She had been playing mechanically with one of her rings, and it now fell from her-hand. _Henri_ picked it up, and, with a smile, replaced it on her finger. Again she blushed. "Why?" she asked unconsciously.
"Our child is sad," he said to Veronica, with the winning expression which had always prevailed upon women to devote their lives to him.
"What can we do to cheer her?"
Cornelia, as if spell-bound by the magic of these tones, made no reply.
"How kind you are!" said Veronica.
"Are you angry because I call you "our child"?" asked _Henri_, with admirably a.s.sumed simplicity. "I am becoming intimate too rapidly, am I not? Be kind, and attribute it to my warm, truthful nature. Sooner or later we shall meet more familiarly, I am sure; so why delay and so lose the precious moments for the sake of troublesome forms. I would gladly take you to my heart as carefully and protectingly as--a father.
Fraulein Veronica will allow me to do so, I am sure. Be our dear child, and let me take some small share in your education."
He arose and stood before her in all his gentlemanly dignity, bent down and kindly took her hands; but the quick pulsations of his heart, which Cornelia heard close beside her ear, accorded strangely with these paternal words. This was the well-calculated charm he had for her: the manly, n.o.ble superiority which expressed itself in this fatherly authority, and involuntarily extorted a childlike reverence; and the enthusiastic, almost boyish, tenderness which bowed before her to raise her to giddy heights.
"Teach me, then but permit me to do the same by you," she said, with an embarra.s.sed smile, rising from her chair.
"Certainly," replied _Henri_; "I need it more than you. Oh, I will follow you blindly; the words of those pure lips shall be my oracle!"
His eyes-rested upon the young girl"s fresh, beautiful mouth with ardent longing. He felt that it would be better to go, and allow the impression he had made to produce its effect upon her in silence. With a violent effort he released Cornelia"s hands and hastily took his leave. As he opened the door he heard his name called gently: he turned; Cornelia had followed him a step and asked, with the most lovable frankness,--
"When will you come again?"
"Cornelia!" cried _Henri_, and was about to rush back to her; but _Heinrich_, with a tremendous effort, checked the excited feelings, made her a low bow, said, in a fatherly tone, "I will come as soon as I can; I cannot fix any positive time now," and left the room without looking back.
"What was that?" asked Cornelia, covering her eyes with her hand. "Did it not seem as if another person was speaking from his lips? Did he not call my name so eagerly, and the next moment take leave of me so distantly, so coldly? Can a man"s mood change so suddenly? Whims can alter in an instant, I know that by myself; but what we feel, what is deeply and firmly rooted our hearts, we cannot so suddenly deny,--it cannot yield to a caprice. Which is true, his warmth or his coldness?--or is it possible that they can both exist? Ah, do not question, incredulous heart! What he has given you to-day is true: let that satisfy you; and where you cannot understand him, trust him." With a heavy sigh she threw herself on her knees before Veronica and laid her head on her lap. "Ah, Veronica, how could I live without the man you loved!"
"What a submission!" thought _Henri_, as he walked towards home in the proud conviction of a certain victory.
"Take care!" said _Heinrich_: "this submission is no amorous weakness, but the implicit confidence every innocent, loving girl places in the man she adores. If you ever abuse this faith, you will perceive with terror her power of resistance."
XII.
THE SEARCH FOR A WIFE.
"My dear Herr von Ottmar," said the prince, holding out his hand to _Heinrich_, "you came out of the vexatious affair, which unfortunately I could not spare you, like a hero. Am I to do anything for your _protege_? Tell me how I can a.s.sist the young man."
_Heinrich_ had intended to affect reserve, and to-day was just in the right humor for it. He bowed low with the air of a deeply offended man.
"I thank you most humbly, your Highness. I have already provided for Albert Preheim. I am happy to have proved to your Highness that I have given my protection to no unworthy person, and am always ready to answer for my acts like a man. I have made Albert Preheim the steward of my estates, which have greatly depreciated in value during my long absence. I will also venture to request your Highness to grant me leave of absence for an indefinite time, that I may be able to instruct him in his duties there."
"You wish to leave me now, when I need you most?"
"If I could hope that your Highness still needed me, I should feel happier than is the case at present."
"Do you believe, Ottmar, that a time will ever come when we shall be unnecessary to each other? I rely more upon your friendship for my person, even if, as an independent man, you can do without the prince."
"Your Highness, let me be frank with you. How faithfully I have served you, the sleepless nights during which I have shared your Highness"s arduous labors and heavy cares for your country, my deserted home, my ruined estates, may prove. Compelled to leave my own court because I was an adherent of the priesthood, I found with you a sphere of activity in harmony with my political convictions, an only too generous recognition of my humble services, and the highest possible reward in your personal friendship. But now, your Highness, I stand here as a compromised man, a hero of comedy, who played the martyr for his own sins for the amus.e.m.e.nt of the rabble. This, your Highness, I cannot endure. Society has a morbidly sensitive feeling for indecorum far more than crime; it can ignore a secret sin, but not a public impropriety.
It is not for my guilt but its open acknowledgment that men will turn their backs upon me, and I must go into retirement, for I cannot bear to have the finger of scorn pointed at me."
