And there"s Brasig coming out of the arbor. He must want to speak to me about something--but it"s a very odd thing altogether!"
Mrs. Behrens went down the garden path with Brasig feeling ready for anything that might befall. She opened the garden-gate and went out alone, leaving Brasig squatted under the hedge like a great toad, but no sooner was she by herself than her courage oozed away, and she said: "Come to the ditch with me, Brasig, you"re too far away there, and must be close at hand to help me when I"ve caught him." "All right!" said Brasig, and he accompanied her to the ditch.
Ca.n.a.l-like ditches such as this are no longer to be found in all the country-side, for the thorough system of drainage to which the land has been subjected has done away with their use; but every farmer will remember them in the old time. They were from fifteen to twenty feet wide at the top, but tapered away till quite narrow at the bottom, and were fringed with thorns and other bushwood. They were generally dry except in spring and autumn, when there was a foot or a foot and half of water in them, or in summer for a day or two after a thunder-storm. That was the case now. "Brasig hide yourself behind that thorn so that you may come to the rescue at once." "Very well," said Brasig. "But, Mrs.
Behrens," he continued after a pause, "you must think of a signal to call me to your help." "Yes," she said. "Of course! But what shall it be? Wait! when I say: _"The Philistines be upon thee,"_ spring upon him." "I understand, Mrs. Behrens!"
"Goodness gracious me!" thought the clergyman"s wife.
[Ill.u.s.tration: BETWEEN DANCES BENJAMIN VAUTIER]
"I feel as if I were quite a Delilah. Going to a _rendezvous_ at half past eight in the evening! At my age too! Ah me, in my old age I"m going to do what I should have been ashamed of when I was a girl." Then aloud.
"Brasig don"t puff so loud any one could hear you a mile off." Resuming her soliloquy: "And all for the sake of a boy, a mischievous wretch of a boy. Good gracious! If my pastor knew what I was about!" Aloud. "What are you laughing at, Brasig? I forbid you to laugh, it"s very silly of you." "I didn"t laugh, Mrs. Behrens." "Yes, you _did,_ I heard you distinctly." "I only yawned, Mrs. Behrens, it"s such frightfully slow work lying here." "You oughtn"t to yawn at such a time. I"m trembling all over. Oh, you little wretch, what misery you have caused me! I can"t tell any one what you"ve made me suffer, and must just bear it in silence. It was G.o.d who sent Brasig to my help." Suddenly Brasig whispered in great excitement, his voice sounding like the distant cry of a corn-crake: "Mrs. Behrens, draw yourself out till you"re as long as Lewerenz"s child;[9] make yourself as thin as you possibly can, and put on a pretty air of confusion, for I see him coming over the crest of the hill. His figure stands out clearly against the sky." Little Mrs.
Behrens felt as if her heart had stopped beating and her anger waxed hotter against the boy who had brought her into such a false position.
She was so much ashamed of herself for being where she was, that she would most a.s.suredly have run away if Brasig had not laughed again, but as soon as she heard that laugh, she determined to stay and show him that he was engaged in a much more serious undertaking than he seemed to imagine.
It was quite true that Brasig had laughed this time, for he saw a second and then a third black figure following the first down the hill. "Ha, ha, ha!" he chuckled in his hiding-place in the thorn-bush, "there"s Charles Hawermann too! I declare the whole overseeing force of Pumpelhagen is coming down here to see how the peas are growing in the dusk of evening. It"s as good as a play!" Mrs. Behrens did not see the others, she only saw her sister"s son who was coming rapidly toward her.
He hastened over the bridge, ran along the bank, sprang to her side, and threw his arms round her neck, exclaiming: "Sweet angel!" "Oh you wicked little wretch!" cried his aunt trying to seize him in the way Brasig had desired her, but instead of that she only caught hold of the collar of his coat. Then she called out as loudly as she could: "The Philistines be upon thee!" and immediately Brasig the Philistine started to his feet. Confound it! His foot had gone to sleep! But never mind! He hopped down the bank as quickly as he could, taking into consideration that one leg felt as if it had a hundred-and-eighty pound weight attached to the end of it, but just as he was close upon his prey he tripped over a low thorn-bush and tumbled right into the foot and a half of water. And there he sat as immovably as if he had gone back to the hydropathic establishment, and were in the enjoyment of a sitz-bath! Fred stood as if he had been turned to stone, and felt as though he were suffering from a douche-bath, for his dear aunt was clutching him tightly and scolding him to her heart"s content: "The dragon has caught you now my boy! Yes, the dragon has caught you!" "And here comes the a.s.s," shouted Brasig picking himself out of the water and running toward him. But Fred had now recovered from his astonishment. He shook himself free from his aunt, and darting up the bank would have escaped had he not at the same moment encountered a new enemy--Frank. In another second Hawermann had joined them, and Mrs. Behrens had scarcely recovered from the shock of seeing him, when her pastor came up, and said: "What"s the matter, Regina? What does all this mean?" The poor little lady"s consternation was indescribable, but Brasig, from whose clothes the water was running in streams, was too angry to hold his tongue, and exclaimed: "You confounded rascal! You gray-hound!" giving Fred a hearty dig in the ribs as he spoke. "It"s all your fault that I shall have another attack of gout. But now, I"ll tell you what, every one shall know what a d----d Jesuit you are. Hawermann, he * * *" "For G.o.d"s sake," cried Mrs.
