MISCHIEF FOR IDLE HANDS.
Bertha Von Wangen was seated at breakfast on the balcony. She had risen
quite early to enjoy the dewy freshness of the morning which had
followed the storm of the night before, and Elise and Clara were her
companions. The lady of the mansion was not fond of solitude, and,
moreover, she was desirous of knowing how her guest had passed the
night. For this purpose she had sent her maid to question Fraeulein
Lieschen in the blue room an hour previously, but Elise was no longer
there,--she had resigned her post to a maid so soon as her patient's
quiet, regular breathing showed that he was sleeping naturally. Thus,
while Elise now poured out the coffee, she replied to Bertha's
inquiries as to how the night had been passed; Wangen, meanwhile,
pacing the garden-walk below, within hearing, with his cigar. He
disappeared, however, when the physician from Ostrowko was announced,
and Elise eagerly awaited his return, although from fear of Bertha's
spiteful observations she suppressed all show of anxiety in her face or
manner.
Nor was Bertha herself so easy and careless as she would fain have
appeared while waiting for the verdict of the doctor. As, years before,
she had striven at Castle Osternau to manifest none of the interest
excited in her mind and heart by the tutor, so now she feigned
indifference with regard to his state, and spoke of the obligation of
receiving a man of Pigglewitch's condition beneath her roof as a
burdensome duty, hoped the "poor creature would soon be able to pursue
his journey," and twitted Elise with the eager philanthropy which had
led her to transgress the bounds of strict propriety. But here Clara,
with her ready championship, interfered, and, embracing her dearest
Elise, rather stormily declared that everything that she did was "good,
and kind, and perfect."
In fact, the mistress of Hugo von Wangen's heart and home had by no
means forgotten the Candidate of former days, or the interest with
which he had inspired her. Her life, so different from any which she
had imagined and hoped for in her girlish dreams, bored her from
morning until night. No children had appeared to bless her loveless
marriage, and, perhaps, to open their mother's heart to nobler
aspirations and a higher ideal of duty. She was entirely unable, from
the intrinsic shallowness of her nature, to appreciate her husband's
nobler qualities or his intense chivalric devotion to herself. She was
idle and weary, and her empty mind and heart were ready to welcome any
unworthy passion that could bring them amusement and occupation. The
image of the enigmatical tutor of Castle Osternau arose before her
invested with a thousand attractions, and she actually felt envious of
Elise who had been able to watch beside him. Yes, the girl was always
in her way.
The doctor stayed but a few minutes in the blue room. Bertha distinctly
heard his footsteps descending the stairs, and his only, so her husband
must have remained with the Candidate. Why had the physician left so
soon? Had he come too late then? She was possessed by a feverish
anxiety, she longed to run out into the corridor and question him; but
no, Elise must not suspect her of eagerness to hear his verdict. She
was doomed always to be forced to feign before Elise.
At last, after some minutes, which seemed to her hours, Wangen entered
the room; one look at his face was enough to show that he brought no
bad news, and she sank back negligently in the arm-chair from which she
had half sprung up to meet him.
Hugo advanced with a beaming smile; his first glance was for his wife,
but she was evidently so uninterested in what he had to say that he
turned to Elise, whose eager eyes showed the depth of her anxiety. He
nodded kindly to her:
"Good news, Fraeulein Lieschen: your patient is all right. He awoke
perfectly conscious, and the doctor says his wound is nothing to
signify. He has had a wonderful escape, and is now dressing, in hopes
of presenting himself to the ladies in half an hour, with a bandage
about his head, to be sure, but scarcely enough of an invalid to make
himself interesting on that score."
Elise flushed crimson, and her eyes were suffused for a moment; she
said nothing, but her joy and relief were so evident that Clara loudly
expressed her sympathy:
"Now all is well once more, darling Elise, and you will not cry, as you
were doing this morning when Bertha sent for you."
"No, no need for tears," Wangen said, gaily; but he grew grave as he
turned to his wife with, "I bring you a special message, Bertha, from
our guest. He asks permission to present himself to you, to thank you
for the hospitality which he has received beneath our roof. He
requested me to announce his visit to you."
"I really do not consider a visit from Herr Pigglewitch of such
importance as to need a special announcement," Bertha made reply. "The
man has evidently not lost the good opinion which he formerly
entertained of himself."
"But in this instance there is some reason why you should be prepared
for a visit which else might have surprised you not quite agreeably.
Herr Pigglewitch wishes to present himself to you without the mask
which he wore at Castle Osternau, as his true self and our future
neighbour, Herr Egon von Ernau."
"It is he then? Ah, I knew it, I knew it!" Elise exclaimed,
involuntarily.
The effect produced upon Bertha by the name of Ernau was magical. She
lost entirely her hardly-won self-control, and, starting up, gazed
alternately at her husband and at Elise with eyes aflame.
"You knew it? You were his confidante, and leagued with him against
me?" she cried, her voice trembling with anger.
"No, Bertha; how can you even imagine such a thing?" Elise calmly
replied. "He never uttered a word to me in confidence; but once, when
we were alone, and I had distinctly expressed my low estimation of Herr
von Ernau, he reproved me for my harsh judgment, and as he went on to
explain how Herr von Ernau might have suffered from evil influences, he
spoke so from his heart that I suspected he was defending himself, and
not another. Then, when he left us and Herr von Ernau suddenly
reappeared in Berlin, I suspected still more strongly who my teacher
had been. I never revealed this by a word, not even to my father and
mother; I had no right to betray his secret so long as he guarded it
himself, but for me it was a secret no longer."
