THE MOUTH OF HELL, page 28
Her outburst of joy was so spontaneous, so sincere that instantly the baron felt touched and convinced.
“You are a pure and loyal creature, my child,” he said, taking her hands in his. “If, without wishing it, I have offended you, forgive me.”
“Oh! father! father!....” said Christiane.
Just then the servants whom Christiane had sent in search of Julius, returned to say that they had scoured the wood and called in vain.
“At what time does Julius usually return from shooting?” asked the baron. I “At about six o’clock in the evening,” j replied Christiane.
“Yet two or three hours to wait!” said, the baron. “Why, it’s a day lost How very annoying.... but we must make the best of it. My dear child, will you let me have some writing materials? When Julius returns, let me be at once informed.”
Christiane installed her father-in-law in Julius’ library, and left him writing.
At dusk, Julius had not yet come back, and the baron returned to the drawing-room, where he found Christiane.
He had scarcely been in the room a moment before she suddenly uttered a cry.
One of the panels had moved and opened slowly, giving admittance to Samuel Gelb.
At first Samuel saw only Christiane’s white dress, and did not distinguish the baron sitting in the shadow.
He advanced towards Christiane, to whom he bowed with his graceful and cold politeness.
“Forgive me, madame,” said he, “for not coming sooner in answer to your call. I have undoubtedly delayed a long time, hours, or even perhaps a day. The reason is that I was at Heidelberg. On my return to Landeck, the position of the bell warned me that you had rung, and I hasten to you. In what may I have the happiness of serving you? But first, let me thank you for having sent for me.”
“It is not Christiane who has sent for you; it is I, sir,” said the baron rising.
Samuel could not help starting at this, so to speak, physical surprise; but his powerful will regained, almost at once, the ascendancy.
“The Baron von Hermelinfeld!” he exclaimed. “A pleasant surprise. Good evening, sir!”
Then turning to Christiane:
“Ah! is that the game you are playing with me, madame?” he continued, with his bitter smile and ironical air of former times. “Ah! it’s a trap! Very well! be it so! and we shall see which will be caught in it, the wolf or the hunter.”
“Do you dare still to use your threats?.” cried the baron, indignant.
“Why not? “Samuel replied quietly. “Have I, in your opinion, lost any advantage because I present myself here in such perfect good faith? I think, between ourselves, the contrary.”
“Indeed?” said the baron with a sneer.
“That’s obvious,” rejoined Samuel. “First of all, a man against a woman! I might have appeared to be abusing my strength against her weakness; but you are two against me to-day. In the second place it seems to me that I was leaving madame entirely alone, I was not provoking her, nor was I attacking her. Is it she or I who breaks the truce Who recommences the war? Henceforth I am released, I believe, from all scruples. Now the game is in my hands, and I thank you for beginning the attack.”
Christiane looked at the baron with a glance which meant: “What did I tell you?
“This being understood,” Samuel went on, “I repeat to you, sir, what I said to madame: What do you want of me?”
“I want to give you a little useful advice, sir.” replied the baron, severe and menacing. “I have, so far, employed tolerance and persuasion with regard to you. That has never succeeded well. Now I no longer entreat, I command.”
“Ah!” said Samuel. “And what do you command? And why should you command me?”
“Do you recognise this, sir?” asked the baron, showing Samuel the platinum phial which Gretchen had given him.
“That phial!” said Samuel. “Do I recognise it? Yes or no. I cannot say; it’s possible.”
“Sir,” rejoined the baron, “my duty would, no doubt, be to denounce you this very day to justice. You understand what is the consideration which still makes me hesitate. But if you do not free my daughter for ever from your monstrous threats, if you move one step or say one syllable against her, if you do not make every effort to disappear from her life and from her mind, I swear before God that I will turn a deaf ear to pity, and that I will make use of the horrible secret that I know. You do not believe in divine justice; but I will in truth compel you to believe in human justice!”
Samuel folded his arms and sneered openly.
