Letthissuffice,oftheconversation.Itisenoughforustoknowthattheprayers,theentreatiesandthetearsofthegentle-naturedgirlavailednothing.TheynoranythingcouldmovethestoutoldlordofKlugenstein.Andso,atlast,withaheavyheart,thedaughtersawthecastlegatesclosebehindher,andfoundherselfridingawayinthedarknesssurroundedbyaknightlyarrayofarmed,vassalsandabravefollowingofservants.
Theoldbaronsatsilentformanyminutesafterhisdaughter\'sdeparture,andthenheturnedtohissadwifeandsaid:
\"Dame,ourmattersseemspeedingfairly.ItisfullthreemonthssinceI
senttheshrewdandhandsomeCountDetzinonhisdevilishmissiontomybrother\'sdaughterConstance.Ifhefail,wearenotwhollysafe;butifhedosucceed,nopowercanbarourgirlfrombeingDuchesse\'enthoughill-fortuneshoulddecreeshenevershouldbeDuke!\"
\"Myheartisfullofbodings,yetallmaystillbewell.\"
\"Tush,woman!Leavetheowlstocroak.Tobedwithye,anddreamofBrandenburghandgrandeur!\"
CHAPTERII.
FESTIVITYANDTEARS
Sixdaysaftertheoccurrencesrelatedintheabovechapter,thebrilliantcapitaloftheDuchyofBrandenburghwasresplendentwithmilitarypageantry,andnoisywiththerejoicingsofloyalmultitudes;
forConrad,theyoungheirtothecrown,wascome.TheoldDuke\'s,heartwasfullofhappiness,forConrad\'shandsomepersonandgracefulbearinghadwonhisloveatonce.Thegreathallsoftiepalacewerethrongedwithnobles,whowelcomedConradbravely;andsobrightandhappydidallthingsseem,thathefelthisfearsandsorrowspassingawayandgivingplacetoacomfortingcontentment.
Butinaremoteapartmentofthepalaceasceneofadifferentnaturewas,transpiring.ByawindowstoodtheDuke\'sonlychild,theLadyConstance.Hereyeswereredandswollen,andfulloftears.Shewasalone.Presentlyshefelltoweepinganew,andsaidaloud:
\"ThevillainDetzinisgone——hasfledthedukedom!Icouldnotbelieveitatfirst,butalas!itistootrue.AndIlovedhimso.IdaredtolovehimthoughIknewtheDukemyfatherwouldneverletmewedhim.
Ilovedhim——butnowIhatehim!Withall,mysoulIhatehim!Oh,whatistobecomeofme!Iamlost,lost,lost!.Ishallgomad!
CHAPTERIII.
THEPLOTTHICKENS.
Fewmonthsdriftedby.AllmenpublishedthepraisesoftheyoungConrad\'sgovernmentandextolledthewisdomofhisjudgments,themercifulnessofhissentences,andthemodestywithwhichheborehimselfinhisgreatoffice.TheoldDukesoongaveeverythingintohishands,andsatapartandlistenedwithproudsatisfactionwhilehisheirdeliveredthedecreesofthecrownfromtheseatofthepremier.
ItseemedplainthatonesolovedandpraisedandhonoredofallmenasConradwas,couldnotbeotherwisethanhappy.Butstrangeenough,hewasnot.ForhesawwithdismaythatthePrincessConstancehadbeguntolovehim!Theloveof,therestoftheworldwashappyfortuneforhim,butthiswasfreightedwithdanger!Andhesaw,moreover,thatthedelightedDukehaddiscoveredhisdaughter\'spassionlikewise,andwasalreadydreamingofamarriage.Everydaysomewhatofthedeepsadnessthathadbeenintheprincess\'facefadedaway;everydayhopeandanimationbeamedbrighterfromhereye;andbyandbyevenvagrantsmilesvisitedthefacethathadbeensotroubled.
