CHAPTER IV.
BITTER ALMONDS.
In the country where the tankard rules, the ladies assemble to takecoffee, and wine and coffee are equal in this respect, that they can behad at all seasons of the year. In spring and summer, it is pleasant todrink them on a gentle eminence, in a shady arbor where there is a fineview of the country around; in autumn and winter, in comfortable roomsfurnished with an abundance of sofa-cushions, embroidered in patternsof parrots or fat woolly dogs.
The coffee-party has the advantage of being given in succession byvarious persons, and as the pint of wine is not strictly a pint, butcan be increased at pleasure, so coffee is only a modest expression forthe May-bowls and fruits of the culinary art which follow it; and ahostess who wishes to do something surpassing the rest sends to thegreat city for ice, to be brought over the railroad.
The Justice's wife led off in the spring coffee-parties. The littlegarden behind the house was very pleasant, where the lilacs wereblooming in all their glory, but the surrounding houses overlooked it,and it was better to have the party in the best parlor opening upon thebalcony.
The rustling chintz covers were taken off the sofa-cushions. Theinvitations were sent out, among the rest to the Countess Wolfsgarten,who had returned an acceptance; but the regular course of proceedingwas, that about an hour before the appointed time, a delicatelyscented, prettily written note should arrive, in which Frau Bellaexpressed her regret that an unfortunate head-ache would deprive her ofthe long anticipated pleasure of meeting the highly respected wife ofthe Justice, and her much esteemed company.
To-day, contrary to all expectation, the Countess had come herself, andhad indeed arrived before any of the rest of the party, which was notexactly the thing in fashionable society.
The Justice's wife sent Lina directly into the state parlor to placeone more chair, for they had felt quite sure that the Countess wouldnot come.
"I expect my brother to-day, he has been down the Rhine," Frau Bellasoon said.
She did in fact wish to carry her brother home from the town, that shemight hear more of Manna and the enigmatical telegram; but she had asecond purpose in view, and an opportunity of carrying it out soonpresented itself.
The Justice's wife complained that Captain and Doctor Dournay--"what isone to call him--?"
"Call him simply doctor."
That Doctor Dournay, then, had paid a visit to the priest, to themajor, and to the physician. The Major's housekeeper had told thebeadle a great deal about him. But very singularly, though he seemed tobe a man of excellent manners, he had neglected the very central pointof the town, which was certainly the Justice's court. He had certainlyapologized very humbly when he spent the night at the doctor's, and thedoctor's wife said that he was soon to return and enter Sonnenkamp'sservice with a salary more than double that of a Justice. Herr vonPranken had done a very kind thing in getting this position for theyoung man, who, it was to be hoped, would show himself worthy of hisrecommendation.
Bella nodded acquiescingly, and praised the Justice's wife foracknowledging in so friendly a manner the kindness which it was a dutyto show to an unfortunate man, but added that she must certainly seethe danger also, that an untrustworthy man could be injured in no waymore than by benefits, which served only to nourish enemies, who lay inwait for the right moment to show themselves in their true light.
The Justice's wife was delighted with the manner in which this lady ofacknowledged intellect dressed up her own plain commonsense so finely.She assented, and felt much pleased with the idea, that, as soon as oneenjoyed personal intercourse with the Countess Wolfsgarten, one couldthink more clearly and understand everything better. Both ladies smiledcontentedly, and each declared that the other was dressed mostbecomingly and tastefully, though of course with the acknowledgmentthat Frau Bella was the most marked in this respect, for to attempt torival her would be folly.
Bella certainly looked very animated. She spoke lightly--for the mattermust not be misrepresented--of the slight attack of illness which theCount had had at Villa Eden, when "Herr Dournay" who had lifted him hadbehaved right bravely. The Justice's wife launched out in praise of theCount, and of the care which was taken of his life.
Frau Bella led the conversation back, and with cautious circumspectioninsinuated that Eric had omitted a visit to the Justice, because hefelt a certain shyness of legal tribunals, and still more of allfaithful servants of the reigning king.