“Ah! bah!” said he. “You would do that? Well! by the devil, I wish you would for the curiosity of it. Ah! you would speak? And so would I speak. Do you suppose that I have nothing to say? On my faith! the dialogue between accuser and accused promises to be somewhat unedifying. I have several things on my mind, do you understand? Accuse me, I shall deny nothing, I’ll warrant you. On the contrary.”
“Good Heavens! What abominable cynicism!” cried the baron, thunderstruck.
“Not at all, nothing more simple,” said Samuel. You attack me, I defend myself. Is it my fault now if the contest between us is not equal? Is it my fault if you have all and I nothing to lose? Is it my fault if I risk neither name, nor family, nor fortune, nor reputation, nor rank, and if you stand to lose all that? You want there to be a duel between us? Is it my fault if you present an enormous surface, and if I am thin as the blade of a razor? And what can I say except, Sir, fire first.’”
Baron von Hermelinfeld was for a moment dumfounded at such unparalleled audacity. But, rousing himself from his amazement, he said:
“Very well, be it so; even in these terms, I accept your challenge, and we shall see in whose favour justice and society will decide.”
“Justice! society!” retorted Samuel. “But I shall say to them, sir, what I say to you. You attacked me first, oppressed me first. Is it my fault? Do I belong to that society which proscribes me? What do I owe to that justice which forsakes me? I am not a legitimate son, a presumptive heir, the virtuous descendant of a virtuous father, a child according to law and to religion; in my veins there does not run honest blood licensed by the law; I am not Julius. No! I am Samuel, curse you! a bastard, a love-child, the son of an idle whim, the inheritor of vice, and I have in my veins only the scum and the dregs of my father’s blood. Julius may represent the integrity, the authority, the ‘virtue of his official father; I represent the passion, the rebellion, the licentiousness of my unknown father. ‘Qualis pater, talis filius?’ it is a rudimentary rule. The court will judge. Call my conduct by what name you will. Say that I have committed a crime. Very well. I am glad to have the opportunity of letting the judges choose between him who has committed the crime and him who has made the criminal!”
The baron was white with surprise and anger. Christiane was shaking with fear. Baron von Hermelinfeld resumed:
“Let me tell you once more, sir, you are not being attacked. By consent of your first victim you are spared, on condition that you do not attempt to make a Second. But should you even appear again before my daughter, whatever the consequences, I denounce you. The judges will decide, if you wish, in favour of your theories, I doubt if they will decide in favour of your crime. The living witness is there: Gretchen; the palpable proof is there: this phial. What will the accused be able to reply?”
“Good! “Samuel said with a laugh, “he will still be obliged to turn accuser, that’s all. I shall apply the law of retaliation. Had I committed a crime of a different nature, a theft or a murder, I could understand the assurance of my informers, and I might tremble or flee. But, in this case, what is it all about? The seduction of a young girl. Why! my mother was seduced too. I have letters which prove her resistance and the culpable perseverance of her seducer. Is the dead witness, less sacred than the living one, sir? As regards this phial, you say it is a proof against me, very well; but it is a proof against the other too. I shall say, no need that it be true, I shall say that I discovered the clever and terrible nature of this potion by analysing a similar phial lost at my mother’s.”
“Oh! it is an infamous slander,” cried the baron.
“Who has told you so and who will prove it?” retorted Samuel. “Now do you understand my methods of defence, Herr von Hermelinfeld? I am not a criminal, I am an avenger. My counsel? that will simply be my address to the court.”
He was silent. The baron, thoroughly overcome, his hands trembling, his white hairs damp with an icy sweat, maintained a stupefied silence. Samuel went on triumphantly:
“Sir, I await your summons to appear. Madame von Eberbach, I await the sound of your bell. I wish you both ‘au revoir.’”