The prince smiled. "Oh, if that is all that drives you away, Ottmar, you can be perfectly at ease: I will become your security. Do you suppose I would have asked my friend to expose himself if I had not possessed the means to make amends for his humiliation at any moment? I am astonished at your simplicity, Ottmar. Should you not have known society better? Why, even if I would allow you to fall, you would still be esteemed; but if I uphold you, people will treat you with the utmost consideration. What advantage would it be to be ruler if I could not even manage the handful of puppets around my throne? You must take a journey, it is true, but on my business; if you wish to visit your estates on the way, I have no objection; but I beg you to remain there, no longer than is absolutely necessary. Do you consent?"
"My time has only the value it possesses for your Highness. If I can be of more use in any other place than here, command me."
"You will be at ease here again when you have forgotten this disagreeable affair. In the first place we will seal people"s mouths by a striking proof of my continued favor. This very night I shall present you to my mother as Count von Ottmar."
"Your Highness! I do not know how to thank you for so much kindness."
"As one friend always does another: by honest counsel and a.s.sistance when I need them!"
The prince fixed his large, blue eyes upon Ottmar with so kindly an expression that the latter was surprised.
"I am well aware that the t.i.tle of Count does not make amends for the mortification I imposed upon you; but perhaps the consciousness that, by this act of self-sacrifice, you have won a still larger share of my esteem and confidence, may be some slight recompense. Therefore, my friend, you shall advise me to-day in the most important event of my life. I have summoned you to discuss my marriage."
"Do I know the princesses?" asked _Heinrich_.
"One of them, certainly; and you shall make the acquaintance of the other. One is Princess Ottilie of H----."
"What!" exclaimed _Heinrich_, almost losing his self-command. "Princess Ottilie!"
"Hist! _Pas si haut, mon ami_, the walls have ears. Remember that this is still a profound secret; you are to be the first to mature the affair. I have the privilege of choosing between Princess Ottilie and Princess Marie of D----. The latter is still a mere child; but the former has lost the first bloom of youth. I do not wish to select the lady who will please me best, but the one who will most satisfactorily fill the position of mistress of my realm; it is not permitted me to marry according to the choice of my heart. My love, as you know, is given to the beautiful h.e.l.lbach; but I can neither raise her to the rank of my wife, nor degrade her to that of my mistress, and have learned to conquer my wishes. The private happiness my wife can bestow is merely to make no claims upon my love, which has been effaced from my breast with this one image, and not press upon me an affection which is valueless to me. A sincere friendship, and a pure conscience, are all that I shall give and demand."
_Heinrich_ had been reflecting in silence. "What your Highness asks in a wife is little, and yet the most difficult requirement that can be made upon a woman. She is to offer her wedded husband no feeling, desire none from him, save what might be accorded to the merest stranger. She is to give your country the heir to the throne, and yet be permitted to adopt no other manner towards the father of her child than that prescribed by the laws of the coldest etiquette. But she must bestow upon no other the love that her husband disdains; must enjoy through no other the happiness he denies her; and yet is always to feel a calm affection for the man who has thus destroyed the joys of married life. Pardon me, your Highness, I know women well; this is a task which only a princess can perform,--a princess in the true sense of the word; not a young immature creature, who only wears the mask of her position, and in whose mind natural rights far outweigh the claims of her high station. A princess such as your Highness requires, one who has subdued the first eager longings of her heart and resigned herself to consider the duties of her lofty rank as the first necessity, is the Princess Ottilie. Moreover, she is intellectual, lovable as a young girl, truly royal in her bearing, and although no longer in the first bloom of youth, extremely attractive."
"If you, who are so exacting, think her all this, she must really be somewhat remarkable in every respect," said the prince. "You are right in saying I could hardly expect so much self-sacrifice from a young creature like the Princess Marie. Besides, the priests favor the alliance with Ottilie because they rest great hopes upon her influence over her Protestant uncle, the Prince of H----. There is only the consideration that Ottilie is said to be delicate, and thereby the hope of an heir to the throne might be endangered."
"Ob, I do not think so, your Highness. She is nervous, like all lofty, intellectual natures; but such women are usually benefited by marriage.
Doctors chatter a great deal of exaggerated nonsense; and besides, it is not for their advantage that the generous princess should be married and leave the country. I have watched her for a long time, and can a.s.sure your Highness that she has no more serious illness than all ladies of her rank and age."
The prince paced up and down the room several times, and then paused before Ottmar. "Are you giving me conscientious advice, Ottmar?
Remember that the sole object of the heavy sacrifice I am making is to obtain an heir to the throne."
"Egotist!" thought _Heinrich_.
"Your Highness," he replied, "I am no physician. I can only say how I judge of her as an unprofessional person, and that I have never thought her ill."
The prince again walked up and down the room. "Shall I venture?"
"Yes, your Highness."
The prince turned towards his writing-table and showed _Heinrich_ a picture. "Is this a good likeness?"
"Yes, your Highness; but she is more beautiful," said the latter, who could not gaze at Ottilie"s gentle, n.o.ble features without emotion.
"Now look at Marie"s portrait."