ou."

A savage curse broke forth from the general, who, forgetting his gout,
rose furious, shaking his clinched fist at his daughter.

His wife was immediately by his side, and pushed him into his arm-chair,
commanding him, in her harsh, cold to remain quiet and take care of his
health, and listen to what his son-in-law had to say to his unfeeling
and unnatural daughter. "He alone has to decide.--Speak, my dear son,"
said she, turning to the young man, who, with a malicious smile, had
listened to the baroness, fixing his dull-blue eyes upon the young girl,
who never seemed so desirable to him, as she now stood before him with
glowing cheeks.

"Again I say, speak, my dear son, and tell my daughter the truth; do you
hear, the truth?"

"If you will permit me, my dearest mother, I will," answered Ebenstreit,
with submissive kindness, again regarding the daughter. "You have made
me a sad confession, Marie," said he, sighing, "but I will acknowledge
that I am not surprised, for your mother told me when I asked for your
hand, that she feared I should never gain your consent, for you did not
love me, although she herself, and the general, would grant theirs."

"Was that all that I told you?" asked the mother, coldly.

"No, not all," continued Ebenstreit, slightly inclining; "you added, 'My
daughter loves a beggar, a poor school-master, and she entertains the
romantic idea of marrying him.'"

"And what did you reply?" asked Marie, almost breathless.

"My dear Marie, I laughed, repeating my proposal of marriage to your
mother, saying, that I was ready to take up the combat with the poor
pedagogue, and that you seemed all the more interesting and amiable for
this romantic love. Life is so tedious and wretched, that one is glad
to have some change and distraction. I assure you, I have not been so
entertained for long years, as in the last fourteen days in this
silent war with you. It amuses me infinitely to see you so stubborn and
prudish, and increases my love for you. How could it be otherwise? The
rich banker, Ebenstreit, has never seen a woman who was not ready to
accept his hand, and why should he not love the first one who resists
it? You have excited my self-love and vanity. You have made the marriage
a matter of ambition, and you will comprehend that my answer is:
'Fraulein von Leuthen must and shall be my wife, no matter what it costs
me. She defies my riches and despises money, so I will force her to
respect my w