CHAPTER IV
AN UNEXPECTED APPARITION
Kurt had so many plans the next day that he already rushed to school asif he had not a minute to lose. Mea and Lippo, who started with him,looked full of astonishment at his unusual speed. Arriving at theschool, he saw Loneli coming along with a drooping head and not, asusual, with a happy stride.
"What is it, Loneli?" asked Kurt coming nearer. "Why are your eyesswollen already before it is even eight o'clock? Just he happy. I'llhelp you. Did anybody hurt you?"
"No, Kurt, no one, but I can't be happy any more," and with thesewords Loneli's eyes filled again with tears. "I wish you could seegrandmother since I've been on the shame-bench. I would not mind ifshe were angry, for she generally forgives me again after a while; butshe is sad all the time. It is worst when I go to school in themorning, because she says that I brought down shame on us both, andthat I have given her gray hairs. She said to me that after havinglived an honorable life and spent most of it with the most noblefamily, this was very hard for her. She felt as if she had raised meonly to bring down shame on both for the rest of our lives."
Loneli broke out anew into tears. This neverending disgrace, togetherwith the constant reproaches she had had to bear, seemed to choke her,
"No, no, Loneli, you don't need to cry any more. It is not at all theway your grandmother is taking it," Kurt said consolingly. "I'll go toher ever so soon to explain what happened. Please be happy andeverything will come out all right."
"Do you think so?" Loneli asked, pleasantly surprised. Her eyes wereclear again, for she always believed whatever Kurt said to her. Now herushed over to the noisy crowd of children, who seemed to have beenwaiting for him. Kurt was always glad to have such numerous friends, forhe usually needed a large following for the execution of his schemes.To-day he had two large undertakings in his head, and he needed topersuade his comrades to join him. He was explaining with such violentgestures and eager words that they entirely neglected the first strokesof the tower bell. At the last and eighth stroke the little crowddispersed as suddenly as a flock of frightened birds. Then they rushedinto the school house. Kurt was home to-day ahead of everybody, too. Heapproached his mother with a large sheet of paper.
"Look, mother, Mr. Trius got a song. Yesterday evening he threatenedtwo more of my friends with the stick, but they were luckily able to savethemselves. It seems as if he had at least four eyes and ears which cansee and hear whatever is going on. I finished the song. Can I read itto you?"
"I wish you had no friends that Mr. Trius has occasion to frighten witha stick," said the mother. "I hope that it won't ever happen to you."
"Oh, he often threatens innocent people," Kurt replied. "Listen to atrue description of him."
A SONG ABOUT MR. TRIUS, THE BOY BEATER.
Old Trius lives in our town, A haughty man is he, And every one that he can catch He beats right heartily.
Old Trius wears a yellow coat, It's very long and thick, But all the children run away At sight of his big stick.
Old Trius of the pointed hat He wanders all around, And if he beats nobody, why There's no one to be found.
Old Trius thinks: To spank a boy Is really very kind, And all he cannot hit in front At least he hits behind.
Old Trius makes a pretty face With every blow he gives. He'll beat us all for many years, I'm thinking, if he lives.
The mother could not help smiling a little bit during the perusal, butnow she said seriously: "This song must under no condition fall into Mr.Trius' hands. He might not look at it as a joke, and you must not offendhim. I advise you, Kurt, not to challenge Mr. Trius in any way, for hemight reply to you in some unexpected fashion. He has his own ways andmeans of getting rid of people."
Kurt was very anxious to get his mother's permission to run about thatsame evening by moonlight with his friends, and his mother granted itwillingly.
"I hope you are not going on one of the unfortunate apple-expeditions Ihear so much about," she added.
Kurt quite indignantly assured her that he would never do such a thing.Lippo was pushing him to one side now. The little boy had made attemptsto reach his mother for several minutes, and he was delighted at hisbrother's quick departure.
"Mr. Rector sends you his regards and he wants to know if you wanted togive him an answer. Here is a letter," said Lippo.
"Where did you bring the letter from?" asked the mother.
"I didn't bring the letter. Lise from the rectory brought it," wasLippo's information. "But Lise saw me in front of the door and said thatI should take the letter up with me and give it to you, and tell herwhether you wanted to give the Rector an answer or not."
