The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 11. Francke Kuno
of a tree which he had already selected as the place!
But quickly as the passage was made, the other had now won a handicap of perhaps twenty paces. That was too much; the distance would have to be diminished by half. And it could not be so difficult; he still had the soft sand of the bridle-path to the right of the trees, while the other one was going to the left on the hard foot-path, where his footsteps would drown any slight noise. There! Maledetto di Dio– a dry twig broke with a crack under his stealthy foot. He crouched behind the tree – he could not be seen; but the other must have heard it; he stopped – listened, perhaps expecting his antagonist – in any case now no longer unprepared – who knows? – a brave man, an officer – turning about, offering his front to his antagonist. So much the better! Then there would be only a leap from behind the tree! And – he was coming!
The Italian's heart throbbed in his throat as he now, advancing his left foot, held himself ready to leap; but the murderous desire had dulled his otherwise sharp senses; the sound of the steps was not toward him but toward the opposite side! When he became aware of his mistake the distance had increased at least twofold – and threefold before he could determine in his amazement what was to be done.
To give up the chase! Nothing else remained. The beast was now almost running, and then a belated cab rattled down the street which intersected the avenue, and beyond the street were crossways to the right and left. It was not safe to do the deed; there was no certainty of escape afterwards – the moment was lost – for this time! But next time! – Antonio muttered a fearful curse as he put his stiletto back into its sheath and concealed it in his coat-pocket.
The other had vanished; Antonio followed slowly along the same road, out of the park across the Thiergartenstrasse into the Springbrunnenstrasse to the front of the house in which the hated one lived. The windows were brightly illuminated. An equipage came up; an officer and richly gowned ladies, wrapped in their shawls, alighted; a second equipage followed – he was laughing and reveling up there now, and whispering into the ear of one of the fair ladies who had alighted what he had whispered ten minutes before to Ferdinande. If only he could inspire her with the poisonous jealousy which consumed his own heart! If he could bring about something between her and him which would be insurmountable! If he could betray the whole thing to the grim signor, her father, or to the proud general, his father, or to both —
"Hello!"
A man coming along the pavement had run into him as he leaned on the iron railing of a front yard, arms folded, and had uttered the exclamation in a harsh voice.
"Scusi!" said the Italian, lifting his hat. "Beg your pardon!"
"Hello!" repeated the man. "Is it you, Antonio?"
"O Signor Roller! Mr. Inspector!"
"Signor Roller! Mr. Inspector! That's enough Signoring and Inspectoring," said the man, with a loud laugh – "for the present, at least, till we have given it to the old man – to him and his nephew and his whole brood! If I could only get at the throat of all of them – could only play them a real trick! I'd be willing to pay something for it! Only I have no money! It's all up!"
The man laughed again; he was evidently half drunk.
"I have money," said Antonio quickly, "and – "
"Then we'll take a drink, Signor Italiano," exclaimed the other, slapping him on the shoulder. "Una bottiglia – capisci? Ha! ha! I have not entirely forgotten my Italian! Carrara– marble oxen —capisci? – capisci?"
"Eccomi tutto a voi," said the Italian, taking the man's arm. "Whither?"
"To business, to the devil, to the cellar!" exclaimed Roller, laughingly pointing to the red lantern above the saloon at the corner of the Springbrunnenstrasse.
[The three upper rooms of the General's villa are arranged for a ball. Else appears in a blue gown, but is quite displeased with herself. All looks blue. It is Ottomar's fault, as usual; he has gone out and not returned. And then Wallbach doesn't love Luise, nor Luise him. The men spend so much money. Ottomar is deep in debt; Wartenberg can't get along with his twenty thousand, and Clemda with his fifty thousand spends twice that much every year. Aunt Sidonie comes in, and is charmed with Else's tarletan; she tells Else she looks just like her princess in the book she is writing, and then refers to Count Golm as a good match for Else. Else is infuriated, says she would not marry Golm if he laid a crown at her feet. The General comes in and Schieler enters and gives the General an account of the railroad project, touching upon the sale of Valerie's estates to Golm, and suggests Golm as a prospective husband for Else.]
The Count had entered a few minutes before in his provincial uniform with the order of St. John. The reception-room had become almost filled with guests meanwhile, and it was with some difficulty that he made his way to the hostesses. Else had not spared him this trouble, to be sure; at this moment, when he caught sight of her at the door, she was eagerly continuing the conversation, which she had begun with Captain von Schönau, so eagerly that the Count, having spoken to Sidonie, stood behind her for half a minute without being noticed, till Schönau finally thought it his duty to draw her attention to the new guest with a gesture, and the words, "I think, Miss Else – "
"I think myself fortunate," said the Count.
"Oh! Count Golm!" said Else, with a well feigned surprise. "Pardon me for not seeing you at once! I was so absorbed. May I make the gentlemen acquainted: Captain von Schönau of the General Staff – a good friend of our family – Count von Golm. Have you seen Papa, Count? He is in the other room. Then, dear Schönau – "
The Count stepped back with a bow.
"That was a bit severe, Miss Else," said Schönau.
"What?"
Schönau laughed.
"You know, Miss Else, if I were not a most modest man I should have all sorts of possible and impossible silly notions in my head."
"How so?"
"Why, my heavens, didn't you see that the Count was on the point of extending his hand and stepped back with a face as red as my collar? Such things a young lady like Miss Else von Werben overlooks only when she wishes to do so, which is hardly the case, or if she – I shall not venture to finish the sentence. Who is that?"
"Who?"
"The officer there – yonder to the left, next to the Baroness Kniebreche – see, at the right! – who is speaking to your father, a stately man – has a cross, too. How did he get here?"
Else had to decide now to see Reinhold, though her heart throbbed quickly and she was vexed at it. She was already vexed that, in her conduct toward the Count, she had exposed and almost betrayed herself to the sharp eyes of Schönau; now it was to happen again!
"A Mr. Schmidt," she said, pressing more firmly the rosebud in her hair. "Sea captain. We made his acquaintance on the journey; Papa was greatly pleased with him – "
"Really a fine looking man," repeated Schönau. "Splendid manly face, such as I like to see, and not without carriage; and yet one recognizes the officer of the reserve at the first glance."
"By what?" asked Else, as her heart began to throb again.
"That you should know as well and better than I, as you associate more with the Guard than I do! Compare him with Ottomar, who seems to have been late again and wishes to atone for his sins by being doubly amiable! Just see with what perfect form he kisses the hand of old Baroness Kniebreche, and now turns on his heel and bows to Countess Fischbach with a grace which the great Vestris himself might envy! Allons, mon fils, montrez votre talent. And now he converses with Sattelstädt – not a line too little, not one too much! To be sure, it is a little unfair to compare the gentlemen of the reserve with the model of all knightly form. Don't you think so?"
Else gazed straight ahead. Schönau was right; there was a difference! She would have preferred to see him as he strode up and down the deck in his woolen jacket; then she had envied him the steadiness and freedom of his movements – and when afterwards he sat at the helm of the boat, and steered it as calmly as the rider his rearing steed! If only he hadn't come just at this time!
Then