In the Counsellor's House ... From the German by A. Wood

Chapter I

IpggpjlINCE the memorable evening of *f|?|ffi Kathe's debut as a pianist, a week lts«=«sJ had come and gone; "a week of terrible fatigue," old Madame Urach remarked with a sigh as she rang for her maid and began finding fault with a dress she was to wear in the evening. The train was too short, the lace not wide enough, the sleeves too full, etc. Several grand evening parties had been given by some of their friends high in office, and what with after- VOL. II. noon coffee drinkings, one or two dinners, and an entertainment at the Palace, in which Flora was to recite some verses of her own illustrative of a tableau-vivant, " they had hardly time to breathe." Henriette was too weak and too ill to join in the gaiety, and Kathe remained at home with her, refusing every entreaty to go out, though often warmly invited and strongly urged by Madame Urach to do so.

The two young girls drank tea together in the cosy music-room, and Kathe exerted all her powers to try and amuse the invalid, and distract her thoughts from the fes tivities her soul longed for. " I love society, Kathe," she would say plaintively, when the carriage had rolled away with Madame and Flora, and the two were left alone. " I feel wretched without it, and I think it hard sometimes that I am ill and misshapen. Grandmamma has taught me to like excitement and the pomp and show of rank and wealth ; it is hard, Kathe, very hard, that I am debarred from enjoying it just now, though I hate and despise the humbug and falseness of society more than I can tell you." Then her mood would change and she would say coaxingly, "Go and play for me, Kathe dear; your music makes me feel happier, and I am a wretch to grumble at my hard lot, when you are so kind and good to me."

And Kathe would go to the piano, and play everything she could think of to amuse and interest her suffering invalid sister, and remove from her mind the de pressing effects of the contrast between her own weak state and plain appearance, and Flora's brilliant beauty. One morning, a few days after the Coun sellor's departure for Berlin on business, a superb bouquet of hothouse flowers arrived 1-2 for each of the sisters. When the lid of the box was opened, and the contents dis tributed according to the name attached to each nosegay, old Madame Urach frowned ominously. For Henriette and Flora the Counsellor had chosen beautiful camellias and fresh sweet-smelling violets, but for Kathe a daintily-arranged mixture of orange-flowers and myrtle.* At first the old lady gave no heed to the peculiar distinction of flowers between Kathe's bouquet and those of her sisters but when Flora, who was present when the box arrived, laughingly pointed out the significance of the gift to the youngest, then it was that Madame Urach frowned ominously and looked very displeased.

" Really, grandmamma, you surely cannot imagine that after the huge sums of * In Germany myrtle is significant of love and marriage. money Moriz has spent to be ennobled, he would remain a widower, and let his name die out ?" cried Flora with aggra- 00 vating coolness. "He is comparatively young, is handsome, rich, and — noble ! Kathe won't refuse him, that I know for certain." In the meantime Kathe had carried off her bouquet, untied the wire around the flowers, sprinkled them with fresh water, and placed them on the work-table in her room, without being in the least conscious of their significant import, and innocent of any other sentiment about them but pure pleasure at the kind thoughtfulness of her absent guardian in sending to her, and each of her sisters, so pretty a present. But old Madame Urach was very miserable.

A phantom had arisen to haunt the Villa, whose presence she would have banished if she could, but it seemed to follow her everywhere, to wander through the costly furnished rooms, to creep into the shadows of the massive bronze ornaments, to glide over the rare porcelain cups and vases, each of which had been bought with rolls of bank-notes, and was the envy of all her friends ; even to hover around the back of her favourite seat in the winter garden and embitter the pleasure of all she cared for in life. What was to be done ? The old lady considered the question as if she were forty instead of seventy, and had half a life time before her. The Counsellor had no right to marry again, she would forbid it, and he would have to obey. Did he not owe everything he possessed to her ? It was through her that he had risen in the world, through her influence and by her connections that he had obtained his present enviable position in society.

Had she not superintended the furnishing of the Villa, and by her exquisite taste so arranged everything that the place had been con verted into so well appointed a residence that even the Court circle visited there with pleasure ? Besides, had it not been a great sacrifice on her part when she con sented to head his establishment, and give tone and refinement to his somewhat plebeian household ? And now that she had succeeded to her heart's content in all that she had undertaken to do, was she to be ruthlessly displaced from the head of his household by a young second wife who would consider all these magnificent apart ments as belonging to her, perhaps even apportion to "grandmamma" the use of one or two rooms as a great favour? No, no, it should not be ; not even Flora, the haughty daughter of her only child, would she willingly see placed in the position she herself had held so many years ; how much less then the granddaughter of the old miller, Flora's step-sister !

