Page 9 of The Heart of Princess Osra

  CHAPTER VIII.

  The Love of the Prince of Glottenberg.

  It was the spring of the year when Ludwig, Prince of Glottenberg, camecourting the Princess Osra; for his father had sought the most beautifullady of a Royal House in Europe, and had found none equal to Osra.Therefore the Prince came to Strelsau with a great retinue, and waslodged in the White Palace, which stood on the outskirts of the city,where the public gardens now are (for the Palace itself was sacked andburnt by the people in the rising of 1848). Here Ludwig stayed manydays, coming every day to the King's palace to pay his respects to theKing and Queen, and to make his court to the Princess. King Rudolf hadreceived him with the utmost friendship, and was, for reasons of Statethen of great moment but now of vanished interest, as eager for thematch as was the King of Glottenberg himself; and he grew very impatientwith his sister when she hesitated to accept Ludwig's hand, allegingthat she felt for him no more than a kindly esteem, and, what was asmuch to the purpose, that he felt no more for her. For although thePrince possessed most courteous and winning manners, and was veryaccomplished both in learning and in exercises, yet he was a grave andpensive young man, rather stately than jovial, and seemed in thePrincess's eyes (accustomed as they were to catch and check ardentglances), to perform his wooing more as a duty of his station than onthe impulse of any passion. Finding in herself also no such sweetashamed emotions as had before now invaded her heart on account oflesser men, she grew grave and troubled. At last she said to the King:

  "Brother, is this love? For I had as lief he were away as here, and whenhe is here he kisses my hand as though it were a statue's hand; and--andI feel as though it were. They say you know what love is. Is this love?"

  "There are many forms of love," smiled the King. "This is such love as aPrince and a Princess may most properly feel."

  "I do not call it love at all," said Osra with a pout.

  When Prince Ludwig came next day to see her and told her with gravecourtesy that his pleasure lay in doing her will, she broke out:

  "I had rather it lay in watching my face," and then, ashamed, she turnedaway from him.

  He seemed grieved and hurt at her words; it was with a sigh that hesaid: "My life shall be spent in giving you joy."

  She turned round on him with flushed cheek and trembling lips:

  "Yes, but I had rather it were spent in getting joy from me."

  He cast down his eyes a moment, and then, taking her hand, kissed it.But she drew it away sharply. So that afternoon they parted, he back tohis Palace, she to her chamber, where she sat, asking again: "Is thislove?" and crying: "He does not know love," and pausing, now and again,before her mirror, to ask her pictured face why it would not unlock thedoor of love.

  On another day she would be merry, or feign merriment, rallying him onhis sombre air and formal compliments, professing that for her part shesoon grew weary of such wooing, and loved to be easy and merry; for thusshe hoped to sting him, so that he would either disclose more warmth oraltogether forsake his pursuit. But he offered many apologies, blamingnature that had made him grave, but assuring her of his deep affectionand respect.

  "Affection and respect!" murmured Osra with a little toss of her head."Oh, that I had not been born a Princess!" And yet, though she did notlove him, she thought him a very noble gentleman, and trusted to hishonour and sincerity in everything. Therefore, when he still persisted,and Rudolf and the Queen urged her, telling her (the King mockingly, theQueen with a touch of sadness) that she must not look to find in theworld such love as romantic girls dreamt of, at last she yielded; shetold her brother that she would marry Prince Ludwig; yet for a littlewhile she would not have the news proclaimed. So Rudolf went, alone andprivately, to the White Palace, and said to Ludwig:

  "Cousin, you have won the fairest lady in the world. Behold, her brothersays it!"

  Prince Ludwig bowed low, and taking the King's hand, pressed it,thanking him for his help and approval, and expressing himself as mostgrateful for the boon of the Princess's favour.

  "Will you not come with me and find her?" cried the King with a merrylook.

  "I have urgent business now," answered Ludwig. "Beg the Princess toforgive me. This afternoon I will crave the honour of waiting on herwith my humble gratitude."

  King Rudolf looked at him, a smile curling on his lips; and he said, inone of his gusts of impatience:

  "By heaven! is there another man in the world who would talk aboutgratitude, and business, and the afternoon, when Osra of Strelsau satwaiting for him?"

  "I mean no discourtesy," protested Ludwig, taking the King's arm, andglancing at him with most friendly eyes. "Indeed, dear friend, I amrejoiced and honoured. But this business of mine will not wait."

  So the King, frowning and grumbling and laughing, went back alone andtold the Princess that the happy wooer was most grateful, and would comeafter his business was transacted that afternoon. But Osra, having givenher hand, would admit no fault in the man she had chosen, and thankedthe King for the message with great dignity. Then the King came to her,and, sitting down by her, stroked her hair, saying softly:

  "You have had many lovers, sister Osra, and now comes a husband!"

  "Yes, now a husband," she murmured, catching swiftly at his hand; hervoice was half caught in a sudden sob.

  "So goes the world--our world," said the King, knitting his brows andseeming to fall for a moment into a sad reverie.

  "I am frightened," she whispered. "Should I be frightened if I lovedhim?"

  "I have been told so," said the King, smiling again. "But the fear has away of being mastered then." And he drew her to him, and gave her ahearty brother's kiss, telling her to take courage. "You'll thaw thefellow yet," said the King, "though, I grant you, he is icy enough." Forthe King himself had been by no means what he called an icy man.

  But Osra was not satisfied, and sought to assuage the pain of her heartby adorning herself most carefully for the Prince's coming, hoping tofire him to love. For she thought that if he loved she might, althoughsince he did not she could not. And surely he did not, or all the talesof love were false! Thus she came to receive him very magnificentlyarrayed. There was a flush on her cheek and an uncertain, expectant,fearful look in her eyes; thus she stood before him, as he fell on hisknee and kissed her hand. Then he rose and declared his thanks, andpromised his devotion; but as he spoke the flush faded and the lightdied from her eyes; and when at last he drew near to her and offered tokiss her cheek, her eyes were dead and her face pale and cold as shesuffered him to touch it. He was content to touch it but once, andseemed not to know how cold it was; and so, after more talk of hisfather's pleasure and his pride, he took his leave, promising to comeagain the next day. She ran to the window when the door was closed onhim, and thence watched him mount his horse and ride away slowly, withhis head bent and his eyes downcast; yet he was a noble gentleman,stately and handsome, kind and true. The tears came suddenly into hereyes and blurred her sight as she leant watching from behind the hangingcurtains of the window. Though she dashed them away angrily, they cameagain, and ran down her pale cold cheeks, mourning the golden visionthat seemed gone without fulfilment.

  That evening there came a gentleman from the Prince of Glottenberg,carrying most humble excuses from his master, who (so he said) wasprevented from waiting on the Princess the next day by a certain veryurgent affair which took him from Strelsau, and would keep him absentfrom the city all day long; and the gentleman delivered to Osra a letterfrom the Prince, full of graceful and profound apologies, and pleadingan engagement that his honour would not let him break; for nothing shortof that, said he, should have kept him from her side. There followedsome lover's phrases, scantily worded and frigid in an assumed passion.But Osra, smiling graciously, sent back a message, readily accepting allthat the Prince urged in excuse. And she told what had passed to theKing, with her head high in the air and a careless haughtiness, so thateven the King did not rally her, nor yet venture to
comfort her, buturged her to spend the day in riding with the Queen and him; for theywere setting out for Zenda, where the King was to hunt in the forest,and she could ride some part of the way with them, and return in theevening. And she, wishing that she had sent first to the Prince to bidhim not come, agreed to go with her brother; it was better far to gothan to wait at home for a lover who would not come.

  Thus the next morning they rode out, the King and Queen with theirretinue, the Princess attended by one of her Guard, named ChristianHantz, who was greatly attached to her and most jealous in praise andadmiration of her. This fellow had taken it on himself to be very angrywith Prince Ludwig's coldness, but dared say nothing of it; yet,impelled by his anger, he had set himself to watch the Prince veryclosely; and thus he had, as he conceived, discovered something whichbrought a twinkle into his eye and a triumphant smile to his lips as herode behind the Princess. Some fifteen miles she accompanied herbrother, and then, turning with Christian, took another way back to thecity. Alone she rode, her mind full of sad thoughts; while Christian,behind, still wore his malicious smile. But presently, although she hadnot commanded him, he quickened his pace and came up to her side,relying for excuse on the favour which she always shewed him.

  "Well, Christian," said she, "have you something to say to me?"

  For answer he pointed to a small house standing among the trees, someway from the road, and he said:

  "If I were Ludwig and not Christian, yet I would be here where Christianis, and not there where Ludwig is," and he pointed still at the house.

  She faced round in anger at his daring to speak to her of the Prince,but he was a bold fellow and would not be silenced now that he had begunto speak; he knew also that she would bear much from him. So he leantover towards her, saying:

  "By your bounty, madame, I have money, and he who has money can getknowledge. So I know that the Prince is there. For fifty crowns I gaineda servant of his, and he told me."

