The Lost Manuscript Part 73

"I performed the duties of that position as well as I could."

The Marshal bowed. "There was much discussion as to how the breakfast should be arranged without affronting the ladies of the house, and it was very welcome when your father entirely refrained from requiring the partic.i.p.ation of his ladies. Allow me also to add, that a rise in your father's position would be desirable for yourself. For your husband, as a learned man of distinguished merit, is in the position of obtaining, on expressing a wish, a rank and position which would establish him as a member of the Court. And if this proposal should be carried into effect, it would give you, under certain limitations, an entrance there also. It would give the Sovereign and Princess an opportunity of receiving you at the castle, and invitations to great Court b.a.l.l.s and concerts would be possible."

Ilse rose. "Enough, my lord, I understand you. I know what my father will do when you offer him that of which you speak; he will laugh and reject the offer, and will say, if our citizen's home is not good enough for our Sovereign to enter, we must resign the honor. But I cannot reject it with the composure which I expect of my father; and I must tell you, my lord, that if I had had any idea that I, as a lady, was not ent.i.tled to enter this society, I would never have set foot here."

Ilse, with difficulty, controlled the indignation which worked within her. The Marshal was confounded, and endeavoured to pa.s.s it off equivocally; but Ilse could not be dealt with; she continued standing, and so compelled him to depart.

The Professor found his wife in a dark room brooding over what had pa.s.sed. "Will you have a patent of n.o.bility?" she exclaimed, springing up; "it will be prepared for you at once, and for my father also, in order that we may all have the advantages of becoming fit society for the castle without their feeling it a humiliation. It is unsatisfactory to them only to see us occasionally. I know now why I dine alone, and why the Sovereign would not enter our sitting-room at Bielstein. We must have a new name, that we may obtain the education and the manners which will make us worthy of going to Court. And not only us, but perhaps our children. Can you hear this without coloring with shame at our being here? They feed us like strange beasts, which they have procured out of curiosity and will again cast us out of the pen."

"Why, Ilse!" cried Felix, in astonishment, "you are expending more pathos than is necessary. What do the prejudices of these men signify to us? Has not the Sovereign done everything to make our residence here agreeable, according to what we are accustomed? If the people here are obliged by the customs in which they have been brought up, and by the regulations of their circle, to limit their intercourse with us to certain definite forms, what does that signify? Do we wish to become their confidants, and to live with them as we do with our friends at home? They have not deserved such an unfolding of our souls. When we came here we entered into a simple business relation, and we undertook also the obligation of adapting ourselves to their rules of life."

"And we are free to leave here as soon as these rules no longer please us?"

"Just so," answered the Professor; "as soon as we have sufficient grounds for considering them unbearable. I think that is not the case.

They require nothing of us that is degrading: they show us the most a.s.siduous attention: what does it signify if we do not take part in their daily intercourse, which we have no right or reason to desire?"

"Do not let us deceive ourselves," exclaimed Ilse. "If in our city any one was to say to you, you may only look at my shoes, but not raise your eyes to my face; you may only go out with me into the open air, but not come into my house; I can eat with you standing, but not sit down at your table, as my dignity forbids me to do so,--what would you, who live so proudly in your circle, reply to such a fool?"

"I would endeavour to learn the reason of his narrow-mindedness,--perhaps pity him--perhaps turn away from him."

"Then do so here," cried Ilse. "For we are invited guests to whom the people of the house close their doors."

"I repeat to you that we are not guests who are invited to a.s.sociate with the people here. I have been called upon for work, and I have accepted this call, because I look for such great advantage in it to my branch of learning that I would bear far worse things than the disagreeable customs of the Court. I dare not set at stake these important interests by an opposition to social pretensions which do not please me. It is just because I have no particular respect for these rules that they do not disturb me."

"But it grieves and makes one angry that people, in whose life one takes an interest, cling to such miserable antiquated triflings," said Ilse still bitterly.