"Oh, that is just the way a message ought to be given," the mother saidwith a smile. "Did you hear it, Maezli? I wish you could learn from Lippohow to do it. Whenever you have one to give, I have such trouble to findout what really happened and what you have only imagined."
Maezli, whose knitting-ball was at that moment in the most hopelesslyknotted condition, was ever so glad when her mother suggested a newactivity. Quickly flinging her knitting away, she jumped up from herstool. Then she began to repeat Lippo's speech, word for word: "I didnot bring the letter. Lise from the rectory--"
"No, no, Maezli, I do not mean it that way," the mother interrupted her."I mean that the reports you bring me so often sound quite impossible. Iwant you to be as careful and exact in them as Lippo."
In the meantime the mother had opened the letter and looked suddenlyquite frightened.
"Tell the girl that I shall go to Mr. Rector myself and that she neednot wait for an answer," was her message entrusted to Lippo.
The thing she had dreaded so much was settled now. The Rector let herknow in his letter that he had realized the time had come for his pupilsto be put into different hands. He wrote that he had decided todiscontinue the studies with them next fall, but that he would be onlytoo glad to be of assistance to Mrs. Maxa in consulting about Bruno'sfurther education. He closed with an assurance that he would be thehappier to do so because Bruno had always been very dear to him.
Mrs. Maxa, sitting silently with folded hands, was lost in thought.This was something that happened very seldom.
But Mea stood before her and trying to get her sympathy with passionategestures. "Just think, mother," she cried out, "Elvira is so angry nowthat she will never have anything more to do with me, no never. But shewas most offended because I told her that it was wrong of her; not toadmit that she had chattered in school. She said quite sarcasticallythat if I chose to correct her on account of that raggedy Loneli, Ishould keep Loneli for a friend and not her."
"Let her be for once," said the mother. "Till now you have always goneafter her; so do what she wishes this time. It is wrong to call Loneliraggedy; few people are as honest and agreeable as Apollonie and hergrandchild."
Mea was ready with many more complaints, for whenever anything botheredher, she felt the need to tell her mother. She realized, though, thatshe had to put off further communications for a quiet evening hour.
Bruno had approached, and turning to his mother, asked in great suspense:"Mother, what did Mr. Rector write to you? Have the plum-thieves beendiscovered?"
"I do not think that they have brought his decision about, but I am surethey hastened it. Read the letter," said his mother, handing it to him.
"That is not so bad," Bruno said after reading it. "As soon as you sendme to town I shall be rid of them at last, and I won't have to botherabout them any more. You know, mother, that all they care about is to domean and nasty things."
"But they will go to town, too, and then you will be thrown together.There won't be anybody then who cares for you and will listen to you,"the mother lamented.
"Do not worry, mother, the town is big and we won't be so close together.I'll keep far enough away from them, you may be sure. Don't let ittrouble you," Bruno reassured her.
Kurt was so much occupied at lunch with his ow
n plans and ideas that henever even noticed when his favorite dessert appeared on the table.Lippo, seriously looking at him, said quite reproachfully, "Now you don'teven see that we have apple-dumpling." Such an indifference seemed wrongto the little boy.
But Kurt even swallowed the apple-dumpling absent-mindedly. After lunchhe begged his mother's permission to be allowed to leave immediately,because he still had so much to talk over with his friends. "I'll tellyou all about it afterwards, mother. Be sure that I am doing somethingright that ought to be done," he reassured her. "If only I can go now."Having obtained permission, he shot away, and arriving at theschool-house, flew into the midst of a crowd of boys. But before theirplan could be carried out the children were obliged to sit two wholehours on the school-benches. It truly seemed to-day as if they wouldnever end.
Lux, the sexton's boy, who preferred pulling the bell-rope and beingviolently drawn up by it to sitting in school, tapped his neighbor'ssleeve.
"How late is it, Max?" he asked.
"I don't know."
"Max," Lux whispered again, "the second expedition will be more fun thanthe first. I look forward to it more, don't you?"
