Albano stood for a long time speechless, looked to heaven, let the leaf
fall, and folded his hands, and said, "Thou sendest peace,--I must not
choose war,--well, my lot is fixed!" Joy of life, new powers and plans,
delight in the prospect of the throne, where only mental effort tells,
as rather physical does on the battle-field, the images of new parents
and relations, and displeasure at the past, stormed through each other
in his spirit. He tore himself loose from his whole former life, the
ropes of the whole previous death-chime were broken, he must, in order
to win Eurydice out of Orcus, like Orpheus, shun looking back upon the
way which he had past. He unveiled all to his new friend, for he
battled, he said, now at length, on a free open field for his hitherto
concealed right, and should set out immediately for the city. During
the recital, the long and daring game which had been played with his
holiest rights and relations incensed him still more, and his mistrust
of his powers and weapons against the adversaries to whom Luigi fell a
victim, and that very brother himself, who could hitherto embrace him
in so hard and unbrotherly a mask. "How different was the true sister!"
said he. "Why," he went on, "did they oblige me to owe so many thanks
to so many a proud, stern spirit for my mere--birthright? Why did they
not trust my silence quite as well? O, thus was I forced to
misinterpret the poor dead one over yonder,[152] because she, in that
hostile night, at the altar sacrificed her fair heart to my revealed
rank! Thus was I compelled by presumptions and purposes to injure so
many a genuine soul! How innocent might I be but for all this!" "Calm
yourself," said Siebenkäs, with keen resentment, "the strength of the
foe is driven to resistance, and drawn off from the defeat; and what
would a victory have been on an empty battle-field?"
Siebenkäs had, at the revelation of his friend's illustrious rank, and
at seeing the fire of his passionateness, which he knew only in common,
not in noble manifestations, stepped back some paces,--a movement which
Albano did not observe, because he had not presumed upon it. Siebenkäs
sought as well as he could,--for his inner man was gradually unfolding
again its limbs, which had been frozen stiff in the grave of his
friend,--to win back his gentle mirthfulness, and with these flowery
chains to bind the impetuous youth. "I rejoice," said he, "that I am
the first to offer you wishes on your birth- and coronation-day, all
which, however, merge in the single one that you may always assert your
baptismal name,--for Alban is the well-known patron saint of the
peasants. Except the Haarhaar Prince, whom the Knight truly hits off
with the device of the founder of his order, Philip: _ante ferit quam
flamma micet_,[153] no one, perhaps, is to be pitied in this connection
but the financial stamp-cutter, who now receives nothing new to cut, as
the old line continues in power." He added lightly, because he had
never seen the heavy wooded and cloud-bearing rock, Gaspard: "What a
singular game of names, which few _Cavalleros del Tuzone_ have ever
played, it is, that he happens to call himself _De Cesara_, since, as
you know, the Spaniards, like the old Romans, often appropriate to
themselves the names of their actions or accidents. Thus it is
everywhere known from the _Pieces Interassantes_, Tom. I., that
Orendayn, for example, took the name _La Pas_, because he, in 1725,
signed the peace between Austria and Spain,--he baptized himself with a
third name, _Transport Real_, in order to remember and remark that he
had carried away the Infante to Italy. _Cesara_ is of course more
accidental."
Albano was, for the first time, by such resemblances of spirit to the
free Schoppe, really drawn to his heart. He took leave of him, and
said, "Friend of our friend, will we keep together?" "Verily, the doubt
which rests upon the decision of your fate, Prince," replied Siebenkäs,
"were alone sufficient to settle that, if only my heart alone had the
business of settling it; but--" Albano shrugged his shoulders, as if
irritated, but was silent; "meanwhile I will remain here," the other
continued, more softly, "until the earth rests on the deceased; then I
set up the black wooden cross over it, and write all his names
thereupon." "Well, so be it!" said Albano. "But his dog I take, because
he has been longer acquainted with me. I am a young man, still young in
lost years, but already very old in lost times, and understand as well
as many another who is bent by age what it is to lose fellow-creatures.
Singular it is, that I always find on graves mirrors wherein the dead
walk and look, alive again. Thus I found on Liana's grave her living
image and echo; my old prostrate Schoppe I found, also, as you know,
erect and stirring, behind a looking-glass, which my hand could as
little break through. I assure you, even my parents were conjured
before me; my father I can see in a cylindrical mirror, and my mother
through an object-glass. Here, now, there is nothing to do, when one
stands in a night, where all stars of life move downward, but stand
very firm therein. But to my old humorist must I still say _Adio_."
He went into the chamber of death. Silently Siebenkäs followed him,
struck with the unwonted quaintness of his--grief. With dry eyes,
Albano drew the white cloth from the earnest face, whose fixed eyebrows
no longer shaped themselves for any joke, and which slept away in an
iron sleep without time. The dog seemed to be shy of the cold man.
Albano sought, by sharp, vehement, dry looks, to imprint the dead face,
even to every wrinkle, deeply on his brain, as in plaster, especially
as the most living copy, the friend, had escaped him. Then he lifted
the heavy hand, and placed it on the brow which was to wear the
princely hat, as if therewith to bless and consecrate it. At last he
bent down to the face, and lay for a long time on the cold mouth; but,
when he finally raised himself up, his eyes were weeping, and his whole
heart, and he tremblingly held out his hand to the spectator, and said,
"Well, so mayest thou, too, fare well!" "No," cried Siebenkäs; "I
cannot do that, if I go. Schoppe! I stay with thy Albano!"
Just then came Wehrfritz and Augusti, and interrupted the weeping
solemnity of the threefold love with gay looks and words.