Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, September 6, 1903, Page 30

(Copyright, 1993, by J. W. Muller,) CHAPTER VIIL HE first truly festive and joyful meal of my life! Never again can 1 have another like it—never again, A young man and a young girl =-the two youngest and most handsome— brought the food; in a mighty iron pan a mountain of golden brown dumplings; in a huge earthen bowl of stewed cherries. It was as If a race of giants was to be sated. Pan and bowl were placed on shining wood trays before Miss Fritz Bhe served me first, and then the Count, for each one two-no, three-dumplings swimming in purple juice I had my high-heaped plate before me and may ha looked down at it some- what hopelessly, for suddenly I heard a penl of Jaughter opposite me The fairy creature under the "Christ picture was laughing at me That she was a fairy or some other unearthly being 1 recogniged by the laugh, for only a Nixie or a Fairy could utter so silvery 80 bell-like, 80 sweet a laugh First 1 was immensely startled. Then I laughed over my fright and help- lessness, and when 1 began to laugh every- body else began, too. KEven that finished man of the world, the Count, and Miss Frits laughed—laughed at me, It was splendid! I did like all the rest, ate and drank and enjoyed it immensely. What 1 had on my plate T pte—really and truly Imag- ine! A second mountain of dumplings and a socond lake of cherry sauce were brought in by the two youngest and most handsome ornes and also devoured If I had not been ashamed I would have eaten a third time of the dumplings But 1 gaid, “No, I thank you,”' modestly, and the child and then all of us laughed again like any- thing Now, if that was not a merry meal! Then 1 heard the jow, sweet voice again as it offered thanks. I saw the wonder- ful eyes lowered again, the pale, slender hands folded reverently. How beautiful the girl was under the martyr picture of the Christ and the crimson wreath of the red pinks, Then the happiest ard the most festive meal of my life was at an end. Of course, we had not only eaten and laughed, but converzed. What [ said 1 do not know now. 1 can only rememter the others, and the pieasure 1 felt in my fine Count, who managed to make even Luisl talkative. He understands wonde:fully weoell to deal with the peopla, My handsome, deflant Lois! talked of his hunting life 85 Fritz told of the terrors of winter when rhe was snowbound in her Alpine farm. Kven the stablemen knew of many important matters which needed tell- ing Although the child had so iutoxicated and enchanted me that the whole world had become a dream to me, 1 noticed with what calmness and dignity, with what tact, these people knew how to behave in the presence of the son of thelr King. Pleasant, too, was the moment when we arose and all in turn gave us itheir hands, to the mistre the Count and me, When I turned to look for the child it had dis- appeared--vanished like an elfin thing. Ah, then 1 became sad. Now the thing was to observe good man- ners and let none notice anything. But how if 1 should never gee the dear form again? Miss Fritz proposed to us to go into the arbor, whither she would send the coffes, I begged her not to let us drink it without her, but dared not mention the name of the lovely child, as if T might thereby be- tray my young, and ah, so hopeless love, and thus de rate it . . . - - - . . After Miss Fritz left us I said to the Count suddenly: “How did you come to make a part of the ‘train’ of a Royal Prince—you, a proud, free man?" “l was tempted to learn to know this world.” 1 thought: *“It is a mournful world.” Aloud 1 said: “Learn to know it as fast as possible and flee it.” “1 should like to remain with Your Royal Highness until you send me away." “It is not in my power to keep you or to send you away. But that you know yourself.” And after a pause I added in a low voice: “They will take you away from me as soon as they observe that you are liked by me. We may love others as little as if we were monks. Our love appears to be egqually sin and gulilt.™ He answered nothing. hand and said: “As long as they let us remain together let us be friends." I was frightened at my own daring. Only in the Intoxication in which my whole being was could I have risen to such boldness. But I was glad that I had achieved it, for the count grasped my hand with a powerful pressure and held it fast in his for a spaoce. S0 everything came to me in this day to make it the most eventful and rich of my life. First friendship and then love— it was almost too much to bear. Count Gebhardt and I sat in the arbor, I held out my ‘ The JUDICA UNLOCKED IT AND THREW BACK THE Bince he was my friend now I said to him: “Please seek out Loisl's mother, and if money can help her, so help. I am not able today to see a plece of human misery, well as it might serve me to know it.” He loocked at me silently as if he did not understand. So I had to make con- fession of my disgrace.” “Yes, then, I listened Hereafter you will surely despise me, but you must know it. When I heard my name in the arbor I stood still. Deeply as I was ashamed, I stood still and heard. I heard that you liked me, that you consider me a good man, but fear that before long I will prove myself to be one of my kind. I do not ask you now why you believe this of me and what is the matter with us all. I know that you must not tell me about it. 4 would be a bad friend were I to attempt to lead you to do something that would violate your duty. If you do not feel that you must despise me too much for my eavesdropping, if I am still loved by you, you will surely help me to earn the good bellef of Miss Fritz. Please help me! I need help, need a friend so much!