The Counsellor of Arts Fraischdörfer stepped up to the astounded
Princess, who remained upon her side of the lake, with the words, by
way of diverting her attention, "Viewed on the side of art merely, it
were a question whether this situation was not borrowed with effect.
One must, as in that wonderful creation of Hamlet, weave a play into
the play, and in that make the pretended death a real one; of course it
were then only a show of show, playing reality in real play, and
thousand-fold, wonderful reflex! But how it rains now!" Something was
whispered in the ear of the Princess by her Haltermann. She flung up
her arms, and cried, "O, monster! homicide! My poor, innocent Gibbon!
Thou monster!" She had heard of the ape's murder, and departed
inconsolable.
All at once the naked moon emerged into the deep blue, and every one
remarked it; but the rain previous no one but Fraischdörfer had been
aware of. Albano saw now full clearly the dead eyes and white, stiff
lips. "No, they stir not," said he. Then it sounded as if out of
Roquairol's breast and iron mouth, "Be still; I am judged!" And
immediately began the jay, as concluding chorus of the last act, "The
poor man now lies fast asleep, and you can cover him up!"
Gaspard looked very earnestly at his brother. "By heavens!" replied the
latter, "it is written so in his part."
The whole starry sky cleared up. The company went homeward. Albano and
Dian, with Chariton, stayed by the corpse.
THIRTY-THIRD JUBILEE.
Albano And Linda.--Schoppe and the Portrait.--The Wax
Cabinet.--The Duel.--The Madhouse.--Leibgeber.
131. CYCLE.
Albano meant to incarcerate himself the next day, weep bitterly, and do
penance, and not cheer himself with the sunshine of love; but he found
at evening the following billet, written by an unknown hand, on his
table:--
"Sir Count: You are hereby informed, that on Friday night, when you
were gone journeying, the deceased Captain R. von Froulay played
your part with the Countess Romeiro through _all_ the acts, in the
flute-dell. You must, for the sake of rivals, get yourself another
voice, and the Countess eyes to use by night, although to her it may
not be altogether disagreeable to be often deceived respecting you in
this manner. Farewell, and be in future a little more discreet!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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