She asked her good grandmother to come with her to ask her old friend
for a place in his window. Women who remain beautiful when growing old
generally keep a young heart: the kind grandmother consented. So it was
only a goodbye of the lips which the young people had already said;
there remained a last adieu of the eyes and heart.
Hans was ordered to bring round the carriage without delay; while Karl
went to the Carmelite barracks. Helen would have time on her part to go
to the burgomaster Fellner. Helen made a sign to Hans to hurry, but he
replied with another that it was unnecessary. She then glanced again at
Karl, he had never seemed so handsome as at this moment when about to
leave her. She came down leaning on his arm, in order not to leave him
until they reached the threshold, the last moment possible. Once there,
a last kiss sealed their separation and pledged their vows.
A hussar waited for his captain at the door, holding his horse; Karl
saluted Helen once again, then galloped off, sparks flying from under
his horse's hoofs: he was more than a quarter of an hour late.
The instant he had gone, Hans came with the carriage; in another moment
they were at Herr Fellner's.
Frankfort was now a very different town to what it had been in the
morning. We have told of the sombre and sad departure of the Prussians,
who were detested there. The citizens now wished to give a friendly
farewell to the Austrians, who were adored.
Therefore, although the departure was a separation, and each separation
may hide the invisible and hide also a coming grief, this departure was
to be made a farewell fête. The windows were all draped with Austrian
flags, and at each window where floated a flag might be seen the
prettiest women of Frankfort with bouquets in their hands. The streets
which led to the station were crammed with people until one asked how
the regiment could pass. In the street leading to the station, the
Frankfort regiment stood at attention, each soldier with the stock of
his rifle between his feet, and a bouquet in the muzzle of it.
The crowd was so great that Helen was obliged to get out of the
carriage. At last she reached the house of Herr Fellner, who, although
not formally advised of the engagement of his young friend, had noticed
that Captain Freyberg was not indifferent to her. His two daughters and
his wife received Helen and her grandmother at the door of their
apartments. They formed a charming family, living with Herr Fellner's
sister and brother-in-law, who had no children.
In the days of peace and happiness at Frankfort, Herr Fellner and his
brother-in-law received their friends twice every week. Any strangers of
distinction passing through were sure to be made welcome by Herr
Fellner. It was at his house that Benedict Turpin had met the Baroness
Frederic von Bülow, a meeting which as we have seen he did not forget.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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