  "I do not know why you should spy on the Prince," said Osra, "and I donot care to know where the Prince is;" and she touched her horse withthe spur and cantered forward fast, leaving the little house behind. ButChristian persisted, partly in a foolish grudge against any man whoshould win what was above his reach, partly in an honest anger that she,whom he worshipped, should be treated lightly by another; and he forcedher to hear what he had learnt from the gossip of the Prince's groom,telling it to her in hints and half-spoken sentences, yet so plainlythat she could not miss the gist of it.

  She rode the faster towards Strelsau, at first answering nothing; but atlast she turned on him fiercely, saying that he told a lie, and that sheknew it was a lie, since she knew where the Prince was, and whatbusiness had taken him away; and she commanded Christian to be silentand to speak neither to her nor to any one else of his false suspicions;and she bade him very harshly to fall back and ride behind her again,which he did, sullen yet satisfied. For he knew that his arrow had gonehome. On she rode, with her cheeks aflame and her heart beating, untilshe came to Strelsau; having arrived at the Palace, she ran to her ownbedroom and flung herself on the bed.

  Here for an hour she lay; then, it being about six o'clock, she sat up,pushing her disordered hair back from her hot aching brow. An agony ofhumiliation had come upon her, and a fury of resentment against thePrince, whose coldness seemed now to need no more explanation. Yet shecould hardly believe what she had been told of him, for though she hadnot loved him, she had accorded to him her full trust. Rising, she pacedin pain about the room. She could not rest; she cried out in longingthat her brother were there, to aid her and find out the truth for her.But he was away, and she had none to whom she could turn. So she stroveto master her anger and endure her suspense till the next day, but theywere too strong for her, and she cried:

  "I will go myself, I cannot sleep till I know. But I cannot go alone.Who will go with me?" But she knew of none, for she would not takeChristian with her, and she shrank from speaking of the matter to anygentlemen of the Court. Yet she must know. At last she sprang from thechair into which she had sunk despondent, exclaiming:

  "He is a gentleman and my friend. He will go with me." And she senthastily for the Bishop of Modenstein, who was then in Strelsau, biddinghim come dressed for riding, with a sword, and on the best horse in hisstables. The Bishop came equipped as she bade him, and in very greatwonder. But when she told what she wanted, and what Christian had madeknown to her, he grew grave, saying that they must wait and consult theKing, when he returned.

  "I will not wait an hour," she cried. "I cannot wait an hour."

  "Then I will ride and bring you word. You must not go," he urged.

  "Nay, if I go alone I will go," said she. "Yes, I will go, and myselffling his falseness in his teeth."

  Finding her thus resolved, the Bishop knew that he could not turn her;so, leaving her to prepare herself, he caught Christian Hantz, andcharged him to bring their horses to the most private gate of thepalace, which opened on a little by-street. Here Christian waited forthem with the horses, and they came presently, the Bishop wearing agreat slouched hat, and swaggering like a roystering trooper, while Osrawas closely veiled. The Bishop again imposed secrecy on Christian, andthen, they both being mounted, said to Osra: "If you will then, madame,come," and thus they rode secretly out of the city, about seven in theevening, the gate-wardens opening the gate at sight of the Royal Arms onOsra's ring, which she gave to the Bishop in order that he might shewit.

  In silence they rode a long way, going at a great speed; Osra's face wasset and rigid, for she felt now no shame at herself for going, nor anyfear of what she might find, but the injury to her pride swallowed everyother feeling; and at last she said, in short sharp words, to the Bishopof Modenstein, having suddenly thrown the veil back from her face:

  "He shall not live if it prove true."

  The Bishop shook his head. His profession was peace; yet his blood alsowas hot against the man who had put a slight on Princess Osra.

  "The King must know of it," he said.

  "The King! The King is not here to-night," said Osra; and she prickedher horse and set him at a gallop. The moon, breaking suddenly inbrightness from behind a cloud, shewed the Bishop her face. Then she putout her hand and caught him by the arm, whispering: "Are you my friend?"

  "Yes, madame," said he. She knew well that he was her friend.

  "Kill him for me, then; kill him for me."

  "I cannot kill him," said the Bishop. "I pray God it may prove untrue."

  "You are not my friend, if you will not kill him," said Osra; and sheturned her face away and rode yet more quickly.

  At last they came in sight of the little house standing back from theroad; and there was a light in one of the upper windows. The Bishopheard a short gasp break from Osra's lips, as she pointed with her whipto the window. Now his own breath came quick and fast; he prayed to Godthat he might remember his sacred character and his vows, and not be ledinto great and deadly sin, at the bidding of that proud and bitter face;and he clenched his left hand and struck his brow with it.

  Thus then they came to the gate of the avenue of trees that led to thehouse. Here, having dismounted and tied their horses to the gate-post,they stood for an instant, and Osra again veiled her face.

  "Let me go alone, madame," he implored.

  "Give me your sword, and I will go alone," she answered.

  "Here, then, is the path," said the Bishop, and he led the way by themoonlight that broke fitfully here and there through the trees.

  "He swore that all his life should be mine," she whispered. "Yet I knewthat he did not love me."

  The Bishop made her no answer; she looked for none and did not know thatshe spoke the bitterness of her heart in words which he could hear. Hebowed his head and prayed again for her and for himself; for he hadfound his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. Thus, side by side now,they came to the door of the house, and saw a gentleman standing infront of the door, still but watchful. Osra knew that he was thePrince's
Chamberlain.

  When the Chamberlain saw them, he started violently and clapped a handto his sword; but Osra flung her veil on to the ground, and the Bishopgripped his arm as with a vice. The Chamberlain looked at Osra and atthe Bishop, and half drew his sword.

  "This matter is too great for you, sir," said the Bishop. "It is aquarrel of Princes. Stand aside," and before the Chamberlain could makeup his mind what to do Osra had passed by him and the Bishop hadfollowed her.

  Finding themselves in a narrow passage, they made out by the dim lightof a lamp a flight of stairs that rose from the furthest end of it. TheBishop tried to pass the Princess, but she motioned him back, and walkedswiftly to the stairs. In silence they mounted, till they had reachedthe top of the first stage; and facing them, eight or ten steps furtherup, was a door. By the door stood a groom; this was the man who hadtreacherously told Christian of his master's doings; but when he sawsuddenly what had come of his disloyal chattering, the fellow turnedwhite as a ghost and came tottering in stealthy silence down the stairs,his finger on his lips.

  Neither of them spoke to him, nor he to them. They gave no thought tohim, his only thought was to escape as soon as he might; so he passedthem, and, going on, passed also the Chamberlain, who stood dazed at thehouse-door, and so disappeared, intent on saving the life he had justlyforfeited. Thus the rogue vanished, and what became of him none knew orcared. He showed his face no more at Glottenberg or Strelsau.

  "Hark, there are voices!" whispered Osra to the Bishop, raising her handabove her head, as they two stood listening.

  The voices came from the door that faced them, the voice of a man andthe voice of a woman; Osra's glance at her companion told him that sheknew as well as he whose the man's voice was.

  "It is true, then," she breathed from between her teeth. "My God, it istrue!"

  The woman's voice spoke now, but the words were not audible. Then camethe Prince's:

  "For ever, in life or death, apart or together, for ever."

  The woman's answer came no more in words, but in deep low passionatesobs which struck their ears like the distant cry of some brute creaturein pain that it cannot understand. Yet Osra's face was stern and cold,and her lips curled scornfully when she saw the Bishop's look of pity.

  "Come, let us end it," said she, and with a firm step she began to mountthe stairs that lay between them and the door.

  Yet once again they paused outside the door, for it seemed as though thePrincess could not choose but listen to the passionate words of lovethat pierced her ears like knives; yet they were all sad, speaking ofrenunciation, not of happiness.

  But at last she heard her own name; then with a sudden start she caughtthe Bishop's hand, for she could not listen longer. She staggered andreeled as she whispered to him:

  "The door, the door, open the door!"

  The Bishop, his right hand being across his body and resting on the hiltof his sword, laid his left upon the handle of the door, and turned it.Then he flung the door open wide; at that instant Osra sprang past him,her eyes gleaming like flames from her dead white face. And she stoodrigid on the threshold of the room, with the Bishop by her side.

  In the middle of the room stood the Prince of Glottenberg; strained in aclose embrace, clinging to him, supported by his arms, with head buriedin his breast, was a girl of slight and slender figure, graceful thoughnot tall; her body was still shaken by continual struggling sobs. ThePrince held her there as though against the world, but raised his headand looked at the intruders with a grave sad air. There was no shame onhis face, and hardly surprise. Presently he took one arm from about thelady, and, raising it, motioned to them to be still. Osra took one stepforward towards where the pair stood; the Bishop caught her sleeve, butshe shook him off. The lady looked up into the Prince's face; with asudden startled cry she clutched him closer, and turned a terrified faceover her shoulder. Then she moaned in great fear, and, reeling, fellagainst the Prince; she would have sunk to the ground if he had notupheld her, and her eyes closed and her lip dropped, as she swoonedaway. But the Princess smiled, and, drawing herself to her full height,stood watching while Ludwig bore the lady to a couch and laid her there.Then, when he came back and faced her, she asked coldly and slowly:

  "Who is this woman, sir? Or is she one of those who have no names?"

