Antonie shook her head impatiently. Apparently she liked the role of guardian angel, and found her position one she could fill without any great exertion, since her affection for her betrothed had always been a very cool one.

"There was no sign of love-making, as the doctor was too seriously ill," she returned. "Marietta cried incessantly and we had plenty to do to console her. Now you see and understand that I am not at all betrayed, and that w.i.l.l.y has acted openly and honestly. I asked him myself to be silent to you, and, in fact, the matter concerns us only----"

"Do you think so? It is therefore of no concern to us?" interrupted the Chief Forester furiously.

"No, papa. w.i.l.l.y is of the opinion that we need not mind our parents in this matter at all."

"What does Willibald mean?" demanded Frau von Eschenhagen, who regained her speech at this unheard-of a.s.sertion.

"That each must love the other before marrying, and he is right,"

declared Toni, with unusual vivacity. "It was not in our engagement at all--in fact, we were not even consulted--but I shall not permit it another time. I see now what it means for two people to love each other with all their heart, and how remarkably w.i.l.l.y has changed through it.

I, too, want to be loved as Marietta is loved, and if I do not find a man who loves me exactly like that--then I shall not marry at all."

And after this remark Fraulein Antonie walked out of the room with much decision and a highly elevated head, leaving father and aunt in an indescribable condition.

The Chief Forester was the first to regain composure, but suppressed vexation was still in his voice as he turned to his sister-in-law and said: "Your boy has managed nicely, I must confess, Regine. Now Toni wants to be loved also, and begins to get romantic ideas in her head, and w.i.l.l.y seems to be far gone already in that respect. I actually believe he has managed to make this second proposal by himself."

Frau von Eschenhagen paid no attention to this bitter hint of her interference at the former time. Her face bore an expression which promised nothing good.

"You seem to look upon this affair from a comic standpoint," she said.

"I take it differently."

"That will not help you any," returned Schonan. "When such a model son commences to rebel, the affair is usually hopeless, especially when he is in love. But I am curious to know how w.i.l.l.y behaves himself as a lover--it must be a remarkable sight!"

CHAPTER XLI.

Herr von Schonan's curiosity was to be immediately satisfied, for w.i.l.l.y now appeared. He had heard of the arrival of his mother and was therefore prepared for anything, for that there must be something especial to bring her to Furstenstein so unexpectedly, he knew. But the young lord did not shrink back this time as he did two months ago, when he timidly concealed the rose in his pocket. His bearing betrayed that he was determined to take up the unavoidable contest.

"Here is your mother, w.i.l.l.y," commenced the Chief Forester. "I suppose you are very much surprised to see her here?"

"No, uncle, I am not," was the answer, but the young man made no attempt to approach his mother, for she stood there like a threatening storm cloud, and her voice rumbled like distant thunder as she said: "So you know why I have come?"

"I at least guess it, mamma, even if I cannot understand how you have heard----"

"The papers have told all--there it lies," interrupted Frau von Eschenhagen, pointing to the table, "and, besides, Toni has told us everything--do you hear? everything!"

She p.r.o.nounced this last word in an annihilating tone. w.i.l.l.y was not moved from his composure, but replied tranquilly:

"Well, I shall not have to tell you, then. I should have spoken to uncle to-day about it."

This was too much. The storm cloud burst now with thunder and lightning; it loaded and discharged with such vehemence over the head of the young lord that really nothing seemed left for him to do but to disappear quickly under the ground, which could not bear a person of his kind any longer.

But he did not disappear; he only bowed his head to the storm, and when it finally subsided--for Frau Regine had necessarily to draw breath some time--he drew himself up and said: "Mamma, please let me talk."

"You want to talk? that is remarkable," declared Schonan, who was not used to such efforts from his daughter's betrothed; but Willibald actually began, hesitatingly and uncertainly at first, but he gradually acquired firmness in speech and bearing.

"I am sorry that I have to offend you, but it could not be helped. I am just as innocent about the duel as Marietta is. She was being followed by an impertinent fellow persistently. I protected her and chastised the offender, who sent me a challenge, which I never could nor would decline. I have to beg Toni's pardon alone for loving Marietta, and I did that immediately upon my arrival. She heard everything and gave me back my pledge. Indeed, we have broken our engagement much more independently than we formed it."

"Oh, ho, is that meant for us?" cried the Forester angrily. "We did not force you--both of you could have said no if you had wished."

"Well, we do that now as a supplement," returned Willibald, so quickly that Schonan looked at him amazed. "Toni came to the same conclusion that custom alone is not sufficient for marriage, and if one has learned to know happiness, one wants to possess it also."

Fran von Eschenhagen, who had not yet quite regained her breath, started at these words as if bitten by a snake. It had never entered her mind that a second engagement would follow the first, now broken.

She had never contemplated this most awful of possibilities.

"Possess it," she repeated. "What do you wish to possess? Does that mean perhaps that you want to marry this Marietta--this creature----"

"Mamma, I beg you to speak in a different tone of my future wife," her son interrupted her, so gravely and decidedly that the angry mother stopped indeed. "Toni has given me freedom; therefore there is no wrong in my love for Marietta, and Marietta's reputation is blameless--I am convinced of that. Whoever hurts or offends her has to answer to me, even if it should be my own mother."

"Hear, hear! the boy is coming out," murmured the Chief Forester, with whom the sense of justice overpowered his vexation, but Frau von Eschenhagen was far from listening to justice.

She had thought to crush her son with her appearance, and now he offered her resistance in this never before heard of manner.

His manly behavior tried her most, as she recognized by it how deep and powerful was the feeling which could change him so completely.

"I will spare you the enforcement of it toward your mother," she said with boundless bitterness. "You are of age, and master of Burgsdorf. I cannot prevent you, but if you really bring this Marietta Volkmar there as your wife--then I leave."

This threat did not miss its aim. Willibald started and drew back.

"Mamma, you speak in anger."

"I speak in deepest earnestness. As soon as an actress enters the house where I have lived and worked for thirty years--where I had hoped to lay my head down for its final rest--I shall leave the house forever.

She may reign there then. You have the choice between her and your mother."

"But, Regine, do not force it to such a conclusion," Schonan tried to pacify her. "You torture the poor boy with this cruel 'either--or.'"

Regine did not listen to the exhortation. She stood there white to the lips, her eyes immovably fixed upon her son, and she repeated unyieldingly:

"Decide for yourself--this girl or me."

Willibald had also turned pale, and his lips quivered painfully and bitterly as he said in a low tone:

"That's hard, mamma; you know how I love you, and how you hurt me with your going away; but if you really are so cruel as to force me to choose, well then"--he straightened himself with decision--"then I choose my betrothed."

"Bravo!" cried the Chief Forester, forgetting entirely that he was one of the offended ones. "w.i.l.l.y, I feel like Toni. I begin only now to really like you. I am positively sorry now that you will not be my son-in-law."

Frau von Eschenhagen had not expected such a turn of affairs. She had trusted in her old power, which she now saw fall into fragments, but she was not the woman to give in. She would not have bent her obstinate will even if her life had depended upon it.

"Good! then we have finished with each other," she said curtly, and turned to go without heeding her brother-in-law, who followed her, trying to pacify her; but before they reached the door it was opened and a servant entered with a hasty announcement:

"The steward of Rodeck is outside and begs----"

"I have no time now," stormed the impulsive Schonan. "Tell Stadinger I cannot speak with him at present. I have important family affairs----"