Ferdinanda only stood talking to her friends in the clock-room till she
thought that Reinhold, who had repeatedly turned round to look for her,
had forgotten her for the moment, and had given himself up to the study
of the picture. Then she bowed to the two ladies, and allowed herself
to be carried along by a stream of people who were going into the next
room, waited a moment to be certain that Reinhold was not following
her, and then walked quickly away with the air of a person looking for
her lost companion, and who has therefore only a slight nod for any
acquaintance she may meet, through this room and the skylight room into
the fourth room, and out of these into the long suite of small rooms
which from here led back to the chief room, and into which even during
the first few days visitors rarely came.
Even to-day it was comparatively empty, only here and there isolated
individuals, who with fleeting curiosity examined the pictures, never
stopping long, and casting a look of astonishment at an officer who did
not seem to be able to tear himself away from a very indifferent
landscape. At last his interest seemed appeased; he walked rapidly
away, when again his attention was attracted to a picture close to the
entrance. It was the same picture before which Ferdinanda had stopped.
The light was so unfavourable that there was only one spot from which
the picture could be properly seen. So the officer was obliged to stand
quite close to the lady, and in so doing he trod on her dress.
"I beg your pardon," he said aloud, and then in a low voice, which only
reached her ear, "Do not turn round till I tell you; speak into the
corner; no one will observe it. First of all let me thank you!"
"Why?"
"For coming here."
"I only came to tell you that I will bear it no longer."
"Have I nothing to bear?"
"No, not in comparison with me."
"I love you as you love me."
"Prove it."
"How?"
"By deeds, and not words."
"With my hands tied?"
"Break the bonds that hold you!"
"I cannot."
"Good-bye."
She turned to the door through which she had come; he forgot all
caution, and stood in her way. They confronted each other, their eyes
meeting.
"Ferdinanda!"
"Let me go!"
"You must hear me! for God's sake, Ferdinanda! Such an opportunity as
this may not occur again for weeks!"
She laughed scornfully. "We have plenty of time."
Again she tried to pass him; he still stood in her way.
"Ferdinanda!"
"Once again let me go! You wish for an opportunity? You will perhaps
never have so good a one of getting rid of me."
He stood back with a bow; she could have gone if she pleased, but she
did not go; the hot tears had started into her eyes, she did not dare
to meet people so, and turned back to the picture, where he immediately
took his original position.
"Be kind, Ferdinanda! I have so looked forward to this hour. Why do you
embitter the moments so precious to both of us? You know, you must know
that I am prepared to go all lengths if it must be. But we cannot take
the final step without considering everything."
"We have been considering for the last six months."
"With the garden wall between us, and in words which were only half
understood, in letters where one cannot express what one wants. That is
no use. You must meet me somewhere, as I have so often entreated. Am I
never to take your hand in mine, never to press my lips against yours?
and you ask for a proof of my love!"
She went up to his side and gazed into the beautiful, restless hazel
eyes. Still more beautiful and darker eyes had gazed at her like that a
few hours ago, and with more passionate warmth. She had been able to
withstand them, these she could not withstand. The eyelashes fell upon
her burning cheeks.
"I can not," she stammered.
"Say I will not, I have made innumerable suggestions to you. Only the
other day I got introduced to your brother at the Club. He was
delighted to make my acquaintance, pressed me to visit him, to come and
see his pictures. How easily we could meet there."
"I dare not go and see my brother. I have not dared to go for a long
time, and now after last night!"
"Then your cousin! Of course he will come and see us? I shall return
the visit. Your father cannot turn me away from the door!"
"I have already thought of that and prepared him. But in that case it
could only be for a very few minutes."
"Then I will think of something else, if only I knew what you would
like; I will find something and write to you, or I should prefer
telling you whenever you give me the signal."
"I dare not do it again."
"Why?"
"There is some one who watches every step I take. I am not safe from
him for one moment--Antonio--I have told you about him; I am afraid."
"You are afraid of everything."
He turned quickly and impatiently towards the window near which he
stood. At the same moment a handsome, remarkably smartly-dressed young
man disappeared from the door at the other end of the gallery, where he
had stood for the last few minutes, so placed that by bending a little
to the left he could easily see the couple in the window with his dark,
eagle eyes, without much danger of being seen himself. If necessary he
had only to withdraw into the crowd which filled the large neighbouring
room. He had seen enough now, and mingled again with the throng.
When Ottomar, after looking out of window for a few seconds, turned to
speak to Ferdinanda the words of reconciliation which were on his lips
and in his heart, her place was empty.
Ferdinanda could not help it. The acquaintances with whom she had
before spoken had passed the door of the next room, close to which she
stood, and luckily without seeing her. But they were standing quite
close to the door, the dress of one of them was still in sight. At any
moment they might turn into the gallery if she did not go forward to
meet them and keep them till Ottomar, who would of course understand it
all, should himself leave the gallery by the other side. And if he
did not understand--so much the worse for him. Then it would all be
over--better to-day than to-morrow if it must be!
But Ottomar had observed nothing, had not seen the two ladies, had not
even seen Ferdinanda, who, to get out of the way of the people in the
door, had been obliged to go a step or two into the room, and was now
speaking to her friends. She had left him without a word of farewell or
explanation.
"By heaven, that is rather strong!" said he, biting his lips and
pulling his small dark moustache. "Well, as she pleases!" And he
rapidly left the gallery and went through the same door where the
handsome young man had stood into the large room.