Part 88 (1/2)

”Yes,” he replied with animation. ”And if I hadn't been so awkward I should have begged your pardon immediately for having unintentionally spied on you. I saw how startled you were. But I myself was so--how shall I say? All I thought was: 'Clear out. You'll be serving the lady best that way.'”

His frank, blithe manner did her good, though it shamed her a little.

”Now you've done me a much greater service,” she said, feeling as appreciative as if he had saved her life.

”Oh, don't speak of it. If only I had turned back instantly. But the earth seemed to have swallowed you up. I was worried about you.”

She smiled to herself, fearful in her happiness. A little more, and she would have acknowledged where she had stowed herself.

”What did you think of me when you saw me strolling about the woods alone?” she asked.

”That you don't feel alone when you're with nature. Otherwise you'd have had company with you.”

”You're right,” she replied eagerly. ”Besides, my carriage was waiting in the Hundekehlenrestaurant”--after all the carriage would play its part--”but it was imprudent of me. I suppose you are also very fond of nature?”

”Very? I hardly know. I must say in Cordelia's words: I love it 'according to my bond; nor more nor less.' To love nature is really no merit nor peculiarity. It is simply a vital function. Don't you agree with me?”

”Certainly,” she faltered, and thought, ”Oh, how clever he is? How will I acquit myself?”

”But to be quite frank,” he continued, ”I am having a strange experience with nature here. I cannot accustom myself to it. Its poverty oppresses me. I am like one who has outgrown his home and reproaches himself for it. I try to get back to my old att.i.tude, and I admire and flatter German nature whenever I possibly can. But first other pictures in my mind must fade. You see I have just returned from Italy, where I spent the last two years.”

Heaving a deep sigh Lilly stared at him. She felt as if now he were absolutely unearthly.

”Two whole years?” she asked in astonishment.

”I am working on a large scientific work, on account of which--no, I was really sent to Italy on account of my health. My uncle, who's a father to me, wanted me to go. I didn't think of the work until I got there.

Then my own country and my studies, everything, fell into the background.”

As he spoke his eyes glowed and stared into s.p.a.ce, full of will and enthusiasm. The old, slumbering desire for Italy began to beat its wings again in Lilly's breast.

”Yes,” she cried with the same enthusiasm as he, ”isn't it so? There all ideas grow, and you feel what you can do, and you become what you wanted to be from the first. Isn't it so? I've never been there, but I feel what I say strongly. There, in the home of everything great and beautiful, you yourself become greater and more beautiful--and--everything--sordid pa.s.ses away. Isn't it so?”

He listened dumbfounded, and embraced her with a beaming gaze.

”Yes,” he replied almost solemnly. ”It is so, exactly.”

She tingled with delight. Did it not seem that with these words he made an avowal of the inner union between them, the avowal she had hoped for from the very first instant of their meeting? Did it not seem that nothing now separated them?

She looked down helplessly.

Was he really the embodiment of that shade which had so senselessly fastened itself upon her soul since the Dresden days?

”I feel as if we had met before,” she said softly without raising her eyes.

”Exactly the way I feel,” he rejoined hastily. ”But it cannot be, for I should know where and when.”

”Were you in Dresden six years ago at about this time?”

”No,” he said. ”Six years ago I was studying at Bonn. The semester came to an end at this season, but I went directly to my uncle, who was having his castle restored.”