"Thank heaven, now we are left to ourselves, and can go to the dance!"
said Molly, rising to lead the way.
"What! among the peasants?" Alice asked, in alarm.
"In their very midst," the young wife undauntedly replied. "Do not look so horrified. You ought to thank G.o.d that your duenna has the headache, for else she never would have let you go. Benno, offer your arm to Fraulein Nordheim."
Benno looked equally horrified at this command; but Molly had taken possession of her husband, and Waltenberg had given his arm to Erna, so there was nothing for it but to obey.
"Fraulein Nordheim,--will you allow me?" he asked, timidly.
Alice hesitated a moment, but then, either tempted by the gaiety outside, or induced by the timid address, she smiled, and took the offered arm, to follow the others, who had already left the garden.
The pair walked slowly; the doctor was a rather mute cavalier: he hardly spoke, but looked with shy admiration at the young girl beside him, who did not, however, seem to him half so unapproachable and distinguished as she had been on their first interview. She looked graceful and simple in her light-blue muslin and her flower-trimmed straw hat; it was just the frame for her face, if only the face were not so pale. She was apparently somewhat afraid of the crowd, and when loud shouting was heard from the dancing floor she paused, and looked up timidly at her escort.
"Are you afraid, Fraulein Nordheim?" he asked. "Then let us go back."
Alice shook her head, and replied, in an undertone, "I am unused to it; but I do not believe the people are really rude."
"Indeed they are not!" Benno declared. "There is nothing to fear from our Wolkensteiners,--that I can testify, having lived as long as I have among them."
"Yes, for five years, Wolfgang tells me. How have you managed it?"
The question was put in a tone of such compa.s.sion that Benno smiled: "Oh, it is not so terrible as you suppose. It is, to be sure, a lonely life, and at times a laborious one, but it has its pleasures."
"Pleasures?" Alice repeated, dubiously, raising her large brown eyes to his, which so confused the doctor that he forgot to reply.
Suddenly there was a movement among the crowd: they perceived Reinsfeld for the first time,--for on his arrival he had come through the inn,--and instantly a circle was formed about him. "The Herr Doctor!
Our Herr Doctor! Here he is!" resounded from all sides, while twenty, thirty heads were bared, and as many brown hands were stretched out to the young physician. Old and young thronged about him eager for a word or a look or to bid "G.o.d bless" him. There was an outburst of enthusiasm at sight of their "doctor."
Reinsfeld glanced with some anxiety at his companion,--he feared she might be annoyed by these stormy demonstrations; but Alice seemed, on the contrary, to enjoy them; she clung rather closer to his arm, but she looked unusually happy and interested.
No sooner did the doctor explain that the young lady wished to look on at the dance than all began eagerly to arrange a place for her. The entire crowd about the doctor accompanied them to the dancing-floor; the rows of spectators were ruthlessly parted asunder, a chair was brought, and a few moments later Alice was seated in the midst of all the joyous tumult of St. John"s day, and the st.u.r.dy mountaineers formed a sort of _garde d"honneur_ on each side of her, taking care that the whirling couples did not fly past her close enough to brush the Fraulein"s skirt. There was a certain rude chivalry in the way in which they arranged the place for the companion of their doctor.
"The people seem very fond of you," said Alice. "I did not imagine that the peasantry were so devoted to their physician."
"They are not usually," was Reinsfeld"s reply. "They are apt to see in him only a man who costs them money, and they try not to avail themselves of his help. But the relation between the Wolkensteiners and myself is exceptional. We have gone through some hard times together, and they give me credit for not leaving them in the lurch, and for going indiscriminately to every one who needs me, even although the poor wretch have only a "G.o.d bless you!" by way of fee. There is a great deal of poverty among the people, and it is impossible to think only of one"s self; at least I have found it so."
"Yes, that I know," Alice interposed, with unusual vivacity. "You did not think of yourself when a better position was offered you. Wolfgang mentioned that during your visit the other day."
As she referred to it Benno coloured slightly: "Do you really remember that remark of his? Yes, Wolf was very much provoked with me at the time, and I suppose he was right. The position was undoubtedly a good one, in a hospital in one of our large cities, and by a lucky chance I was preferred beyond any of my colleagues; but the condition attached was that I should report myself at the election, and enter immediately upon the duties of my office."
"And you had patients here in the village who were very ill at the time?"
"Not only here, but everywhere throughout the district. Diphtheria had broken out, and the children brought home contagion from school. One or two were lying ill in almost every house, and most of the cases were very serious, for the epidemic was particularly virulent,--and just when it was at its height the place was offered me! The nearest physician lived half a day"s journey away, and my distinguished colleagues in Heilborn do not come up to the lonely farms through storm and snow,--it would cost the people too dear. I delayed my departure from day to day, and Wolfgang kept urging me, but I _could_ not go.
Hansel, come here!"
He beckoned to a boy of about six who had worked his way to the front and stood looking on delightedly at the dancers. He was a st.u.r.dy little fellow, with flaxen hair and a fresh, chubby face. He obeyed the call instantly, very proud to be summoned by the doctor, and looked up confidingly at the young lady to whom he was presented.
"Look at this fellow, Fraulein Nordheim," Reinsfeld went on; "he does not look as if, eight months ago, he lay very nearly dying, does he? He is the grandson of old Seppel, who used to be at Wolkenstein Court, and he has a little sister who was at the point of death also. Those two decided the matter! Just as I had resolved to set out, Sepp came to me on a stormy night; the old man cried bitterly, and the mother, a young peasant-woman, wailed out, "Do not go, Herr Doctor! If you leave us the boy will die, and the girl too." I knew better than they did the need in which they stood of medical aid, and there were others too who needed me sorely. This poor little rogue struggled so with the frightful disease, and looked up at me with such beseeching eyes, as if I were absolutely the Almighty,--and I stayed. I could not find it in my heart to leave the poor little things to suffer just that I might feather my own nest. I sent word, to be sure, why I was obliged to delay, but the gentlemen in authority in could not wait, of course; there were many other applicants, and one of them got the position."
