human
Listen to me, my Heaven, my all of happiness; we have no other choice except this passage under the earth, or that other to Heaven. For I cannot return to my monastery, and I will not be condemned to the temptations of my tormenting devil.
gpt
His tormenting devil! that's what I am,
human
And what fate awaits you? continued the knight;
gpt
No, no! Death rather!
human
My plan is for you to live and be happy.
gpt
Did you not promise me to take me to a convent?
human
I thought then that I too should end my days in woe; but now I know that I am not yet a consecrated priest. Bishop Thurzo told me so to my face, and reprimanded me for usurping the name of Father. But even if I were a consecrated priest, I should still be free to change my fate. If I become a Protestant, no vow binds me any longer. _We will go to Transylvania, and adopt the Hungarian faith; you know ever so many belong to this faith, just, pious, God-fearing people; a third of the population of the country is Protestant. God will not punish us either for this._
gpt
Ah, he learned that too from me; how well he remembers!
human
We will go to distant lands, where no one has ever heard our name. _I will buy an estate where we can live in comfort._ I may become as rich as I please; look in this niche here; _here are treasures heaped up that we need only to take; all is mine_. It was left me as an inheritance by the one who hid it here in former days. I have the proof in writing. The treasure is doubly mine; on the casks of gold and silver are inscribed my family arms; the Hussites of old stole it from our castle Lietava. It is my inheritance, see there!
gpt
I can take as much of it as my shoulders can carry off.
human
I have no desire for the treasure. Who knows what curse is resting there!
gpt
I too am willing to renounce it. Then we will go away poor, _and we will journey to some poor little village, whose church tower is surmounted with a weather-vane; you shall be the wife of a poor Calvinist pastor, and take care of your own kitchen and vegetable garden_. A thatched roof shall be our shelter, and happiness shall dwell within.
human
These words, too, did I put into his mouth.
gpt
How beautiful it would be, sighed the maiden,
human
All can be real, if you will but say yes.
gpt
Ah, do not tempt me! Already have I gone so far that I can no longer cast a stone at any sinful woman. I am the most sinful of all. I have allowed myself to be overpersuaded--not by you so much as by my own heart--at night, and Sunday night too--when all good people are asleep, to steal out of the house, God's house, the church I chose for a meeting place with you! I have drawn the veil over my face in the presence of men, and drawn it aside in the presence of the saints. I am more sinful than the Lady of Madocsany, for I do what she only meditates. I come here under the cloak of innocence.
human
I swear to you, you are more holy than the saints there on the wall. If your soul condemns you because you only half-love, quiet it by saying that you love me wholly.
gpt
What would you have me do?
human
Follow me now,--this very moment. The way of escape is open. _In the summer-house of Madocsany Castle are two horses saddled, the key is in the rear gate_; we can escape unnoticed. When the morning dawns, and our escape is discovered, we shall be beyond the mountains.
gpt
My own plan of flight.
human
Leave me, for Heaven's sake, tempt me not. A week to consider.
gpt
No, no!
human
One day then at least, to consider this whole plan of yours. If I am to turn aside from God and all the saints, let me at least finish weeping in their presence; let me tell them why it is I love you more than Heaven.
gpt
Ah, you too know that? And yet you did not learn it from me!
human
Let me go back for a day--just for one day--I must take leave of the memory of my mother, must beg her gentle picture for forgiveness, must collect my few relics, set free my poor little dove, and once more kiss the hand that has so often abased me, but that I still bless. I cannot go with you until I have kissed my father's hand for the last time.
gpt
Very well, it shall be so; but promise me that you will come again to-morrow.
human
By my eternal happiness, I will come.
gpt
And follow me out into the world?
human
God pardon me for what I am doing!
gpt
And so I let you go. God be with you.
human
Accompany me with your light back into the church; now that I am sinful, I am afraid of the darkness of the church.
gpt
I wish you a pleasant journey, you turtle-doves! You can go out past the two bears, and that third one, your father. I send kind greetings to all three.