"You can look forward to the shame-bench if you don't keep quiet," Maxretorted, squinting with his eyes in the direction of the teacher.
The latter had actually directed his eyes to the side where thewhisperers sat. Lux, bending over his book, kept quiet at last. Finallythe longed-for hour came and in a few minutes the whole swarm wasoutside. With a great deal of noise, but in a quick and pretty orderlyfashion they now formed a procession, which began to move in thedirection of Apollonie's little house. Here a halt was made. Kurt,climbing to the top of a heap of logs, which lay in the pathway, stoodupright, while the others grouped themselves about him. Apollonie openedthe window a little, but hid behind it, for she was wondering what wasgoing on. Loneli stood close behind her. She had just come backbreathlessly, for she had heard that a procession was coming towards hergrandmother's house.
"Mrs. Apollonie," Kurt cried out with loud voice, "two whole classesfrom school have come to you to tell you that it was not Loneli's faultwhen she had to sit on the shame-bench. It only happened because hercharacter is so good. Out of pure politeness she answered a questionsomebody asked her. When the teacher wanted to know who was chattering,she honestly accused herself. She did not tell him that she answered aquestion in fear of accusing somebody else. We wanted to tell you allabout it so that you won't think you have to be ashamed of Loneli. Wethink and know that she is the friendliest and most obliging child inschool."
"Long live Loneli!" Lux suddenly cheered so that the whole bandinvoluntarily joined him. "Long live Loneli!;" it sounded again and theecho from the castle-mountain repeated, "Loneli."
Apollonie opened the window completely, and putting out her head, cried:"It is lovely of you, children that you don't want Loneli disgraced. Ithank you for justifying her. Wait a minute. I should like to do you afavor, too."
With that Apollonie disappeared from the window. Soon after she came outby the door with a large basket of fragrant apples on her arm. Puttingit in front of the children, she said encouragingly, "Help yourselves."
"Good gracious," cried out Lux, with one of the juicy apples between histeeth, "I know these. They only grow in the castle-garden, on the twotrees on the right, in the corner by the fence. Do you know that, Kurt,"he said confidentially, "I only wonder how she could get hold of such abasket full, you know, without being--you know--" With this he made theunmistakable motion of Mr. Trius with his tool of correction.
"What on earth do you mean?" Kurt cried out full of indignation. "Mrs.Apollonie did not need to steal them. Mr. Trius certainly could giveher a few baskets of apples for all the shirts she sews and mends forhim."
"Oh, I see, that is different," said Lux, now properly informed.
In the shortest time the huge basket was emptied of its delicious applesand the whole band had dispersed after many exclamations of thanks. Theyall ran home and Kurt outran them all. It was important now to do hishome-work as speedily as possible, as the second expedition was to takeplace a little later. When he reached the front door he noticed thatMrs. Knippel was coming up behind him.
Running ahead quickly, he flung open the living-room door and called in,"Take Maezli out of the way or else something horrible will happen again."
After saying this he ran away. Bruno and Mea, who were busy in the roomwith their work, did not find it necessary to follow Kurt's command. Ifhe found it so necessary, why didn't he do it himself, they thought,remaining seated. Maezli had risen rapidly and looked towards the doorwith large expectant eyes, wondering what was going to happen. Mrs.Knippel now entered.
"Why does something horrible always happen when Mrs. Knippel comes?"Maezli asked in a loud voice.
Mea, quickly getting up, went out of the door, pulling Maezli after her;to explain her hasty retreat, she said that she wanted to fetch hermother. She simply had to take that horrible little Maezli out of theway; who could know what she might say next. She always brought forwardher most awful ideas when it was least suitable. The mother, who was onthe way already, entered just when Mea was running out with Maezli. Brunoalso slipped quickly after them. He had only waited for his mother'sappearance in order to fly.
"Your children are certainly very peculiar," the district attorney's wifebegan. "I have to think so every time I see them. What do all youradmonitions help, I should like to know? Nature will have its way! Notone of my children has ever been so impertinent, to say the least, asyour little daughter is already."
"I am very sorry you should have to tell me that," Mrs. Maxa replied."Isn't it possible that the child should have unconsciously said animpertinence? I hope you have never had a similar experience with myolder children."
