LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1272, 16 April 1878, Page 3

LITERATURE.

—. . FRANZ WERNER. A Christmas Tale, Founded on Fact. {By Louis Selbon. (Continued.) 1 After what I told you last Sunday, you ought n<>t to have come again, Franz. Not that it matters much now—and perhaps it is as wpll.' Here her lips began to quiver ;.but she controlled herself and went on. ' For it is the last time we shall meet.' ' Bat, Lisa, I could not stay away,' Franz broke in, impetuously. ' The two last days seemed as if they would never end, I cannot live without you,'he went on, passionately ; ' and now I have quite determined, since you will not engage yourself to me secretly, to force Rudolph into giving his consent.' The girl looked at him earnestly. At his first words, a ray of hope had come to brighten her sweet face, but it soon faded away, and the old look of quiet resignation took its place. 1 Dear Franz, we will not lose our last precious moments in going over the old ground again. You know in your heart a secret engagement would not be right Already the neighbours are beginning to talk because you come here ; just as they did in the town. I thought you would have believed me then, and not sought me out afterwards ' ' But, Lisa, I could not help it; I must see you. I have only kept it from Rudolph lest he should prevent my coming.' 'I know it well,' she answered, sadlv; ' but you know it can never be. We are proud, though so poor, and of no account in the world. Your brother's consent jou will never get. Remember, he is your guardian, and, according to our laws, you cannot marry with' ut it Even if you could, Franz, should I ever feel happy, knowing I had sown dissension amongst you all ? No, no, there is only one right way—we must part ! yet I am glad you came ouce more, just to say good-bye!' A sob rose in her throat, and she trembled all over. ' Franz, we are going away to morrow—far away ! Farther away than Bilgendorf is from i>., that was no use, you see,' and she gave a sad little smile. ' Going away, Lisa ! What can yon mean ? You are joking!' Then, seeing she was quite in earnest, he burst out with, ' You shall not go ! you shall not be hunted from place to place for m.o. If that is why you are going, I promise you not to trouble you with say presence any more, whichever it may ' ' Hush, Franz, hush; it is all settled--you are not turning us out. It is best so in all ways. I shskll be able to care for mother better in the new home—shall not be obliged to leave her so much alone. But do not try to hud us out; you wovdd. p,ever succeed ; if you did, it would be of. no use ; you know your brothe? would never allow you to marry a penniless girl in his employment. This is what I wished to tell you, Franz, and also to bid you farewell, once more—for ever.' Her voice quivered, but her heart was tirm ; and devoted as she was to the man before her, she felt she must not break down, for he needed all the help elie could give him, to bear the sudden, bitter pain, become so familiar to here elf by days of thought and preparation. ' Lisa,' he said at length, 'you cannpt mean what you are saying—going away for ever ! Why should Rudolph be, such a tyrant—though he has done so much for us ? He shall give his consent.* ' Don't 1 It makes it so much harder to bear. Be patient—' ' Patient ! how can you talk of patience,. Lisa ? If you can, I do not believe you case for me.' Li§& turned deadly Ip&U* C -Caj?e/ sh© mli, [Ok ! sws t Imms wmt to isaJw

l the parting ha der for you than T could help, I But, Franz, I care so much that the prospect | seems like a Jiving death to me. It is the j leaving light and warmth behind, and going I out into the cold and darkness friendless and | alone ! Death will be light in comparison with this '

The last words were spoken, dreamily. She was gaz'ug far out to where a thin, dark line marked the horizon between the snowladen sky and the snow-covered earth. The suu had disappeared, the landscape had become grey and mournful, and the girl shivered.

'Lisa,' cried a feeble voice at this moment from within, ' Lisa, where are you, my child V

'There's my mother calling. Franz, will you not say a last word to me ?' and she hold oiit both her hands to him imploringly. ' Forgive me, Franz, I cannot help it !' Then he seized her hands.

' Lisa, I cannot give you up. I will fi&d a way out of it all. Only tell me where you are going.' ' Lisa. Lisa,' cried the feeble voice again. 'Never-, Franz. Farewell, my dearest earthly friend, and may God bless you I' ' I must kiss yon, Lisa,'

' Oece, for the last time,' she murmured, and she held up her sad, sweet face to his. He caught her to his heart, and gave her one long, lingering kiss ; then she disengaged herself as quioWy as possible and ran into the house. Untying his horse, ho rode slowly away, miserable and wretched. The meeting between the elder and younger brothers that night ended atormily, as ('scar had feared. Rudolph began by telling Franz that he had heard rumours of his been often seen among the peo, le employed in the warehouses, aud lately a great I deal at Hilgendorf ; ' a; d not at the works,' he add'-d somewhat sarcastically, looking keenly at his brother. He hoped that no more whispers of the kind 'would r ach his ear, and that Franz w >uld at last do him the favour of marrying. ' You know it is the best way of stopping all these 'reports,' he added. " Moreover, there is nothing like marriage for getting rid of any discreditable connection you may have formed.' These last words stung Franz to the quick. Lisa's pure, pale face ruse before him ; he saw her again as he had seen her but a few hours ago, putting all her happiness away from her, prepared to go into ajworld strange to herself and her sick mother, only to get out of his reach. It all flashed across him in an instant—the harm he had done her already, the harm he might be doing her now —and he b-oke out into a torrent of passionate words.

' I know not what you have heard, Rudolph; but I came here to-night to tell you the truth, and you have made it easy for me. You want to know why Ido not marry ? It is because I have long loved a girl a 3 good and pure as an angel ; a girl as mnch above the girls that you have pmpoeed to me as the day is brighter than the night. But she is poor; she has no connections. Her father was only a schoolmaster ; he could but give his child an excellent education. Four years ago he died, and left his fdck wife to the sole care of his young daughter. They came here soon after ; they were starving, Rudolph ; and Lisa took a situation in your warehouses to keep her mother from want. 'Rudolph, only let me bring her to you ! I loved her from the first moment I saw her. For a year I have been trying to win her j but '

' Not much difficulty in that, I suppose,' broke in Rudolph, with a contemptuous smile.

Franz barely controlled himself. He went on bitterly. ' There you mistake, Rudolph. She is lost to me for ever, unless you help us. Listen to what your miserable pride has brought us to. Lisa Klein, one of the poorest sorters in your warehouses —listen to it well —has refused the hand of your brother.'

' Refused you !' put in the elder brother, startled out of his habitual composure. ' You have actually been such a fool as to offer to marry her ?—and she has refused you V ' She has refused me. What is more, because I would not take the refusal, and still tried to see her, she has this day bidden me farewell fo 1 " ever. Before suarise toasorrow she will be gone ; without leaving a trace behind her.'