by Mór Jókai
CHAPTER IV
When Herr Bernat Goeroemboelyi, in his character of emissary, arrived atthe manor, he proceeded at once to state his errand:
"My lovely sister Katinka, I am come a-wooing--as this nosegay on mybreast indicates. I ask your hand for a brave, handsome, and youngcavalier."
"Thank you very much for the honor, my dear Bernat bacsi, but I intendto remain faithful to my vow never to marry."
"Then you send me out of your house with a mitten, Katinka hugom?"
"I should prefer to detain you as a welcome guest."
"Thanks; but I cannot stop to-day. I am invited to a betrothal feastover at the Nameless Castle. The count intends to wed in a few weeks."
He had been watching, while speaking, the effect of this announcement onthe lovely face before him.
Baroness Katharina, however, acted as if nothing interested her so muchas the letter she was embroidering with gold thread on a red streamerfor a militia flag.
"The count is in a hurry," continued Herr Bernat, "for he may have toride at the head of a company of militia to the war in less than threeweeks."
Here the cruel needle thrust its point into the fair worker's rosyfinger.
Herr Bernat smiled roguishly; and said:
"Would n't you like to hear the name of the bride, my pretty sisterKatinka?"
"If it is no secret," was the indifferent response.
"It is no secret for me, and I am allowed to repeat it. The charminglady Count Vavel intends to wed is--Katharina Landsknechtsschild!"
The baroness suddenly dropped her embroidery, sprang to her feet, andsurveyed the smiling emissary with her brows drawn into a frown.
"It is quite true," continued Herr Bernat. "Count Vavel sent me here tobeg you to answer the words he spoke to you on an eventful occasion. Doyou remember them?"
The lady's countenance did not brighten as she replied:
"Yes, I remember the words; but between them and my reply there is aveil that separates the two."
"The veil has been removed."
"Ah! Then you saw the lady of the castle without her veil? Is shepretty?"
"More than pretty!"
"And who is she? What is she to Count Vavel?"
"She is not your rival, my pretty sister Katinka; she is neither wifenor betrothed to Count Vavel--nor yet his secret love."
"Then she must be his sister--or daughter."
"No; she is neither sister nor daughter."
"Then what is she? Not a servant?"
"No; she is his mistress."
"His mistress?"
"Yes, his mistress--as my queen is my mistress."
"Ah!" There was a peculiar gleam in the lovely baroness's eyes. Then shecame nearer to Herr Bernat, and asked with womanly shyness: "And youbelieve the count--loves _me_?"
"That I do not know, baroness, for he did not tell me; but I think youknow that he loves you. That he deserves your love I can swear! No onecan become thoroughly acquainted with Count Vavel and not love him. Iwent to the castle to ask him to join the noble militia, and he let mesee the lady about whom so much has been said. She had excellentreasons, baroness, for veiling her lovely face, for whoever had seen hermother's pictures would have recognized her at once. When Count Vavelgoes into battle to help defend our fatherland, he must leave the royalmaid in a mother's hands. Will you fill that office? Will you take thedesolate maid to your heart? And now, Katinka hugom, give me your answerto the Count's words."
With sudden impulsiveness the baroness extended both hands to HerrBernat, and said earnestly:
"With all my heart I consent to be Count Vavel's betrothed wife!"
"And I may fly to him with this answer?"
"Yes--on condition that you take me with you."
"What, baroness? You wish to go to the castle--now?"
"Yes, now--this very moment--in these clothes! I have no one to ask whatI should or should not do, and--_he_ needs me."
When his emissary had departed, Count Vavel began to reflect whether hehad not been rather hasty. Had he done right in giving to the world hiszealously guarded secret?
But there lay the royal manifesto on the table; there was no doubtingthat. The venture must be made now or never. If only d'Avoncourt werefree! How well he would know what to do in this emergency!
He seated himself at the table to write to his friends abroad; but hecould accomplish nothing; his hand trembled so that he could hardlyguide the pen. And why should he tremble? Was he afraid to hearKatharina's answer? It is by no means a wise move for a man to make onthe same day a declaration of war and one of love.
His meditations were interrupted by Marie, who came running into hisstudy, laughing and clapping her hands. She snatched the pen from hisfingers, and flung it on the floor.
"She is coming! She is coming!" she cried in jubilant tones.
"Who is coming?" asked Ludwig, surveying the young girl in surprise.
"Who? Why, the lady who is to be my mother--the beautiful lady from themanor."
"What nonsense, Marie! How can you give voice to such impossiblenonsense?"
"But the vice-palatine would not be returning to the castle in _two_carriages!" persisted the maid. "Come and see them for yourself!"
She drew him from his chair to the window in the dining-room, where hisown eyes convinced him of the truth of Marie's announcement.
Already the two vehicles were crossing the causeway, and the baroness'srose-colored parasol gleamed among the trees. Deeply agitated, CountVavel hastened to meet her.
"May I come with you?" shyly begged Marie, following him.
"I beg that you will come," was the reply; and the two, guardian andward, hand in hand, descended to the entrance-hall.