Behrens, "don"t attend to a single word that Brasig says. Hawermann, Mr.
von Rambow, the whole thing is ended and done with. It"s all over now, and what has still to be done or said can quite well be managed by my pastor alone; it"s a family matter and concerns no one but ourselves.
Isn"t that the case, my dear Fred? It"s merely a family matter I a.s.sure you, and no one has anything to do with it but we two. But now, come away, my boy, we"ll tell my pastor all about it. Good-night, Mr. von Rambow. Good-night, Hawermann, Fred will soon follow you. Come away, Brasig, you must go to bed at once."
And so she managed to disperse the a.s.sembly. The two who were left in ignorance of what had happened, went home separately, shaking their heads over the affair. Hawermann was indignant with his two young people, and put out because he was to have no explanation of their conduct. Frank was mistrustful of everyone; he had recognized Louisa"s hat and shawl in spite of the darkness, and thought that the mystery must have something to do with her, though how he was unable to conjecture.
Fred was much cast down in spirit. The clergyman and his wife went on in front of him, and the latter told her husband the whole story from beginning to end, scolding her hopeful nephew roundly the whole time.
The procession moved on toward the parsonage, and as the evil-doer guessed that a bad half-hour awaited him there, he had serious thoughts of making his escape while it was possible, but Brasig came as close up to him as if he had known what he was thinking of, and that only made him rage and chafe the more inwardly. When Brasig asked Mrs. Behrens who it was that had come up in the nick of time, and she had answered that it was Frank, Triddelfitz stood still and shaking his fist in the direction of Pumpelhagen, said fiercely "I am betrayed, and _she_ will be sold, sold to that man because of his rank and position!" "Boy!"
cried Mrs. Behrens, "will you hold your tongue!" "Hush, Regina," said her husband, who had now a pretty good idea of what had taken place, "now please go in and see that Brasig"s room is prepared, and get him sent to bed as quickly as you can. I will remain here and speak to Fred."
This was done. The parson appealed to Fred"s common sense, but his sense of injury far exceeded that other, and his spirit seethed and boiled like wine in the process of fermentation. He put aside all the clergyman"s gentle arguments, and declared pa.s.sionately that his own aunt had determined to destroy the whole happiness of his life, and that she cared more for the rich aristocrat than for her sister"s son.
Within the house matters were going on in the same unsatisfactory manner; uncle Brasig refused to go to bed in spite of all Mrs. Behren"s entreaties. "I can"t," he said, "that is to say, I can, but I musn"t do it; for I must go to Rexow. I had a letter from Mrs. Nussler saying that she wanted my help." The same yeast which had caused Fred to seethe and boil over was working in him, but more quietly, because it had been a part of his being for a longer time. At last, however, he was persuaded to go to bed as a favor to Mrs. Behrens, and from fear of bringing on an attack of gout by remaining in his wet things, but his thoughts were as full of anxious affection for Mrs. Nussler as Fred"s were of love for Louisa when on leaving the parsonage he exclaimed pa.s.sionately: "Give her up, does he say! Give her up! The devil take that young sprig of the n.o.bility!"
Next day--it was Sunday morning--when Brasig awoke, he gave himself a comfortable stretch in the soft bed. "A luxury," he said to himself, "that I"ve never before enjoyed, but I suppose one would soon get accustomed to it." Just as he was about to get up the house-maid came in, and taking possession of his clothes, placed a black coat, waistcoat and pair of trousers over the back of a chair in their stead.
"Ho, ho!" he said with a laugh as he examined the black suit, "it"s Sunday, and this is a parsonage; but surely they never think that I"m going to preach today!" He lifted one article of clothing after the other curiously, and then said: "Ah! I see now, it"s because mine were wet through in the ditch last night, so they"ve given me a suit belonging to his Reverence. All right then!--here goes." But it did not go so easily after all! And as for comfort, that was totally out of the question. The trousers were a very good length, but were frightfully tight. The lower b.u.t.tons of the waistcoat could neither be coaxed nor forced into the b.u.t.ton-holes, and when he put on the coat, there was an ominous cracking somewhere between the shoulders. As for his arms, they stood out from his body as if he were prepared to press the whole world to his faithful heart on this particular Sunday.
