The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-11-22

| n
the door was slightly opened. and Dame Bern
voice was heard, uttering the appointed signal
will my lady please to have pancakes OF
puffs this EVENING""
do not exactly know what / will have
yet" said Madame Widen, with affected indif
ference; IN come out in little while, anC
give you my directions
But the little while. during which she sa
upon thorns, became intolerable.
Dear me-" she said, chow troublesome
these little household matters are; i" and, rising
she started Off to Dame Bern's room, threw her
self into chair, and hastily exclaimed. "now
then, what news has Louise brought u.s."
Wen, ma am, what we have been able tc
learn IS just this: First, that the gentleman
comes from Denmark secondly that he propo
SEES going to Stockholm; thirdly. that he is i'm
mensely rich i; fourth, that he is a widower; and
nth, last, and most important, that he has in
| quired whether Mr.. Widen lived far from here
and when they told him that his house was d.
rectly opposite, he answered, that is capital,
looked at his watch, and added, it will be too
late this evening" Louise could not rightly
catch his name, and she forgot it. in the hurry
of asking about the other things; but what sa vs.
my lady to this?n
| "Why, it is really very extraordinary" said
Madame Widen, thoughtfully; did not think
from the very first moment that l saw the
mans face, that it was the identical person whom
Dame Bern saw in the cards. Heavens, how
wonderful! h-distinguished- widower-
hum, hum And he asked for the Merchant
Widen? Aye, aye, this is something import
ant; and tomorrow he comes, that is certain.
Do you know, Dame Bern, that the Captain
| begins rather to displease me- do not believe
the man is what he should be. l told Widen
so at first, but when will husbands ever listen
| to anything? In short, Captain Ling and Ro-
sa do not suit each other The worst of il is.
cannot we'll give Widen a hint of the proposed
visit, tor then he would guess what has happen.
ed, and that should not like"
Ihey now held consultation regarding din.
ner the next day, should the stranger honor
them with his presence. This mighty subject
occupied two hours, before they came to a sat.
isfactory conclusion. When the family had az.
sembled round the coffee-table the following
morning, at half past eight, Larson entered
with card, and asked when the gentleman
whose name 1t bore could have the honor OF
waiting upon Mr.. Widen. He laid the card
upon the table, and drew back to await his
masters reply. The Merchant took up the
card, and strained his weak eyes to enable him
to read the finely-engraved letters of the name.
Suddenly his cheeks turned ashy pale, his lips
quivered, and his usual proud bearing appeared
to sink at once into nothingness. However.
the consciousness of his servants presence
seemed IN some measure to restore him to the
power of self-control. He raised his head. and
with an air of forced dignity, said
shall have the greatest pleasure in receiv-
ing Mr.. GARDEN at any hour that may suit him. .
As soon as Larson had retired, and closed
the door, he arose, and made sign to his wife
to come with him. AS they were going out at
the door, he turned to Rosa, and said
Dress yourself, my child-open the state
apartments, and seat yourself in the blue-room. -
Rosa silently inclined her head, in token OF
obedience, while she thought with pain of poor
Ferdinand, who had gone home, prey to the
most killing anxiety, to await the result of her
visit to the Professor. In the greatest haste she
wrote him few lines. and informed hin, thot
the arrival OF stranger prevented her going
out before dinner if, however, any unforeseen
event should occur, she would visit his uncle
in the evening, and do all that she possibly
could. When she had despatched her note, she
went to her own room to make handsome
morning toilette, as her father had directed
Meanwhile, Madame Widen had followed her
pale and uneasy husband to his room, with a
violently beating heart. When they had both
entered, and the Merchant had turned the KEY,
he exclaimed, in a voice like that of a diving
| man
| "Brigitta Marie, am ruined-lost-it is all
over with me Heaven and hell! l see how
it is-he has got wind Of it Was not deem
enough in the mire before? The only straw
which had to hold on by, was my credit with
| this very house, but now everything is at an
end. This GARDEN has Acknowledgements from
me to an immense amount; and should he now
call for a settlement, there is nothing for me
but ruin, and l can never hold up my head
again. Oh, unhappy, ruined man, that am ~
And the proud Merchant wrung his hands in
despair, and sank upon the sofa.
"For Gods sake, dear Widen, be patient -
implored his wife, anxiously. "Let us only de.
wise some means to bear the first burst, for not
trace of the real state of affairs must be visi
BILE. Recollect, my dear old man, the direc-
tons you yourself gave me on the evening OF
Rosa's betrothal, when you first eonfded your
troubles to me; and now command yourself, be
polite and unembarrassed in your manner, and
let US lull him with tiattery, dinners, and all
sorts of arrangements, so that he may not find
a very early opportunity to think Of the real
object of his visit here. / have heard that he
is a widower. All, my dear, Rosa is charming.
Few men have ever seen her, without finding
out that. Only think -
Yes, think of the plague taking US off, when
the end of the world is to be here tomorrow /"
interrupted her husband, viciousy "You
women are always ready with your planse and
| inventions"
ais it not our duty, then, dear Widen, to be
SOP" humbly replied his wife, who to her hon.
or be it said was good, sensible woman. ais
it not our duty, when we think we can be of
use to our husbands by doing SOP If you knew
of any better plan yourself, why-and, be-
Sides heard that Mr.. Garden is on his way to
| Stockholm"
Hem, heml" said the Merchant, and, as if
endowed with new life, he began to walk up
and down the room.
off it is certain, Brigitta Marie, as you say,
that he goes on to Stockholm from here, and |
could only be fortunate enough to put off bust
ness until his return, fortnight is gained. My
opinion is, that he will then have to look about
| for some other security for his money, as l am
| compelled to arrange the collective claims of
| my creditors in such a manner as to give them
each their share of the common fund"
"Widen, my dear love-" said his wife, in a
| trembling voice, you terrify me. Would not
that be as bad had almost said, as nearly
touching our honor-as anything else?"
BAIL my love, you don't understand these
things" interrupted her husband, in firmer
tone. "Leave all that to me; such things are
everyday occurrences; after a time, it is for
| gotten and one is just as honorable man as
before, if one only understands the right way to
do the thing, and to come to terms with the
most pressing creditors. OF course he is un-
derstood," he added seeing that his wife appear
ed to derive but little consolation from his rea-
soning, "that if he should show Rosa such a
degree of attention as may lead to the idea that
the matter may be arranged some other way,
naturally, that would be the best of all; for we
may be assured the Professor will persist in his
refusal, and have serious thoughts of breaking
| of ~. 1,,,sooca oItooafbar nd NOM I nil