"Bring' h鋟sliche H黮feIncubus! incubus.Tritt herhor und mache den Schluss." GOETHE's Faust."Es giebt so bange Zeiten,Es giebt so tr黚en Muth!"--NOVALIS.
The next morning Wilhelm related his evening adventure at thebreakfast-table; the sisters laughed at it. The mother, on thecontrary, was silent, left the room, and after some time returned.
"There have been thieves here!" said she, "and one might almostimagine that they were persons in the household itself. They havebeen at the press where the table-linen is kept, and have not beensparing in their levies. The beautiful old silver tankard, which Iinherited from my grandmother, is also missing. I would much soonerhave given the value of the silver than have lost that piece!"
"Will not the lady let it be tried by the sieve?" asked the oldservant: "that is a pretty sure way!"
"That is nothing but superstition," answered she; "in that way theinnocent may so easily be suspected."
"As the lady pleases!" said the servant, and shook his head.
In the mean time a search through the house was instituted. Theboxes of the domestics were examined, but nothing was discovered.
"If you would only let the sieve be tried!" said the old servant.
In the afternoon Otto went into the garden; he fell into discoursewith the gardener, and they spoke of the theft which had occurred.
"It vexes every one of us," said he, "because we think much of the lady,and of the whole family. And some one must, nevertheless, be suspected.We believe that it was Sidsel, for she was a good-for-nothing person!We folks tried among ourselves with the sieve, but however, at themention of her name, if it did not move out of its place. We had setit upon the point of a knife, and mentioned the name of every personabout the place, but it stood as if it were nailed quite fast. Butthere was really something to see, which not one of us would havebelieved. I'll say no more about it, although we had every one ofus our own thoughts. I would have taken my oath of it."
Otto pressed him to mention the person who was suspected.
"Yes, to you perhaps, I may mention it," replied he; "but you willnot say anything about it? As we were standing today, at noon,around the sieve, and it did not move at Sidsel's name, she becameangry, because a word bad been let fall which could not beagreeable to her if she were innocent. She drew herself up as if ina passion, and said to us, 'But there are also in the hall a manypeople besides us, who may slip and slide! There are strangershere, and the fine Mamsell, and the farmers. Yes, I suspect no one,but every one ought to be named!'
"And so we did it. Yes, we mentioned even your name, Mr. Thostrup,although we knew very well that you were guiltless of the charge;but we would not excuse any one. The sieve stood quite entirelystill until we mentioned Eva's name, and then it moved. Not one ofus actually could believe it, and the servant Peter said also thatit was because of the draught from the chimney. We mentioned yetonce more all the names, and the sieve stood still until we came toEva's, and then we perceived very plainly a movement. The servantPeter at the same moment gave a great blow to the sieve, so that itfell to the ground, and be swore that it was a lie, and that hewould answer for Eva. I would have done so too; but yet it was veryextraordinary with the sieve! Most of the folks, however, havetheir own thoughts, but no one venture to express them to thegentry who think so much of her. I cannot, however, rightlyreconcile it to myself!"
"She is innocent!" said Otto; and it amazed him that any one shouldcast the slightest suspicion on Eva. He thought of German Heinrichand Sidsel, who alone appeared to him suspicious. There thenoccurred to him an experiment of which he had heard from Rosalie.It now seemed to him available, and, physiologically considered,much more certain than that with the sieve.
"Probably it may lead to a discovery," said he, after he hadcommunicated his whole plan to Sophie and the steward.
"Yes, we mast try it!" said she; "it is excellent! I also will beput to the proof, although I am initiated into the mystery."
"Yes, you, your sister, Wilhelm, Eva, we all of us must," saidOtto. "Only I will not do the speaking: that the steward must do."
"That is proper, very proper!" replied she: "it shall be tried thisevening when it is dark."
The time came; the steward assembled the people.
"Now I know," said he, "how we shall find the thief!"
All were to remain in the first room: within a side-room, which wasquite dark, there stood in a corner on the right hand a copperkettle; to this every person as they came in, one by one, were togo and lay their hand down on the flat bottom of the kettle. Thehand of every one who was innocent would be brought out again whiteand pure, but the hand of the criminal would be severely burned,and would become black as a coal.
"He who now," said the steward, addressing them, "has a goodconscience, may go with this and our Lord into the innermost room,lay his hand upon the bottom of the kettle, and show it to me. NowI go to receive you all!"
