THE MEETING.
The hour of noon had not yet struck. The Princess Zulieski sat alone in
that room of her summer villa which opened upon the balcony. She held
in her hand a letter received an hour previous, containing the
announcement of Waldemar's immediate coming. She gazed intently at the
letter, as if from its curt, chilling words, or from its handwriting,
she would read the character of the son who had become so entirely
estranged from her. During the time of her residence in France she had
neither seen nor heard from him. She retained in memory a distinct
picture of the child she had left behind her when she fled from her
husband's house, and as the infant even then resembled his father, the
picture was repulsive and seemed to correspond with all she had learned
of the youth. Now it was for her interest to win over this unloved son,
and the princess was not the woman to shrink from a difficult
undertaking. She rose, and, absorbed in thought, was walking up and
down the room, when she was suddenly arrested by the sound of heavy and
hurried footsteps in the hall. Paul at once opened the door, and
announced, "Herr Waldemar Nordeck." The young man entered, the door
closed behind him, and the mother and son stood face to face.
Waldemar advanced a few steps and then paused suddenly. The princess
sought to approach him, but she felt all at once like one paralyzed. At
this first moment of meeting it seemed as if a broad chasm had opened
between mother and son, as if the old estrangement had widened and
deepened. This moment of silence and mutual repulsion spoke more
distinctly than words; it showed that no tie of affection united these
two who should have been so near and yet were so far apart. The
princess was first to break the spell. "I thank you for coming, my
son," she said, extending her hand.
Waldemar slowly approached his mother; he held the proffered hand for
an instant only, and then let it fall. There was no attempt at an
embrace on either side. As the princess stood there in the sunlight,
her mourning apparel falling around her like a cloud, her figure was
imposingly beautiful; but although the young man gazed at her intently,
her grace and majesty did not seem to make the slightest impression
upon him. The mother's gaze also rested upon her son's face, but she
vainly sought a single feature like her own. This son was the living
image of his father--of the man she hated even in death.
"I was sure you would come," the princess said, as she sat down and
motioned for Waldemar to take a place near her side. Waldemar remained
standing. "Will you take a seat?" she asked, and the question reminded
the young man that he could not conveniently stand during his whole
visit. He drew up a chair and sat down opposite his mother, the place
at her side remaining vacant.
The mother could not misunderstand this action. She set her lips firmly
together, but her face betrayed no emotion. Waldemar wore, as usual, a
sort of hunting costume, which, although it bore no marks of the chase,
was ill-fitting and negligent, and differed widely from an elegant
riding-suit. He wore no gloves, and in his left hand he held a round
hat and a riding-whip. His boots were dusty, and his manner of seating
himself betrayed entire ignorance of the etiquette of the _salon_. His
mother saw all this at a glance, and she also marked the defiance in
his compressed lips and his blue eyes. She felt that her task would be
no easy one.
"We have become estranged from each other, Waldemar," she began; "and
at this first meeting I cannot ask a son's embrace from you. I was
forced to commit you in your childhood to the care of strangers; I have
never been allowed to fulfil a mother's duties to you, nor to exercise
her rights."
The angry expression which accompanied these words enraged Waldemar. "I
allow no reproaches to be cast upon my Uncle Witold," he cried,
furiously; "he has been a second father to me, and if you have summoned
me here to listen to attacks upon him, I will leave at once. You and I
can never be more than strangers."
The princess saw her error in thus giving way to animosity against the
hated guardian, but it was too late to repair it. Waldemar would in all
probability go away in a rage, and yet everything depended upon his
remaining. At this critical juncture, help came from an unexpected
source. A side door opened, and Wanda entered the room. She had just
returned from a walk with her father, and knew nothing of the young
man's visit.
Waldemar, who had already risen to go, stopped suddenly as if rooted to
the spot. His face flushed so deeply that its intense glow seemed
kindled by some inward flame; all its anger and defiance vanished, and
he stood there willess and motionless, his eyes fixed intently upon the
beautiful young girl. Wanda had been on the point of leaving the room
when she perceived that her aunt had a visitor, but as this stranger's
glance met hers, she uttered a half audible exclamation of surprise.
She did not lose her self-control, however, and was not in the least
embarrassed. On the contrary, she was seized with an uncontrollable
desire to laugh. It was too late to retire, so she closed the door
behind her and took her station near her aunt.
"My son, Waldemar Nordeck. My niece, Countess Morynski," said the
princess, looking with a puzzled expression from one to the other.
Wanda had quickly overcome her childish excitement, and recalled the
fact that she was a young lady and must maintain the dignity of that
position. Her graceful bow was in strict accordance with society
etiquette, but a tell-tale smile lurked around her mouth when Waldemar
acknowledged the introduction with a movement evidently intended for a
bow, but which was only a jerk and a grimace.
"You seem to have already met your cousin," said the mother in an
inquiring tone. Reference to the cousinly relation disconcerted the
young man still more.
"I do not know," he replied, with the greatest embarrassment. "In fact,
I have--a few days ago--"
"This young gentleman was so kind as to be my guide when I lost my way
in the forest," said Wanda, coming to the rescue. "It was day before
yesterday, on our way to the beech-holm."
The princess had considered this solitary walk through the forest a
most improper proceeding; but now she had not a word of censure. She
answered, very graciously,--
"It was indeed a singular meeting. But why are you both so formal?
Among relatives this is quite unnecessary. Give your cousin your hand,
Wanda."
The young girl extended her right hand without the least embarrassment.
Her cousin Leo was gallant enough to kiss this hand when given in
reconciliation after a dispute; the elder brother possessed no such
gallantry. He took the delicate lingers timidly and hesitatingly as if
scarce daring to touch them; then he all at once pressed them so
tightly that the young lady could scarce repress a cry of pain. This
new cousin was quite as much a stranger to her as to his half-brother
Leo, and they had looked forward with equal curiosity to the expected
visit. It was evident that Waldemar's manners and appearance surprised
her greatly.
"And so you met in the woods?" resumed the princess. "Was no name
mentioned by either that would have made you known to each other?"
"Unfortunately I took Herr Nordeck for a satyr," said Wanda, heedless
of her aunt's warning glance; "and he did his utmost to confirm me in
this belief. Dear aunt, you haven't the least idea how interesting our
conversation was! During our half-hour's companionship he did not make
it clear to me whether he belonged to the human race of our own day, or
to the old-world prodigies of myth and fable. You must see that, under
the circumstances, a formal introduction was unnecessary."
Her words had an unmistakably mocking tone, but Waldemar, who had just
shown himself so excitable, did not take the least offence. His eyes
rested intently on the young girl, whose satire he scarcely seemed to
hear.
The princess considered it necessary to put a stop to Wanda's jests ere
they ended in downright impertinence. She turned to her son with the
most stately composure, and said, "Waldemar, you have seen neither your
brother nor your uncle. I will take you to them. You will, of course,
pass the day with us?"
"If you desire it," replied Waldemar, hesitatingly. The former defiance
had vanished; he evidently had not the least idea of going.
"Most certainly I desire it. Remember this is your first visit, and it
must not be broken off abruptly. Come, Wanda."
Young Nordeck still hesitated; but when Wanda seconded her aunt's
request, he had no difficulty in deciding. He laid the hat and whip he
had until now persistently held in his hand upon the chair which in the
irritated mood of a few minutes before he had thrust from him, and
passively followed the ladies. A scarcely perceptible, but still a
triumphant smile played around the lips of the princess. She
was too good an observer not to know that she already had the game in
her own hands.