by Mór Jókai
CHAPTER III
When her grief had exhausted itself, Katharina stole back to the manor,where she removed the steel casket from its hiding-place, wrapped it inher shawl, and, passing noiselessly and unseen down a staircase that wasrarely used, crossed the park to the farmer's cottage.
Here she told the farmer's wife that she was going to play a trick onher betrothed, that she wanted to borrow a gown and a kerchief. She badethe farmer saddle the mule which his wife rode when she went to thevillage, and to hang the hampers, as usual, from the pommel. In one ofthese she placed the steel casket, in the other a pistol, and filledthem both with all sorts of provisions. Thus disguised, she mounted thequadruped, and set out alone on her way toward the camp.
Almost at the same moment that Ludwig Vavel had learned of the deceit ofthe woman he loved, he became convinced that his ambitious designs hadcome to naught. The rising of the German patriots against Napoleon hadended in their defeat, and not a trace was left of the uprising amongthe French people themselves.
It was the third day after the battle of Aspern when Master Matyasentered Count Vavel's tent.
The jack of all trades had proved himself a useful member of thearmy--not, indeed, where there was any fighting, for he much preferredlooking on, when a battle was in progress, to taking an active part inthe fray. But as a spy he was invaluable.
"I have seen everything," he announced. "I saw the balloon in which aFrench engineer made an ascent to the clouds, to reconnoiter theAustrian camp. He went up as high as a kite, and they held on to therope below, down which he sent his messages--observations of theAustrians' movements. I saw the bridge, which is two hundred and fortyfathoms long, which can be transported from place to place, and reachesfrom one bank of the Danube to the other. And I saw that demi-god flyingon his white horse. He was pale, and trembled."
"And how came you to see all these sights, Master Matyas?" interruptedVavel.
"I allowed the Frenchmen to capture me; then I was set to work in theintrenchments with the other prisoners."
"And did you manage to deliver my letter?"
"Oh, yes. The Philadelphians are easily recognized from the silver arrowthey wear in their ears. When I whispered the password to one of them,he gave it back to me, whereupon I handed him your letter. I came awayas soon as he brought me the answer. Here it is."
This letter by no means lightened Vavel's gloomy mood. Colonel Oudet,the secret chief of the Philadelphians in the French army, heartilythanked Count Vavel for his offer of assistance to overthrow Napoleon;but he also gave the count to understand that, were Bonaparte defeated,the republic would be restored to France. In this case, what wouldbecome of Vavel's cherished plans?
It was after midnight. The pole of "Charles's Wain" in the heavens stoodupward. Ludwig approached the watch-fire, and told the lieutenant onguard that he might go to his tent, that he, Vavel, would take hisplace for the remainder of the night. Then he let the reins drop on theneck of his horse, and while the beast grazed on the luxuriant grass,his rider, with his carbine resting in the hollow of his arm, continuedthe night watch. The night was very still; the air was filled withodorous exhalations, which rose from the earth after the shower in theearly part of the evening. From time to time a shooting star sped on itscourse across the sky.
One after the other, Ludwig Vavel read the two letters he carried in hisbreast. He did not need to take them from their hiding-place in order toread them. He knew the contents by heart--every word. One of them was alove-letter he had received from his betrothed; the other was the Judasmessage of his enemy and Marie's.
At one time he would read the love-letter first; then that of thearch-plotter. Again, he would change the order of perusal, and test thedifferent sensations--the bitter after the sweet, the sweet after thebitter.
Suddenly, through the silence of the night, he heard the distant tinkleof a mule-bell. It came nearer and nearer. He heard the outpost's "Halt!Who comes there?" and heard the pleasant-voiced response: "Good evening,friend. God bless you."
"Ah!" muttered Ludwig, with a scornful smile, "my beautiful bride issending another supply of dainties. How much she thinks of me!"
The mule-bell came nearer and nearer.
By the light of the watch-fire Vavel could see the familiar red kerchiefthe farmer's wife from the manor was wont to wear over her head. Themule came directly toward the watch-fire, and stopped when close toVavel's horse. The woman riding the beast slipped quickly to the ground,emptied the provisions from the hampers, then, lifting the object whichhad been concealed in the bottom of one of them, came around to Vavel'sside, saying:
"It is I. I have come to seek you."
"Who is it?" he demanded sternly, recognizing the voice; "Katharina orThemire?"
"Katharina--Katharina; it is Katharina," stammered the trembling woman,looking pleadingly up into his forbidding face.
"And why have you come here?"
"I came to bring you this," she replied, holding toward him the steelcasket.
"Where is Marie?"
"She is safe--with the Marquis d'Avoncourt."
"What?" exclaimed Vavel, in amazement, flinging his carbine on theground. "Cambray--d'Avoncourt--_here_?"
"Yes; he is at the Nameless Castle, and Marie is with him."
"After all, there is a God in heaven!" with deep-toned thankfulnessejaculated Ludwig. Then he added: "Oh, Katharina, how I have sufferedbecause of--Themire!"
"Themire is dead!" solemnly returned the baroness. "Let us not speak ofher. Here, take these treasures into your own keeping; they are nolonger safe with me. Open the casket and convince yourself thateverything is there."
"I cannot open it; I have not got the key."
"Have you lost your ring?"
"No. I have trusted the most notorious thief in the country with it. Ihave sent him with the ring to Marie. I bade him show it to her, andtell her that she was to follow him wherever he might lead her. SatanLaczi has the ring."
Katharina covered her eyes with her hand, and stood with drooping headbefore her lover.
"I have deserved this," she murmured brokenly.
Vavel passed his hand over his face, and sighed. "It was all a dream!It was madness to expect impossibilities," he murmured. "I am familiarenough with the stars to have known that there are constellations whichnever descend to the horizon. The 'Crown' is one of them! Of what useare these rags now?" he exclaimed, with sudden vehemence, pointing tothe casket, which Katharina still held on her arm. "Whom can they serve?They have brought only sorrow to him who has guarded them, and to her towhom they belong. I cannot open the casket; but I need not do that todestroy the contents. Pray throw it into the fire yonder."
Katharina obeyed without an instant's hesitation. After a while themetal casket began to glow in the midst of the flames. It became red,then a pale rose-color, while a thin cord of vapor trailed through thekeyhole.
"The little garments are burning," whispered Vavel, "and the documents,and the portraits, and the heap of worthless money. From to-day," headded, in a louder tone, "I begin to learn what it is to be a poor man."
"I have already learned what poverty means," said Katharina. "Look atthese clothes! I have no others, and even these are borrowed."
"I love you in them," involuntarily exclaimed Vavel, extending his handtoward her.
"What? You offer me your hand? Do you believe that I am Katharina--onlyKatharina?"
"That I may wholly and entirely believe that you are Katharina, and notThemire, answer one question. A creature who calls himself the Marquisde Fervlans and Leon Barthelmy is lying in ambush somewhere in thisneighborhood, waiting for you to settle an old account with him. If youare the same to me that you once were, and if I am the same to you thatI was once, tell me where I shall find De Fervlans, for it will be _my_duty then to settle with him."
Katharina's face suddenly blazed with eager excitement. She flung backher head with a proud gesture.
"I will lead you to the place. Together we will seek
him!" she cried,with animation in every feature.
"Then give me your hand. You _are_ Katharina--_my_ Katharina!"
He bent toward her, and the two hands met in a close clasp.
* * * * *
Count Fertoeszeg ordered the drums to beat a reveille; then he selectedfrom his troop one hundred trusty men, and galloped with them in thedirection of Neusiedl Lake. Katharina on her mule, without the tinklingbell, trotted soberly by his side.