After he was dressed he went down stairs, and joined Mrs. Behrens in the parlor. As to his legs, he looked and walked very much as he had done ever since he had received his pension; but as to the upper part of his body! Mrs. Behrens burst out laughing when she saw him, and immediately took refuge behind the breakfast table, for he advanced with his arms outstretched as if he wished to make her the first recipient of his world-embrace. "Keep away from me, Brasig!" she laughed. "If I had ever imagined that my pastor"s good clothes would have looked so ridiculous on you I"d have let you remain in bed till dinner-time, for your own things won"t be washed and dried before that." "Oh, ho!" laughed Brasig, "that was the reason you sent me these things, was it? I thought perhaps you wanted to dress me up for another _randyvoo_ today." "Now, just listen to me, Brasig!" said little Mrs. Behrens, blushing furiously. "I forbid you to make such jokes. And when you"re going about in the neighborhood--you have nothing to do now except to carry gossip from one house to another--if you ever tell any one about that wretched _rendezvous_ of last night--I"ll never speak to you again." "Mrs.
Behrens, you may trust me not to do that," here he went nearer the clergyman"s wife with both arms outstretched, and she once more retreated behind the table. "Indeed, you"ve nothing to fear. I"m not a Jesuit." "No, Brasig, you"re an old heathen, but you arn"t a Jesuit. But if you say anything about it * * * Oh me! Hawermann must be told, my pastor says so. But if he asks about it, don"t mention my name, please.
Oh, dear! If the Pomuchelskopps were ever to hear of it, I should be the most miserable of women. G.o.d knows, Brasig, that what I did, I did for the best, and for the sake of that innocent child. I"ve sacrificed myself for her." "That"s quite true," answered Brasig with conviction, "and so don"t let fretting over it give you any gray hairs. Look here.
If Charles Hawermann asks me how you came to be there, I"ll say--I"ll say--h"m!--I"ll say that you had arranged a _randyvoo_ with me." "_You!_ Fie, for shame!" "Nay, Mrs. Behrens, I don"t see that. Am I not as good as the young gray-hound any day? And don"t our ages suit better?" And as he spoke he looked as innocently surprised at her displeasure as if he had proposed the best possible way out of the difficulty. Mrs. Behrens looked at him dubiously, and then said, folding her hands on her lap: "Brasig, I"ll trust to you to say nothing you ought not to say. But Brasig--dear Brasig, do nothing absurd. And * * * and * * * come and sit down, and drink a cup of coffee." She took hold of his stiff arm and drew him to the table, much as a miller draws the sails of a windmill when he wants to set it going.
"Thank you," said Brasig. He managed to get hold of the handle of the cup after a struggle, and lifted it as if he were a juggler and the cup were at least a hundred pounds in weight, and as if he wanted to make sure that all the audience saw it properly. Then he tried to sit down, but the moment he bent his knees a horrible cracking noise was heard, and he drew himself up again hastily--whether it was the chair or the trousers that cracked he did not know. He therefore drank his coffee standing, and said: it didn"t matter, for he hadn"t time to sit down, he must go to Mrs. Nussler at once because of her letter. Mrs. Behrens implored him to wait until his clothes were dry, but in vain; Mrs.
Nussler"s slightest wish was regarded by him as a command, and was inscribed as such in the order-book of his conscience. So he set out for Rexow along the Pumpelhagen road, the long tails of his clerical garment floating behind him. His progress was as slow and difficult as that of a young rook learning to fly.
As he pa.s.sed Pumpelhagen, Hawermann saw him, and called him to stop, adding: "Bless me, Zachariah, why are you dressed so oddly?" "An accident, nothing but an accident. You remember that I fell into the muddy water in the ditch last night. But I hav"n"t time to stop now, I must go to your sister." "My sister"s business can wait better than mine, Brasig. I"ve noticed lately that a great many things are going on behind my back that I"m not wanted to know. It wouldn"t have mattered so much, but that I saw last night that both the parson and his wife are better informed than I am, and that these good people want to hide the true state of the case from me out of the kindness of their hearts."
"You"re right, Charles. It is out of kindness." "Certainly, Brasig, and I am not mistrustful of them, but I can"t help thinking that it"s something that concerns me very nearly, and that I ought to know. What were you doing yesterday evening?" "I, Charles? I was just having a _randyvoo_ with Mrs. Behrens in the ditch." "And the parson?" "We knew nothing of what brought him, Charles. He took us by surprise when he came." "What had Mr. von Rambow to do with it?" "He caught your gray-hound by the scruff of the neck, and perhaps threw me into the water by accident." "_What_ _had Fred Triddelfitz to do with it?_"
asked Hawermann impressively, "and what had Louisa"s hat and shawl got to do with it?" "Nothing more than that they didn"t fit Mrs. Behrens at all, for she"s far too stout to wear them." "Zachariah," said Hawermann, stretching his hand toward his friend over the low hedge, "you are trying to put me off. _Won"t_ you tell me what is the matter, we are such old friends--or is it that you must not tell me?" "The devil take the _randyvoo_ and Mrs. Behrens" anxiety," cried Brasig, seizing Hawermann"s hand and shaking it vehemently over the hedge and amongst the tall nettles that grew there, till the smart of the stings made them both draw back. "I"ll tell you, Charles. The parson"s going to tell you himself, so why shouldn"t I? Fred Triddelfitz fell in love with you sometime ago, most likely because of the good fatherly advice you have often given him, and now it seems his love for you has pa.s.sed on to your daughter. Love always pa.s.ses on, for example with me from your sister to Mina." "Do be serious, Brasig!" "Am I not always in earnest, Charles, when I speak of your sister and Mina?" "I am sure you are," cried Hawermann, seizing his friend"s hand again in spite of the nettles, "but, tell me, what had Frank to do with it?" "I think that he must have fallen in love with you too, and that his love has also pa.s.sed on from you to your daughter." "That would be a great pity," cried Hawermann, "a very great pity. G.o.d only knows how it"s to be stopped." "I"m not so sure, Charles, that you"re right in thinking it a misfortune, for he has two estates * * *" "Don"t talk about that, Brasig, but come in and tell me all that you know."
