CHAPTER XIII.
SOUR CREAM SWEETENED.
The Major had never been in better spirits at the table than to-day. Heforgot to beckon to Joseph to fill up a second time his glass with thefavorite Burgundy.
Frau Ceres smiled dubiously when the Professorin gave an account of theexcellent people she had seen, the refreshing influence of the prospectof river and mountain, and the yet fairer one of such noble, genuine,domestic life. She added that she had but little acquaintance withother lands, but it was certain that no land surpassed Germany in realdepth of feeling and generally diffused culture. Cities and villages,that were only empty names to the traveller whizzing by, concealedwithin them the beautiful and the best adornments of humanity.
"Nowhere, not in any place where church-bells have rung, has a bettersermon been preached than that," said the Major to Eric. He then rose."Now, the Mother--all of you drink with me--now, long life to theMother; she enjoys life herself, and makes other people see life on itsbeautiful and fair side, and the Builder of all the worlds will blessher for it. My brothers!--I mean my--my--then, long life to theProfessorin."
Never before had the Major made so long a speech at table, and neverhad he been so joyous as to-day. Soon after dinner he went towardshome, repeating over to himself by the way the words of his speech, forhe specially prided himself on being able to give it to Fraeulein Milchword for word. All the reputation in the world is of no account if shedoes not praise him, for she has the best insight into everything.
When he reached the house, and Fraeulein Milch complained to him thatto-day her sweet cream had turned sour, and not a drop was to be got inthe whole village, he signified to her by a wave of the hand that shewas to keep silence, so that he should not forget his toast. Placinghimself directly in front of her, he said:--
"This is the speech I made at dinner." Laadi looked up at her master,when she heard him declaiming with such energy, and when the Major hadconcluded, she signified by a bark that she comprehended him. The Majordid not mean to tell a lie, but the speech was assuredly better, atleast it was longer, as he rehearsed it now to Fraeulein Milch, than theone he had made. She said, when he got through:--
"I am only glad that there were some good people there to hear you."
Fraeulein Milch did not take to Herr and Frau Sonnenkamp; but sheespecially disliked Fraeulein Perini.
"Why haven't you spread our beautiful white table-cloth?" asked theMajor, when he surveyed the neat table set in the garden.
"Because the white is too dazzling in the sunlight."
"That's true; it's well. Mustn't I shut Laadi up? she's sodemonstrative."
"No; just let the dog be loose."
The Major was quite in despair that he could not do something to showhonor to his guests.
After a while he came back in triumph, for he had done something whichwas a great sacrifice for him; he had begged the Grand-master's cook togive him a pitcher of fresh cream. He scarcely ever borrowed anything,but to-day an exception must be made.
He managed to place the pitcher upon the table unnoticed by FraeuleinMilch, and put his hand up to his mouth to keep himself from laughingoutright, when he thought of the Fraeulein's astonishment at findingsweet cream upon the table.
He did still more. He went into the sitting-room and dragged his great,leather-covered easy-chair into the garden, for the Professorin to sitin; but when Fraeulein Milch came out, she surprised him by pointing outthat the easy-chair would not bear the bright sunlight out-of-doors.They carried it back together.
"Sha'n't we go to meet them?" said the Major, who had taken out hisspy-glass; "just look through,--stop, I'll alter it,--there; I thinkthere's somebody in sight down yonder."
Fraeulein Milch begged him to be quiet, and the Major looked now as ifhe were ready to weep. Laying his hand on Fraeulein Milch's shoulder, hesaid,--
"It's hard--very hard--cruel--bad--very bad--very cruel that I can'tsay, Here, Frau Dournay, here is my wife."
Fraeulein Milch wheeled about swiftly, and there was a freezing coldnessin her whole demeanor.
"For Heaven's sake, what's the matter?"
The dog barked as if she would say, "What's all this? What do you lookso angry for?"
"I'm quiet now--I'm quiet now! Be easy, Laadi," said the Majorsoothingly. He was so exhausted, that he was obliged to sit down; hetried to light his long pipe, but it went out.
He stood by the garden-fence, drumming with his fingers upon one of therails, and lost in so deep a reverie, that the guests stood before him,without his having noticed their approach.
The meeting of the Mother and Fraeulein Milch was not so cordial as theMajor had hoped it would be. Each seemed to hold back a little, andthey evidently gave each other a close inspection. But the Majorlaughed inwardly when he thought of the sweet cream, which FraeuleinMilch poured out just as usual, without noticing it.
He soon tapped with his stump-finger upon his forehead, saying tohimself,--
"She's much too smart to make any fuss before strangers. O, she's wise;one can't know how wise she is!"
How he would have liked to say that to the Professorin! But he resolvedto speak as little as possible to-day, and leave the field wholly toFraeulein Milch.
Just the right subject of conversation did not seem to come up; butwhen the Doctor's wife was mentioned, Fraeulein Milch expressed herrespect for the noble woman, who had just the right sort ofaristocracy.
"And what do you mean by the right sort of aristocracy?"
"It seems to me to receive every one's respect and honor."
"Exactly so, and that perhaps is still truer of Frau Dournay,"interposed the Major.
It seemed to him that Fraeulein Milch sneered a trifle, and it was notpleasant to him.
The Mother asked Fraeulein Milch if she were a native of this part ofthe country.
She answered curtly in the negative.