  The Prince sprang forward, a sudden anger in his eyes; he raised hishand as if he would have pressed it across her scornful mouth and keptback her bitter words. But she did not flinch; pointing at him with herfinger, she cried to the Bishop in a ringing voice:

  "Kill him, my lord, kill him."

  And the sword of the Bishop of Modenstein was half way out of thescabbard.

  "I would to God, my lord," said the Prince in low sad tones, "that Godwould suffer you to kill me and me to take death at your hands. Butneither for you nor for me is the blow lawful. Let me speak to thePrincess."

  The Bishop still grasped his sword; for Osra's face and hand stillcommanded him. But at the instant of his hesitation, while thetemptation was hot on him, there came from the couch where the lady laya low moan of great pain. She flung her arms out and turned, groaningagain, on her back and her head lay hanging over the side of the couch.The Bishop's eyes met Ludwig's, and with a "God forgive me!" he let thesword slip back, and, springing across the room, fell on his kneesbeside the couch. He broke the gold chain round his neck and grasped thecrucifix which it carried in one hand, while with the other he raisedthe lady's head, praying her to open her eyes, before whose closed lidshe held the sacred image; and he, who had come so near to great sin, nowprayed softly but fervently for her life and God's pity on her; for thefrailty her slight form showed could not withstand the shock of thistrial.

  "Who is she?" asked the Princess.

  But Ludwig's eyes had wandered back to the couch, and he answered only:

  "My God, it will kill her."

  "I care not," said Osra. But then came another low moan. "I care not,"said the Princess again. "Ah, she is in great suffering!" And her eyesfollowed the Prince's.

  There was silence, save for the lady's low moans and the whisperedprayers of the Bishop of Modenstein. But the lady opened her eyes, andin an instant, answering the summons, the Prince was by her side,kneeling and holding her hand very tenderly; and he met a glance fromthe Bishop across her prostrate body. The Prince bowed his head and onesob burst from him.

  "Leave me alone with her for a little, sir," said the Bishop, and thePrince, obeying, rose and withdrew into the bay of the window, whileOsra stood alone near the door by which she had entered.

  A few minutes passed, then Osra saw the Prince return to where the ladywas and kneel again beside her; and she saw that the Bishop waspreparing to perform his most sacred and sublime office; the lady's eyesdwelt on him now in peace and restfulness, and she held Prince Ludwig'shand in her small hand. But Osra would not kneel; she stood upright,still and cold, as though she neither saw nor heard anything of whatpassed; she would not pity nor forgive the woman, even if, as theyseemed to think, she lay dying. But she spoke once, asking in a harshvoice:

  "Is there no physician in the house or near?"

  "None, madame," said the Prince.

  The Bishop began the office, and Osra stood, dimly hearing the words ofcomfort, peace, and hope, dimly seeing the smile on the lady's face; forgradually her eyes clouded with tears. Now her ears seemed to hearnothing save the sad and piteous sobs that had shaken the girl as shehung about Ludwig's neck. But she strove to drive away her softerthoughts, fanning her fury when it burnt low, and telling herself againof the insult that she had suffered. Thus she rested till the Bishop hadperformed the office. But when he had finished it, he rose from hisknees and came to where Osra was.

  "It was your duty," she said, "but it is none of mine."

  "She will not live an hour," said he. "For she had an affection of theheart, and this shock has killed her. Indeed I think she was half deadfor grief before we came."

  "Who is she?" broke again from Os
ra's lips.

  "Come and hear," said he, and she followed him obediently, yetunwillingly, to the couch, and looked down at the lady. The lady lookedat her with wondering eyes, and then she smiled faintly, pressing thePrince's hand, and whispering:

  "Yet she is so beautiful." And she seemed now wonderfully happy, so thatthey three all watched her and were envious, although they were to liveand she to die.

  "Now God pardon her sin!" said the Princess Osra suddenly, and she fellon her knees beside the couch, crying: "Surely God has pardoned her!"

  "Sin she has none, save what clings even to the purest in this world,"said the Bishop. "For what she has said to me I know to be true."

  Osra answered nothing, but gazed in questioning at the Prince, and he,still holding the lady's hand, began to speak in a gentle voice:

  "Do not ask her name, madame. But from the first hour that we knew themeaning of love we have loved one another. And had the issue rested inmy hands, I would have thrown to the winds all that kept me from her. Iremember when first I met her--ah, my sweet, do you remember? From thatday to this in soul she has been mine, and I hers in all my life. Butmore could not be. Madame, you have asked what love is. Here is love.Yet fate is stronger. Thus I came to Strelsau to woo, and she, leftalone, resolved to give herself to God."

  "How comes she here, then?" whispered Osra, and she laid one handtimidly on the couch, near to the lady yet not so as to touch even hergarments.

  "She came here--" he began; but suddenly, to their amazement, the lady,who had seemed dead, with an effort raised herself on her elbow, andspoke in a quick eager whisper, as if she feared time and strength wouldfail.

  "He is a great Prince," she said, "he must be a great King; God meanshim for greatness, God forbid that I should be his ruin. Ah, what asweet dream he painted! But praise be to the Blessed Saints who kept mestrong. Yet at the last I was weak. I could not live without anothersight of his face; and so--I came. Next week I am--I was to take theveil; and I came here to see him once again. God pardon me for it. But Icould not help it. Ah, madame, I know you, and I see now your beauty.Have you known love?"

  "No," said Osra; and she moved her hand near to the lady's hand.

  "When he found me here, he prayed me again to do what he asked; and Iwas half killed in denying it. But I prevailed, and we were even thenparting when you came. Why, why did I come?" For a moment her voice diedaway in a low soft moan. But she made one more effort; clasping Osra'shand in her delicate fingers, she whispered: "I am going. Be his wife."

  "No, no, no," whispered Osra, her face now close to the lady's. "Youmust live; you must live and be happy."

  And then she kissed the lady's lips. The lady put out her arms andclasped them round Osra's neck, and again she whispered softly in Osra'sear. Neither Ludwig nor the Bishop heard what she said, but they heardonly that Osra sobbed. Presently the lady's arms relaxed a little intheir hold, and Osra, having kissed her again, rose and signed to Ludwigto come nearer; while she, turning, gave her hand to the Bishop, and heled her from the room, and, finding another room near, took her inthere, where she sat, silent and pale.

  Thus half an hour passed; then the Bishop stole out softly, andpresently returned, saying:

  "God has spared her the long painful path, and has taken her straight toHis rest."

  Osra heard him, half in a trance and as if she did not hear; she did notknow where he went nor what he did, nor anything that passed, until, asit seemed after a long while, she looked up and saw Prince Ludwigstanding before her. He was composed and calm; but it seemed as if halfthe life had gone out of his face. Osra rose slowly to her feet,supporting herself on an arm of the chair on which she had sat; and,when she had seen his face, she suddenly threw herself on the floor athis feet, crying:

  "Forgive me, forgive me!"

  "'FORGIVE ME, FORGIVE ME!'"--_Page 252._]

  "The guilt is mine," said he, "I did not trust you and did by stealthwhat your nobility would have allowed me to do openly. The guilt ismine." And he offered to raise her. But she rose, unaided, asking withchoking voice:

  "Is she dead?"

  "She is dead," said the Prince, and Osra, hearing it, covered her facewith her hands and blindly groped her way back to the chair, where shesat, panting and exhausted.

  "To her I have said farewell, and now, madame, to you. Yet do not thinkthat I am a man without eyes for your beauty, or a heart to know yourworth. I seemed to you a fool and a churl. I grieved most bitterly, andI wronged you bitterly. My excuse for all is now known. For though youare more beautiful than she, yet true love is no wanderer; it gives abeauty that it does not find, and forges a chain no charms can break.Madame, farewell."

  She looked at him and saw the sad joy in his eyes, an exultation overwhat had been, that what was could not destroy; and she knew that thevision was still with him though his love was dead. Suddenly he seemedto her a man she also might love and for whom she also, if need be,might gladly die; yet not because she loved him, for she was askingstill in wonder: "What is this love?"

  "Madame, farewell," said he again, and, kneeling before her, he kissedher hand.

  "I carry the body of my love," he went on, "back with me to my home,there to mourn for her; and I shall come no more to Strelsau."

  Osra bent her eyes on his face as he knelt, and presently she said tohim in a whisper that was low for awe, not shame:

  "You heard what she bade me do?"

  "Yes, madame. I know her wish."

  "And you would do it?" she asked.

  "Madame, my struggle was fought before she died. But now you know thatmy love was not yours."

  "That also I knew before, sir," and a slight bitter smile came on herface. But she grew grave again and sat there, seeming to be pondering,while Prince Ludwig waited. Then she suddenly leant forward and said:

  "If I loved I would wait for you to love. Now what is this love that Icannot feel?"

