Marietta had accepted the proffered arm without speaking a word until,
having reached a considerable distance, she commenced, with a timidity
otherwise foreign to her manner: "Herr von Eschenhagen----"
"Mein Fraulein."
"I--I am very grateful for your protection, but the Count--you have
insulted him--even with a blow. He will challenge you and you will have
to accept it."
"Of course, with the greatest pleasure," said Willy, and his face was
beaming as if the prospect gave him unmixed delight.
His awkward, embarrassed manner had suddenly disappeared; he felt
himself a hero and deliverer, and enjoyed the new position immensely.
Marietta looked at him in speechless amazement.
"But it is awful that this should happen for my sake!" she commenced
again, "and that it should be just you."
"Perhaps that is not agreeable to you," said the young lord, who in his
present elated mood took offence at the last remark. "But Fraulein, in
such a case one has no choice. Forced by necessity, you had to accept
me as protector, even if I did not stand very high in your esteem."
A burning blush spread over Marietta's face at the remembrance of that
hour when she had poured out her supreme contempt on the man who now
took her part so gallantly.
"I thought only of Toni and her father," she returned in a low voice.
"I am blameless in this matter, but if I should be the cause of your
being torn from your fiancee----"
"Toni must accept it then as providential," said Willy, upon whom
the mention of his betrothed made little impression. "One can
lose his life anywhere, and one must not always expect the worst
consequences----Where shall I carry you, Fraulein? To the Parkstrasse?
I believe I heard that you wished to go there."
She shook her head quickly.
"No, no! I intended going to Professor Marani, who is teaching me a new
role, but I cannot sing now--it is impossible. Let us look for a
carriage; we may find one over there. I would like to go home."
Willibald turned his steps at once in the appointed direction, and they
walked on silently to the edge of the park, where several cabs were
standing.
The young girl stopped here and looked anxiously and entreatingly at
her companion.
"Herr von Eschenhagen must it really be? Cannot the matter be smoothed
over?"
"Hardly: I have given the Count a heavy blow and called him an impudent
fellow, and shall stand to that, of course, if it should come to any
explanation; but do not worry about that. The affair will probably be
settled with a few scratches by tomorrow or the day after."
"And must I remain two or three days in this anxious uncertainty? Will
you not at least send me word about it?"
Willibald looked into the dark, tearful eyes, and with that look there
came into his eyes that strange sudden glow as on that day when he
heard the voice of the "_singvoegelchen_" for the first time.
"If everything passes off happily I shall come myself and bring you
word," he replied. "May I?"
"Oh, certainly, certainly. But if an accident occurs--if you should
fall?"
"Then keep me in better remembrance than heretofore, mein Fraulein,"
said Willibald, earnestly and cordially. "You must have considered me a
great coward--oh, do not say anything! You were right. I felt it myself
bitterly enough--but it was my mother whom I was accustomed to obey,
and who loves me very much. But you shall see now that I know how a man
must act when a defenceless girl is being insulted in his presence. I
will now erase, if need be, with my blood, that bad hour."
Without giving her time to reply he called one of the waiting cabs,
opened the door, and gave the driver the street and number which
Marietta had given him. She entered the carriage and stretched out her
little hand to him once more. He held it for a moment, then the young
girl threw herself back upon the cushion with a stifled sob, and the
carriage rolled away.
Willy followed it with his eyes until nothing more could be seen of it,
then he drew himself up and said with a kind of grim satisfaction: "Now
take care, Herr Count! It will be a real pleasure to me now to fire
until sight and hearing leave me."