I PREVAIL ON PRUDENTIA TO ACCEPT OF A RING.
I wandered long among the fields and green hedges by the margin of
the river, musing on the sudden success of my love affair, marvelling
how or where it was all to end, and unable to determine, whether I
was a fortunate youth or a prodigious fool. I was very much in love
with Prudentia; yet on reflection could not but acknowledge to
myself, that to marry her, at the outset of my career as a soldier of
fortune, would be very like tying a cannon-shot to my heels; and
would inevitably curb my pursuit of that honour and fortune, which I
had hoped to win by my sword in the German war. But Prudentia was so
beautiful, so winning and attractive--she possessed such a piquant
manner and mode of expression--that I was completely blinded to the
future, and felt myself falling helplessly into the snare which the
little god had laid for me.
At the shop of a Jew in the Bürger-platz I procured a handsome ring
for Prudentia. For this I was to pay on the morrow, when she
returned me the doubloons; and lest by any chance, I should require
money in the interim, the friendly Israelite lent me ten dollars, on
condition that I should repay him fifteen on the third day, making in
all, with the price of the ring, twenty-five dollars to be paid him.
I placed the ring, which contained a fine Oriental amethyst and two
pearls, on my smallest finger, and punctually presented myself at the
habitation of my actress, not without fears that her door might again
vanish, but happily the passage was open. As I entered, Prudentia,
who was singing to the notes of her mandolin, came forward to welcome
me, and motioned towards a seat with her hand, snatching it away the
moment I attempted to kiss it.
"Now, señor," said she, pouting; "though I have invited you to dine
with me, you must be respectful, or I shall be angry. I would expire
with vexation, if you deemed this little return for your attention an
equivocal advance on my part."
"How can you imagine such things?" said I, quite charmed by her
frankness; "but ah, señora! why will you still repulse me?"
"Because," she replied with one of her brightest smiles; "that is the
very way to attract you."
"True--I remember that Ovid makes Daphne fly from her lover, and as
she flew his ardour increased."
"Ah! Ovid, knew human nature very well."
"Then you wish me to be distant and diffident?"
"Diffident at least; for diffidence is the best sign of a lover's
sincerity."
"Señora! then you do permit me to be your lover?" said I, more and
more enchanted, and approaching her despite her injunctions.
"Señor Don Philip, you will be my lover, whether I permit it or not."
"Oh yes!" I replied, while my heart beat like lightning and my voice
sank; "for to see you, to know you, and to love you, Prudentia, are
the same."
I slipped the amethyst ring upon her finger, and was just touching
her downcast brow with my lips, when the door opened, and, if a look
would have slain, the intruder had assuredly perished on the instant!
The wrinkled dame Krumpel, who acted as servant or housekeeper to
Otto Roskilde, appeared with a tray.
I now perceived for the first time that the table was covered for
dinner, by a white damask cloth, edged with red silk fringe; upon it
stood a trencher-salt and mustard-querne of silver, and several
flasks of Malmsey, Orleans, and Spanish wine, cooling in a jar among
ice. Covers were laid for two, with a knife and fork on each side of
them. The latter, being a new invention in Italy and Germany, was
wholly unknown among us in Scotland; and though I had read of it in
"Coryat's Crudities, or Travels in High Germany," printed in 1611,
being quite ignorant of how this steel instrument was to be used, I
resolved to observe and imitate the fair señora, my hostess.
It may be supposed that I had but little appetite, for a true love
fit always deprives one of that; but the dinner, which was both
sumptuous and extravagant, by the number of dainties presented,
must--as I reflected--have cost at least two of the ten doubloons I
had lent to Prudentia--and would fain have given her; for it seemed
altogether ungallant and intolerable to accept of them when offered
back; but how was I to march without money, especially in an army
like the Danish, where one had to pay for every thing, and where all
plunderers were tied to a post and shot without mercy?
We dined. I remarked that Prudentia had a very good appetite, which
I considered unromantic, and unfavourable to myself; the cloth was
removed, and we lingered over the _vino tinto de Alicante_, and some
of the luscious fruits of her own sunny clime. Reclined on the soft
down cushions of the sofa, with her long veil spread over her
shoulders, the señora lay half at length like a Moorish queen, taking
from time to time a grape or a sip of her sweet wine, and looking at
me with roguish eyes, through lids half closed with fun and
merriment; for as the fumes of the wine mounted into my brain, I
gathered new courage, and spoke only of love--love--but in broken
sentences; for between two circumstanced as we were--a young cavalier
and a dark-eyed coquette, a soldier and a gay actress--it may easily
be conceived that darling theme was paramount.