  And then she sat again silent, but at last raised her eyes again to his,saying in a voice that even in the stillness of the room he hardlyheard:

  "Now I nearly love you, for I have seen your love and know that you canlove; and I think that love must breed love, so that she who loves mustin God's time be beloved. Yet I----" She paused here, and for a momenthid her face with her hand. "Yet I cannot," she went on. "Is it our LordChrist who bids us take the lower place? I cannot take it. He does notso reign in my heart. For to my proud heart--ah, my heart so proud!--shewould be ever between us. I could not bear it. Yet I believe now thatwith you I might one day find happiness."

  The Prince, though in that hour he could not think of love, was yet verymuch moved by her new tenderness and felt that what had passed ratherdrew them together than made any separation between them. And it seemedto him that the dead lady's blessing was on his suit; so he said:

  "Madame, I would most faithfully serve you and you would be nearest anddearest to me of all living women."

  She waited awhile, then she sighed heavily, looking in his face with anair of wistful longing; and she knit her brows as though she werepuzzled. But at last, shaking her head, she said:

  "It is not enough."

  With this she rose and took him by the hand, and they two went backtogether to where the Bishop of Modenstein still prayed beside the bodyof the lady.

  Osra stood on one side of the body and stretched her hand out to thePrince who stood on the other side.

  "See," said she, "she must be between us." And having kissed the deadface once, she left the Prince there by the side of his love and herselfwent out; and, turning her head, she saw that the Prince knelt again bythe corpse of his love.

  "He does not think of me," she said to the Bishop.

  "His thoughts are still with her, madame," he answered.

  It was late night now, and they rode swiftly and silently along the roadto Strelsau. On all the way they spoke to one another only a few words,both being sunk deep in thought. But once Osra spoke, as they werealready near to Strelsau. For she turned sud
denly to the Bishop, saying:

  "My lord, what is it? Do you know it?"

  "Yes, madame, I have known it," answered the Bishop.

  "Yet you are a Churchman!"

  "True, madame," said he, and he smiled sadly.

  She seemed to consider, fixing her eyes on his; but he turned his aside.

  "Could you not make me understand?" she asked.

  "Your lover, when he comes, will do that, madame," said he, and still hekept his eyes averted. Osra wondered why he kept his eyes turned away;yet presently a faint smile curved her lips, and she said:

  "It may be you might feel it, if you were not a Churchman. But I do not.Many men have said they loved me, and I have felt something in my heart;but not this."

  "It will come," said the Bishop.

  "Does it come then to every one?"

  "To most," he answered.

  "Heigho, will it ever come to me?" she sighed.

  With this they were at home. And Osra was for a long time very sorrowfulfor the fate of the lady whom the Prince of Glottenberg had loved; yet,since she saw Ludwig no more, and the joy of youth conquers sadness, sheceased to mourn; but as she walked alone she would wonder more and morewhat it might be, this great love that she did not feel.

  "For none will tell me, not even the Bishop of Modenstein," said she.

  CHAPTER IX.

  The Victory of the Grand Duke of Mittenheim.

  King Rudolf, being in the worst of humours, had declared in the presenceof all the Court that women were born to plague men and for no otherpurpose whatsoever under heaven. Hearing this discourteous speech, thePrincess Osra rose and said that for her part she would go walking aloneby the river outside the city gates, where at least she would beassailed by no more reproaches. For since she was irrevocably determinedto live and die unmarried, of what use or benefit was it to trouble herwith embassies, courting, or proposals from either the Grand Duke ofMittenheim or anybody else? She was utterly weary of this matter oflove, and her mood would be unchanged though this new suitor were asexalted as the King of France, as rich as Croesus himself, and ashandsome as the god Apollo. She did not desire a husband, and there wasan end of it. Thus she went out, while the Queen sighed, and the Kingfumed, and the courtiers and ladies said to one another that thesedissensions made life very uncomfortable at Strelsau, the ladies furtheradding that he would be a bold man who married Osra, although doubtlessshe was not ill-looking.

  To the banks of the river outside the walls then Osra went; and as shewent she seemed to be thinking of nothing at all in the world, least ofall of whom she might chance to meet there on the banks of the river,where in those busy hours of the day few came. Yet there was a strangenew light in her eyes, and there seemed a new understanding in her mind;and when a young peasant wife came by, her baby in her arms, Osrastopped her, and kissed the child and gave money, and then ran on inunexplained confusion, laughing and blushing as though she had donesomething which she did not wish to be seen. Then without reason hereyes filled with tears, but she dashed them away and burst suddenly intosinging. And she was still singing when, from the long grass by theriver's edge, a young man sprang up, and, with a very low bow, drewaside to let her pass. He had a book in his hand, for he was a studentat the University, and came there to pursue his learning in peace; hisplain brown clothes spoke of no wealth or station, though certainly theyset off a stalwart straight shape and seemed to match well with hisbright brown hair and hazel eyes. Very low this young man bowed and Osrabent her head. The pace of her walk slowed, grew quicker, slowed again;she was past him, and with a great sigh he lay down again. She turned,he sprang up; she spoke coldly, yet kindly.

  "A YOUNG MAN SPRANG UP, AND, WITH A LOW BOW, DREW ASIDETO LET HER PASS."--_Page 259._]

  "Sir," said she, "I cannot but notice that you lie every day here by theriver with your book, and that you sigh. Tell me your trouble, and if Ican I will relieve it."

  "I am reading, madame," he answered, "of Helen of Troy, and I am sighingbecause she is dead."

  "It is an old grief by now," said Osra, smiling. "Will none serve youbut Helen of Troy?"

  "If I were a Prince," said he, "I need not mourn."

  "No, sir?"

  "No, madame," he said, with another bow.

  "Farewell, sir."

  "Madame, farewell."

  So she went on her way, and saw him no more till the next day, nor afterthat till the next day following; and then came an interval when she sawhim not, and the interval was no less than twenty-four hours; yet stillhe read of Helen of Troy, and still sighed because she was dead, and heno Prince. At last he tempted the longed-for question from Osra's shysmiling lips.

  "Why would you not mourn, sir, if you were a Prince?" said she. "ForPrinces and Princesses have their share of sighs." And with a veryplaintive sigh Osra looked at the rapid running river, as she waited forhis answer.

  "Because then I would go to Strelsau and so forget her."

  "But you are at Strelsau now!" she cried with wondering surprise.

  "Ah, but I am no Prince, madame," said he.

  "Can Princes alone--forget in Strelsau?"

  "How should a poor student dare to--forget in Strelsau?" As he spoke hemade bold to step near her and stood close, looking down into her face.Without a word she turned and left him, going through the meadow with astep that seemed to dance and yet led her to her own chamber, where shecould weep in quiet.

  "I know it now, I know it now," she whispered softly that night to thetree which rose by her window. "Heigho, what am I to do? I cannot live,no, and now I cannot die. Ah me, what am I to do? I wish I were apeasant girl; but then perhaps he would not--ah, yes, but he would!" Andher low long laugh rippled in triumph through the night, blendingsweetly with the rustling of the leaves under a summer breeze; and shestretched her white arms to heaven, imploring the kind God with prayersthat she dared not speak even to His pitiful ear.

  "Love knows no Princesses, my Princess." It was that she heard as shefled from him next day. She should have rebuked him. But for that shemust have stayed; and to stay she had not dared. But she must rebukehim. She would see him again in order to rebuke him. Yet all this whileshe must be pestered with the court of the Grand Duke of Mittenheim! Andwhen she would not name a day on which the embassy should come, the Kingflew into a passion, and declared that he himself would set a date forit. Was his sister mad, he asked, that she would do nothing but walkevery day by the river's bank? "Surely I must be mad," thought Osra; forno sane being could be at once so joyful and so piteously unhappy.

  Did he know what it was he asked? He seemed to know nothing of it. Hedid not speak any more now of Princesses, only of his Princess, nor ofQueens, save of his heart's queen; and when his eyes asked love, theyasked as though none would refuse and there could be no cause forrefusal. He would have wooed his neighbour's daughter thus, and thus hewooed the sister of King Rudolf.

  "Will you love me?" was his question, not, "Though you love, yet dareyou own your love?" He seemed to shut the whole world from her, leavingnothing but her and him; and in a world that held none but her and him,she could love, unblamed, untroubled, and with no trembling.

  "You forget who I am," she faltered once.

  "You are the beauty of the world," he answered smiling, and he kissedher hand--a matter about which she could make no great ado, for it wasnot the first time that he had kissed it.

  "'YOU ARE THE BEAUTY OF THE WORLD,' HE ANSWEREDSMILING."--_Page 263._]

  But the embassy from the Grand Duke was to come in a week and to bereceived with great pomp. The ambassador was already on the way,carrying proposals and gifts. Therefore Osra went pale and sad down tothe river bank that day, having declared again to the King that shewould live and die unmarried. But the King had laughed cruelly. Surelyshe needed kindness and consolation that sad day; yet Fate had kept forher a crowning sorrow; for she found him also almost sad; at least shecould not tell whether he was sad or not. For he sm
iled and yet seemedill at ease, like a man who ventures a fall with fortune, hoping andfearing. And he said to her:

  "Madame, in a week I return to my own country."

  She looked at him in silence with lips just parted. For her life shecould not speak; but the sun grew dark and the river changed its merrytune to mournful dirges.