"So that is it?" asked Felix. "We are anxious about the souls of the grandees? There is something to be said on that point. There is an old curse on every privilege which falls to the lot of most who share in it. This may be the case with court privileges. The life of our princes lies confined within the boundaries of a small circle; the views and prejudices of those around them, whom they are not free to choose, hedge them in from the first day of their life until the last. That they are not stronger and freer arises for the most part from the confined atmosphere in which they are kept by etiquette. It is a misfortune, not only for themselves, but for us, that our princes look upon the society that is not n.o.ble with the eyes of a deputy chamberlain or a courtier. This evil one feels painfully when one comes into contact with them. I think, undoubtedly, that the struggle which is going on in different parts of our fatherland will not come to a good conclusion, until the dangers are removed which arise from the effect of the old Court regulations on the training of our princes.

But it appears to me they are already broken through in many places, and the time may come when all this nonsense will be the subject of good-humored satire. For this etiquette of Court is, after all, only the remains of a past age, like the const.i.tutions of our guilds, and other ancient customs. So far you are right. But those who indulge in personal irritation, as you do now, expose themselves to the suspicion that they are only angry because they themselves desire entrance into the prohibited circles."

Ilse looked silently down.

"When you and I," continued the Professor, "come accidentally into personal contact with such modes of thinking, there is only one thing that befits us--cool contempt and indifference. We wish, for the sake of our princes, to remove the impediments which limit their intercourse with their people; but we have no wish or impulse to put ourselves in the place of those who apparently direct the rulers of our country.

For, between ourselves, we, who pa.s.s our lives in strenuous mental labor, would in general be bad companions for princes. We are deficient in the graceful forms and tact, and the easy complaisance of society.

The stronger minds would hurt, by their independence, and the weaker would become contemptible by abject subservience. Freedom of choice is all that we wish for our rulers. One feeling we may preserve without arrogance--all who separate themselves from our circle lose more than we do."

Ilse approached him, and laid her hand in his.

"Therefore, Lady Ilse," continued her husband, cheerfully, "be contented for these few weeks. If it should happen to you in reality to be an invited guest of the Court, then you may enter into negotiations concerning your pretensions; and if in such a case you have to take exceptions, do it with a smile."

"Do you speak so from the calm confidence of your soul," asked Ilse, looking searchingly at her husband, "or because you have it much at heart to remain here?"

"I have my ma.n.u.script much at heart," replied the Professor; "for the rest, the loss of peace is a greater deprivation to me than to you. You have from your youth, and especially this last year, taken a warm interest in the inmates of this princely castle. You have at times felt yourself much interested in them, and it is on that account that you are more wounded than needful."

Ilse nodded her head a.s.sentingly.

"Bear with it. Ilse," continued her husband, encouragingly; "remember that you are free, and may any day leave it. But it would be more agreeable to me if you did not leave me alone."

"Would that be more agreeable to you?" asked Ilse, softly.

"You little fool!" exclaimed the Professor. "Today we will give up the theatre, and have our evening reading. I have brought with me what will drive away all vexations."

He brought the lamp to the table, opened a little book, and began:

"It happened, one Whitsuntide, that n.o.bel, the King of all the Beasts, held a Court," and so on.

Ilse sat with her work in her hand by her husband; the light of the lamp fell on his countenance, which she examined searchingly, in order to read therein whether he still felt towards her as before; till at last the iniquities of the fox brought a smile to her lips, and she took the book from him, and read on quietly and comfortably, as at home.

"How is the Lady Bergau?" asked the Princess, of her attendant, the little Gotlinde Thurn.

"Very ill, your Highness. She has been much disturbed by the sudden departure of her husband, and her confinement is expected every hour."

"Bergau gone away?" asked the Princess, in astonishment.

"The Sovereign has commissioned him to purchase some porcelain curiosities in a distant city."

The Princess looked significantly at her confidant.

"Forgive me, your Highness, if I venture to say," continued the lady-in-waiting, "that we are all indignant. Bergau, it is said, had a scene yesterday with the strange lady at the Pavilion; and this morning early the Sovereign expressed himself, in giving his orders, in a way that made any objection out of the question."

"What has happened at the Pavilion?" asked the Princess.

"That is not known," replied the angry lady; "but, from some expressions of Bergau, one may conclude that the stranger has raised pretensions, demanded an introduction at Court, and threatened to leave in the event of a refusal. The arrogance of the woman is unbearable. We all beg that your Highness will be gracious enough to maintain our rights."

