第2章

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