable, nothing can disunite us but death!""I desire you not to interrupt me," commanded Frau von Werrig; "Ihave listened to you, and now you shall listen to me. I promise you to speak with more brevity than you have. I will not trouble you with useless phrases and tedious lamentations. I will speak to the point. Marie is the daughter of General Werrig von Leuthen, whose name would become extinct if the grace and favor of the king had not prevented it, by permitting the husband whom we have chosen for our daughter to take our name, and therewith become our son. You may think, in your arrogance of commoner, and the pride you take in having won the love of the daughter of General von Leuthen, that you could be this husband and son-in-law. But two things fail you:

first, the necessary fortune; and, secondly, the king's consent, and that of her father. If you were rich, it might be possible that we should be touched by the tender amorousness of our daughter, and conquer our aversion to you for her sake. You are of low birth, and take a subordinate position in society. It would be extremely laughable for the schoolmaster Moritz to change suddenly into a Herr von Werrig Leuthen. Our son-in-law must be a rich man, in order to be able to give his new title consideration; and, fortunately, the wooer of my daughter's hand possesses this qualification, and therefore we have given our consent. The king has approved our choice, and permits the rich banker Ludwig Ebenstreit to become our son-in-law, and take our name. The king has in this communication, which lies upon the table, and which Marie has heard read, given his assurance to ennoble Ebenstreit upon two conditions: first, that the banker should give up his business, and live upon his income; and, secondly, that the marriage should not take place until the papers of nobility are made out and published, so that the daughter of General von Werrig should not make a misalliance. You know all now, and you will at last understand that there is but one thing for you to do--conquer your foolish presumption, and beg to be excused for your unheard-of boldness in forcing yourself into our house, and then withdraw quickly. If my ear does not deceive me, your accomplice has opened the doors. I think I heard rightly, if my heart has no ears, my head possesses better. We have finished. Iwould again enjoin upon you the duty of begging for pardon, and then I close this unrefreshing scene with the same words with which it opened--there is the door--go out!""Yes, there is the door--go out of it! I want to be quiet--go! My daughter is the betrothed of the rich banker Herr Ebenstreit; she will be his wife as soon as the papers are made out and published.--Go!" cried the general.

The young couple still stood there, hand in hand, looking at the general, until now their eyes met, beaming with tenderest affection for each other. "Is it true, Marie? Speak, my beloved, is it true, will you be the wife of this rich man whom your parents have chosen for you?""No, Philip," she calmly and firmly replied. "No, I will not, for Ido not love him, I love only you; and here, in the presence of God and my parents, I swear to you that I will be constant to death!

They can prevent my becoming your wife, but they cannot force me to wed another. I swear, then, that if I cannot be yours, I will never marry!""I receive your oath, and God has heard it also!" said Moritz, solemnly.

"I have also heard it, and I tell you," said Frau von Werrig, "that this romantic heroine will become a perjurer, for I will find means to make her break her silly oath.""We will, perhaps, find means to delay the marriage," said Moritz proudly, "or, much more, prevent the marriage ceremony.""I am very curious to know the means," said Frau von Werrig. "From this hour Marie is the betrothed of Herr Ebenstreit, and the wedding will take place so soon--""So soon as the title of nobility is published. That is it, is the clause to be filled; and therefore I tell you, beloved, wait and hope! This woman is without pity and without mercy; but God is in heaven, and Frederick the Great on the earth. Wait and hope. Be firm in hope, and constant in love. Do not lose courage, and let them force you to compliance by threats and anger. I have only you to confide in and to love in the world, and you are my hope, my goal, and the happiness of my life. If you forsake me, I lose my good angel, and am a lost, miserable man, whom it would be better to hurl into the deepest abyss than let him suffer the torments of hated existence. The knowledge of your love gives me strength and courage;it will inspire me to fight like a hero, to win the dear, beloved wife, to whom I would yield my life in order to receive it anew from her purified and sanctified. The knowledge that I had lost you, would ruin me."Laying both hands upon his shoulder, Marie looked at him with eyes beaming with affection, renewing her vow that she would never love or marry another. "We will be courageous in hope, and brave in constancy. Listen to me, my beloved; listen, my mother--I betrothed myself to this dear man! You can prevent my becoming his wife now, but in four years I am of age, and then I shall be my own mistress.

Then, my dear Philip, I will be your wife. Let us wait and hope!""Yes, Marie, we will wait and hope.--Farewell! Do not forget that there is a great God in heaven, and a great king upon earth.--Farewell!"