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diff --git a/23062-8.txt b/23062-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3ced6ab --- /dev/null +++ b/23062-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1207 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Broken Cup, by Johann Heinrich Daniel Zschokke + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Broken Cup + 1891 + +Author: Johann Heinrich Daniel Zschokke + +Translator: P. G. + +Release Date: October 17, 2007 [EBook #23062] +Last Updated: May 27, 2010 [EBook #23062] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BROKEN CUP *** + + + + +Produced by Joyce Wilson and David Widger + + + + + + + + + +THE BROKEN CUP + +By Johann Heinrich Daniel Zschokke + +Translated by P. G. + +Copyright, 1891, by The Current Literature Publishing Company + + +Author's Note.--There is extant under this name a short piece by the +author of "Little Kate of Heilbronn." That and the tale which here +follows originated in an incident which took place at Bern in the year +1802. Henry von Kleist and Ludwig Wieland, the son of the poet, were +both friends of the writer, in whose chamber hung an engraving called +_La Cruche Cassée_, the persons and contents of which resembled the +scene set forth below, under the head of The Tribunal. The drawing, +which was full of expression, gave great delight to those who saw it, +and led to many conjectures as to its meaning. The three friends agreed, +in sport, that they would each one day commit to writing his peculiar +interpretation of its design. Wieland promised a satire; Von Kleist +threw off a comedy; and the author of the following tale what is here +given. + + + + + +MARIETTA. + +NAPOULE, it is true, is only a very little place on the bay of Cannes; +yet it is pretty well known through all Provence. It lies in the shade +of lofty evergreen palms, and darker orange trees; but that alone would +not make it renowned. Still they say that there are grown the most +luscious grapes, the sweetest roses, and the handsomest girls. I don't +know but it is so; in the mean time I believe it most readily. Pity that +Napoule is so small, and can not produce more luscious grapes, fragrant +roses, and handsome maidens; especially, as we might then have some of +them transplanted to our own country. + +As, ever since the foundation of Napoule, all the Napoulese women have +been beauties, so the little Marietta was a wonder of wonders, as the +chronicles of the place declare. She was called the _little_ Marietta; yet +she was not smaller than a girl of seventeen or thereabout ought to be, +seeing that her forehead just reached up to the lips of a grown man. + +The chronicles aforesaid had very good ground for speaking of Marietta. +I, had I stood in the shoes of the chronicler, would have done the +same. For Marietta, who until lately had lived with her mother Manon +at Avignon, when she came back to her birthplace, quite upset the whole +village. Verily, not the houses, but the people and their heads; and not +the heads of all the people, but of those particularly whose heads and +hearts are always in danger when in the neighborhood of two bright eyes. +I know very well that such a position is no joke. + +Mother Manon would have done much better if she had remained at Avignon. +But she had been left a small inheritance, by which she received at +Napoule an estate consisting of some vine-hills, and a house that lay in +the shadow of a rock, between certain olive trees and African acacias. +This is a kind of thing which no unprovided widow ever rejects; and, +accordingly, in her own estimation, she was as rich and happy as though +she were the Countess of Provence or something like it. + +So much the worse was it for the good people of Napoule. They never +suspected their misfortune, not having read in Homer how a single pretty +woman had filled all Greece and Lesser Asia with discord and war. + + + + +HOW THE MISFORTUNE CAME ABOUT. + +Marietta had scarcely been fourteen days in the house, between the olive +trees and the African acacias, before every young man of Napoule knew +that she lived there, and that there lived not, in all Provence, a more +charming girl than the one in that house. + +Went she through the village, sweeping lightly along like a dressed-up +angel, her frock, with its pale-green bodice, and orange leaves and +rosebuds upon the bosom of it, fluttering in the breeze, and flowers +and ribbons waving about the straw bonnet, which shaded her beautiful +features--yes, then the grave old men spake out, and the young ones were +struck dumb. And everywhere, to the right and left, little windows and +doors were opened with a "Good morning," or a "Good evening, Marietta," +as it might be, while she nodded to the right and left with a pleasant +smile. + +If Marietta walked into church, all hearts (that is, of the young +people) forgot Heaven; all eyes turned from the saints, and the +worshiping finger wandered idly among the pearls of the rosary. This +must certainly have provoked much sorrow, at least, among the more +devout. + +The maidens of Napoule particularly became