"It was almost evening, on the 13th of November, as an extra post drove
quickly into the court. 'Another visit!' was my first thought, so many
people had been turned away in those days. 'You will fare no better,'
thought I; 'you will soon turn around and drive home.' But, no, the
carriage stopped, and a gentleman swung himself out. My heart stood
still from fear--Klaus! How came Klaus to-day?
"Should I hurry out to meet him? Prevent him from meeting Anna Maria?
Prepare him, forbearingly? But how? Could I speak of the conflict
without mortally wounding him? It was too late already; I heard his step
on the stairs; he was going up to Susanna first of all; he had probably
been told that she was up-stairs. I stepped into the hall quite
unconsciously, and at the same time Susanna's door opened, her light
figure appeared on the threshold, then she flew toward the man who was
standing there with outstretched arms. 'Klaus, Klaus! my dear Klaus!'
sounded in my ear, tender and exultant with joy. Oh, Anna Maria, if you
were to speak to him with the tongue of an angel it would avail you
nothing; it is too late!
"I saw Klaus press the slender figure to him, and saw her throw her arms
about his neck, and again and again put up her lips to be kissed; and I
heard her begin to sob, first gently, then more vehemently, and cry:
'Now all is well, all, now that you are here!' And she clung to him
like a hunted deer.
"I stepped back softly; I still saw how Susanna drew him into her room,
caressing him, and heard his deep, passionate voice; then the door was
closed behind them. 'Caught!' said I, softly, 'caught, like Tannhaeuser
of old in the Hoerfelsberg!' And bitter tears ran from my old eyes as I
went down-stairs to go to Anna Maria.
"Brockelmann came toward me in consternation. 'The master is here,' she
called to me, 'but Anna Maria will not believe it.' I went into her room
without knocking; she was sitting on the little sofa, her New Testament
before her on the table. In the dying daylight her great blue eyes
looked forth almost weirdly from the face worn with grief.
"'Klaus has come, my child,' I said, going up to her.
"She looked at me incredulously.
"'I have seen him, Anna Maria; it is true.'
"'Where is he, then?' she asked. 'Why does he not come to me?'
"'My dear child'--I took her hand--'Klaus is with Susanna.'
"She let her head drop. 'But then he will come,' she said; 'he must
come, of course! He will want something to eat, and he will want to
scold me. I wish he would tell me how bad I am, how unjustly I have
acted, so that I might tell him everything, everything that lies so
heavily on my heart. Perhaps, perhaps my voice may penetrate him once
more, when he thinks of all that we have lived through in common, when
he thinks how I love him!'
"I pressed her hand and sat down silently beside her; that sweet, clear
'Klaus, Klaus! my dear Klaus!' still rang in my ears, and then the
sobbing. And now, if he should hear from her own lips why she wept? If
he should lift the white cloth from her brow? The calmest man would
become a tiger, and he was not calm, any more than Anna Maria--God help
them! I trembled at the thought of those two standing face to face.
"And the darkness fell and concealed the objects in the room; before the
windows the branches of the old elms swayed, ghost-like, in the wind,
ever bending toward us, as if beckoning with their lean arms. And Anna
Maria waited! At every sound in the house she started up--I thought I
heard her heart beat--and each time she was deceived.
"At last, at last! That was his step on the stairs! She rose, all at
once, to her full, proud height. 'Klaus,' she said, 'my brother
Klaus!'--as if she must be encouraged in mentioning the entire,
intimate, sacred relation in which they stand to each other--'my only
brother!' In these few words lay the destiny of her whole life.
"The sound of Klaus's voice came in to us; it sounded as if he were
giving various orders; now it came nearer in the hall, then the steps
retreated, and at last reechoed the creaking of the front door.
"'He is going!' shrieked Anna Maria, 'he is going, and I have not seen
him, and he has not asked for me!'
"'No, no, my child,' I sought to calm her, 'he is not going away, he
cannot go; whither should he? Only be calm; he wants to speak to the
bailiff, or to see about his baggage. Let me go, I will find out; and
you--come, sit down quietly in your place. I will bring Klaus to you, I
promise you.'
"It was an easy thing for me to lead her back from the door and push her
to the sofa; the tall, strong girl seemed stunned by anxiety and
weariness.
"I kissed her forehead and hurried out; Brockelmann was in the hall,
coming toward me with rapid steps. She looked heated, and her white cap
was all awry on her gray hair. She carried a lighted candle in one hand,
and with the other quickly unfastened her great bunch of keys from her
belt. The housemaid followed her with a basket of fire-wood.