As soon as Brasig had told as much as he knew of the affair, he set off down the footpath that led to Rexow. Hawermann stood and watched him till he was out of sight, and then said to himself: "He"s a good man, his heart"s in the right place, and if I find that it is so, I will * *
* but * * * but * * *!" He was not thinking of Brasig when he said this, but of Frank.
[When uncle Brasig had reached Rexow, he was consulted on a matter of great consequence. Two young nephews of Joseph Nussler, G.o.dfrey Baldrian and Rudolph Kurz, had asked permission to spend the weeks before their examinations--both were students of theology--at Rexow. Should they be invited to come? G.o.dfrey was all right, a serious-minded youth, but Rudolph, although a good sort of a fellow, was frivolous, he had even fought a duel in Rostock for the sake of a merchant"s pretty daughter.
Was there any danger of Lina and Mina falling in love? "Brasig," Joseph said, "you see it might quite well happen, and what are we as their parents to do?" "Let them alone, Joseph!" he replied. "Why does G.o.d send young folks into the world, if he does not intend them to love each other? But the little round-heads!" His advice was finally taken, and the two young men were soon settled at the Nussler home. At first everything went well, but after a while difficulties arose, and uncle Brasig was again called upon for advice.]
Brasig went to Rexow that morning to see Mrs. Nussler as he had intended. The crown-prince was in the doorway when he arrived, and came forward to meet him with such a hearty wag of the tail that any one would have thought him a most christian-minded dog, and would have imagined that he had quite forgiven Brasig the fright he had given him the last time he was at Rexow. There was a look of such quiet satisfaction in his yellow brown eyes that one would have thought that everything was going on well in the house; that Mrs. Nussler was busy in the kitchen, and that Joseph was comfortably seated in his own particular arm-chair. But it was not so. When Brasig went into the parlor he certainly found Joseph in his old place, but Mrs. Nussler was standing in front of him, and was giving him a lecture about caring for nothing, and never interfering when things were going wrong, although it was his duty to do so. As soon as she saw Brasig, she went up to him and said angrily: "And _you_ keep out of the way, Brasig. Every one may be standing on their heads here for anything _you_ care, and it"s all your fault that we ever took those two lads into the house." "Gently,"
said Brasig. "Gently! Don"t excite yourself, Mrs. Nussler! Well what"s all this about the divinity students?" "A very great deal! But I should never have said a word about it, for they"re Joseph"s relations, and "it"s an ill bird that soils its own nest!" There has been no peace or comfort in the house since the two young men have been here, and if it goes on like this much longer, I"m afraid that I shall have a quarrel with Joseph himself." "Mother," said young Joseph, "what can I do?"
"Hold your tongue, young Joseph," cried Brasig, "it"s all your fault.
Why didn"t you teach them better manners?" "Come, come, Brasig," said Mrs. Nussler, "just leave Joseph to me if you please, and remember it"s your fault this time. You promised to keep an eye on the young men, and see that they didn"t get into mischief, and instead of that, you let one of them do what he likes and never trouble your head to see what he"s after, while you encourage the other to spend all his time in fishing and such like nonsense, instead of minding his books, so that he"s always out in the fields, and comes home in the evening with a lot of perch about the length of my finger, and when I think the day"s work is over, I"m expected to go back to the kitchen and cook that trash!"
"What!" cried Brasig. "Does he only bring you in such tiny little fish?
That"s queer now, for I"ve shown him all the best pools for catching large perch. Then you must * * *! Just wait!" "I"ll tell you,"
interrupted Mrs. Nussler, "you must forbid him to fish, for he didn"t come here to do that. His father sent him here to learn something, and he"s coming to see him this very afternoon." "Well, Mrs. Nussler," said Brasig, "I can"t help admiring the persistency with which he has followed my advice about fishing. Hasn"t he done anything else though?"
"A great deal, both of them have done a great deal. I"ve never spoken about it because they"re Joseph"s relations, and at first everything went on _pretty_ well. It was an idle, merry life at first; my two little girls were very much brightened up by the change and all went on smoothly. Mina here, and Rudolph there, Lina here, and G.o.dfrey there.
