The Daughter of an Empress

by L. Mühlbach

  THE FESTIVAL OF CARDINAL BERNIS

  And this day of the festival had finally come. With what joyfulimpatience, with what anxious desire, had Natalie looked forward toit--how had she importuned her friend, Count Paulo, with questionsabout Cardinal Bernis, about the people she would meet there, about themanners and usages with which she would have to conform!

  "I am anxious and fearful," said she, with amiable modesty; "they willfind occasion to laugh at me, and you will be compelled to blush for me,Paulo. But you must tell these wise men and great ladies that it is myvery first appearance in society, and that they must have considerationfor the awkwardness and ineptitude of a poor child who knows nothing ofthe world, its forms, or its laws."

  "For you no excuse will be necessary," responded Paulo, pressing thedelicate tips of her fingers to his lips. "Only be quite yourself,perfectly true and open, inoffensive and cheerful! Forget that you arein an assemblage; imagine yourself to be in our garden, under the treesand among the flowers, and speak to people as you speak to your treesand flowers."

  "But will the people give me as true and cordial answers as my trees andflowers?" asked Natalie, thoughtfully.

  "They will say to you more beautiful and more flattering things," saidPaulo, smiling. "But now, Natalie, it is time to be thinking of yourtoilet. See, the sun is already sinking behind the pines, and thesky begins to redden! The time to go will soon arrive, and your firsttriumph awaits you!"

  "Oh, it will not have long to wait," said Natalie, laughing, and, lightand graceful as a gazelle, she tripped to the house.

  Count Paulo gazed after her with a melancholy rapture. "And I am toleave this angel," thought he, "to lose the brightest and noblest jewelof my life, and drive myself out of paradise. And wherefore all this?Perhaps to chase a phantom that will never become a reality, to followa chimera which may be only a meteor that dances before me and dissolvesinto mist when I think to reach it? No, no, the world is not worthso much that one should sell himself and his soul's happiness for itssplendor and its greatness. Natalie herself shall decide. Loves she me,and is she satisfied with the quiet circumscribed existence that Ican henceforth only offer her, then away, ye vain dreams and ye prouddesires for greatness; then shall I be, if not the greatest, certainlythe happiest of human beings!"

  It was a wonderfully brilliant festival that Cardinal Bernis had to-dayprepared for his guests--a festival hitherto unequalled in Rome. Thewalls were decorated with garlands and festoons of flowers, the flamingcandelabras among which found their reflection in the tall Venetianmirrors that rose in their golden frames from the floor to the ceilings;and in the corners of the rooms were niches, here furnished withorange-trees, and there with heavy silk curtains, behind which weregrottoes adorned with shells, in the midst of which were fountains wheresplashed waters rendered fragrant by oil of roses and other essences.And ever-new surprises, new grottoes and groves in those rich hallsoffered themselves to the eyes of the beholders. Now one suddenly foundhimself in a quiet boudoir lighted only by a solitary lamp, where themost artistic engravings and the rarest drawings were spread out upona table; then again one entered a hall sparkling with a thousand lightsand resounding with music, where the gayly-dressed crowd undulated inmazy waves; then again grottoes opened here and there, or one steppedout through the open doors into the garden where one could enjoy thebalsamic coolness of the evening in walks brilliantly lighted withcolored lamps, or listen to the music of performers concealed in theshrubbery, or, again, fleeing from the throng and the lights, seek aresting-place upon some grassy bank or under some myrtle-bush, whetherfor solitary musing or for encircling in sweet and silent familiaritythe waist of some chosen fair one who understanding the stolen glance,had strayed here unnoticed.

  But the central point of the festival was the monstrous gigantic hallwhich the cardinal had caused to be erected in the centre of the gardenexpressly for this occasion. The walls of muslin and flowers were heldtogether by more than a hundred gilded pillars, the girandoles attachedto each of which diffused a sea of light. Silken carpets coveredthe floor, and the _plafond_ of this gigantic hall was formed by thethousand-starred arch of heaven. Here, also, niches and grottoeswere everywhere to be found; in them one could, in the midst of theconstantly moving and noisy crowd, enjoy quiet and repose.

  Only one of these niches was inaccessible, as it appears, to thecompany, and yet it was precisely this which excited the curiosity ofall, and which all, whispering, approached, anxious to get a peep behindthe closed thick silken curtains, before which two richly galloonedservants of the cardinal walked back and forth with solemn earnestness,but respectfully requesting every one to comply with the cardinal'swishes and not approach the mysterious drapery, but await his own timefor the solution of the enigma! A few steps led up to this closed andcovered niche; these steps were strewed with roses, that was plainlyseen; but, to what did these steps lead, and what was thus carefullyconcealed?