"'Great heavens, gracious Fraeulein,' said the old woman, when I asked,
in surprise, the meaning of her haste; 'if I knew myself! The hall is to
be heated and lighted; in an hour everything must be ready, and the
dust-covers haven't been taken off for a whole year in there. I think
the master has lost his head!' And with trembling hands she unlocked the
folding-doors which led to the two rooms which, under the names of the
'Hall' and the 'Red Room,' had been, from my earliest youth, opened only
on particularly important occasions. Here was formerly assembled,
several times a year, a very aristocratic company, who, after a fine,
stiff dinner-party, would close the evening with a dance; here had been
held, for generations, the christening and wedding feasts of the
Hegewitzes; here, too, had many a coffin stood, before it was carried
out to the vault in the garden below.
"What did Klaus mean to do to-day? Involuntarily I followed Brockelmann
into the hall; the candle lighted the great room but faintly; its feeble
light made here and there a prismatic drop among the pendants of the
crystal chandelier sparkle, and the gray-covered pieces of furniture
stood about like ghosts. The old woman began to arrange things in the
greatest haste, and under the hands of the maid the first feeble flame
was soon flickering up in the fire-place. I beheld it as in a dream.
"'What, for God's sake, does this mean?' I asked again, oppressed.
"Brockelmann did not reply at once; she wanted to spread out the rug in
front of the great sofa. 'Go, Sophie, the fire is burning now;
Christopher may come in a quarter of an hour to light the candles.--They
will surely last,' she added, with a glance at the half-burned candles
in the chandelier and sconces.
"The girl went; the old woman stopped taking off the dust-covers. 'One
experiences a great deal when one is old and gray, and nowhere are there
stranger goings on than in this world!' said she, excitedly; 'but that
anything like this should happen! Do you know, Fraeulein, where he has
gone, the master, without even having said "Good-day" to his sister? To
Pastor Gruene. And there up-stairs sits the old Isa, and has cut bare the
little myrtle-tree which you gave to the--the strange young lady, so
that it looks like a rod to beat naughty children with. And the young
thing lies on the sofa, playing with her cat, and laughs out of her red
eyes, and she laughs with all her white teeth, because things have gone
so far at last. Gracious Fraeulein, they have wept and lamented. If the
master has lost his reason, I can understand it. Not an hour longer will
they stay here in the house, the little one cried, where they were
trodden under foot and scolded. And when the master sent for me he was
holding her in his arms, and looked as pale as the plaster on the walls.
I must put things in order here as well as possible, said he, but
quickly--in an hour, Fraeulein; there will be no more disturbance to be
made about it. And though the king himself were to come, in an hour they
will be man and wife.'
"'Is it possible?' I stammered. 'Anna Maria--' My head whirled about
like a mill-wheel. It was decided, then; Susanna was to be his wife!
"Klaus had been stirred up to the utmost extent; that his hasty decision
proved. Of what use would it be if I were to go now to Anna Maria and
say: 'Compose yourself, it is not to be altered now!' In her present
state of mind she would throw herself at his feet and accuse Susanna,
though he were already standing with her before the priest. In his
passion for this girl he would believe nothing of all this; he would
require proofs. And proofs? Who would accuse her of infidelity? How
could _she_ help it that Stuermer loved her? That she had wept and wrung
her hands, was that anything positive? That Stuermer fancied himself
loved by her, could that be made out a crime on her part? It would have
been madness to excite Klaus further, to say to him now: 'Leave her; she
will not make you happy.'
"With fixed gaze I followed the old woman about, and in restless anxiety
saw her begin to light the candles beside the great mirror; their light
was reflected from the polished glass and fell sparkling on the gilt
frames of the family portraits; deep crimson color shone from the
curtains and furniture, and a warm breath now came from the fire through
the chilly air. Was it a reality?
"Then I started up. Anna Maria was still sitting alone and waiting; my
place was with _her_. I found her in the dark, still in the same spot,
and sat down beside her.
"'He has gone away,' she asked, 'has he not?'
"'No,' said I, 'he is coming back directly.'
"'To me?'
"'I do not know, my child.'
"'What is that loud slamming of doors?' she asked after a while. 'And
why do I sit here so cowardly, as if I had something to fear, when I
have done nothing wrong? I need not wait for him to come to me; I can go
to him first.'
"And she stood up again. With firm step she went to the door, but before
she could put her hand on the latch the door opened, and Pastor Gruene,
in full official robes, crossed the threshold.
"Involuntarily the girl drew back at this unexpected appearance. The old
man was plainly embarrassed. After a moment's hesitation, he went up to
Anna Maria and took her hands. 'I come, commissioned by your brother,'
he began. 'He wishes, through me, to put a request most fervently to
your heart. Herr von Hegewitz intends, for reasons which he has not
shared further with me, to consummate his marriage with Fraeulein Mattoni
to-day.'
