"Must no one know anything of it? Must I tell n.o.body?"
"Do you suppose we should be allowed to go, Gretchen, if our intention was suspected? If you are afraid that you cannot keep our departure secret, tell me so frankly, and I will go alone, without your knowledge."
"Oh, no, Ernestine, I will not let you go out into the world alone.
What are all my resolutions and protestations worth, if I fail you at the outset? But there is one person, Ernestine, to whom I owe a certain obedience, my guardian! I am not of age, as you are. I cannot do just as I please. I must ask him whether I may go with you--but I will answer for his secrecy. He shall promise me, before I confide in him, that he will not betray my confidence,--and he always keeps his promises."
Ernestine considered for a moment. "Yes, I see this cannot be avoided.
I rely upon you. Johannes and his mother are going to drive into town together in a few days to prepare a room for us in their house. When they return in the evening, they must not find us here."
"I cannot help feeling," said Gretchen, "as if I were guilty of treachery towards all these kind people. I never deceived any one in my life before; I feel like a criminal."
"We will not deceive them, only spare them a parting scene that would be painful to us all,--we will not impose upon them the necessity of preventing what in their hearts they may think best for us. When we are once away, I will write and explain to them what we have done, and they will understand me."
"Ernestine, I will pray G.o.d to give you more love and less pride. My only hope is that you will not long be able to live without the faithful friend who loves you so devotedly."
Ernestine looked out of the carriage-window without a word. The fields were bare and deserted, but the spiders" webs, that lay like nets upon the stubble, glistened in the sunlight. Here and there the peasants were burning underbrush, and the red flames darted with a merry crackle through the thick white smoke that the autumn breeze kept lying low upon the ground. The cattle were gleaning a scanty meal from the shorn pastures,--they raised their heads to look after the carriage as it pa.s.sed, or to rub their necks against some dried old stump of a tree.
In the distance, a sportsman was making his toilsome way through the deep furrows of a ploughed field, while his dog busied himself among the hedges until he started a covey of birds, and the fatal crack of the gun was heard. A wagon, laden high with full wine-casks, pa.s.sed along the road,--the boy that was driving had a bunch of withered asters in his hat, and cracked his whip gaily at sight of Gretchen"s lovely face, while the little dog perched on the top of the load barked angrily. "Every one is making ready for winter," said Gretchen. "How much labour meat and drink cost!"
The carriage turned towards the village, and Ernestine called to the coachman to stop at the school-house,--"I must see the Leonhardts once more." As they reached the low-roofed house, one of the windows was opened, and Frau Brigitta looked out. "Good-morning, Frau Leonhardt,"
cried Ernestine from the carriage.
"My dear Fraulein Ernestine, I can hardly trust my eyes!" And out she came to the carriage-door. "Come in, come in, both of you,--I will bring Bernhard--he is with Kathchen in the garden. But Walter is in the house. He is so happy with the things you have sent him! He studies night and day!" Thus the old woman ran on, as she a.s.sisted her guests to alight.
"I think," said Ernestine, "that I should like to go into the garden to Father Leonhardt."
"Just as you please. He is sitting round the corner, in the sun."
"Go into the house, then, Gretchen," said Ernestine. "I will come in one moment."
And she went round the house as quickly as her strength would permit, and approached the old man, who was teaching Kathchen her lesson. The child would have run to meet her, but Ernestine motioned to her not to speak, and knelt silently down by Leonhardt.
"Who is this?" he asked.
Ernestine made no reply, but imprinted a kiss upon his hand. He smiled.
"Oh, it is my daughter Ernestine!"
"Yes, father, it is I," she said. "I come to you the first time that I have driven out. There is much within me that is still dark. I come to you for light."
"You bring me light, and do you ask me to give you light? But I know what you mean, and I will give you all that I have. Heaven may make me, poor blind old man, its instrument in comforting and a.s.sisting you.
Tell me, then, Ernestine, why does the sunshine that now floods your life fail to penetrate your heart?"
"Send the child away, father."
"Go, Kathi dear," Leonhardt said.
"To Walter?" the little girl asked, delighted.
"Yes, if he is not busy,--see that you do not trouble him."
Kathchen still lingered, with a look of inquiry at Ernestine, who perceived it, and held out her hand. "My good little Kathchen, do you remember me? I would like to give you a kiss, but you might fear my touch would harm you again."
"Oh, no. That cannot be," said Kathchen. "I am not at all afraid of you."
"Then come here, my sweet child." And she took her upon her lap, and kissed her kindly. It was the first time that she had ever had a child in her arms, and the pleasure that it gave her was new and strange.
"Oh, Father Leonhardt," she said, "how many different kinds of love there are! Strange that they all seem so new and delightful to me!"
"You are like the man with the heart of stone, in Hauff"s story. Your uncle put a marble heart in your breast, and Mollner has given you a warm, living heart instead."
Ernestine blushed at these words. She was glad that Leonhardt could not see her, yet he did see her.
"He brings a blessing wherever he comes," the old man continued. "He has done everything for this child. Did he tell you? The Countess Worronska sent the forty thousand roubles, as she promised, and Dr.
Mollner succeeded at last in persuading the Kellers to send Kathchen to a good school. She will leave now in about a week."
"I knew nothing of it," said Ernestine.
"It is not his custom to speak of the good he does," said Leonhardt, "but indeed he is a benefactor to all."
"A benefactor to all," Ernestine repeated thoughtfully. "All the less should any one individual boast of his kindness,--a kindness shown to all, without respect of persons."
Leonhardt involuntarily turned his darkened eyes towards her as she spoke thus. "Go, Kathchen," he said, "Fraulein Ernestine will come by-and-by."
Kathchen went into the house, and, not finding Walter in the sitting-room, mounted to his study, in the upper story, just under the roof. She nestled up to his side and said, with an air of great mystery, "Only think! the lady of the castle has kissed me again!"
"Not possible!" laughed Walter. "And do you feel nothing queer?"
"Of course not," Kathchen cried in some confusion. "She can"t bewitch me."
"I wouldn"t like to try her," said Walter with an involuntary sigh. "I think, if I had been in your place, I should have felt the enchantment instantly."
"Why, you told me yourself there was no such thing," said Kathchen.
"Well, Kathi," said the young man, "it would be as well, perhaps, for the sake of precaution, that I should kiss off her kisses. Where was it?--here?"
"Yes, and here on my forehead, and on my shoulder."
"There, we will put an end to all that," cried Walter, as he kissed the child. "And now go down-stairs. I must work."
"Oh, you always have to work," Kathchen complained.
"Yes, you school-children have the best time, with nothing to do but laugh and play, while I have all the studying. Go now, and when the Fraulein comes in from the garden, come and call me."
"Yes, I"ll call you. Good-by. But promise me that you won"t tell that the Fraulein kissed me. They would all scold and laugh at me."
"Oh, no,--not for the world. Where"s the use of telling everything? But you mustn"t love the Fraulein better than you do me, or I must tell your mother."
"Oh, no. I love you best of all the world!" cried Kathchen, shutting the door behind her with emphasis. She had been but a few moments with Gretchen and Frau Brigitta when Ernestine entered with Leonhardt. Both looked agitated, and Ernestine"s eyes showed traces of tears.
Kathchen would have gone to call Walter, as she had been told to do.