"Odintzov," Waldor explained, "is our Petersburg lawyer and
business-man, a most trustworthy fellow. What do you say now?"
"That I do congratulate you heartily. How did you get hold of this?"
"See what it is to be in luck! I knew that the lawsuit would soon be
decided, though Alexandra refused to believe it. So I gave orders that
any telegram arriving, by day or by night, was to be straightway sent
here by mounted express. Returning just now from the outposts, close to
Rinstedt, I overtook on the high-road a fellow trotting along in front
of me. 'Telegram from Rinstedt?' 'Yes, sir.' 'Princess Volinzov?' 'Yes,
sir.' 'Give it to me.' The beggar had got rid of the telegram before he
knew what was up. I read it by the light of my cigar; hence this stain.
May I trouble you for an envelope? Or perhaps you would be so kind as
to hand it to the Princess with my respectful compliments? It would
give her double pleasure. I can assure you that you are still as
fortunate as ever with the sex! Alexandra quite raves about you. Good!
Now, you may both put your wise heads together and settle how and when
the battle, which is won, is to be utilised for the benefit of our
young _proteges_. I give you two _plein pouvoir_. I should say, let
them dangle a little longer. I could come over with Kurt, never saying
a word of this to him. We would have a nice little supper. 'Ladies and
gentlemen, I have the exquisite pleasure of presenting my future wife
to you--the Princess Alexandra Paulovna.' Capital! The amazed look in
the eyes of our beautiful hostess is worth doing it for. And then the
young ones immediately afterwards--only, of course, you must first
pitch into the little girl properly; she seems to have a bit of a will
of her own. All right, you'll see to it all between you, no doubt.
Good-bye, _mon cher_! You are looking deucedly fagged. That's the
result of being so much indoors. I have been on my legs since four
o'clock yesterday morning, and feel as fresh as paint. Is this Kurt's
glass? Oh, bother all ceremony! It is not the first that he and I have
been using the same glass."
He filled the glass and drained it at one draught.
"Capital wine that! Well, good-bye, and _au revoir!_"
The Colonel had rushed off again.
"And thus," said Bertram with a smile, "one conquers the world. Perhaps
it looks harder than it really is."
He again sat down at the writing-table and took up a fresh sheet of
paper.
"Gracious Princess,--Waldor has just left me, after handing me, for
transmission to you, the enclosed telegram, on the contents of which I
beg to offer my hearty congratulations. I am sorry I must do so in
writing, for a few hours hence I shall leave this--secretly--not to
return. Business that will brook no delay makes this imperative, and I
have not told Waldor of it. He hopes to find me here this evening, that
I may be a witness to the amazement which the announcement of your
engagement will cause in this friendly circle, as all obstacles to it
are now removed. I am sincerely sorry that I cannot afford him that
pleasure--for to him it would really be a pleasure.
"I regret it the more, because I must prepare a worse disappointment
for him. For I consider it, in the interest of our _proteges_, to be
desirable--necessary, if you wish--that you, My Lady, should also leave
to-morrow; without waiting for Waldor's evening visit. The
communication which you were resolved to make to our fair young friend
Erna, before Waldor had given you _plein pouvoir_ (which he now begs to
do through me), will only have the right calming effect if you strike
the proper note on Erna's heart, and then let it ring out full and
clear. In life, as on the stage, a good ending has to be provided for.
This is missed if one lingers on the stage, when once the decisive word
has been spoken.
"And what about the communication itself?
"I should deem it presumptuous on my part, were I to venture to advise
Claudine's clever friend on this point. She knows that one is compelled
to say the whole truth only in a court of law. In life it is
sufficient, nay, it is often requisite in the interest of humanity, to
say nothing but the truth, to be sure, but, of the truth, only what is
needful and useful--to use the words which Lessing puts into the mouth
of his wise Jew Nathan.
"And, now, let me add to my requests, a word of deep and sincere
gratitude that you deemed me worthy to make the acquaintance of
Claudine and of yourself. Your friend is perhaps more interesting and
intellectual--at least you said so--but your heart is a thousand times
more noble.
"I have always paid due respect to intellectual capacity; but before a
noble heart I gladly and reverently bend my knee."
Silence had for a long time been reigning again in the mansion-house.
The combat, too, though it had commenced in the immediate vicinity, was
now being continued a long way off, and one only heard something like
the rumbling of a distant thunder-storm. The candles on Bertram's
writing-table had all but burned down to the sockets; he turned his
wearied eyes towards the window, through which the dull grey morning
light was coming. Konski came into the room.
"What time is it?"
"Just five, sir."
"So late? Well, I am ready. Did you get hold of a carriage?"
"It is waiting at the bridge below."
"Did you get if from the mayor?"
"Yes, Herr Doctor. At first he was making no end of excuses; for they
all want to drive to the man[oe]vres, every man of them; and Herr von
Busche has ordered a trap, too, for the afternoon. He'll have to be
content with a common cart and a sack. Never mind that, though!"
"Why should you look so miserable about that?"
"It isn't about that at all, Herr Doctor."
"Well?"
"It is because I do not like to let the Herr Doctor drive away like
this. Can you not take me with you?"
"Impossible! You see yourself that you have a couple of hours' work
before you yet. These sealed packets are to go into the small
portmanteau which you keep by you. These letters you will deliver, when
the ladies have risen. This money is for the servants. Do not forget
any one, and do not be stingy, Konski! And remember me kindly to your
Aurora. And now my cloak, please, and so good-bye, Konski."
"Am I not at least to see the Herr Doctor to the carriage?"
"No."
"Herr Doctor, do not be angry; I really mean so well by you, and Aurora
does too. We have been speaking of nothing else. And she swears that
the Herr Doctor, if he wished it, could have Miss Erna for the asking."
"Then tell your Aurora that the Herr Doctor does not wish it, and that
the Herr Doctor has better things to do than to spoon and fool about,
like you and her."
He had held out his hand to the faithful servant, and now he was gone.
A minute later, Konski, standing mournfully by the window, saw the
dark figure striding swiftly past the lawn, and vanish behind the
terrace-wall. He closed the window with a sigh.
Bertram lessened his pace, as soon as he knew himself unobserved.
Slowly he descended the steps to the second terrace. Here was the
leafy grove which, on the left, led to the platform beneath the
plantain-tree. He glanced timidly that way. His foot had already
touched the next step, he wanted to get down,--to get away,--but
something like a magic spell drew him to the spot.
There, in this chair, she had sat; he was facing her; and the golden
sunbeams had flitted through the dense foliage, and the birds had been
holding a gleeful festival in the branches, and from the gardens below
fairest fragrance of flowers had been wafted up, and his heart had been
full of light and joy, and of all the blissfulness of spring. And now!
and now!
"Thou sacred dawn of early morn, forgive me! You quiet trees and
bushes, tell it not! I have borne what man can bear; more, I cannot."
And pressing his hand to his face, he wept.