The girl should go back to Dresden as soon as possible : that Avould be the first and wisest step to take to avoid such a calamity befalling her, and then the old lady told herself " all would be well again." The next opportunity Madame Urach had of a little conversation with Kathe, she drew the girl on to speak of her home in Dresden, expressed great admiration at her beautiful playing, and lamented in strong terms the harm so many weeks' idleness would do just now at her age. She even hinted that for the sake of not losing time she herself would accompany Kathe back to Dresden shortly, and arrange for extra lessons from some celebrated foreign pro fessor, who had just arrived in that town. Kathe made no answer to this sudden show of interest in her music from the old IN THE COUNSELLOR 'S HOUSE. 9 lady.

She determined to remain on at the Villa till Dr. Bruck had given his consent to Henriette returning home with her. As yet he had said nothing, perhaps because his patient seemed daily to grow more weak and excitable. Every morning he called to see her at the same hour. Each of the girls had a small sitting-room to herself adjoining one the other, with a communicating door between, and Kathe could hear him talking brightly to Henriette, sometimes breaking forth into a hearty merry laugh that was catching in its influence, and made the young girl long to go in and join in the merriment. Dr. Bruck in Henriette's sitting-room was quite a different man to the grave thoughtful per sonage he appeared to be in the drawing-room in the evening. It pleased and delighted Kathe always to hear him laugh, but she rarely spoke to him herself, never joined in the conversation through her open door, though she could see him walking up and down the room as she sat at her table, working or reading.

She had remarked more than once that Henriette always re tired to her own sitting-room as the hour drew near for the daily medical visit, and that it seemed to vex and irritate her if she were followed. The person Kathe chiefly conversed with at this time was Doctor Bruck's aunt, the curate's widow, whom she constantly met in Susanne's room when she went to pay the old housekeeper her evening visit. From her, Kathe learned that she had taken charge of her sister's orphan boy from the time he was eight years old ; and that ever since, he had been as dear to her as a child, and the sun and joy of her life. Kathe made it a rule always to accompany the old lady to her home — guiding her steps carefully along the river-side, till they reached the rustic bridge, where the light burning in the old-fashioned porch shone broad and clear, and made the few yards to the house, however dark it was around, clear and safe for the most timid walker.

Kathe used to wait and watch the widow go up the path and enter the porch, and sometimes she would linger on the bridge till she heard the Doctor's manly voice call out from his room, as he sprang forward to meet her — " Is that you, aunt ?" Then she would speed away out of the lamp-light, and rush along the avenue so quickly, that she would have to stop and grow cool and regain her breath before entering the Villa, with the unconcerned manner and bearing befitting her appearance after a visit to old Susanne at the Mill-house. The Counsellor had been gone a week or ten days, when the news came that he had sold his factory. It had been communi cated by letter to Madame Urach, who was so overpowered with joy that she put aside her dignity and went straight to Henri ette's room in her dressing-gown, where she knew the three girls would most likely be together.

Sitting down in the nearest arm-chair, she said — " Thank God, my dears, Moriz has got rid of that factory ! and on such brilliant terms too, that he says he is quite astonished at his own good fortune ;" and she laid her still beautiful hand on the table, and looked around with a very contented smile hovering over her lips. " He has by this means put an end to his business affairs, and of course can now turn his back on those horrid men he was obliged to associate with in business. Good gracious ! when I think of the people we have had to dinner sometimes, it would have been more becom ing if they had dined in the kitchen ; ah, my dears, what agony I have gone through with them ! — but it is all over now, all over, and I am very thankful." Kathe was standing at the window from whence the factory could be seen, with its huge yard and over-lapping chimney.

" Look here, Madame !" the girl suddenly exclaimed ; " the yard is full of men and women, and even children — what can they mean ?" and she pointed to the distant factory, in front of which numbers of men and women were assembled, talking and gesticulating in the wildest manner. "They have heard the news, that is what it is," replied the old lady, smiling and drawing towards the window. " The coach man informed me when he came up just now, that there is great excitement down there — the hands are furious, because the establishment has been bought by a com pany of Jews ; the workmen will reap now what they have sown. Moriz closed with this offer very suddenly, though he had an affection for the factory that I never could understand ; still, as he has lately had bothers with the men, he has consented to throw it up entirely, and quite right too."

