Quicksands Part 28

"I was naturally greatly moved, and willingly gave him the promise he asked for. Then, after a short pause, he went on in his failing voice to tell me how he had suspected, some weeks before, that a sum of money which had been taken from his secretary had been stolen by the Lieutenant, and that he had the lock replaced by one of most intricate construction to guard against any further loss. On the previous evening he had, before going to bed, arranged the notes I had brought him from Breslau, and had carefully put them into his strong-box and locked it up in his secretary, placing the keys on a little table beside his bed.

When roused from his first deep sleep by the stifling smoke he had first called his wife, and then, remembering the money in the next room, which represented his daughter's portion, he looked for his keys to possess himself of it. They were gone from the table! In an instant it was all clear to him: his keys had been stolen! He rushed to the door which separated his room from the study, it was locked on the other side. Through the crack of it he could see the flames. He called to his wife to come and help him, and received no reply. He succeeded in opening the window, but knew no more until he recovered consciousness at the pastor's. He went on to say that no one save myself and Albrecht knew of the sum brought that day from Breslau, no one else could have taken the keys from his table while he slept. Then, when the theft was committed, he had locked the door leading into the next room, and set fire to the scene of his crime, that all chance of discovery might be destroyed in the flames. His end had been answered, the secretary was destroyed; how baseless must be any charge of theft or of incendiarism brought forward now! It would be worse than useless to stain with such an accusation an ancient and n.o.ble name, which he had taken pride in keeping untainted. The thief must be left to enjoy the result of his crime, but again he adjured me to watch over his boy.

Then, utterly exhausted, he bade me farewell, and asked for his wife and daughter.

"They came again to his bedside, and I left the room and the house, encountering Lieutenant von Osternau as I did so. 'I hope my cousin is doing well,' he said, but he did not look me in the face as he spoke. I longed to strike him to the earth, but I controlled myself. Of course I shared Herr von Osternau's conviction, but all proof in the matter was wanting. I managed to tell him with tolerable composure that Herr von Osternau was so ill that there were fears for his life. I fancied I saw a gleam of triumph in his eye that belied his hypocritical words of regret, as he declared that under such sad circ.u.mstances he would not disturb his cousin's wife and daughter. As superintendent, it was his duty instantly to communicate with the insurance companies,--he must start immediately for Breslau.

"Convinced as I was of his guilt, I then committed an act of unwarrantable rashness. As he talked on so smoothly of going to Breslau in his cousin's interests, I made up my mind that it was to deposit his booty in a place of security that he was departing so soon, and the wild idea seized me that Fraulein Lieschen's portion might be recovered by a bold stroke. He most probably--nay, certainly--had it about him. I lost my head, and seeing two of my farm-hands who I knew were devoted to me coming down the street, I shouted to them, 'Seize Lieutenant von Osternau! he is the incendiary!' It was all wrong. I had no right to resort to such means, but, as I tell you, Herr von Ernau, I lost my head. The two men hesitated but for an instant, and then, with an 'Ah!

we thought so!' fell upon the Lieutenant. He defended himself against them, and struck out wildly both at them and at me when I approached him, but of course he was quickly overpowered and bound. The noise of the struggle brought various labourers and villagers from their houses.

No one took part with the Lieutenant, who had evidently aroused their suspicions by his strange conduct during the fire. For fear of disturbing Herr von Osternau, we did not carry the fellow into the parsonage, but into a cottage near at hand, where I searched him thoroughly, but found no trace of the money. If he had taken it, he had already made it secure elsewhere. I saw how rash I had been, what a terrible error I had committed, and I stood before him overwhelmed with shame. I ordered the men, who had stood by curiously while the search was going on, to release him, declaring myself in the wrong and my suspicions unfounded. They obeyed me with reluctance, and left me with the Lieutenant, who up to this moment had not uttered a single word, either during the search or while he was being unbound. When we were at last alone he confronted me with folded arms and an evil look.