very pious about this time, +for they, most of all, took the matter to heart. And they were not to +be blamed for it; for since the advent of Marietta more than one +prospective groom had become cold, and more than one worshipper of some +beloved one quite inconstant. There were bickerings and reproaches on +all sides, many tears, pertinent lectures, and even rejections. The talk +was no longer of marriages, but of separations. They began to return +their pledges of troth, rings, ribbons, etc. The old persons took part +with their children; criminations and strife spread from house to house; +it was most deplorable. + +Marietta is the cause of all, said the pious maidens first; then the +mothers said it; next the fathers took it up; and finally all--even the +young men. But Marietta, shielded by her modesty and innocence, like +the petals of the rosebud in its dark-green calix, did not suspect +the mischief of which she was the occasion, and continued courteous to +everybody. This touched the young men, who said, "Why condemn the pure +and harmless child--she is not guilty!" Then the fathers said the same +thing; then the mothers took it up, and finally all--even the pious +maidens. For, let who would talk with Marietta, she was sure to gain +their esteem. So before half a year had passed, everybody had spoken to +her, and everybody loved her. But she did not suspect that she was the +object of such general regard, as she had not before suspected that she +was the object of dislike. Does the violet, hidden in the downtrodden +grass, think how sweet it is? + +Now every one wished to make amends for the injustice they had done +Marietta. Sympathy deepened the tenderness of their attachment. Marietta +found herself greeted everywhere in a more friendly way than ever; she +was more cordially welcomed; more heartily invited to the rural sports +and dances. + + + + +ABOUT THE WICKED COLIN. + +All men, however, are not endowed with tender sympathy; some have +hearts hardened like Pharaoh's. This arises, no doubt, from that natural +depravity which has come upon men in consequence of the fall of Adam, or +because, at their baptism, the devil is not brought sufficiently under +subjection. + +A remarkable example of this hardness of heart was given by one Colin, +the richest farmer and proprietor in Napoule, whose vineyards and olive +gardens, whose lemon and orange trees could hardly be counted in a day. +One thing particularly demonstrates the perverseness of his disposition; +he was twenty-seven years old, and had never yet asked for what purpose +girls had been created! + +True, all the people, especially damsels of a certain age, willingly +forgave him this sin, and looked upon him as one of the best young men +under the sun. His fine figure, his fresh, unembarrassed manner, his +look, his laugh, enabled him to gain the favorable opinion of the +aforesaid people, who would have forgiven him, had there been occasion, +any one of the deadly sins. But the decision of such judges is not +always to be trusted. While both old and young at Napoule had become +reconciled to the innocent Marietta, and proffered their sympathies +to her, Colin was the only one who had no pity upon the poor child. If +Marietta was talked of he became as dumb as a fish. If he met her in the +street he would turn red and white with anger, and cast sidelong glances +at her of the most malicious kind. + +If at evening the young people met upon the seashore near the old castle +ruins for sprightly pastimes, or rural dances, or to sing catches, +Colin was the merriest among them. But as soon as Marietta arrived the +rascally fellow was silent, and all the gold in the world couldn't +make him sing.--What a pity, when he had such a fine voice! Everybody +listened to it so willingly, and its store of songs was endless. + +All the maidens looked kindly upon Colin, and he was friendly with all +of them. He had, as we have said, a roguish glance, which the lasses +feared and loved; and it was so sweet they would like to have had it +painted. But, as might naturally be expected, the offended Marietta +did not look graciously upon him. And in that he was perfectly right. +Whether he smiled or not, it was all the same to her. As to his roguish +glance, why she would never hear it mentioned; and therein too she +was perfectly right. When he told a tale (and he knew thousands) and +everybody listened, she nudged her neighbor, or perhaps threw tufts of +grass at Peter or Paul, and laughed and chattered, and did not listen to +Colin at all. This behavior quite provoked the proud fellow, so that he +would break off in the middle of his story and stalk sullenly away. + +Revenge is sweet. The daughter of Mother Manon well knew how to triumph. +Yet Marietta was a right good child and quite too tenderhearted. If +Colin was silent, it gave her pain. If he was downcast, she laughed no +more. If he went away, she did not stay long behind: but hurried to her +home, and wept tears of repentance, more beautiful than those of the +Magdalen, although she had not sinned like the Magdalen. + + + + +THE CUP. + +Father Jerome, the pastor of