Clear the Track! Part 12

Egbert seemed to find no special satisfaction in this sort of dialogue, his reply having a touch of impatience about it, that was entirely too suggestive of faultfinding.

"We shall do better not to dispute over it. We belong to two entirely different worlds, and so, naturally, do not understand one another."

Cecilia smiled at having finally moved this man from his imperturbable equilibrium, which she interpreted to almost as an insult. She had not been accustomed anyone denying her the toll of admiration, or speaking of "must," to her. The fire again blazed up brightly, and while Runeck stood aside in the shade, the reflection fell full upon the beautiful girl, who still reclined in her chair, in the same att.i.tude as a while ago. There was something ensnaring in the flickering play of the flames, in the abrupt transition from light to shade; something that was akin to the appearance of the girl herself, who now looked up at the young engineer with moisture dimming the l.u.s.ter of her dark and glowing eyes.

"Why, there may be a bridge that can unite these two worlds," said she playfully. "Perhaps we may come to understand each other--or, think you that it is not worth the trouble?"

"No."

This "no" had a perfectly frigid sound. Cecilia suddenly straightened herself up and darted a look of withering anger upon Egbert.

"You are very--candid, Herr Runeck."

"You misunderstand me, Baroness Wildenrod," said he calmly. "I meant, of course, that it was not worth your while to descend to so inferior a world--nothing more."

Baroness Wildenrod bit her lip. He had parried her thrust in masterly style, and yet she knew what he had meant, she understood the bitter taunt, hidden behind his words. What sort of a man was this, that dared thus to confront the betrothed of his best friend, the future daughter of the house, in which he had received so many favors? Previously she had hardly had a glance to bestow upon this engineer in his subordinate station, now a burning sense of hostility seized her--he was to suffer for having provoked her!

She arose with a brisk movement and turned to Eric and her brother, who were talking together. Egbert remained where he was, but his eyes followed the brother and sister, while he murmured under his breath:

"Poor Eric, you have fallen into bad hands!"

Night had come and the family had already separated. They wanted their guests--who had made rather a fatiguing journey that day--to retire early to rest, but this they had not yet done.

In the boudoir, attached to the suite of company-rooms, were Oscar and Cecilia Wildenrod to be found. They were alone. The perfume of the flowers with which Maia had given so graceful a welcome to her future sister-in-law, still filled the room, but neither of this pair paid any heed to it. Cecilia stood in the center of the room, but the smile that she had worn and the amiability which she had manifested all day had both vanished now. She looked excited, provoked, and her voice had the intonation of suppressed pa.s.sion.

"And so you are not content with me, Oscar? I should think that I had done everything possible to be done this day, and still you have fault to find with me."

"You were too incautious in your expressions," criticised Oscar; "much too incautious. You hardly took the trouble to conceal your disapproval of Odensburg. Take heed, Eric's father, is very sensitive on that point, anything like that he does not pardon."

"Am I, for whole weeks here to act a farce, and pretend to be enthusiastic over this abominable place, that is far more unbearable even than I had supposed? One is cut off here and thrust out of the world, as it were, buried between mountains and dark forests. Then the immediate proximity of those works with their noise and their crowd of coa.r.s.e laborers, but above all these people here! Little Maia is the only one endurable. My future father-in-law, though, seems to have a very domineering nature, and tyrannizes over his whole household. I shudder before his stern countenance. What a look he gave me upon my arrival, as though he wanted to look me through and through. And that tiresome Frau von Ringstedt with her prim state, and that just as stupid pale-looking governess--but, above all, that so-called friend of Eric's youth, who said things to me--" she suddenly broke off, and with a pettish movement threw her fan upon the table. Wildenrod had quietly listened to all this harangue, without making any attempt to soothe her, at those last words, however, he grew attentive.

"What things?" he asked quickly and sharply. "What did he say to you?"

"Oh, not so much in words, but I knew perfectly well what was implied, although not expressed. If we had not just met for the first time, I should believe that he hated both you and me. There was something so inimical in his cold, steel-gray eyes, when he talked to me and they had precisely the same expression when he mentioned, to you, your having met in Berlin."

Wildenrod gazed upon his sister in surprise, he had never before perceived that she was gifted with such keen powers of observation.

"You seem to have been studying him very closely," he remarked. "As for the rest, you have judged quite correctly. This Runeck is extremely disagreeable, perhaps even dangerous. We'll be even with him though."

