"That is to say, I must betray my Marie?" cried Trude, angrily.

"No, not betray, but rescue her. Will you do it?" asked Ebenstreit.

"I wish to be paid my wages, my two hundred thalers, that I have honestly earned, and I will have them."

Ebenstreit took a piece of paper from his pocket. Writing a few lines with a pencil, he laid it upon the table. "If you will take this to my cashier after the ceremony to-morrow, he will pay you four hundred thalers."

"Four hundred thalers in cash," cried Trude, joyfully clapping her hands. "Shall all that beautiful money be mine, and--No, I do not believe you," she cried, her face rea.s.suming its gloomy, suspicious look. "You promise it to me to-day, that I may a.s.sist you, and persuade Marie to the marriage, but to-morrow, when old Trude is of no more use, you will send me away penniless. Oh, I know how it is. I have lived long enough to understand the tricks of rich people. I will see the cash first--only for that will I sell myself."

"The old woman pleases me," said Ebenstreit. "She is practical, and she is right.--If I promise you the money in an hour, will you persuade Marie to cease her foolish resistance, and be my wife? Will you watch over her, and tell us if any thing unusual occurs?"

"Four hundred thalers is a pretty sum," repeated Trude, in a low voice to herself. "I might buy myself a place in the hospital, and have enough left to get me a new bed and neat furniture and--"

Here her voice was lost in unintelligible mumbling, and, much excited, she appeared to count eagerly. With her bony forefinger she numbered over the fingers of her left hand, as if each were a fortune that she must verify and examine.

The mother and the banker regarded each other with mocking looks; the general looked at the money, grumbling: "If I had had four hundred thalers the last time I played, I could have won back my money in playing again."

"Old woman," said Ebenstreit, "have you not finished with your reckoning?"

"Yes," she said, with an exultant laugh, "I have done! Four hundred thalers are not sufficient. I must have five, and if you will give them to me in cash in an hour, then I will do every thing that you wish, and persuade Marie to the marriage. I will watch her day and night, and tell you every thing that she says and does. But I must have five hundred in cash!"

Ebenstreit turned his dull-blue eyes to Frau von Werrig with a triumphant smile. "Did you not tell me the old woman could not be bought? I knew that I was right. You did not offer her money enough; she will sell herself dear as possible."

"Yes, as dear as she can," laughed Trude--"five hundred is my price."

"You shall have it in cash in an hour," said Ebenstreit, in a friendly manner.

"So much money," whined the general; "it would have saved me if I had had it that last time."

"My son-in-law, I must confess you are exceedingly generous," remarked the mother.

"No sum would be too great to a.s.sure me my bride. Go now, Trude, you shall have the money in time.--Will you allow me, father, to send your servant to my office for it?"

"Send Leberecht here, Trude!"

The old woman hurried out of the room, but the door once closed, her manner changed. One might have supposed a sudden cramp had seized her, from her distorted face, and twitching and panting, and beating the air with her clinched fists, and her quivering lips uttering broken words.

Approaching footsteps warned her to a.s.sume her general manner and expression, and cease her manipulations. "The ladies and gentlemen wish you in the parlor," mumbled Trude to the servant descending the stairs.

"But where have you been, and what have you to do up there?"

"I was looking for you, lovely one--nothing more!"

"Well, now you have found me, tell me what you want? I know you were sneaking about, listening, because you thought I was with Marie. I understand you better than you think I do. I have found many a viper, and I am familiar with their aspect. Go! they are waiting for you, and let me find you again spying about, and I will throw a pail of water on you!"

With this friendly a.s.surance Trude dismissed Leberecht, and hastened with youthful activity to the little garret-room, when Marie fell upon her neck, weeping bitterly.

"Calm yourself--do not weep so--it breaks my heart, my dear child."

"And mine cannot break. I must endure all this anguish and survive this shame. Help me, my good mother, stand by me! It is impossible for me to marry that dreadful man. I have sworn constancy to my beloved Moritz, and I must be firm, or die!"

"Die? then you will kill me!" murmured the old one, "for, if you go, I must go also. But we will not give up yet, as we are both living; we will not despair for life. I am going once more to Moritz's lodgings; it may be he has returned, and will rescue you."

"Oh, do, good Trude; tell him that I have courage and determination to risk and bear every thing--that I will await him; that nothing would be too difficult or dangerous to serve to unite me to him! Tell him that I prefer a life of poverty and want by his side, to abundance and riches in a splendid palace with that detested creature--but no, say nothing about it, he knows it well! If he has returned, tell him all that has happened, and that I am resolved to brave the utmost, to save myself!"

