"Count Lipandorf, I never jest. What is there, then, so strange in my determination? The Grand Duke"s father was romantic, and of a roving disposition; in the course of his life he contracted several left-handed alliances--Miss von Rosenthal is the issue of one of those unions. I care not for the illegitimacy of her birth; she is of n.o.ble blood of a princely race--that is all I require."
"Yes," replied Balthasar, who had concealed his surprise and kept his countenance, as became an experienced statesman and consummate comedian--"Yes, I now understand; and I think as you do. Your Highness has the talent of bringing everybody over to your way of thinking."
"The greatest piece of good fortune," continued the Prince, "is that the mother remained unknown: she is dead, and there is no trace of family on that side."
"As your Highness says, it is very fortunate. And doubtless the Grand Duke is informed of your august intentions with respect to the proposed marriage?"
"No; I have as yet said nothing either to him or to the Countess. I reckon upon you, my dear Count, to make my offer, to whose acceptance I trust there will not be the slightest obstacle. I give you the rest of the day to arrange everything. I will write to Miss von Rosenthal; I hope to receive from her own lips the a.s.surance of my happiness, and I will beg her to bring me her answer herself, this evening, in the summer-house in the park. Lover-like, you see--a rendezvous, a mysterious interview! But come, Count Lipandorf, lose no time; a double tie shall bind me to your sovereign. We will sign, at one and the same time, my marriage-contract and his. On that condition alone will I grant him my sister"s hand; otherwise I treat, this very evening, with the envoy from Saxe-Tolpelhausen."
A quarter of an hour after Prince Maximilian had made this overture, Balthasar and Delia were closeted with the Grand Duke.
What was to be done? The Prince of Hanau was noted for his obstinacy. He would have excellent reasons to oppose to all objections. To confess the deception that had been practised upon him was equivalent to a total and eternal rupture. But, upon the other hand, to leave him in his error, to suffer him to marry an actress! it was a serious matter. If ever he discovered the truth, it would be enough to raise the entire German Confederation against the Grand Duke of Niesenstein.
"What is my prime minister"s opinion?" asked the Grand Duke.
"A prompt retreat. Delia must instantly quit the town; we will devise an explanation of her sudden departure."
"Yes; and this evening Prince Maximilian will sign his sister"s marriage-contract with the Elector of Saxe-Tolpelhausen. My opinion is, that we have advanced too far to retreat. If the prince ever discovers the truth, he will be the person most interested to conceal it. Besides, Miss Delia is an orphan--she has neither parents nor family. I adopt her--I acknowledge her as my sister."
"Your Highness"s goodness and condescension----" lisped the pretty prima donna.
"You agree with me, do you not, Miss Delia?" continued the Grand Duke.
"You are resolved to seize the good fortune thus offered, and to risk the consequences?"
"Yes, your Highness."
The ladies will make allowance for Delia"s faithlessness to Florival.
How few female heads would not be turned by the prospect of wearing a crown! The heart"s voice is sometimes mute in presence of such brilliant temptations. Besides, was not Florival faithless? Who could say whither he might be led in the course of the tender scenes he acted with the Baroness Pippinstir? Prince Maximilian was neither young nor handsome, but he offered a throne. Not only an actress, but many a high-born dame, might possibly, in such circ.u.mstances, forget her love, and think only of her ambition.
To her credit be it said, Delia did not yield without some reluctance to the Grand Duke"s arguments, which Balthasar backed with all his eloquence; but she ended by agreeing to the interview with Prince Maximilian.
"I accept," she resolutely exclaimed; "I shall be sovereign Princess of Hanau."
"And I," cried the Grand Duke, "shall marry Princess Wilhelmina, and, this very evening, poor Pippinstir, disconcerted and defeated, will go back to Saxe-Tolpelhausen."
"He would have done that in any case," said Balthasar; "for, this evening, Florival was to have run away with his wife."
"That is carrying things rather far," Delia remarked.
"Such a scandal is unnecessary," added the Grand Duke.
Whilst awaiting the hour of her rendezvous with the Prince, Delia, pensive and agitated, was walking in the park, when she came suddenly upon Florival, who seemed as much discomposed as herself. In spite of her newly-born ideas of grandeur, she felt a pain at her heart. With a forced smile, and in a tone of reproach and irony, she greeted her former lover.
"A pleasant journey to you, Colonel Florival," she said.
"I may wish you the same," replied Florival; "for doubtless you will soon set out for the princ.i.p.ality of Hanau!"
"Before long, no doubt."
"You admit it, then?"
"Where is the harm? The wife must follow her husband--a princess must reign in her dominions."
"Princess! What do you mean? Wife! In what ridiculous promises have they induced you to confide?"
Florival"s offensive doubts were dissipated by the formal explanation which Delia took malicious pleasure in giving him. A touching scene ensued; the lovers, who had both gone astray for a moment, felt their former flame burn all the more ardently for its partial and temporary extinction. Pardon was mutually asked and granted, and ambitious dreams fled before a burst of affection.
"You shall see whether I love you or not," said Florival to Delia.
"Yonder comes Baron Pippinstir; I will take him into the summer-house; a closet is there, where you can hide yourself to hear what pa.s.ses, and then you shall decide my fate."
Delia went into the summer-house, and hid herself in the closet. There she overheard the following conversation:--
"What have you to say to me, Colonel?" asked the Baron.
"I wish to speak to your Excellency of an affair that deeply concerns you."
"I am all attention; but I beg you to be brief; I am expected elsewhere."
"So am I."
"I must go to the prime minister, to return him this draught of a commercial treaty, which I cannot accept."
"And I must go to the rendezvous given me in this letter."
"The Baroness"s writing!"
"Yes, Baron. Your wife has done me the honour to write to me. We set out together to-night; the Baroness is waiting for me in a post-chaise."
"And it is to me you dare acknowledge this abominable project?"
"I am less generous than you think. You cannot but be aware that, owing to an irregularity in your marriage-contract, nothing would be easier than to get it annulled. This we will have done; we then obtain a divorce, and I marry the Baroness. You will, of course, have to hand me over her dowry--a million of florins--composing, if I do not mistake, your entire fortune."
The Baron, more dead than alive, sank into an arm-chair. He was struck speechless.
"We might, perhaps, make some arrangement, Baron," continued Florival.
"I am not particularly bent upon becoming your wife"s second husband."
"Ah, sir!" cried the amba.s.sador, "you restore me to life!"
"Yes, but I will not restore you the Baroness, except on certain conditions."
"Speak! What do you demand?"
"First, that treaty of commerce, which you must sign just as Count Lipandorf has drawn it up."
"I consent to do so."
"That is not all; you shall take my place at the rendezvous, get into the post-chaise, and run away with your wife; but first you must sit down at this table and write a letter, in due diplomatic form, to Prince Maximilian, informing him that, finding it impossible to accept his stipulations, you are compelled to decline, in your sovereign"s name, the honour of his august alliance."