She remained grumpy for two more days. It was the longest she could keep her bad mood. She was always so gay and active that she couldn't allow herself prolongued rages. At the end of the week she was almost forgotten about the incident and Herr Reiss. She got her smile back. She returned to her hobbies. Though Isabella wasn't a very romantic person she liked to walk in her garden at the end of the afternoon and gaze at the sunset almost everyday. Even she couldn't resist the beauty of the garden when it was spread with golden light, for it was one of the most charming gardens in Vienna. Under the twilight it was dreamy. Isabella would walk along the marble brick road from the house to a little bench over a pink marble fountain at the edge of the garden, which was directly turned to west, so she could see the sun setting perfectly from that position. It was her favorite bench.
One day as she sat there contemplating the golden-reddish sun surrounded by darkness and looking at the stars that were already peeping on the sky she heard a voice coming from the front door and knew they had visitors. She tried to recognize the voice. She shook her head. It was Herr Heine. He would surely bring his daughter Alice, which she hated terribly. Herr Streicher was surely asking them to stay for dinner. It was going to be a very long evening. Alice and her father were the most boring people that Isabella ever knew. She sighed as she heard Johanna calling her and slowly walked toward the house with resignation.
She found Johanna in the living room. The last ran to her and said very cheerfully in a confidential tone "Herr Heine is here."
"How thrilling!" said Isabella coldly.
"Herr Reiss is with him. Uncle wants to ask them for dinner so he can have the chance to talk to him and ask him to play in our party next Saturday. Wouldn't it be wonderful? A great virtuoso like Ludwig Gottfried Reiss playing in our house for our party?"
Reiss...? The name ran around Isabella's head and the little works in her mind began to turn trying to remember where she had heard it before. It came to her memory like a lightening. So he had the impertinence of showing around her house. Well, it was time to take her revenge. Before Johanna had finished her speech Isabella ran upstairs to fix her hair and put her make up on. She wasn't about to let him ignore her again. If he was to stay for dinner she would have the chance to talk to him and put her most delightful charms on display. He wasn't going to escape this time.
For some strange reason, all her enchantment seemed not to work with him. He was completely deaf, blind and insensitive. He had hardly looked at her and said something nice, then turned all his attention to her father, Herr Heine and, worst of all, to Johanna. He spent the whole dinner talking to her, and even asked her for a picnic lunch for the next day. Isabella felt she was turning scarlet with rage. She could have accepted the fact that he just didn't care for her because he was a woman-hater, but the fact that he did care for Johanna was too much. She couldn't take it.
So she spent the whole evening looking angrily at Herr Reiss while she stayed alone, apart, having to take an endless conversation with the insufferable Alice Heine, whom she hated since childhood.
Her pride was hurt. She was indignated. The day after she managed to seem so lonely, bored and depressed that Johanna felt pity on her and asked her to go along with them for the picnic. They had to take their maid with them whenever they were going out, and, specially, when they were going with a man, which was really upsetting for Isabella now. She wished she could go alone with him instead of having two girls beside her all the time. The picnic didn't go any better than the party and the dinner. He didn't have eyes or ears if not for Johanna. Even the maid got more attention than she did. The only sign of sweet manner was when she asked him to play for them in their next party and he had answered that he would gladly do everything she asked him.
This unexpected gallantry from him gave Isabella the feeling that she was finally winning and she decided to finish her business with him that very Saturday at the party. So, she thought, it was better to get rid of Johanna for a while. She stole a medicine from the medicine-chest and poured it into Johanna's juice at breakfast and that afternoon the poor girl was feeling so sick that she couldn't get out of bed.
This way she made sure that Ludwig was not going to ignore her for Johanna since she was no longer on her way. She should see that Ludwig wouldn't even remember her the whole soirée. Now it was her time to impress him and undertake her revenge against him breaking his heart.
When she entered the great dance room and saw Ludwig, as usual, standing before the large window contemplating the dark night, she walked toward him and a very strange feeling, like a slight excitement seemed to lit inside of her. Before she had said a word to him he said "Isabella Streicher," and turned around to meet her.
"How did you know it was me?" she asked surprised.
"Suddenly I felt the room illuminating and I thought it could be no one else." Well, that was going more like she had expected. She displayed her most enchanting grin as she twisted her large eyes, pretending to blush behind her fan. "You're very kind," she said in her sweetest voice.
"Where's your cousin?" A dark cloud fell over her face as she heard the question. She lowered her eyes to hide their furious expression, and, trying to appear sad she whispered "She's not feeling well. She won't be able to attend to the party."
"I'm so sorry to hear that." Isabella felt her blood boil with rage, for those words sounded very sincere; much more that sheer politely. He could spend the whole night just talking about Johanna, so she decided that the best way to get his attention was pretending she didn't noticed him. The first hour she ran from a guest to another, talking and laughing, hoping to awake a twinge of jealousy in that cold and serious gentleman. But when she turned her eyes to him to see the effect her indifference had had on him, she saw him very calmly talking to her father, completely unaware of what she was doing, forgotten of her presence.
