Quicksands Part 20

"That is why I am come to you with an urgent request. I know it is asking a great deal, for there is so much to do at harvest-time, but I come to beg you to give me leave of absence for two days, that I may ask Herr von Ma.s.senburg's consent in person. I can leave after dinner to-day, and take the night-train for Berlin. I can be back at Castle Osternau by noon of the day after to-morrow."

There was no refusing such a request. Herr von Osternau granted it, but upon the condition that he should be allowed to speak with Bertha before the young man's departure. The lover was quite agreed to this, he was too sure of his good fortune to dread any interference. And the event showed that he was right. Herr von Osternau had a long interview with Bertha; he asked her if she were sure of her own sentiments, if it were possible for her to be happy with a husband who was in all respects the opposite of Herr von Ernau, possessing none of the latter's brilliant qualities to fit him for playing a conspicuous part in the world. He reminded her that she was undertaking to pa.s.s her life in the depths of the country, remote from all social excitement, with a husband who was content to lead the life of a simple country gentleman upon his own estate. To all which Bertha replied, with her own charming smile,--

"I really did not expect such an admonition from you, Uncle Fritz, who are always extolling the joys of home and the home circle. I should be happy with 'the man of my choice' in any solitude, and, besides, I shall not be so very lonely. One can always a.s.semble one's friends about one in the country in summer, and the long, tiresome winters we can spend in town. Country life may be made very delightful with plenty of money. Let me choose my own lot, Uncle Fritz; it will be a happy one."

What could Herr von Osternau reply to such arguments? he did not try to reply, seeing that Bertha's mind was fully made up.

That afternoon Herr von w.a.n.gen and the Lieutenant both took their departure, and at noon of the following day a lengthy dispatch was received at Castle Osternau. It announced the full and free consent of Herr Werner von Ma.s.senburg that the betrothal should be made public, and also stated that Herr von w.a.n.gen would certainly return by noon of the next day to his fair betrothed.

He did so punctually, beaming with delight, overjoyed at the reception he had met with from his future father-in-law. In truth, Werner von Ma.s.senburg had bestowed his paternal blessing upon the union so soon as he was informed that no dowry was looked for. Of course, Herr von w.a.n.gen's delicacy led him to suppress this last fact, as also the slight circ.u.mstance of Werner's explanation as to his present pecuniary embarra.s.sments, in view of which Herr von w.a.n.gen had signed a checque for two thousand marks to relieve the worthy gentleman from his temporary trouble. On the other hand, he told with great delight how Werner had hastened to present him to several of his friends, among whom were Herr von Sastrow and his wife, whom he had called upon, and from whom he had received cordial congratulations. Herr von Sastrow had declared that this betrothal would put an instant stop to all malicious gossip.

Herr von w.a.n.gen was in such a state of rapture that there were positively no shadows in the picture which he painted of his journey.

The Lieutenant had been the most delightful travelling companion, only unfortunately they had not seen each other after parting at the Berlin railway-station. Werner von Ma.s.senburg was a fine, open-hearted man, just such a father-in-law as he had always wanted, and Herr von Sastrow and all the father-in-law's friends were most delightful people. But what filled the young man with the wildest joy was that Werner had expressly desired that the marriage should take place as soon as possible, since he disliked long engagements.

When Bertha declared with a blush that she should be guided entirely by the wishes of her betrothed, and when Herr von Osternau expressed himself willing to dispense with the services of his third inspector so soon as harvest should be over, that the young man might immediately betake himself to West Prussia and undertake the charge of the family estates, Herr von w.a.n.gen was transported to the highest heaven of felicity.

He adored his charming betrothed, and never noticed that Lieschen's manner towards her was more coolly reserved than ever, nor dreamed that he was the object of the sad, compa.s.sionate expression that sometimes appeared in the young girl's eyes. He was fairly intoxicated with bliss. He was perpetually with his betrothed. She paid him visits in the fields, she went to meet him when he returned to the castle. And then the evenings, the delicious evenings! Herr von w.a.n.gen did not observe that the little circle was in general silent and monosyllabic, that Lieschen bent silently over her embroidery, and that Herr von Osternau frequently resigned himself to revery. So long as he could exchange glances with Bertha and hang upon every word she uttered, his cup of happiness was full to the brim.