"'You are only the servile tool of my cousin, or of his wife, who always hated me, and in whose brain was conceived the infamous suspicion of which I have been the victim.'

"I would have interrupted him to tell him that he was mistaken, but he exclaimed, 'Hus.h.!.+ I will listen to no excuse from you. If you were my equal in rank I should require from you the satisfaction of a gentleman; as it is, you cannot insult me. Tell Frau von Osternau that every tie of kindred is broken between us forever.'

"'Frau von Osternau knows nothing----' I began.

"'Spare me all falsehood,' he interrupted me. 'I do not believe you. I know that Frau von Osternau and Lieschen are my mortal enemies, and I shall not forget that they are so.'

"He turned on his heel and went out of the house, leaving me in a state of mortification and depression quite indescribable. I gathered myself together, however, and went again to the parsonage, feeling it my duty to confess what I had done to Herr von Osternau. This, however, I could not do: Herr von Osternau had died a few minutes after our interview had ended.

"I cannot describe to you, Herr von Ernau, the utter wretchedness of his poor wife. She had loved her husband with her whole heart; in her eyes he was the wisest and best of men, and at first she could find no consolation even in her children.

"Indeed, she was an object of compa.s.sion in every respect, for after Herr von Osternau's death his affairs were found to be in by no means so prosperous a condition as had been supposed. In former years he had devoted all his surplus income to the improvement of his estate, and when he began to save, in order to leave his wife and daughter independent, his own generous, kindly nature, which led him to pay Lieutenant Albrecht's debts repeatedly, and into other similar acts, was a bar to the fulfilment of his purpose. Only very lately had he succeeded in acc.u.mulating the sixty thousand thalers which was to purchase Wernewitz and Rudersdorf for Fraulein Lieschen, and this money--the only independent fortune which he had to bequeath--was either destroyed in the fire, or the prey of a scoundrel. There was no solution of this last question, for nothing came to light to confirm the suspicion which Herr von Osternau had confided to me.

"The Lieutenant had gone to Berlin immediately after being treated in the disgraceful way of which I told you, and did not return to Osternau, for, as he explained in a letter to Frau von Osternau, not even his cousin's death could obliterate from his mind the insult offered him, which must henceforth estrange him from his kindred. He lived in Berlin, as he had done formerly,--not more expensively, but on a scale of such luxury as to make a certain income indispensable. I was quite sure that I knew its source, but my conviction was useless in the matter. Popular opinion in the country round regarded the Lieutenant as the incendiary, but no proof of his guilt was forthcoming. Since, however, it was the common talk of the country, the courts took the matter up, and there was an investigation of the cause of the fire. It was without result, however; the only suspicious circ.u.mstance with regard to it being the state in which the fire-engine was found, after having been thoroughly examined and p.r.o.nounced in good order a few days previously by the Lieutenant at Herr von Osternau's request.

"I thought it my duty to acquaint Herr von Sastrow, Fritzchen's guardian, with what the boy's father had confided to me, but I could not gainsay the good old man when he advised me to dismiss from my mind such apparently groundless suspicions.

"Frau von Osternau, after her husband's death, could not bring herself to leave the place which she so dearly loved. Herr von Sastrow tried to persuade her to remove to Berlin, where it would be much easier to educate Fritzchen; but she preferred to remain, for a while at least, in a modest little cottage which she rented in the village of Osternau.

The allowance made her from the estate for the education of its heir sufficed amply for her wants. Herr von Sastrow confided the management of Osternau to me, and this rendered it possible for me to fulfil the promise made to his father to keep watch over Fritzchen.

"Three sad months pa.s.sed after Herr von Osternau's death, and then the widow was called upon to sustain another terrible blow, in the loss of her prop and stay, her darling Fritz."