At last an expedient occurred to the Major. Two strange horses must beleft in the stable by themselves; perhaps they will kick a little atfirst, but they are soon on good terms. He busied himself in giving along account to Eric and Roland of the vineyard, which would this yearyield wine for the first time, virgin wine as it was called; they mustgo with him to see it.
The ladies were now by themselves. The Mother wanted to say somethingcommendatory of Fraeulein Milch, about whom she had heard so manyfavorable things; but this did not exactly suit her, and by a happyturn she referred to the strangeness of the change in her own life, andhow much she needed help.
This was the right key to touch, for Fraeulein Milch was in her elementwhenever she could render any advice and assistance. She took anunexpectedly deep view, saying that a firm position in life could bekept, so long as one's self-respect was preserved. The Mother wassurprised at the tact and knowledge of the world she displayed. Sheexpected to see a narrow-minded, frivolous, talkative housewife, andhere was evidence of refined thought which could be the result only ofdeep and mature reflection.
She wanted to say, You are more than your circumstances would indicate;but she refrained, and expressed anew her satisfaction at the beauty ofthe landscape, which was continually unfolding hidden charms, and atthe rich fulness of life, as revealed in human beings, who even insolitude cherished refined thoughts and noble sentiments. FraeuleinMilch, who had seated herself with her cup of coffee a little apartfrom the table, now drew up nearer, and beginning with an allusion toEric's discreet management, she proceeded to give a clear-sightedcharacterization of Herr Sonnenkamp and his wife.
She did not mention Fraeulein Perini. She only expressed her regret thatHerr Sonnenkamp, who was not really hardhearted, should have nosystematic beneficence. She drew a picture of the necessitous conditionof various people in the neighborhood, for she knew everybody for milesaround. The Mother said finally:--
"I thank you; you remind me of a work which I had lost sight of, andwhich was the very reason of my coming here. If I have th
e disposal ofHerr Sonnenkamp's charities, will you assist me?"
Fraeulein Milch promised to do so; but she suggested that it would bevery much more expedient for the Professorin to have the cooperation ofthe daughter of the house; in this way many good results could besecured. The girl, who was serious and earnest, would take again herproper place, and the immeasurable wealth of the father would have asecure and immovable basis if it were intrusted to the care of thedaughter of the house.
The Mother's eyes gleamed as she looked, at Fraeulein Milch; yonder theDoctor's wife, and here the housekeeper, are appealing to her to bringManna out of the convent, and initiate her into an active life ofcommon usefulness.
She made, very cautiously, further inquiries of the charitable andsensible housekeeper concerning the people in the neighborhood, butFraeulein Milch evaded them. She affirmed that she did not have theright view of people; she saw them on Sundays and holidays, when theywere in a merry mood, singing, and going up and down the mountain withwreaths on their heads; but whoever was not in the very midst of thishilarious movement, whoever observed it from the window, or from behindthe garden hedge, could form no suitable estimate of it; generally thewhole seems one undistinguishable jumble, just as when one stops hisears and looks at people dancing, but hears nothing of the music.
The Mother led the talk back to Manna, and, forgetting her usual markedreserve, Fraeulein Milch declared that Manna must have received somesevere shock, as it was not natural for any one to go from the extremeof overbearing pride to the extreme of humility.
"I will relate to you one little incident of Manna, and you will knowwhat she is. A stinging fly, a Rhine-gnat, as it is called, alighted onher hand, and sucked her blood; she quietly let it suck, and then said:'The ugly fly! I have let it drink my blood without disturbing it, andjust for that it has stung me.' Now can't you know what the child isfrom this little trait, supposing that they have not spoiled her in theconvent? I can speak of the child with so much the more freedom, as shehas a dislike to me, of which Fraeulein Perini was the cause."
Fraeulein Milch now launched out into a passionate invective againstPranken.
She acknowledged that her aversion to him arose from his making theMajor the target of his wit, more than was attributable to youthfularrogance; he was both witty and supercilious. And it was so much themore remarkable that now he should pretend to be pious, and that too,before he had married Manna; there must be some deep-laid game here,not easily seen through.
Engaged thus in friendly intercourse, the two women got to know eachother. Frau Dournay, with her naturally ladylike and easy bearing,imparted a great deal, without seeming to do so; Fraeulein Milch, withher acquired culture, which did not sit gracefully upon her, in everycommunication of deep thought showed plainly the difficult steps bywhich she had made it her own. When the Professorin spoke with suchease and fluency, Fraeulein Milch nodded, saying to herself; "Yes,forsooth! this lady has sat down at the table all spread, and beenserved by others, with all the means of culture, while I have had tocook my own food and to set my own table."
The Major saw from a distance the two women take each other by thehand, and he spoke to Laadi fondling words that he would like to havespoken to Fraeulein Milch.
"You are a pretty creature, smarter than all the world puttogether--clear as the day--quiet and steady--not you, Laadi,--what areyou looking at me so for?"
He returned to the garden, Roland and Eric following immediately.
As the Major was escorting the Professorin a part of the way home, shesaid:--
"I believe that I am acquainted now not only with the two best, butalso the two happiest people in this region."
The Major remained some time standing in the same place, and lookingafter the departing guests; then turning his eyes upward, he said:--
"Thanks to thee, thou Builder of all the worlds! Thou knowest what Iwould say, without my speaking,--oh dear!"
BOOK VIII.