They talked sense with G.o.dfrey and nonsense with Rudolph. The two lads worked away properly at their books in the morning; G.o.dfrey indeed sometimes read so long that it gave him a headache, and Rudolph did quite a fair amount of study. But that did not last long. They soon began to quarrel and wrangle about theological questions, and G.o.dfrey, who knows more than the other, said that Rudolph did not speak from a Christian standpoint." "Did he say "standpoint"?" put in Brasig. "Yes, that was his very word," answered Mrs. Nussler. "Oho!" said Brasig. "I think I hear him. While other people end with standpoint, Methodists always begin with it. And then I suppose he wanted to convert him?"
"Yes," said Mrs. Nussler. "That"s just what he wanted to do. But you see the other lad is much cleverer than G.o.dfrey, and made so many jokes about all that he said, that at last G.o.dfrey quite lost his temper, and so the discomfort in the house grew worse and worse. I don"t know how it was, but my two girls mixed themselves up in the quarrel. Lina who is the gravest and most sensible took G.o.dfrey"s side of the argument, and Mina laughed and giggled over Rudolph"s jokes." "Yes," interrupted Joseph, "it"s all according to circ.u.mstances!" "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, young Joseph," said Brasig, "for allowing such a Hophnei to remain in the house." "Nay, Brasig," said Mrs. Nussler, "let Joseph alone, he did his best to make matters comfortable again. When G.o.dfrey talked about the devil till we all felt quite eerie, Joseph believed in his existence; and when Rudolph laughed at, and ridiculed all belief in him, Joseph laughed as heartily as anyone. When the dispute ran highest, my little Mina took all G.o.dfrey"s books to Rudolph"s room, and all Rudolph"s to G.o.dfrey"s, and when the young men looked rather cross, she said quickly, that they"d better both study the subject thoroughly, and then perhaps they might agree better about it than at present." "Mina"s a clever little woman," cried Brasig. "Well," continued Mrs. Nussler,"
they didn"t like it at all at first; but whatever G.o.dfrey"s faults may be, he"s a good-natured lad, so he began to study Rudolph"s books. And the other at last set to work at G.o.dfrey"s, for you see it was wintry weather and it gave him something to do. You should have seen them a short time afterward! They had changed as much as their books. G.o.dfrey made poor jokes about the devil, and Rudolph sighed and groaned, and spoke of the devil as if he knew him intimately, and as if he were accustomed to sit down to dinner with us every day and to eat his potatoes like any other honest man. Then my little girls turned right round. Mina took G.o.dfrey"s part; and Lina took Rudolph"s, for Rudolph said that G.o.dfrey didn"t speak from a Christian standpoint." "Ugh!" said Brasig, "he oughtn"t to have said that. But wait a bit! Is he really that sort of fellow, and can"t he ever catch a good-sized perch?" "And then," cried Mrs. Nussler indignantly, "they were all at sixes and sevens again, because of that horrible perch fishing, for as soon as spring returned and the perch began to bite, Rudolph cared no more about the Christian standpoint. He took his fishing-rod, and went out after you all day long. The other went back to his old opinion about the existence of the devil, you see he was preparing for his examination and couldn"t get through it properly without that. My two girls didn"t know which of their cousins to trust to." "They"re a couple of rascals,"
cried Brasig, "but it"s all the Methodist"s fault, what business had he to bother the other about the devil and the Christian standpoint?" "No, no, Brasig, I"ve nothing to say against him for that. He has learnt something, has pa.s.sed his examination, and may be ordained any day. But Rudolph does nothing at all, he only makes mischief in the house." "Why, what has he been after now? Has he been fishing for whitings?" asked Brasig raising his eyebrows. "Whitings!" said Mrs. Nussler scornfully.
"He has been fishing for a sermon. You must know that Mrs. Baldrian wanted to hear her son preach, so she asked the clergyman at Rahnstadt to let him preach in his church, and he said he might do so. She then went and told her sister what she had done, and Mrs. Kurz was very much put out that her son wasn"t as far on as his cousin, so she went to the old parson too and asked him to allow Rudolph to preach for him some day soon. Well the clergyman was so far left to himself as to arrange that Rudolph should preach on the same day as G.o.dfrey. The two young men had a great argument as to which was to have the forenoon and which the afternoon, but at last it was settled that Rudolph should preach in the morning. Well, G.o.dfrey set to work as hard as he could, and spent the whole day from morning till evening in the arbor. As he has a bad memory he learnt his sermon by repeating it aloud. Rudolph did nothing but amuse himself as usual, till the two last days, when he seated himself on the gra.s.s bank behind the arbor, and seemed to be thinking over his sermon. On the Sunday morning, Joseph drove the two young clergymen and us to Rahnstadt. We went into the parsonage pew, and I can a.s.sure you I was in a great fright about Rudolph, but the rogue stood there as calmly as if he were quite sure of himself, and when the time came for him to preach, he went up into the pulpit and began his sermon. He got on so well that every one listened attentively, and I was so pleased with the boy that I turned to whisper to G.o.dfrey, who sat next to me, how relieved and overjoyed I was, when I saw that he was moving about restlessly in his seat, and looking as if he would like to jump up and pull Rudolph out of the pulpit: "Aunt," he said, "that is my sermon."