The daughters went, the friends, Eva, and all the household. Thesteward questioned them as they came in: "Answer me, upon thyconscience, did thy hand touch the flat bottom of the kettle?"
All replied, "Yes!"
"Then show me your hand!" said he; and they showed them, and allwere black: Sidsel's alone was white.
"Thou art the thief!" said the steward. "Thy evil conscience hascondemned thee. Thou hast not touched the kettle; hast not laid thyhand upon it, or it would have become as black as that of theothers. The kettle was blackened inside with turpentine smoke; theywho came with a good conscience, knowing that their hands wouldremain pure like their consciences, touched the kettle fearlesslyand their hands became black! Thou hast condemned thyself! Confess,or it will go worse with thee!"
Sidsel, uttered a horrible cry and fell down upon her knees.
"O God, help me!" said she, and confessed that she was the thief.
A chamber high up in the roof was prepared as a prison; here thedelinquent was secured until the affair, on the following day,should be announced to the magistrate.
"Thou shalt be sent to Odense, and work upon the treadmill!" saidWilhelm: "to that thou belongest!"
The family assembled at the tea-table. Sophie joked about the day'sadventure.
"Poor Sidsel!" said Eva.
"In England she would be hanged," said Wilhelm; "that would be afine thing to see!"
"Horrible!" replied Louise; "they must die of terror in going tothe gallows."
"Nay, it is very merry," said Wilhelm. "Now you shall hear whatglorious music has been set to it by Rossini!" And he played themarch from "Gazza Ladra," where a young girl is led to the gallows.
"Is it not merry?" asked he. "Yes, he is a composer!"
"To me it seems precisely characteristic," answered Otto. "They arenot the feelings of the girl which the composer wished to express;it is the joy of the rude rabble in witnessing an execution--tothem a charming spectacle, which is expressed in these joyoustones: it is a tragic opera, and therefore he chose exactly thischaracter of expression!"
"It is difficult to say anything against that," replied Wilhelm;"yet what you assert I have not heard from any other person."
"When a soldier is executed they play some lively air," said Otto;"the contrast in this case brings forth the strongest effect!"
The servant now entered, and said with a smile that Peter Cripple,the "new-married man," as he called him, was without and wished tospeak to the Baron Wilhelm.
"It is about a waltz," said he, "which the Baron had promised tohim!"
"It is late for him to come into the court!" said Sophie "thepeasants generally go to bed with the sun."
In the lobby stood the announced Peter in his stocking-feet, withhis hat in one hand and a great stick in the other. He knew, hesaid, that it was still daytime with the gentlefolks; he was justcoming past the hall and thought that he could, perhaps, have thatCopenhagen Waltz which the Baron had promised him: he should wantit to-morrow night to play at a wedding, and, therefore, he wishedto have it now that he might practice it first of all.
Sophie inquired after his young wife, and said something merry.Louise gave him a cup of tea, which he drank in the lobby. Ottolooked at him through the open door; he made comical grimaces, andlooked almost as if he wished to speak with him. Otto approachedhim, and Peter thrust a piece of paper into his hand, making at thesame time a significant gesture indicative of silence.
Otto stepped aside and examined the dirty piece of paper, which wasfolded together like a powder and sealed with a lump of wax. On theoutside stood, in scarcely legible characters,
"TotH' WeL-borne, Mr. Odto Tustraab."
He endeavored, in the first place, to read it in the moonlight; butthat was scarcely possible.
After considerable labor he made out the meaning of this letter,written, as it was in a half-German, half-Danish gibberish, of theorthography of which we have given a specimen in the direction. Theletter was from the German Heinrich. He besought Otto to meet himthis evening in the wood near Peter Cripple's house, and he wouldgive to him an explanation which should be worth the trouble of thewalk. It would occasion, he said, much trouble and much misery toMr Thostrup if he did not go.
A strange anxiety penetrated Otto. How could he steal away withoutbeing missed? and yet go he both must and should. An extraordinaryanxiety drove him forth.
"Yes, the sooner the better!" said he, hastening down the steps andleaping in haste over the low garden-fence lest the gate should,perhaps, make a noise. He was very soon in the wood: he heard thebeating of his own heart.
