"Condemned out of his own mouth, unhappy man," murmured Herr Merckel, senior, with a sigh.
The Schrandeners, in the renewed hope of being allowed to spring at his throat, set up a fearful howl, and pressed forward once more.
Then above all the din there was distinctly heard from the yard a shriek of anguish that caused Boleslav"s marrow to freeze in his bones.
There could be no mistake now. That _was_ Regina!
"Regina!" he cried, and rushed to the window that opened on the yard.
There the mad chase was in full cry. A crew of furious dishevelled women were dashing over hedges, ditches, waggons, barrels, and frozen dunghills, followed by boys armed with clubs. The air was thick with flying stones.
"Help! help!" shrieked Regina"s voice. But she herself was not visible.
But as he wrenched open the back door she flew like a wounded bird into the dark corridor, followed closely by her would-be a.s.sa.s.sins whooping and panting.
He pulled her with a powerful movement of his arm into the room, and shut the door on the furies in pursuit.
She sank on the floor at his feet and pressed her face against the hem of his coat.
Her hands relaxed their cramped grasp on two splintered pieces of wood--all that was left of her tub, the shield with which she had been in the habit of warding off a.s.saults. Her hair was loose, her dress torn, the pretty fur-tr.i.m.m.i.n.g that she had been so proud of, hanging about her in tatters.
"A charming pair of lovers," said Herr Merckel, rubbing his hands in keen enjoyment of the scene, while the Schrandeners displayed a strong disposition to continue the work begun outside by their womankind. The very sight of Regina was sufficient to excite to an uncontrollable degree their predilection for "throwing something." With a yell of delight they looked round them in search of missiles,--and already two earthenware mugs had been hurled into the gentry"s parlour, one of which struck the carpenter on the shoulder. This instinct for smiting was now stronger in them than the thirst for a life.
The Landrath wrung his bony hands in despair. All his courtesy and distinction of manner was lost on this pack of devils.
"_Herr Landrath_," said Boleslav, pointing to the woman cowering almost insensible at his feet, "I beg you to make a note of this pandemonium.
If you do not feel inclined to interfere, I take the liberty to warn you that you may have to appear in your own august person as a witness in a court of law against these gallant people."
Certainly the Landrath seemed hardly aware of the pitiable figure he was cutting. His splendid mane now hung in s.h.a.ggy disorder about his face, which had a.s.sumed a peevish expression.
"Merckel," he rasped, "you are mayor. I"ll have you superseded, unless you can maintain order. Order! do you hear, good people. Order! This is breaking the public peace. You deserve imprisonment--in fact you _shall_ be sent to prison. Taken with arms in your hand, means three years, not a day less than three years, good people. Tomorrow I shall send gendarmes, three gendarmes."
It must have been his good angel that put this threat into his head, for no other could have had the same effect in bringing the rebels to their senses. Since the war no gendarmes had been stationed in Schranden, which was a piece of good fortune not to be scouted at, for its inhabitants feared gendarmes more than they feared the king.
Herr Merckel, who began to tremble for his office, was now a.s.siduous in his efforts to restore peace. His son leant back with folded arms in the corner of the window-seat, affecting to be highly amused at the proceedings.
But the old pastor"s gaze never wavered from the pair, and seemed to be searching the innermost recesses of their hearts.
"Stand up, Regina," said Boleslav to the kneeling girl. "They shall not hurt you. I will defend you."
But she remained huddled at his feet, still quaking with fear.
"It"s not true, _Herr_, that they are going to take you away?" she sobbed. "If it is, I will starve myself and freeze to death."
"No, it"s not true; but get up, Regina."
"Master; ah, my dear, dear master!" and she pressed her forehead against his knee.
"Boleslav von Schranden, do you deny it now?"
"Deny what?" he asked. "That this poor unhappy girl whom you have denounced and ostracised regards me as her rescuer and saviour, because I am the first who for years has spoken a kind word to her? Or would you have me deny that this same unhappy girl has endeared herself to me, because she is the only human being on G.o.d"s earth who has clung to me in my hour of need, when every one else has forsaken me? I should be an ungrateful ruffian if I did not value her after all she has done for me. I never asked her to share my solitude among the ruins. It is not so comfortable or lively up there, and all my goodness to her has consisted in my allowing her to sacrifice herself for me. I have not been able to supply her with pleasures. There has been no unlawful intimacy between us. If she prefers to be my body-slave to being stoned and harried to death, that is no concern of any one"s in the world, least of all of you Schrandeners, and of that despicable drunkard who prost.i.tuted his own flesh and blood."
Gently prompted by old Merckel, the carpenter recommenced playing the role of injured father.
"Oh my daughter! my poor, misguided daughter!" he groaned.
"Do your duty," urged the landlord; "reclaim her."
"Come, my child; come back to your brokenhearted, deserted father. He has taken to drink through grief ... driven to it. He will only make two more coffins; one for himself and one for----"
He stretched out his dirty hand to her, which, shuddering, she violently repulsed.
"Do not distress yourself further," said Boleslav. "She belongs to me as I belong to her."
"Nevertheless, I demand her from you this day, Boleslav von Schranden,"
said the old pastor, placing his hand on Regina"s head. She cowered, but let it lie there.
"That you may be able to stone her better?"
"I promise you that no harm shall come to her. I will confide her to the care of one of my spiritual brethren, who will see to her wants for this side of the grave and the other. If you oppose her redemption, you will only be knitting the chain of your sin the closer."
Boleslav was silent. A thousand thoughts rushed through his brain. This old man"s word was to be relied on; he was no cheat. And what lawful claim had he to this woman lying helpless at his feet? How could he make it worth her while to perpetually risk her life for him?
Then the Landrath, who had partially recovered from his panic, put in his word. "Is the young person of age?" he asked.
The pastor calculated a moment, and replied in the affirmative.
"The _vis paterna_ therefore cannot be enforced against her wishes, otherwise she might be sent to a penitentiary, where----"
The rest of his speech was cut short by a burst of ironical laughter from Boleslav.
"She may decide for herself. Does that satisfy you, _Herr Baron_?"
"I shall not influence her one way or the other," he muttered, and he felt the form at his feet vibrate. He bent over her. "Regina, do you hear what the pastor promises to do for you? You know your future is monetarily provided for. Will you leave the rest, and go with him."
Then she lifted her glowing face streaming with tears to his, and sobbed out, "Please, _Herr_, don"t make fun of me."
"You wish to stay with me?"
"Ah, _Herr_, you know I wish it. Why do you ask?"
"Stand up then, and we will go."
The pastor barred their way. He had become ashy pale, and his vulture gaze pierced Boleslav through and through. He laid his hand solemnly on his shoulder as he had done the day he had demonstrated to him his father"s guilt.
"My son," he said, "you too I received into holy baptism, and taught you to lisp G.o.d"s name, and opened your eyes to the marvels of His creation. You were to me as my own child, and more, because you were the son of my terrestrial lord and master. I have to answer for you too before the throne of G.o.d. You have not been able to clear yourself of the suspicion that rests upon you, and if I read your soul aright-- don"t cast down your eyes--I think I am not mistaken. Therefore, I again command you to give up this woman. I command and exhort you to do so in the name of your father, the name of the parish, the name of our Master in heaven who is the Father of all orphans and irresponsible children who sin unconsciously. Give her up--and you shall be acquitted as blameless, and go your way in peace."
Regina had raised herself, and now clung to his arm, trembling from head to foot.
"Come!" Boleslav said. "It is to be hoped they will let us pa.s.s," and he made a motion as if he were going to push by the old man. But he planted himself again in their way, and holding his arms aloft, said--