The young man had gone to the University shortly after his coming of age, and from thence he had set out on his travels. For years he had not shown himself at Wilicza; he seemed to have no love for the place.
The Castle itself presented a striking contrast to most of the n.o.blemen"s seats around, which, with few exceptions, hardly deserved the name of castles, and whereof the decay and ruin were often not to be hidden by a certain outward splendour maintained by their owners at any cost. The exterior of Wilicza was such as became the old seigneurial residence of many a prince and count during two centuries.
It dated from the country"s brightest period, when the might of the n.o.bility still went hand in hand with its wealth, when its chateaux were the scene of a luxury and magnificence hardly known in these our days. The castle could not exactly be described as beautiful, and would hardly have found grace in the eyes of an artist. The taste which gave it being was undeniably of a rude order; but it was imposing by its ma.s.sive structure and by the grandeur of its design. In spite of all the changes it had undergone in the course of years, it still retained its old original character; and the great edifice, with its long rows of windows, its broad expanse of lawn, and vast, finely wooded park, stood out, somewhat sombre perhaps, but grand and majestic, from the circle of magnificent forests which surrounded it.
After the death of the late owner, the castle had stood for many years empty and deserted. At very rare intervals the young heir came in company of his guardian, but he never stayed more than a few weeks at a time. The desolate solitude of the place vanished, however, when its former mistress, the present widowed Princess Baratowska, returned to take up her abode at Wilicza. The apartments, which had been so long shut up, were thrown open once more, and the costly decorations and furniture with which Nordeck had fitted up the different suites of rooms on the occasion of his marriage, were renewed and restored to all their pristine splendour. The present proprietor had a.s.signed to his mother"s use the income arising from the Castle lands--a sum inconsiderable to him, yet sufficient to secure to the Princess and her younger son means "suitable to their position," however broad an interpretation she might choose to put on the words. She made full use of the funds at her disposal, and her surroundings and manner of life were ordered on the same scale as in past times, when the young Countess Morynska came to rule as mistress in Wilicza, and her husband still loved to parade his wealth before her and her relations.
It was the beginning of October. The autumnal wind was sharp already as it swept over the forests, where the foliage was gradually changing its tints, and the sun often fought its way with difficulty through the thick mists which enveloped the landscape. To-day again the veil had only lifted towards noon, but now the sun shone brightly into the _salon_ which communicated with the Princess"s study, and in which she usually sat. It was a large apartment, lofty and somewhat gloomy, like all the rooms in the Castle, with deep window-niches and a s.p.a.cious chimney-place, where, as a protection against the chills of autumn, a fire was sparkling. The heavy dark-green curtains were thrown far back, and the full daylight streaming in displayed the solid handsome furniture, in all which the same dark-green hue predominated.
The only occupants of the room at the present moment were Count Morynski and the Princess. The Count often came over with his daughter from Rakowicz, and would spend days, even weeks, with his sister. On this occasion he had arrived on a long visit. The years which had pa.s.sed over his head had left visible traces--his hair had grown greyer, and there were more lines imprinted on his forehead--but the expression of that grave, characteristic face remained unaltered. In the Princess, on the other hand, there was hardly any change. The features of this still beautiful woman were as cold and proud, her bearing as haughty, as in the old days. Although at the expiration of the year she had laid aside her deep widow"s mourning, she yet constantly dressed in black; and her dark, though exceedingly rich, attire set off her tall figure to full advantage. She was now engaged in an animated conversation with her brother.
"I do not understand why the news should surprise you," said she. "We must both of us have been prepared for it for some time. To me, at least, it has always been a matter for wonder that Waldemar should remain so long and so persistently absent from his estates."
"That is just what causes my surprise," said the Count. "He has avoided Wilicza hitherto in the most evident manner. Why should he come now so suddenly, without any previous intimation of his plan? What can he want here?"
"What should he want but to hunt and shoot?" replied the Princess. "You know he has inherited from his father a pa.s.sion for sport. I am convinced that he only chose the University of J---- because it lies in a well-wooded country; and that, instead of attending the lectures, he roamed about all day with his gun and bag. It will have been the same, no doubt, on his travels. It is certain that he thinks of, and cares for, nothing but sport."