™ I spoke with face turned aside, with choking voice. What a day this was! When I turned back again after a while —the Count said no word—1 met the grave, sympathetic face of the man who was will- ing to be my friend. From his eyes there spoke the same pity that I had heard in the volce of Miss Frits when she called me the “poor Prince.” Why do all who love me pity me? I had Intended to keep silence, to ask no questions. Suddenly 1 sprang up and cried passionately: “What is it with my father? Answer me! I beg you, answer me!" And he replied, *“The King is i1L." “And my brother?" “The Crown Prince is lll. At least he himself thinks so.” “He thinks himself disordered in mind?"’ “l may not name it.” “You are right. Forgive me. I had in- tended not to ask. But I-I-I am healthy, surely. Iook at me and see how healthy I am! Therefore you should not pity me. And I--1 remain healthy. My poor father, my poorest brother!" I hid my face in my hand and sobbed. And gently a hand was lald upon my shoulder, the hand of a friend. . - - o . - . . Gebhardt went to meet Miss Fritz and managed to detain her. Meantime 1 be- came calm. Then wo sat in the arbor— unfortunately only we three. I wanted to embrace Gebhardt when he asked: “Your niece is not coming?* Weary Kings | ““The child has work in the garden.” “She is charming.” “She is good an innocent.” Did you not say your niece had no one on earth except yourself?” “No being on earth." I exclaimed, “Poor thing!" The orphaned child filled me with sorrow in this moment. Yet at the same time I was glad that Judkca, too, was a poor, lonely, human being. It seemed to me as if this fact lessened the abyss-like gulf of separation between us. Why were we separated at all? Because she is a poor orphan and I am a poor son of Kings. Gebhardt asked more about her. ‘““Have her parents been decad long?” “The mother died at her birth. The father, who lived only for her, died a year ago."” “Did you not say the little lady had come straight from a convent school?"” “Since her sixth year she has been in a Ursuline convent. When she left it this year she found only graves.” I repeated: “The poor little cne!” and added after a few minutes: “Thank God that she is in harbor with you. With you nothing can happen to her, with you one feels secure against storm and sorrow.” Never before had 1 thus spoken to a human being. How could I have done it before? For the first time in my life I felt the liberating and delivering power of the spoken word. I felt Gebhardt's astonished gaze upon me. And the good Miss Fritz wore a smile that flowed into my soul like sunsshine, She looked at the Count as if she would ask:; “Was 1 not right?’ But he had a serious, thoughtful, almost sorrowful face, such as I had not seen on him before, Then came Loisl to ask if I intended to visit his mother. He sald we must go betimes if we hoped to return to the Sea- Alp before night. I begged the Count: *“Go with Leis! to his mother and teil her that I send my re- spects and hope to call on her myself.” Gebhardt arose, hesitalea, and looked at me. Then I appealed to him with my eyes: “I1 beg of you to go and let me stay here, let me be happy, happy one single time! This day will never come to me again.” Then he went. I remained awhile in the arbor and tried to talk. Then I sald with all possible in- nocence: “I know that you are a good housekeeper, and good housckeepers always have more than enough to do. Pray treat me as a friend whom you need not consider to your discomfort. Attend to your affairs and 1 will stroll around. la half an hour I A Modern Romance By Richard Voss HEAVY LID. will be in the arbor again.* 1 departed without waiting for an ane swer, - . - . . - - . I went into the garden, An aroma met me as if 1 had entered a church filled with incense. Two maids were picking a plant with gray-green leaves and simple blue- violet flowers. I asked them what it was and they told me t hat it was lavender I stood beside them, secretly searching the garden for Judica, when one of the two said, gravely: “Miss Judica is yonder, among the rasp- berries.” Doubtless I blushed like fire. I stood like a trapped schoolboy, stayed awhile and tried to talk about plants, and at last saluted and withdrew slowly—very slowly. I am sure they laughed behind my back. It was as if I could hear their giggles They, too, had seen through me at once. So she was there among the raspberries. Passionately though my beating heart drew me to her, I forced myself to go in another direction. In the great garden [ followed paths that led far away from her, I wandered among flowers, and, excited as I was, 1 still was glad to know them all, because thus I felt myself not such a total stranger in the world. Suddenly—1 know mot how—I stood close to the raspberries. It was a veritable grove of plants. But there was nothing to sece of a picker, 1 plunged into the pathless wilderness, pushed the fruit-laden branches carefully apart and sought the delicate black form longingly. I did nct fnd her And then I called her name, softly, “Judica!™ My heart beat so loud’y that I did not know if I had really uttered the name. It seemed as if he must hear it beat and an- swer with hers, “Here am 1" Then 1 called a little louder: *“Judica! Judica!™ Almost 1 cried: *“Dear, dcar Judica!” But al! remnlio? sllent. Again and again 1 could hear only the beating of my young, and, oh, so ungovernably Jloving heart. Then [ thought the branches near me had moved. No air stirred, and there must have been another cause. The next instant I stood beside her, We were both frightened when we stood opposite each other, so suddenly and so eclose. Neither of us dared to speak. I held my breath, for not even my breath must touch the pale child with the holy eyes. 80 we stood, silent, without motion. At last 1 succeeded in stepping back & little—only a little. And thea ) felt the