We will now see the sisters in their chamber.
Louise seemed pensive, she sat silently looking before her.
Sophie stood thoughtfully with a smile upon her lips.
"The Kammerjunker is very handsome, however!" exclaimed she: "he looks so manly!"
"You ought to find him love-worthy!" said Louise.
"Yes," replied her sister, "I have always admired these strong countenances! He is an Axel--a northern blackbearded savage. Faces such as Wilhelm"s look like ladies"! And he is so good! He has said, that immediately after our marriage we shall make a tour to Hamburg. What dress do you think I should wear?"
"When you make the journey to Hamburg?" inquired Louise.
"O no, child! to-day I mean. Thostrup was indeed very polite! he congratulated me! I felt, however, rather curious when it was told to him. I had quite expected a scene! I was almost ready to beg of you to tell him first of all. He ought to have been prepared. But he was, however, very rational! I should not have expected it from him. I really wish him all good, but he is an extraordinary character! so melancholy!
Do you think that he will take my betrothal to heart? I noticed that when I was kissed he turned himself suddenly round to the window and played with the flowers. I wish that he would soon go! The journey into foreign countries will do him good--there he will soon forget his heart"s troubles. To-morrow I will write to Cousin Joachim; he will also be surprised!"
Late in the afternoon came Jakoba, the Mamsell, the preacher, and yet a few other guests.
In the evening the table was arranged festively. The betrothed sat together, and Otto had the place of honor--he sat on the other side of Sophie. The preacher had written a song to the tune of "Be thou our social guardian-G.o.ddess;" this was sung. Otto"s voice sounded beautifully and strong; he rang his gla.s.s with the betrothed pair, and the Kammerjunker said that now Mr. Thostrup must speedily seek out a bride for himself.
"She is found," answered Otto; "but now that is yet a secret."
"Health to the bride!" said Sophie, and rung her gla.s.s; but soon again her intellectual eye rested upon the Kammerjunker, who was talking about asparagus and stall-feeding with clover, yet her glance brought him back again to the happiness of his love.
It was a very lively evening. Late in the night the party broke up. The friends went to their chamber.
"My dear, faithful Otto!" said Wilhelm, and laid his hand on his shoulder; "you were very lively and good-humored this evening. Continue always thus!"
"I hope to do so," answered Otto: "may we only always have as happy an evening as this!"
"Extraordinary man!" said Wilhelm, and shook his head. "Now we will soon set out on our journey, and catch for ourselves the happiness of the glorious gold bird!"
"And not let it escape again!" exclaimed Otto. "Formerly I used to say, To-morrow! to-morrow! now I say, To-day, and all day long! Away with fancies and complainings. I now comprehend that which you once said to me, that is. Man _can_ be happy if he only _will_ be so."
Wilhelm took his hand, and looked into his face with a half-melancholy expression.
"Are you sentimental?" inquired Otto.
"I only affect that which I am not!" answered Wilhelm; and with that, suddenly throwing off the natural gravity of the moment, returned to his customary gayety.
The following days were spent in visiting and in receiving visitors. On every post-day Otto sought through the leathern bag of the postman, but he found no letter from German Heinrich, and heard nothing from him. "I have been deceived," said he, "and I feel myself glad about it! She, the horrible one, is not my sister!"
There was a necessity for him to go away, far from home, and yet he felt no longing after the mountains of Switzerland or the luxuriant beauty of the south.
"Nature will only weaken me! I will not seek after it. Man it is that I require: these egotistical, false beings--these lords of everything!
How we flatter our weaknesses and admire our virtues! Whatever serves to advance our own wishes we find to be excellent. To those who love us, we give our love in return. At the bottom, whom do I love except myself?
Wilhelm? My friendship for him is built upon the foundation,--I cannot do without thee! Friendship is to me a necessity. Was I not once convinced that I adored Sophie, and that I never could bear it if she were lost to me? and yet there needed the conviction "She loves thee not," and my strong feeling was dead. Sophie even seems to me less beautiful; I see faults where I formerly could only discover amiabilities! Now, she is to me almost wholly a stranger. As I am, so are all. Who is there that feels right lovingly, right faithfully for me, without his own interest leading him to do so? Rosalie? My old, honest Rosalie? I grew up before her eyes like a plant which she loved.