  "So the dream ends," said he. "So comes the awakening. But if life wereall a dream?" His eyes sought hers.

  "Yes," she whispered, "if life were all a dream, sir?"

  "Then I should dream of two dreamers whose dream was one, and in thatdream I should see them ride together at break of day from Strelsau."

  "Whither?" she murmured.

  "To Paradise," said he. "But the dream ends. If it did not end----" Hepaused.

  "If it did not end?" a breathless longing whisper echoed.

  "If it did not end now, it should not end even with death," said he.

  "You see them in your dream? You see them riding?"

  "Aye, swiftly, side by side, they two alone, through the morning. Noneis near; none knows."

  He seemed to be searching her face for something that yet he scarcelyhoped to find.

  "Their dream," said he, "brings them at last to a small cottage; it iswhere they live."

  "They live?"

  "And work," he added. "For she keeps his home while he works."

  "What does she do?" asked Osra, with smiling wondering eyes.

  "She gets his supper for him when he comes home weary in the evening,and makes a bright fire, and----"

  "Ah, and she runs to meet him at the door! Oh, farther than the door!"

  "But she has worked hard and is weary."

  "No, she is not weary," cried Osra. "It is for him she works!"

  "The wise say this is silly talk," said he.

  "The wise are fools then," cried Osra.

  "So the dream would please you, madame?" he asked.

  She had come not to know how she left him; somehow, while he stillspoke, she would suddenly escape by flight. He did not pursue, but lether go. So now she returned to the city, her eyes filled with thatgolden dream; she entered her home as though it had been some strangePalace decked with unknown magnificence, and she an alien to it. For hertrue home seemed now rather in the cottage of the dream, and she movedunfamiliarly through the pomp that had been hers from birth. Her soulwas gone from it, while her body rested there; and life stopped for hertill she saw him again by the banks of the river.

  "In five days now I go," said he, and he smiled at her. She hid her facein her hands. Still he smiled; but suddenly he sprang forward; for shehad sobbed. The summons had sounded; he was there; and who could sobagain when he was there, and his sheltering arm warded off all grief?She looked up at him with shining eyes, whispering:

  "Do you go alone?"

  A great joy blazed confidently in his eyes as he whispered in answer:

  "I think I shall not go alone."

  "But how, how?"

  "I have two horses."

  "You! You have two horses?"

  "Yes, is it not riches? But we will sell them when we get to thecottage."

  "To the cottage! Two horses!"

  "I would I had but one for both of us."

  "Yes."

  "But we should not go quick enough."

  "No."

  He took his hand from her waist and stood away from her.

  "You will not come?" he said.

  "If you doubt of my coming, I will not come. Ah, do not doubt of mycoming! For there is a great hoard of fears and black thoughts beatingat the door, and you must not open it."

  "And what can keep it shut, my Princess?"

  "I think your arm, my Prince," said she; and she flew to him.

  That evening King Rudolf swore that if a man were only firm enough andkept his temper (which, by the way, the King had not done, though nonedared say so), he could bring any foolish girl to reason in good time.For in the softest voice, and with the strangest smile flitting to herface, the Princess Osra was pleased to bid the embassy come on the fifthday from then.

  "They shall have their answer then," said she, flushing and smiling.

  "It is as much as any lady could say," the Court declared; and it wasreported through all Strelsau that the match was as good as made, andthat Osra was to be Grand Duchess of Mittenheim.

  "She's a sensible girl after all," cried Rudolf, all his anger gone.

  The dream began then, before they came to the cottage. Those days shelived in its golden mists, that shut out all the cold world from her,moving through space which held but one form, and time that stood stillwaiting for one divine unending moment. And the embassy drew near toStrelsau.

  It was night, the dead of night, and all was still in the Palace. Butthe sentinel by the little gate was at his post, and the gate-wardenstood by the Western Gate of the city. Each was now alone, but to each,an hour ago, a man had come stealthily and silently through thedarkness; and each was richer by a bag of gold than he had been before.The gold was Osra's--how should a poor student, whose whole fortune wastwo horses, scatter bags of gold? And other gold Osra had, aye, fivehundred crowns. Would not that be a brave surprise for the poor student?And she, alone of all awake, stood looking round her room, entrancedwith the last aspect of it. Over the city also she looked, but in theselfishness of her joy did no more than kiss a hasty farewell to thegood city folk who loved her. Once she thought that maybe, some day, heand she would steal together back to Strelsau, and sheltered by somedisguise watch the King ride in splendour through the streets. But ifnot--why, what was Strelsau, and the people, and the rest? Ah, how longthe hours were, before those two horses stood by the little gate, andthe sentry and the gate-warden earned their bags of gold! So she passedthe hours, the last long lingering hours.

  There was a little tavern buried in the narrowest oldest street of thecity. Here the poor student had lodged; here, in the back room, a mansat at a table, and two others stood before him. These two seemedgentlemen, and their air spoke of military training. They stroked longmoustaches and smiled with an amusement that deference could not hide.Both were booted and wore spurs, and the man sitting at the table gavethem orders.

  "You will meet the embassy," he said to one, "about ten o'clock. Bringit to the place I have appointed, and wait there. Do not fail."

  The officer addressed bowed and retired. A minute later his horse'shoofs clattered through the streets. Perhaps he also had a bag of gold,for the gate-warden opened the Western Gate for him, and he rode at agallop along the river banks, till he reached the great woods thatstretch to within ten miles of Strelsau.

  "An hour after we are gone," said the man at the table to the otherofficer, "go warily, find one of the King's servants, and hand him theletter. Give no account of how you came by it, and say nothing of whoyou are. All that is necessary is in the letter. When you have deliveredit, return here and remain in close hiding, till you hear from meagain."

  The second officer bowed. The man at the table rose and went out intothe street. He took his way to where the Palace rose, and then skirtedthe wall of its gardens, till he came to the little gate. Here stood twohorses, and at their heads a man.

  "It is well. You may go," said the student; and he was left alone withthe horses. They were good horses for a student to possess. The thoughtperhaps crossed their owner's mind, for he laughed softly as he lookedat them. Then he also fell to thinking that the hours were long; and afear came suddenly upon him that she would not come. It was in theselast hours that doubts crept in; and he was not with her to drive themaway. Would the great trial fail? Would she shrink at the last? But hewould not think it of her, and he was smiling again, when the clock ofthe Cathedral struck two, telling him that no more than an hour nowparted her from him. For she would come; the Princess would come to him,the student, led by the vision of that cottage in the dream.

  Would she come? She would come; she had risen from her knees and movedto and fro in cautious silence, making her last prepar
ations. She hadwritten a word of love for the brother she loved--for some day, ofcourse, Rudolf would forgive her--and she had ready all that she tookwith her, the five hundred crowns, one ring that she would give herlover, some clothes to serve till his loving labour furnished more. Thatnight she had wept and she had laughed; now she neither wept norlaughed; but there was a high pride in her face and gait. She opened thedoor of her room, and walked down the great staircase, under the eyes ofcrowned Kings who hung framed upon the walls. And as she went she seemedindeed their daughter. For her head was erect, and her lips set firm inhaughty dignity. Who dared to say that she did anything that a King'sdaughter should not do? Should not a woman love? Love should be herdiadem. And so with this proud step she came through the gardens of thePalace, looking neither to right nor left, nor behind, but with her faceset straight for the little gate; and she walked as she had beenaccustomed to walk when all Strelsau looked on her, and hailed her asits glory and its darling.

  The sentry slept, or seemed to sleep. Her face was not even veiled whenshe opened the little gate; she would not veil her proud face, it washis to look on now when he would; and thus she stood for an instant inthe gateway, while he sprang to her, and, kneeling, carried her hand tohis lips.

  "You are come?" he cried; for though he had believed, yet he wondered.

  "I am come," she smiled. "Is not the word of a Princess sure? Ah, howcould I not come?"

  "See, love," said he, rising, "day dawns in royal purple for you, andgolden love for me."

  "The purple is for my King and the love for me," she whispered, as heled her to the horses. "Your fortune!" said she, pointing to them. "ButI also have brought a dowry. Fancy, five hundred crowns!" and her mirthand happiness burst out in a laugh. It was so deliciously little, fivehundred crowns!

  She was mounted now and he stood by her.

  "Will you turn back?" he said.

  "You shall not make me angry," said she. "Come, mount."

  "Aye, I must mount," said he. "For if we were found here the King wouldkill me."

  For the first time the peril of their enterprise seemed to strike intoher mind, and turned her cheek pale.

  "Ah, I forgot! In my happiness I forgot. Mount, mount! Oh, if he foundyou!"

  He mounted. Once they clasped hands; then they rode swiftly for theWestern Gate.

  "Veil your face," he said, and since he bade her, she obeyed, saying:

  "But I can see you through the veil."

  The gate stood open, and the gate-warden was not there. They were out ofthe city, the morning air blew cold and pure over the meadows from theriver. The horses stretched into an eager willing gallop. Osra tore herveil from her face, and turned on him eyes of radiant triumph.

  "It is done," she cried, "it is done."

  "Yes, it is done, my Princess," said he.

  "And--and it is begun, my Prince," said she.

