Lover's Vows Part 16

ANHALT. No.

AGATHA. Then you are not acquainted with my narrative?

ANHALT. Should I find you to be the person whom I have long been in search of, your history is not altogether unknown to me.

AGATHA. "That you have been in search of!" Who gave you such a commission?

ANHALT. A man, who, if it so prove, is much concerned for your misfortunes.

AGATHA. How? Oh, Sir! tell me quickly--Whom do you think to find in me?

ANHALT. Agatha Friburg.

AGATHA. Yes, I am that unfortunate woman; and the man who pretends to take concern in my misfortunes is----Baron Wildenhaim----he who betrayed me, abandoned me and my child, and killed my parents.--He would now repair our sufferings with this purse of gold. [Takes out the purse.] Whatever may be your errand, Sir, whether to humble, or to protect me, it is alike indifferent. I therefore request you to take this money to him who sent it. Tell him, my honour has never been saleable. Tell him, dest.i.tute as I am, even indigence will not tempt me to accept charity from my seducer. He despised my heart--I despise his gold.--He has trampled on me--I trample on his representative.

[Throws the purse on the ground.]

ANHALT. Be patient--I give you my word, that when the Baron sent this present to an unfortunate woman, for whom her son had supplicated, he did not know that woman was Agatha.

AGATHA. My son? what of my son?

ANHALT. Do not be alarmed--The Baron met with an affectionate son, who begged for his sick mother, and it affected him.

AGATHA. Begged of the Baron! of his father!

ANHALT. Yes; but they did not know each other; and the mother received the present on the son's account.

AGATHA. Did not know each other? Where is my son?

ANHALT. At the Castle.

AGATHA. And still unknown?

ANHALT. Now he is known--an explanation has taken place;--and I am sent here by the Baron, not to a stranger, but to Agatha Friburg--not with gold! his commission was--"do what your heart directs you."

AGATHA. How is my Frederick? How did the Baron receive him?

ANHALT. I left him just in the moment the discovery was made. By this time your son is, perhaps, in the arms of his father.

AGATHA. Oh! is it possible that a man, who has been twenty years deaf to the voice of nature, should change so suddenly?

ANHALT. I do not mean to justify the Baron, but--he has loved you--and fear of his n.o.ble kindred alone caused his breach of faith to you.

AGATHA. But to desert me wholly and wed another--

ANHALT. War called him away--Wounded in the field, he was taken to the adjacent seat of a n.o.bleman, whose only daughter, by anxious attention to his recovery, won his grat.i.tude; and, influenced by the will of his worldly friends, he married. But no sooner was I received into the family, and admitted to his confidence, than he related to me your story; and at times would exclaim in anguish--"The proud imperious Baroness avenges the wrongs of my deserted Agatha." Again, when he presented me this living, and I left France to take possession of it, his last words before we parted, were--"The moment you arrive at Wildenhaim, make all enquiries to find out my poor Agatha." Every letter from him contained "Still, still, no tidings of my Agatha." And fate ordained it should be so, till this fortunate day.

AGATHA. What you have said has made my heart overflow--where will this end?

ANHALT. I know not yet the Baron's intentions: but your sufferings demand immediate remedy: and one way only is left--Come with me to the castle. Do not start--you shall be concealed in my apartments till you are called for.

AGATHA. I go to the Baron's?--No.

ANHALT. Go for the sake of your son--reflect, that his fortunes may depend upon your presence.

AGATHA. And he is the only branch on which my hope still blossoms: the rest are withered.--I will forget my wrongs as a woman, if the Baron will atone to the mother--he shall have the woman's pardon, if he will merit the mother's thanks--[after a struggle]--I _will_ go to the castle--for the sake of my Frederick, go even to his father. But where are my good host and hostess, that I may take leave, and thank them for their kindness?

ANHALT [taking up the purse which Agatha had thrown down]. Here, good friend! Good woman!

Enter the COTTAGER and his WIFE.

WIFE. Yes, yes, here I am.

ANHALT. Good people, I will take your guest with me. You have acted an honest part, and therefore receive this reward for your trouble.

[He offers the purse to the Cottager, who puts it by, and turns away].

ANHALT [to the Wife]. Do _you_ take it.

WIFE. I always obey my pastor. [taking it].

AGATHA. Good bye. [shaking hands with the Cottagers.] For your hospitality to me, may ye enjoy continued happiness.

COTTAGER. Fare you well--fare you well.

WIFE. If you find friends and get health, we won't trouble you to call on us again: but if you should fall sick or be in poverty, we shall take very unkind if we don't see you.

[Exeunt Agatha and Anhalt on one side, Cottager and his Wife on the other].

========== SCENE II. A Room in the Castle.

BARON sitting upon a sopha.--FREDERICK standing near him, with one hand pressed between his--the Baron rises.

BARON. Been in battle too!--I am glad to hear it. You have known hard services, but now they are over, and joy and happiness will succeed.--The reproach of your birth shall be removed, for I will acknowledge you my son, and heir to my estate.

FREDERICK. And my mother----

BARON. She shall live in peace and affluence. Do you think I would leave your mother unprovided, unprotected? No! About a mile from this castle I have an estate called Weldendorf--there she shall live, and call her own whatever it produces. There she shall reign, and be sole mistress of the little paradise. There her past sufferings shall be changed to peace and tranquility. On a summer's morning, we, my son, will ride to visit her; pa.s.s a day, a week with her; and in this social intercourse time will glide pleasantly.

FREDERICK. And, pray, my Lord--under what name is my mother to live then?

BARON [confused]. How?

FREDERICK. In what capacity?--As your domestic--or as----

BARON. That we will settle afterwards.

FREDERICK. Will you allow me, Sir, to leave the room a little while, that you may have leisure to consider _now_?

BARON. I do not know how to explain myself in respect to your mother more than I have done already.