"Once for all, I cannot stand such surroundings!" cried Cecilia with renewed heat. "You have always told me that Eric would live with me in the great world, we have never had any other idea, but here there seems to be no talk of any such thing. They regard it as a matter of course that we should take up our residence at Odensburg, and have ruthlessly made the announcement to me already. Upon my marriage, am I to renounce everything that lends life its charm for me, and under the oversight of my high-and-mighty father-in-law, learn housekeeping and all the other domestic virtues that he seems to rate so high, and for my reward to be allowed a daily promenade through his works? For there seems to be no talk here of any other pleasure."

"The question is not one of pleasure but necessity," said Oscar in a low sharp tone: "I thought I had made that sufficiently clear to you when we accepted the invitation. Already, on the day of your engagement, you forced me to give you a hint of the truth, that I would have preferred to conceal from you, and since then you have learned all without reserve. Our fortune has been all lost, how and when does not concern you, but what you have to deal with is the fact. I have hitherto managed to maintain ourselves in handsome style, through what sacrifices I alone know; but there comes a time when even the last resources fail, and to that point we have now arrived. If you cast away, through your own folly, the brilliant future that I have opened up to you by tying this knot, know that you will no longer have any pretension to what you call life: then you must descend to an existence of poverty and privation--must I once more recall this to your mind?"

This harsh exhortation had its effect: poverty and privation were two things from which Baroness Wildenrod shrank, although she had only a misty idea of what they were. Already the bare idea that she might be forced to give up the brilliant life that she had hitherto led horrified her, and broke down her resistance. She bowed her head and was silent, while her brother continued:

"I have hitherto treated you, for the most part, as they do spoiled children, not deeming it needful to show you the serious phase of life; but now I require--do you hear, Cecilia, I _require_--that you submit absolutely to my will, and do as I shall direct. You are not married yet, and Dernburg is just the man to break the engagement at the last minute, if there should arise in his mind grave doubts as to its expediency. You have to cultivate his favor first of all, for Eric is altogether pa.s.sive in his disposition, and will always submit to his father's will. It is all-important to be prudent! Be a.s.sured of one thing--_my_ plans are not to be thwarted through your self-will--you know me!"

This was a tone of command, of menace, and Cecilia looked up at her brother with shy eyes. It was not the first time, that he had bent her under his will, but so earnestly and darkly he had never spoken to her before. She heaved an impatient sigh and threw herself into a chair; but she did not think of making any further opposition.

The pause of a second ensued, when Oscar stepped up to her, and his voice was milder as he said:

"How you do allow yourself to be carried away by your feelings! Other girls would give anything in the world to change places with you; thousands at this moment, are envying your fate, while you are disposed to throw away your good fortune, like a toy that did not please you--yours is not a calculating nature."

"But you are!" said Cecilia, in an angry and embittered tone.

"I?" Again Wildenrod's face darkened. "I am and have been many a thing that my spirit revolted against. He who has battled with the waves of life for twelve long years, like myself, knows only one watchword. Stay on top, at any price! Thank G.o.d, that you have been spared this battle, and thank me for landing you safe on sh.o.r.e ere you knew of the perils to which you were exposed. You are to enter a highly-respected family, your marriage will give you a right to almost countless wealth, and your future husband knows no greater happiness than to gratify your wishes--I think that is enough."

"And what will you do when I am married?" asked Cecilia, struck by his words, that she only half understood.

"Commit that to me!" A fleeting smile flashed across Oscar's features.

"At all events, I do not intend to live on my rich sister's charity, for I was not made for such a fate--Now, good-night, child; you will be more prudent in future, and never let a hint drop of Odensburg not being to your mind. I hope you will need no second lecture."

He lightly touched her brow with his lips and pa.s.sed into his own chamber that adjoined the boudoir. Out of doors it was already dark, and the Manor was wrapt in silence and gloom, only a candle glimmering here and there in the rooms of individuals. The wind had lulled, and profound quiet reigned in the immediate environs.

But over yonder at the works there was still astir that mighty throbbing life, that rested not fully, even during the night, and if by day it was heard only in occasional, far-away sounds, now every noise made there was distinctly heard. At times there was a great glare of light from the blazing forges, while here and there one of the huge chimneys sent up a flashing spark to the starless sky, and there where the furnaces lay, the vaporous wreaths of smoke were reddened by the glow of the fire. It was a sublime and fascinating spectacle.