"He could not come at a worse time," said Morynski. "Just now everything depends upon your remaining complete mistress here. Rakowicz lies too far from the frontier. We are watched on all sides, hemmed in by all manner of difficulties. It is absolutely necessary we should keep Wilicza in our hands."
"I know it," said the Princess, "and I will take care so to keep it.
You are right, the visit comes at a most inopportune moment; but I cannot prevent my son from visiting his own estates when he thinks proper. We must be very prudent."
The Count waved his hand impatiently.
"Prudence alone will not suffice. We ought simply to give up the whole business while Waldemar stays at the Castle, and that is impossible."
"It is not necessary either, for he will be little enough at the Castle, or I am mistaken in the charm which our forests must exercise over such a son of Nimrod. With Nordeck this pa.s.sion for sport became at last a perfect mania, and Waldemar is exactly like his father in this respect. We shall not see much of him; he will be out all day in the forests, and will, a.s.suredly, pay no attention to what is going on at Wilicza. The only thing here which can have any interest for him is the great collection of guns in the armoury, and that we will willingly leave to him."
There was a sort of half-contemptuous raillery in her words; but the Count"s voice was grave and a little doubtful as he answered--
"Four years have gone by since you saw Waldemar. You could do what you liked with him then, it is true, though at first I greatly doubted your power over him. It is to be hoped you will succeed as well now."
"I think it likely," returned the Princess, with calm a.s.surance.
"Besides, he is really not so difficult to manage as you imagine. His stubborn self-will furnishes the very best hold over him. You have only to give way to his rough violence in the first moment, and maintain him in the implicit belief that his will is to be respected, come what may, and you have him altogether in your hands. If we tell him every day that he is sole and unrestricted master of Wilicza, it will not occur to him to wish to be so in reality. I do not credit him with sufficient intelligence for any very deep interest in the state of affairs on his estates. We may make our minds easy."
"I must depend altogether on your judgment in the matter," said Morynski. "I myself have only seen him twice. When did you receive the letter?"
"This morning, about an hour before you arrived. According to it, we may expect Waldemar any day; he was already on his road hither. He writes in his usual laconic way, giving no details. You know that our correspondence has never been remarkable for prolixity. We have never communicated to each other more details than were necessary."
The Count looked down thoughtfully. "Does he come alone?"
"With his former tutor, who is his constant companion. I thought at first the man might prove useful, that we might gain from him some fuller accounts of Waldemar"s doings and manner of life at the University, but I was mistaken. Of course, my son"s studies served me as a pretext for seeking information from him, and I received in reply nothing but learned dissertations on the subject of those studies, not a word of what I wanted to know. My questions did not appear to be understood, so at last I broke off the fruitless correspondence--otherwise, this Dr. Fabian is one of the most harmless creatures in the world. We have nothing to apprehend from his presence, and certainly nothing from his influence, for he possesses none."
"It is Waldemar who princ.i.p.ally concerns us," said the Count. "If you think there will be no inconvenient watchfulness in that quarter ..."
"At all events, there will be none keener than that which we have had to endure day by day for months together," interrupted his sister. "I should think the steward must have taught us caution by this time."
"Yes, that Frank and his household are acting as so many spies upon us," exclaimed Morynski, hotly. "I wonder, Hedwiga, you have never been able to rid us of that troublesome personage."
The Princess smiled in her superior wisdom.
"Compose yourself, Bronislaus. The steward will very shortly give in his resignation. I could not proceed against him earlier. He has been twenty years at his post, and has always acquitted himself of his duties in an irreproachable manner. I had no grounds for requiring his dismissal. I preferred to manage so that he should give notice himself, which he did yesterday--only by word of mouth, so far, and to me; but the formal announcement of it will follow ere long. I attach much importance to its coming from _him_, particularly now that a visit from Waldemar is impending."
The Count"s features, which during the whole interview had evinced unmistakable anxiety, gradually relaxed into calm.
"It was high time," said he, with evident satisfaction; "that Frank was growing to be a real danger. Unfortunately, we must still put up with him for a time. His contract stipulates for a notice of several months."
"It does; but the clause will not be insisted on. The steward has long been independent of his situation; it is even said he means to buy a place of his own. Besides this, he is a man of high spirit; one scene that hurt his pride, and he would go at once. I give you my word for it! That will not be difficult to obtain, now that he has once decided upon going. What, Leo, back from your walk already?"