  A precious surprise, certainly, for it was the forte of the cardinalto prepare surprises for the agreeable entertainment of his guests. Theladies and gentlemen, the cardinals and princes of the Church, crowdedaround him begging for an explanation of the mystery, a disclosure ofthe secret.

  "I am myself uninitiated," said Cardinal Bernis, laughing; "somedivinity may have taken a seat there, or perhaps it is a sphinx whichwill from thence give us the solution of her enigma. But let us see whatbelated guests are now coming to us."

  And the cardinal with zealous precipitation approached the principalentrance to the hall, the _portieres_ of which had just been drawnaside, and behind was seen Natalie at the hand of Paulo.

  As if blinded by the sudden flood of light, she stood for a momentstill, a purple glow flushing her delicate cheeks, and clinging toPaulo's arms, she whispered: "Protect me, Paulo, I am so frightened bythis crowd!"

  Just at that moment the doorkeeper cried with a loud voice: "PrincessNatalie Tartaroff and Count Paulo!"

  At the sound of these strange names all glanced toward the door, andall flaming, curious, prying eyes were fixed with astonishment andadmiration upon the young maiden.

  But Natalie did not remark it. She glanced at Paulo with a glad smile,and a proud happiness beamed from her features. She had, then, a name;she was no longer an abandoned, nameless orphan. At length the enigma ofher birth was solved, and what she had so often prayed for, Count Paulohad vouchsafed her as a surprise to-day.

  He had at the same time announced her name to herself and the world, andshe not only had a name, but she was a princess; she took a rank in thecompany, and Count Paulo and Carlo had no reason to be ashamed of her.But where was Carlo? At the thought of him this feeling of effervescingpride vanished from the young maiden's heart; she even forgot that shewas a princess, to remember only that Carlo, her music-teacher, hadpromised her to be present at this festival, and to wonder that shecould not discover him in this gay and confused assemblage.

  She did not remark that, since her appearance, a deep stillness hadsupervened in the hall, that all eyes were upon her, that peoplesecretly whispered to each other, and gave utterance to murmuredexpressions of astonishment and delight; she saw not how the beautieshere and there turned pale and indignantly bit their proud lips; she sawnot how the eyes of the men glowed and flashed, and what eagerly lustingglances the cardinals and princes of the Church cast upon her.

  She was so unconstrained, this charming child, she knew not how handsomeshe was. But she was to-day of a wonderfully touching beauty. Like awhite and delicate lily stood she there in the heavy white satin robethat enveloped her graceful form, and the brilliants that adorned herhair, neck, and arms, shone and sparkled like sun-lighted dew-drops inthe calyx of the flower. So beautiful was she that even Cardinal Bernisstood speechless and as if blinded before her, finding no expression forhis joyful surprise and astonishment.

  "Oh," at length he smilingly said, with a low bow, "I shall have toquarrel with Count Paulo! He promised us the presence of a mortal woman,and now he leads into o
ur circle a divinity who must look down upon uspoor human beings with a smile of contempt."

  Natalie smiled. "I know," said she, with her clear, sweet, childishvoice--"I know that Cardinal Bernis is a poet, and therefore it will notbe very difficult for him to change a young maiden into a divinity. Noris this the first time he has done so! I remember a lovely poem of his,the complaint of a shepherd, who considers the object of his love adivinity because she is so beautiful, and at last she proves to be nodivinity, but on the contrary a regular little quarrelsome wrangler,who has nothing beautiful about her but her hands and face. Take care,cardinal, that it does not prove with you and me as with the shepherd inyour charming poem!"

  She said that with such childish ingenuousness, and in so cheerful andjesting a tone, that the cardinal listened to her as if intoxicated,and with unconcealed admiration he looked into that delicate, childishlypure face, over which no trace of sorrow nor any sign of care had everyet passed.

  Without answering, he took her arm, and, beckoning Count Paulo to hisside, led the princess to the circle of ladies.