Egon had listened hitherto without a word to Storting's sad tale; he had been profoundly moved by the account of the burning of the castle, and of the death of its master, but at Storting's last words he started forward, exclaiming, "Fritzchen dead! What a terrible trial! Was his father's dying foreboding----"

"No, no, Herr von Ernau," Storting interrupted him. "Whatever crimes Lieutenant von Osternau may have committed, he is guiltless of Fritz's death: the boy died of scarlet fever. Fraulein Lieschen tended him night and day with a devotion which I have never seen equalled. She would not leave his bedside for an hour, although the physician tried to induce her to resign the care of him to some one else, since she had never had the fever herself. She was his only nurse, for her mother was ill in another room,--too ill even to see her darling, who breathed his last in his sister's arms.

"After Fritz's death the Lieutenant was the heir of Osternau; his cousin's wife and daughter could lay no claim to anything save the late proprietor's private property, and this had been destroyed on the night of the fire.

"A week after the boy's death the new master came to Osternau. He had told the pastor of his coming, and had asked him to rent a couple of rooms for him in some farm-house, which he could occupy until the rebuilding of the castle was complete.

"Immediately after his arrival he sent for me. I could not but obey his summons, for he was the lord of Osternau, and I was obliged to hand in to him my accounts for the management of the estate since Herr von Osternau's death.

"I went to him with a heavy heart, fully expecting that he would make use of the power now in his hands to revenge himself for the insult I had once offered him, and as fully resolved to requite scorn with scorn.

"He was sitting in a bare little room, the best the pastor could procure for him, at a table covered with papers. As I entered he rose and came towards me. He was greatly changed. The last few months had made him many years older. His eyes had an uncertain, flickering brilliancy; his face was haggard and very pale. The erect military carriage that had formerly characterized him was gone: he had grown old.

"He offered me his hand, and addressed me in a tone of hypocritical friendliness that disgusted me, as after one fleeting glance of keen scrutiny his eyes fell before mine.

"'We were hardly friends when we parted, Storting,' he said. 'You offended me, and I used harsh words towards you. We were both in a state of unnatural agitation, induced by the events of the night and my cousin's danger. You meant to act for the best, as the friend and servant of my dear departed relative. When I was cooler I perceived this, and therefore, I a.s.sure you, I bear you not the faintest grudge.

Here is my hand. I trust you will take it in the spirit in which it is offered.'

"I could not refuse to take his hand, although my whole nature rose in revolt against any fellows.h.i.+p with the man. I had to sit down and take a cigar, while he talked to me as one would to some dear old friend, without a trace of the arrogance which had formerly made him so disliked by me. He asked, with every appearance of sympathy, after Frau von Osternau and Fraulein Lieschen. I had to inform him of the particulars of Fritz's death, and of Fraulein Lieschen's devotion; he showed the keenest interest in the welfare of his relatives, and postponed all business details, remarking that the management of the estate could not be in better hands than mine, and that he would discuss business with me when his relations with Frau von Osternau and Lieschen should be arranged. That they might become so, he begged me to a.s.sist him.

"'I a.s.sure you, Storting,' he said, 'that I am profoundly distressed by the terrible trials that have fallen to the lot of my dear relatives.

For Frau von Osternau I entertain a greater regard than words can express, and Lieschen, whom I have known from her early childhood, has always been my ideal of feminine loveliness. My cousin Fritz formerly frequently expressed the wish that a nearer tie might some time exist between his daughter and myself,--the dear child was in a measure brought up for me. This thought has often solaced me in hours of depression. I always regarded her as my future wife, even in the midst of our trifling disputes. Unfortunately, by my own fault, the relations between my relatives and myself have not of late years been so harmonious as they once were, and I fear that Lieschen may not think favourably of her father's former promises, the fulfilment of which forms the chief--I may say, the only--hope of my existence. My heart would lead me to declare this myself to Frau von Osternau and her daughter, but my head tells me to entreat your mediation, Storting; no rash word uttered by Lieschen in the excitement of the moment must be allowed to place a barrier between us. I ask of you a favour, Storting, which will make me your debtor for life: tell Frau von Osternau what I have just told you. She is a woman of practical sense and discernment, she will not be led astray by the mood of the moment, but will perceive that a union between Lieschen and myself is the most natural and harmonious solution of the present unhappy state of affairs, for which the law of entail is to blame. As my wife, Lieschen will be mistress of the Osternau estate. Surely Frau von Osternau will use her influence with her daughter to induce her to encourage my hopes.',

