The Prince's Whim; and other Stories

Front matter

NEW BOOKS. By C. R. Coleridge. AMETHYST ; or, The Story of a Beauty. 2 vols., crown Svo, I2_. By the Author of " Mademoiselle Mori." LILIAN AND LILI. Crown 8vo, 5_. By Helen Shipton. TWILIGHT. Crown Svo, 3.. 6d. By Mary Bathurst Deane. MB. ZINZAN OF BATH; or, Seen in an Old Mirror. Illustrated. 4to, 6.. THREE LITTLE MAIDS. A new and cheaper edition, with numerous illustrations. Crown 8vo, 5.. By the Author of "Tip Cat." PHIS. Crown 8vo, is. By Mary E. Gellie. BAFFAN S FOLK. Crown Svo, 3.*. 6d. LONDON : A. D. INNES & CO., Late WALTER SMITH & INNES, 31 & 32, BEDFORD STREET, STRAND. Œbe Utp Cat Scries. EACH VOLUME 3.. 6</. Under this title the publishers beg to announce that they will issue a select series of books uniform in style, binding, and price. The first volumes of the Series will be — By the Author of " Pen," etc.

TIP CAT. Crown 8vo. By the same Author. PEN. Crown Svo. OUR LITTLE ANN. Crown Svo. By Helen Shipton. DAGMAR. Crown 8vo. By Sarah Tytler. HOUSEFUL OF GIRLS. Crown Svo. By C. R. Coleridge. JACK O' LANTHORN. Crown Svo. LONDON: A. D. INNES & CO., Late WALTER SMITH & INNES, 31 & 32, BED.OKD STREET, STRAND. THE PRINCE'S WHIM AND OTHER STORIES. THE PRINCES WHIM AND OTHER STORIES. BY KATHARINE S. MACQUOID. LONDON : A. D. INNES AND CO., Late WALTER SMITH AND INNES, 31 & 32, BEDFORD STREET, STRAND, W.C. 1S91. [All rights reserved.} CONTENTS. 1'ACiF. THE PRINCE'S WHIM ... ... ... I THE FALL OF THE LEAF ... ... ... 41 IN THE WOOD ... ... ... ... 75 IN A HONEYSUCKLE LANE ... ... ... 135 JACQUES MERMET ... ... ... ... 165 ON SCAURSIDE ... ... ... ... 209 ACROSS THE WASTE ... ... ... 265 .r

Chapter I

The drumming had ended, the soldiers were long ago safe in their barracks-* behind the ruined cathedral ; only a few young officers walked slowly up and down the big square market-place of Goslar-am-Harz. The market-place was so vast that the group of gas-lamps round the ancient black fountain seemed to give very little light ; a mass of clouds suddenly drifted eastward, and the pale-blue moonshine fell with luminous radiance on the facade of the quaint old inn called the Kaiserworth, and showed clearly its high-pitched roof, with peaked dormers, and the life-size wooden figures of Emperors between its windows. B " I thought we were the only guests in the hotel," one of the young fellows said, "and yet just now I fancied I saw a light in that central window." The two friends who were walking with Fritz von Scheffel stood still, and, taking their cigars from their mouths, they burst into a hearty laugh.

" And I," said one of them — a tall well-made Brunswicker named Theodor Bode — " I also was looking up just now at that big oriel, and I saw nothing. You were dreaming of some one's eyes, my friend." The third of the group was shorter and slighter than his companions : he looked troubled as he stared up at the oriel, the pointed top of which reached halfway up the house-roof. lie observed that one of its three lattices was partly open. "It is unlucky, I fancy, to see things which are invisible to other eyes," he said in a grave tone. Theodor Bode laughed merrily. " Bravo ! " he cried. " I, the slow-witted Bode, have guessed at the mystery which saddens one of my well-read comrades, and alarms the other. It is that the Prince is expected, and it is a diligent house-maiden's duty to sweep and dust extra every day till the royal personage comes."

