TWO LETTERS AGAIN.
The day was an eventful one for Herr von Osternau. Scarcely had he
recovered from the effects of the robbery and of the hurried drive to
Station Mirbach, when he was surprised by an unexpected visit.
Herr von Wangen was formally announced by old Hildebrandt, and when he
made his appearance in full dress, with a white neck-tie, and a silk
hat held in his left hand, when he bowed with ceremonious observance to
the mistress of the mansion and her husband, and, accepting the seat
offered him on the lounge, stared into space for some minutes with an
air of confusion, evidently searching in vain for words in which to
explain the purpose of his coming, Frau von Osternau began to suspect
what those words when found would be.
At last the young man cleared his throat and raised his eyes to Frau
von Osternau's face as he began: "Pardon me, madame, pardon me, Herr
von Osternau, if I express myself ill, but I come--yes, I come to you
as the relatives and protectors of my betrothed--no, pardon me, I have
begun at the wrong end, I ought first to tell you that I am the
happiest man in the world. An hour ago I had the good fortune to meet
my beloved Bertha, pardon me for not saying Fraeulein von Massenburg,
but she is now my betrothed. She was going for a walk to the
Oster-ford, where I am superintending the work, and she allowed me to
walk with her. Her heavenly kindness emboldened me to confess to her my
love; she, to my intense delight, did not reject it, and we are
betrothed."
Herr von Osternau was unpleasantly surprised, he could not help
remembering what Lieschen had said, and whilst his wife warmly
congratulated the happy lover he was silent. He could not altogether
approve this hasty betrothal, and after a short pause he said, "I
cannot yet congratulate you, Herr von Wangen, or consider you betrothed
to Fraeulein von Massenburg. Your father is my old friend, I should not
be doing my duty by him if I did not beg you to reflect before taking
so irrevocable a step. Do you know that Bertha von Massenburg came to
Castle Osternau to escape the----"
Herr von Wangen interrupted him, saying, in a tone of entreaty, "Do
not, I beg of you, allude to that slander, I know everything. Bertha
has told me how magnanimously she sacrificed herself for her father,
bow she consented to be betrothed to a man whom she knew only by
reputation, and how evil tongues attacked her upon the disappearance of
Herr von Ernau. She has acknowledged to me that she struggled against
her love for me so long as there was any possibility of Herr von
Ernau's being alive; she was determined to sacrifice her affection to
her duty. But she is free; she learned yesterday from the Lieutenant
that Herr von Ernau is really dead, and she can obey the dictates of
her heart, can be happy herself and can make me so. She is mine, my own
fondly-loved betrothed."
"No, Herr von Wangen, I can allow of no such betrothal beneath my roof
until your father and Bertha's have given their consent."
"My father has already given his," the young man rejoined, eagerly. "I
should not have ventured without it to declare my love. I wrote him
more than a week ago that I should try to win my Bertha, and he
answered me instantly, and told me he was rejoiced that I had chosen a
lovely girl of an old family. He cares nothing for worldly possessions,
but he wishes his only son to marry his equal in rank. I should love my
dear Bertha all the same if she were a peasant's daughter, but I am
glad that she is a Von Massenburg. I am glad of this for my dear
father's sake."
"But Bertha's father has not yet given his consent."
"That is why I am come to you with an urgent request. I know it is
asking a great deal, for there is so much to do at harvest-time, but I
come to beg you to give me leave of absence for two days, that I may
ask Herr von Massenburg's consent in person. I can leave after dinner
to-day, and take the night-train for Berlin. I can be back at Castle
Osternau by noon of the day after to-morrow."
There was no refusing such a request. Herr von Osternau granted it, but
upon the condition that he should be allowed to speak with Bertha
before the young man's departure. The lover was quite agreed to this,
he was too sure of his good fortune to dread any interference. And the
event showed that he was right. Herr von Osternau had a long interview
with Bertha; he asked her if she were sure of her own sentiments, if it
were possible for her to be happy with a husband who was in all
respects the opposite of Herr von Ernau, possessing none of the
latter's brilliant qualities to fit him for playing a conspicuous part
in the world. He reminded her that she was undertaking to pass her life
in the depths of the country, remote from all social excitement, with a
husband who was content to lead the life of a simple country gentleman
upon his own estate. To all which Bertha replied, with her own charming
smile,--
"I really did not expect such an admonition from you, Uncle Fritz, who
are always extolling the joys of home and the home circle. I should be
happy with 'the man of my choice' in any solitude, and, besides, I
shall not be so very lonely. One can always assemble one's friends
about one in the country in summer, and the long, tiresome winters we
can spend in town. Country life may be made very delightful with plenty
of money. Let me choose my own lot, Uncle Fritz; it will be a happy
one."
