It would be impossible to find words to tell the feelings that pa.s.sed through the young girl"s mind in one moment. Her heart beat high with joyful surprise when she saw her lover so unexpectedly; but the next instant bitter sorrow rushed upon her as she remembered she was for ever separated from the happiness that had been hers. Her thoughts grew indistinct, she had neither the strength to speak nor to withdraw, she stood motionless, her large dilated eyes fixed upon him whom she so unexpectedly beheld.
With one bound the young man was beside her, he opened his arms as if about to embrace her, but quickly recollecting himself, he sank down on one knee, seized her hand, which she yielded involuntarily, and impressed upon it a long, warm, and affectionate kiss.
"Here, sweet joy of my heart, star of my love," he cried, "here is your true knight again; your talisman has been my protection; the holy light of my star was stronger than all the threatening clouds that surrounded me."
And with bright eyes, filled with happiness, love, and adoring admiration, he looked up at her.
She gazed at him, but there was no expression in her widely opened eyes, it seemed as if all her blood had flowed back to her heart, as if all her ideas, all her powers of will, were banished by the overwhelming feelings of the last few moments.
He was rejoiced at this motionless silence, which he ascribed to surprise at his sudden return, and he said:
"General Gablenz has been sent for by the emperor, and he brought me here, so that I greet my darling sooner than I expected!" And taking from his uniform a gold case set with a C in brilliants, he added with a happy smile, "here is the talisman from my lady"s hand, which preserved me through every danger; it has rested on my heart, and it can tell you that its every beat has been true to my love."
He opened the case, and in the interior, upon blue velvet beneath a gla.s.s setting, lay a faded rose.
"Now," he cried, "I need the dead talisman no longer, I see my living rose blooming before me!"
He stood up, gently laid his arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss upon her brow.
A slight shudder pa.s.sed through her, her eyes sparkled with anger and contempt, a brilliant red glowed on her cheeks.
With a hasty movement she tore herself free.
"Baron," she cried, "I must beg--you surprise me!"
She stammered; her lips trembled, she could not find words to express what she thought and felt, she could not say what she wished to say.
After a moment"s silence she turned to leave the room.
The young officer stood as if struck by lightning, her strange words, the expression on her face, told him that something must have taken place to cause a breach between him and his love, but it was impossible for him to form any clear idea as to what it could be, and he looked at her in blank amazement. But when she turned to leave him and had actually reached the door, he stretched out both his arms towards her, and cried in a voice so full of love and regret, of grief and inquiry, that it could only proceed from the deepest and truest feeling, "Clara!"
She started at this voice, which found an echo in her heart, she stood still, her strength left her, she tottered.
He was beside her in a moment, he supported her, and led her to an easy-chair, in which he gently placed her.
Then he knelt before her and cried in an imploring tone, "For G.o.d"s sake, Clara, what has happened, what distresses you?"
She held her handkerchief before her eyes and wept, struggling violently for composure.
The door opened, and Countess Frankenstein entered.
She looked at the scene before her in utter amazement.
Herr von Stielow sprang to his feet.
"Countess!" he cried, "can you explain the riddle I find here--what has happened to Clara?" The countess looked at him with grave severity.
"I did not expect you to-day, Herr von Stielow," she said, "or I should have given orders for you to be told at once that my daughter is suffering, and very unwell. We must leave Vienna for a long time; and I think under the circ.u.mstances it would be better to annul the plans we had formed for the future. My child," she said, turning to her daughter who sat still, weeping quietly, "go to your room."
"Clara ill?" cried the young man in the greatest alarm. "My G.o.d, how long has this been so? but no, no, something else has happened. I beg you----"
Suddenly the young countess stood up. She raised her head proudly, fixing her eyes firmly on Herr von Stielow, then turning to her mother she said,--
"Chance, or rather Providence has brought him here, there shall be truth between us; I at least will not be guilty of the sin of falsehood." And before the countess could say a word she had walked to the table with a firm step, seized the letter still lying there, and with a movement full of proud dignity handed it to the young officer.
Then she again burst into tears and threw herself into her mother"s arms.
Herr von Stielow glanced at the paper.
A deep blush overspread his face.
He ran his eyes hastily over the writing, then casting his eyes on the ground, he said:
"I do not know how this letter came here, yet I thought, from a few words Clara once said, that she knew of an error into which I fell: I thought that in spite of the past she gave me her heart, and I cannot understand----"
Clara rose and looked at him with flaming eyes.
"In spite of the past!" she cried; "yes, because I believed your word, that all this past was at an end; I did not know that this past was to share my present!"
"But, my G.o.d!" exclaimed Herr von Stielow, looking at her with great surprise, "I do not understand; how can this old letter----"
"An old letter?" said the Countess Frankenstein severely, "it is a week old."
"It bears the date of your last letter to me!" cried Clara.
Herr von Stielow looked at the paper with amazement.
His eyes opened widely. He stared blankly at the letter which he held motionless before him.
At last he turned to the ladies with sparkling eyes, and a face much heightened in colour.
"I know not what demon has been at work--I know not who desires to tear asunder two hearts that G.o.d destined for each other. Countess," he said, "you owe me the truth, I demand who gave you this paper?"
Clara"s eyes were fixed anxiously on the young man"s face, her bosom rose and fell.
The face of the countess expressed the repugnance she had felt during the whole conversation; she replied coldly:
"Your word of honour to be silent!"
"I give it," said Herr von Stielow.
"Then," said the countess, "this letter accidentally fell into the hands of this lady"s husband, and he----"
"Deceit! shameful deceit!" cried von Stielow, half angrily, half joyfully, "I do not yet quite see through it, but be it as it may, countess--Clara--this letter is a year old; see, if you look closely, the date is freshly written. This is a scandalous intrigue!"
He handed the letter to the countess.
She did not hold out her hand to take it. She looked at the young man coldly. In Clara"s eyes gleamed a ray of hope; it is so easy to a loving heart to believe and to trust.
Herr von Stielow threw down the paper.