I am dear to her as it! When her canary-bird one morning lay dead in its cage, she wept bitterly and long; she should never more hear it sing, she should never more look after its cage and its food. It was the loss of it which made her weep. She missed that which had been interesting to her. I also interested her. Interest is the name for that which the world calls love. Louise?" He almost spoke the name aloud, and his thoughts dwelt, from a strong combination of circ.u.mstances, upon it.
"She appears to me true, and capable of making sacrifices! but is not she also very different from all the others? How often have I not heard Sophie laugh at her for it--look down upon her!" And Otto"s better feeling sought in vain for a shadow of self-love in Louise, a single selfish motive for her n.o.ble conduct.
"Away from Denmark! to new people! Happy he who can always be on the wing, making new friendships, and speedily breaking them off! At the first meeting people wear their intellectual Sunday apparel; every point of light is brought forth; but soon and the festival-day is over, and the bright points have vanished."
"We will set off next week!" said Wilhelm, "and then it shall be--
"Over the rushing blue waters away!
We will speed along sh.o.r.es that are verdant and gay!"
Away over the moors, up the Rhine, through the land of champagne to the city of cities, the life-animating Paris!"
CHAPTER XLII
"A maiden stood musing, gentle and mild. I grasped the hand of the friendly child, but the lovely fawn shyly disappeared.... From the Rhine to the Danish Belt, beautiful and lovely maidens are found in palaces and tents; yet n.o.body pleases me."--SCHMIDT VON LuBECK.
The last day at home was Sophie"s birthday. In the afternoon the whole family was invited to the Kammerjunker"s, where Jakoba and the Mamsell were to be quite brilliant in their cookery.
A table filled with presents, all from the Kammerjunker, awaited Miss Sophie; it was the first time that he had ever presented to her a birthday gift, and he had now, either out of his own head or somebody"s else, fallen on the very good idea of making her a present for every year which she had lived. Every present was suited to the age for which it was intended, and thus he began with a paper of sugar-plums and ended with silk and magnificent fur; but between beginning and end there were things, of which more than the half could be called solid: gold ear-rings, a boa, French gloves, and a riding-horse. This last, of course, could not stand upon the table. It was a joy and a happiness; people walked about, and separated themselves by degrees into groups.
The only one who was not there was Eva. She always preferred remaining at home; and yet, perhaps, to-day she might have allowed herself to have been overpersuaded, had she not found herself so extremely weak.
Silently and alone she now sat at home in the great empty parlor. It was in the twilight; she had laid down her work, and her beautiful, thoughtful eyes looked straight before her: thoughts which we may not unveil were agitating her breast.
Suddenly the door opened, and Wilhelm stood before her. Whilst the others were walking he had stolen away. He knew that Eva was alone at home; n.o.body would know that he visited her, n.o.body would dream of their conversation.
"You here!" exclaimed Eva, when she saw him.
"I was compelled to come," answered he. "I have slipped away from the others; no one knows that I am here. I must speak with you, Eva.
To-morrow I set off; but I cannot leave home calmly and happily without knowing--what this moment must decide."
Eva rose, her checks crimsoned, she cast down her eyes.
"Baron Wilhelm!" stammered she, "it is not proper that I should remain here!" She was about to leave the room.
"Eva!" said Wilhelm, and seized her hand, "you know that I love you! My feelings are honorable! Say Yes, and it shall be holy to me as an oath.
Then I shall begin my journey glad at heart, as one should do. Your a.s.sent shall stand in my breast, shall sound in my ear, whenever sin and temptation a.s.sail me! It will preserve me in an upright course, it will bring me back good and unspoiled. My wife must you be! You have soul, and with it n.o.bility! Eva! in G.o.d"s name, do not make a feeble, life-weary, disheartened being of me!"
"O Heavens!" exclaimed she, and burst into tears, "I cannot, and--will not! You forget that I am only a poor girl, who am indebted for everything to your mother! My a.s.sent would displease her, and some time or other you would repent of it! I cannot!--I do not love you!" added she, in a tremulous voice.
Wilhelm stood speechless.
Eva suddenly rang the bell.
"What are you doing?" exclaimed he.
The servant entered.
"Bring in lights!" said she; "but first of all you must a.s.sist me with these flowers down into the garden. It will do them good to stand in the dew."