"Good Linda, I am a dangerous ally for you," replied the Princess, sorrowfully.

The birthday of the Princess was kept both by the Court and city. Many people wore gala dresses; numbers pressed with their congratulations into the ante-chamber of the princely daughter. The Princess received in full dress on this day. She appeared for the first time out of mourning, and looked lovelier than ever. In a side room, the door of which was open, stood the tables, which were covered with presents.

Much were the splendid dresses which the Sovereign had ordered for his daughter admired by the ladies; and scarcely less so the beautiful miniature work of the Magister by the connoisseurs.

About three o'clock the concert began in the gardens of the castle.

Gentlemen and ladies of the n.o.bility, the officials, and citizens, entered the s.p.a.ce marked out for them. The numerous attendants of the Princess greeted the ladies of the company and arranged them in a large circle, behind which were the gentlemen, forming a dark setting; on one side the families of the Court, on the other those of the city. The guests accommodated themselves easily to the compulsory mathematical line; it was only on the city side that there was any irregularity. The new city councillor Gottlieb, a distinguished butcher, pushed in from behind his wife and daughter, and placed himself squarely in the front row; and it required the positive directions of the lady-in-waiting to make him retreat to his place.

"I pay the taxes," said Gottlieb, stubbornly, to those about him; but even from his neighbors he was the object of a disapproving smile.

When Ilse entered this society of strangers with her husband, she felt alarm at the cold, inquisitive looks directed at her from all sides.

The Chamberlain conducted her to the first lady-in-waiting. The Baroness bowed in cool acknowledgment, and pointed to the place where she was to be stationed--at the end of the Court side, opposite the entrance. The royal party, preceded by the Marshals, made their appearance punctually; the Princess, radiant and smiling, on the arm of the Sovereign; the young Princes behind. The ladies' dresses rustled like a forest of trees, as they bent in deferential salutation; behind them the heads of the a.s.sembled gentlemen dropped with solemn movement.

The Princess executed a circular bow--a consummate piece of Court _technique_--and proceeded to walk about the line. The sun shone with summer warmth, and all rejoiced in the beautiful day and in the happiness of the child whose birthday was now celebrated. The Princess looked enchantingly lovely, and showed, by her n.o.ble appearance and gracious manners, how well fitted she was to do the honors of a Court.

The ladies-in-waiting preceded her, beckoning to individuals to come forward, and mentioning the names of those who were strangers to the Princess. She had a kind word for every one, or a nod and sweet smile, which made all feel that they were the object of her attention. The Sovereign, to-day, appeared among his citizens with the self-possession of a family father.

"A large number of old friends and acquaintances," he remarked, to the head Burgomaster. "I knew that this would be quite after my daughter's own heart. It is the first time since her severe trial that she has had the opportunity to meet again so many that have taken a friendly interest in her life."

But none of the ladies there looked with such eager attention on the circle of the Princess as Ilse. She forgot her anger at the prejudices of cla.s.s, and the annoyances attendant on her solitary position among these strangers, and looked unceasingly at the young Princess. Like all present, she felt the charm of her gracious manner. This facility of giving pleasure to others in a few minutes by merely a look or word, was quite new to her. She looked back anxiously at Felix, who was watching the graceful movements of the Princess with pleasure. She came near, and Ilse heard her questions and answers to the fortunate ones with whom she was more familiar. Ilse saw that the Princess cast a fleeting glance at her, and that her expression became more serious.

The Princess had lingered with a lady who stood in front of Ilse, inquiring with interest after the health of her sick mother; she now pa.s.sed slowly by Ilse, bowing her head almost imperceptibly, and said, in a low voice, "I hear you intend to leave us."

The unexpected question, and coldness of the tone and look, aroused the pride of the Professor's wife, and, under the flash of her large eyes, the Princess also became more erect, and they exchanged a mutual glance of hostility, as Ilse answered:

"Your Highness will pardon me! I shall remain with my husband."

The Princess looked at the Professor: again a pleasant smile pa.s.sed over her face, and she continued her progress. Ilse also turned quickly toward her husband, but he was looking about innocently, and, pleased with the world, he had not observed the little scene.