Napoule, was an old man of seventy, who +possessed all the virtues of a saint, and only one failing; which was, +that by reason of his advanced years, he was hard of hearing. But, on +that very account, his homilies were more acceptable to the children of +his baptism and blessing. True, he preached only of two subjects, as if +they comprehended the whole of religion. It was either "Little children, +love one another," or it was "Mysterious are the ways of Providence." +And truly there is so much Faith, Love, and Hope in these that one might +at a pinch be saved by them. The little children loved one another most +obediently, and trusted in the ways of Providence. Only Colin, with his +flinty heart, would know nothing of either: for even when he professed +to be friendly, he entertained the deepest malice. + +The Napoulese went to the annual market or fair of the city of Vence. +It was truly a joyful time, and though they had but little gold to buy +with, there were many goods to look at. Now Marietta and Mother Manon +went to the fair with the rest, and Colin was also there. He bought a +great many curiosities and trifles for his friends--but he would not +spend a farthing for Marietta. And yet he was always at her elbow, +though he did not speak to her, nor she to him. It was easy to see that +he was brooding over some scheme of wickedness. + +Mother Manon stood gazing before a shop, when she suddenly exclaimed: + +"Oh! Marietta, see that beautiful cup! A queen would not be ashamed to +raise it to her lips. Only see: the edge is of dazzling gold, and the +flowers upon it could not bloom more beautifully in the garden, although +they are only painted. And in the midst of this Paradise! pray see, +Marietta, how the apples are smiling on the trees. They are verily +tempting. And Adam cannot withstand it, as the enchanting Eve offers +him one for food! And do see how prettily the little frisking lamb skips +around the old tiger, and the snow-white dove with her golden throat +stands there before the vulture, as if she would caress him." + +Marietta could not satisfy herself with looking. "Had I such a cup, +mother!" said she, "it is far too beautiful to drink out of: I would +place my flowers in it and constantly peep into Paradise. We are at the +fair in Vence, but when I look on the picture I feel as if I were in +Paradise." + +So spoke Marietta, and called her companions to the spot, to share her +admiration of the cup: but the young men soon joined the maidens, until +at length almost half the inhabitants of Napoule were assembled before +the wonderfully beautiful cup. But miraculously beautiful was it mainly +from its inestimable, translucent porcelain, with gilded handles and +glowing colors. They asked the merchant timidly: "Sir, what is the price +of it?" And he answered: "Among friends, it is worth a hundred livres." +Then they all became silent, and went away in despair. When the +Napoulese were all gone from the front of the shop, Colin came there by +stealth, threw the merchant a hundred livres upon the counter, had the +cup put in a box well packed with cotton, and then carried it off. What +evil plans he had in view no one would have surmised. + +Near Napoule, on his way home, it being already dusk, he met old +Jacques, the Justice's servant, returning from the fields. Jacques was a +very good man, but excessively stupid. + +"I will give thee money enough to get something to drink, Jacques," said +Colin, "if thou wilt bear this box to Manon's house, and leave it there; +and if any one should see thee, and inquire from whom the box came, say +'A stranger gave it to me.' But never disclose my name, or I will always +detest thee." + +Jacques promised this, took the drink-money and the box, and went with +it toward the little dwelling between the olive trees and the African +acacias. + + + + +THE CARRIER. + +Before he arrived there he encountered his master, Justice Hautmartin, +who asked; "Jacques, what art thou carrying?" + +"A box for Mother Manon. But, sir, I cannot say from whom it comes." + +"Why not?" + +"Because Colin would always detest me." + +"It is well that thou canst keep a secret. But it is already late; give +me the box, for I am going to-morrow to see Mother Manon; I will deliver +it to her and not betray that it came from Colin. It will save thee a +walk, and furnish me a good excuse for calling on the old lady." + +Jacques gave the box to his master, whom he was accustomed to obey +implicitly in all things. The justice bore it into his chamber, and +examined it by the light with some curiosity. On the lid was neatly +written with red chalk: "For the lovely and dear Marietta." But Monsieur +Hautmartin well knew that this was some of Colin's mischief, and that +some knavish trick lurked under the whole. He therefore opened the box +carefully for fear that a mouse or rat should be concealed within. +When he beheld the wondrous cup, which he had seen at Vence, he was +dreadfully shocked, for Monsieur Hautmartin was a skilful casuist, and +knew that the inventions and devices of the human heart are evil from +our youth upward. He saw at once that Colin