“And then, Franzchen, I used to come to the fence at the foot of the garden, to see you sitting on the ground, building a castle with small sticks, and you, little muddy thing, would look up with your great dark eyes, to tell me of some new tale you had been reading, and you would fix upon a character in it for each of us. Sometimes you were the hero or heroine of the piece, and would tell the whole in the first person. What a changeful, chameleon-like creature you made yourself out to be. Now you were the brave knight, Sir George, and rode fighting for Christendom; and now as the sorrowful Griselda, you told me of your cruel, task-exacting aunt, until the tears came into my eyes; or you spoke of yourself as ‘the fair one with the locks of gold,’ while all the time your curling black hair fell over your face. Do you know, Franzchen, I often envy you those curling dark locks? Stay now, while I arrange these white jasmins in your hair. Flowers never look so well in mine.”
“Dear Magda, how can you envy me, with your beautiful, light, braided hair? Do you know, last night, I thought you looked like an old Grecian statue, with your fine features, and tall, fine figure; and you spoke to every one with so much ease and self-possession.”
“There, now! Franzchen. You are running away again from all common sense, into the crazy region of your imagination. Do not try to make a heroine of me, I beseech you, or expect me to take all your fancies for realities. But it is growing late. I hope you are not too romantic to eat any supper.”
As they returned to the house, they were met by Aunt Katrine. “Here, girls! come quickly,” she cried. “I have a letter for Magdalene, from her father’s sister, the high and mighty Baroness of Radgardin.”
Now this aunt of Magda’s,—a pretty, foolish, ambitious woman, had married a nobleman of high birth, and great wealth, whose sister was a margravine. Great indeed, was the dignity of the noble Baron of Radgardin, and great was the elation and self-consequence of his baroness. Had not Magda grown up uncommonly beautiful and striking in appearance, it may well be doubted whether she would have taken so much interest in her, as she now seemed to. But as it was, she liked to have her handsome niece with her, and had already many ambitious designs connected with her. Her darling scheme at present, was to marry her to the young Count Hugo, the son of an old friend of the baron’s, and she constantly remarked that Magda, a beauty, and somewhat of an heiress, should hold up her head, and remember, that she was the niece of the Baroness of Radgardin, and the grand-daughter of the Baron of Roderkamp. She had now written to invite her to pay her a visit, as she expected to have much noble company at her house, to whom she was anxious to introduce her.
Among the rest, she was to be honored by the presence of Count Hugo, and she went so far as to hint that her family were always remarkable for beauty, and as some of them had already done so well in the world, Magda also, under her guidance, might do equally so. At the close, she added, “My dear child, you must come. I have seen your father, and he said that the only obstacle that would prevent your coming was, that you had a friend staying with you, whom you had promised to accompany on a visit. You must prevail upon your friend to delay this visit, and come with you. My carriage shall be at your door next Tuesday—so be sure and be ready.”
Magda laughed heartily as she read the letter. “But we will go, Franzchen,” she said, “for we shall have a fine time no doubt, and besides that, I have seen this Count Hugo, and like him very much. So does my father. I have often heard him speak very highly of him.”
But Franzchen looked upon the matter very seriously, and never doubting but that Magda had only to appear to conquer the whole world, she cried,—“But Carl Engleford, Magda, what is to become of poor Carl Engleford?”
“Oh, never mind Carl Engleford! I tell you, Franzchen, I’m very ambitious, and I want to see Count Hugo again. But we must write to your cousin and delay our visit there.”
This cousin of Franzchen’s whom they spoke of visiting, was a good-natured, but high-tempered woman, who had never been able to bear with Monsieur Deshalbens’ perverse and irritable temper; but at his death she would gladly have taken charge of her little cousin; Magda however would never consent that she should be separated from her, and they compromised the matter by going often to pay her a long visit, but this might easily be delayed on so important an occasion as the present.