Her eyes gleamed archly.
"Yes. Hitherto, at least, a single man has never sufficed. With only
one I had time to see all his faults, and since my first love, a
Russian officer, I would always have preferred to keep three knives
dancing in the air. But as that was impossible, I generally halved my
loaf."
The mountains rang with his laughter.
"Well. I haven't lived a saint, and I can't expect my wife to bring
more than I."
"You bring too much. You bring that Countess."
"My dear Helene," he said, struck serious. "I am entirely free in
regard to the Countess, as she is long since as regards me. Of course
she will, at the first shock, feel opposed to my marriage with a
distinguished young girl on the same intellectual level as herself.
That is human, feminine, natural. But when she knows you she will
adore you, and you will repay her in kind, since she is my second
mother. You do not understand her. The dear Countess desires no other
happiness than to see me happy."
"And therefore," said Helene cynically, "she will warn you to beware.
She will hunt up all my offences against holy German morals--"
"I don't care what she hunts up. All I ask is, be a monotheist
henceforwards."
"Now you are asking _me_ to become a Jewess."
"I ask you only to become my wife."
He caught her hands passionately. His eyes seemed to drink her in. She
fluttered, enjoying her bird-like helplessness.
"Turn your eyes away, my royal eagle!"
"You are mine! you are mine!" he cried.
"I am my father's--I am Janko's," she panted.
"They are shadows. Listen to yourself. Be true to yourself."
"I have no self. It seems so selfish to have one. I am anything--a
fay, a sprite, an elf." She freed her hands with a sudden twist and
ran laughing up the mountain.
"To the sunrise!" she cried. "To the sunrise!"