With considerable eagerness, the Justice's wife pressed for furtherinformation, and under a promise of strict secrecy--though, of course,the Justice must know all--she was informed that people knew of certainpolitical declarations, even of printed announcements in a foreignpaper, or rather a paper published beyond the boundary line, which hadinduced the former Lieutenant Dournay to ask for his discharge, beforeit was given him without his asking.
"Then why was the rank of captain given him?" asked the Justice's wife.
"You question with as much shrewdness as the Justice himself," repliedBella.
She did not seem prepared for this inquiry, and only said that it wasnot for her to wish to stand in the way of a poor young man's earning aliving. Very likely it had been done--at this point she seized the handof the Justice's wife and held it between her own, as if signifyingthat she was entrusting a great secret to her charge--very likely ithad been done for the sake of his mother, who had been a favorite ladyof honor to the dowager princess; of course the matter was kept asquiet as possible.
Bella tried to put on a pleased smile, and to repress an expression ofmild compassion, when the Justice's wife said,--
"There my husband guessed right again. As we were driving home fromyour reception--ah, what a pleasant, cheerful time we had--my husbandsaid to me and my daughter, 'Children, I tell you, this Herr Dournay isa dangerous man.' Oh, men are always more keen-sighted, and know moreabout each other than we women can ever find out."
She seemed to be losing herself in general reflections on mankind,which she liked to make, saying that any one who lived over aground-floor full of legal documents took a very gloomy view of men.
This did not seem to be what Bella wanted to-day. She asked verycarelessly,--
"Has your husband spoken to Herr Sonnenkamp of his very sagaciousopinion that this Herr Doctor Dournay is a dangerous man?"
"It's true that would be proper," said the Justice's wife. "Will younot tell my husband, gracious lady, that he ought to make his viewsknown? He doesn't heed me, I'm sorry to say, but he is glad to doanything for you."
"Don't ask me," Bella replied. "You must see that I cannot mix myselfup in this affair. My brother has a sort of regard toward his formercomrade although they were not in the same regiment, and my husband hastaken a morbid, I mean enthusiastic fancy to the young man. You arequite right; your husband is bound--"
Bella did her work so securely, that she felt sure that the Justicewould go to Sonnenkamp before evening, and Herr Dournay might make themost of his confident bearing somewhere else, for Bella wished, on manyaccounts, that Eric should not be established in the neighborhood; hecaused her uneasiness, almost pain indeed. As she tapped one hand withthe closed fan which she held tightly grasped in the other, sheinwardly repeated the words of the Justice: This Dournay is a dangerousman.
The Justice's wife was a woman of democratic principles; she was thedaughter of a Chief-Justice who had offered unbending resistance at thetime when Metternich ruled Germany, and, besides, she had a comfortableproperty of her own, which helps one to keep to liberal ideas. She felta sort of democratic pride in not yielding anything to the nobility;but she saw in Frau Bella an amiable, highly intellectual lady, and shesubmitted to her, without acknowledging to herself that her submissionamounted to subserviency toward a countess. Bella was acute enough tosee and understand it all, and treated the Justice's wife with thatconfidence which is shown only to equals; but she took care to be morethan usually amiable, that the Justice's wife m
ight attribute her visitto some other than the real object.
Lina entered the room, looking like a charming little housekeeper inher blue dress, and high-necked, white apron. Her mother sent her awayagain very soon, as the child must not be present if the gracious ladyhad still any private matter to speak of.
"Your dear child has developed finely, and she speaks very goodFrench."
"Thank you," said the mother. "I don't know much of the young peopleof the present day; but Lina is still so slow, there's nothing piquantabout her, and she is frightfully simple. Just think, the child hasformed a fancy--how she ever got hold of such ideas in the convent, isa mystery to me--but only imagine, she believes that this Herr CaptainDournay has forced himself in as Roland's tutor, only because he issecretly in love with Fraeulein Manna, whom he saw at the convent."