Herr von Osternau was far from easy in his mind. He could not forget the sad event that had so lately occurred, and he shared his wife's anxiety upon another point. Since Lieschen had so boldly entered the lists for Pigglewitch against the Lieutenant, Herr von Osternau had agreed with his wife in believing that the young girl's feelings for the tutor were warmer than those of a pupil for a teacher. He took a lively interest in the young man, indeed he was surprised to find how much he missed his conversation and his charming music, but he could not but see that his wife was right in regarding the tutor as a most undesirable son-in-law. Lieschen's attachment to him caused him all the greater anxiety since he could not reconcile it with his sense of justice to dismiss the young man as his wife advised.

The old Herr really dreaded, therefore, the Candidate's return, and he had a sense of relief when day after day pa.s.sed and the tutor did not come back to the castle.

Five days had thus gone by without bringing tidings of either the Lieutenant or the Candidate, when the post-bag brought two letters for Herr von Osternau, one from Berlin addressed in the Lieutenant's handwriting, and the other postmarked Hirschberg and addressed by Pigglewitch. This last Herr von Osternau opened first, read it, and then turned to his wife. "A strange letter!" he exclaimed, "as strange and enigmatical as its writer. Only listen." And according to his custom of reading aloud to his family all his letters which contained nothing private and confidential, he read aloud: "Farewell! I cannot tell you how hard it is for me to part from you, from the generous, high-hearted man whom I so respect, from my dear pupil Fritzchen, who has grown into my heart, and from the kindly family-circle where I have pa.s.sed such happy hours. But it must be done in spite of the pain it gives me, pain increased by a sense of guilt. You trusted me and I deceived you. My entire life in your home was a lie. Even now, when I am going from you, I cannot tell you the truth, I can only pray you to forgive a most unhappy man, who never can forget the grat.i.tude he owes you. Farewell!"

"There is no signature," said Herr von Osternau, handing the letter to his wife. "The man is in all respects a riddle, only one thing seems clear, and that is that we shall not see Herr Pigglewitch again."

"I knew he would not return," Lieschen said, with a strange quiver in her voice. "He could not."

"He could not?" her father asked, in surprise.

"No, he owed it to himself to flee. He was on the brink of an abyss. It was well for him that he had the strength to save himself."

"Lieschen, what nonsense are you talking?" her mother exclaimed, in dismay. "You do not know what you are saying!"

"I wish I did not," Lieschen replied, glancing for an instant with scorn in her eyes at Bertha, who, paying no apparent attention to what was going on, was engaged in a whispered conversation with her betrothed.

"There is no use," Herr von Osternau said at last, after reading the letter again over his wife's shoulder, "in our beating our brains over this mystery. The Candidate's going, like his coming, will always be a riddle for us."

After this he opened the Lieutenant's letter and began to read it, but he had not read far before he turned to his wife again, with: "This is absolutely incredible, Emma! Only hear what Albrecht writes: 'My dear Cousin,--First of all forgive me for not returning, and for delaying to write until now. After many tedious transactions, of which I will inform you more minutely by word of mouth if you desire it, I have concluded the affair you know of, and should have returned to you to-morrow, but that I think it best to remain here a day or two longer in the interest of our family. You will allow this, I am sure, when I tell you of the astounding news which I have learned to-day. Herr Egon von Ernau, whose body it was affirmed was found in the Spree, has returned from quite a long journey, and is now here in Berlin!'"

An exclamation of surprise from Bertha interrupted Herr von Osternau.

He turned towards her. She had grown very pale, and her large eyes were riveted upon his face. "He is alive!" she almost whispered.

"He is alive, and you are betrothed to Herr von w.a.n.gen," Lieschen said, quietly.