And, conveying a threat into the words “au revoir,” he went out, not by the secret exit, but by the door of the room, which he slammed violently after him. “Samuel!” cried the Baron. But he was already out of hearing. “Oh! my child!” said the baron to Christiane, who, mute with terror, clung to his breast, “this Samuel is a fatal man. It is impossible for me to attack him, as you see, but I shall know how to defend you. You must beware of him, never stay alone, have someone always with you, in fact, leave this castle or have it carefully explored and rebuilt. Don’t be anxious, I am here to watch over you.”
A footstep was heard in the corridor.
“Ah! that’s Julius’ step,” exclaimed Christiane reassured.
The next moment Julius entered.
CHAPTER LVII.
WIFE AND MOTHER.
“MY dear father,” said Julius, “after affectionate greetings had passed between them, “you have been waiting for me several hours, so I am told, and the servants searched all over the forest. They did not find me, for the very good reason that I was not there. Dear me, as usual I went off with my gun over my shoulder, and the only thing I made use of was a book which I had in my pocket. A mile away from here, I sat down on the grass, and read Klop stock till dusk. With me the dreamer invariably gets the better of the sportsman. But had you anything very important to tell me?”
“Alas! yes, Julius.”
“What is it? You appear thoughtful and sad.”
The baron glanced at Christiane and seemed to hesitate.
“Am I in the way? “Christiane said quickly. “I shall leave, you two alone.”
“No, remain here, my daughter. You have firmness and resolution, have you not?”
“You alarm me,” said Christiane. “Oh! I had a presentiment of some misfortune.”
“It is necessary,” pursued the baron, “that you should know what brings me here; because I depend upon you to persuade Julius to do what I came to ask of him.”
“What do you wish me to do?” asked Julius. The baron handed him a letter.
“Read this aloud!” said he.
“It is a letter from Uncle Fritz,” said Julius, And he read out the following letter, not without breaking off more than once through his emotion: —
“New York, “25th August, 1811. “MY DEAREST BROTHER, “It is a dying man who writes to you. The victim of a disease which never spares, I shall not rise from this bed to which I have been confined for two months, but to rest in my grave. I have yet three months to live. MY doctor, who is one of my friends, and knows my stamp of character, has yielded to my urgent entreaty, and told me the truth.
“You understand me too, and you know perfectly well that if this news has affected me painfully, it is not from mean fear of death or cowardly regret of life. I have lived long enough, since I have succeeded, by dint of assiduity, work and economy, in amassing a fortune that will contribute to your happiness and to that of my beloved nephew. But I had hoped to see a little of this happiness before dying. I wanted to realise my possessions, bring the proceeds over to you in Europe and say, ‘Be happy! ‘That was the reward I had promised myself for so much toil. It seemed that God owed me that at least. God has decided otherwise, His will be done.
“So I shall never see my country again. I shall never look again upon those whom I love best in the world. A stranger will close my eyes. I do not say this that you should come, you and your son, or perhaps one of the two. You are prevented by duty; he, by happiness. I do not send for you. Besides, you would have to start at once on receipt of this. There would be just time for you to get here, and what a world of trouble only to see me die immediately. You would waste three months to give me one day.
“Do not come. Ah! and yet I would have died less sadly, had your looks of affection gladdened the last hours of an existence shortened in working for you. I would also have wished to feel there was someone trustworthy, to whom I could give my instructions as to business and the possessions which I leave. But it was foretold that I would die in exile and alone.
“Farewell, it is this thought which takes away my courage. To you my last thoughts, to you my whole fortune. Why did I leave you? But I do not repent, since I am able to bequeath a little of this world’s goods to you. Above all, do not imagine that I urge you to come.
“I embrace you both tenderly.
“Your dying brother, “FRITZ VON HERMELINFELD.”
“Father,” said Julius, wiping away a tear, “at your age and in your position, you cannot undertake a long journey. I will go instead.”
“Thank you, my son,” said the baron. “That is what I came to ask you to do. But what does Christiane say?”
Christiane, deathly pale, had sunk into a chair.
“May I not accompany Julius?” she asked.
“Of course “said Julius, “I shall take you with me.”
“But Wilhelm,” said the mother.
