"He abandons me also!" cried the mother. "You are an ungrateful, wretched man! You forget that you owe every thing to me, and that without me you were a miserable mercenary, whose stupidity and tediousness were the ridicule of every one, and you had never gained the entrance to a genteel house. What have you now become? A high-born man, whose house every one will crowd, and who could even appear at court, as he bears our noble and distinguished name. To whom do you owe all this, but to me alone?""God in heaven, Thou hearest it!" cried Marie, solemnly, with uplifted arms. "She acknowledges that she alone has brought this misfortune upon me, and in this hour I stand justified.""Pardon, Frau von Werrig," said Ebenstreit, haughtily; "you are going too far. After my fortune, I thank you for my position. I am certainly of insignificant birth, but I am ambitious and rich. Isaid to myself, 'Money can bring about all that I wish,' and you see it has accomplished it. My wealth procured me a title, a splendid house, a beautiful wife, and a position in society. I acknowledge that you aided me in the carrying out of my plans, but you would not have done it, if I had not been in a position to pay you. You receive a very considerable annuity from me, therefore you cannot accuse me of ingratitude, but must confess that you have driven a very good bargain. You must forgive me if I beg of you to end this painful scene.""That means that I must leave," said Frau von Werrig, mildly, remembering the gambling debt and the annuity. "Very well, I will go, and promise you never to return, upon two conditions.""Have the goodness to communicate them," said Ebenstreit.
"The first is, pay the gambling-debt of my husband, who has played away the entire sum you allow us yearly, and do not deduct it from our income. The second is, increase your allowance five hundred thalers, without letting the general know it, and pay it to me.""It is impossible," cried Ebenstreit, terrified. "You mistake me for a Croesus, whose wealth is inexhaustible. If this expenditure and demand increase, my colossal fortune will be entirely wasted, and--""You exaggerate," interrupted Marie, with a peculiar brilliancy in her eyes. "Such wealth as yours is never-ending, and the banking business, which you are still engaged in under another name, is an inexhaustible source of wealth. I beg you to accept these conditions, that we may at last be at peace.""Very well," said Ebenstreit, to whom the words of Marie sounded as the sweetest music. "I will then accord your wishes, and you shall have the five hundred thalers for yourself.""For me alone?"
"Yes, for yourself alone, Frau von Werrig.""Who vouches for the fulfilment of your promise?""My word, Frau von Werrig."
"I have no confidence but in a written promise.""Then I will have it made out, and bring you the document to-morrow morning.""Then our business is finished, and I can go.--Farewell, baroness;this is my last word to you. I cursed you from the moment you came into being. If you had been a son, the rich estate in trust of my family would have passed to you, of which I was the natural heir. As it was, it went to a distant relative, and we received nothing.
Therefore your parents could not rejoice at your birth, and we only pardoned you when you married a rich man, who could free us from want, and now the separation is no grief to us. You have always been a disagreeable burden, and I am only quit of a discomfort, and renounce forever the sight of you.--Give me your arm, my son, and accompany me at least to the threshold of your house, that you may be able to say to this cold-hearted viper, that she is forever rid of the sight of her mother, who will never think of her but with chilling contempt." She seized Ebenstreit by the arm, who had not the courage to resist her, and drew him along with her, casting a look of supreme disgust at old Trude, who stood pale and sad near the door.