" So," said Fritz, with a sheepish look, " you are no doubt right, Theo. Well, then, this may be our last evening of freedom. Good-bye to our musical Good-nights when royalty arrives." " Come along, then ! " said Bode, and he led the way under the ivy-clothed arcade, the pillars of which supported the first storey of the Kaiserworth. There were several tables and chairs here outside the hotel door, and Von Scheffel struck a tiny gong that stood on one of the tables. A waiter soon appeared with three huge earthenware drinking mugs highly ornamented with figures in relief and with shining metal tops. He placed one of these and a big glass goblet beside each of the young officers. Von Scheffel was more silent than his companions ; he rarely spoke, except in the way of answer, while Theodor Bode and Rudolf Schwartz chatted and laughed on all sorts of subjects, returning often to that evidently favourite theme — the hope of a war with France.

At last Schwartz seemed to notice his com panion's pre-occupation. " See here, Fritz ! " he exclaimed. "You do not make this last evening cheerful for us. Theo and I want a cigar ; and while we smoke, you shall sing to us." Von Scheffel nodded ; he was thinking of his betrothed ; he was longing to get leave to go and see her, but he knew that he must be at his post when the Prince arrived, so there was no use in asking his commander to let him go to Lubeck. While he sang, he could fancy himself talking to his Sophie, and he could picture her sweet face looking anxiously for his arrival ; so he began to sing one of Schubert's love-songs. He sang at first softly, but as his own feelings found utterance in the passionate words, his rich voice became deeper and stronger, till the imploring wail with which the song ended seemed irresistible.

There was silence when he ended, and Rudolf sighed. This roused Bode's laughter, and then he began to applaud the singer. " It is splendid — first-rate ! " he said. " You never sang better, my Fritz ! It is a noble gift to be able thus to stir the heart. But why did you sigh, Rudolf? Has the pretty Anna at the pastry cook's snubbed you, or has she sold you stale cakes ? " Schwartz laughed. " I sighed, just now, to think how great a power such a gift gives ! I ask you what girl could be unkind to a fellow who sang to her as Fritz does ?" " One could not sing all day," said Fritz. " I fear if one had to sing through one's life, so as to keep the affection of one's beloved, the game would hardly be worth while." As he spoke, the inn door opened, and the waiter who had brought the beer came out.

He looked frightened and sheepish. " Gentlemen," he said, in an ill-assured voice, " I am commanded to ask which of you sang j ust now." " You are commanded ! " said Bode, contemptu ously. " What the devil do you mean, Albert ? " The waiter rubbed his hands together, he could hardly speak for terror. " There is no use in being angry with me," he said ; " the worshipful Lieutenant knows I have only to obey the most noble Prince's orders." The three young men jumped up from their chairs. " What do you mean ? " Von Scheffel asked The waiter shook his head. " Ah ! " he said, " it is a calamity, and I need help instead of a scolding, gentlemen." " Where's the landlord ? " said Bode. " I believe this fellow is drunk." But Von Scheffel had kept his eyes on the waiter's face : he felt sure that he was speaking the truth.

" Tell your story to me," he said kindly. " Never mind the Herr Lieutenant." Albert sighed with relief, as he related in a prolix, roundabout way how his master had yesterday received private intelligence that the Prince would not arrive till the following Monday, and how, as it was then only Wednesday, he and his wife had decided to go for two days to Hartzburg to see the mother of the Frau Welsen. This very evening — the waiter groaned at this point — a gentleman had arrived in one of the ordinary station carriages with only one servant : he had insisted on being shown into the Prince's bed chamber, and when the waiter demurred he said he was attached to the Prince's person, and was acting under his orders. " Yes — yes, gentlemen, it is true, he had his supper served in his room ; and he ate and drank like any other gentleman ; and just now he rings his bell and tells me to find out who is singing below.

