""_Hagel und blitzen!_" cried his imperial Majesty--"What is this? I understood the chevalier was never in Germany before."
""That may be, sire," repeated the Margravine with another blush. "But my great-grandmother was nevertheless a Mandeville, the daughter of that Field-marshal Herbert who fought so well at Lutzen. His picture, painted when he was a young cuira.s.sier, still hangs in my palace, and, indeed, it was the extreme likeness of the chevalier to that portrait, which took me for a moment by surprise. Let me then welcome you, cousin; henceforward we are not strangers!"
"I bowed profoundly as I took the proffered hand of the Margravine. I held it for an instant in my own--yes!--by Cupid, there _was_ a gentle pressure. I looked up and beheld the dark countenance of the Duke of Kalbs-Braten scowling at me from behind his cousin. I retorted the look with interest. From that moment we were mortal foes.
""_Unser Ritter ist im klee gefallen_--the chevalier has fallen among clover," said the Emperor with a smile--"he has great luck--he finds cousins everywhere."
""And in this instance," I replied, "I might venture to challenge the envy even of your Majesty."
""Well said, chevalier! and now let us attend to the second act of the opera."
""You are in a critical position, Chevalier de Mandeville," said the Lucchesini, to whose side I now returned. "You have made a powerful friend, but also a dangerous enemy. Beware of that Duke Albrecht--he is watching you closely."
""It is not the nature of a Mandeville to fear anything except for the safety of those he loves. _You_, sweet d.u.c.h.essa, I trust have nothing to apprehend?"
""_Ah, perfide!_ Do not think to impose upon me longer. I know your heart has become a traitor already. Well--we shall not be less friends for that. I congratulate you on your new honours, only take care that too much good fortune does not turn that magnificent head."
"I supped that evening with the Lucchesini. On my return home, I thought I observed a dark figure following my steps; but this might have been fancy, at all events I regained my hotel without any interruption. Next morning I found upon my table a little casket containing a magnificent emerald ring, along with a small slip of paper on which was written, "_Amalia to her cousin--Silence and Fidelity._" I placed the ring upon my finger, but I pressed the writing to my lips.
"On the ensuing week there was a great masquerade at the palace. I was out surveying the whole morning, and was occupied so late that I had barely half an hour to spare on my return for the necessary preparations.
""There is a young lady waiting for you upstairs, Herr Baron," said the waiter with a broad grin; "she says she has a message to deliver, and will give it to n.o.body else."
""Blockhead!" said I, "what made you show her in there? To a certainty she"ll be meddling with the theodolites!"
"I rushed upstairs, and found in my apartment one of the prettiest little creatures I ever saw, a perfect fairy of about sixteen, in a gipsy bonnet, who looked up and smiled as I entered.
""Are you the Chevalier Mandeville?" asked she.
""Yes, my little dear, and pray who are you?"
""I am Fritchen, sir," she said with a curtsy.
""You don"t say so! Pray sit down, Fritchen."
""Thank you, sir."
""And pray now, Fritchen, what is it you want with me?"
""My mistress desired me to say to you, sir--but it"s a great secret--that she is to be at the masquerade to-night in a blue domino, and she begs you will place this White Rose in your hat, and she wishes to have a few words with you."
""And who may your mistress be, my pretty one?"
""Silence and Fidelity!"
""Ha! is it possible? the Margravine!"
""Hush! don"t speak so loud--you don"t know who may be listening. Black Stanislaus has been watching me all day, and I hardly could contrive to get out."
""Black Stanislaus had better beware of me!"
""Oh, but you don"t know him! He"s Duke Albrecht"s chief forester, and the Duke is in _such_ a rage ever since he found my lady embroidering your name upon a handkerchief."
""Did she, indeed?--my name?--O Amalia!"
""Yes--and she says you"re so like that big picture at Schloss-Swiggenstein that she fell in love with long ago--and she is sure you would come to love her if you only knew her--and she wishes, for your sake, that she was a plain lady and not a Princess--and she hates that Duke Albrecht so! But I wasn"t to tell you a word of this, so pray don"t repeat it again."
""Silence and fidelity, my pretty Fritchen. Tell your royal mistress that I rest her humble slave and kinsman; that I will wear her rose, and defend it too, if needful, against the attacks of the universe! Tell her, too, that every moment seems an age until we meet again. I will not overload your memory, little Fritchen. Pray, wear this trifle for my sake, and----"
""O fie, sir! If the waiter heard you!" and the little gipsy made her escape.
"I had selected for my costume that night, a dress in the old English fashion, taken from a portrait of the Admirable Crichton. In my hat I reverently placed the rose which Amalia had sent me, stepped into my fiacre, and drove to the palace.
"The masquerade was already at its height. I jostled my way through a prodigious crowd of scaramouches, pilgrims, shepherdesses, nymphs, and crusaders, until I reached the grand saloon, where I looked round me diligently for the blue domino! Alas! I counted no less than thirteen ladies in that particular costume.
""You seem dull to-night, Sir Englishman," said a soft voice at my elbow. "Does the indifference of your country or the disdainfulness of dark eyes oppress you?"
"I turned and beheld a blue domino. My heart thrilled strangely.
""Neither, sweet Mask; but say, is not Silence a token of Fidelity?"
""You speak in riddles," said the domino. "But come--they are beginning the waltz. Here is a little hand as yet unoccupied. Will you take it?"
""For ever?"
""Nay--I shall burden you with no such terrible conditions. _Allons!_ Yonder Saracen and Nun have set us the example."
"In a moment we were launched into the whirl of the dance. My whole frame quivered as I encircled the delicate waist with my arm. One hand was held in mine, the other rested lovingly upon my shoulder. I felt the sweet breath of the damask lips upon my face--the cup of my happiness was full.
""O that I may never wake and find this a dream! Dear lady, might I dare to hope that the services of a life, never more devotedly offered, might, in some degree, atone for the immeasurable distance between us?
That the poor cavalier, whom you have honoured with your notice, may venture to indulge in a yet dearer antic.i.p.ation?"
"I felt the hand of the Mask tremble in mine--
""The White Rose is a pretty flower," she whispered--"can it not bloom elsewhere than in the north?"
""Amalia!"
""Leopold!--but hush--we are observed."
"I looked up and saw a tall Bulgarian gazing at us. The mask of course prevented me from distinguishing his features, but by the red sparkle of his eye I instantly recognised Duke Albrecht.
""Forgive me, dearest Amalia, for one moment. I will rejoin you in the second apartment----"
""For the sake of the Virgin, Leopold--do not tempt him! you know not the power, the malignity of the man."
""Were he ten times a duke, I"d beard him! Pardon me, lady. He has defied me already by his looks, and a Mandeville never yet shrunk from any encounter. Prince Metternich will protect you until my return."
"The good-natured statesman, who was sauntering past unmasked, instantly offered his arm to the agitated Margravine. They retired. I strode up to the Bulgarian, who remained as motionless as a statue.