--"Art thou Prometheus, pierced with wounds?The Vulture thou that tugs at his heart?" J. CHR. V. ZEDLITZ'S Todtenkr鋘ze.
Not half an hour after this adventure a carriage rolled toward thecity--a large carriage, containing three seats, but, beside thecoachman, there was only one person within. This was Otto; his lipswere pale; death, it is true, had touched them. Alone he dashedforward; his last words to Wilhelm had been his only ones.
"He has lost his wits," said one of the friends.
"It is a fit of madness," answered another, "such as he was seizedwith at the examination, when he only sent in a scrap of whitepaper for the mathematical examination, because he felt himselfoffended by the inspector."
"I could quite vex myself about my stupid joke," said Wilhelm. "Iought to have known him better; he is of a strange, unhappycharacter. Give me your hands! We will mention to no one what hasoccurred; it would only give occasion to a deal of gossip, andwound him deeply, and he is an excellent, glorious fellow."
They gave their hands upon it, and drove toward the city.
The same day, toward evening, we again seek Otto. We find him inhis chamber. Silent, with crossed arms, he stands before a print, acopy of Horace Vernet's representation of Mazeppa, who, naked andbound upon a wild horse, rushes through the forest. Wolves thrustforth their heads and exhibit their sharp teeth.
"My own life!" sighed Otto. "I also am bound to this careering wildhorse. And no friend, not a single one! Wilhelm, I could kill thee!I could see you all lying in your blood! O, Almighty God!" Hepressed his hands before his face and threw himself into a seat;his eyes, however, again directed themselves toward the picture; itexhibited a moment similar to the condition of his own mind.
The door now opened, and Wilhelm stood before him.
"How do you find yourself, Thostrup?" he inquired. "We are stillfriends as before?" and he wished to give his hand. Otto drew backhis. "I have done nothing which could so much offend you," saidWilhelm; "the whole was merely a joke! Give me your hand, and wewill speak no more of the affair!"
"To the man whom I hate, I never reach my hand," replied Otto andhis lips were white like his cheeks.
"A second time to-day you speak these words to me," said Wilhelm,and the blood rushed to his face. "We were friends, whereforecannot we be so still? Have people slandered me to you? Have theytold lies about me? Only tell me faithfully, and I shall be able todefend myself."
"You must fight with me!" said Otto; and his glance became moregloomy. Wilhelm was silent; there reigned a momentary stillness.Otto suppressed a deep sigh. At length Wilhelm broke silence, andsaid, with a grave and agitated voice,--"I am so thoughtless, Ijoke so often, and regard everything from the ridiculous side. Butfor all that I have both heart and feeling. You must have known howmuch dearer you were to me than most other people. You are sostill, although you offend me. At this moment your blood is in afever; not now, but after a few days, you yourself will best seewhich of us is the offended party. You demand that I fight withyou; I will if your honor requires this satisfaction: but you mustlay before me an acceptable reason. I will know wherefore we riskour lives. Let some days pass by; weigh all with your understandingand your heart! It will still depend upon yourself whether weremain friends as before. Farewell!" And Wilhelm went.
Each of his words had penetrated to Otto's heart. A moment he stoodsilent and undecided, then his limbs trembled involuntarily, tearsstreamed from his eyes--it was a convulsive fit of weeping; hepressed his head back. "God, how unfortunate I am!" were his onlywords.
So passed some minutes; he had ceased to weep, and was calm;suddenly he sprang up, shot the bolt in the door, drew down theblinds, lighted his candle, and once more looked searchinglyaround: the key-hole was also stopped up. He then flung his coataway from him and uncovered the upper part of his body.