by Mór Jókai
CHAPTER IV
The afternoon of the following day, Henry entered the count's study toannounce that a crazy person was below, who insisted on speaking to thelord of the castle. The stranger said he had invented a cannon thatwould at one shot destroy fifteen hundred men. He would take no denial,but insisted that Henry should tell the Herr Count that Master Matyashad arrived.
"Yes; I sent for him to come here," answered the count. "Show him up."
The appearance of the man whom Henry conducted to his master's presencewas certainly original. He wore a costume unlike any prevailing fashion.His upper garment was so made that it might be worn either as a coat ora mantle; if sleeves were desired there were sleeves, and none if nonewere required. Even his shoes were inventions of his own, for no regularshoemaker could have fashioned them. He held between the fingers of hisright hand a bit of lead-pencil, with which he would illustrate what hedescribed on the palm of his left hand.
"You come in good time, Master Matyas," said the count.
"Yes--yes. If only I had been in good time at the battle of Marengo!"sighed the singular man.
"Too late now for regrets of that sort, Master Matyas," smilinglyresponded Count Vavel. "Facts cannot be changed! I have a task for youwhich I desire to have completed as quickly as possible. Come, and Iwill show you what I want you to do."
It was the hour Marie spent in her garden; consequently the count was atliberty to conduct the jack of all trades to the young girl's apartment,and explain what he wished to have done.
Master Matyas listened attentively to what the count said, and took thenecessary measurements. When he had done so, he turned toward hispatron, and said in a serious tone:
"Do you know why we lost the battle of Marengo? Because GeneralGvozdanovics, when Napoleon's cavalry made that famous assault, was notclever enough to order three men into every tree on that longavenue--two of the men to load the muskets, while the third kept up acontinual fire. The French horsemen could not have ridden up the trees,and the entire troop of cavalry would have dropped under the continuousfire! The general certainly should have commanded: 'Half battalion--halfleft! Up the trees--forward!'"
"That is true, Master Matyas," assented Count Vavel; "but I should liketo know if you fully understand what I want you to do, and if you can doit?"
Master Matyas's face brightened suddenly. "I 'll tell you what, HerrCount; if I succeed in doing what you want, I shall be able, if everNapoleon makes another attack on us, to pen him up, with his entirearmy, so securely that he won't be able to stir!"
"I have no doubt of that!" again assented the count. "What I want,however, is a secure barrier that cannot be opened from the outside.Pray understand me. I want this barrier made in such a manner that theperson within the barricade will have sufficient light and air, but beinvisible to any one outside, and be perfectly secure from intruders.Could not you let me have a little drawing of what you propose to do?"
"Certainly"; and taking a small sketch-book from his pocket, MasterMatyas proceeded to do as he was requested--first, however, explainingto the count a drawing of the cannon which would mow down at one shotfifteen hundred men. "You see," he explained, "here are two cannonwelded together at the breech, with their muzzles ten degrees apart. Butone touch-hole suffices for both. The balls are connected by a longchain, and when the cannon are fired off, the balls naturally fly inopposite directions and forward at the same time, and, stretching thechain, mow off the heads of every man jack with whom it comes incontact! Fire! Boom! Heads off!"
The count was perfectly satisfied with Master Matyas. He had found a manwho fully understood his business, and who knew how to hold his tongueon all subjects but on that of his infernal machines, and of hisstratagems to defeat Napoleon. For two weeks Master Matyas laboreddiligently at his task in the Nameless Castle, during which time Henryheard so much about warlike stratagems that his sides ached from thecontinued laughter. But when the villagers questioned Master Matyasabout his work at the castle, they could learn nothing from him butschemes to capture the ever-victorious Corsican.
"Herr Count," one day observed Henry, toward the close of the secondweek, "if I hear much more of Master Matyas's wonderful battles, I shallbecome as crazy as he is!"
And the count replied:
"You are crazy already, my good Henry--and so am I!"
At last the task was completed. Count Vavel was satisfied with the workMaster Matyas had performed, and it only remained for Marie to expressherself satisfied with the arrangement which would barricade her everynight as securely as were the treasures of the "green vault" in Dresden.
A few days afterward was Marie's sixteenth birthday. Count Vavel hadcome to her apartments, as usual, to congratulate her, and to hear whather birthday wish might be. But the young girl, whose sparkling eyes hadbecome veiled with melancholy, whose red lips had already learned toexpress sadness, had no commands to give to-day.
After dinner the count, on some pretence, detained Marie in the librarywhile Master Matyas completed his task in her room.