"Anna Maria's pale face turned crimson. 'It is impossible!' she said, in
a lifeless tone; 'it is not true!'
"'But, my dear child,' the old gentleman went on, laying his hands
kindly on the girl's shoulders, 'look at me. I stand all ready in
official robes to perform the solemn act. But first your brother would
have peace made with his sister; he would not take this step until she,
to whom he has been hitherto so closely bound in fraternal love, has
again extended her hand to him in reconciliation.'
"'I am not angry with my brother,' came the denial.
"'Not with him, perhaps, but with her who in a short time will be his
wife. His heart is heavily oppressed by this situation, and he begs you
earnestly to speak a single word to his bride.'
"Anna Maria suddenly shook off his hand. 'I am to beg her pardon?' she
cried, raising herself to her full height, her eyes flaming--'I beg
Susanna Mattoni's pardon? Has Klaus gone mad, to think that I will
humble myself before that girl? Go, Herr Pastor, tell him he must come
himself to speak with me. I will fall at my brother's feet if I have
grieved him, but I will also tell him what drove me to push the girl
from me, and--go bring him before it is too late, or I----'
"'Anna Maria,' the old man broke in, raising his voice, 'cease from this
defiance! Judge not, that ye be not judged, says the Scripture! You have
no right to press yourself between these two; you have been prejudiced
against your brother's bride from the first moment, you have judged her
childish faults too harshly. Do you think by complaint to tear a man's
love from his heart? Foolish child! then you do not know what love is,
which forgives everything, overlooks everything. Stop, control yourself!
Anna Maria, you have an uncommonly strong will, a courageous heart; do
not wholly imbitter the solemn hour for your only brother; it lacks
already the consecration of a festal feeling. Your brother tells me he
means to go away this evening with his young wife. Come, my child,
follow your old teacher and pastor once more; come!'
"She drew back a few steps. 'Never!' said she, gently but firmly.
"'Anna Maria, not so, not so; bitter regrets may follow,' he said,
appeasingly.
"'Never!' she repeated. 'I cannot go against my conscience; I should be
ashamed to stand at the altar and listen to a lie! I had placed my
entire hope on speaking to Klaus, on begging him to leave her. He does
not wish to see me, or he would have come. I cannot do what he wishes;
believe me, I have my reasons. Farewell, Herr Pastor!'
"She turned and went to the window, and pressing her head against the
panes, looked out on the sinking darkness of the November evening. She
was apparently calm, and yet her whole body shook.
"Meanwhile a familiar step was heard outside, pacing up and down. I
stepped out. 'Klaus,' I begged, looking in his pale, excited face, 'why
this terrible haste?'
"'How am I to do it, then?' he cried, impatiently. 'I cannot stay here,
I am still needed in Silesia, so I must take Susanna away; what else can
be done? Do you think I will expose her to this treatment any longer? By
Heaven, aunt, when the girl's desperate letter came, it was fortunate
that I could not come here on wings, that the vexations of the journey,
and in M---- the procuring of the marriage license, detained me, or I
should not have been able to control myself. Anna Maria is a stubborn
thing; she has no heart or feelings, or she would at least be ready now
to hold out her hand to Susanna and me.'
"'Anna Maria loves you more than you think,' said I, grieved, 'and if
she was angry with your bride, she had sufficient cause.'
"He stood still, white as chalk. 'Aunt,' he implored me, with a wearily
maintained composure, 'do not completely spoil this hour for me. Susanna
has told me everything, and Anna Maria, in her views of united prudery
and onesidedness, has regarded as a deadly sin what was an innocent,
perfectly innocent act on Susanna's part.'
"At this moment Pastor Gruene came out of Anna Maria's room--alone. I
shall never forget the sad look with which Klaus met the eyes of the old
man.
"So we three stood there; Klaus was just taking a step toward the door
when in the same instant Isa stood beside him, as if charmed hither.
She already had on her black silk dress, and her withered face shone
with joy and triumph.
"'Susanna is waiting, sir,' she whispered.
"'I am coming,' he replied, and turning around he said to me: 'It is
better for me not to see her. I know _her_, I know myself, and I wish to
remain calm.'
"Indeed it was better! God knows what would have happened if they had
met. I promised to be present at the marriage ceremony, but first I went
again to Anna Maria. She was still standing at the window, and did not
turn on my entrance.
"'Anna Maria,' said I, 'I will come back soon; you shall not remain
alone long.'
"Then she suddenly slipped to the floor, and buried her head in her
mother's old arm-chair. 'Alone!' she cried, 'alone, forever, forever!'