What could Herr von Osternau reply to such arguments? he did not try to
reply, seeing that Bertha's mind was fully made up.
That afternoon Herr von Wangen and the Lieutenant both took their
departure, and at noon of the following day a lengthy dispatch was
received at Castle Osternau. It announced the full and free consent of
Herr Werner von Massenburg that the betrothal should be made public,
and also stated that Herr von Wangen would certainly return by noon of
the next day to his fair betrothed.
He did so punctually, beaming with delight, overjoyed at the reception
he had met with from his future father-in-law. In truth, Werner von
Massenburg had bestowed his paternal blessing upon the union so soon as
he was informed that no dowry was looked for. Of course, Herr von
Wangen's delicacy led him to suppress this last fact, as also the
slight circumstance of Werner's explanation as to his present pecuniary
embarrassments, in view of which Herr von Wangen had signed a checque
for two thousand marks to relieve the worthy gentleman from his
temporary trouble. On the other hand, he told with great delight how
Werner had hastened to present him to several of his friends, among
whom were Herr von Sastrow and his wife, whom he had called upon, and
from whom he had received cordial congratulations. Herr von Sastrow had
declared that this betrothal would put an instant stop to all malicious
gossip.
Herr von Wangen was in such a state of rapture that there were
positively no shadows in the picture which he painted of his journey.
The Lieutenant had been the most delightful travelling companion, only
unfortunately they had not seen each other after parting at the Berlin
railway-station. Werner von Massenburg was a fine, open-hearted man,
just such a father-in-law as he had always wanted, and Herr von Sastrow
and all the father-in-law's friends were most delightful people. But
what filled the young man with the wildest joy was that Werner had
expressly desired that the marriage should take place as soon as
possible, since he disliked long engagements.
When Bertha declared with a blush that she should be guided entirely by
the wishes of her betrothed, and when Herr von Osternau expressed
himself willing to dispense with the services of his third inspector so
soon as harvest should be over, that the young man might immediately
betake himself to West Prussia and undertake the charge of the family
estates, Herr von Wangen was transported to the highest heaven of
felicity.
He adored his charming betrothed, and never noticed that Lieschen's
manner towards her was more coolly reserved than ever, nor dreamed that
he was the object of the sad, compassionate expression that sometimes
appeared in the young girl's eyes. He was fairly intoxicated with
bliss. He was perpetually with his betrothed. She paid him visits in
the fields, she went to meet him when he returned to the castle. And
then the evenings, the delicious evenings! Herr von Wangen did not
observe that the little circle was in general silent and monosyllabic,
that Lieschen bent silently over her embroidery, and that Herr von
Osternau frequently resigned himself to revery. So long as he could
exchange glances with Bertha and hang upon every word she uttered, his
cup of happiness was full to the brim.
Herr von Osternau was far from easy in his mind. He could not forget
the sad event that had so lately occurred, and he shared his wife's
anxiety upon another point. Since Lieschen had so boldly entered the
lists for Pigglewitch against the Lieutenant, Herr von Osternau had
agreed with his wife in believing that the young girl's feelings for
the tutor were warmer than those of a pupil for a teacher. He took a
lively interest in the young man, indeed he was surprised to find how
much he missed his conversation and his charming music, but he could
not but see that his wife was right in regarding the tutor as a most
undesirable son-in-law. Lieschen's attachment to him caused him all the
greater anxiety since he could not reconcile it with his sense of
justice to dismiss the young man as his wife advised.
The old Herr really dreaded, therefore, the Candidate's return, and he
had a sense of relief when day after day passed and the tutor did not
come back to the castle.