designed this cup as a +means of bringing misfortune upon Marietta: perhaps to give out, when it +should be in her possession, that it was the present of some successful +lover in the town, or the like, so that all decent people would +thereafter keep aloof from Marietta. Therefore Monsieur Hautmartin +resolved, in order to prevent any evil reports, to profess himself +the giver. Moreover, he loved Marietta, and would gladly have seen her +observe more strictly toward himself the sayings of the gray-headed +priest Jerome, "Little children, love one another." In truth, Monsieur +Hautmartin was a little child of fifty years old, and Marietta did +not think the saying applied particularly to him. Mother Manon, on the +contrary, thought that the justice was a clever little child, he had +gold and a high reputation from one end of Napoule to the other. And +when the justice spoke of marriage, and Marietta ran away in affright, +Mother Manon remained sitting, and had no fear for the tall, staid +gentleman. It must also be confessed there were no faults in his person. +And although Colin might be the handsomest man in the village, yet the +justice far surpassed him in two things, namely, in the number of years, +and in a very, very big nose. Yes, this nose, which always went before +the justice like a herald to proclaim his approach, was a real elephant +among human noses. + +With this proboscis, his good purpose, and the cup, the justice went the +following morning to the house between the olive trees and the African +acacias. + +"For the beautiful Marietta," said he, "I hold nothing too costly. +Yesterday you admired the cup at Vence; to-day allow me, lovely +Marietta, to lay it and my devoted heart at your feet." + +Manon and Marietta were transported beyond measure when they beheld the +cup. Manon's eyes glistened with delight, but Marietta turned and said: +"I can neither take your heart nor your cup." + +Then Mother Marion was angry, and cried out: "But I accept both heart +and cup. Oh, thou little fool, how long wilt thou despise thy good +fortune! For whom dost thou tarry? Will a count of Provence make thee +his bride, that thou scornest the Justice of Napoule? I know better how +to look after my interests. Monsieur Hautmartin, I deem it an honor to +call thee my son-in-law." + +Then Marietta went out and wept bitterly, and hated the beautiful cup +with all her heart. + +But the justice, drawing the palm of his flabby hand over his nose, +spoke thus judiciously: + +"Mother Manon, hurry nothing. The dove will at length, when it learns +to know me better, give way. I am not impetuous. I have some skill among +women, and before a quarter of a year passes by I will insinuate myself +into Marietta's good graces." + +"Thy nose is too large for that," whispered Marietta, who listened +outside the door and laughed to herself. In fact, the quarter of a year +passed by and Monsieur Hautmartin had not yet pierced the heart even +with the tip of his nose. + + + + +THE FLOWERS. + +During this quarter of a year Marietta had other affairs to attend to. +The cup gave her much vexation and trouble, and something else besides. + +For a fortnight nothing else was talked of in Napoule, and every one +said it is a present from the justice, and the marriage is already +agreed upon. Marietta solemnly declared to all her companions that she +would rather plunge to the bottom of the sea than marry the justice, +but the maidens continued to banter her all the more, saying: "Oh, how +blissful it must be to repose in the shadow of his nose!" This was her +first vexation. + +Then Mother Manon had the cruelty to force Marietta to rinse out the +cup every morning at the spring under the rock and to fill it with fresh +flowers. She hoped by this to accustom Marietta to the cup and heart of +the giver. But Marietta continued to hate both the gift and giver, and +her work at the spring became an actual punishment. + +Second vexation. + +Then, when in the morning, she came to the spring, twice every week she +found on the rock, immediately over it, some most beautiful flowers, +handsomely arranged, all ready for the decoration of the cup. And on the +flower-stalks a strip of paper was always tied, on which was written, +"Dear Marietta." Now no one need expect to impose upon little Marietta +as if magicians and fairies were still in the world. Consequently she +knew that both the flowers and papers must have come from Monsieur +Hautmartin. Marietta, indeed, would not smell them because the living +breath from out of the justice's nose had perfumed them. Nevertheless +she took the flowers, because they were finer than wild flowers, and +tore the slip of paper into a thousand pieces, which she strewed upon +the spot where the flowers usually lay. But this did not vex Justice +Hautmartin, whose love was unparalleled in its kind as his nose was in +its kind. Third vexation. + +At length it came out in conversation with Monsieur Hautmartin that +he was not the giver of the beautiful flowers. Then who could it be? +Marietta was utterly astounded at the unexpected discovery. Thenceforth +she took the flowers from the