"A few minutes later I was on my way to the hall. Several lamps had been
lighted in the corridor, and the servants, with curious, pleased faces,
were pressing before the open door. The report that the master was to be
married to-day had, with lightning speed, reached even to the village.
Right in front by the door stood Marieken, looking anxiously into the
lighted room, in which Brockelmann was still busy, helping the sacristan
arrange the improvised altar. She put another pair of cushions before
the table, covered with a white damask cloth into which the crest was
woven, and set the heavy silver candlesticks straight.
"Pastor Gruene stood waiting at the back of the room. He came toward me
with an inquiring look.
"I shook my head. 'She is not coming!'
"'It is bad,' said he, 'when a good kernel is covered by such a prickly
shell. Anna Maria lacks humility and gentle love; she has no woman's
heart.'
"'You are mistaken in the girl!' I cried, imbittered, with tears in my
eyes. 'She is better than all the rest of us put together!'
"'And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,' said he,
impressively, 'and though I give my body to be burned, and have not
charity, it profiteth me nothing.'
"My poor, proud, honest Anna Maria! If they only knew what I know, if
they could only see right into your heart! thought I, and bitterly my
eyes fell on the ravishing, lovely creature, now crossing the threshold
on Klaus's arm. She did not wear the unfortunate white dress; she was in
that little black lace-trimmed dress which she had worn the first time
Klaus saw her, nothing but the myrtle-wreath adorned with white flowers
in her hair to remind one of a bride. But if ever Susanna understood how
to make her external appearance effective, it was now, as she came,
without ornament or parade, to the altar. It was no wonder that Klaus
did not turn his eyes away from her, that he pressed the delicate arm so
closely to him, that he dismissed as groundless chattering what people
might say about this pure, childish brow.
"And then the low whispering stopped; Pastor Gruene was beginning to
speak.
"If I could only tell now how he opened his address! The words went in
at one ear and out at the other; I saw only Klaus, his handsome face, so
proud, so penetrated with kind, honest sentiment, with a glimmer of
tender emotion over it; and I thought of Anna Maria lying over there on
the floor, in pain and fear. Then I saw Klaus make a quick, convulsive
motion, and now every word went to my heart:
"'It was on this spot that you once stood by the coffin of your dead
mother, holding in your arms a dear legacy, promising with hand and
heart to take care of the child and protect her in all the vicissitudes
of life. And the way you did this, it was a joy for God and man to see!
There is no more intimate bond than that which united the orphaned
brother and sister; and let not this bond be broken, let not the knot be
untied by the coming of a third person! The wife'--he turned to
Susanna--'must be a peacemaker; she must strive that unity may dwell
under her husband's roof; that she may be to him a blessing and not a
curse! A love between brother and sister is not less holy than between
married people. There are old, sacred claims which brother and sister
have upon one another, and therefore, young bride, let your first word
in your new life be a word of peace; take your husband's hand and join
it in reconciliation with that other which is not folded here in this
place with us to pray for you. Do not leave this house without a word of
peace, even if you think injustice has been done you in this hour which
gives you, the homeless orphan, a home and a protector. Be gentle and
ready for peace; ask yourself how great a share in the burden you bear.'
"A few shining drops ran down the cheeks of the bridegroom, while
Susanna, like a child, listened with wide-open eyes to the clergyman's
words, evidently painfully affected by the seriousness which he imparted
to the situation.
"Then the affair came quickly to an end; the rings were exchanged, the
solemn decisive 'Yes' died away--Susanna Mattoni was Klaus's wife. The
servants withdrew, the doors of the hall were closed, Pastor Gruene
spoke a few more affecting words to Susanna, and Klaus silently pressed
my hands.
"Brockelmann served a cold lunch and presented a glass of champagne; Isa
brought in furs and cloak; the young couple intended to start in half an
hour. Then the clergyman went away, Brockelmann and Isa had already left
the room, and I was alone with Klaus and Susanna. He had drawn the
smiling young wife to him. 'Susanna,' I heard him whisper, 'let us go to
her, tell her that you forgive her; let us part in peace from Anna
Maria, my sister.'
"The smile vanished, she stood there defiantly looking down to the
floor, a deep blush on her face, and gradually her eyes filled with
shining tears.
"'My first request, Susanna,' he repeated beseechingly. She remained
silent, but rising on tip-toe, flung her arms about his neck; with
infinite grace her head was slightly thrown back, and she looked up to
him with her sweet eyes moist with tears. Impetuously he drew her to him
and kissed the red lips and the little red scar on her forehead again
and again.
"I stole softly out. The word of peace remained unspoken!
"An hour later the candles in the hall were extinguished, the house lay
dark and silent."