  "Yes, and it is begun," said he.

  She laughed aloud in absolute joy, and for a moment he also laughed.

  But then his face grew grave, and he said:

  "I pray you may never grieve for it."

  She looked at him with eyes wide in wonder; for an instant she seemedpuzzled; then she fell again to laughing.

  "Grieve for it!" said she, between her merry laughs.

  King Rudolf was a man who lay late in the morning, and he was not wellpleased to be roused when the clock had but just struck four. Yet he satup in his bed readily enough, for he imagined that the embassy from theGrand Duke of Mittenheim must be nearer than he thought, and, soonerthan fail in any courtesy towards a Prince whose alliance he ardentlydesired, he was ready to submit to much inconvenience. But hisastonishment was great, when, instead of any tidings from the embassy,one of his gentlemen handed him a letter, saying that a servant hadreceived it from a stranger with instructions to carry it at once to theKing; when asked if an answer were desired from his Majesty, thestranger had answered, "Not through me," and at once turned away andquickly disappeared. The King, with a peevish oath at having been rousedfor such a trifle broke the seal and fastenings of the letter, andopened it; and he read:

  "Sire,--Your sister does not wait for the embassy, but chooses her ownlover. She has met a student of the University every day for the lastthree weeks by the river bank." (The King started.) "This morning shehas fled with him on horseback along the Western Road. If you desire astudent for a brother-in-law, sleep again; if not, up and ride. Do notdoubt these tidings."

  There was no signature to the letter; yet the King, knowing his sister,cried:

  "See whether the Princess is in the Palace. And in the meanwhile saddlemy horse, and let a dozen of the Guard be at the gate."

  The Princess was not in the Palace, but her women found the letter thatshe had left, and brought it to the King. And the King read: "Brother,whom I love best of all men in the world save one, I have left you to gowith that one. You will not forgive me now, but some day forgive me.Nay, it is not I who have done it, but my love which is braver than I.He is the sweetest gentleman alive, brother, and therefore he must be mylord. Let me go, but still love me.--Osra."

  "It is true," said the King; "and the embassy will be here to-day!" Fora moment he seemed dazed. Yet he spoke nothing to anybody of what theletters contained, but sent word to the Queen's apartments that he wentriding for pleasure. And he took his sword and his pistols; for he sworethat by his own hand and by that of no other man, this "sweetestgentleman alive" should meet his death. But all, knowing that thePrincess was not in the Palace, guessed that the King's sudden hasteconcerned her; and great wonder and speculation rose in the Palace, andpresently, as the morning advanced, spread from the Palace to itsenvirons, and from the environs to the rest of the city. For it wasreported that a sentinel who had stood guard that night was missing, andthat the gate-warden of the Western Gate was nowhere to be found, andthat a mysterious letter had come by an unknown hand to the King, andlastly, that Princess Osra--their Princess--was gone, whether of her ownwill or by some bold plot of seizure and kidnapping, none knew. Thus agreat stir grew in all Strelsau; men stood about the streets gossipingwhen they should have gone to work, while women chattered instead ofsweeping their houses and dressing their children. So that when the Kingrode out of the courtyard of the Palace at a gallop, with twelve of theGuard behind, he could hardly make his way through the streets for thepeople who crowded round him, imploring him to tell them where thePrincess was. When the King saw that the matter had become public, hiswrath was greater still, and he swore again that the student of theUniversity should pay the price of life for his morning ride with thePrincess. And when he darted through the gate and set his horse straightalong the Western Road, many of the people, neglecting all theirbusiness as folk will for excitement's sake, followed him as they bestcould, agog to see the thing to its end.

  "The horses are weary," said the student to the Princess, "we must letthem rest; we are now in the shelter of the wood."

  "But my brother may pursue you," she urged, "and if he came up withyou--ah, heaven forbid!"

  "He will not know you have gone for another three hours," smiled he."And here is a green bank where we can rest."

  So he aided her to dismount; then, saying he would tether the horses, heled them away some distance, so that she could not see where he hadposted them; and he returned to her, smiling still. Then he took fromhis pocket some bread, and breaking the loaf in two, gave her one half,saying:

  "There is a spring just here; so we shall have a good breakfast."

  "Is this your breakfast?" she asked with a wondering laugh. Then shebegan to eat, and cried directly: "How delicious this bread is! I wouldhave nothing else for breakfast"; and at this the student laughed.

  Yet Osra ate little of the bread she liked so well; presently she leantagainst her lover's shoulder, and he put his arm round her; and they satfor a little while in silence listening to the soft sounds that filledthe waking woods as day grew to fulness and the sun beat warm throughthe sheltering foliage
.

  "Don't you hear the trees?" Osra whispered to her lover. "Don't you hearthem? They are whispering for me what I dare not whisper."

  "What is it they whisper, sweet?" he asked; he himself did no more thanwhisper.

  "The trees whisper, 'Love, love, love.' And the wind--don't you hear thewind murmuring, 'Love, love, love'? And the birds sing, 'Love, love,love.' Aye, all the world to-day is softly whispering, 'Love, love,love.' What else should the great world whisper but my love? For my loveis greater than the world." And she suddenly hid her face in her hands;and he could kiss no more than her hands, though her eyes gleamed at himfrom between slim white fingers.

  But suddenly her hands dropped, and she leant forward as though shelistened.

  "What is that sound?" she asked, apprehension dawning in her eyes.

  "It is but another whisper, love!" said he.

  "Nay, but it sounds to me like--ah, like the noise of horses galloping."

  "It is but the stream, beating over stones."

  "Listen, listen, listen!" she cried springing to her feet. "They arehorses' hoofs! Ah, merciful God, it is the King!" And she caught him bythe hand and pulled him to his feet, looking at him with a face pale andalarmed.

  "Not the King," said he. "He would not know yet. It is some one else.Hide your face, dear lady, and all will be well."

  "It is the King," she cried. "Hark how they gallop on the road! It is mybrother. Love, he will kill you, love, he will kill you."

  "It is the King," said he, "I have been betrayed."

  "The horses, the horses!" she cried. "By your love for me, the horses!"

  He nodded his head, and, turning, disappeared among the trees. She stoodwith clasped hands, heaving breast, and fearful eyes, awaiting hisreturn. Minutes passed and he did not come. She flung herself on herknees, beseeching heaven for his life. At last he came alone, and hebent over her, taking her hand.

  "My love," said he, "the horses are gone!"

  "Gone?" she cried, gripping his hand.

  "Aye. This love, my love, is a wonderful thing. For I forgot to tiethem, and they are gone. Yet what matter? For the King--yes, sweet, Ithink now it is the King--will not be here for some minutes yet, andthose minutes I have still for love and life."

  "He will kill you," she said.

  "Yes," said he.

  She looked long in his eyes; then she threw her arms about his neck,and, for the first time unasked, covered his face with kisses.

  "Kiss me, kiss me," said she; and he kissed her. Then she drew back alittle, but took his arm and set it round her waist. And she drew alittle knife from her girdle, and showed it to him.

  "If the King will not pardon us and let us love one another, I also willdie," said she, and her voice was quiet and happy. "Indeed, my love, Ishould not grieve. Ah, do not tell me to live without you!"

  "Would you obey?" he asked.

  "Not in that," said she.

  Thus they stood, while the sound of the hoofs drew very near. But shelooked up at him and he looked at her; then she looked at the point ofthe little dagger, and she whispered:

  "Keep your arm round me till I die."

  He bent his head and kissed her once again, saying:

  "My Princess, it is enough."

  And she, though she did not know why he smiled, yet smiled back at him.For although life was sweet that day, yet such a death, with him, and toprove her love for him, seemed well-nigh as sweet. Thus they awaited thecoming of the King.

  * * * * *

  King Rudolf and his Guards far outstripped the people who pursued themfrom the city, and when they came to the skirt of the wood they dividedthemselves into four parties, since, if they went all together, theymight easily miss the fugitives whom they sought. Of these four partiesone found nothing, another found the two horses, which the studenthimself, who had hidden them, failed to find; the third party had notgone far before they caught sight of the lovers, though the lovers didnot see them; and two of them remained to watch, and if need were tointercept any attempted flight, while the other rode off to find theKing and bring him where Osra and the student were, as he had commanded.

  But the fourth party, with which the King was, though it did not findthe fugitives, found the embassy from the Grand Duke of Mittenheim; forthe ambassador, with all his train, was resting by the roadside, seemingin no haste at all to reach Strelsau. When the King suddenly rode up atgreat speed and came upon the embassy, an officer that stood by theambassador--whose name was Count Sergius of Antheim--stooped down andwhispered in his Excellency's ear; upon which he rose and advancedtowards the King, uncovering his head and bowing profoundly; for hechose to assume that the King had ridden to meet him out of excessivegraciousness and courtesy towards the Grand Duke; so that he began, tothe impatient King's infinite annoyance, to make a very long and statelyspeech, assuring his Majesty of the great hope and joy with which hismaster awaited the result of the embassy; for, said he, since the Kingwas so zealous in his cause, his master could not bring himself to doubtof success, and therefore most confidently looked to win for his bridethe most exalted and lovely lady in the world, the peerless PrincessOsra, the glory of the Court of Strelsau, and the brightest jewel in thecrown of the King her brother. Having brought this period to aprosperous conclusion, Count Sergius took breath and began another thatpromised to be fully as magnificent and not a whit less long. So that,before it was well started, the King smote his hand on his thigh, androared:

  "Heavens, man, while you're making speeches, that rascal is carrying offmy sister!"