"Eternal Father!" said he, "strengthen my soul! Release me fromthis anxiety which overpowers me! Let all be for the best!"
He had now reached Peter Cripple's house. A figure leaned againstthe wall; Otto paused, measured it with his eye to ascertain who itwas, and recognized German Heinrich.
"What do you want with me?" inquired Otto.
Heinrich raised his hand in token of silence, beckoned him forward,and opened a little gate which led to the back of the house. Ottomechanically followed him.
"It goes on badly at the hall," said Heinrich. "Sidsel is reallyput in prison, and will be taken to-morrow to Odense, to the redhouse by the river."
"It is what she has deserved!" said Otto. "I did not bring itabout."
"O no!" answered Heinrich; "in a certain way we bring nothingabout; but you can put in a good word for her. You must see thatthis punishment does not befall her."
"But the punishment is merited!" replied Otto; "and how can I mixmyself up in the affair? What is it that you have to say to me?"
"Yet, the good gentleman must not get angry!" began Heinrich again;"but I am grieved about the girl. I can very well believe that hedoes not know her, and therefore it gives him no trouble; but if Iwere now to whisper a little word in his ear? She is your ownsister, Mr. Thostrup!"
All grew dark before Otto's eyes; a chill as of death went throughhis blood; his hands held firmly by the cold wall, or he must havesunk to the earth; not a sound escaped his lips.
German Heinrich laid his hand in a confidential manner upon hisshoulder, and continued in a jeering, agitated tone, "Yes, it ishard for you to hear! I also struggled a long time with myselfbefore I could make up my mind to tell you. But a little trouble ispreferable to a great one. I had some talk with her yesterday, butI did not mention you, although it seemed queer to me at my heartthat the brother should sit at the first table with the youngladies, and the sister be farm swine-maiden. Now they have put herin prison! I am very sorry for her and you too, Mr. Thostrup, forit is disagreeable! If the magistrate come to-morrow morning, andshe fall into the claws of the red angel, it will not be so easy toset her at liberty again! But yet you could, perhaps, help her; as,for instance, to-night! I could make an opportunity--I would be inthe great avenue beyond the hall. If she could get thus far shewould be safe; I would then conduct her out of this part of thecountry. I may as well tell you that we were yesterday half-betrothed!She goes with me; and you can persuade the gracious lady at the hallto let the bird fly!"
"But how can I? how can I?" exclaimed Otto.
"She is, however, always your sister!" said Heinrich, and they bothremained silent for a moment. "Then I will," said Heinrich, "if allbe still at the hall, wait in the avenue as the bell goes twelve."
"I must!" exclaimed Otto; "I must! God help me!"
"Jesu, Maria, help!" said Heinrich, and Otto left him.
"She is my sister! she, the most horrible of all!" sighed he; hisknees trembled, and he leaned against a tree for support: hiscountenance was like that of the dead; cold sweat-drops stood uponhis brow. All around him lay the dark night-like wood; only to theleft glimmered, between the bushes, the moonlight reflected fromthe lake.
"Within its depths," sighed he, "all would be forgotten--my griefwould be over! Yet, what is my sin? Had I an existence before I wasborn upon this globe? Must I here be punished for sins which I thencommitted?"
His dark eye stared lifelessly out of his pale countenance. Thussit the dead upon their graves in the silent night; thus gazes thesomnambulist upon the living world around him.
"I have felt this moment before--this moment which now is here; itwas the well-spring whence poison was poured over my youthful days!She is my sister! She? unhappy one that I am!"
Tears streamed from his eyes, it was a convulsive weeping; he criedaloud, it was impossible to him to suppress his voice; he sank halfdown by the tree and wept, for it was night in his soul: silent,bitter tears flowed, as the blood flows when the heart istranspierced. Who could breathe to him consolation? There lay nobalsam in the gentle airs of the clear summer night, in thefragrance of the wood, in the holy, silent spirit of nature. PoorOtto!
"Weep, only weep! it gives repose, A world is every tear that flows,-- A world of anguish and unrest, That rolleth from the troubled breast.
"And hast thou wept whilst tears can flow, A tranquil peace thy heart will know; For sorrow, trivial or severe, Hath had its seat in every tear.
"Think'st thou that He, whose love beholds The worm the smallest leaf enfolds,-- That He, whose power sustains the whole Forgets a world--thy human soul?"