Five days had thus gone by without bringing tidings of either the
Lieutenant or the Candidate, when the post-bag brought two letters for
Herr von Osternau, one from Berlin addressed in the Lieutenant's
handwriting, and the other postmarked Hirschberg and addressed by
Pigglewitch. This last Herr von Osternau opened first, read it, and
then turned to his wife. "A strange letter!" he exclaimed, "as strange
and enigmatical as its writer. Only listen." And according to his
custom of reading aloud to his family all his letters which contained
nothing private and confidential, he read aloud: "Farewell! I cannot
tell you how hard it is for me to part from you, from the generous,
high-hearted man whom I so respect, from my dear pupil Fritzchen, who
has grown into my heart, and from the kindly family-circle where I have
passed such happy hours. But it must be done in spite of the pain it
gives me, pain increased by a sense of guilt. You trusted me and I
deceived you. My entire life in your home was a lie. Even now, when I
am going from you, I cannot tell you the truth, I can only pray you to
forgive a most unhappy man, who never can forget the gratitude he owes
you. Farewell!"
"There is no signature," said Herr von Osternau, handing the letter to
his wife. "The man is in all respects a riddle, only one thing seems
clear, and that is that we shall not see Herr Pigglewitch again."
"I knew he would not return," Lieschen said, with a strange quiver in
her voice. "He could not."
"He could not?" her father asked, in surprise.
"No, he owed it to himself to flee. He was on the brink of an abyss. It
was well for him that he had the strength to save himself."
"Lieschen, what nonsense are you talking?" her mother exclaimed, in
dismay. "You do not know what you are saying!"
"I wish I did not," Lieschen replied, glancing for an instant with
scorn in her eyes at Bertha, who, paying no apparent attention to what
was going on, was engaged in a whispered conversation with her
betrothed.
"There is no use," Herr von Osternau said at last, after reading the
letter again over his wife's shoulder, "in our beating our brains over
this mystery. The Candidate's going, like his coming, will always be a
riddle for us."
After this he opened the Lieutenant's letter and began to read it, but
he had not read far before he turned to his wife again, with: "This is
absolutely incredible, Emma! Only hear what Albrecht writes: 'My dear
Cousin,--First of all forgive me for not returning, and for delaying to
write until now. After many tedious transactions, of which I will
inform you more minutely by word of mouth if you desire it, I have
concluded the affair you know of, and should have returned to you
to-morrow, but that I think it best to remain here a day or two longer
in the interest of our family. You will allow this, I am sure, when I
tell you of the astounding news which I have learned to-day. Herr Egon
von Ernau, whose body it was affirmed was found in the Spree, has
returned from quite a long journey, and is now here in Berlin!'"
An exclamation of surprise from Bertha interrupted Herr von Osternau.
He turned towards her. She had grown very pale, and her large eyes were
riveted upon his face. "He is alive!" she almost whispered.
"He is alive, and you are betrothed to Herr von Wangen," Lieschen said,
quietly.
A look of positive hatred was Bertha's only reply. The next instant her
colour came again, and she turned with her own lovely smile to her
lover: "Yes, Hugo, and I thank God that I am so, and that I am saved
the struggle between duty and affection which I must have undergone if
Herr von Ernau had reappeared before I was betrothed to you."
Herr von Osternau looked rather dubiously at her as she spoke, but he
said nothing, only continued the reading of his letter: "I could
scarcely credit this when I heard it this afternoon from an
acquaintance. Yesterday there was no doubt but that his body had been
found in the Spree. It had, to be sure, been too long in the water to
allow of the features being recognized, but Ernau's body-servant
identified the summer suit of the dead man as positively his master's,
and there was in one of the pockets a small silver card-case, which
both the servant and the Councillor recognized as young Ernau's. The
Councillor was so convinced that the body was that of his son that he
arranged an imposing funeral, at which half the aristocratic society of
Berlin was present; and yet here was the dead man alive and well. I
went directly to Sastrow for further information.