  Count Sergius, who was an elderly man of handsome presence and greatdignity, being thus rudely and strangely interrupted, showed greatastonishment and offence; but the officer by him covered his mouth withhis hand to hide a smile. For the moment that the King had spoken theseimpetuous words he was himself overwhelmed with confusion; since thelast thing that he wished the Grand Duke's ambassador to know was thatthe Princess, whom his master courted, had run away that morning with astudent of the University of Strelsau. Accordingly he began, veryhastily and with more regard for prudence than for truth, to tell CountSergius how a noted and bold criminal had that morning swooped down onthe Princess as she rode unattended outside the city and carried heroff; which seemed to the ambassador a very strange story. But the Kingtold it with great fervour, and he besought the Count to scatter hisattendants all through the wood, and seek the robber; yet he chargedthem not to kill the man themselves but to keep him till he came. "For Ihave sworn to kill him with my own hand," he cried.

  Now Count Sergius, however much astonished he might be, could do nothingbut accede to the King's request, and he sent off all his men to scourthe woods, and, mounting his horse, himself set out with them, showinggreat zeal in the King's service, but still thinking the King's story avery strange one. Thus the King was left alone with his two Guards andwith the officer who had smiled.

  "Will you not go also, sir?" asked the King.

  But at this moment a man galloped up at furious speed, crying:

  "We have found them, sire, we have found them!"

  "Then he hasn't five minutes to live!" cried the King in fierce joy, andhe lugged out his sword, adding: "The moment I set my eyes on him, Iwill kill him. There is no need for words between me and him."

  At this speech the face of the officer grew suddenly grave and alarmed,and he put spurs to his horse and hastened after the King, who had atonce dashed away in the direction in which the man had pointed; but theKing had got a start and kept it, so that the officer seemed terriblyfrightened, and muttered to himself:

  "Heaven send that he does not kill him before he knows!" And he addedsome very impatient words, concerning the follies of Princes, and, aboveall, of Princes in love.

  Thus, while the ambassador and his men searched high and low forthe noted robber, and the King's men hunted for the student of theUniversity, the King, followed by two of his Guards at a distance ofabout fifty yards (for his horse was better than t
heirs), came straightto where Osra and her lover stood together; a few yards behind theGuards came the officer; and he also had by now drawn his sword. But herode so eagerly that he overtook and passed the King's Guards, and gotwithin thirty yards of the King by the time that the King was withintwenty of the lovers. But the King let him get no nearer, for he dug hisspurs again into his horse's side, and the animal bounded forward, whilethe King cried furiously to his sister: "Stand away from him!"

  The Princess did not heed, but stood in front of her lover (for thestudent was wholly unarmed), holding up the little dagger in her hand.The King laughed scornfully and angrily, thinking that Osra menaced himwith the weapon, and not supposing that it was herself for whom shedestined it. And, having reached them, the King leapt from his horse andran at them, with his sword raised to strike. Osra gave a cry of terror."Mercy!" she cried, "mercy!" But the King had no thought of mercy, andhe would certainly then and there have killed her lover, had not theofficer, gaining a moment's time by the King's dismounting, at this veryinstant come galloping up; and, there being no leisure for anyexplanation, he leant from his saddle as he dashed by, and, putting outhis hand, snatched the King's sword away from him, just as the King wasabout to thrust it through his sister's lover.

  But the officer's horse was going so furiously that he could not stop itfor hard on forty yards; he narrowly escaped splitting his head againsta great bough that hung low across the grassy path, and he dropped firsthis own sword and then the King's; but at last he brought his horse to astandstill, and, leaping down, ran back towards where the swords lay.But at the moment the King also ran towards them; for the fury that hehad been in before was as nothing to that which now possessed him. Afterhis sword was snatched from him he stood in speechless anger for a fullminute, but then had turned to pursue the man who had dared to treat himwith such insult; and now, in his desire to be at the officer, he hadcome very near to forgetting the student. Just as the officer came towhere the King's sword lay and picked it up, the King in his turnreached the officer's sword and picked up that. The King came with arush at the officer, who, seeing that the King was likely to kill him,or he the King, if he stood his ground, turned tail and sped away at thetop of his speed through the forest; but as he went, thinking that thetime had come for plain speaking, he looked back over his shoulder andshouted:

  "Sire, it's the Grand Duke himself!"

  The King stopped short in sudden amazement.

  "Is the man mad?" he asked. "Who is the Grand Duke?"

  "It's the Grand Duke, sire, who is with the Princess. You would havekilled him if I had not snatched your sword," said the officer, and healso came to a halt, but he kept a very wary eye on King Rudolf.

  "I should certainly have killed him, let him be who he will," said theKing. "But why do you call him the Grand Duke?"

  The officer very cautiously approached the King, and, seeing that theKing made no threatening motion, he at last trusted himself so closethat he could speak to the King in a very low voice; and what he saidseemed to astonish, please, and amuse the King immensely. For he clappedthe officer on the back, laughed heartily, and cried;

  "A pretty trick! on my life, a pretty trick!"

  Now Osra and her lover had not heard what the officer had shouted to theKing, and when Osra saw her brother returning from among the trees aloneand with his sword, she still supposed that her lover must die; so sheturned and flung her arms round his neck, and clung to him for a moment,kissing him. Then she faced the King, with a smile on her lips and thelittle dagger in her hand. But the King came up, wearing a scornfulsmile; and he asked her:

  "What is the dagger for, my wilful sister?"

  "For me, if you kill him," said she.

  "You will kill yourself, then, if I kill him?"

  "I would not live a moment after he was dead."

  "Faith, it is wonderful!" said the King with a shrug. "Then plainly, ifyou cannot live without him, you must live with him. He is to be yourhusband, not mine. Therefore take him, if you will."

  When Osra heard this, which, indeed, for joy and wonder she could hardlybelieve, she dropped her dagger, and, running forward, fell on her kneesbefore her brother; catching his hand, she covered it with kisses, andher tears mingled with her kisses. But the King let her go on, and stoodover her, laughing and looking at the student. Presently the studentbegan to laugh also, and he had just advanced a step towards KingRudolf, when Count Sergius of Antheim, the Grand Duke's ambassador, cameout from among the trees, riding hotly and with great zeal after thenoted robber. But no sooner did the Count see the student, than hestopped his horse, leapt down with a cry of wonder, and, running up tothe student, bowed very low and kissed his hand. So that when Osralooked round from her kissing of her brother's hand, she beheld theGrand Duke's ambassador kissing the hand of her lover. She sprang to herfeet in wonder.

  "Who are you?" she cried to the student, running in between him and theambassador.

  "Your lover and servant," said he.

  "And besides?" she said.

  "Why, in a month, your husband," laughed the King, taking her lover bythe hand.

  He clasped the King's hand, but turned at once to her, saying humbly:

  "Alas, I have no cottage!"

  "Who are you?" she whispered to him.

  "The man for whom you were ready to die, my Princess. Is it not enough?"

  "Yes, it is enough," said she; and she did not repeat her question. Butthe King, with a short laugh, turned on his heel, and taking CountSergius by the arm walked off with him; and presently they called theofficer and learnt fully how the Grand Duke had come to Strelsau, andhow he had contrived to woo and win the Princess Osra, and finally tocarry her off from the Palace.

  It was an hour later when the whole of the two companies, that of theKing and that of the ambassador, were all gathered together again, andhad heard the story; so that when the King went to where Osra and theGrand Duke walked together among the trees, and taking each by a handled them out, they were greeted with a great cheer; they mounted theirhorses, which the Grand Duke now found without any difficulty, althoughwhen the need of them seemed far greater the student could not contriveto come upon them; and the whole company rode together out of the woodand along the road towards Strelsau, the King being full of jokes andhugely delighted with a trick that suited his merry fancy. But beforethey had ridden far they met the great crowd which had come out fromStrelsau to learn what had happened to Princess Osra. And the King criedout that the Grand Duke was to marry the Princess, while his Guards, whohad been with him, and the ambassador's people, spread themselves amongthe crowd and told the story; and when they heard it, the Strelsau folkwere nearly beside themselves with amusement and delight, and throngedround Osra, kissing her hands and blessing her. The King drew back andlet her and the Grand Duke ride alone together, while he followed withCount Sergius. Thus moving at a very slow pace, they came in theforenoon to Strelsau; but some one had galloped on ahead with the news,and the Cathedral bells had been set ringing, the streets were full, andthe whole city given over to excitement and rejoicing. All the men werethat day in love with Princess Osra, and, what is more, they told theirsweethearts so; and these found no other revenge than to blow kisses andfling flowers at the Grand Duke as he rode past with Osra by his side.So they came back to the Palace, whence they had fled in the earlygleams of the morning's light.