Baroness Katharina's countenance beamed with a magical charm--the resultof the union of opposite emotions; as when shame and courage, timidityand daring, love and heroism, meet and are blended together in awonderful harmony--a miracle seen only in the magic mirror of a woman'sface.
While yet several paces distant, she held out her hand toward CountVavel, and, with a charming mixture of embarrassment and candor, said:
"Yes, I am."
This was her confirmation of the words Vavel had spoken in the forest inthe presence of the three dragoon officers: "She is my betrothed."
Vavel lifted the white hand to his lips. Then Katharina quickly passedonward toward Marie, who had timidly held back.
The baroness grasped the young girl's hands in both her own, and lookedlong and earnestly into the fair face lifted shyly toward her. Then shesaid:
"It was not for his sake I came so precipitately. He could have waited.They told me your heart yearned for a mother's care, and it must not bekept waiting."
After this speech the two young women embraced. Which was the first tosob, which kiss was the warmer, cannot be known; but that Marie was thehappier was certain. For the first time in years she was permitted toembrace a woman and tell her she loved her. Ludwig Vavel looked withdelight on the meeting between the two, and gratefully pressed the handof his successful emissary.
When the two young women had sobbed out their hearts to each other, theybegan to laugh and jest. Was not the mother still a girl, like thedaughter?
"You must come with me to the manor?" said Katharina, as, with armsentwined about each other, they entered the castle. "I shall not allowyou to stop longer in this lonely place."
"I wish you would take me with you," responded Marie. "I shall be veryobedient and dutiful. If I do anything that displeases you, you mustscold me, and praise me when I do what is right."
"And I am not to be asked if I consent to this abduction of my ward?"here smilingly interposed Count Vavel.
"Why can't you come with us?" innocently inquired Marie.
The other young woman laughed merrily.
"He may come for a brief visit; later we will let him come to stayalways." Then she added in a more serious tone: "Count Vavel, you mayrest perfectly content that your treasure will be safe
with me. My houseis prepared for assault. My people are brave and well armed. There is nopossible chance of another attack from robbers like that from which youdelivered me."
"Ludwig delivered you from robbers?" repeated Marie, in astonishment."When? How?"
"Then he did not tell you about his adventure? What a singular man!"
Here the vice-palatine interposed with: "What is this I hear? Robbers? Iheard nothing about robbers."
"The baroness herself asked me not to speak of the affair," explainedthe count.
"Yes, but I did not forbid you to tell Marie, Herr Count," respondedKatharina.
"'Baroness'--'Herr Count'?" repeated Marie, turning questioningly fromher guardian to their fair neighbor. "Why don't you call each other byyour Christian names?"
They were spared an explanation by Herr Bernat, who again observed:
"Robbers? I confess I should like to hear about this robbery?"
"I will tell you all about it," returned the baroness; "but first, Imust beg the vice-palatine not to make any arrests. For," she added,with an enchanting smile, "had it not been for those valiant knights ofthe road I should not have become acquainted with my brave Ludwig."
"That is better!" applauded Marie, hurrying her "little mother" into thereception-room, where the wonderful story of the robbery was repeated.
And what an attentive listener was the fair young girl! Her lips werepressed tightly together; her eyes were opened to their widestextent--like those of a child who hears a wonderful fairy tale. Even thevice-palatine from time to time ejaculated:
"_Darvalia_!" "_Beste karaffia_!"--which, doubtless, were the properterms to apply to marauding rascals.
But when the baroness came to that part of her story where Count Vavel,with his walking-stick, put to flight the four robbers, Marie's faceglowed with pride. Surely there was not another brave man like herLudwig in the whole world!
"That was our first meeting," concluded Katharina laughingly, laying herhand on that of her betrothed husband, who was leaning against the armof her chair.
"I should like to know why you both thought it best to keep this robberya secret?" remarked Herr Bernat.
"The real reason," explained Count Vavel, "was because the baroness didnot want her protege, Satan Laczi's wife, persecuted."
"Hum! if everybody was as generous as you two, then robbery would becomea lucrative business!"
"You must remember," Katharina made haste to protest, "that all this hasbeen told to the matrimonial emissary, and not to the vice-palatine. Onno account are any arrests to be made!"
"I will suggest a plan to the Herr Vice-palatine," said Count Vavel."Grant an amnesty to the robbers; not to the four who broke into themanor,--for they are merely common thieves,--but to Satan Laczi and hiscomrades, who will cheerfully exchange their nefarious calling for thepurifying fire of the battle-field. I myself will undertake to form theminto a company of foot-soldiers."
"But how do you know that Satan Laczi and his comrades will join thearmy?" inquired Herr Bernat.
"Satan Laczi told me so himself--one night here in the castle. He openedall the doors and cupboards, while I was in the observatory, and waitedfor me in my study."
It was the ladies' turn now to exhibit the liveliest interest. Eachseized a hand of the speaker, and listened attentively to hisdescription of the robber's midnight visit to the castle.
"Good!" was Herr Bernat's comment, when the count had concluded. "Anamnesty shall be granted to Satan Laczi and his crew if they will submitthemselves to the Herr Count's military discipline."