German fiction -- Translations into English; Holy Roman Empire -- History -- Charles V, 1519-1556 -- Fiction
"He turned away as he spoke, mounted with the aid of one of his knights,
waved his hand graciously to Quijada and, while his horse was already
moving, called to him, 'My brother, Don Juan, will be addressed as your
Excellency.'
"He took no notice of Dona Magdalena, probably because she had appeared
here either without or against his orders, and thus offended one of the
forms of etiquette on which he placed so much value. So his Majesty
neither saw nor heard how the son of an Emperor and the brother of a King
rushed up to his foster-mother, threw himself into her outstretched arms,
and exclaimed with warm affection, 'Mother! my dear, dear mother!'"
Barbara had listened weeping to this description, but the last sentence
dried her tears and, like Frau Traut a short time ago, her friend
regretted that he had not exercised greater caution as he heard her,
still sobbing, but with an angry shrug of the shoulders, repeat the
exclamation which her son--ay, her son only--had poured forth from his
overflowing heart to another woman.
So Wolf did not tell her what he had witnessed in Villagarcia, when Don
Juan and Dona Magdalena had fallen into each other's arms, and that when
he asked about his real mother the lady answered that she was an
unfortunate woman who must remain away from him, but for whom it
would be his duty to provide generously.
Directly after, on the second day of October, Wolf added, the King had
presented her son to the court as his Excellency, his brother Don John of
Austria!
He, Wolf, had set off for Brussels with the grand prior that very day,
and, as his ship sailed from Spain before any other, he had succeeded in
being the first to bring this joyful news to the Netherlands and to her.
When Wolf left Barbara, it seemed as though what had hitherto appeared a
bewildering, happy dream had now for the first time been confirmed. The
lofty goal she had striven to reach, and of which she had never lost
sight, was now gained; but a bitter drop of wormwood mingled with the
happiness that filled her grateful heart to overflowing. Another woman
had forced herself into her place and robbed her of the boy's love, which
belonged to her and, after his father's death, to her alone.
Every thought of the much-praised Dona Magdalena stirred her blood. How
cruel had been the anguish and fears which she had endured for this child
she alone could know; but the other enjoyed every pleasure that the
possession of so highly gifted a young creature could afford. She could
say to herself that, of all sins, the one farthest from her nature was
envy; but what she felt toward this stealer of love fatally resembled
sharp, gnawing ill will.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account