Oscar Wildenrod seemed to find it so, too, for he stood long at the window and gazed out. The admiration that he had expressed in the afternoon had not been a.s.sumed. His breast heaved with the deep breath he drew, and he said in an undertone:

"To be the lord and master of such a world--to move thousands by a single word of power! How that man stood on the threshold of his own house when he received us--like a prince and ruler, and such in fact he is. Success no longer intoxicates him--me it will intoxicate."

He drew himself up, proudly, to his full height, but all of a sudden a more tender expression rested upon his features, while he continued almost inaudibly:

"What a sweet pretty child that Maia is! So pure, so untouched by any shadow--and to the hand of that child is attached the other half of this power and this wealth."

He opened the window and leaned far out; restless, ambitious thoughts were working in the soul of this man, while he looked down upon the vast establishment at his feet. The rash gambler was not satisfied with his one lucky stroke, he was making ready for a second which was to be his master-stroke. Oscar von Wildenrod was not indeed made to live upon the bounty of his sister.

Cecilia, too, had not yet gone to rest, but, nestling among the cushions of an arm-chair, still sat motionless in the same spot that her brother had left her. She had taken the roses from her bosom and was heedlessly pulling them to pieces. They had been a present from Eric; he had welcomed her with them upon her arrival. Magnificent, pale yellow roses to remind her of their betrothal-day, when she had worn these same flowers. The withered leaves showered down upon her gown and upon the floor, but the intended bride heeded them not; she gazed into s.p.a.ce like one lost in dreams. Evidently the visions that haunted her were of no friendly nature. Upon her forehead between those finely-arched eyebrows, there was again that fold, the significant feature which she had in common with her brother, and there, too, were his eyes that looked from her countenance--at this minute, it was easy to see that the two were of one blood.

CHAPTER VII.

CECILA VISITS RADEFELD.

The engagement of the young heir of Odensburg to Baroness Wildenrod had now indeed been announced and had excited great surprise in neighborhood circles, that had always supposed that in this matter, too, Dernburg would act as his son's guardian, and have the first word to say as to this union, and now Eric had made his own choice, far away at the South, without asking either his advice or permission. The beauty of the bride-elect, her good old name and her evidently brilliant fortune and connections, lent to this choice, it is true, the prestige of a thoroughly suitable one. And the father's consent was taken as a thing for granted.

At present, Cecilia had no ground for complaint as to the dreaded solitude of Odensburg, for her betrothal made the usually quiet Manor the scene of a constant round of social festivities. The engaged couple had made the usual visits, and now received return-calls from all the neighbors, by far the larger number of whom were the families of the large landed proprietors of that district. There were numerous invitations, larger and smaller entertainments, of which Cecilia was ever the center of attraction. Here, too, homage was paid to her wherever she appeared, and happily Eric had not the foible of jealousy.

So swam Cecilia with full sails, upon the stream of satisfaction; new acquaintances and surroundings, new triumphs that hardly allowed her, for the moment at least, to miss the life to which she was accustomed.

The appearance of Baron von Wildenrod made the most favorable impression on every one. His distinguished appearance and his gifts as a brilliant conversationalist in general, won the favor of every one that he wanted to win, and here he was treated with double honor, as the future relative of the Dernburg family. Already, during the few weeks of his sojourn here, he had attained to a prominent position in these circles, and well knew how to maintain it.

At Radefeld the works had been forwarded with all the forces available.

The men, for the most part, had been accommodated in the adjacent village, and the chief engineer had also taken up his quarters there, in order to avoid the loss of time in a daily ride to and from Odensburg. He usually went there only once or twice a week to give in his report to his chief.

Radefeld, indeed, was only a little village in the woods, and a stay there was not comfortable in the least. The two confined rooms in which Egbert lodged at a peasant's house, were meanly furnished, but the young engineer was not a Sybarite. He had taken nothing with him from his ordinary residence but his books, his plans, and drawings, and as for the rest, contented himself with things as he found them.

Runeck was usually to be found early at his place of business. But to-day he had had a visitor from the city. His guest, a man of about fifty years, with sharply-cut features and dark eyes, sat in the old arm-chair, that here had to take the place of a sofa. The two seemed to have had an earnest and interesting conversation.