I have said that all the servants were anti-Austrian. I wrong Marischa
and probably also Therese. The latter was the maid who waited on me--a
Vienna girl whose views were probably orthodox enough.... She was a
scullery-maid--round as a barrel, with a large, good-humoured face,
was always in a hurry and always smiling, and dressed always in the
black and red costume of Moravia.... She had had a husband who left her
years ago, going to America, from where he wrote to say that he had had
enough of her and did not intend to return to her. Then Stefka Stefan
came into her life and she found him irresistible.... He was small,
sulky, and delicate looking, not as one pictures a hero of romance; but
he was very devoted to Marischa and, if she could have got a divorce
from her husband, he would have married her; but, as she explained to
me in her inimitable way, this wasn't possible.
"Priest say no divorce, so Marischa yes just live like that with
Stefan. Prince and Princess yes give Marischa and Stefan house.
Marischa's husband no good man, but Stefan yes good man and yes want to
marry Marischa: priest say no possible, so Marischa yes live just like
that with Stefan."
Nevertheless her romance was a very real grief to Marischa, for the
priest at confession would never give her absolution, and her enforced
abstinence from communion pained her more than it would many of her
class. The earthly tie was stronger and Stefka Stefan continued to work
in the garden at Schloss K---- and to live in Marischa's cottage. In
spite of many protests the Prince was obdurate and refused to send the
couple away, saying, with easy Hungarian carelessness, that the life in
Marischa's cottage was better and purer than in the next house where at
one side the gamekeeper beat his wife, and at the other the butler was
in turn beaten by his wife. Marischa's loyalty simply oozed out of her.
"Kaiser brave man, yes brave man. Kaiser fears only God, so God let
Kaiser win."
"Which Kaiser, Marischa?"
"German Kaiser. Our King Kaiser yes old man now not know like German
Kaiser yes know--fears God--fears God."
It was a pity to spoil this beautiful faith, so I always remained on
very good terms with Marischa, who always greeted me with a smile of
affection and pity that was touching.