  Behind those closed curtains that still concealed the mysterious nicheit had meanwhile become stirring. Busy servants hastened hither andthither, lighting the lamps and arranging the festoons and draperies. Itseems they had here erected a little stage, and the large wall-picturethat formed the background of this stage bore the appearance of adecoration. A side curtain, serving as a partition, formed a secondroom, which seemed destined for a sort of greenroom, in the centre ofwhich was a large and well-lighted mirror, and before it stood a youngwoman regarding herself with the greatest attention, here pluckingat her dress and there arranging her train or an ornament. She wasevidently the one who was to appear upon the stage; her costume betrayedit. It was not the fashionable costume of the day, such as was worn bythe distinguished ladies of Roman society; it was an ideal Greekdress that seemed to have been made for the purpose of displaying andrendering yet more voluptuous and enticing the great beauty of thewearer.

  She was very beautiful, this woman, with her sparkling black eyesand dark shining hair, which had been gathered into a Grecian knotbehind--beautiful, with the laurel-wreath resting upon her highforehead--beautiful, in the transparent Grecian robe which only so farconcealed the luxuriant forms of her full figure as to allow them to bedivined--beautiful, with those full, round, and entirely uncovered arms,with their jewelled bracelets--beautiful, with her graceful neck, herfully exposed, naked shoulders, and her voluptuously swelling bosom.

  She was, in her appearance, a Greek, only her face was not Grecian. Itwas wanting in the noble forms, the still cheerfulness and repose ofGrecian beauty, modest even in its voluptuousness. It was only the faceof a sensual and passionate Roman woman, and no Lais would have venturedsuch a smile as played upon the dark-red lips of this Roman woman, orsuch glowing glances as she shot like arrows from her dark eyes.

  Standing before the glass, she viewed herself, her lips murmuring lowwords, occasionally turning her eyes from the mirror to the little tablestanding near it, upon which lay several open books.

  What murmured she, and what read she in those books? Singular! shewas uttering single, isolated, unconnected words, which had nothing incommon with each other but the sound of melody; they were rhymes, butwithout connection or sense, without inward mental correlation.

  "So," she now said to herself, with a satisfied smile, "I am nowperfectly armed and prepared. All these rhymes ready for use, and Ihave not to fear embarrassment in repeating any of them. Ah, they shalladmire me, these good Romans. I will animate and inflame them, andexcite all my enamored cardinals to such an ecstasy that they mustfinally prevail upon the silly, obstinate old pope against his own willto fulfil my only desire. I will attain my end, even if I am compelledto pawn my honor and my salvation for it! Bah! honor; what can honor beto a woman? Beauty is our honor, further nothing! And fair, it seems tome, I yet am! And if I am fair," she more glowingly continued, aftera pause, "how comes it that Carlo has ceased to love me? Ah, the falseone, to betray and desert me when I love him most!"

  A dark flush of anger now overspread her cheeks, and threateninglyraising her hands, with compressed lips she continued: "And to desert mefor another woman--me, the pride and delight of all Rome; me, whom allthe princes and cardinals worship! Ah, while thousands lie at my feet,imploring for a glance or a smile, this little, unknown singer dares toscorn me and deride my love!"

  "And why should he not dare it?" asked a voice behind her, and the faceof a young man became visible.

  "Carlo!" she cried, hastening to meet him with outspread arms.

  He almost ungently checked her. "You forget," said he, "that thislittle, insignificant, and unknown singer loves you no longer, Corilla!Grant, then, henceforth to the thousands who languish at your feet a fewof your enticing smiles and glowing glances--I have nothing against it,and am not at all jealous!"

  "But you should be!" cried she, stamping her feet with rage. "I tell youI will not suffer you to leave me; I will be loved by you, and no oneshall you dare to look at, and no one shall you dare to love, but mealone."

  Carlo broke out into a scornful laugh, and then seriously and proudlysaid: "I am a Neapolitan, and with us men do not allow themselves to beconstrained to love, and no woman there dares utter the command, 'Thoushalt love me!'--I will not, Signora Corilla!"

  "You will not!" screamed she, gnashing her teeth. "Then woe to you andto her!"

  "I fear no serpents!" said Carlo, laughing, "and if an adder attempts tosting me, I tread it under foot!"

  "But fear at least for her you love!" she threateningly said. "Oh, youthink I shall not be able to discover this secret love of yours, andnot spy out this new divinity to whom you have consecrated your heart?Tremble therefore now, for I know her! I know the garden in which shelives, and there is a place in the wall just opposite her favorite seat;whoever knows that place and possesses a steady hand and a sharp daggerwill know how to hurl it so as to pierce her bosom."

  Carlo felt a deadly terror, he felt his heart stand still, but hecollected himself and said, with a contemptuous smile: "CardinalFrancesco Albani indeed possesses among his _bravi_ many such skilfulhands, and surely it will not require many of your highly-prized glancesto induce him to favor you with the loan of one of them."

