"Yes; and children understand how to desire what is impossible. But grown persons are clever enough to know how to impose on the children.
Three years ago I asked thee to bring me some one with whom I could talk--some one who would be company for me. Thou broughtest me cats and dogs and a bird! Two years ago I wished I might learn how to make pictures; and I was given paper patterns to color with water-colors. One year ago to-day I wished I might learn how to make music; and a hand-organ was bought for me. Oh, yes; my wishes have always been fulfilled, but always in a way that cheated me. Children are always treated so. To-day thou sayest that I am fifteen years old, and that I am not any more to be treated as a child. Mark that! To-day, as heretofore, I ask something of thee which thou canst give me--and thou canst not cheat me, either!"
"Whatever it may be, thou shalt have it, Marie."
"Thy hand on it! Now, thou knowest that I asked thee not long ago to send to Paris for a "Melusine costume" for me!"
"And has it not already arrived? I myself delivered the box into thy hands."
"Knowest thou what a Melusine costume is? See, this is it."
With these words she sprang from her seat, untied the cord about her waist, flung off the silken wrapper, and stood in front of the speechless young man in one of those costumes worn by Paris dames at the sea-sh.o.r.e when they disport themselves amid the waves of the ocean. The Melusine costume was a bathing-dress.
"To-day, Ludwig, I ask that thou wilt teach me how to swim. The lake is just out yonder below the garden."
The maid, in her pale-blue bathing-dress, looked like one of those fairy-like creatures in Shakspere"s "Midsummer Night"s Dream," innocent and alluring, child and siren.
Disconcerted and embarra.s.sed, Ludwig raised his hand.
"Art thou going to strike me?" inquired the child, half crying, half laughing.
"Pray put on the wrapper again!" said Ludwig, taking the garment from the sofa and with it veiling the model for a Naiad. "What sort of a caprice is this?"
"I have had the thought in my head for a long, long time, and I beg that thou wilt grant my request. Thou canst not say that thou canst not swim; for once, when we were traveling in great haste, I know not why, we came to a river, and found that the boat was on the farther sh.o.r.e. Thou swammest across, and broughtest back the boat in which the four of us then crossed to the other side. Already then the desire to swim arose in me. What a delicious sensation to swim through the water--to make wings of one"s arms and fly like a bird! Since we live in this castle the wish has become stronger. Night after night I dream that I am cleaving through the waves. I never see G.o.d"s sky when I go out, because I have to cover my face. It is just like looking at creation through a grating!
I should love dearly to sing and shout for joy; but I dare not, for I am afraid the trees, the walls, the people, might hear me and betray me.
But out yonder I could float on the green waves, where I should meet no one, where no one would see me. I could look up at the shining sky, and about in chorus with the fish-hawks, surrounded by the darting fishes, that would tell no one what they had seen or heard. That would be supreme happiness for me; wilt not thou help me to secure it?"
The child"s wish was so true, so earnest, and Ludwig himself had experienced the proud delights of which she had spoken. Perhaps, too, he had related to Marie the story of Clelia and her companions, who swam the Tiber to preserve the Roman maidens" reputation for virtue.
"Whatever gives pleasure to thee pleases me," he said, extending his hand to take hers.
"And thou wilt grant my wish? Oh, how kind, how dear thou art!" And in vain the young man sought to withdraw the hand she covered with kisses.
"What!" she exclaimed reproachfully, "may I not kiss thy hand either?"
"How canst thou behave so, Marie? Thou art fifteen years old! A grown-up girl does not kiss a man"s hand."
He pa.s.sed his hand across his brow and sighed heavily; then he rose to his feet.
"Where art thou going? Knowest thou not that to-day thou dost not belong to thy horrid books nor to thy telescope, but that thou art my subject?"
"I go to execute the commands of my little queen. If she desires to learn to swim, I must have a bath-house built on the sh.o.r.e, and look about for a suitable spot in the little cove."
"When I have learned to swim all by myself, may not I go beyond the little cove--away out into the open lake?"
"Yes, on two conditions. One is that I may follow in my canoe--"
"But not keep very near to me?"
"Of course not. The second condition is that in daylight thou wilt not swim beyond those willows which conceal the cove. Only on moonlight evenings mayest thou venture into the open lake."
"But why may not I venture by daylight?"
"Because a telescope does not enable one to distinguish features after night. Other people may have a telescope, like myself."
"Who would have one in this village?"
"The manor has a new occupant. A lady has taken possession there."
"A lady? Is she pretty?"
"She is young."
"Didst thou see her through the telescope? What kind of hair has she got?"
"Blonde."
"Then she must be very pretty. May I take a look at her some time?"
"I am afraid thou mightest fall in love with her; for she is very beautiful, and very good."
"How dost thou know she is good?"
"Because she visits the sick and the poor, and because she goes regularly to church."
"Why do we never go to church?"
"Because we profess a different belief from that acknowledged by those persons who attend this church."
"Do they pray to a different G.o.d from ours?"
"No; they pray to the same G.o.d."
"Then why should n"t we all go to the same church?"
Unable longer to control himself, Ludwig took the shrewd little child-head between his hands, and said tenderly:
"My darling! my little queen! not all the synods of the four quarters of the globe could answer thy questions--let alone this poor forgotten soldier!"
"There! thou always pretendest to be stupid when I want to borrow a little bit of thy wisdom. Thou art like the rich man who tells the beggar that he has no money. By the way, I must not forget that I always send money to the poor children on my birthday. Come, tell me which of the heaps I shall send to-day--these small coins, or these large ones? If thou thinkest I ought to send these little yellow ones, I have no objections. I think I prefer to keep the white coins, they have such a musical sound; besides, they have the image of the Virgin. If thou thinkest I ought to send some of the large red ones, too, I will do so."
The "little yellow ones" were gold sovereigns; the "white coins" were silver _Zwanziger_; and the "large red ones" were copper medals of the Austrian minister of finance, worth half a guilder.
"We will send some of the small coins and some of the large ones,"
decided Ludwig, smiling at the little maid"s ignorance of the value of the money.
CHAPTER III