Gentlemen, I tell him that it is a private party, and that the gentlemen will not like to be disturbed. Then he raises his head and looks at me, and he says, ' My good fellow, go to the officers — I have seen that they belong to the army — and say to them that I wish without delay to make the acquaintance of the owner of that voice. Go, I command you ! I am the Prince.' Mein Gott ! could I then do anything else but come as fast as my legs would bring me to the Herr Lieutenant and his party ? " At another time they would have laughed, but they all looked serious when they learned that the Prince had actually arrived, and Rudolf Schwartz remembered' that the window of the oriel overhead was open. "Does his Highness wish to see me directly?" asked Von Scheffel. " Yes ! yes ! most worshipful," the waiter an swered eagerly ; " but first I would ask the honour able company what should be done with regard to the patron ?

Poor man ! he is perhaps already sound asleep in his bed at Hartzburg ! " The three friends looked at each other, then Bode said — " It is light now at four o'clock. Let your master sleep in peace, and send to-morrow as early as possible to Hartzburg. Herr Welsen can be here before the Prince has risen, it is only six miles away." The waiter had to shorten his thanks, for Von Scheffel was already on his way to the Prince's bed-chamber. He knocked, and the door was opened by the Prince's servant, a severe-looking, middle-aged man. The room was very large, and so lofty that the wax candles on the table and mantelshelf were not nearly sufficient to light it up. The Prince sat at the table facing the door, he appeared to be tall and thin, he had bright, restless, gray eyes, a quantity of chestnut-coloured hair, and a beard which wanted trimming ; he had a large nose, a wide mouth with flexible lips, and a thoughtful forehead.

Von Scheffel bowed, and then stood before the table. The Prince looked at him from head to foot. " Upon my word, young man," he said gravely, "it seems to me you have more than your share of gifts. You are young and strong, handsome and well-made, and you have a voice that might win a soul back to life. Tell me your name, Mr. Singer." " I am Fritz von Scheffel, your Highness, sub lieutenant in the corps stationed at Goslar. I am sorry to have disturbed your Royal Highness by my song, but my comrades and I had not heard of any arrival at the Kaiserworth." " No fault of yours, my friend. I had deferred my journey ; and then I changed my mind. Never mind all that ; what is important is your singing. Sigismund," he looked at his servant, " open the pianoforte and set lights there, and now, Herr Fritz, sing to me."

Von Scheffel looked round, and saw a pianoforte placed across one corner of the vast room. The alcoved bedstead and toilet arrangements were curtained off by heavy green curtains embroidered with the royal arms ; the sofas and the massive arm-chairs were also covered with embroidered green stuff. The young fellow thought it was about as gloomy a reception-room as could have been devised for this illustrious guest. "Do not delay!" the Prince said. "I am im patient to hear you." Fritz sang first one song and then another, and still the Prince asked for more. At last his keen ear detected hoarseness in the singer. "Stop, my friend! You must not fatigue your voice," he said. " You hardly know the pleasure you have given me. I see that you are a musician. I have been seeking a man like you for years.

To morrow I shall see your commanding officer, and give him leave of absence. You perhaps know that I come here to take command of the troops. I shall confer on ycu an appointment which will attach you to my person — eh, then, my friend, we will make music together every day." Von Scheffel had risen as the Prince spoke, and he stood bowing beside the pianoforte. But his new friend held out his hand, and gave him a cordial grip. "Good-night, my friend," the Prince said, " and thank you. I shall sleep all the better for those wonderful notes of yours : they beat the nightingale hollow."