Conradwasappalled.Hebitterlycursedhimselfforhavingyieldedtotheinstinctthathadmadehimseekthecompanionshipofoneofhisownsexwhenhewasnewandastrangerinthepalace——whenhewassorrowfulandyearnedforasympathysuchasonlywomencangiveorfeel.Henowbegantoavoid,hiscousin.Butthisonlymademattersworse,for,naturallyenough,themoreheavoidedher,themoreshecastherselfinhisway.Hemarveledatthisatfirst;andnextitstartledhim.Thegirlhauntedhim;shehuntedhim;shehappeneduponhimatalltimesandinallplaces,inthenightaswellasintheday.Sheseemedsingularlyanxious.Therewassurelyamysterysomewhere.
Thiscouldnotgoonforever.Alltheworldwastalkingaboutit.TheDukewasbeginningtolookperplexed.PoorConradwasbecomingaveryghostthroughdreadanddiredistress.Onedayashewasemergingfromaprivateante-roomattachedtothepicturegallery,Constanceconfrontedhim,andseizingbothhishands,inhers,exclaimed:
\"Oh,why,doyouavoidme?WhathaveIdone——whathaveIsaid,toloseyourkindopinionofme——for,surelyIhaditonce?Conrad,donotdespiseme,butpityatorturedheart?Icannot——cannotholdthewordsunspokenlonger,lesttheykillme——ILOVEyou,CONRAD!There,despisemeifyoumust,buttheywouldbeuttered!\"
Conradwasspeechless.Constancehesitatedamoment,andthen,misinterpretinghissilence,awildgladnessflamedinhereyes,andsheflungherarmsabouthisneckandsaid:
\"Yourelent!yourelent!Youcanloveme——youwillloveme!Oh,sayyouwill,myown,myworshippedConrad!\'\"
\"Conradgroanedaloud.Asicklypalloroverspreadhiscountenance,andhetrembledlikeanaspen.Presently,indesperation,hethrustthepoorgirlfromhim,andcried:
Youknownotwhatyouask!Itisforeverandeverimpossible!\"Andthenhefledlikeacriminalandlefttheprincessstupefiedwithamazement.
Aminuteafterwardshewascryingandsobbingthere,andConradwascryingandsobbinginhischamber.Bothwereindespair.Bothsaveruinstaringthemintheface.
ByandbyConstanceroseslowlytoherfeetandmovedaway,saying:
\"TothinkthathewasdespisingmyloveattheverymomentthatIthoughtitwasmeltinghiscruelheart!Ihatehim!Hespurnedme——didthisman——hespurnedmefromhimlikeadog!\"
CHAPTERIV
THEAWFULREVELATION.
Timepassedon.AsettledsadnessrestedoncemoreuponthecountenanceofthegoodDuke\'sdaughter.SheandConradwereseentogethernomorenow.TheDukegrievedatthis.Butastheweeksworeaway,Conrad\'scolorcamebacktohischeeksandhisold-timevivacitytohiseye,andheadministeredthegovernmentwithaclearandsteadilyripeningwisdom.
Presentlyastrangewhisperbegantobeheardaboutthepalace.Itgrewlouder;itspreadfarther.Thegossipsofthecitygothold-ofit.Itsweptthedukedom.Andthisiswhatthewhispersaid:
\"TheLadyConstancehathgivenbirthtoachild!\"
WhenthelordofKlugensteinheardit,heswunghisplumedhelmetthricearoundhisheadandshouted:
\"Longlive.DukeConrad!——forlo,hiscrownissure,fromthisdayforward!Detzinhasdonehiserrandwell,andthegoodscoundrelshallberewarded!\"
Andhespread,thetidingsfarandwide,andforeight-and-fortyhoursnosoulinallthebaronybutdiddanceandsing,carouseandilluminate,tocelebratethegreatevent,andallatproudandhappyoldKlugenstein\'sexpense.
CHAPTERV.
THEFRIGHTFULCATASTROPHE.
Thetrialwasathand.AllthegreatlordsandbaronsofBrandenburghwereassembledintheHallofJusticeintheducalpalace.Nospacewasleftunoccupiedwheretherewasroomforaspectatortostandorsit.
Conrad,cladinpurpleandermine,satinthepremier\'schair,andoneithersidesatthegreatjudgesoftherealm.TheoldDukehadsternlycommandedthatthetrialofhisdaughtershouldproceed,withoutfavor,andthenhadtakentohisbedbroken-hearted.Hisdayswerenumbered.
