Outside, the moon, visible now and then among the clouds, cast an uncertain light over the landscape. For a moment it emerged clearly, and in its rays was revealed the bridge, the bold structure which had promised its creator so proud a future. And out into the same light strode the man who had sworn his death,--whose hand was sure when a foe was to be removed from his path. Wolfgang made no effort at self-deception: he bade farewell to his dreams for the future, as he had already bidden farewell to his happiness.

CHAPTER XXII.

AN UNEXPECTED VISIT.

Dr. Reinsfeld sat in his room, writing diligently. So much had to be arranged and prepared for his successor, who was to arrive in the course of the next week, and who was to buy the house and furniture.

The young physician's belongings were not very valuable, nevertheless he looked about him upon his poor possessions with a sad, yearning expression. Here he had been so happy, and so miserable!

A carriage drove up and stopped before his door. Benno looked up from his writing to see who his visitor might be, and then hurried to the door, in surprise, as he recognized the graceful figure of Frau Gersdorf about to alight. This distinguished relative, whose acquaintance he had formerly dreaded to make, had come to be his cherished little friend, whose interest in his unhappy love was intense. He had been obliged to discourage this interest of hers, but he was nevertheless grateful for it.

He went out with a welcome upon his lips to open the carriage door, but started, dismayed, for beside his young cousin sat a shyly shrinking figure,--Alice Nordheim.

"Yes, I am not alone," said Molly, highly delighted by the effect of her surprise. "We have been out driving, and did not wish to pa.s.s through Oberstein without seeing you. Well, Benno, are you not glad we stopped?"

Reinsfeld stood dumfounded. Driving in this cold rainy weather? Why had Alice come? And why did she tremble so as he helped her out of the carriage, seeming afraid to look at him? He could not utter a word; but indeed there was no need that he should, for Frau Gersdorf gave no one any chance to speak. She chattered on until they were in Benno's study, and then she began afresh:

"And so here we are. You wanted to come, Alice, and now you look as if you would like to run away. Why? I may surely call upon my cousin if I please, and you are with me, chaperoned by a married woman, so your duenna can make no possible objection. And you need not be in the least embarra.s.sed, children. I know everything,--I grasp the entire situation, and it is very natural that you should wish to talk to each other. So now begin!"

She seated herself in the arm-chair which the doctor had just left, and prepared with great solemnity to a.s.sist at the interview. But a long pause ensued,--neither Alice nor Benno spoke,--and, after some minutes of silence, Molly began to be tired.

"I dare say you would rather talk without listeners," she remarked.

"Good! I will go into the next room, and see that no one interrupts you."

Without waiting for a reply, she suited the action to the word, and left the room for the one adjoining, by the closed door of which she placed herself as sentinel.

But Molly had forgotten the other door of the study, which led through a small vestibule out into the garden, and she was quite unconscious that through the garden Veit Gronau was just now approaching the house, leaving Said and Djelma to await him at the garden gate.

Ernst Waltenberg had not returned to Heilborn on the previous evening, although he had promised to meet his secretary there. Early this morning a messenger from him had brought Gronau the intelligence that he had taken up his abode for a few days in the little inn at Oberstein, and that the two servants were to be sent to him with all that was necessary for his comfort. This had been done, and Veit had accompanied them. Driving up the steep mountain-road had been very difficult, wherefore all three had preferred to walk the last part of the way, leaving the vehicle to bring the luggage.

The foot-path which thay pursued led directly past the doctor's garden. Gronau walked up the little enclosure and opened the familiar back-door. His last interview with Benno had been a stormy one,--he had bitterly reproached the young physician with his indifference,--and his kindly nature would not long allow him to cherish any unkind feeling.

He came now partly to apologize, and partly in hope of finding the doctor more in sympathy with his wishes. As the Nordheim carriage was standing before the front entrance of the house, he had no suspicion of the visit which Benno was receiving, else he would have fled in dismay.

Meanwhile, Frau Gersdorf maintained her guard with unwearied, devotion,--a devotion all the more disinterested since the stout oaken door effectually deadened the voices of the pair she had left. Their conversation, moreover, was far from what she had hoped would ensue.