rock more kindly; but, further, Marietta +was--what maidens are not wont to be--very inquisitive. She conjectured +first this and then that young man in Napoule. Yet her conjectures were +in vain. She looked and listened far into the night; she rose earlier +than usual But she looked and listened in vain. And still twice a week +in the morning the miraculous flowers lay upon the rock, and upon the +strip of paper wound round them she always read the silent sigh, "Dear +Marietta!" Such an incident would have made even the most indifferent +inquisitive. But curiosity at length became a burning pain. Fourth +vexation. + + + + +WICKEDNESS UPON WICKEDNESS. + +Now Father Jerome, on Sunday, had again preached from the text: +"Mysterious are the dispensations of Providence." And little Marietta +thought, if Providence would only dispense that I might at length find +out who is the flower dispenser. Father Jerome was never wrong. + +On a summer night, when it was far too warm to rest, Marietta awoke very +early, and could not resume her sleep. Therefore she sprang joyously +from her couch as the first streaks of dawn flashed against the window +of her little chamber, over the waves of the sea and the Lerinian Isles, +dressed herself, and went out to wash her forehead, breast, and arms in +the cool spring. She took her hat with her, intending to take a walk by +the sea-shore, as she knew of a retired place for bathing. + +In order to reach this retired spot, it was necessary to pass over the +rocks behind the house, and thence down through the orange and palm +trees. On this occasion Marietta could not pass through them; for, +under the youngest and most slender of the palms lay a tall young man +in profound sleep--near him a nosegay of most splendid flowers. A white +paper lay thereon, from which probably a sigh was again breathing. How +could Marietta get by there? + +She stood still, trembling with fright. She would go home again. Hardly +had she retreated a couple of steps, ere she looked again at the sleeper +and remained motionless. Yet the distance prevented her from recognizing +his face. Now the mystery was to be solved, or never. She tripped +lightly nearer to the palms; but he seemed to stir--then she ran again +toward the cottage. His movements were but the fearful imaginings of +Marietta. Now she returned again on her way toward the palms; but his +sleep might perhaps be only dissembled--swiftly she ran toward the +cottage--but who would flee for a mere probability? She trod more boldly +the path toward the palms. + +With these fluctuations of her timid and joyous spirit, between fright +and curiosity, with these to-and-fro trippings between the house and +the palm-trees, she at length nearly approached the sleeper; at the same +time curiosity became more powerful than fear. + +"What is he to me? My way leads me directly past him. Whether he sleeps +or wakes, I will go straight on." So thought Manon's daughter. But +she passed not by, but stood looking directly in the face of the +flower-giver, in order to be certain who it was. Besides, he slept as if +it were the first time in a month. And who was it? Now, who else should +it be but the archwicked Colin. + +So it was _he_ who had annoyed the gentle maiden, and given her so much +trouble with Monsieur Hautmartin, because he bore a grudge against her; +he had been the one who had teased her with flowers, in order to torture +her curiosity. Wherefore? He hated Marietta. He behaved himself always +most shamefully toward the poor child. He avoided her when he could; and +when he could not, he grieved the good-natured little one. With all the +other maidens of Napoule he was more chatty, friendly, courteous, than +toward Marietta. Consider--he had never once asked her to dance, and yet +she danced bewitchingly. + +Now there he lay, surprised, taken in the act. Revenge swelled in +Marietta's bosom. What disgrace could she subject him to? She took the +nosegay, unloosened it, strewed his present over the sleeper in scorn. +But the paper, on which appeared again the sigh, "Dear Marietta!" she +retained, and thrust quickly into her bosom. She wished to preserve this +proof of his handwriting. Marietta was sly. Now she would go away. But +her revenge was not yet satisfied. She could not leave the place without +returning Colin's ill-will. + +She took the violet-colored silken ribbon from her hat, and threw it +lightly around the sleeper's arm and around the tree, and with three +knots tied Colin fast. Now when he awoke, how astonished he would be! +How his curiosity would torment him to ascertain who had played him this +trick! He could not possibly know. So much the better; it served him +right. She seemed to regret her work when she had finished it. Her bosom +throbbed impetuously. Indeed, I believe that a little tear filled her +eye, as she compassionately gazed upon the guilty one. Slowly +she retreated to the orange grove by the rocks--she looked around +often--slowly ascended the rocks, looking down among the palm trees as +she ascended. Then she hastened to Mother Manon, who was calling her. + + + + +THE HAT BAND. + +That very day Colin practised new mischief. What did he? He wished to +shame the poor Marietta publicly. Ah! she never thought that every one +in Napoule knew her violet-colored ribbon! Colin remembered it but too +well. Proudly he bound it around his hat, and exhibited it to the gaze +of all the world as a conquest. And male and female cried out: "He has +received it from Marietta."