PoorConradhadbegged,asforhisverylife,thathemightbesparedthemiseryofsittinginjudgmentuponhiscousin\'scrime,butitdidnotavail.
ThesaddestheartinallthatgreatassemblagewasinConrad\'sbreast.
Thegladdestwasinhisfather\'s.For,unknowntohisdaughter\"Conrad,\"
theoldBaronKlugensteinwascome,andwasamongthecrowdofnobles,triumphantintheswellingfortunesofhishouse.
Aftertheheraldshadmadedueproclamationandtheotherpreliminarieshadfollowed,thevenerableLordChiefjusticesaid:
\"Prisoner,standforth!\"
Theunhappyprincessroseandstoodunveiledbeforethevastmultitude.
TheLordChiefJusticecontinued:
\"Mostnoblelady,beforethegreatjudgesofthisrealmithathbeenchargedandproventhatoutofholywedlockyourGracehathgivenbirthuntoachild,;andbyourancientlawthepenaltyisdeath,exceptinginonesolecontingency,whereofhisGracetheactingDuke,ourgoodLordConrad,willadvertiseyouinhissolemnsentencenow;wherefore,giveheed.\"
Conradstretchedforththereluctantsceptre,andintheself-samemomentthewomanlyheartbeneathhisrobeyearnedpityinglytowardthedoomedprisoner,andthetearscameintohiseyes.Heopenedhislipstospeak,buttheLordChiefJusticesaidquickly:
\"Notthere,yourGrace,notthere!ItisnotlawfultopronouncejudgmentuponanyoftheducallineSAVEFROMTHEDUCALTHRONE!\"
AshudderwenttotheheartofpoorConrad,andatremorshooktheironframeofhisoldfatherlikewise.CONRADHADNOTBEENCROWNED——daredheprofanethethrone?Hehesitatedandturnedpalewithfear.Butitmustbedone.Wonderingeyeswerealreadyuponhim.Theywouldbesuspiciouseyesifhehesitatedlonger.Heascendedthethrone.Presentlyhestretchedforththesceptreagain,andsaid:
Prisoner,inthenameofoursovereignlord,Ulrich,DukeofBrandenburgh,Iproceedtothesolemndutythathathdevolveduponme.
Giveheedtomywords.Bytheancientlawoftheland,exceptyouproducethepartnerofyourguiltanddeliverhimuptotheexecutioner,youmustsurelydie.Embracethisopportunity——saveyourselfwhileyetyoumay.Namethefatherofyourchild!\"
Asolemnhushfelluponthegreatcourt——asilencesoprofoundthatmencouldheartheirownheartsbeat.Thentheprincessslowlyturned,witheyesgleamingwithhate,andpointingherfingerstraightatConrad,said:
\"Thouarttheman!\"
Anappallingconvictionofhishelpless,hopelessperilstruckachilltoConrad\'sheartlikethechillofdeathitself.Whatpoweronearthcouldsavehim!Todisprovethecharge,hemustrevealthathewasawoman;
andforanuncrownedwomantositintheducalchairwasdeath!Atoneandthesamemoment,heandhisgrimoldfatherswoonedandfellto,theground.
[TheremainderofthisthrillingandeventfulstorywillNOTbefoundinthisoranyotherpublication,eithernoworatanyfuturetime.]
Thetruthis,Ihavegotmyhero(orheroine)intosuchaparticularlycloseplace,thatIdonotseehowIamevergoingtogethim(orher)
outofitagain——andthereforeIwillwashmyhandsofthewholebusiness,andleavethatpersontogetoutthebestwaythatoffers——orelsestaythere.Ithoughtitwasgoingtobeeasyenoughtostraightenoutthatlittledifficulty,butitlooksdifferentnow.
[IfHarper\'sWeeklyortheNewYorkTribunedesiretocopytheseinitialchaptersintothe,readingcolumnsoftheirvaluablejournals,justastheydotheopeningchaptersofLedgerandNewYorkWeeklynovels,theyareatlibertytodosoattheusualrates,providedthey\"trust.\"]
MARKTWAIN