Frau Bella pretended much surprise, and heard the story of the meetingwith Eric again, but the Justice's wife soon led the conversation backto the failure of all her efforts to make Lina a wide-awake girl.
Frau Bella might have said to her, if she had been disposed, You wantto change this child, who has no special talent or beauty, from hergenuineness and openness; you are continually teasing her to belively, arch, and merry, to sing and to jump! You want to turn yourfair-complexioned daughter with clear, light-blue eyes, into adark-haired maiden with flashing brown eyes! Frau Bella might have saidall this, but she did not. She pressed her thin lips close together;her nostrils quivered; she despised, at this moment, the whole ofmankind. She was spared the necessity of saying anything, however, forthe ladies who were invited came in successively. They wereparticularly glad to meet the Countess Wolfsgarten, and yet every onewas a little vexed that she could not be the first in dress andappearance.
Ah, such a coffee-party of the fair sex!
There are some things, institutions, and arrangements, that havereceived a bad name, and cannot get rid of it again; this is the casewith this fine institution of coffee-drinking. As soon as anyfavorable mention is made of it, every hearer and reader is convincedthat is only downright irony, or a good-humored jest; for it has beensettled, once for all, that this coffee-drinking of the ladies is onlya hoax, and a pretence of kindly intercourse, with the participants.And yet this institution is a very excellent one, except when cardsare introduced, and they carry it so far as to get up a regulargambling-party, as do the ladies at the small capitals, who have ahandsome book with black morocco-binding, lettered on the back, "Hoursof Meditation," but containing, inside, only blank leaves on which tomark down the points, and to enter the score. But that is only in thesmaller capitals; here in our sociable little town, civilization hasnot advanced so far. Cards are not yet the book of salvation from allthe evil of ennui; here they rely upon their own resources, the bestway they can. And why should they not talk of persons, and occasionallysay something pretty severe? What do other people, yes, even the men,in higher spheres, and at the tankard? Do they converse always aboutabstractions?
To be sure, there is talk here of town news, and whoever takes no partin this, holding himself aloof, does nothing for the town, nothing forhis neighbor. And these ladies, who here have something to say aboutthe so-called higher dignitaries, as well as the so-called inferiorpeople, they are the same ladies who have established benevolentreunions, and behave in a strictly proper manner. So let us be pleasantand well-disposed guests, without any tendency to find fault, at thiscoffee-drinking of the fair sex.
Here comes Frau White. She is called Frau Coal behind her back, for sheis the wife of a wood and coal-dealer. She has black locks and a darkcomplexion, which looks as if she had never washed herself thoroughly;and since the good woman is aware of her being nicknamed Mrs. Coal, shealways dresses herself in dead-white colors, which are not verybecoming to her dark hair and complexion by bright daylight, but bylamp-light she is very charming to look at. Unfortunately she has thedefect of squinting, and with so sweet an expression, as if her eyeshad been permanently arrested in the midst of a killingly affectionateglance.
Here is the wife of the cement-manufacturer, a tall and stately woman,never laughing, always inexpressibly serious, as if she carried aboutwith her some great secret; she has no secret to impart, except thatshe has nothing to say.
Here sits the handsome wife of the school-director, a little too portlyperhaps, nicknamed the Lay-figure because she is always dressed sofinely; she has a perpetual smile upon her face, and one might almostimagine that she would still smile and show her beautiful teeth, evenif she were to be the bearer or hearer of the tidings of death.
Here is the wife of the steamboat agent, a very fine looking woman, themother of eleven children. The whole company are quite provoked withthe little, plump, good woman, who never lets her cup stand on thetable, but holds it up in her left hand, and repeatedly dips into ither biscuit, nodding assent to every one's remark, and seldom givingher own opinion, or, when she does, speaking with her mouth so full,that nobody understands her.
