Athalie was staggered at this resistance. It was unheard of that any one should contradict her. And this from an adopted child, who ate the bread of charity, who had always been so submissive, and once even kissed her foot. "No!" said she, going toward Timea, and bringing her face, red with anger, as close to the other"s alabaster cheek as if she would set it on fire.
Frau Sophie looked on with malicious joy from her corner, and said, "Didn"t I say you would catch it when Athalie returned?"
But Timea looked straight into Athalie"s flaming eyes, and repeated her "No!"
"And why not?" screamed Athalie, whose voice was now like her mother"s, while her eyes were exactly like her father"s.
"Because I am prettier thus," answered Timea.
"Who told you that?"
"He."
Athalie crooked her fingers like eagles" claws, and her teeth shone clinched between her red lips. It was as if she would tear the girl in pieces. Then her unbridled rage suddenly turned into scornful laughter.
She left Timea and went to her room.
Herr Katschuka paid another visit the same evening. At table Athalie overwhelmed Timea with unwonted kindness.
"Do you not think, Herr Captain, that Timea is much prettier with her hair dressed in this simple way?"
The captain a.s.sented. Athalie smiled. Now it was no longer a joke, but a punishment which was to be inflicted on the girl.
Only two days to the marriage. During that time Athalie overflowed with attention and tenderness to Timea. She must not go out to the kitchen, and the servants were told to kiss her hand on entering the room. Frau Sophie often called her "little lady." The dress had come home finished, and what child-like delight it gave Timea! She danced round it and clapped her hands.
"Come and try on your wedding costume," said Athalie, with a cruel smile.
Timea let them put on the splendid dress she had herself embroidered.
She wore no stays, and was already well formed for her age, and the dress fitted her very fairly. With what shy pleasure she looked at herself in the great mirror! Ah! how lovely she will be in her wedding finery! Perhaps she thought, too, that she would inspire love! Perhaps she felt her heart beat; and possibly a flame was already alight there which would cause her grief and pain.
But that was no matter to those who were carrying on the shameful jest.
The maid who dressed her bit her lips so as not to laugh aloud. Athalie brought out the bridal wreath, and tried it on Timea"s head. The myrtle and the white jasmine became her well.
"Oh, how beautiful you will be to-morrow!"
Then they took the dress off Timea; and Athalie said, "Now I will try it on; I should like to see how it would suit me."
She required the help of the stays to squeeze her waist into the dress, which gave her splendid figure an even more magnificent "contour." She also put on the wreath and looked at herself in the gla.s.s. Timea sighed deeply, and whispered to Athalie, in tones of undisguised admiration, "How lovely, how lovely you are!"
It might, perhaps, have been time now to make an end of this deception.
But no--she must drain the cup. First, because she is so forward; and then, because she is so stupid. She must be punished. So the contemptuous farce was carried on the whole day by all the household.
The poor child"s head swam with all the congratulations. She listened for Herr Katschuka, and ran away when she saw him coming.
Did he know what was going on? Quite possibly. Did it vex him? Perhaps it did not even vex him. Very likely he knew things of which the laughers did not dream, and awaited the important day with perfect indifference.
On the last morning before the marriage, Athalie said to Timea, "To-day you must fast entirely. To-morrow is a very solemn day for you. You will be led to the altar, and there first baptized and then married; so you must fast the whole of the day before, in order to go purified to the altar."
Timea obeyed this direction, and ate not a morsel for the entire day.
It is well known that all these adopted children have excellent appet.i.tes. Nature demands its rights; and the love of good things is the only desire which they have a chance of satisfying. But Timea conquered that appet.i.te. She sat at dinner and supper without touching anything, and yet they had purposely prepared her favorite dishes.
In the anteroom the maids and the cook tried to persuade her to eat secretly the delicacies which they had put aside for her, telling her she might break her fast if no one knew it. She would not be persuaded, and controlled her hunger. She helped to prepare the tarts and jellies for the wedding feast; a ma.s.s of tempting and luscious cakes lay before her, but she never touched one. And yet Athalie"s example, who also was busy with the preparations for the next day, showed her that it is quite permissible to take a taste when one has a chance. She must keep her fast. She went early to bed, saying she felt chilly. And so she was, and trembled with cold even under her quilt and could not sleep. Athalie heard her teeth chattering, and was cruel enough to whisper in her ear, "To-morrow at this time where will you be?"
How should the poor child sleep, when all the slumbering feeling which at this age lie in the chrysalis stage were being prematurely scared into life?
Timea lay till dawn in a fever, and slumber never closed her eyes.