"No, I could not say that," Mrs. Knippel answered. "But I should saythat all of them have inherited the love of preaching, especially yourdaughter Mea. Children can be unlike by disposition without its beingnecessary that one of them should constantly make sermons to the other."
"My children are very often of different opinions, but I could not saythat they preach much to each other," said Mrs. Maxa.
"It is certainly Mea's habit to do so, and that is why she is not able tokeep peace with her friends. I suppose you received a letter from ourRector telling you of the refusal to teach the boys any further."
This was said with a less severe intonation.
Mrs. Maxa confirmed the statement.
"So the change we have looked forward to has really come," the visitorcontinued, "and my husband agrees with me that prompt action should betaken. He is going to the city to-morrow; in fact, he has left alreadyin order to visit his sister on the way. He will look for a suitable,attractive home in town that the three boys can move into next fall."
"You do not mean to tell me, Mrs. Knippel, that your husband is orderingliving-quarters for Bruno, too?" Mrs. Maxa said in consternation.
"Oh, yes, and this is why my husband has sent me here, to let you knowhow glad he is to do it for you," the attorney's wife said soothingly."He was positively sure that you would be glad if he decided and orderedeverything to suit himself and you."
"But, Mrs. Knippel, I am not prepared for this. I have not even spokento my brother about it. You know very well that he is the children'sguardian."
Mrs. Maxa was quite unable to hide her excitement.
"You can be reassured, for we have thought of that, too," the visitorsaid with a slightly superior smile. "My husband's sister does not livevery far from Mr. Falcon in Sils. So he planned to visit your brotherand talk the plan over with him."
This calmed Mrs. Maxa a trifle, for her brother knew already how itstood between the three comrades and how little she wanted them to livetogether. But she could not help wondering why these people were tryingto force the boys to live together.
"I do not really understand why the boys should have to live together,"she said with animation; "they do not profess to feel muc
h friendship foreach other, and never seek each other out. You yourself, Mrs. Knippel,do not seem to get a very good impression from my children's ways. I donot see why you wish your sons to live with mine at all."
"It is a matter of decorum," the attorney's wife replied, "and my husbandagrees with me. What would people in town say if the sons of the twobest families here, who have always studied together, should not livetogether? Everybody would think that something special had happenedbetween the families. Both parties will only gain in respect byjoining."
"I do not believe that people in the city will be interested in what thethree boys are doing," said Mrs. Maxa, smiling a little.
That same moment the door was flung wide open. With a triumphant face asif she wanted to say, "Just look whom I bring you here," Maezli stood onthe threshhold leading Apollonie in. The latter hastily retreated.
"No, no, Maezli," she said quite frightened, "you should have told me thatthere was company."
Mrs. Knippel had risen to take her departure: "It seems to me that othervisitors are greeted very joyfully by your children. Well, I must saythey have rather odd tastes," she said, walking towards the door.
"Apollonie is a very old friend of ours. All the children love her verymuch. They may have inherited this attachment, though," Mrs. Maxareplied with a smile.
"I only want to say one more word," said the lady turning round beforestepping outside the door. "The scene your son Kurt enacted to-day infront of Apollonie's cottage with his crowd of miscellaneous friends canonly be called a vulgar noise."
But Mrs. Maxa did not yet know what Kurt had done. The visitor turnedto go now, as it seemed not worth her while to waste words about it. Assoon as the field was clear, Maezli rushed out of a hiding-place, pullingApollonie with her. The old woman was terribly apologetic about havinggone into the room. When she had told Maezli that she wanted to see hermother, the little girl had taken her there without any further ado. Sheinformed the Rector's widow that she had come to her with a quiteincredible communication.
Mrs. Maxa found it necessary at this point to interrupt her friend. Shehad noticed that Maezli was all ears to what was coming.
"Maezli, go and play with Lippo till I come," she said.
"Please tell me all about it afterwards, Apollonie," was Maezli'sinstruction before going to do as she was bid.
Apollonie's communication took a considerable time. She had just leftwhen the family sat down to a belated supper.