And so it was, Brasig. The little wretch had got it by heart from hearing his cousin learning it aloud in the arbor." "Ha, ha, ha!"
laughed Brasig. "What a joke! What a capital joke!" "Do you call it a _joke_?" said Mrs. Nussler angrily. "Do you call playing a trick like that in G.o.d"s house a joke?" "Ha, ha, ha!" roared Brasig. "I know that it"s wicked to laugh, and I know that only the devil could have prompted the lad to play such a trick, but I can"t help it, I must laugh at it all the same." "Oh, of course," said Mrs. Nussler crossly, "of course _you_ do nothing but laugh while we are like to break our hearts with grief and anger." "Never mind me," said Brasig soothingly, "tell me, what did the Methodist do? Ha, ha, ha! I"d have given a good deal for a sight of his face!" "You would, would you? Of course he couldn"t preach the same sermon in the afternoon, so the parson had to give his people one of his old sermons over again; but he was very angry, and said that if he chose to make the circ.u.mstance public, Rudolph might go and hang himself on the first willow he came across." "But the Methodist?" "The poor fellow was miserable, but he didn"t say a word. However his mother said enough for two, and she spoke so harshly to her sister Mrs. Kurz about what had happened, that they"re no longer on speaking terms. There was a frightful quarrel. I was both ashamed and angry at the way they went on, for both Baldrian and Kurz joined in the squabble, and even Joseph began to mix himself up in it, but fortunately our carriage drove up, and I got him away as quickly as I could." "What did the duelist say?" "Oh, the wretch was wise enough to run away here as soon as he had concluded his stolen sermon." "And you gave him a regular good scolding, I suppose," said Brasig. "Not I indeed," said Mrs. Nussler decidedly. "I wasn"t going to put my finger in that pie. His father is coming today and he is "the nearest" to him, as Mrs. Behrens would say; and I"ve told Joseph that he"s not to mix himself up in the affair or to talk about it at all. He"s quite changed latterly. He has got into the habit of putting up his back and meddling with things with which he has nothing to do. Now just keep quiet, Joseph." "Yes, Joseph, hold your tongue,"
said Brasig. "And my two girls," continued Mrs. Nussler, "are quite different from what they used to be. Since that unlucky sermon their eyes have always been red with crying, and they"ve gone about the house as quietly as mice. They hardly ever say a word to each other now, though they used never to be separate, and when one of them was happy or unhappy the other had to know all about it immediately. My household is all at odds." "Mother," said young Joseph rising from his chair with a look of determination, "that"s just what I say, and I _will_ speak; you"ll see that the boys have put it into their heads." "What have they put into their heads, Joseph?" asked Mrs. Nussler crossly. "Love affairs," said Joseph, sinking back into his corner. "My dear mother always used to say that when a divinity student and a governess were in the same house * * * And you"ll see the truth of it with G.o.dfrey and Mina." "Law, Joseph! How you do talk to be sure! May G.o.d preserve you in your right mind! That"s all nonsense, but if it were the case, the divinity student should leave the house at once and Rudolph too. Come away, Brasig, I"ve got something to say to you."
As soon as they had left the house, Mrs. Nussler signed to Brasig to follow her into the garden, and when they were seated in the arbor, she said: "I can"t stand Joseph"s eternal chatter any longer, Brasig. It was Rudolph who taught him to speak so much by continually encouraging him to talk last winter, and he has got into the habit now and won"t give it up. But, tell me honestly--remember you promised to watch--have you seen anything of the kind going on?" "Bless me! No. Not the faintest approach to anything of the sort." "I can"t think it either," said Mrs. Nussler thoughtfully. "At first Lina and G.o.dfrey, and Mina and Rudolph used to go about together. Afterward Mina took to G.o.dfrey, and Lina to Rudolph, but ever since the examination Lina and G.o.dfrey have been on their old terms with each other once more, while Mina and Rudolph have never made friends again; indeed I may say that she has never so much as looked at him since the day he preached in Rahnstadt." "Ah, Mrs. Nussler," said Brasig, "love shows itself in most unexpected ways. Sometimes the giving of a bunch of flowers is a sign of it, or even a mere "good-morning"
accompanied by a shake of the hand. Sometimes it is shown by two people stooping at the same moment to pick up a ball of cotton that one of them has dropped, when all that the looker-on sees is that they knocked their heads together in trying which could pick it up first. But gradually the signs become more apparent. The girl blushes now and then, and the man watches whatever she does; or the girl takes the man into the larder, and gives him sausages, or cold tongue, or pig"s cheek, and the man begins to wear a blue or a red necktie; but the surest sign of all is when they go out on a summer-evening for a walk in the moonlight, and you hear them sigh without any cause. Now, has anything of that kind been going on with the little round-heads?" "No, I can"t say that I"ve noticed them doing that, Brasig. They used to go to the cold meat-larder sometimes it"s true, but I soon put an end to that; I wasn"t going to stand that sort of thing; and as for blushing, I didn"t notice them doing that either, though of course I"ve seen that their eyes are often red with crying." "Well," said Brasig, "there must have been a reason for that--I"ll tell you what, Mrs. Nussler, you just leave the whole management of the affair in my hands, for I know how to arrange such matters. I soon put an end to that sort of nonsense in Fred Triddelfitz.