"My blood ran cold at the idea of Fraulein Lieschen's becoming this man's wife, but I could not refuse to carry his proposal to Frau von Osternau. What had the future in store for them save a life of poverty and care? By the terms of the Osternau entail, the widow of a former proprietor was ent.i.tled to but three hundred thalers yearly from the revenues of the estate; the daughters were entirely unprovided for.

Under these circ.u.mstances was not a marriage with the Lieutenant to all appearances Fraulein von Osternau's only resource? Was there not a degree of generosity in the offer just made? I could not but make it known to the mother and daughter.

"It was a hard task. When I presented myself in their lodgings, I found them already informed of the Lieutenant's arrival. I reported to them the conversation I had just had with him, and strove, to the best of my ability, to do so in an entirely impartial manner. I must have succeeded in this, for my words evidently produced an impression upon Frau von Osternau.

"'We have done Cousin Albrecht injustice,' she said, gently. 'He may be thoughtless and imprudent, but he cannot be bad, or he would not so soon forget the insult lately offered him in Osternau. His offer is magnanimous at least. You never treated him well, Lieschen, you often offended him, and yet he loves you, and would make you mistress of Osternau.'

"Fraulein Lieschen gazed at her mother with an expression of positive horror. 'You cannot think for an instant that I could accept his terrible proposal?' she asked, and her voice trembled.

"'Do not judge your cousin so harshly, my child,' said Frau von Osternau. 'He hopes, as you have heard, that you will not decide hastily; he knows your impetuous temperament, and dreads your saying to him in a personal interview words which could neither be forgiven nor forgotten. What you have just said proves him right. Therefore he has asked our good Herr Storting to be his messenger, conscious also that you are my dear, unselfish child, and that you may be brought to overcome your momentary impulse of aversion to this marriage when you consider that your 'no' would drive us both away from our dear Osternau,--from the graves of your father and Fritz,--out into the world, to struggle with poverty and want, while your 'yes' would make you mistress of Osternau, and allow me to live here, where I have been so happy, and where, in the midst of memorials of the past, I never can be quite unhappy. I feel sure that, after due reflection, you will decide for the best, and, therefore, I beg you not to decide at once.'

"Fraulein Lieschen wept bitterly while her mother was speaking, but when she paused, and, taking her daughter's hand, drew her towards her, the young girl embraced her tenderly, and, controlling herself, said, calmly and firmly, 'It would be wicked to postpone my decision for an hour. I will sacrifice everything for you, mother dear, except my soul's salvation, and that would be imperilled by false vows. How can I promise to revere and love a man whom I despise? I cannot sell myself to him, mother, even for your sake. To require this of me would be to doom your only child to death.'

"'Lieschen!' cried her mother, 'do not blaspheme.'

"'No,' she rejoined, 'I do not blaspheme. I should not lay hands upon my own life, mother, but the sense of my degradation would kill me. But you will not compel me to such a fate? you will not be faithless to the memory of my father, who never would have permitted it? I will gladly share poverty with you, gladly work for you, dearest mother, but marry that thief----"

"'Hush, Lieschen, hus.h.!.+' her mother interrupted her.

"'It was my father's word, whispered in my ear in his last moments,"

the girl went on. "'Watch over Fritz,' he said; 'protect him from the thief and incendiary.' Go back to Herr von Osternau, Herr Storting, and tell him what you have heard; tell him the mere thought of him inspires me with aversion, and that I would rather die in misery than sell myself to him. You have carried his message faithfully, do the same by mine.'