"I don't agree with you, grandmamma; it will look as if he feared for his own power over the men," remarked Flora, with curl ing lip ; " if I had been he, I would not have sold the place just now for millions. The fellows should have been made to under stand that their grumblings and demands were useless. My blood boils as I think that it will now be said, that those threat ening letters to me were the cause of this sale." " Don't distress yourself, Flora ! No one will impute the sale to your influence — they all know the courage, the soldier's courage and confidence you possess ; one can see it flashing in your face a hundred yards off!" said Henriette mockingly. Flora took no notice of this malicious remark ; she rarely allowed herself to be an noyed with anything Henriette said lately. She smiled now as she repressed a yawn, and moved towards the door.

Madame Urach also rose to dress for the early din ner, but turned when she reached the threshold of the door, to say, " Doctor Bruck thinks a little fresh air will do you good to-day, Kathe — he says you must go out." " Yes, I know, and I am going as far as the forest, to smell the fresh rosin from the fir trees— I long to breathe the pure forest >> air. " Then I will invite myself to go with you," said Flora. " I also want air — air, to enable me to bear the burden of adverse circumstances — She offered her arm to her grandmother with a queenly air, to help her upstairs, and both ladies left the room. Henriette stamped her foot with rage as the door closed, and refrained from a fit of tears with the greatest difficulty at being thus forced into having her beautiful sister as a walking companion.

" I don't want her," she muttered to Kathe ; " she will deck herself out and look lovelier than ever and will spoil our walk — and — and — I wish she wouldn't come." " Never mind, we will try and enjoy it all the same, darling," was Kathe's soothing reply. It was a lovely April day. The sun was shining clear and bright in the blue cloudless heavens ; the air was soft and warm and sweet with the perfume of wild violets along the road leading to the forest, and in the forest itself the sun gleamed so joyously through every branch and twig, and streamed in such broad glittering rays from between the knotty trunks on the green sward under the trees, that it almost seemed as if some giant hand had lifted the dark canopy from overhead and left the usually sombre paths and walks exposed to the beautiful shining sunlight.

Thousands of tiny pale green shoots were sprouting out from the twigs and branches of the weather beaten trees, and underneath in damp mossy nooks the lovely little blue-bell raised its delicate head. Kathe loved the little flower, and while Flora and Henriette sauntered on towards the fir-valley, she lingered behind to pluck a handful of the blossoms. Usually the forest was still and desolate, vol. 11. and one might wander for hours under its shade without meeting a soul or encounter ing a living thing. But this happened to be one of the days when the poor of the neighbourhood were allowed to congregate together for the purpose of gathering as much of the dried and decayed wood as they could carry to their homes. As Kathe hunted about for her favourite flower she heard voices in the distance, and she had only just remembered the fact that this was the " poor people's day," as it was called, when raising her head she saw close before her a woman in the act of breaking off a fine strong branch from one of the trees.

Was it because she was caught with a green branch in her hand, or because the sudden appearance of the young girl startled her in her dishonest act, that she cast a lowering angry glance on Kathe, and muttered some imprecation as she pushed back the linen kerchief from her untidy head ? The look surprised but did not frighten Kathe. She stooped again to gather a group of anemones at her feet, when a weak but shrill cry for help fell on her ear, succeeded by an indistinct tumult of many voices. The woman listened for a moment, then flung down the branch and darted through the brushwood towards the place from whence the noise came. Again Kathe heard the shrill trembling cry, and recognized Henriette's voice. Quick as an arrow she rushed after the woman, tearing her dress as she made her way through the brushwood, and getting many a knock from the on-bounding branches the woman's powerful arms struck aside, but she reached the spot at last.

The first thing she saw as she emerged 2—2 from the thicket was a group of women and ragged boys standing under a pine tree talking and gesticulating in the wildest manner. The next glance showed her Flora's white felt hat with its drooping blue feather, forming a striking centre to the dirty kerchiefs and straggling hair of the women around her. " Let the dwarf alone, Friz !" screamed one of the women. " But she is screaming like mad," replied a boy's voice. " Let her yell — none can hear her," in sisted the woman, who had a repulsive face with small luring eyes and a tall gaunt frame. Then Flora spoke, but Kathe could not hear what she said. An insolent derisive laugh answered her. " Get out o' your way !" shouted the big woman. " D'ye think we'll do it, may be ? This place is free for all to come and go in.