I know not now all the tender and all the foolish things I said; but
I remember that, at many of them, my pretty droll laughed
immoderately.
I sat by her side. In the last gleams of the sunset her glossy hair
and radiant complexion were glancing with that glow of light that
made her like a beautiful picture. We were conversing hand in hand,
at least mine rested on hers--but quite by chance--when she suddenly
proposed that, to pass the time, we should have a nice little game,
when she would afford me an opportunity of getting back my doubloons
with interest.
The old slipshod dame Krumpel, who attended us, having been summoned,
a pair of playing tables which stood in a corner--inlaid as for
playing chess--were arranged beside the sofa, and I sat opposite
Prudentia, who reclined among her cushions. Producing a pack of
Spanish cards, she offered to teach the old Castilian game of ombre.
I say Spanish cards, for they were essentially different from those
used among us in Scotland (and against which King James VI. passed a
law in the year 1621), having but forty-eight in the pack, being
without a ten, and having the king represented by a crowned figure.
As there is no queen, the next in rank is a knight, armed on all
points, and designated _el caballero_.
She taught me ombre certainly--but whether after a fashion of her
own, or that of the Castilians, I know not; but I rapidly lost my
dollars, which she arrayed in line on her own side of the table, with
the most pretty and provoking air.
Lights were brought, and then more red tent and macaroon biscuits,
for the hour was growing late; still the protracted game went on, and
if I regained a dollar I always lost it again; for between the
attention I bestowed on the bright smiles and jewelled fingers of
Prudentia, and my own intense desire to please, I was a very bad
pupil and worse gambler. The moments glided away, and so did my
dollars. At last Prudentia clapped her hands, and laughed loudly as
she threw down all her cards. She had made me bankrupt!
"Oh foolish señor! O bravo! Que fortuna!" she exclaimed; "how ill
you have played! You must beware of sharpers and knights of the
post. Ay de mi! You are much too guileless for this bad world. Ah!
if I had the making of it, how much better it should have done."
"Better?" said I, thinking of my dollars and doubloons.
"Yes, señor, for I would have left all the evil out of it."
"How innocent this creature is!" thought I; "and how sad it is, that
she is committed to a career of such perils as the stage!"
"Now, to punish you," said she, sweeping all my cash into the pocket
of her Spanish _guardain fante_, "I shall keep your purse till
to-morrow, for really I do not think you know how to take care of
your money."
"While playing, in my desire to please I did but confuse myself; yet
I am sure Prudentia will pardon me--a first love will make the
boldest heart timid."
"This is all very pretty," she replied, smoothing back her jetty
hair, and displaying the exquisite contour of her white arms; "but
lovers are so faithless!----"
"A real passion has no end but death. While one is a lover one will
be true, for love retires where falsehood enters." Her free manner
had infected me.
"Really," replied Prudentia, with one of her droll expressions of
eye, "for a young student and soldier, you are wonderful. I begin to
be quite charmed with you."
"Nay, I fear you but jest," said I, taking her right hand in mine,
and passing the other over her rich dark hair; "'tis I who am
charmed. Oh, Prudentia, you are indeed beautiful!"
"Stuff, señor?" She gave another of her merry ringing laughs. I
sighed; but, while she continued to smile, my heart beat quicker, and
my head became giddy with wine, and the thoughts that whirled through
it. I sat with one arm clasping her waist.
We were both silent, but a deep crimson began to steal over the
peach-like cheek of Prudentia.
"Que hora es!" said she suddenly, as a clock struck.
"Eleven!" said I.
"Eleven! oh señor Don Philip, you must go. What would be thought of
me, if you were known to be in my room at eleven in the night?"
"The time has flown so quick," said I, rising with reluctance.
"But, señor, you must go--it is so late."
"And we have been so happy--but there is no remedy."
I could have slept very well in my plaid on the little sofa, or even
on the mat at her door (for I was bewitched), but I dared not hint
that, and took up my sword and bonnet to retire.
"And when may I renew my visit, dearest Prudentia?"
"To-morrow at noon--exactly at noon," she replied, tendering her
cheek, and in another moment I found the secret door closed upon me.
I was on the dark landing-place of the stair, and groped my way to
that dreary apartment, where Ian Dhu, M'Alpine Roy, and strong
Phadrig Mhor, were sleeping on the floor, side by side in their
plaids, with their basket-hilted claymores for pillows.