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"It is a time-honored custom of our family, that the princesses of Austria, who marry kings, should take leave of the graves of their ancestors. I cannot release the Queen of Naples from her duty. She is to wear the crown, she must bear the cross." "But I dread it! I dread it so!" murmured Josepha. "I shudder at the thought of Josepha's corpse. I never loved her, and she died without forgiving me.
He waited a minute, like an actor who has made a point. "If he had the money, he would give it to the woman who will take Josepha's place," he went on, emphasizing his tones. "Does a man ever pull up on the road he has taken? In the first place, he is too sweet on women. There is a happy medium in all things, as our King has told us. And then his vanity is implicated! He is a handsome man!
The Baroness, shown into Josepha's handsome drawing-room, did not note how long she was kept waiting there, though it was a long half hour. This room, entirely redecorated even since Josepha had had the house, was hung with silk in purple and gold color.
At his first wife's bedside Joseph had watched day and night; but Josepha's he did not approach. In vain had she sent each day, through Van Swieten, a petition to see him, if only once; Joseph returned, for all answer, that his duty to his mother and sisters forbade the risk. And there lay the woman whose princely station mocked her misery; there she lay unpitied and unloved.
All had their eyes cast down, and none saw the tears that now fell like rain from Josepha's eyes. She was thoroughly mortified and longed to escape to her room; but as she bent her head to take leave of the empress, the latter motioned her to remain. "I have as yet a few words to speak with you, my daughter," said Maria Theresa, as she closed the door of her dressing-room.
In decorating this house, which Crevel regarded as his own, Grindot had tried to compete with Cleretti, in whose hands the Duc d'Herouville had placed Josepha's villa. But Crevel, incapable of understanding art, had, like all sordid souls, wanted to spend a certain sum fixed beforehand. Grindot, fettered by a contract, had found it impossible to embody his architectural dream.
"Come in, old boy, I am alone, as it happens, and my people don't know you. Send away your trap. Is it paid for?" "Yes," said the Baron, getting out with the help of Josepha's arm. "You may call yourself my father if you like," said the singer, moved to pity. She made Hulot sit down in the splendid drawing-room where he had last seen her.
The earnest tone with which Van Swieten put this question so overcame the empress, that she raised both her arms, and cried out in a voice of piercing anguish: "Ah! it is I who caused Josepha's death! I who murdered my unhappy child!" These words once uttered, the icy bonds that had frozen her heart gave way, and Maria Theresa wept. "She is saved!" whispered Van Swieten to the emperor.
"You owe your wife white bread to eat at least," said Madame Marneffe, smiling. The Baron, without taking offence at Lisbeth's tone, as despotic as Josepha's, got out of the room, only too glad to escape so importunate a question.
When I saw Josepha's beautiful jewels I was quite envious of her; and indeed, mamma, no one needs solitude and prayer more than I. Let me go and pray for grace by the grave of my father." The empress laid her hand upon her daughter's head, and looked at her beautiful countenance with an expression of deepest tenderness. "You are a noble-hearted child, my Antoinette," said she.
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