CHAPTER XVII.
TO FORM A MAN.
The Major sent no notice of his approaching visit; he came himself, helooked very fresh with his reddish-brown face, and his snow-white,short-cut hair, and he said that as often as he had bathed in the warmspring, he felt as if he could remember the very first bath after hewas born. He seemed to himself, every time, literally like a new-bornchild, with an unseen nurse, who bent smiling over him and dipped himgently in the spring. He smiled at everything, at the trees, the roofs,the houses, and now at the faces of his friends.
He was very glad that Eric had taken the boy out of the ranks and wasexercising him alone; it was hard, to be sure; but more progress couldbe made in one day, than in weeks by the other method.
He begged Eric to excuse himself in a few words to Fraeulein Milch fornot visiting her when she was so lonely, and he urged Eric to comesoon, for the Grand Master was there.
The Major, as has been said, lived in a wing of the country-house,beautifully situated on the mountain-side, of which he had the care.With the greatest solicitude the Major preserved his own independencein life, but he felt a deep obligation toward the Grand Master, whoseuniversal friendliness and agreeable conversation he was never weary ofextolling. He always wanted to share with him every pleasure andadvantage, and now what had he better than Eric, whom he praised socontinually that his stock of eulogistic expressions became completelyexhausted, and he found more than usual difficulty in saying what hewished.
On his first leisure evening Eric visited the Major. He easily madepeace with the Fraeulein; and the Major laughed till he choked and hadto be brought to with a slap on the back, because he had made a joke, amost unusual thing with him, about Eric's confinement for six weeks.
Fraeulein Milch told of Eric's glory at the singing festival, and theMajor said,--
"That's good. At our feasts, singers are very important. But can yousing, 'These holy halls'?"
Eric regretted that the air was too low for his voice.
"Then sing something else; sing for Fraeulein Milch."
Eric had difficulty in declining this friendly request, and FraeuleinMilch thanked him, and helped him carry out his wish to defer theperformance to some appointed evening. The so-called Grand Master wasas disagreeable in his behavior, as Fraeulein Milch was charming. Therewas something unpleasantly patronizing in his manner; it seemed as ifhe were so accustomed to flattery, that only a simple unpretendingnature, like the Major's, could be at ease with him. The Major tookgreat pains to bring his true friends together, but he did not succeed.The Grand Master behaved arrogantly towards Eric throughout. Headdressed him only as "Young man," and gave him instruction and advice,as if Eric were in his employ. It required all Eric's self-possession,to show the man, good-temperedly, the impropriety of his treatment forthe Grand Master was so inconsiderate as to speak, even in Roland'spresence, of the want of experience of the "young man," who had, ofcourse, come to him only to listen to his oracular sayings; and hiswhole manner of speaking had something oracular about it, as hegesticulated with outstretched hands, as if sowing seed. Eric kept histemper enough to treat this insolent creature as a singular, naturalphenomenon. He patiently allowed himself to be patronized, and whenEric had gone, the Head Master said to the Major,--"That young man hasideas."
It is true, Eric had not expressed any ideas, but he had listened well,and so was awarded praise for them, which was a great deal from theGrand Master, who considered that nobody but himself had properly anyideas; and the whole world ought to come to him to be taught. When Ericreturned to the Major's, he found a messenger, who had come to say thatClodwig, Bella, and Pranken would come there the next day. Roland hadgone into the court with Fraeulein Milch to admire the young ducks.
The Major now asked on what terms Eric stood with Pranken. Eric couldonly answer that Pranken had been very friendly, and considerate, inhis treatment of him.
The Major, who had risen through every grade of the militia fromdrummer-boy up, lived in a constant state of resentment against thehaughtiness of his noble-born comrades; he admonished Eric, however, toconduct himself gratefully towards Pranken, who was really a verywell-mannered fellow, in spite of his noble birth; an obstacle that itwas very hard for the Major to get over. He thought that Prankendeserved Eric's gratitude for having introduced him into his presentposition, and reminded Eric that he had also been the means of hisgaining so valuable a friend as Clodwig.
As Eric and Roland were going towards home, Eric said,--
"Now, Roland, we will show that we do not allow ourselves to bedisturbed; come what will, we will have our studies uninterrupted; wewon't see visitors except in play-hours. You see, Roland, this is onegreat difficulty in life. From complaisance towards the world, and froman unwillingness to appear disobliging and ungracious to our friends,we often allow our own privacy to be invaded. Against this we muststand firmly: each must just be something for himself, and then comeout into the world. He who cannot exist for himself may possess theworld, but not himself."
In the consciousness of fulfilling his duty, Eric became again strongand self-contained, and scattered every disturbing influence far away.