Here are the two Englishwomen who reside in the town; they were plaincitizens, much beloved, without any title of lady, but were trulylady-like in appearance, for the reason that they needed no rank to setthem off. They passed their time at home, did not depend upon visiting,and were like their own island, which produces all that man requires.Whenever the two ladies went into society they were always fresh, andwere very cordially welcomed; and the amiable, awkward way in whichthey spoke German, and made use of strange constructions, served toincrease the general kindliness. Bella was especially friendly towardthe Englishwomen. The ladies' conversation was all intermingledtogether, like the singing of birds in the woods. Each one sings itsown song, then polishes its own bill, and has no concern about therest,--hardly hears them. Only two remarks were generally listened toand repeated; once, when Frau White made the happy observation that onewould be aware of Count Clodwig's many badges of distinction, even ifhe did not wear any, which the Justice's wife took occasion to reportto Bella; and again, when they came upon the subject, no one could tellhow, whether the men's smoking was agreeable or disagreeable, FrauLay-figure said that her good man often expressed the wish that hecould be passionately fond of smoking, so as to wean himself from beingso fond of her. Frau Bella had that perpetual complaisant smile whichis so cold, and yet so fascinating.
The conversation only grazed Herr Sonnenkamp lightly. It remained fixedupon Eric, and why should it not? Here in the summer time, thousandsfrequent the little town, and swarm on the road leading to the oldcastle and to the other objects of interest for sight-seers, but whenhad there been a person who remained among them, and such a noteworthypersonage too? Eric was a strange bird who wanted to take refuge in themysterious house of Sonnenkamp; they will do him no harm, ruffle notone of his feathers, but each one wishes to have her say concerningwhere he comes from, and how he looks.
The Justice's wife remarked that she would have liked to invite theMajor to the coffee-drinking, for he could tell the most about thecaptain-doctor.
The ladies were busy, of course, with their crochet, embroidery andsewing; but these are only make-believe labors, for one must not seemto be wholly idle.
When they understood that Eric's mother was a lady of unimpeachablenobility, each one wanted to make out that she had perceived that inhim at once, it was something that could not be concealed. Bellaaccorded to this remark one of her most friendly looks of generalapproval.
When the Justice himself now came, for a little quarter of an hour, tojoin the company, Bella requested him to take a chair by her; shedeclared that they were very happy in this harmless circle, and shedesired that no disturbing element should ever enter, to have only adecomposing influence upon it.
The Justice looked at her with his good-natured eyes, wholly at a lossto know what she meant, and stroked his obstinate whiskers; he couldnot imagine that this was intended to prepare the way for what his wifewas to impart to him. He excused himself and soon went away; his wifeinformed them that Lina had joined the Liederkranz of the tow
n; theywere practising now for the great musical festival which was to be heldin the neighboring city, and to Lina would undoubtedly be assigned asolo-piece.
Frau Bella spoke very advisingly, and at the same time verydiscouragingly. She expressed her dislike of musical festivals, beingconvinced in her own mind that she alone understands music, and thatthe music which she fancies is the only genuine music. In these days,hundreds of young people of both sexes, of ordinary standing insociety, sing in the musical festivals an oratorio of Haendel, Haydn,Bach, and this vexed Bella; these people are convinced that they knowsomething. If she had had power, she would have had the police put astop to these meetings. For this reason, Frau Bella had a special spiteagainst the oratorio, but she only said,--"I have no appreciation ofit;" and inasmuch as she said, "I have no appreciation of it," thisought to be ample evidence that there is nothing in it to beappreciated.
She was exceedingly gracious and condescending. She said that she didnot question the merits of the German masters in oratorio. The truthis, that it was extremely repugnant to her to have the Justice'swife, the wife of the school-director, and the two daughters of thehead-forester, and even perhaps the tailor's and cobbler's daughters,presuming to be interested in high art, when not one of them couldsound a single true note.
Lina now acquired a new importance, for there was a general expressionof desire to hear her sing. The English ladies asked very pressinglyfor a German song, but Lina, who usually was not backward, to-day wasnot willing to comply. Her mother's eyes flashed, but Frau Bella placedher hand upon the arm of the angry mother, and an unheard of eventhappened; saying that she did not blame Lina for not being willing tobegin to sing abruptly, without any preparation, she arose, went to thegrand piano, preluded, and then played a sonata of Mozart in masterlystyle. All were happy, and the Justice's house, highly exalted, fornone could boast, except the Castle Wolfsgarten and the castles of thenobility, that Bella had ever touched a key in any other than her ownhouse.