Kurt swallowed his meal with signs of immoderate impatience. As soon aspossible he rushed away, after having given his promise not to come homelate. The friends that were to join him in this expedition had to besought out first. When he neared the meeting place, he felt a littledisappointed. In the twilight he could see that there was a smallernumber assembled than he had hoped for. This certainly was not the crowdhe had had together at noon when at least all the boys had promised totake part in his new enterprise.
"They were afraid, they were afraid," all voices cried together. Kurtheard now, while each screamed louder than the other that many boys andgirls had left when the darkness was beginning to fall. Among the fewthat were left there were only four girls.
"It doesn't matter," said Kurt. "There are enough people still. Whoeveris afraid may leave. We must start, though, because we have rather farto go. We are not going up the well-known path, because Mr. Triuswatches for apple-hunters there till midnight, I think. That suits usexactly, for he must not hear us. We are going up to the woods at theback of the castle. First, we'll sing our challenge, then comes thepause, to give the ghost enough time, then again and after that for thethird and last time. If there really is a ghost, he will have appearedby then. You can understand that he won't let himself be teased by us.So when he hasn't come, we can tell everybody what we did. Then they'llsee that it is only a superstition and that there is no wandering ghostin Wildenstein. Forward now!"
The little crowd set out full of spirits and eagerness for the adventure,for Kurt had clearly shown them that there could be no ghost. To go upthere and sing loudly to a non-existent ghost was capital fun.Furthermore, they looked forward to boasting of their daring deedafterwards. Faster and faster they climbed, so that only half of theusual time was taken in reaching their destination. It was dark atfirst, but the moon suddenly came out from behind the clouds, cheerfullylighting up the fields.
Having reached the rear of the castle hill, they hurried up the inclineand into the pinewoods, where the trees stood extremely close together.This made it very dark, despite the fact that the wood was small. Soonclouds covered the moon, and the little band became stiller and stiller.Here and there one of the children sneaked off and did not reappear.Three of the girls, after mysteriously whispering together, were gone,too, and with them several more stole away, for there was a strangerustling in the bushes. Kurt with Lux and his enterprising sister Cleviwere at the extreme front.
When it became very still, Kurt turned around.
"Come along! Where are you all?" he called back.
"We are coming," several voices answered from some children immediatelybehind him. It was Max, Hans and Simi, and then Stoffi and Rudi behindthem, but they were all. Kurt halted.
"Where is the whole troup?" asked Kurt. "Let us wait till they catch up.We must all stay together up there."
But none followed. All the answer Kurt got to his question was thescreaching of an owl.
"Oh, they've gone, they were afraid," said Max. "They were there,though, when we came into the woods."
"The cowards!" Clevi cried indignantly,
"To be afraid of trees! That certainly is funny."
"Well, we aren't afraid anyway; otherwise we shouldn't be here any more.Call to those who are gone," Max called back.
"Come on now, come!" Kurt commanded. "There are eight of us left tosing, so we must all sing very loud."
On they went speedily till they could see the end of the woods. One ofthe gray towers was peering between the trees. They had at last reachedtheir goal.
"Here we stop!" said Kurt, "but we must not go outside the woods. TheWildenstein ghost might otherwise step up to us, if he walks around theterrace. Here we go!"
Kurt began and all the others vigorously joined him:
Come out, you ghost of Wildenstein! For we are not afraid, We've come here in the bright moonshine To sing the song we've made Come out, come out, and leave your den; You'll never scare the folks again.
Everything was quiet roundabout, only the night wind was soughing in theold pine-trees. Between them there was a clear view of the terrace,which the moon was now flooding with light; the space before the castlelay peaceful and deserted.
"We must sing again," said Kurt. "He didn't hear us. If he doesn't giveus an answer this time we'll tell him what we know. Then we'll singfearfully loud:
Hurrah! We have a certain sign, There is no ghost in Wildenstein.
"Then we'll start again."
Clevi, who was gifted with a far-carrying voice, began:
"Come out, you ghost of Wildenstein!"
And the boys with voices of thunder chimed in:
"For we are not afraid."
"Just look! Who is coming there? Who can it be?" said Kurt, staring atthe terrace.