Toward day-break she slept heavily; a leaden hand lay on her limbs, and even the noise which went on around her in the morning did not rouse her.
And this was the marriage-day!
Athalie ordered the servants to let Timea sleep on; she herself let down the window curtains that the room might be dark: Timea was only to be awakened when Athalie was already dressed in all her bridal array. That required much time, for she wished to appear to-day in the whole panoply of her beauty. From far and near numerous relations and friends had arrived to a.s.sist at the marriage of the rich Brazovics" only daughter, the prettiest girl for seven parishes round.
The guests were already beginning to a.s.semble in the house of the bride.
Her mother, Frau Sophie, had been squeezed into her new dress, and into her even more uncomfortable new shoes, by which her desire to get the day over was much increased.
The bridegroom had also arrived, with a beaming countenance, and polite as usual; but this cheerful aspect did not mean much--it was only part of his gala uniform. He had brought the bouquet for the bride. At that time camellias were unknown; the bouquet was composed of various colored roses. Herr Katschuka said as he presented it that he offered roses to the rose. As a reward, he received a proud smile from the radiant face.
Only two were wanting--Timea and Herr Brazovics.
Timea was not missed; no one asked after her. But every one waited most impatiently for Herr Brazovics. It was said that he had gone very early to the castle to see the governor, and his return was impatiently expected. Even the bride went several times to the window and looked out for papa"s carriage.
Only the bridegroom showed no anxiety. But where could Herr Brazovics be? Yesterday evening he had been in a very good temper. He had been amusing himself with his friends, and invited all his acquaintances to the wedding. Late in the night he had knocked at Herr Katschuka"s window, and called to him, instead of "Good-night," "The hundred thousand gulden will be all ready to-morrow." And he had good reason to be in such a merry mood. The governor of the fortress had informed him that the plans had been accepted to their full extent by the war department: the expropriation was arranged. Even the money had been paid for that part which lay on the ground between the two river branches; and the others concerned had received notice that this very night they would obtain the signature of the minister. It was as good as having the money in one"s pocket. The next morning, Herr Brazovics could hardly await the usual hour of reception, and arrived so early in the ante-chamber of the governor, that no one else was there. The governor did not keep him waiting, but called him in at once.
"A little misfortune," said he.
"Well, if it is not a great one--"
"Have you ever heard of the privy council?"
"Never."
"Nor I. For fifteen years I never heard it spoken of. But it does exist, and has just given a sign of life. As I told you, the minister had agreed to the execution of the fortifications and the necessary purchase of land. Then from some unknown source evidence was brought forward by which many disadvantageous circ.u.mstances were discovered. It would not do to compromise the minister, so they called the council together, which had not been heard of for fifteen years, except when its members drew their salary and had their band to play. The council, when this questionable affair was submitted to it, found a wise solution: it agreed to the decision in principle, but divided its execution into two parts. The fortifications on the river-side are to be provided for at once, but the Monostor section is only to be begun when the other is finished. So the owners of the Monostor land will have the pleasure of waiting eighteen or twenty years for their money. Good-morning, Herr Brazovics."
Herr Athanas could not utter a syllable. There was no help for it. The profit so certainly counted on was gone--gone also those other hundred thousand gulden which were buried in vineyards of no value, which are now worthless. He saw all his castles in the air destroyed: his beautiful house, his cargo-ships on the Danube, the lighted church with the brilliant company, they were only a _fata morgana_, blown away with the mirage of the Monostor forts by the first puff of wind--melted into nothing, like the light cloud which obscures the sun.
Ah! here comes Timea!
At last she had had her sleep out. In the twilight of the curtained room it had taken her long to rouse herself; she dressed like one in a feverish dream, and groped sleepily through the adjoining rooms, all empty, till she came to the one where Athalie had dressed. When she entered the bright room full of flowers and presents, she remembered for the first time that this was her wedding-day.
When she saw Herr Katschuka with the bouquet in his hand, the thought shot across her that this was the bridegroom; and when she cast a glance on Athalie she thought, "That is my wedding-dress." As she stood there in her astonishment, with wide eyes and open mouth, she was a sight for laughing and weeping.
The servants, the guests, Frau Sophie, could not contain their merriment.
But Athalie stepped forward majestically, took hold of the little thing"s delicate chin with her white-gloved hand, and said, smiling, "To-day, my little treasure, you must allow me to be the one to go to the altar. You, my child, must go to school and wait five years before you are married, if indeed any one proposes to you."
Timea stood as if petrified, and let her folded hands fall into her lap.
She did not blush or become paler. There was no name for what she felt.