Her eyes drooped. Her hands fumbled for the bal.u.s.trade as if seeking a support, then the next moment she turned, and leaving her basket in the lurch, scampered off, as if driven by furies.
"Strange creature!" he muttered, as he looked after her. "I must be kinder to her. She deserves it." Then he leant over the bal.u.s.trade again, and gazing into the silver water fancied he saw growing there a garden of lilies and crimson roses.
CHAPTER IX
Lieutenant Merckel was far from being pleased at the course events had taken on the day of the funeral. He called the Schrandeners poltroons and old women, and declared they were unworthy ever to have worn the king"s uniform.
When some one ventured to ask why he had not shown himself in it to the procession, and had left the mob leaderless at a critical moment, he replied that that was a different matter altogether: he was an officer, and as such bound only to draw his sword in the service of the king.
The Schrandeners, not accustomed to logical argument, accepted the explanation, and promised to retrieve their reputation the next time the opportunity offered itself. But this did not satisfy Felix Merckel.
"Father," he said, late one evening when the old landlord was counting the cash taken during the day, "I can"t bear to think that scoundrelly cur holds the rank of Royal Prussian officer as I do. I am ashamed to have served with him. Our army doesn"t want to be a.s.sociated with people like him. It drags the c.o.c.kade through the gutter, not to speak of the sword-knot. I know what I"ll do; I"ll call him out and shoot him."
He stretched his legs on the settle, twisting his cavalry moustache with a bland smile. The old man let fall, in horrified dismay, a handful of silver that he was counting, and the coins rolled away into the cracks of the floor.
"Felixchen," he said, "you really mustn"t drink so much of that Wacholder brandy. It"s good enough for customers, but you, Felixchen, shall have a bottle of light wine to-morrow, and perhaps some of them will follow your example, and so it won"t cost me anything."
"Father, you are mistaken," Felix answered. "It"s my outraged sense of honour that gives me no peace. I am a German lad, father, and a brave officer. I can"t stand the stain on my calling any longer."
"Felixchen," said the old man, "go to bed, my son, and you"ll get over it."
"Father," replied his son, "I am sorry to have to say it, but you have no conception of what honour is."
"Felixchen," went on the old man, ignoring the taunt, "you haven"t enough occupation. If you would only look after the bottles--of course the barmaid is there for the purpose--but it would do you good. It would distract your thoughts. Or you might go out shooting sometimes."
"Where?"
"Lord bless my soul! there are the woods and forest of Schranden.
Whether the hares devour each other, or you annex your share of them, is all the same."
"That won"t do for me, father. I am an officer, and don"t wish to be caught poaching."
"Good gracious, Felixchen, how you talk! Do you forget that I am magistrate here. I am not likely to sentence you to the gallows.
But do as you like, my boy. Of course you _might_ go oftener to the parsonage. The old pastor enjoys a game of chess; there"s nothing to be gained by chess, I know, but some people seem to like it, and then there"s--Helene."
"Ah, Helene!" said Felix, stroking his chin and looking flattered.
The old man examined the artificial fly in the centre of his amber heart.
"I have a strong notion that she would be a good match if the pastor consented, and she liked you."
"Why shouldn"t she like me?" asked Felix.
"Well, there might be some one else who----"
Felix smiled sceptically.
"Or do you mean that she has already set her heart on you?"
Felix shrugged his shoulders.
"You see, Felixchen, that would be a great piece of good fortune for us. People are constantly carping at the way in which they think I acquired my bit of money--without the smallest ground of course. If only the pastor gave you his daughter as wife, it would stop their mouths once for all. A man like Pastor Gotz has great weight and influence. Well then, as I said, it"s worth while your hanging about there a little. Court her, and a fellow like you is sure----"
"Dear father, spare me your advice, if you please," interrupted his son. "Whether Helene becomes my wife or not, is my own affair. I have not yet made up my mind. She has a pretty enough little phiz, but she is too thin. She might be fattened up with advantage. Then there"s something old-maidish about her, something sharp and prudish that I don"t quite fancy. For instance, if you put your arm round her waist she says, "Ah, dear Herr Lieutenant, how you frightened me!" and wriggles away. And if you squeeze her arm, by Jokus, she screams out directly, "Oh, dear Herr Lieutenant, don"t do that, I"ve got such a delicate skin." Of course that"s all airs and affectation, and perhaps if a man caught hold of her firmly and didn"t give in, she"d allow herself to be kissed at last; but as I say, I have not made up my mind, so don"t build too much on it."
The old landlord, who with deft hand was rolling up his sovereigns in paper, looked proudly across at this magnificent son of his. Then he became anxious again.
"And you won"t think any more about the duel, eh, Felixchen? That"s all nonsense.... You wouldn"t go and risk your life so recklessly as that."
Felix threw back his chest. "In affairs of honour, father, please don"t interfere, for you know nothing about them. Directly I can find a respectable second----"
"What is that, Felixchen?"
"Why, the man who"ll take the challenge."
"Where--to Boleslav?"
"Of course."
"To the island?"
"To the island."
"But, Felixchen, what are you thinking about? No Christian dare set foot on the island. It swarms with wolf-traps, bombs, and other deadly instruments. Look at Hackelberg; he was caught in one, and limps to this day--but never mention it. It mustn"t come out that Hackelberg was ever on the island. Do you see?... As I was saying, you wouldn"t get any one to go on such a dangerous errand--or to come in contact with such a man as that. No, my boy, think no more about it There"s nothing to be gained by it."
"But I _will_ challenge him all the same to meet me here," growled Felix.
The old man contemplated him with the greatest concern for a few moments, then rose, filled a liqueur-gla.s.s with peppermint-schnaps, and brought it over to him.
"Drink it up, Felixchen," he said, "it"ll soothe you." Felix obeyed.
"Leave the matter in the hands of your good, honest old father. Trust him to find in the night some other means of satisfying your so-called sense of honour. Good-night, Felixchen."
"The good, honest old father" had not promised more than he was able to perform.
The next morning, when he met his son at the breakfast table, he asked in an accent of benevolent sympathy--
"Well, Felixchen, have you slept off all those silly notions?"
Felix grew angry. "I told you, father, that on that subject you were----"
"Totally ignorant! Very good, my boy. But I want to be clear on one point. Is it with the Baron von Schranden that you propose to fight a duel, or with Lieutenant Baumgart?"
Felix did not answer at once. A suspicion of what his father was darkly hinting, dawned on him.