  The signora slightly bit her lips. "You mock me," she almost sadlysaid, "and yet you should remember that it is only love that makes meso savage and fills my heart with a thirst for vengeance! Carlo, I sowarmly love you!"

  And the beautiful, glowing woman humbly and imploringly bent before herbeloved.

  The latter laughingly said: "How well you know how to say that--withwhat variations and modulations! I yesterday heard you say the same toCardinal Albani; to be sure, it sounded a little different, but not lesswarm and glowing!"

  "You know why I do that!" said she. "He is an enamored fool, whom Iwould win with tender words that I may make him my instrument. You knowthe object for which I strive, and which I must attain at any price! Ah,Carlo, when once they have crowned me in the capitol, then, I am sure,you will be compelled to love me again!"

  "Never again!" he harshly and roughly said.

  "Is that your last word?" shrieked she, with flashing eyes and the wildrage of a tigress.

  "It is my last word!"

  She flew to him like a mad person, seized his hands and fixedly staredhim in the face.

  "Ungrateful!" said she, gnashing her teeth. "Is it thus you reward mylove, is this your return for all I have done for you? Can you forgetthat it was I who withdrew you from poverty and baseness? What were youbut a poor, unnoticed singer in the streets, on whom people bestowedscanty alms? Was it not I who rescued you from that shame, and clothedyou and gave you a home? Was it not I who gave you a name and procuredyou consideration and respect by making you my singer and companion, andallowing you to play upon the harp at my improvisations? How has notall Rome admired you when you sang the canzones I wrote for you, therebyprocuring you honor and
respectability, and making you a popular manfrom a low beggar? Go, you cannot leave me, for you are my creature, myproperty!"

  He wildly thrust her aside, and his eyes flashed with indignation."Signora," said he, his lips tremulous with rage, "you have rent thelast band that bound me to you, and in twitting me of your benefits youhave annihilated them! We now have nothing in common with each other,except perhaps mutual hatred, and that, I hope, will have a longerduration than our love!"

  And Carlo turned toward the door. Corilla rushed after him with anexclamation of terror.

  "You will leave me now!" cried she, with anguish, "now, in this hourwhen you are so indispensable to me? now, when I am to celebrate a newtriumph before this notable assembly? when all eyes are expectantlyturned to the curtain behind which I am to appear? No, no, Carlo, fromcompassion remain with me only one hour, only this evening!"

  Carlo smiled contemptuously. "I will remain," said he, "for I havepromised _her_ that she shall hear you!"

  "She has therefore come?" cried Corilla, with an outburst of joy.

  "She is now here," he laconically said.

  Corilla no longer listened to him, she walked back and forth with atriumphant mien, a cruel, malicious smile playing upon her lips.

  At this moment there was a slight knock at the door, which was opened,and a man who appeared upon the threshold glanced into the room with agrinning laugh.

  Corilla gave him a sign, and at the same time pointed at Carlo, who,having his back toward her, seemed to have no suspicion of what wasoccurring behind him. But he saw it, nevertheless, in the tall mirrorthat stood in the middle of the room; he saw Corilla make signs ofintelligence with that man who was in the livery of Cardinal FrancescoAlbani; he saw the man make answer with his fingers, and then draw fortha dagger, which he threateningly swung over his head.

  Oh, Carlo had very well understood what that man said, as he also didthat language of the fingers, this much-used language of the Romans andNeapolitans.

  The man had said: "She is here, that beautiful lady! She can no longerescape us!"

  "You will strike her?" had Corilla asked.

  The man had swung the dagger over his head and held up two fingers ofhis right hand. That signified: "In two hours she will be dead."

  "Good! you shall be satisfied with me," had been Corilla's answer.

  The door was again closed. Corilla turned smiling to Carlo, her formerrancor seemed to have vanished; she was in high spirits.

  "Carlo," said she, "how good you are not to leave me! Let us now begin.I feel myself glowing with inspiration. Ah, I shall enrapture these goodRomans, I think!"

  "How long will this improvisation last?" Carlo gruffly asked.

  "Well, one or two hours, according to the delight we give our public."

  "If this farce continues longer than an hour and a half, I shall throwdown my harp and go away," said Carlo, in a tone of severity. "I swearit to you by the spirit of my mother! Remember it; I shall show you thetime every quarter of an hour."

  "You are a tyrant," said she, laughing. "But I suppose I must submit.Give, therefore, the signal that we are ready."