"From him I received confirmation of the incredible report. Herr von
Ernau did really return yesterday from a tour among the mountains. He
employed his time this morning in visiting his acquaintances,
apparently to convince them that he is alive. He has nothing to say of
where he has been or why he left Berlin so abruptly, but he ridicules
his own splendid funeral and thanks the mourners profusely for their
sympathy. He is as reckless and extravagant as ever. Werner Massenburg,
who has just seen Sastrow, gave him all these particulars. I shall go
to him again to-morrow, when I may have more to tell you, but for the
present the subject must give place to certain revelations I have for
you concerning the redoubtable Herr Pigglewitch, who I was quite
certain was what he proves to be,--an adventurer and deceiver."
"What a shameful calumny!" Lieschen exclaimed, indignantly.
"Hush, my child!" her father rejoined, gravely. "I neither can nor will
believe that your cousin's harsh expressions are justifiable, but I
hardly know what to think. Listen to what Albrecht says:
"You forbade me to put the police upon the fellow's traces, and I
obeyed you, but you did not forbid my instituting inquiries as to his
previous life and circumstances. This I have done, and as I have an
acquaintance who is one of the superior officers of the police force, I
easily learned from him the following particulars: The man calling
himself Pigglewitch, who brought you a letter from Herr Director
Kramser, and who lived so long at Castle Osternau, has no right to the
name he bore there, and must be a mere adventurer.
"I remember perfectly well that the so-called Candidate Pigglewitch
arrived at Castle Osternau on the 6th of July, and on that very day the
real Pigglewitch is proved to have been in Berlin. He had informed his
lodging-house keeper--a woman by the name of Wiebe--that he had
obtained a situation as tutor, and that he was to be at Osternau, in
Silesia, on the 6th, but after leaving Berlin on the 5th he returned on
the evening of the 6th and took possession of his old quarters. Here he
stayed for several days, expecting, as he told his hostess, a letter
containing money, which would enable him to sail for America, and in
fact on the 9th of July a letter did arrive, addressed to Herr Gottlieb
Pigglewitch, and containing a large sum of money, some four thousand
marks, Frau Wiebe says. She further states that Pigglewitch was
overjoyed at the arrival of the letter, and told her that he should
spend a few days longer in Berlin to take some recreation before
sailing; that he left home early in the morning and returned late at
night until the 12th of July, when he went from the house at eleven in
the forenoon, and has not since been heard of. As there were no charges
against him, and as it was more than probable that he had sailed for
America, no search was made for him. Thus much at least is certain,
that the real Pigglewitch was in Berlin from the 6th to the 12th of
July, and that therefore the man who was at Castle Osternau must have
been an adventurer and impostor, wearing an assumed name.
"The conclusions to be drawn from this fact I leave to you. If the sham
Pigglewitch has returned from his journey, give him this letter to
read. I am curious to know whether he will defend himself against the
charges it contains, and whether you, Cousin Fritz, will still refuse
to call in the aid of the police. I have no I doubt that they would
find in his possession skeleton keys and a considerable sum of money,
unless he has been prudent enough to conceal them during his absence
from the castle.
"Day after to-morrow I shall return to Osternau, and in the mean time I
may perhaps learn something further of Herr von Ernau and of the sham
Pigglewitch.
"With great regard, faithfully yours,
"Albrecht Von Osternau."
"These are terrible revelations!" Frau von Osternau said, when her
husband had finished reading the letter. "Who would have thought it?
But yes, I always suspected that something was wrong. I never trusted
Herr Pigglewitch. While he sat at the piano and played or sang I
forgot, it is true, all my doubts, but they returned as I looked into
his restless, dark eyes. You know, Fritz, how often I have warned you
against him and begged you to dismiss him. Now he is proved to be an
adventurer and an impostor. In his own letter he confesses that he has
deceived us, that his life was a lie. He knew that discovery was
imminent, and so he has not returned. Now you will change your opinion
of him, and no longer delay sending an account of the robbery to the
Breslau police inspector."
"No, Emma, I am as thoroughly convinced of his innocence now as I
always have been," her husband replied. "Whoever the thief may have
been, it was not the Candidate. I wish for no clearing up of that
mystery."
Lieschen arose, went to her father, and, putting her arm around his
neck, kissed him tenderly, and said, "Thank you, my own kind, darling
papa!" Then she ran out of the room to hide the tears which Bertha must
not see.