"Yes," solemnly answered the general; "it is the royal seal from the king's private cabinet.""Read the address upon this, and the unopened letter.""Truly, the latter is directed to my daughter, and the other to Professor Gedicke."Herr Gedicke opened the letter, asking the general if he could recognize the king's handwriting.
"Yes," he answered, "I know it well."
"Have the goodness to read the lines upon the margin," mid the professor, unfolding the letter, so that he could only read those referred to.
The general read: "Professor Gedicke shall go himself to Fraulein von Leuthen, and bring her to reason, reading the document to her without witnesses. I wish this affair to come to an end. Teach Mamselle mores! mores! mores! "FREDERICK.""You have heard the royal command, ladies and gentlemen; will you respect it?" said the professor, turning around with an air of proud satisfaction.
"My dear son-in-law," said the general, solemnly, "it is a royal command; give me your arm, as you know I am feeble; and you, my wife, take my other arm, and we will go into the next room. Hush!
not a word--we have only to obey, and not reason."He seized his wife's hand hastily and firmly, that she should not slip away, and winked to Ebenstreit, upon whose support he crossed the room, drawing his wife with him, and pushing open the door of the next with his foot.
Marie had stood during the whole transaction pale and rigid in the centre of the room, looking haughty and defiant as long as her parents and Herr Ebenstreit were present. Now, as the door closed, life and action were visible in this marble form; she rushed to the old gentleman, scarce respiring, and looking up at his dignified, sad face, asked: "Is he living? Tell me only this, or is he ill?""Yes, he lives, he does not suffer from bodily ills, but the sickness of the soul.""And do not I also?" asked she, with quivering voice. "Oh! I know what he suffers, as we are wretched from the same cause. But tell me, have you seen him?""Yes, Fraulein, I have."
"Where is he? Where did you see him?"
"In prison!"
Marie grew paler, and retreated, shuddering. The director continued:
"In a dark, damp prison at Spandau. The poor fellow has been there for two months without air, light, or occupation, and his only society is his own revengeful thoughts and angry love-complaints."Marie gave one hollow moan, covering her corpse-like face with her hands.
"In this abode of torture, in this dwelling of the damned, he must remain ten long years, if death does not release him?""What did you say?" she groaned. "Ten long years? Have they condemned him?""Yes, he was guilty of a great crime--eloping with a minor--who, with the king's consent, and that of her parents, was betrothed to another. Read the sentence of the court, which was forwarded to me as the head of the college where Moritz was employed. See, here is the king's signature, which affirms the sentence, rendering it legal, and here upon the margin are the lines your father read."Trembling, Marie perused the contents. "Ten years in the house of correction!" she murmured. "On my account condemned to a living death! No, no, it is impossible! It cannot be! Ten years of the best part of life! He condemned as a criminal! I will go to the king. Iwill throw myself at his feet, imploring for mercy. I am the guilty one--I alone! They should judge me, and send me to the penitentiary!
I will go to the king! He must and will hear me!""He will not," sighed the director. "Listen to me, poor child! As Iheard the sentence, I felt it my duty to summon all my powers to rescue Moritz, for I love him as a son, and had set my hopes upon him.""I thank you for this kind word," said Marie, seizing the hand of the old man, and pressing it to her lips.
"I went immediately to Minister von Herzberg, and, upon his advice, as he explained to me the king might lighten his punishment, Ibetook myself to Frederick's winter-quarters at Breslau.""You noble, generous man, I shall love you for it as long as I live.
Did you speak with the king?"
"Yes, and every thing that my heart or mind could inspire, to excuse and justify my unhappy friend, I have said--but all in vain. The king was much embittered, because he had had the grace to grant him an audience, and explain the impossibility of the fulfilment of his petition. I did not cease begging and imploring, until I softened the generous heart of the king.""Has he pardoned Moritz?" Marie asked, with brightening hopes.
"Under certain conditions he will allow that he should escape secretly from prison. They are formally written, and if Moritz consents and binds himself by oath, he will not only be freed, but provided with means to go to England, and receive immediately an appointment as translator to the Prussian embassy at London.""What are the conditions, sir?"
"They are, first, that Moritz shall by oath renounce every wish and thought of uniting himself with Fraulein yon Leuthen; secondly, that before he leaves the prison, he shall write to the young lady, in which he shall solemnly release her, and enjoin it upon her as a duty to accept the hand of the man to whom her parents have betrothed her. These were the conditions, and the king commanded me to go to Spandau, and with sensible representations, to confer with Moritz, and persuade him to accept them, and assure himself of freedom, and an honorable future, free from care.""You saw Moritz?"
"Yes."
"Did you communicate the conditions?"
"Yes."
"And he?"
"He refused, with rage and indignation!"
"He refused?" cried Marie, joyfully. "Oh, my dear Philip, I thank you. You love me truly and faithfully. Your glorious example shall inspire me to be as firm as you.""Unhappy child, you know not what you are saying!" cried the director, sadly. "If you really love him, you could not follow his example. Read what the king has written."She took, in breathless silence, the document, and broke the seal, unfolding the paper, but her hand shook it so violently, that she could not distinguish the words.