"You knew yesterday evening then that we had Herr von Ernau beneath our
roof? Ah, now I understand your eagerness to tend and nurse the wounded
man."
"Dear Bertha, how unkind, how unjust you are!" her husband said,
reproachfully.
"Of course you think me unjust, and Elise the model of all sweetness
and compassion. She could have had no interested motives. The poor
Candidate and the wealthy Egon von Ernau were alike to her."
"I have given you no reason, Bertha, to speak thus insultingly. Let me
go to my room until you are able to compose yourself and think better
and more justly of me."
"Oh, you will not be allowed to stay there long; you will speedily be
summoned to receive the acknowledgments of your grateful patient. Clara
can be his Mercury."
"Clara will come with me, and I shall stay in my room so long as Herr
von Ernau remains at Linau. Since I make it a special request, I am
sure that you, Herr von Wangen, will not mention my presence beneath
your roof. I pray you promise me this."
"But, Fraeulein Lieschen----"
"I can take no refusal to give me this promise. It is the only way in
which you can atone for Bertha's unworthy suspicions. Come, Clara, you
will surely obey me?"
"Indeed I will--go with you and stay with you, my dearest Elise!" the
girl exclaimed, impetuously. "I see how Bertha hates you, but I will
love you all the more." She took Elise's hand and drew her gently
towards the door, casting an indignant glance at her sister-in-law as
she passed her.
Wangen had been moving restlessly about the room while his wife and
Elise had been speaking. Every word of Bertha's cut him to the heart.
He could not but sympathize in Clara's honest indignation, and the
vague consciousness that he was taking part against the wife whom he so
adored made him miserable. "I did not think you could be so unkind," he
said, sadly, when he and Bertha were left alone in the room.
Bertha heard his words, but she did not heed them; her eyes were bent
thoughtfully upon the floor. Suddenly raising them, she said, "Did you
tell Herr von Ernau that Elise is here?"
"No, I forgot to. I was so amazed to find him perfectly conscious, and
then to hear him declare himself Egon von Ernau, that I never thought
of Elise during our short conversation."
"You need not excuse yourself, dearest Hugo, you were perfectly right.
Ernau must not know that Elise is here. If he is to fall a victim to
her snares, it must not be beneath our roof. Oh, I suspected her air of
unconscious innocence long ago! How craftily she has plotted to compass
her ends! I never dreamed that it was for the wealthy Egon von Ernau
that she was casting her nets four years ago. I thought her enamoured
of the poor Candidate. Her exclamation just now opened my eyes. Now I
understand why, knowing that Plagnitz was so near us, she instantly
consented, greatly to my surprise, to come to us as Clara's governess.
Oh, I have been blind! but now that I see it all, her schemes shall be
foiled!"
Wangen had listened in growing distress to his wife's voluble
accusations of Elise. For the first time since his marriage the glow
upon Bertha's cheek, the angry light in her fine eyes inspired him with
anything save admiration, although he was too good-humoured to be
seriously provoked with her. "I cannot comprehend you, my dearest," he
said, sadly. "How can you give rein to such unkind fancies?"
"They are not fancies," Bertha insisted, with vehemence. "Your good
nature blinds you, but you must be made to perceive the truth. Elise
shall not attain her ends, however. I owe it to poor Herr von Ernau to
save him from this Circe. You and I wronged him deeply years ago. We
will atone for it now in coming to his rescue."
"I do not understand you, Bertha. What wrong did you and I ever do to
Herr von Ernau?"
"Have you then quite forgotten the past? Was I not all but betrothed to
him, and did I not forget him so soon as I learned to know you?
Scarcely had I heard of his death when I lent an ear to your vows, and
when afterwards he would have claimed his rights I repulsed him with
aversion. He loved me. Now, since I know that he knew me at Castle
Osternau, I can understand why he left Berlin in despair after learning
of my betrothal to you. You have heard the sad story from my father. Do
you not see how we have embittered the unfortunate man's life? I could
not help it. I loved you, but I am conscious of the wrong I did him. Do
you not feel this with me, my dearest love?"
She clasped her hands about his arm and looked up at him, her eyes
swimming with tenderness, and Wangen thought he had never seen her so
surpassingly lovely. What was there that he could refuse her? What
proposal of hers could he gainsay?
"Do you not see that it is our duty to be doubly kind to him to atone
for the wrong our love has done him?" she asked, still gazing into his
eyes.
"Why--yes, of course, my darling; but what can we do?"
"Receive him as a dear friend, be to him the best of neighbours, and,
above all, prevent his falling a prey to the arts of a thorough
coquette. Who knows but that in time he may take a fancy to Clara?"
Wangen laughed outright. "What an idea!" he said. "Ah, trust a woman
for match-making! That child!"
"That child is now a wonderfully lovely girl, and will in a couple of
years be well worth the wooing."
"Nonsense! nonsense, my darling!"
"Promise me at least not to let Herr von Ernau know that Elise is
here."
"The fact cannot be concealed."
"Trust me to see that it is. Only say that you will not tell him of
it."
He promised, although he could not persuade himself that Fraeulein
Lieschen was what his wife represented her. How could it be that he had
been so mistaken in her? Still, his respect for his wife's superiority
of mind, his entire confidence in her keenness of insight, so far
beyond his own, forbade his seeming to doubt what she asserted so
positively. And then when she looked into his face with those pleading
eyes he was as wax in her hands.