I"m an old hunter, and I"ll ferret the matter out for you, but you must tell me where they generally meet." "Here, Brasig, here in this arbor.
My girls sit here in the afternoon with their work, and then the other two join them. I never thought any harm of it." "All right!" said Brasig, going out of the arbor, and looking about him. He examined a large cherry-tree carefully which was growing close by, and seeing that it was thickly covered with leaves he looked quite satisfied. "That"ll do," he said, "what can be done, shall be done." "Goodness, gracious me!" said Mrs. Nussler, "I wonder what will happen this afternoon! It"s very disagreeable. Kurz is coming at coffee-time, and he is desperately angry with his son for playing such a trick on his cousin. You"ll see that there will be a terrible scene." "That"s always the way with these little people," said Brasig, "when the head and the lower part of the const.i.tution are too near each other, the nature is always fiery." "Ah!"
sighed Mrs. Nussler as she entered the parlor, "it"ll be a miserable afternoon."
She little knew that misery had long ago taken up its abode in her house.
Whilst these arrangements were being made down-stairs the twins were busy sewing in their garret-room. Lina was seated at one window, and Mina at the other; they never looked up from their work, and never spoke to each other as in the old days at Mrs. Behrens" sewing-cla.s.s. They worked away as busily as if the world had been torn in two, and they had to sew up the rent with their needles and thread, while their serious faces and deep sighs showed that they were fully aware of the gravity of their employment. It was strange that their mother had not told Brasig how sadly pale they had grown. The change must have been very gradual for her not to have noticed it. But so it was. The two apple-cheeked maidens looked as if they had been growing on the north-side of the tree of life, where no sunbeams could ever come to brighten their existence, and tinge their cheeks with healthful color. They could no longer be likened to two apples growing on one stalk. At last Lina"s work fell on her lap, she could go on sewing no more, her eyes were so full of tears, and then large drops began to roll slowly down her pale cheeks; Mina took out her handkerchief and wiped her eyes, for her tears were falling upon her work, and so the two little sisters sat weeping each in her own window, as if all her happiness were gone past recall.
Suddenly Mina jumped up, and ran out of the room as if she must go out into the fresh air, but she stopped short on the landing, for she remembered that her mother might see her and ask her what was the matter, so she remained outside the door crying silently. And then Lina started up to go and comfort Mina; but she suddenly remembered that she did not know what to say to her, so she remained standing within the room beside the door, crying also. It often happens that a thin wall of separation rises between two loving hearts, and while each would give anything to get back to the other, neither will be the first to turn the handle--for in every such part.i.tion wall there is a door with a handle on each side of it--and so they remain apart in spite of their longing to be reconciled.
But fortunately the twins were not so selfishly proud as to allow this state of matters to go on for ever. Mina opened the door, and said: "Why are you crying, Lina?" and Lina immediately stretched out both hands to her sister, and said: "Oh, Mina, why are you crying?" Then they fell upon each other"s necks and cried again, and the color returned to their cheeks as if a sunbeam had kissed them, and they clung to each other as if they were once more growing on the same stalk. "Mina, I will let you have him. You must be happy," said Lina. "No, Lina," said Mina, "he likes you most, and you are much better than I am." "No, Mina. I"ve quite made up my mind. Uncle Kurz is coming this afternoon, and I"ll ask father and mother to let me go home with him, for I couldn"t remain here and see it all just yet." "Do so, Lina, for then you"ll be with his parents, and when you both come back, I"ll ask G.o.dfrey to get his father to look out for a situation for me as governess in some town far, far from home, for I couldn"t stay here either." "Mina!" cried Lina, holding her sister from her at arm"s length, and looking at her in amazement, "with _his_ parents? With whose parents?" "Why--Rudolph"s." "You meant Rudolph?" "Yes, why who did you mean?" "I? Oh, I meant G.o.dfrey." "No, did you really?" exclaimed Mina, throwing her arms round Lina"s neck, "but is it possible? How is it possible? We don"t mean the same after all then!" "Ah!" said Lina who was the most sensible of the two, "what a great deal of unnecessary pain we have given each other!" "Oh, how happy I am," cried Mina, who was the least sensible, as she danced about the room. "All will be well now." "Yes, Mina," said Lina the sensible, joining in the dance. "Everything will go on happily now." Then silly little Mina threw herself into her sister"s arms again--she was so happy.
If people would only turn the handle of the door that divides them from their friends while there is yet time, all would go well with them, even though it might not bring such intense joy as it did to the two girls in the little garret-room.
