CHAPTER IX.
A TWILIGHT RIDDLE.
The sun had set, but a golden haze enveloped valley, mountain andriver, when Eric went with the servant, and from the corridor lookedout over the distant prospect. He was conducted through several rooms.In the last, where a ground-glass hanging-lamp was lighted, he heardthe words, "I thank you,--be seated."
He saw Frau Ceres reclining on a divan, a large rocking-chair standingbefore her. Eric sat down.
"I have remained at home on your account," Frau Ceres began; she had afeeble, timid voice, and it was evidently, difficult for her to speak.
Eric was at a loss what to reply.
Suddenly she sat upright, and asked,--
"Are you acquainted with my daughter?"
"No."
"But you've been to the convent on the island?"
"Yes; I had a greeting to deliver from my mother to the LadySuperior--nothing farther."
"I believe you. I am not the cause of her becoming a nun--no, not I--donot think it," and reclining again on the pillow, Frau Cerescontinued,--
"I warn you, captain, not to remain here with us. I have been informedof nothing--he has let me be informed of nothing--but do not stay withus, if you can find any other employment in the world. What is yourpurpose in coming into this house?"
"Because I thought--until an hour ago I believed--that I could be afitting guide to your son."
And now Eric gave utterance to his inmost feeling of unfitness forbeing another's guide, and yet he must confess that no other personcould have a stronger inclination to be, only some other might perhapstake it more easily. He unfolded from the very depths of his soul thenewly awakened longing to plunge into solitary meditation, and lamentedthat one builds up an ideal of life and of work only to have itshattered in pieces upon the rock of actual existence; but it was onlyunvanquished self-seeking, for which his own thought, and not, theworld, was to blame.
"I am not learned--I don't understand you," Frau Ceres replied. "Butyou speak so beautifully--you have such good expressions--I should likealways to hear you speak, even if I do not understand what you aresaying. But you will not let him know anything about my having sent foryou?"
"Him? Whom?" Eric wished to ask, but Frau Ceres raised herself uphastily, and said,--
"He can be terrible--he is a dangerous man--no one knows it, no onewould imagine it. He is a dangerous man! Do you like me too?"
Eric trembled. What did that mean?
"Ah! I do not know what I am saying," continued Frau Ceres.
"He is right--I am only half-witted. Why did I send for you? Yes, now Iknow. Tell me about your mother. Is she really a learned and noblelady? I was also a noble lady--yes, I was one indeed."
A fresh shiver passed over Eric. Is this half lethargic, half ravingperson really insane, and kept within bounds in society only by thegreatest care?
He had wished this very morning to write to his mother that he had comeinto fairyland,--the fairy land was yet more marvellous than he hadhimself fancied.
Eric depicted with extreme precision, as far as a son could, thecharacter of his mother; how she was always so very happy, because shewas contriving how to make others happy. He described the death of hisfather, the death of his brother, and the greatness of soul with whichhis mother endured all this.
Frau Ceres sobbed; then she said suddenly,--
"I thank you--I thank you!"
She extended her white hand to Eric, and kept saying,--
"I thank you! With all his money he has not been able to make me knowthat I could weep once more. O, how much good it does me! Stay withus--stay with Roland. He cannot weep--say nothing to him--I also shouldlike to have a mother. Stay with us. I shall never forget it of you--Ithank you--now go--go--before he returns--go--good-night!"
Eric went back to his chamber. What he had experienced seemed to himlike a dream; the hidden element of mystery which seemed at Wolfsgartento envelop the family of Sonnenkamp was more and, more evident. Herewere the strangest sorts of riddles. Roland, full of life and spirits,came to him; the brief separation had given both a new and joyfulpleasure in meeting again; it was as great as if they had beenseparated for years.
Roland asked Eric to tell him about the Huguenots; there had evidentlybeen much talk about them during the drive. Eric put him off, sayingthat it was not necessary, at least not now, to dwell upon the horribletortures which human beings inflicted upon one another on account oftheir religious belief.
Roland informed Eric that Herr von Pranken was going the next day tovisit Manna at the convent.
Eric was doubtful what he ought to do. If he were to forbid the boy'sinforming him of what he heard, he would scare away his confidingness,his perfect confidence; and yet it was disagreeable to himself to beinformed of things which might not be intended for him to hear. Heproposed to himself for the future, to request Sonnenkamp to saynothing in the hearing of the boy which he ought not to know, Eric wassummoned once more to tea; Frau, Ceres did not make her appearance.
Eric was this evening perplexed, and lost the feeling of untroubledsecurity.
Should he tell Sonnenkamp that his wife had sent for him? But then hemust inform him of what she had revealed to him, though it was onlyhalf uttered,--it was a warning, a speech wholly disjointed andincoherent.
Eric also saw Roland looking at him as if beseeching. The boy felt thatsome painful experience was going on in his new friend, which he wouldgladly remove. And to Eric's affection there was superadded the feelingof pity. Here was a manifestly distressing family relation under whichthe boy must have suffered, and it was a fortunate thing that hislight, youthful spirits were untouched.
Eric was reminded continually of an experience of his in the house ofcorrection, The most hardened criminals had avowed always, with themost triumphant mien, that it conferred the greatest satisfaction tothem to be able to conceal their deeds from the world; but the leasthardened disclosed, on the other hand, how glad they felt to bepunished; for the fear of discovery, and the constant endeavour toconceal the crime, were the severest punishment.
Eric had now a secret; was he to let it be possible for a servant tobetray him, and himself appear untrustworthy?
When Eric was about to go to rest, Roland came to him and asked whetherhe had anything to impart to him.
Eric replied in the negative, and the boy appeared sad when he saidgood-night.