1. I.
It was the easiest thing in the world for Rodolph
Steinmyer to become enamored of the fair Bertha,
the only daughter of the Baron Staremberg. It
was not so easy a matter to obtain the approval of
the proud old baron. Rodolph was noble, of excellent
family; but what is nobility without money?
This was the question with the baron — the leading
question in every reference which he made to
the pretensions of Rodolph to his daughter's hand.
Would nobility, merely, keep a castle, find retainers,
man the walls against the enemy, or even —
not to descend too hurriedly — furnish the table
and provide the daily cheer? Manifestly, it could
not; and so the noble lineage of Rodolph Steinmyer
did not go far toward commending him in
the sight of the sturdy father of his sweetheart. It
rather made against him; as it called for that consideration
in society, and rendered necessary those
shows of place and pretension, which could never
be expected of one not of high birth; and which,
in the event of Rodolph becoming his son-in-law,
would only have the effect of adding an encumbrance
of great amount to his own already encumbered
establishment. The baron was quite as
poor as he was proud; and this probably was, in
all respects, a very proper consideration. It was
necessary that Bertha should re-establish the old
house. The castle wanted repairs; and Bertha's
eyes were looked to, whenever it became a question
how money should be raised for the purpose.
The castle wanted furniture; and Bertha's lips, it
was thought, might do much toward fitting it up.
Bertha's beauties, in short, were the only treasures
to which the old baron could possibly refer, whenever
he contemplated any of the many difficult,
but absolutely necessary, expenditures of his household.
To throw them away upon a beggar — to
give Bertha to Rodolph, was, therefore, a matter
entirely out of the question. It is true, the baron
knew well enough how fondly the two loved each
other; but what of that? Is the love of a young
girl to be considered, even for a moment, in opposition
to the cupidity or caprice of her relations?
It would be exceedingly foolish to suppose so.