This masterpiece was a peculiar curtain composed of small squares ofsteel so joined together that light and air could easily penetrate thescreen. It was fitted between the two marble columns which supported thearch of the bed-alcove. When the metal curtain was lowered, by means ofa cord, two springs in the floor caught and held it so securely that itcould not be lifted from the outside. To raise the screen the person inthe alcove had only to touch a secret spring near the bed, when thescreen would roll up of itself.
"And hast thou no wish this year, Marie?" asked the count, adopting, asusual on this anniversary, the familiar "thou."
"Yes, I have one, dear Ludwig," replied the young girl, but with nobrightening of the melancholy features. "I have lost something, but thoucanst not give it back to me."
"And what may this something be? What hast thou lost, Marie? Tell me."
"My former sweet, sound sleep! and thou canst not buy me another inVienna or Paris. I used to sleep so soundly. I used to be so fond of mysweet slumber that I could hardly wait to say my prayers, and often Iwould be in dreamland long before I got to the 'Amen.' And if by anychance I awoke in the night and heard the clock strike, I would beg ofit not to hurry along the hours so fast--I did not want morning to comeso soon! But now that I have to sleep with locked doors, I lie awakeoften until midnight--terrified by I know not what. I dread to be soentirely alone when everything is so quiet; and when it is dark I feelas if some one were stealthily creeping about my room. When I hear anoise I wonder what it can be, and my heart beats so rapidly! Then Idraw the covers over my head to shut out all sound, and if I fall asleepthus I have such disagreeable dreams that I am glad when I waken again."
Count Vavel gently took the young girl's hand in his.
"Suppose I could restore to thee thy former sweet slumber, Marie?Suppose I take up my old quarters on the lounge by the door?"
The young girl gazed into his eyes as if she would penetrate his verysoul. Then she said sorrowfully: "No, dear Ludwig; that would notrestore my slumber."
"Then suppose I have thought of something that will? Come with me, andsee."
She laid her hand on his arm, and went with him to her room.
Ludwig conducted her into the alcove, and stepped outside.
"Draw the cord which hangs at the head of the bed," he said, smiling ather wondering face.
Marie did as he bade her, and the metal screen unrolled, and was caughtin the springs in the floor.
"Oh, how wonderful!" she exclaimed in amazement. "I am a prisoner in myown alcove."
"Only so long as you care to remain in your prison," returned CountVavel. "No one can lift the screen from this side; but if you will pressyour foot on the little brass button in the floor at the foot of thecolumn to your left, you will be at liberty again."
The next instant Master Matyas's handiwork was rolled up to the ceiling.
Marie was filled with delight and astonishment.
"There is another
work of art connected with this wonderful mechanism,"said the count, after Marie had rolled and unrolled the screen severaltimes. "The cord which releases the screen rings a bell in my room. WhenI hear the bell I shall know that you have retired; then I shall bringmy books and papers into your room out yonder, and continue my workthere. Only enough light will penetrate the screen to the alcove toprevent utter darkness. You will not need to be afraid hereafter, andperhaps the sweet, sound sleep will return to you."
Marie did not offer to kiss her guardian for this birthday gift. Shemerely held out both hands, and gave his a clasp that was so close andwarm that it said more than words or kisses. She waited impatiently forevening to test the working of her wonderful screen. She did not amuseherself with her cards, as usual, but went to bed at ten o'clock. At thesame moment that the screen unrolled and was caught by the springs inthe floor, Count Ludwig's footsteps were heard in the corridor. In onehand he carried a two-branched candlestick, in the other his pistol-caseand ink-horn. His pen was between his lips; his books and papers wereheld under his arm. He seated himself at a table, and resumed hisstudies.
Marie would have been untrue to her sex had she not watched him forseveral minutes through her metal screen--watched and admired the superbhead, supported on one hand as he bent intently over his book, thebroad brow, the classical nose, the chin and lips of an Achilles--all asmotionless as if they had been molded in bronze. A true hero--a hero whobattled with the most powerful demons of earth, the human passions, andconquered. From that day Marie found her old sweet sleep again.
The second day Marie's curiosity prompted her to signal to Ludwig halfan hour earlier. He heard, and came as readily at half-past nineo'clock. And then the little maid (like all indulged children) abusedher privileges: she signaled at nine o'clock, and at last at eighto'clock--retiring with the birds in order to test if Ludwig would obeythe signal.
He always came promptly when the falling screen summoned him.
And then Marie said to herself:
"He loves me. He loves me very much--as the fakir loves his Brahma, asthe Carthusian loves his sainted Virgin. That is how he loves me!"