The sisters cried one moment and laughed the next; then they danced round the room, and after that they sat on each other"s knees, and told how it all happened, and sorrowed over their own stupidity, which had prevented them seeing the true state of the case. They wondered how it was that they had not had an explanation sooner, and then they confessed to each other exactly how matters stood between them and their cousins, and ended by being more than half angry with the two young men, whom they accused of being the real cause of the misunderstanding. Lina said that she had been in great doubt before, but that ever since last Sunday she had been quite certain that Mina cared for G.o.dfrey because of her constant tears; and Mina said that she had been miserable because of the wicked trick Rudolph had played in church about the sermon, and that she had been puzzled to account for Lina"s tears. Lina then explained that she had been so very sorry for poor G.o.dfrey"s disappointment. All was made up now between the sisters, and when the dinner-bell rang they ran down-stairs together arm in arm, looking as sweet and fresh as two roses. Brasig, who had seated himself with his back to the light that he might see them better, was very much astonished when he caught sight of their happy faces. "What," he said to himself, "these two girls changed and shy, and suffering from some secret grief? In love? Not a bit of it!
They"re as merry as crickets."
The sound of the dinner-bell brought G.o.dfrey Baldrian, or the Methodist, as Brasig called him. Lina blushed and turned away from him, not in anger, but because she remembered the confession she had just made in the garret. And Brasig said to himself: "That"s very odd now! Lina seems to have taken the infection, but how can she care for a scare-crow of a Methodist?" Brasig expressed himself too strongly, but still it must be acknowledged that G.o.dfrey was no beauty. Nature had not given him many personal advantages, and he did not use those that he had in the wisest possible way. For example his hair. He had a thick head of yellow hair that would have provoked no criticism, and indeed would have looked quite nice if it had only been cut properly, but unfortunately he had taken the pictures of the beloved disciple John as his model, and had parted his hair down the middle, and brushed it into ringlets at the ends, though the upper part of his head showed that the real nature of his hair was to be straight. I have nothing to say against little boys of ten or even twelve going about with curls, and the mothers of these same little boys would have still less objection to it than I should, for they delight in stroking the curls lovingly out of their children"s faces, and in combing them out smooth when visitors come to the house.
Some mothers have even gone so far, when their children"s hair did not curl naturally, as to screw it up in paper or use tongs, but that was a mistake on their part. If it were the fashion, I should have nothing to say against even old people wearing curls, for it looks very nice in some ancient pictures, but there are two remarks I should like to make while on this subject, and these are: a man with thin legs ought never to wear tight trousers, and he whose hair does not curl naturally should cut it short. Our poor G.o.dfrey"s hair, which hung down his back, was burnt to a sort of dun color by the sun, and as he liked it to look smooth and tidy, he put a good deal of pomade on it, which greased his coat-collar considerably.
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE BRIDAL PAIR AT THE CIVIL MARRIAGE OFFICE _From the Painting by Benjamin Vautier_]
Beneath this wealth of hair was a small pale face with an expression of suffering on it, which always made Brasig ask sympathizingly what shoemaker he employed, and whether he was troubled with corns. The rest of his figure was in keeping with his face. He was tall, narrow-chested, and angular, and that part of the human body which shows whether a man enjoys the good things of life, was altogether wanting in him. Indeed he was so hollowed out where the useful and necessary digesting apparatus is wont to show its existence by a gentle roundness of form, that he might be said to be shaped like the inside of Mrs. Nussler"s baking-trough. For this reason Brasig regarded him as a sort of wonder in natural history, for he ate as much as a ploughman without producing any visible effect. Let no one imagine that the Methodist did not do his full duty in the way of eating and drinking; I have known divinity students, and know some now, with whom I should have no chance in that respect. But the fact is that young men whose minds are employed in theological studies are generally somewhat thin, as will be seen in any of the numerous divinity students to be met with in Mecklenburg; when they have been settled in a good living for a few years, they begin to fill out like ordinary mortals. Brasig remembered this, and did not despair of seeing G.o.dfrey a portly parson one of these days, though how it was to come about was rather a puzzle to him. Such was G.o.dfrey Baldrian in appearance; but his portrait would not be complete if I did not add that he had the faintest possible tinge of Phariseeism in his expression. It was only a tinge, but with Phariseeism as with rennet, a very small quant.i.ty is enough to curdle a large pan of milk.
They sat down to dinner, and Joseph asked: "Where is Rudolph?" "Goodness gracious me, Joseph, what are you talking about!" said Mrs. Nussler crossly. "I"m sure you might know by this time that Rudolph is always late. I dare say he"s out fishing; but whatever he"s about I can a.s.sure him that if he doesn"t come in time for dinner, he may just go without."
The meal was a very silent one, for Brasig was too much occupied watching what was going on to be able to talk, and Mrs. Nussler had enough to do wondering over the cause of the remarkable change in her daughters" appearance. The twins sat side by side, and looked as happy as if they had just awakened from a disagreeable dream, and were rejoicing that it was only a dream, and that the warm sunbeams were once more shining upon them.