The poorest beggar as well as such as you, Fraulein, and I'll see who'll dare keep me away. Look here, good people, we only see her face when she be sitting in her carriage with the horses a-tearing along, and we be glad to clear out of her way. A beautiful woman you be, Fraulein — even yer enemies'll say that — and all's real too, no paint nor nothing ; yer skin's like velvet — I shouldn't mind biting it " and she stooped her head, and pushed her face under the white hat. The woman whom Kathe had followed pushed her way into the midst of the crowd, and pointing to the young girl behind called out in a coarse tone — " There be another !" All turned to look at Kathe, thus giving the latter an opportunity of seeing Flora leaning against a tree, her cheeks and lips white as snow, and her whole figure trembling.

" She be nothing to us," cried a boy, and turned his back on the young girl ; the women followed his example, closing in again round Flora. " Kathe !" called Henriette from behind this crowd of women, but a rough hand was placed across her mouth to prevent her speaking. In a moment two or three of the boys were pushed half over, and before the women had time to resist the force of her strong young arms, Kathe had elbowed her way to her sister's side. " What do you all want ?" she asked in a loud firm voice, facing the dirty women boldly. For a moment the angry women were awed and startled — but only for a moment — the next, they saw it was only a young bright-looking girl, and a loud laugh greeted her question. " Just hear how short and sharp she asks, as if she were the judge his-self," screamed the giantess.

" And looks as proud as if she had descended from the three Holy Kings," broke in the woman whom Kathe had first seen. " Why, your own grandmother came out of my village, and never had shoe or stocking to her feet when a little un — and your grandpa, too, used to carry hods o' mortar for old — ■ — " " Do you think I don't know it, or that I am ashamed of it ?" interrupted Kathe quietly and calmly, though her earnest face was pale and her lips trembled. " No one ought better. Has his money done you any good, all his heaps o' money ?" cried another of the women, pushing herself close to Kathe. Seizing her silk dress, and rubbing it between her dirty fingers, she went on : " Ah, a lovely dress, a dress for town on Sundays, and you a-wearing it in the middle of the week in the forest, to be torn by the branches.

All very well for you — the money's there in plenty — baskets full of it was found when the old un died. But how did he get it ? You'd better not ask, Fraulein. How should it matter to you that your grandpa bought up all the corn away from the poor and stored it up in his granaries, and then he said that the price of grain must go up, up, far too high for us, before he would sell one bit, though -* 0 the people were starving " " It's false !" broke in Kathe, " quite false." " Ha ! false, is it ? Is it false, too, that we are being thrown into the clutches of those who will grudge us our last potato ? Trouble will come o' this, I can tell ye. My girl says she will drown herself sooner nor work for usurers." " And my brother says he will shoot them over the hemp first time they appear," shouted out a small ill-grown lad.

" Aye, aye, as he did the pigeons belonging to the pale little dwarf there," remarked another, pointing to Henriette, who was clinging to Kathe, exhausted with fright and fatigue. The loud barking of a dog close by silenced the shouts for a while. Flora sprang up from her crouching position on the ground, the haughty expression usual to her returning to her face. "What have I to do with the sale of the factory ?" she asked contemptuously. "Settle that with your late master the Counsellor — he will know how to answer your insolence ; and now out of my way ! Your shameful behaviour will be punished severely — of that you may be sure." She stretched out her hand to wave the women off, but the tall gaunt woman seized it, and heartily shook the lily-white hand as if it had been held forth in sign of friendship, while an evil smile flitted round her ugly mouth.

" Ha ! ha ! Fraulein," she exclaimed, with a coarse chuckle ; " we've got back our courage and proud manner because a dog barked over there !" she pointed over her shoulder. " That's old Sonneman's terrier, I know his voice well enough. The old man is stone-deaf, and his dog won't leave him. They're a-going to the village up yonder, as they do every day. Be quiet, they won't come this way. So it doesn't matter to you, a beautiful young woman, that the factory is sold, eh ? Who would think it or believe it ? One has only to look at you to see the whole thing. You and the old Madame rule and command and make the Counsellor obey you both ; and now he is rich enough, you think the poor people who have earned him his money are to be chucked over just like chaff from wheat. No, no ; we can't alter it, of course, but we'll be revenged on you, my beauty ;" and as the woman stooped her tall frame to peer into Flora's face, her eyes glittered with the cruelty of a cat's. Flora covered her face with her hands.

" Good God ! they mean to murder us !" she murmured between her trembling lips. The women who heard her laughed out loud. " No such thing, Fraulein !" said the tall one ; " we are not so stupid, we should gain nothing by it but that," and she made an expressive gesture round her brawny throat. " You shall only have a small punishment." Uncovering her face and nervously dragging at her pocket Flora drew forth her purse, opened it, and cast the contents, silver and gold, on the ground. The women did not move, but one or two of the nearest boys sprang forward to pick up the shining pieces. " Let it alone !" exclaimed the big woman, planting her tall person over the scattered money. " There is time for that later on — later on, Fraulein," and she turned with grim politeness to Flora. " First your punishment."