Chapter II

A FORTNIGHT had passed. The Prince's suite had followed their eccentric master to Goslar. He spent several hours every day in studying music with Von Scheffel, and in listening to the young fellow's singing. The Prince was a fair violinist, and he liked to improvise accompaniments to his friend's songs ; Fritz could hardly get the necessary time to discharge his regimental duties. His com rades growled at him for giving them so little of his company, and called him a time-server and a courtier. This was hard, for, although the Prince was kind and extremely appreciative, Von Scheffel had already tired of the long hours spent indoors studying the music which was always being sent to his patron. Fritz longed for his solitary walks over the hills, when he could dream to his heart's content of his sweet Sophie ; he also missed the pleasant comradeship to which he had been accus tomed.

The Prince was certainly very kind, but Fritz felt oppressed by the restraint of his newduties. Every morning he was expected to try over new music with his patron, and in the afternoon to accompany the Prince's violin performance. As long as they remained at Goslar, which town did not contain a theatre, he had to sing to the Prince every evening, and afterwards to sup with him. " We shall find an opera in the next place," the Prince said one day. " Ah ! my friend, how we shall enjoy it together after this long privation ! I am, however, bound to say that you have wonder fully shortened the time for me : I cannot tell how I should have existed without your singing." Von Scheffel had just been singing : he rose and bowed at this compliment. For some days past he had felt that he could not much longer endure the separation from his beloved Sophie.

This seemed to be a favourable moment to ask for leave of absence. The Prince's secretary and his doctor, who had been invited to sup with him this evening, were playing chess at a small table in a corner of the big room. Fritz left the pianoforte and stood in front of his friend. " Pardon me, your Highness, I " " What is the matter, Von Scheffel ? " the Prince said anxiously. " Are you hoarse, or what prevents you from going on singing ? " " I will sing again directly," the young fellow said ; " but I want to ask a favour of your Royal Highness." "Ask it, man ! I am happy to think I can do anything for you ; you have done so much for me." Fritz looked relieved : he had felt very shy about making this request. " I only want a few days' leave, to pay a visit," he said. " If I go to-morrow, I can be back on Saturday."

The Prince sat staring at him as if he thought him crazy. " Impossible ! " he muttered to himself. " Utterly absurd ! " Then he said aloud, " Where do you want to go, my friend ? " " To Lubeck." The Prince leaned back and laughed heartily. " My good Fritz, it need not take you more than a day or so to go to Lubeck and back again. Sit down and talk it over quietly." The Prince glanced at the chess-players ; they were completely absorbed by their game. Instead of sitting down, Von Scheffel turned his back on the players, and spoke in a low tone as he bent over the Prince. " I am going to Lubeck to see a — a friend " — he blushed and hesitated, for the Prince was staring hard at him—" and I want to be a few days with her. I fear I could not return in the time specified by your Royal Highness."

Though he spoke modestly, the Prince was struck by the decision of his words. He nodded and smiled. Fritz felt cheerful. The worst was over, he thought, for the Prince evidently understood that he was betrothed. " Ah — you are a good son, I see, Von Scheffel, and you want to go and see your mother. Well, I cannot spare you now, but I will myself write to Madame your mother, and I will tell her what pleasure I find in her son's voice, and in his society. I will tell you, my Fritz, the pleasant surprise I am going to give her : in about a week I am going to Lubeck. Part of the troop goes too. You will come with me, and you will see your mother. Are you content?" he ended, with a beaming smile. Von Scheffel was quivering from head to foot with impatience. He was too much vexed to be able to laugh at the Prince's happy way of arrang ing his plans for him.

To be in Lubeck, saddled with this burden of constant attendance on his patron, was not at all the holiday he had counted on. He wanted to end his engagement by marriage, but he could not make arrangements to this end till he had seen his betrothed ; he had now been parted from her so many months that he did not choose to write this request. It was due to her, he thought, to make it personally, and, besides, how could he yield up the dear delight of watching the blushes and smiles which he could picture on Sophie's sweet face while she listened to him ? His silence surprised the Prince. " You are not, then, content ? " he said. " You must be more explicit." " I thank your Royal Highness for your very kind intentions," the young fellow said, " but I was not going to see my mother. She does not live at Lubeck.

