She staggers back, remains speechless for a moment, and then bursts
into not convulsive, not hysterical, no, only indescribably mocking
laughter. "And I was proud to bear the name of Lanzberg," she murmurs.
"Now at last I know how I came by that honor." She feels not one iota
of pity for the mortally wounded man who has quivered at each of her
words as beneath the blow of a whip; she feels nothing at all but her
immense humiliation. The wish to pain him as much as possible burns
within her, and for a moment she pauses in her speech because she can
think of nothing that is cutting and venomous enough. "And if you had
even informed me of the situation, had given me the choice whether I
would bear a branded name or not," she at length begins again.
Then he who had until this moment sat there perfectly silent, with
anxiously raised shoulders, his hand over his eyes, raises his head
wearily. "Linda, I begged your mother to tell you of my disgrace--she
assured me that she had done so. On my word of----" he pauses, a
horrible smile parts Linda's lips.
"Go on," cries she, "your word of honor. I will believe you--it is
possible that you speak the truth. My mother suppressed your
confession, good; but every glance and word of mine during our
engagement must have convinced you that she had suppressed it. You
cannot answer that to your conscience," she hissed.
To that he replies nothing, but sits there motionless and silent. She
wishes to force him to proclaim his shame by an outcry, a gesture of
supplication. "I have borne a branded name for five years--I have
brought into the world a branded child," says she quickly and
distinctly, her eyes resting intently upon him.
At length he shudders; he looks at her with a glance which pleases her,
it shows such fearful misery--her eyes sparkle. "And all for the sake
of a Juanita!" she cries again scornfully, and leaves the room.
She rushes down stairs breathlessly; there in the large drawing-room
stands the picture, the package of letters lies on a table. Tears of
rage rush to Linda's eyes. She pulls the bell sharply. "Take that
picture away!" she commands the servant who appears.
She would like to declare to the servant that she knew nothing of the
Lanzberg disgrace when she married a Lanzberg.