--And all the maidens said angrily: "The +reprobate!" And all the young men who liked to see Marietta cried out: +"The reprobate!" + +"How! Mother Manon?" shrieked the Justice Hautmartin when he came to her +house, and he shrieked so loudly that it re-echoed wonderfully through +his nose. "How! do you suffer this? my betrothed presents the young +proprietor Colin with her hat-band! It is high time that we celebrate +our nuptials. When that is over, then I shall have a right to speak." + +"You have a right!" answered Mother Manon, "if things are so, the +marriage must take place forthwith. When that is done, all will go +right." + +"But, Mother Manon, Marietta always refuses to give me her consent." + +"Prepare the marriage feast." + +"But she will not even look kindly at me; and when I seat myself at her +side, the little savage jumps up and runs away." + +"Justice, only prepare the marriage feast." + +"But if Marietta resists--" + +"We will take her by surprise. We will go to Father Jerome on Monday +morning early, and he shall quietly celebrate the marriage. This we can +easily accomplish with him. I am her mother, you the first judicial +person in Napoule. He must obey. Marietta need know nothing about it. +Early on Monday morning I will send her to Father Jerome all alone, with +a message so that she will suspect nothing. Then the priest shall speak +earnestly to her. Half an hour afterward we two will come. Then swiftly +to the altar. And even if Marietta should then say No, what does it +matter? The old Priest can hear nothing. But till then, mum to Marietta +and all Napoule." + +So the secret remained with the two. Marietta dreamed not of the good +luck which was in store for her. She thought only of Colin's wickedness, +which had made her the common talk of the whole place. Oh! how she +repented her heedlessness about the ribbon; and yet in her heart she +forgave the reprobate his crime. Marietta was far too good. She told her +mother, she told all her playmates, "Colin has found my lost hat band. I +never gave it to him. He only wishes to vex me with it. You all know +that Colin was always ill-disposed towards me, and always sought to +mortify me!" + +Ah! the poor child! she knew not what new abomination the malicious +fellow was again contriving. + + + + +THE BROKEN CUP. + + +Early in the morning Marietta went to the spring with the cup. There +were no flowers yet on the rock. It was still quite too early; for the +sun had scarcely risen from the sea. + +Footsteps were heard. Colin came in sight, the flowers in his hand. +Marietta became very red. Colin stammered out "good morning, Marietta," +but the greeting came not from his heart, he could hardly bring it over +his lips. + +"Why dost thou wear my ribbon so publicly, Colin?" said Marietta, and +placed the cup upon the rock. "I did not give it thee." + +"Thou didst not give it to me, dear Marietta?" asked he, and inward rage +made him deadly pale. + +Marietta was ashamed of the falsehood, drooped her eyelids, and said +after a while, "Well, I did give it to thee, yet thou shouldst not have +worn it so openly. Give it me back again." + +Slowly he untied it; his anger was so great that he could not prevent +the tears from filling his eyes, nor the sighs from escaping his +breast.--"Dear Marietta, leave thy ribbon with me," said he softly. + +"No," answered she. + +Then his suppressed passion changed into desperation. Sighing, he looked +towards Heaven, then sadly on Marietta, who, silent and abashed, stood +by the spring with downcast eyes. + +He wound the violet coloured ribbon around the stalks of the flowers, +said "there, take them all," and threw the flowers so spitefully against +the magnificent cup upon the rock, that it was thrown down and dashed to +pieces. Maliciously he fled away. + +Mother Manon lurking behind the window, had seen and heard all. When the +cup broke, hearing and sight left her. She was scarcely able to speak +for very horror. And as she pushed with all her strength against the +narrow window, to shout after the guilty one, it gave way, and with one +crash fell to the earth and was shattered in pieces. + +So much ill luck would have discomposed any other woman. But Manon soon +recovered herself. "How lucky that I was a witness to this roguery!" +exclaimed she; "he must to the Justice.