An incredibly tall figure, which could not possibly be human, waswandering across the terrace with slow steps. It could not be a treeeither, for it slowly moved over towards the woods. Did he really seestraight, or was it the moonlight which was throwing a flitting shadow.
That moment Max, who was very big, turned about and fled. The fourothers followed headlong, leaving only Lux and Clevi beside Kurt.
The horrible figure came nearer and nearer, and it could now be clearlydiscerned. Full moonlight fell on the armor he was garbed in and madeit, as well as the high helmet with waving plumes, glitter brightly. Along mantle fell from his shoulders down to his high riding boots, halfhiding his fearful figure. Could this be a human creature? No,impossible! No living
man could be as enormous as that. With measuredsteps the apparition walked silently towards the pine trees. Here thethree singers stood horror-stricken, not uttering a sound.
Lux, like one crazed, suddenly rushed headlong away between the trees anddown the hill. Clevi once more looked at the approaching figure withwide-open eyes. Before following her brother she wanted to see exactlywhat the knight looked like.
Kurt was left quite alone, and still the fearful creature stalked nearer.With a desperate leap he sprang to one side and left the woods abruptly.Hurrying towards the meadow, he ran down the mountain, leaped over firstone hedge and then a second. Then he flew on till he stood in the littlegarden at home where a peaceful light from the living-room seemed togreet him.
Breathing deeply, he ran in and his mother met him at the door.
"Oh, is it you, Kurt?" she said kindly. "But you are a little late afterall. Was it so hard to leave the beautiful moonlight? Or was it such funrushing about? But, Kurt, you are entirely out of breath. Come sit downa moment with me. After that you have to go to bed; all the others havegone already."
Usually Kurt would have adored being able to sit alone with his motherand have all her attention directed towards him. This he could not enjoynow. Might not his mother ask him further details about his walk? So hesaid that he preferred to go to bed right away, and his mother understoodthat he was glad to get to rest after running about so ceaselessly. Onlywhen Kurt lay safely and quietly in bed could he think over what hadhappened and how cowardly he had acted.
After all, his mother had clearly told him that there was no ghost inWildenstein. Whom then, had he seen in armor and helmet and with a longmantle? It could not have been Mr. Trius, because he was a short, stoutperson, whereas the apparition was a tree-high figure. Might it be asentinel at the castle who was ordered to go about? May be the oldcastle-barons had always wished an armed sentinel to keep watch. If onlyhe had not run away! He could have let the sentinel walk up to him andthen he could have told him of his intention. The sentinel could onlyhave been pleased by his endeavor to get rid of such an old superstition.If only he had not run away!
Oh, yes, now that Kurt was safely under cover and Bruno's breathingbeside him spoke of his big brother's nearness, it seemed easy enough toact bravely! If only he had done it! The thing he could not explain tohimself was how anybody could be so horribly tall. That was hardlycredible. Kurt felt at bottom quite sure that it was impossible foranybody to look like that.
"If only I could have told mother about it!" he sighed. But he feltdreadfully ashamed. She had absolutely forbidden him troubling himselfabout this matter. Even with his intention to get rid of the talk he hadacted against her command. Well, and what had he accomplished? More thanever the whole village would say to-morrow that the ghost of Wildensteinwas wandering about again. Furthermore he did not know how to gainsayit. If it only had not been so huge!
When the mother stepped up to her children's bedside later on as usual,she stopped a little while before Kurt. Hearing him moaning in hissleep, she thought he was ill.
"Kurt," she said quietly, "does something hurt you?"
He woke up. "Oh, mother," he said, seizing her hand, "is it you? Ithought the ghost of Wildenstein was stretching out his enormous armtowards me!
"You were dreaming; don't think about such things in daytime," the mothersaid kindly. "Have you forgotten your evening prayer after theexcitements of the day?"
"Yes, I had so much to think about that I forgot it," Kurt admitted.
"Say it now, then you will fall asleep more quietly," said the mother."But please, Kurt, never forget that God hears our prayers and comfortsand calms us only when we open our hearts entirely to him. You know,Kurt, don't you, that we must hide nothing from him?"
Kurt moaned "Yes" in a very low voice.
After giving him a good-night kiss the mother withdrew.