"You know, Herr von Ernau, that I was never at any time able to resist Fraulein Lieschen's requests, and I did not fail her in this the darkest hour of her life. I promised to report her decision to the Lieutenant. She thanked me with a look, and Frau von Osternau said, with a sigh, 'I must submit. Lieschen has inherited her father's strength of will in matters of conscience. The foolish child is destroying her future; it is sad, but I cannot prevent it. I must yield to her resolve. Since it must be so, it is, perhaps, better not to postpone acquainting Albrecht with her decision.'

"I left them with a far lighter heart than I brought to them. The commission with which I was charged could hardly be considered an agreeable one, especially as Fraulein Lieschen begged me to repeat to the Lieutenant everything that she had said concerning him; but the sense of relief in knowing that she was in no wise to belong to that villain outweighed every other consideration in my mind.

"The Lieutenant had probably foreseen the answer he should receive. He calmly listened while I repeated, as far as I could recall it, all that Frau von Osternau and her daughter had said, only omitting to mention that Fraulein Lieschen had called him thief and incendiary. An evil smile played about his lips, but he only glanced at my face from time to time, seeming unwilling to meet my eye.

"'I meant well,' he declared, when I had finished, and then he went on to explain his regret that his relatives should be so limited as to means, that he would gladly have shared his wealth with them, and that, in view of Lieschen's youth and inexperience, he should continue to hope that with time she might be brought to regard his suit favourably.

Meanwhile, he offered Frau von Osternau and her daughter a home in the castle so soon as it should be rebuilt. If they refused to avail themselves of this offer, he should, of course, confine himself to the payment to the widow of the yearly sum allowed her by law. It would weary you, Herr von Ernau, to recount to you all the details of our conversation. I thanked G.o.d when it was ended.

"Of course Frau von Osternau refused to live beneath his roof, dependent upon his bounty. There was no need of Fraulein Lieschen's indignant rejection of any such idea to influence her mother's decision. The two went to Berlin, where it was easier than in any country town to find some employment wherewith to eke out their scanty income. They left the village of Osternau two weeks after the Lieutenant's arrival, without having seen him, and on the day of their departure I too bade farewell to the place where I had spent such happy years.

"Herr von Osternau offered me a large salary if I would continue to occupy my position as superintendent of the estate, but I could not bring myself to serve the man who could never be to me anything save a thief and an incendiary. I procured another situation not nearly so profitable in a pecuniary point of view.

"I corresponded at first very frequently with Frau von Osternau, and although of late our letters have been fewer, I have never lost sight of her. She has had a weary, anxious time of it. Too proud to ask help from her wealthy relatives, she had no resources save her paltry yearly pittance of three hundred thalers and the untiring industry of Fraulein Lieschen, who furnished embroidery for one of the large Berlin firms.

Frau von Osternau wrote with positive enthusiasm of her daughter, who, in spite of her constant labour at her embroidery, found time to study and to complete her defective education, so that last spring she pa.s.sed a brilliant examination as governess. My last letter was received from Frau von Osternau between three and four months ago, when this examination was just pa.s.sed; and while the mother spoke of it with pardonable pride, she mourned over the probability of a coming separation from her daughter, who was about to accept a situation as governess, thereby greatly increasing her mother's means of support. Of Cousin Albrecht she had heard only through Herr von Sastrow. He lived for a short time the life of a hermit in his gorgeous new-built castle, avoided by all families of his own rank in the neighbourhood; for the report that he had set fire to the castle was rife in the country around, and he was virtually sent to Coventry. He therefore spent most of the year in Berlin, where he a.s.sociated with needy members of the aristocracy and doubtful characters whose good will he could purchase with his money. The doors of the first people in society were closed against him. His large income he wasted in all sorts of extravagant dissipation, and it was reported in Berlin that he had contracted enormous debts.

"For herself Frau von Osternau wrote that, if her daughter accepted a situation as governess away from Berlin, she too should leave the city and go to some Silesian village, where her small income would suffice for her modest wants."