--He shall replace both cup and +window-sash with his gold. It will give a rich dowry to Marietta But +when Marietta brought in the fragments of the shattered cup, when Manon +saw the Paradise lost, the good man Adam without a head, and of Eve not +a solitary limb remaining, the serpent unhurt, triumphing, the tiger +safe, but the little lamb gone even to the very tail, as if the tiger +had swallowed it, then Mother Manon screamed forth curses against Colin, +and said: 'One can easily see that this _fall_ came from the hand of the +devil.'" + + + + +THE TRIBUNAL. + +She took the cup in one hand, Marietta in the other, and went, about +nine o'clock, to when Monsieur Hautmartin was wont to sit in judgment. +She there made a great outcry, and showed the broken cup and the +Paradise lost. Marietta wept bitterly. + +The justice, when he saw the broken cup and his beautiful bride in +tears, flew into so violent a rage toward Colin that his nose was +as violet-colored as Marietta's well-known hat-band, He immediately +despatched his bailiffs to bring the criminal before him. + +Colin came, overwhelmed with grief. Mother Manon now repeated +her complaint with great eloquence before justice, bailiffs, and +scribes.--But Colin listened not. He stepped to Marietta and whispered +to hen "Forgive me, dear Marietta, as I forgive thee. I broke thy cup +unintentionally; but thou, thou hast broken my heart!" + +"What whispering is that?" cried Justice Hautmartin, with magisterial +authority. "Harken to this accusation, and defend yourself." + +"I have naught to defend. I broke the cup against my will," said Colin. + +"That I verily believe," said Marietta, sobbing. "I am as guilty as he; +for I offended him--then he threw the ribbon and flowers to me. He could +not help it." + +"Well!" cried Mother Manon. "Do you intend to defend him? Mr. Justice, +pronounce his sentence. He has broken the cup, and he does not deny it." + +"Since you cannot deny it, Mr. Colin," said the Justice, "you must pay +three hundred livres for the cup, for it is worth that; and then for--" + +"No," interrupted Colin, "it is not worth that. I bought it at Vence for +Marietta for a hundred livres." + +"You bought it, sir brazen face?" shrieked the Justice, and his whole +face became like Marietta's hat-hand. He could not and would not say +more, for he dreaded a disagreeable investigation of the matter. + +But Colin was vexed at the imputation, and said: "I sent this cup on +the evening of the fair, by your own servant, to Marietta. There stands +Jacques in the door. Speak, Jacques, did I not give thee the box to +carry to Mother Manon?" + +Monsieur Hautmartin wished to interrupt this conversation by speaking +loudly. But the simple Jacques said: "Only recollect, Justice, you took +away Colin's box from me, and carried what was in it to Mother Manon. +The box lies there under the papers." + +Then the bailiffs were ordered to remove the simpleton; and Colin was +also directed to retire, until he should be sent for again. + +"Very well, Mr. Justice," interposed Colin, "but this business shall be +your last in Napoule. I know this, that you would ingratiate yourself +with Mother Manon and Marietta by means of my property. When you want +me, you will have to ride to Grasse to the Governor's." With that, Colin +departed. + +Monsieur Hautmartin was quite puzzled with this affair, and in his +confusion knew not what he was about. Manon shook her head. The affair +was dark and mysterious to her. "Who will now pay me for the broken +cup?" she asked. + +"To me," said Marietta, with glowing, brightened countenance, "_to me_ +it is already paid for." + + + + +MYSTERIOUS DISPENSATIONS. + +Colin rode that same day to the Governor at Grasse, and came back +early the next morning. But Justice Hautmartin only laughed at him, and +removed all of Mother Manon's suspicions by swearing he would let his +nose be cut off if Colin did not pay three hundred livres for the broken +cup. He also went with Mother Manon to talk with Father Jerome about +the marriage, and impressed upon him the necessity of earnestly setting +before Marietta her duty _as_ an obedient daughter in not opposing +the will of her mother. This the pious old man promised, although he +understood not the half of what they shouted in his ear. + +When Monday morning came Mother Manon said to her daughter: "Dress +yourself handsomely, and carry this myrtle wreath to Father Jerome; he +wants it for a bride." Marietta dressed herself in her Sunday clothes, +took the myrtle wreath unsuspiciously, and carried it to Father Jerome. + +On the way Colin met her, and greeted her joyfully, though timidly; and +when she told him where she was taking the wreath, Colin said: "I am +going the same way, for I am carrying the money for the church's tenths +to the priest." And as they went on he took her hand silently, and both +trembled as if they designed some crime against each other. + +"Hast thou forgiven me?" whispered Colin, anxiously. "Ah! Marietta, what +have I done to thee, that thou art so cruel toward me?" + +She could only say: "Be quiet, Colin, you shall have the ribbon again; +and I will preserve the cup since it came from you! Did it really come +from you?" + +"Ah! Marietta, canst thou doubt it? All I have I would gladly give thee. +Wilt thou, hereafter, be as kind to me as thou art to others?" + +She replied not. But as she entered the parsonage she looked aside at +him, and when she saw his fine eyes filled with tears, she whispered +softly: "Dear Colin!" Then he bent down and kissed her hand. With this +the