THE PARTING.
They sat together in the little boudoir which had so often rung with
their laughter, and where they had so often sneered at their titled
dupes in Vienna.
There was no laughter to-day: the beautiful features of the Countess
Baillou were contracted with alarm, and the frivolous Podstadsky was
thoughtful and serious.
The countess was superbly dressed. A rich robe of velvet, embroidered
with gold, fell in heavy, glistening folds around her graceful figure; a
diadem of brilliants sparkled like a constellation upon the blackness of
her luxuriant hair, and her exquisite neck and arms were covered with
costly gems. She had just completed her toilet for a dinner given by the
Princess Karl Liechtenstein, when Podstadsky had met her with the
alarming intelligence which had obliged her to send an excuse.
For one whole hour they had been considering their situation--
considering those words of the emperor; now planning one method of
escape, now another,
"Then you do not believe that the danger is imminent?" said Podstadsky,
after along, anxious pause.
"I do not," replied the countess, "The emperor has always been fond of
advising other people, and of humbling the Austrian aristocracy above
all, when the people are by to hear him, and he can make capital out of
it to increase his popularity. I suppose his rudeness to you was all
assumed, to make an impression upon the foolish populace. That is all."
Podstadsky shook his head. "The tone of the emperor was so pointed--it
seemed as though some special meaning lay in his words."
"That, my dear Carlo, simply means that fear caused you to interpret
them significantly."
"The words themselves were significant enough; and his look!--Oh,
Arabella, we are in danger! Dearest let us fly, fly at once!"
He had risen, and, in his anguish, had tried to draw her to himself. She
put him quietly away, and contemplated him with a sneer. "No folly!"
said She. "Even if the emperor had meant to warn you, his warning came
too late to save you from the watchful police of Vienna."
"No, no, Arabella. I tell you that the emperor will facilitate my escape
for my parents' sake. Oh, why did I not obey, and mount my horse at
once, and fly to some sequestered vale where I might have found refuge
from dishonor?"
"And where you might realize your mother's touching dream of becoming a
boor, and repenting your sins in sackcloth and ashes! That maternal idyl
still troubles your poor, shallow brain, does it? For my part, I think
no spectacle on earth is so ridiculous as that of the repentant sinner.
It is the most humiliating character in which a man can appear before
the world, and it is unworthy of you, Carlo. Hold up your head and look
this phantom of dancer in the face. It is but a phantom. The bright,
beautiful reality of our luxurious life is substantially before us. Away
with cowardice! He who treads the path which we have trodden, must cast
all fear behind him. Had we been scrupulous, or faint-hearted, you would
have been to-day a ruined nobleman, dependent upon the pittance doled
out to you from parental hands, or upon some little office pompously
bestowed by the emperor; and I--ha! ha!--I should have been a
psalm-chanting nun, with other drowsy nuns for my companions through
life, and a chance of dying in the odor of sanctity! We were too wise
for that; and now the structure of our fortunes is complete. Its gilded
dome reaches into the heaven of the most exclusive circles; princes,
dukes, and sovereigns are our guests. In the name of all for which we
have striven, Carlo, what would you have more?"
"I am afraid that the structure will fall and bury us under its ruins,"
said Carlo, shivering.
"Better that than inglorious flight. Stay where you are; show a bold
front, and that will disarm suspicion. Why do you gaze at me so
strangely?"
"I gaze at you because you are so beautiful," replied he, with a faint
smile, "as beautiful as was that fallen angel who compassed the ruin of
man!"
"I AM a fallen angel," returned she, proudly, "and you know it. Together
we fell, together we have risen. So long as we smile, we shall compass
the ruin of many men; but if once we frown, we shall be known as evil
spirits, and our power is at an end. Smiles are the talismans that
insure victory; so smile, Carlo, smile and be gay."
"I cannot, I cannot. My veins are chilled with vague terror, and ever
before my eyes comes the pale and anguish-stricken face of my mother!
Arabella, if you will not leave this accursed spot, let us die. Better
is death than the dungeon and disgrace!"
He threw his arms around her, and pressed his hot, parched lips to hers.
Again she disengaged herself, and her musical laugh rang out upon the
stillness--clear, merry, silvery as ever. "Die! Are you tired of
pleasure? I am not. I shall yet have many an intoxicating draught from
its golden beaker. Die! As if we knew what came after death! But come; I
pity your state of mind, and since you can no longer be happy in Vienna,
we shall travel. Mark you! I say TRAVEL; but there shall be no flight "
Count Podstadsky uttered a cry of wild joy, and pressed the hand she
gave him to his lips. "When shall we travel? Now?"
She shook her head. "That were flight. We start to-morrow "
"To-morrow!" cried he, exultingly, "to-morrow, at dawn of day?"
"By no means. To-morrow at noon, in the sight of the whole world."
"Be it so, then," sighed the count. "We go by different roads, and meet
at Neustadt."
"Yes, at Neustadt. And now go, Carlo. We both have important
arrangements to make before we leave."
"_I_ have very little to do," laughed Podstadsky, who had already
recovered his spirits. "My valuables all belong to the usurers. For some
time past they have stationed an agent of theirs in my house as steward.
He watches over their property; I have no interest in it."
"Why don't you pay them with your nice new bank-notes--hey, Carlo?"
Carlo grew troubled again. "I did try to do so, but they refused. They
had given me gold, and must have gold in return."
"So much the better. Your bank-notes will meet with a better reception
elsewhere," said Arabella, hurriedly. "But come, let us go to work. Burn
all indiscreet papers, and take every thing that you can secrete. And
now away with you! I must be alone, for I have enough to do to keep me
up this livelong night. Clear your brows, my Carlo, and sleep free from
anxiety. To-morrow we leave Vienna, and your trials will be at an end.
Addio, caro amico mio, addio!"
He kissed her hand, and she accompanied him to the door. He closed it
behind him, while she stood breathless, listening to his retreating
footsteps. Now he was on the staircase. The heavy street door closed--a
moment's delay, and his carriage rolled away. Yes, he was off at last.
Thank Heaven, he was off!