A look of positive hatred was Bertha's only reply. The next instant her colour came again, and she turned with her own lovely smile to her lover: "Yes, Hugo, and I thank G.o.d that I am so, and that I am saved the struggle between duty and affection which I must have undergone if Herr von Ernau had reappeared before I was betrothed to you."

Herr von Osternau looked rather dubiously at her as she spoke, but he said nothing, only continued the reading of his letter: "I could scarcely credit this when I heard it this afternoon from an acquaintance. Yesterday there was no doubt but that his body had been found in the Spree. It had, to be sure, been too long in the water to allow of the features being recognized, but Ernau's body-servant identified the summer suit of the dead man as positively his master's, and there was in one of the pockets a small silver card-case, which both the servant and the Councillor recognized as young Ernau's. The Councillor was so convinced that the body was that of his son that he arranged an imposing funeral, at which half the aristocratic society of Berlin was present; and yet here was the dead man alive and well. I went directly to Sastrow for further information.

"From him I received confirmation of the incredible report. Herr von Ernau did really return yesterday from a tour among the mountains. He employed his time this morning in visiting his acquaintances, apparently to convince them that he is alive. He has nothing to say of where he has been or why he left Berlin so abruptly, but he ridicules his own splendid funeral and thanks the mourners profusely for their sympathy. He is as reckless and extravagant as ever. Werner Ma.s.senburg, who has just seen Sastrow, gave him all these particulars. I shall go to him again to-morrow, when I may have more to tell you, but for the present the subject must give place to certain revelations I have for you concerning the redoubtable Herr Pigglewitch, who I was quite certain was what he proves to be,--an adventurer and deceiver."

"What a shameful calumny!" Lieschen exclaimed, indignantly.

"Hush, my child!" her father rejoined, gravely. "I neither can nor will believe that your cousin's harsh expressions are justifiable, but I hardly know what to think. Listen to what Albrecht says:

"You forbade me to put the police upon the fellow's traces, and I obeyed you, but you did not forbid my inst.i.tuting inquiries as to his previous life and circ.u.mstances. This I have done, and as I have an acquaintance who is one of the superior officers of the police force, I easily learned from him the following particulars: The man calling himself Pigglewitch, who brought you a letter from Herr Director Kramser, and who lived so long at Castle Osternau, has no right to the name he bore there, and must be a mere adventurer.

"I remember perfectly well that the so-called Candidate Pigglewitch arrived at Castle Osternau on the 6th of July, and on that very day the real Pigglewitch is proved to have been in Berlin. He had informed his lodging-house keeper--a woman by the name of Wiebe--that he had obtained a situation as tutor, and that he was to be at Osternau, in Silesia, on the 6th, but after leaving Berlin on the 5th he returned on the evening of the 6th and took possession of his old quarters. Here he stayed for several days, expecting, as he told his hostess, a letter containing money, which would enable him to sail for America, and in fact on the 9th of July a letter did arrive, addressed to Herr Gottlieb Pigglewitch, and containing a large sum of money, some four thousand marks, Frau Wiebe says. She further states that Pigglewitch was overjoyed at the arrival of the letter, and told her that he should spend a few days longer in Berlin to take some recreation before sailing; that he left home early in the morning and returned late at night until the 12th of July, when he went from the house at eleven in the forenoon, and has not since been heard of. As there were no charges against him, and as it was more than probable that he had sailed for America, no search was made for him. Thus much at least is certain, that the real Pigglewitch was in Berlin from the 6th to the 12th of July, and that therefore the man who was at Castle Osternau must have been an adventurer and impostor, wearing an a.s.sumed name.

"The conclusions to be drawn from this fact I leave to you. If the sham Pigglewitch has returned from his journey, give him this letter to read. I am curious to know whether he will defend himself against the charges it contains, and whether you, Cousin Fritz, will still refuse to call in the aid of the police. I have no I doubt that they would find in his possession skeleton keys and a considerable sum of money, unless he has been prudent enough to conceal them during his absence from the castle.

"Day after to-morrow I shall return to Osternau, and in the mean time I may perhaps learn something further of Herr von Ernau and of the sham Pigglewitch.

"With great regard, faithfully yours,

"Albrecht Von Osternau."

