🧚 Legends and Tales., part 4 · page 2

"Olga in perfect terror, pale as marble, came rushing to meet me.50 She could not speak, and did not need to, for I had heard what had passed.51 I took Olga by the arm and walked firmly to the breakfast-room.52 Miss Mac Stab was arranging our breakfast-table as we entered.53 I inquired if any letters were come.54

"Miss Mac Stab glowered at us with an awful face, and replied savagely, in coarse tones, 'Yes, here is a letter; but you wrote and sent it to the post yourselves; nobody would write to the likes of you.55 Such grand pretensions, with your crests!56 You'll not get no more letters here; I'll intercept them, and expose your falsehoods.'57

"We hastened to our rooms, and sent Paulina to call a carriage.58 I knew there was an English clergyman in the place, the Rev. William Samper, and we thought it better to acquaint him with our embarrassment, as we were alone, and ask his advice.59

"Olga went, taking Paulina with her, and I remained alone.60 There were two or three strangers staying in the house who had also gone out, hence there was no one but the family at home.61

"The day before, on going out for a drive, we had locked our door, and the Mac Stabs denied our right to lock any door, or even to keep any door-key.62 No sooner was Olga gone than Miss Mac Stab, accompanied by her brother and sister, came upstairs and entered my room without knocking.63 Mr. Mac Stab demanded the keys.64 I told him I should not deliver up the keys till I had done with the apartments, and expressed my surprise at the insolence in thus entering my room unbidden, and the cowardice of such conduct when no one was there to see or hear.65 Miss Mac Stab, with one sweep of her hand, brushed all my writing materials on the floor, and her no less amiable brother seated himself, saying he should wait till he had the keys. '66 You will wait, then,' I said, 'until my sister and maid return.'67

"'My maid'! cried Miss Mac Stab.68 Just then a loud ring hurried them all away.69

"I locked my door till Olga returned.70 She had seen Mr. Samper, and shown our letters, and he would be with us in a few moments.71 He came and insisted on our going with him, perfect strangers though we were, at once to his house; assuring us Mrs. Samper was expecting us, breakfast was being made ready, and our rooms awaited us.72

"The very atmosphere of their house was peace, and Mrs. Samper was like a mother to us, and the noble Christian pair have the warmest place in my memory and heart.73 The following day Mr. Samper received a letter from the Mac Stabs, claiming damages for a broken Sèvres vase and an injured piano, amounting to four pounds--all, of course, absolutely false.74 Mr. Samper wrote declining any further correspondence, and informed them the post and the law were open.75

"Karl and Franz, on hearing our story, sent them a solicitor's letter, demanding an explanation of their infamous conduct to two defenceless ladies.76 The reply to this letter was absolute silence, and the sudden disappearance of the Mac Stabs from the town.77 We found they had treated many badly, and had sought in various instances, by driving people to leave before the expiration of the time already paid for, or by involving them in law proceedings, to gain money.78

"We stayed a few days with the good minister, but in a state of feverish excitement, watching the descriptions of succeeding battles, and reading the lists of wounded, dead, and missing with a horrible fascination.79

"At last we could bear the uncertainty no longer, and assuming the dresses of nuns, we joined several actual nuns and a couple of surgeons, who were going to France to follow the second army, in which Franz and Karl served, to nurse the wounded, seeking them out on the battle-field, which was very necessary, for there were not nurses and surgeons sufficient for the need, and many died for the lack of nursing in time.80

"At length came the terrible battle of Mars la Tour--St. Hilaire, or Vionville--in the burning heat of August--the 16th it was--and Major Franz Omnesky was among the missing.81 Olga set off alone in her wild grief, to search on the battle-field, knowing we would not let her go; and when we first missed her, we had no idea how long she had been gone.82

"Oh! how shall I attempt to depict that dreadful night-scene among the dead and dying on the field of Mars la Tour?83 The pale, ghastly faces looking up to God's pure, blue heavens so _fearfully calm_ above all this human woe and anguish.84

"Among the heaps of the slain, stumbling over horse and rider, we searched till night grew pale before the dawn, and then we found what we sought--and dreaded to find--Franz dead, and Olga lying with her head on his breast, in a deathly swoon, her garments wet with dew, and her long beautiful hair falling over her dead husband's face.85

"Olga never rallied; the grief, exposure, and fatigue were too much for her delicate frame and passionate love for Franz.86 We laid them both in one grave, on a knoll, under a clump of limes--the two brave hearts so true and noble.87

"Then came the 18th of August, that most murderous of all the engagements of the war, the battle of Gravelotte, in which the Kaiser commanded in person, with a brilliant staff, Prinz Friedrich Karl, Steinmetz, Moltke, Roon, Bismarck being on it.88

"Colonel Karl Omnesky was among the wounded, and I hastened on to nurse him, as I hoped, to renewed life and vigour, but the moment I saw him all hope died for ever.89 Death was written on his noble brow, but his great, deep violet eyes looked bravely and tenderly as ever into mine.90 Oh those precious days!91 Golden is their memory, though so unspeakably sad.92

"He was ready to go, awaiting eagerly the change to the better land, but full of a tender sympathy and sorrow for me and his unborn child.93

"He never was weary of hearing that wonderful prayer of our Saviour, the seventeenth of St. John, and the fifteenth of the First Epistle to the Corinthians.94

"Often, accompanied by the harp he so loved, I sang his favourite lines, my heart frantic with grief, but outwardly calm, for God lent me strength.95

"'Bleibe bei mir vom Morgen bis Abend, Denn ohne Dich kann ich nicht leben.96 Bleibe bei mir denn die Nacht ist dunkel, Und ohne Dich darf ich nicht sterben.'97

"'Abide with me from morn till eve, For without Thee I cannot live.98 Abide with me when night is nigh, For without Thee I cannot die.'99

"The noble-hearted Kaiser honoured my dying husband, before the second army moved on, with a visit, and the tear his Majesty brushed away did honour to the Sovereign so deservedly beloved.100

"In peace my poor Karl died, and I closed the loving eyes--and my heart died.101

"I buried him beside Olga and Franz, and am building a chapel over them.102

"Five months after Karl's death my golden-haired Tatjana was born.103 For her sake I strive to reconcile myself to life.104

"But, alas! my wealth and joy are--a grave!105