" Touch us if you dare !" said Kathe, standing her ground firmly, though both sisters were trying to shelter themselves behind her. " You ? what do you meddle for ? and why shouldn't I dare ? I shall only oet a week or two, they don't give more for a box on the ears — or a few scratches on the face — and those you shall have, Fraulein, as sure as I'm alive," she added, addressing Flora. " I'll so spoil that lovely skin o' yourn that you'll never forget me ; you'll get a face as nicely marked as a tiger in a menagerie." Quick as lightning, she raised her hand to scratch Flora's face with her dirty nails ; but, quick as she was, Kathe frustrated her intention by pushing her away with such force that she lost her balance and stumbled up against two or three of the others standing by. " Help ! help!" screamed Henriette, with excited strength, while Flora flung herself down by the tree, and hid her face among its gnarled roots.

" Help !" shouted Henriette again, with all her remaining force, as the women seized hold of Kathe, tore off the cape from her shoulders, and trod her hat under foot. One of them had just grasped a long plait of hair which hung down her back, when the lad who had again covered Hen riette's mouth with his hand, suddenly drew it away, exclaiming — " Look ! look at her ! What's the mat ter ?" and, dashing through the crowd, escaped into the forest. Blood was streaming from the poor girl's mouth. That last effort at calling for help had been too much for her ; she had ruptured a blood-vessel with the cry. For two or three seconds the crowd of angry, infuriated women stared, horrified at the sight of the suffering girl, whose pale face, with the life-blood oozing from her lips, looked deathly in its ashen hue ; then, with one accord, they silently re treated into the shadow of the dense forest, and left the three girls alone.

Putting her arms round the fainting girl, Kathe gently let herself glide to the ground, and supported the helpless head on her bosom. In this position the blood ceased to flow. " Fetch help as fast as you can !" sobbed Kathe. " She will die ! Oh, be quick ! be quick !" " Are you mad ?" said Flora, in a smothered tone, with her hands clasped across her breast, and gazing, terror-struck, at the pair at her feet. " Would you have me throw myself into the hands of those wretches ? They are still there ;" and she shuddered as she glanced uneasily towards the thicket, from which one or two boys' heads appeared, looking eagerly at the gold lying on the ground. " I will not stir from this place alone. We must try and get Henriette away ourselves." Kathe did not answer. She saw it was useless to battle against such heartless sel fishness ; so, pointing to Flora to help her move the fainting girl, she struggled to her feet, and succeeded in lifting the small, slight form in her arms, rested the head on her shoulder, and carried her slowly out of the forest.

Fearful of giving her the slightest shake that might cause a return of the distressing hemorrhage, Kathe carefully wended her way over the smoothest path, standing still every now and again to watch if the movement was painful for her burden. " Oh, don't stop ! don't stop till we are within call for aid — till we are out of the reach of those murderous wretches, unless you wish me to die of fright !" entreated Flora, as she walked along by Kathe's side with her usual proud bearing, but stealthily watching every bush and tree, so as to take flight at the first approach of one of the " wretches." " What has become of her boasted courage, of the ' soldier's courage and self confidence ' Henriette was taunting her with this morning ?" thought Kathe, her arms aching under the weight of the bur den she carried.

" It's all very well to write about woman's strength of intellect being equal to man's; she should show, by womanly acts and self-forgetfulness, that she is capable of something better than " The thought was not finished, for a slight movement of Henriette's attracted her attention, and made her hasten her steps to reach home. 3 VOL.

Chapter II

HHim^" tneY sto°d outside the gjfe^fel forest, in the open, sunny held. ' The danger of pursuit was over, the town was visible before them, peasants were working on the meadows within sound of a call for help, and the road lead ing to the park and Villa was close at hand. But Kathe's eyes were riveted on a spot which Flora did not notice — the low, sloping roof, with its high chimney-pots and gilded weather-cock, visible through the apple orchard belonging to the house on the forest-side. She saw the garden gate leading up to the hall-door was wide open. It was much nearer than the park gate, and thither Kathe wended her steps, after a short rest under a wide-spreading oak-tree. " Where are you going ?" demanded Flora, who was hastening towards the Villa. " To Dr. Bruck's house," was the quiet reply.