Tales from the German Volume I Part 18

'Amen!' said Conradi, moving towards the door.

'Thanks for your love,' said Goertz, embracing Rank and Arwed, and then turning to follow his spiritual a.s.sistant.

'Now let us forth,' cried Georgina wildly, grasping the hands of the youth and of the little Magdalena, 'that we may arrive before him!'

'You cannot support the scene!' said Arwed anxiously to her.

'And should I die in his last moments,' answered Georgina, 'what a happy death!'

Goertz had overheard this conversation, and turned once more towards his daughters. 'You will go hence directly back to your dwelling,' said he earnestly.

'Father!' stammered Georgina, 'shall I not see you once more?'

'It is your father's last command!' cried Goertz. 'Wouldst thou bind my soul to earth, through sorrow for thee, when its wings were already joyfully raised to take its flight to its creator? Take my daughters home, Gyllenstierna!'

'Forward!' growled Baumgardt. 'G.o.d bless you, my loves!' cried Goertz with a stronger voice, and followed his guards.

CHAPTER XXV.

Nine days had pa.s.sed, since the ground under the Swedish gallows had drunk the blood of the worthy German. The evening was closing in, all the bells of the capital were tolling, and the thunder of cannon was heard from the Ritterholm, in honor of the royal hero who at this hour was committed to the tomb of his fathers. Arwed entered Georgina's room. He found her with Magdalena and her only maid, (whom she still retained,) in their traveling dresses.

'I thank you for coming so punctually,' said Georgina. 'You are now to render me the last service. It is not without danger, but I know you, and therefore demand it without hesitation.'

'Every thing for thee!' cried Arwed pa.s.sionately.

'Then accompany me,' said she, 'upon my way to the performance of a difficult duty, in which I need a man's aid. Have every thing ready,'

said she to her maid servant. 'If heaven favor our attempt, we shall soon return, directly to leave this horrible country!'

She took Arwed's arm and proceeded with him to the bank of the Norderstrom. There a boat was in waiting, in which were Goertz'

Holstein servants. The oars moved and the boat soon floated forth upon the peaceful lake. Georgina, wrapped in her cloak, sat upon the deck observing the stars which here and there discovered themselves in the deepening gloom of the evening.

'What project have you in hand, Georgina?' at length asked Arwed anxiously.

'I will now make it known to you,' answered she. 'I am going for my father's corpse. Ungrateful Sweden shall not hold his bones.'

'My G.o.d, you risk your life!' cried Arwed with alarm.

'I think not,' she calmly answered. 'Public duty and curiosity have drawn all Stockholm to witness the funeral solemnities of the king, and I hope to find the place deserted. And of what consequence would be my life? I risk it joyfully in the performance of my filial duty! If you fear the service, say where I shall land you.'

'You afflict me undeservedly!' complained Arwed. 'Sooner should the royal council affix my name to the gallows from which you are about to tear its prey, than I would desert your side. Only for you was I anxious. Even if every thing succeed, this undertaking is unsuited to your years and s.e.x.'

'Ah, dear Arwed!' said Georgina, 'I have lived long in a short time, and great afflictions give new strength to the heart. Seek not to dissuade me.'

Both remained silent while the convoy moved rapidly and undisturbedly onward. At length the boat landed, and they got out. Two of the servants drew a litter from beneath the deck, and bore it ash.o.r.e. The others followed with cords, shovels and pick-axes.

'Remain here,' said Arwed to Georgina. 'I will superintend the labor and spare you at least that pain.'

'No,' answered she, 'it must all be fulfilled. But you may accompany me, that I may have a friend to lean upon if the body should prove weaker than the will.'

The melancholy company moved silently forward through the stillness of the night. At length the gallows arose awfully before them in huge and undefined outline.

'It was here,' whispered one of the servants, stopping.

'Here?' sobbed Georgina, falling down and kissing the holy ground.

'Now to the work, faithful friends,' said she, rising up.

With restless zeal the labor was commenced with pick-axe and shovel, and soon the silver clamps upon the black coffin glistened from the depth. Two of the servants sprang into the grave and made room for themselves on each side until they succeeded in pa.s.sing the cords under the coffin. It was slowly drawn up and placed upon the litter.

During the time which had thus elapsed, Georgina had stood by with folded hands, engaged in prayer. The litter was quickly raised, and the little train moved silently back to the sh.o.r.e with its sad burden.

Georgina followed, requiring all of Arwed's strength to sustain her tottering steps. The coffin was placed in the boat, which immediately put off.

'It is done!' cried Georgina, convulsively clasping Arwed's hand. 'I thank thee.'

'And now?' asked the faithful youth.

'You will soon learn,' answered Georgina, remaining buried in reflection until they landed at the Blasiusholm. A merchant ship lay at anchor near by. The maiden now arose, as in the golden times of her happy love, and throwing her arms about Arwed's neck, pressed her ice-cold lips to his. 'Farewell forever, dear Arwed!' breathed she in a scarcely articulate tone.

'What say you?' cried Arwed in alarm, encircling her with his arms.

'It cannot be otherwise,' answered she, extricating herself from his embrace. 'This ship takes me and my father's corpse to Hamburg.'

'Not without me, faithless one!' angrily exclaimed Arwed. 'Fly to the new world--fly from life, if you will--and still I will accompany you!'

'Let us not revive our former sad strife,' said she sorrowfully. 'I must not become yours. You may pain me, but you cannot shake my determination, which is as unmovable as are my misfortunes.'

'Georgina!' implored Arwed, clasping her knees. 'You have always conducted towards me with such a knightly delicacy, my Arwed,' said Georgina, laying her cold hand upon his heated brow, 'that I may safely compare you with any of the lofty exemplars of former times. My love for you is, indeed, yet stronger than in the moments of its first confession,--but the blot which rests upon my name forbids my uniting myself with the son of him who sentenced my innocent father to a criminal's death. Believe me, even were I weak enough to yield to your request, we could not be happy together. The remembrance of all that has occurred would, like a fearful spectre, stand between us, and self-contempt would follow me even to your arms. Now, the consciousness of having offered up my love upon the altar of duty, will raise me above myself and give me strength worthily to bear the afflictions laid upon me by my G.o.d. Wherefore, my friend, I demand of you our separation as your last love-service, and a true knight must obey his mistress, when with tearful eyes and broken accents she says to him, _Let us part!_'

'I go!' exclaimed Arwed, clasping Georgina once more to his bosom and to his lips, and rushing forth.

'That was the death of the heart!' cried the unhappy maiden, pressing her clasped hands upon her bosom.--' What may hereafter come is not worth consideration. Let me but satisfy the world of my father's innocence, just G.o.d, and then take me to thyself and to him in thy heavenly kingdom.'

CHAPTER XXVI.

The next morning, as lieutenant general Rank was mounting the steps to Arwed's quarters, the latter, coming furiously out, rushed directly against him.

'Whither so hasty, my good Gyllenstierna?' cried Rank, grasping his arm. 'I was coming to seek you, and have something of importance to say.'

'And I have something of yet greater importance to do, sir general,'

answered Arwed in a singular tone. 'I shall take upon myself to act as a lawyer, and talk to the judges about a second appeal.'