During the recital Reiss performed again some sonatas and though she tried to ignore him, the music impressed her again so much that she was almost touched by it. Then he played something of his own. She didn't know he was a composer too. But she was determined to hate this music and say to herself that he was a terrible composer and a terrible musician. The sonata, though, was slow and sad, very melancholic, so sweet that it almost didn't sound like earthy music. She felt angry when she noticed her eyes were wet and reproached herself for letting him rise her emotion.
She saw him coming toward her, but he talked to her father instead. "I must congratulate you, Herr Reiss. The music was splendid. What do you think, daughter?"
"Yeah, beautiful," Isabella replied harshly without rising her eyes.
"Why, are you crying, Isabella? Was it too sad for you?"
"Pathetic," said she, her voice hardening even more.
"It's the sound of a broken heart. A lonely soul that seeks for love and never gets it. A love that seems so lofty that makes him wander in the darkness forever without reaching it." His words left her out of breath. That was the last thing she was expecting to hear from him. She was almost thinking that he wasn't even human enough as to love any woman, but now, hearing him reveal his soul to her she realized that he was talking about her. He was in love with her and was confessing his love with music. She didn't know what to answer... but then another thought crossed her mind and made her shake with rage and indignation. It might not be her he was talking about. It might be Johanna.
While other people talked to Ludwig and expressed their emotion for his sonata, she slipped unnoticed to the garden and sat on her bench to think and try to understand the enigma about this strange music. She wondered what this dark German mind could be hiding. She couldn't take those slow, sad notes out of her ears. She thought she could even hear them again, sounding around her in the night. For the first time someone impressed, touched and disconcerted her all at once.
But she had failed again. He didn't notice her, he didn't care for her. It was he who was winning. For the first time things weren't turning out the way she wanted them. He was a man she couldn't control. A new, unknown, strange and burning feeling was appearing in her heart; a feeling that she had never felt for anyone, but now was scorching her soul, making her stay awake at night and writhe in her bed: jealousy. She was jealous of Johanna.
Her father had arranged that Ludwig was to be Johanna's music teacher and he was to come every Tuesday afternoon. Johanna was to see him every week. Johanna was to have all of his attention just for her. Johanna was to spend a whole hour alone with him in the music room. Johanna was to show her charms and take him away from her. Johanna lit her jealousy. A jealousy more burning than hell's fire itself; more torturing that red-hot iron on her skin. Not knowing how to release her anger she cried on her pillow, choking with sobs of rage and hurt pride. She would think of how Ludwig had overlooked her beauty and Johanna had defeated her. None of them was to get along with that. She just wasn't going to give up.
Ludwig went to her house each Tuesday at five. The first call Isabella locked up in her room and walked back and forth like a wild animal in a cage, listening to the music lesson that came from below. The first three weeks she spent the time hidden in her room. Refused to go out, refused even to say hello to the guest. And then, spent the whole night grouchy, listening to Johanna talking about Ludwig; about how smart he was, about the great teacher he was, about the perfect gentleman he was, while Isabella clenched her fists and gnashed her teeth forcing a smile and pretending not to care about Johanna's trivial chatter.
Each Tuesday Isabella would stay in her window, spying Ludwig's arrival. She waited the whole afternoon until she saw him coming on his splendid black horse, always very well dressed; and then she would see him walk very elegantly to the door. A few minutes later the music would start. Isabella rested her head on her hands, bad-tempered and she counted the minutes until the lesson was over.
Sometimes Johanna or Herr Streicher would ask Ludwig to stay for dinner. Then Isabella would take the chance to put her prettiest features on display, but it always ended up the same: Ludwig was deaf and blind for her beauty and she would stay up all night crying out her rage.
The though that he could be in love with Johanna was so alarming that she started spying them during the classes. One day, as she stood with her ear stuck to the door as usual, Rutger passed by the living room and saw her.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Shut up and go away!" she replied harshly.
"Why are you spying?"
"Hush, idiot! They're going to hear you."
"Do you want to know what they're doing in there? Do you think they're in love or something?"
"Silence!" she said irritated.
Rutger made a mocking face "Are you jealous of Johanna?"
"Jealous?" she said bitterly making a contemptuous pout "Jealous? I don't even know what this means!"
"Do you think I didn't notice how you've been chasing him in vain for weeks?" she opened her mouth in amazement. "Oh, don't look at me like that, dear sister. I know you. I know your little games. I'll tell you this: you better leave him alone before you make a fool of yourself."
"Every single man I've known had fallen in love with me", she began, her voice trembling with indignation "And so will this one as soon as I wish. If he's not in love with me yet", stressing the word if "it is only because I haven't tried!"
"Try!" he defied her "I want to see if you make it! Face it, child. You're not as perfect as you think."
Isabella kicked the floor angrily and walked away, crying "Shut up!" no longer caring to be heard all over the house. She rushed up the stairs while she cried again "Soon you'll see how he comes to me begging for my smiles, asking for my attention like a lonely puppy and I'll have him under my thumb to use him as my toy, my amusement... You'll see it with your own eyes... and you're going to swallow your words!"