"These are terrible revelations!" Frau von Osternau said, when her husband had finished reading the letter. "Who would have thought it?

But yes, I always suspected that something was wrong. I never trusted Herr Pigglewitch. While he sat at the piano and played or sang I forgot, it is true, all my doubts, but they returned as I looked into his restless, dark eyes. You know, Fritz, how often I have warned you against him and begged you to dismiss him. Now he is proved to be an adventurer and an impostor. In his own letter he confesses that he has deceived us, that his life was a lie. He knew that discovery was imminent, and so he has not returned. Now you will change your opinion of him, and no longer delay sending an account of the robbery to the Breslau police inspector."

"No, Emma, I am as thoroughly convinced of his innocence now as I always have been," her husband replied. "Whoever the thief may have been, it was not the Candidate. I wish for no clearing up of that mystery."

Lieschen arose, went to her father, and, putting her arm around his neck, kissed him tenderly, and said, "Thank you, my own kind, darling papa!" Then she ran out of the room to hide the tears which Bertha must not see.

CHAPTER XVIII.

A FORCED RESOLVE.

On the morning of his departure from Castle Osternau Egon had packed up enough clothing to last him for a few days, and carried it himself to Station Mirbach, whence he took the next train to Breslau.

He did not know himself what course he should take. He trusted, as he had formerly been wont to do, to the impulse of the moment. Only one thing was clear to him, he needed rest and solitude, and a forcible severing of the ties which bound him to Castle Osternau, before he could come to any clear decision as to his conduct.

Arrived in Breslau, he first attended to Herr von Osternau's commission, and dispatched the money to him. At the same time he enclosed to Herr Pastor Widman, in Wennersdorf, the sum owing him. "No need of a letter of explanation," he said to himself, as he sealed the envelope. "I am a fool to send this money, but I promised Herr von Osternau, and I wish the Herr Pastor joy of his good luck."

As he sauntered through the streets of Breslau after posting his letters, whiling away the time before the departure of the noonday train, which was to carry him to the mountains, he tried in vain to collect his thoughts, to arrange his ideas. It was in vain, his mind was a chaos; he seemed walking in a confused dream; old impressions recalled by the busy life of the streets, from which he had so long been absent, struggled with those of the last few weeks, and he attained some degree of calm only when, after a couple of hours in the railway-carriage, he arrived at the little mountain village whence he was to set out upon his pedestrian excursion. He strapped upon his back the knapsack which he had purchased at Breslau to contain his few effects, and set out; it was not long before the physical effort necessary for mountain-climbing had its usual beneficial effect.

His rebellious thoughts would still revert to Castle Osternau, and refuse to be held captive by the changing landscape on either hand, but they were no longer so confused and unsteady as they had been early in the day, and when, after a long walk, he retired for the night, tolerably late in the evening, at a little mountain inn, he soon fell into a dreamless sleep.

He waked in the early morning refreshed and invigorated mentally and physically. The weather was glorious, and most propitious for mountain travel on foot; Egon felt awaken within him an old longing for some days alone with nature in her grand, careless mood. It was long since he had felt so fresh and strong, and as he walked upwards among the odorous pines he calmly reflected upon his life at Castle Osternau.

Could he return thither? He was able now to ponder the question quietly. His position there was uncertain; Pastor Widman's letter had raised doubts in Herr von Osternau's mind which an accident might reawaken, he might naturally make investigations as to his tutor's past, and then? The inevitable consequence would be the ruin of the false structure erected, as Egon was forced with shame to confess, upon falsehood. The unmasked impostor would be thrust in disgrace from the castle, despised by those whom he held so dear.

No, he could not expose himself to such a peril; if he returned he must confess the whole truth to Herr von Osternau. But could he do this?

There rang in his ears all the words of disapproval and condemnation uttered by almost every member of the Osternau circle with regard to Herr von Ernau. Lieschen had called him a wretched, detestable man, and her father and mother had openly expressed their contempt for him.

Should he say to them, "I am that Egon von Ernau whom you so despise!"