Bella received overwhelming laudation, but she rejected it, and in ahalf serious, half contemptuous way, maintained that every one who worelong dresses wanted to play the piano. Bella was a genuine sister ofher brother; she could be happy a whole day if she succeeded inuttering one pointed speech, and she took great delight now insaying,--
"Every girl, now-a-days, thinks she must learn to knit a musicalstocking."
She continued to repeat these words, musical stocking, in a measure ofthree-fourths time. Every one laughed, the English ladies looked up insurprise, and Bella, was glad to explain to them what she meant bythese words, adding,--
"Yes, they knit a stocking out of notes, and the great thing with themis, not to drop a single stitch. I truly believe that the good childrenconsider the four movements of the sonata to be the four parts of thestocking; the top is the first movement, the leg is the adagio, theheel is the scherzo, the toe is the finale. Only one who has a realtalent for it ought to be allowed to learn music."
This was generally agreed to, and they spoke of the amount of timespent upon the piano in youth, and that after marriage it was given up.
The Justice's wife had been appealed to, and if there can be a higherheaven in heaven itself, it was opened when Frau Bella praised Lina'ssinging, which she had heard, and requested that Lina might make her avisit of some weeks, when she could, perhaps, give her someinstruction. The glance which the Justice's wife cast to her husbandwas inexpressibly joyful; and how delightful it is to have theladies ear-witnesses of all this! It seemed to her that she was verygood-natured and very condescending, to be still friendly and affablewith the doctor's wife, and also, indeed, with Frau Coal and themerchants' wives.
Bella extolled now, in the warmest terms, the delicious, spicy cakeswhich the Justice's wife knew how to make so excellently well; shewould like to know the ingredients. The Justice's wife said that shehad a particular way of giving them their flavor by putting into them acertain quantity of bitter almonds; and she promised to write out thereceipt for her, but she resolved in her own mind never to remember todo it.
They had hardly tasted of the May-bowl, and declared that no one elseknew how to mix it so well, before the Justice was informed that Herrvon Pranken had arrived. The Justice went down, his wife detainedBella, and Lina, looking out of the window, saw that Pranken decidedlyrefused to come in for a moment. Bella now drove away, after taking avery hasty leave.
When she had gone, it seemed to all as if the court had withdrawn; theydrew near to each other in a more confidential way, and had for thefirst time a really easy and home-like feeling.
The English ladies were the first to take their departure; the restwould not be less genteel than they, and in a short time the parentsand the child were by themselves.
The wife took her husband into an adjoining room, and impressed uponhim very earnestly, that it was the duty of a Justice to keep hisdistrict clean.
The Justice was faithful in his office, and whoever spoke of him wouldalways affirm that he was the best man in the world. But he had noparticular zeal for his calling; he was in the habit of saying,--Why amI mixed up with the affairs of other people? If I were a man ofproperty, I would have nothing to do with the quarrels of otherpersons, but live quietly and contentedly to myself. But inasmuch as hehad been inducted into the office, he performed its duties withfidelity. He was very reluctant to come to the determination tointerfere in the matter of Eric, and he consented only when his wifetold him in so many words, that the countess Bella had expressed thewish that he should.
They had come to the best understanding, when suddenly a slam, crash,and shriek were heard. Lina had let fall a whole tray full of cups.
The Justice's wife could not give a more satisfactory evidence of herserene content, than by saying, as she did, to Lina,--
"Be quiet, dear child. The mischief is done; it's of no sort ofaccount. Cheer up, you've looked so blooming, and now you're so pale. Icould almost thank God for sending us this trifling mishap, for inevery joy there must be some little sorrow intermingled."
Lina was quiet, for she could not tell what she was thinking of whenthe coffee-tray fell out of her hands.