"Get down from your pedestal!" he yelled after her. She turned her back at him and pretended not to hear. She hated Rutger in order to feel herself hated by him. As she never received anything but adoration from everyone, in her girlish mind she thought that anyone who didn't adorate her like a goddess simply hated her. Rutger loved her, in his own way, but Isabella had never been able to understand this kind of love. According to her scheme, her brother hated her and she returned this sentiment, for hatred was the only feeling she could return to everyone.
One rainy afternoon she stayed in her room waiting for Ludwig's arrival. She wasn't sure he was coming for it was a tough day and the road was covered with mud. However she kept waiting at the window eager to see him on the doorway any moment.
She heard a horse approaching and finally saw Ludwig, soaked to the skin, but punctual as every week. Though the rain was furious, he walked to the door calmly and elegant as always. Isabella put her face on her hands touchy and waited for the music to start... Strange... Nothing happened. She heard footsteps on the stairs and knocks at her door.
"Come in." Herr Streicher appeared.
"Herr Reiss is here", he said.
"I know. He always comes. Will he stay for dinner?"
"Of course. I told him he can't leave with such weather. He will stay until the rain is calmed."
"Wonderful", she turned her eyes to the window carelessly.
"Would you mind going down and keeping his company until dinner? Johanna has a cold..." Isabella's heart jumped. She finally had her chance. Johanna was out of her way. "I'll be down in a minute", she said jumping to the mirror.
When she entered the living room he was standing near the stairs and a huge smile appeared on his face as she approached him bating her lashes.
"Isabella Streicher", said he "Once more I have the undeserved honor of enjoying your company. What else could a simple mortal like me dream of?"
"Nice as usual", said she trying to display her most lovely smile. She knew very well he never meant those compliments (at least not as she wanted) and hearing them only upset her.
"You're mighty beautiful this evening, though it isn't any strange, for you always are."
Adulator! She thought. "And you are soaked to the bones, sir. And this is strange. I didn't think you would come in a day like this."
"I wouldn't miss my appointment with your cousin for nothing in this world. I'm sorry to know she is sick. I do hope she will be well soon."
Darnit! He started talking about her already. "But tell me", she said trying to look fresh "how is your life going? When is your next recital? Come over here", she took his arm and drew him to the sofa "sit by the fire and warm up or you'll be sick too."
"I'll have a concert next week. I was coming just to invite you all. I hope you will attend to it."
Quit speaking in plural, you idiot! It is me alone you must invite! Though raging, she forced her smile again as she said softly "We won't miss it, I promise."
"You should attend one of our lessons. You'd be surprised of Johanna's progress."
Beast! Monster! Pachyderm! Can't you forget about her for five minutes? Isabella felt her anger heating up. "I hear them from upstairs" she said, struggling with her vanishing smile.
"She is a really wonderful player." I think I'm going to beat you up, she thought as her smile turned icy. She replied "It's just that you're a great teacher."
"And how about you, Isabella? How are you doing in your pretty fancy world?"
High time for you to remember me, scoundrel. Her smile came back, "Boring", she said trying to appear natural. "I'm sure my conversation is not too amusing for you", he said. Well, it took you too long to realize it. "So I won't bore you any longer" he went on " If you excuse me, I have some business to discuss with your father." he bowed and went away quickly, leaving her alone and steaming. It was incredible! She couldn't keep his attention. He slipped through her fingers like water. He ran away from her and she didn't know how to retain him.
She ran to her bedroom, choking with rage. She refused to go down for dinner. She felt old and defeated. Her pride was hurt. Her charm was gone. She couldn't conquer Ludwig and surely, she will never conquer anyone else from now on. Maybe Rutger was right. Isabella was confused and hurt like she'd never been before.
She was disconcerted by Ludwig's rejection. She was disconcerted by her jealousy to Johanna. She was disconcerted by a strange new feeling of insecurity peeping inside her.
Something was not quite right there. She had always been able to subjugate men so easily and never thought of them. Now Ludwig was out of her reach and she couldn't get him off her mind.
She would think of him every day, the whole week while she counted the days for his call. She thought of his talk, his voice, his look, his movements, she would review each detail of his visits looking for a signal of triumph but all seemed to point out that he was a lost cause.
Then she would dream on and start thinking of his musical talent, his manners, his coolness and serenity...She spent hours at her window picturing him coming riding his horse and walking to the door with his elegant walk.
Then she would dream even farther and pictured how it would be to have him in love with her. She pictured him telling her of her beauty, her grace, her charm... While she would turn her eyes away coldly. He would try to kiss her and she would refuse. He would ask for her hand and she would laugh at him...He would suffer for her rejection. Yes, he would suffer for her. And she was to enjoy it very much.
Before each interview she would dream of her triumph. After he was gone she locked up in her room and cried her eyes out. Each time they attended to any recital or concert she promised herself firmly that she wouldn't let him impress her, but each note he played made her cry. She hated to realize that she was being so emotional when she always tried to be cool and indifferent.
Herr Streicher was very fond of Ludwig and he would invite him to all the parties. Isabella couldn't stand being ignored like that so at each party, as soon as she noticed he didn't pay any attention to her, she would sneak out to the garden and sit on her favorite bench to desahogate her disappointment.