door of a chamber opened and Father Jerome, with venerable aspect, +stood before them. The young couple held fast to each other. I know not +whether this was the effect of the hand-kissing, or the awe they felt +for the sage. + +Marietta handed him the myrtle wreath. He laid it upon her head and +said: "Little children, love one another;" and then urged the good +maiden, in the most touching and pathetic manner, to love Colin. For +the old gentleman, from his hardness of hearing, had either mistaken the +name of the bridegroom, or forgotten it, and thought Colin must be the +bridegroom. + +Then Marietta's heart softened under the exhortation, and with tears and +sobs she exclaimed: "Ah! I have loved him for a long time, but he hates +me." + +"I hate thee, Marietta?" cried Colin. "My soul has lived only in thee +since thou earnest to Napoule. Oh! Marietta, how could I hope and +believe that thou didst love me? Does not all Napoule worship thee?" + +"Why, then, dost thou avoid me, Colin, and prefer all my companions +before me?" + +"Oh! Marietta, I feared and trembled with love and anxiety when I beheld +thee; I had not the courage to approach thee; and when I was away from +thee I was most miserable." + +As they talked thus with each other the good father thought they were +quarreling; and he threw his arms around them, brought them together, +and said imploringly: "Little children, love one another." + +Then Marietta sank on Colin's breast, and Colin threw his arms around +her, and both faces beamed with rapture. They forgot the priest, the +whole world. Each was sunk into the other, Both had so completely lost +their recollection that, unwittingly, they followed the delightful +Father Jerome into the church and before the altar. + +"Marietta!" sighed he. + +"Colin!" sighed she. + +In the church there were many devout worshipers; but they witnessed +Colin's and Marietta's marriage with amazement. Many ran out before the +close of the ceremony, to spread the news throughout Napoule: "Colin and +Marietta are married." + +When the solemnization was over, Father Jerome rejoiced that he had +succeeded so well, and that such little opposition had been made by the +parties. He led them into the parsonage. + + + + +END OF THIS MEMORABLE HISTORY. + +Then Mother Manon arrived, breathless; she had waited at home a long +time for the bride-groom. He had not arrived. At the last stroke of the +clock she grew anxious and went to Monsieur Hautmartin's. There anew +surprise awaited her. She learned that the Governor, together with +the officers of the Viguerie, had appeared and taken possession of +the accounts, chests, and papers of the justice and at the same time +arrested Monsieur Hautmartin. + +"This, surely, is the work of that wicked Colin," thought she, and +hurried to the parsonage in order to apologize to Father Jerome for +delaying the marriage. The good gray-headed old man advanced toward her, +proud of his work, and leading by the hand the newly married pair. + +Now Mother Manon lost her wits and her speech in good earnest when she +learned what had happened. But Colin had more thoughts and power of +speech than in his whole previous life. He told of his love and the +broken cup, the falsehood of the justice, and how he had unmasked this +unjust magistrate in the Viguerie at Grasse. Then he besought Mother +Manon's blessing, since all this had happened without any fault on the +part of Marietta or himself. + +Father Jerome, who for a long while could not make out what had +happened, when he received a full explanation of the marriage through +mistake, piously folded his hands and exclaimed, with uplifted eyes: +"Wonderful are the dispensations of Providence!" Colin and Marietta +kissed his hands; Mother Manon, through sheer veneration of heaven, gave +the young couple her blessing, but remarked incidentally that her head +seemed turned round. + +Mother Manon herself was pleased with her son-in-law when she came to +know the full extent of his property, and especially when she found that +Monsieur Hautmartin and his nose had been arrested. + +"But am I then really a wife?" asked Marietta; "and really Colin's +wife?" + +Mother Manon nodded her head, and Marietta hung upon Colin's arm. Thus +they went to Colin's farm, to his dwelling-house, through the garden. + +"Look at the flowers, Marietta," said Colin; "how carefully I cultivated +them for your cup!" + +Colin, who had not expected so pleasant an event, now prepared a wedding +feast on the spur of the occasion. Two days was it continued. All +Napoule was feasted. Who shall describe Colin's extravagance? + +The broken cup is preserved in the family to the present day as a +memorial and sacred relic. + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Broken Cup, by Johann Heinrich Daniel Zschokke + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BROKEN CUP *** + +***** This file should be named 23062-8.txt or 23062-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/0/6/23062/ + +Produced by Joyce Wilson and David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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