I want to go and see a very dear friend who — who is expecting me." Fritz could not force himself to bring out his love-story with the chance of its being overheard by the two men at the chess table. He would take another opportunity, he thought, and get him self sent on a few days beforehand so as to make all right with his Sophie before the Prince arrived. " Go back to the pianoforte, dear Fritz ! There is no friend whose claim is so urgent as that of a mother. You can tell your friend that we shall reach Lubeck in a week : there we shall spend the evenings at the theatre, for I have given instructions that a good company is to be provided. I t^ shall, therefore, hear you sing less frequently : let me, then, have as many songs as possible while we are here." That evening Von Scheffel took his leave early.

He was tired out, and his head ached terribly : he did not complain of it, and the Prince took no notice, but the doctor, who had a liking for the young fellow, told Fritz that he looked over tired, and would do well to go to bed. When Von Scheffel had closed the door be hind him the Prince shrugged his broad thin shoulders. " I do not know what you may think of the lads of this generation, Hermann," he said to the doctor, "but I call them a puny, self-pleasing race. At that fellow's age I could have sat up and made music till four or five o'clock in the morning." "You must remember, Prince," Dr. Hermann said, " that we are not all like you : you have a splendid physique, exceptional powers of endur ance, and also many gifts which make you superior to the common ills of life. Von Scheffel has good health, but he cannot do as much as your Royal Highness can."

His Royal Highness again shrugged his shoulders. " It is all a question of energy and of will," he said with the most imperturbable good humour. " No one knows what he can do till he tries. Go back to your chess, Hermann ; I can see that your adversary wants you. I am going to compose." Meantime Von Scheffel had gone down-stairs in a ruffled, contradictory mood. In the entrance hall he met his two friends, and this cheered him. " I am yours for this evening," he exclaimed, " freely and entirely yours. For Heaven's sake let us amuse ourselves, only in mercy do not ask me to sing to you." A shout of laughter answered him, but he looked so utterly weary, as he put up his hand to check them, that they became compassionate. " We will go to my room," Bode said. " Come alon", Rudolf. I want to hear what you have been doing with yourself, Fritz, and why you have not been to Lubeck ? " Von Scheffel answered by a groan, and hurried up-stairs to his friend's large pleasant room on the upper storey of the Kaiserworth.

Chapter III. There

are still left in Lubeck a few of those quaintly built ancient houses which seem especial to the old German towns ; but forty years ago these houses were more plentiful, and many of them were inhabited by rich and influential citizens. The father of Sophie von Allmers had been Burgomaster of Lubeck, and, as he had been a wealthy merchant, his widow and daughter con tinued to live in the fine old house at the farther end of the Breite Strasse. A pretty, fair-haired girl, dressed in black, was opening the door of the tall house with sculptured gable and red-brick front nearly opposite the Hospital of the Holy Ghost : she passed into a vast hall, roofed at the top of the second storey, and surrounded on three sides by a double tier of balconies or railed landings, from which a row of doors in each balcony led to the women's bedrooms.

The staircase leading to these upper storeys was at the farther end of the hall, and went up corkscrew wise, with a pierced-stone balustrade. On the right was the family eating-room ; on the left, a small room which had once been the Burgomaster's study; behind it stretched a range of storehouses, where, during war-time or the long ice-bound winter, corn and wine and all sorts of provisions and forage could be kept. The kitchen lay behind the eating-room, and opposite it, on the same side as the storehouses, but stretching beyond them into the terraced garden, was the pleasant chamber of the old house— long and low, with latticed windows looking on to the garden ; a room which seemed bound up with the family life of the Von Allmers, so much joy and sorrow had been enacted there. The girl had thrown back her long black veil as she came into the hall, and showed a very sweet face, a fair skin with the rosy colour of perfect health, and dark eyes with long eyelashes ; she had a dainty little rounded chin, her features were not in any way remarkable, but the dark sweet eyes, the wavy golden hair, and the ex quisite flower-like complexion made Sophie von Allmers singularly attractive.