  It was evening and the moon rose, fair and clear, over Strelsau. In thestreets there were sounds of merriment and rejoicing; every house wasbright with light; the King had sent out meat and wine for every soul inthe city that none might be sad or hungry or thirsty in all the citythat night; so that there was no small uproar. The King himself sat inhis arm-chair, toasting the bride and bridegroom in company with CountSergius of Antheim, whose dignity, somewhat wounded by the trick hismaster had played on him, was healing quickly under the balm of KingRudolf's graciousness. And the King said to Count Sergius:

  "My lord, were you ever in love?"

&n
bsp; "I was, sire," said the Count.

  "So was I," said the King. "Was it with the Countess, my lord?"

  Count Sergius's eyes twinkled demurely, but he answered:

  "I take it, sire, that it must have been with the Countess."

  "And I take it," said the King, "that it must have been with the Queen."

  Then they both laughed; and then they both sighed; and the King,touching the Count's elbow, pointed out to the terrace of the Palace, onto which the room where they were opened. For Princess Osra and herlover were walking up and down together on this terrace. And the twoshrugged their shoulders, smiling.

  "With him," remarked the King, "it will have been with----"

  "The Countess, sire," discreetly interrupted Count Sergius of Antheim.

  "Why, yes, the Countess," said the King, and with a laugh they turnedback to their wine.

  But the two on the terrace also talked.

  "I do not yet understand it," said Princess Osra. "For on the first dayI loved you, and on the second day I loved you, and on the third and thefourth and every day I loved you. Yet the first day was not like thesecond, nor the second like the third, nor any day like any other. Andto-day, again, is unlike them all. Is love so various and full ofchanges?"

  "Is it not?" he asked with a smile. "For while you were with the Queen,talking of I know not what----"

  "Nor I indeed," said Osra hastily.

  "I was with the King, and he, saying that forewarned was forearmed, toldme very strange and pretty stories; of some a report had reached mebefore----"

  "And yet you came to Strelsau?"

  "While of others I had not heard."

  "Or you would not have come to Strelsau?"

  The Grand Duke, not heeding these questions, proceeded to hisconclusion.

  "Love, therefore," said he, "is very various. For M. de Merosailles----"

  "These are old stories," cried Osra, pretending to stop her ears.

  "Loved in one way, and Stephen the smith in another, and--the Miller ofHofbau in a third."

  "I think," said Osra, "that I have forgotten the Miller of Hofbau. Butcan one heart love in many different ways? I know that different menlove differently."

  "But cannot one heart love in different ways?" he smiled.

  "May be," said Osra thoughtfully, "one heart can have loved." But thenshe suddenly looked up at him with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes."No, no," she cried, "it was not love. It was----"

  "What was it?"

  "The courtiers entertained me till the King came," she said, with ablushing laugh. And looking up at him again she whispered, "Yet I amglad that you lingered for a little."

  At this moment she saw the King come out on to the terrace; with him wasthe Bishop of Modenstein; and after the Bishop had been presented to theGrand Duke, the King began to talk with the Grand Duke, while the Bishopkissed Osra's hand and wished her joy.

  "Madame," said he, "once you asked me if I could make you understandwhat love was. I take it you have no need for my lessons now. Yourteacher has come."

  "Yes, he has come," she said gently, looking at the Bishop withfriendliness. "But tell me, will he always love me?"

  "Surely he will," answered the Bishop.

  "And tell me," said Osra, "shall I always love him?"

  "Surely," said the Bishop, again most courteously. "Yet indeed, madame,"he continued, "it would seem almost enough to ask of heaven to love nowand now to be loved. For the years roll on, and youth goes, and even themost incomparable beauty will yield its blossom when the season wanes;yet that sweet memory may ever be fresh and young, a thing a man cancarry to his grave and raise as her best monument on his lady's tomb."

  "Ah, you speak well of love," said she. "I marvel that you speak so wellof love. For it is as you say; to-day in the wood it seemed to me that Ihad lived enough, and that even Death was but Love's servant as Life is,and both purposed solely for his better ornament."

  "Men have died because they loved you, madame, and some yet live wholove you," said the Bishop.

  "And shall I grieve for both, my lord--or for which?"

  "For neither, madame; the dead have gained peace, and they who live haveescaped forgetfulness."

  "But would they not be happier for forgetting?"

  "I do not think so," said the Bishop, and bowing low to her again, hestood back, for he saw the King approaching with the Grand Duke; theKing took him by the arm and walked on with him; but Osra's face lostthe brief pensiveness that had come upon it as she talked with theBishop, and turning to her lover, she stretched out her hands to him,saying:

  "I wish there was a cottage, and that you worked for bread, while I madeready for you at the cottage, and then ran far, far, far down the roadto watch and wait for your coming."

  "Since a cottage was not too small, a palace will not be too large,"said he, catching her in his arms.

  Thus the heart of Princess Osra found its haven and its rest; for amonth later she was married to the Grand Duke of Mittenheim in theCathedral of Strelsau, having utterly refused to take any other placefor her wedding. Again she and he rode forth together through theWestern Gate; and the King rode with them on their way till they came tothe woods. Here he paused and all the crowd that accompanied him stoppedalso; and they all waited till the sombre depths of the glades hid Osraand her lover from their sight. Then, leaving them thus riding togetherto their happiness, the people returned home, sad for the loss of theirdarling Princess. But for consolation, and that their minds might theless feel her absence, they had her name often on their lips; and thepoets and storytellers composed many stories about her, not grounded onfact, as are those which have been here set forth, but the fabric ofidle imaginings, wrought to please the fancy of lovers or to wake thememories of older folk. So that, if a stranger goes now to Strelsau, hemay be pardoned if it seem to him that all mankind was in love withPrincess Osra. Nay, and those stories so pass all fair bounds that ifyou listen to them, you will come near to believing that the Princessalso had found some love for all the men who had given her their love.Thus to many she is less a woman who once lived and breathed, than somesweet image under whose name they fondly group all the virtues and thecharms of her whom they love best, each man fashioning for himself fromhis own chosen model her whom he calls his Princess. Yet it may be thatfor some of them who so truly loved her, her heart had a moment'stenderness. Who shall tell all the short-lived dreams that come and go,the promptings and stirrings of a vagrant inclination? And who would prytoo closely into these secret matters? May we not more properly givethanks to heaven that the thing is as it is? For surely it makes greatlyfor the increase of joy and entertainment in the world, and of courtesyand true tenderness, that the heart of Princess Osra--or of what ladyyou may choose, sir, to call by her name--should flutter in prettyhesitation here and there and to and fro a little, before it flies on astraight wing to its destined and desired home. And if you be not thePrince for your Princess, why, sir, your case is a sad one. Yet therehave been many such, and still there is laughter as well as tears in thetune to which the world spins round:--

  But still a Ruby kindles in the Vine, And many a Garden by the Water blows.

  Wear your willow then, as the Marquis de Merosailles wore his, lightlyand yet most courteously; or like the Bishop of Modenstein (for so somesay), with courage and self-mastery. That is, if wear it you must. Youremember what the Miller of Hofbau thought?

  AN INTERESTING ANNOUNCEMENT.

  The most important work from the pen of ANTHONY HOPE since thepublication of "The Prisoner of Zenda," is to be entitled

  "PHROSO"

  and is to be issued early in 1897.

  IT IS OF THE SAME GENERAL NATURE AS "THE PRISONER OF ZENDA," BUTSURPASSES THE LATTER IN MANY RESPECTS.

  The hero is a young English lord of to-day--a man of the same stamp asRudolph Rassendyl; while the heroine is the lady Euphrosyne (Phroso) ofNeopolia and more than equals Flavia in courage, interest and charm.


  _Henry B. Weschler has spent nearly a year upon the numerousillustrations, working from the model and making use of a collection ofGreek costumes, weapons, etc._

  The book will be published at $1.50 and will be well printed and bound;and an extraordinary success is expected by its publishers.

  FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY, NEW YORK.

  Transcriber Notes:

  Passages in italics were indicated by _underscores_.

  Passages in bold were indicated by =equal signs=.

  Small caps were replaced with ALL CAPS.

  Throughout the document, the oe ligature was replaced with "oe".

  Throughout the dialogues, there were words used to mimic accents ofthe speakers. Those words were retained as-is.

  The illustrations have been moved so that they do not break upparagraphs and so that they are next to the text they illustrate. Thusthe page number of the illustration might not match the page number inthe List of Illustrations, and the order of illustrations may not be thesame in the List of Illustrations and in the book.

  Errors in punctuation and inconsistent hyphenation were not correctedunless otherwise noted.

  On page 17, a period was added after "Indeed I also would like to see her."

  On the illustration near page 37, the single quotation mark was replacedwith a double quotation mark.

  On page 57, a period was added after "the only soul alive I love----".

  On page 145, the comma after "Yet she uttered no sound" was replacedwith a period.

  On page 170, a period was added after "he set her on his horse".

  On page 292, "greated" was replaced with "greeted".

  On page 296, "aud" was replaced with "and".

 
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net
Share this book with friends