Benno, after waiting in vain for Alice to break the silence, said, gently,--

"And you really wished to come hither, Fraulein Nordheim,--really?"

"Yes, Herr Doctor," was the low, trembling reply.

Reinsfeld knew not what to think. Lately Alice's intercourse with him had been perfectly easy and familiar. True, since their last interview in the forest, her ease of manner had vanished, but that could not explain this alteration in her. She stood pale and trembling before him, seeming actually afraid of him, for she retreated timidly when he would have approached her.

"You are afraid--of me?" he asked, reproachfully.

She shook her head: "No, not of you, but of what I have to tell you. It is so terrible."

Reinsfeld was still puzzled for a moment, and then suddenly the truth flashed upon him.

"Good G.o.d! You do not know----?"

He paused, for, for the first time, Alice looked up at him with eyes filled with such misery, such despair, that all other reply was needless. He hastily went up to her and took her hand.

"How could it be? Who could have been so cruel, so dastardly, as to distress you with _that_?"

"No one!" the girl said, with an evident effort, "By chance--I overheard a conversation between my father and Herr Gronau----"

"You cannot believe I had any share in it!" Benno hastily interposed.

"I did all that I could to restrain Gronau; I refused to give him my sanction."

"I know it,--and for my sake!"

"Yes, for your sake, Alice. What can you fear from me? There was no need that you should come hither to entreat my silence."

"I did not come for that," Alice said, softly. "I wanted to ask your pardon--your forgiveness for----"

Her voice was lost in a burst of sobs; suddenly she felt herself clasped in Benno's arms. She was no longer Wolfgang's betrothed; he was no traitor to his friend; he might for once clasp his love in his arms, while she wept convulsively upon his breast.

Just at this moment Veit Gronau opened the side-door, and paused in dismay upon the threshold. He would have been less amazed if the skies had fallen than he was by the sight that met his eyes. Unfortunately, he did not possess Frau Gersdorf's diplomatic talent for noiselessly disappearing and pretending not to have observed anything; on the contrary, his surprise expressed itself in a long-drawn "A--h!"

The lovers started in terror. Alice in great confusion extricated herself from Benno's embrace, and the doctor lost all his presence of mind, while the intruder maintained his stand upon the threshold, and in his dismay never thought of stirring. At last the young girl fled into the next room to Molly, while Benno, with a frown, approached his unbidden guest: "This is an unexpected visit, Herr Gronau, a surprise indeed."

His tone was unusually sharp, but Gronau did not seem to notice it. He entered the room, and, with an air of extreme satisfaction, said, "This is quite another affair,--quite another affair."

"What of it?" Benno exclaimed, impatiently; but Veit tapped him cordially on the shoulder:

"Why did you not tell me this? Now I understand why you would not accuse Nordheim. You were quite right, quite right."

"Nor will I suffer any one else to do so," Reinsfeld declared, his irritation only aggravated by Gronau's genial tone. "I deny any one's right to meddle in my affairs; understand me, Herr Gronau."

"I have no idea of doing anything of the kind," said Gronau, quietly.

"'Tis well that I have said nothing to Herr Waltenberg as yet. Of course the matter must be kept quiet among ourselves. You have been far wiser than I, Herr Doctor. How could you bear my scolding so patiently?

I never gave you credit for such cleverness."

"Can you suppose me capable of sordid calculation?" Benno exclaimed, angrily. "I love Alice Nordheim."

"So I saw just now," Veit observed, "And she seemed very willing.

Bravo! Now we shall go to work with the Herr President very differently. We shall say not a word about the stolen invention, but shall simply ask for his daughter's hand, and his millions will naturally follow it. 'Tis a fact, Benno, that you have shown a vast amount of cleverness. Your arrangement of the matter would satisfy even your father in his grave."

"That is your view," Benno declared, sadly. "Alice's and mine is very different. What you saw was only a farewell forever."

At this intelligence, Veit looked as if he had suddenly received a box on the ear.

"Farewell? Forever? Doctor, I verily believe you are out of your senses."