"And you?" Alice asked, gently.
"I? Well, Fraulein Nordheim, I never repented it, for I brought most of my little patients through, and since then the Wolkensteiners have been willing to go through fire and water to serve me."
Alice made no rejoinder; she looked up for a moment at the man who related all this so simply and as if it were quite a matter of course that he should relinquish his future, and then she drew little Hansel towards her and gently kissed the boy"s rosy cheek. There was something inexpressibly tender in the act, and Benno"s eyes sparkled as he was conscious of the silent recognition thus conveyed.
"Well, Benno, are you receiving the homage of the a.s.sembled populace?"
cried Molly, approaching with her husband; and Gersdorf added, with a laugh,--
"Yes, it was really a triumphal procession that escorted Fraulein Nordheim and yourself to the dancing-floor. Pray allow us some share of your popularity."
Waltenberg and Erna soon joined them, and the entire party made themselves comfortable in a corner of the dancing-floor. Poor Frau von Lasberg little dreamed what were the consequences of her headache.
Alice, her charge, who had been so carefully shielded from every noise, from all undesirable a.s.sociation,--Alice was sitting close beside the ear-splitting music of the rural orchestra, in the midst of the shouts and whoops of the dancers, whose nail-shod soles stamped out the time amid the whirling dust, and, strange to say, she was extremely well entertained. There was a faint flush on her pale cheek, her eyes had lost their weary expression and beamed with pleasure, and Benno Reinsfeld was standing beside her chair, prouder and happier than he had ever been in his life before, conducting himself like the very pink of courtesy. Verily, it was a day of signs and wonders!
The doctor"s popularity, however, had its drawbacks, as was soon to appear. Little Hansel had been summoned by his mother with an air of mystery from the dancing-floor to be intrusted with an important mission. Old Sepp had brought from the Nordheim villa the intelligence that Fraulein von Thurgau and the foreign gentleman from Heilborn were either already betrothed or were going to be, and that they were only waiting for the president"s return to have their betrothal publicly announced. The young peasant-woman, Seppel"s daughter, who had also been a servant at Wolkenstein Court until her marriage, and still cherished a loyal allegiance to its former mistress, was quite beside herself with joy at sight of her beloved Fraulein, to whom she proudly presented her two children. Hansel was now to repeat the St. John"s verse to the betrothed pair, and, accompanied by his sister, to present to them the bunch of flowers which obliged those receiving it to dance together. The Fraulein knew the old custom and would be delighted to comply with it with her "schatz." From the fresh bouquet of Alpine flowers which decorated the inn parlour the finest were selected, and a rehearsal hurriedly took place, in which Hansel had sustained with great credit the part which he was now to play in public.
There was a pause in the dancing, and the music was silent as Hansel again made his appearance on the floor, one hand full of Alpine flowers, while with the other he led along his little sister, who carried a nosegay equally large. With much gravity he advanced, as he had been instructed to do, towards the group of ladies and gentlemen; but the directions given him could not have been sufficiently clear, for the two children marched straight up to Alice and the doctor, and offered them the flowers, while Hansel began to recite his verse.
"Gracious, Hansel, those are not the right ones!" his mother cried in a loud whisper, but Hansel was not to be deterred. For him there was but one "right one," and that was the Herr Doctor, with the young lady beside him. So he went bravely through his verse, and ended with emphasis,--
"Do not refuse it,-- Our offering of flowers, And midsummer"s blessings Fall on you in showers."
Alice, surprised, graciously accepted the bouquet which the little girl held out to her, but Benno, who understood the significance of the little comedy, was overwhelmed with embarra.s.sment.
"But, my boy,--my little girl, what are you thinking of?" he exclaimed, trying to turn the children aside. Hansel, however, stood his ground st.u.r.dily and thrust his nosegay into the doctor"s hand.
"Ah, take his flowers," Alice said, in entire unconsciousness. "What does it all mean?"
"It is the ancient St. John"s blessing," Erna explained, smiling, "and the flowers mean that you positively must dance with the doctor, Alice; I am afraid there is no help for it."
"Oh, this is delightful!" Molly cried, clapping her hands. "Of course; Benno must dance by all means."
Poor Reinsfeld was in despair, but Waltenberg and Gersdorf laughingly insisted, and even Erna, who probably guessed, from the young peasant-wife"s face, the state of the case, entered into the jest. "You need only go once round the floor, Alice," she said. "Comply with the old custom; you will offend the people if you refuse their doctor, of whom they think so much, the dance to which, in their opinion, he has a right. It would be to reject the midsummer blessing which they so kindly invoke for you."
Alice did not seem for her part to think the custom a very strange one; she merely smiled on perceiving the young physician"s intense embarra.s.sment, and, turning to him, said, in an undertone,--
"We must comply with their wish, Herr Doctor; do you not think so?"
Poor Benno, who had never danced save at these rural festivals, fairly grew giddy at these words.
"Fraulein Nordheim--would you?" he asked.
In reply Alice arose and took his arm. Those standing about, who thought it all a matter of course, made room, the music struck up, and in another moment the couple were whirling away.
Meanwhile, Frau von Lasberg was feeling much better,--the cool quiet of the secluded apartment had really done her good; she came rustling in great majesty to the door of the inn, where, to her intense annoyance, she found her egress barred by a crowd of people, among whom were Gronau with Said and Djelma, and the host and hostess. All were stretching their necks to gaze towards the dancing-floor, which could be seen very easily from the top of the inn steps, and where something remarkable seemed to be going on.