The last words were addressed to the young Prince, who at that moment entered the room and came up to them.
"Wanda would not stay in the park any longer," he answered. "I was coming ... But perhaps I am interrupting a consultation?"
Count Morynski rose. "We have finished. I have just heard of your brother"s expected arrival, and we were discussing the consequences, one of which will be that our present visit must be shortened. We shall remain to-morrow for the _fete_, but return next day to Rakowicz before Waldemar makes his appearance. He ought not, on coming home, to find us here as guests of his house."
"Why not?" asked the Princess, coolly. "On account of that old childish folly, do you mean? Pooh! who gives it a thought now? Certainly not Wanda! And Waldemar--well, in four years he has had time to get over the imagined insult! That his heart was not deeply involved in the matter we know through Leo, to whom but a week afterwards he declared that he had forgotten the whole affair. Our sojourn at Wilicza, too, is proof enough that he no longer attaches any importance to it. I consider it will be most judicious and show the best tact for us to ignore the matter altogether. If Wanda meets him without any embarra.s.sment, in a cousinly way, he will hardly remember that he once cherished a romantic feeling for her."
"Perhaps it would be wisest," said the Count, as he turned to go. "At all events, I will talk it over with Wanda."
Leo, contrary to his habit, had taken no part in the conversation; and now that his uncle had left the room, he sat down in his place without speaking. He had looked agitated on his entrance, and there were still signs in his face of a perturbation he strove in vain to hide. His mother, at least, had remarked it at once.
"Your intended walk was soon over," she said, nonchalantly. "Where is Wanda?"
"In her room--or so I suppose."
"You suppose only? There has been a quarrel between you again, I conclude. Do not attempt to deny it, Leo. Your face tells the tale plainly enough; and, moreover, I know you never leave Wanda"s side unless she drives you away from her."
"Yes, she often seems to find a peculiar pleasure in driving me from her," said Leo, with unfeigned bitterness.
"And you often torment her by your unfounded jealousy of every one who approaches her. I am convinced that has been the cause of your disagreement today."
The young Prince was silent, thereby confirming his mother"s supposition. She went on a little satirically, "It is the old story: a love uncrossed makes sorrows for itself. You have the rare good fortune to be able to follow the impulse of your hearts without impediment, with the full approval of your parents, and now you make your lives uncomfortable in this manner. I will not attempt to exonerate Wanda from her share of the blame. I am not blind to her advantages, which grow more and more striking now that she has laid aside her childish ways; but what I feared from the first day I gave her back to her father has unfortunately come to pa.s.s. With his unbounded tenderness, his adoration, he has prepared a hard task for you and me. Wanda knows no will but her own. She is accustomed to have her way in everything; and you, I regret to say, do not teach her that others can be firm as well as she."
"I a.s.sure you, mother, I was not very yielding to Wanda to-day,"
replied Leo, in a voice still vibrating with anger.
The Princess shrugged her shoulders. "Perhaps not to-day; but to-morrow you will be on your knees before her, begging her pardon. She has invariably brought you to it. How often must I explain to you that that is not the way to inspire a proud and wilful girl with the respect to which the future husband should lay claim!"
"But I am not capable of such cool calculation," cried Leo, pa.s.sionately. "When I love, when I worship a woman with all my soul, I cannot for ever be thinking whether my conduct towards her is such as befits the future husband."
"Do not complain then if your pa.s.sion is not returned in the measure you desire," said the Princess, coldly. "If I know anything of Wanda, she will never love the man who bows to her authority, but rather him who resists it. A nature such as hers should be forced into surrender, and that you have never understood."
He turned away, muttering in his ill humour--
"After all, I have no right to Wanda"s love. I have never been permitted to make our engagement known. Our marriage is put off to some distant, indefinite time ..."
"Because it is not now the moment to be thinking of betrothals and weddings," interrupted his mother, with much decision and energy.
"Because there are other and graver tasks before you than that of adoring a young wife who would banish everything else from your mind!
"Some distant, indefinite time!" when it is only a question of a year"s delay! First win your bride; the opportunity will not long be wanting, and Wanda herself would never consent to marry you until you have earned her favour. But this brings us to another subject, which I am forced to touch upon. Leo, your uncle is not pleased with you."