She went on to the room beyond the hall and opened the door gently, as if she feared to disturb its inmate ; she had left her mother asleep after the midday meal ; but Frau von Allmers had soon roused, and had for some time been knitting ; she put down the delicate wool-work when she saw Sophie, and looked expectant. "Well, dear one, has he come ?" "Yes, mother, he has come, and I think he will soon be here." The girl looked still brighter as she spoke. "And did you see the Prince?" her mothcr asked. " He was there, but I only saw Fritz ; and, mother, I could see that he was looking for me. I kept behind the curtain at Madame Schultz's, because the street was full of soldiers, and I knew that Fritz would like me to keep out of sight. Oh, mother ! I can hardly believe he is really here." She bent down and kissed her mother.

She was so happy that she even forgave the Prince who had been keeping her lover away from her. " You can send for me when Fritz comes," her mother said. " I am going to my room." " Dear mother," Sophie thought, " it will be hard for her to give me up, now that she is left alone ; but I believe the dear fellow wants to take me away. Can I bear to leave dearest mother, I wonder ? Yesterday I should hive said I never could. But the sight of his face has made me feel — oh ! I do not know how I feel ! " The sun came streaming in at the window, and, as she took off her bonnet, the roughened masses of her hair shone golden in the light : it was simply drawn back from the dilicate temples, and then rolled round and round in a series of coils that contrasted smoothly with the careless grace of the waves above her forehead.

Her small ears had not been pierced, but she wore a tiny gold chain round her white firm throat — Fritz's gift, the last time she had seen him. While she stood wondering whether she had time to take her bonnet to her bed-room, the door opened, and Fritz came in. They did not speak for some minutes after the first greeting. He was quite content to hold her in his arms, and to kiss her over and over again. And the girl was so happy to find her head nestled on his shoulder, and to be sure that he loved her as fondly as ever, after this long separa tion, that time flew by unheeded by either of the lovers. At last Sophie drew herself gently away, and looked up at him. " It is like a dream " She pushed her ruffled hair out of her eyes. "I cannot believe you are really here, dear — dear Fritz ! " He took both her hands, and drew her to the sofa.

" Sit down and let us talk, my best beloved," he said. " I hardly know how to tell you, but you will believe that it is not my fault if I say I have only a few minutes to stay with you. I am in attendance on the Prince, and, unfortunately, he has taken a fancy to my voice : I sing to him every day. You will hardly believe it, my darling, but I begin to loathe music." She pressed his hand affectionately. " You could never do that, really, my Fritz ; but I am jealous of this prince, if he takes you away from me, but no wonder he loves your voice." Fritz sat silently beside her. One arm was round her waist, and he rubbed his chin slowly with the fore-finger of the other, as if he were deliberat ing some plan. He smiled tenderly at Sophie, whose eyes had been fixed on his thoughtful face. " You said just now, best beloved, that this present joy of ours seemed dream-like ; to me it seems true and real, in contrast to the shadowy make-believe of the last fortnight ; I feel once more a free man, and yet it is only here that I am free : when I lose sight of you, I go back into bondage."

" Poor, dear Fritz ! " She looked so sweet that he could not help kissing her again. " But have you asked the Prince to spare you to me ? " " I have tried, sweetheart, but that is the secret of my trouble. In all other matters the Prince appears to be clever and to have good judgment, but when I try to explain about you he appears not to understand ; he smiles and looks pleasant, but he immediately begins to talk of something else. It is strange, for he is kind-hearted." Sophie drew her delicate eyebrows together. She thought a few minutes before she spoke. "I do not like to judge," she said frankly, "because I may be unjust; but is it not, dear Fritz, that the Prince will not understand you, or interest himself in our happiness, rather than that he cannot ? It sounds to me that one is more likely than the other."