“Oh! it’s true,” Julius rejoined.
“It is impossible,” said the Baron, “to expose the child to such a long voyage. Wilhelm has been improving for some time, but he still seems delicate! How would he stand the sea and change of climate? If Christiane goes, she must leave him with me.”
“Leave my child!” exclaimed Christiane. And she burst into tears.
Let her husband go without her, that was impossible, but go without her child, that was even more impossible.
CHAPTER LVIII.
THE EVE OF DEPARTURE.
HE Baron von Hermelinfeld tried to interpose in Christiane’s perplexity.
“The wisest thing,” he said gently, “would be that Julius should go alone to New York. After all, it would not be a separation for any great length of time. Unfortunately, my poor brother will not detain him there long. Julius will arrive in time to close his eyes, and will be able to return immediately. I know, my children, how sad even the shortest absence will be, but we have to take the exigencies of life as they present themselves, and you, Julius, must think of your uncle; you Christiane, of your son.”
Christiane threw herself into her husband’s arms.
“Is it then absolutely necessary that he should go?” she said.
“Put the question to your own noble heart,” replied the baron. “It is the more necessary for Julius to go in that by remaining he would lose nothing. My poor brother sent me, by the same mail as this letter, a copy of his will. Whether Julius goes or stays, the entire fortune of Fritz comes to us. My brother did not wish us to attend his death bed from interested motives, and he has generously left us free to act as we thought best. But does not the very fact of his generosity make it the more incumbent upon us to go to him? I leave you to judge, my dear distressed one. For myself, I consider it so imperative a duty not to let Fritz die alone, that if Julius remains, I must go.”
“Oh! I mean to go,” Julius said.
“Yes, he must go,” said Christiane, “but I will accompany him.”
She went quickly up to the baron and added in a low voice:
“In that way, not only shall I be with Julius, but I shall escape Samuel.”
“I could not have the heart to blame you,” the baron rejoined aloud. “Your first journey met with very little success, so far as what you dread is concerned. But it is useless to argue with those who love. And if you absolutely wish to accompany Julius, I will undertake to take charge of Wilhelm, and try to replace you as a mother.”
“Oh! “Christiane said, shaking her head, “a mother cannot be replaced. Oh God! if my Wilhelm were to fall ill when I was away; if he were to die! You are right, my father, not only as regards those that hate me, but also those I love; I took a journey once before, and on my return, found that my father had gone to his long rest; if, on my return this time, I were to find my child’s grave! No, let Julius go, since he must; I shall remain to look after my boy.”
“Christiane,” said Julius, “you are both wise and loving; remain with our Wilhelm, that is my advice too. Our separation will be cruel pain. But you without your child, your child without you, that would be hardest of all. I am a man, and if the parting is pain to me, well, I shall be back in three or four months, and your kisses will make me forget the pain. But our baby, if he is ill, and you are not there to save him, all will be over, and all your tears on your return would avail nothing. You are yet more necessary to him than to me.”
He went on instantly as if to end all further discussion:
“When must I leave, father?”
“Alas! I am sorry to give you so little time,” said the baron, “but you would have to leave this very evening.”
Oh! but that’s utterly impossible!” exclaimed Christiane.
“Come, be calm, my child,” went on the baron. “Since Julius has to go, is it not far better to cut short this sad time of parting? The sooner he goes, the sooner will he return. Besides, my poor brother cannot wait, and if Julius does not arrive in time to be with him at the last, of what use for him to go at all? I have made all enquiries as to the departure of the boats. There is the ‘Commerce’ which leaves Ostend in two days. After that, it would be necessary to wait a fortnight. That would be too late. Besides, the ‘Commerce ‘is a safe and quick boat. It would be unwise to miss this opportunity. Think, my dear Christiane, what a comfort it will be to us to feel that Julius is on a good ship. The ‘Commerce ‘is the fastest boat and the most sea-worthy sailing from Ostend. I am certain that Julius will arrive in time, and you will be equally certain that he will return.”
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