"I will go, dear child, but I have first my work to do, and enough of it too--but listen to what they have made me become." Hastily, in a low voice, she related to Marie the story of her corruption, excited as before, her limbs shaking and her fists clinched. "They say we old women resemble cats, but from to-day forth I know that is a shameful lie! If I had possessed their nature and claws, I should have sprung at the throat of this rascal, and torn out his windpipe; but, instead of that, I stood as if delighted with his degrading proposal! Oh, fie! the good-for-nothing kidnapper would tempt a poor creature! Let us wait, they will get their reward. He shall pay me the five hundred thalers, and then this trader of hearts shall recognize that, however much ill-earned money he may throw away, love and constancy are hot to be bought. We will teach him a lesson," and with this, the old servant ceased, gasping for breath.

"Go now, Trude, and learn if he has returned; upon him depends my happiness, and life even--he is my last hope!"

"I am going, but first I would get the wages of my sin, and play the hypocrite, and tell a few untruths; then I will go to Moritz's lodgings, and the baker also. Do not despair; I have a joyful presentiment that G.o.d will have pity upon us and send us aid." Trude kissed and embraced her child, and scarcely waited an hour, when she was demanded in the parlor to receive her money.

Herr Ebenstreit was heartily delighted with her zealous impatience, and handed her ten rolls of gold, reminding her of the conditions.

"I have already consoled her a little, and she begins to change. I hope every thing will turn for good. Just leave her alone with me."

"But first, I must go and see my aged brother, who will take care of my money," replied Trude. "He is a safe man and will not spend it."

"Trude," cried the general, "what an old fool! to seek at distance what is so near you. I will take your money, and give you interest. Do you hear? I will take care of it!"

"Thank you, general, I'd rather give it to my brother, on account of the relationship." She slipped out of the room, hid the money in her bed, and hurriedly left the house.

Scarcely an hour pa.s.sed ere Trude returned as fleetly as she went. She cast only a look into the kitchen, and hastened up to Marie's room. Her success was evident in her happy, smiling face, and coming home she had repeated to herself, "How happy Marie will be!" almost the entire way.

She had but closed the door, when the mean little Leberecht glided from behind the chimney, and crept to listen at the door.

Within was a lively conversation, and twice a shout of joy was heard and Marie, exultant, cried, "Oh, Trude! dear Trude! all goes well, I fear nothing now. G.o.d has sent me the savior which I implored!"

Leberecht stood, bent over, applying his ear to the keyhole, listening to every word.

Oh, Trude! if you could only have seen the traitor, glued to the door, with open eyes and mouth! Could you have seen the eavesdropper rubbing his hands together, grinning, and listening in breathless suspense!

Why cannot you surprise him, Trude, and fulfil your threat to deluge him and chase him away from your child's door? They forgot the necessity of prudence, and the possibility of being overheard. At last it occurred to the old servant, and she tore open the door, but no one was there--it was deserted and still.

"G.o.d be thanked, no one has listened," whispered Trude. "I will go down and tell them that I hope, if we can stay alone all day, you will be calmer and more reasonable."

"Do it, Trude; I do not dare to see any one for fear my face will betray me, and my mother has very sharp eyes. Return soon."

She opened the door, and saw not the eavesdropper and spy, who had but just time to conceal himself, and stand maliciously grinning at the retreating figure of the faithful servant.

He slipped lightly from his hiding-place down to his sleeping-room, in a niche under the stairs. For a long time he reflected, upon his bedside--his watery blue eyes staring at nothing. "This must be well considered," he mumbled. "There is, at last, a capital to be won. Which shall I do first, to grasp a good deal? Shall I wait, or go at once to Herr Ebenstreit? Very naturally they would both deny it, and say that I had made up the whole story to gain money. I had better let the affair go on: they can take a short drive, and when they are about an hour absent, I will sell my secret at a higher price. Now I will pretend to be quite harmless, and after supper let the bomb burst!"

CHAPTER XXV. THE ELOPEMENT.

Evening had set in. The card-table had been arranged, and Leberecht had rolled his master to it, taking his place behind his chair. The hour of whist the general impatiently awaited the entire day, and it was regularly observed. Even in the contract with his adopted son it had been expressly mentioned as a duty, that he should not only secure to them yearly income, but also devote an hour to cards every evening.

Herr Ebenstreit regarded it as a tax, which he must observe until married. The general was much his superior at cards, and, moreover, played the dummy, and the stake being high, it was quite an income for the future father-in-law, and regarded by him as the one bright spot in his daily life.