CHAPTER XIV.
POTATOES AND SOMETHING BETTER BESIDES.
Claus and his wife were in the same carriage with Eric and Roland. WhenClaus reached the line where his beat began, he asked them to stop, andgot out.
"No, I go in no carriage here," he said. "And look here at my hands; myhands have been hand-cuffed. What now are they to do? Are they toavenge themselves? On whom? And if I should know on whom, what then?"
He took up a clod of earth, raised it up towards heaven, and cried:--
"By thee I swear that I will emigrate. The New World must give me someland of my own; I have long enough looked after the land of otherpeople in the old."
Eric and Roland also got out, and went with the couple into theirhouse. Then a sudden call was heard from the vineyard, and Sevenpipercame from it with the halberd which Claus had always carried as thebadge of his office as field-guard. He handed it over to Claus,saying,--
"Take this now again; I have kept it faithfully for you."
He joined the escort of the couple to their home. The dogs barked inthe yard, and the birds flitted here and there, and twittered alltogether, for their master had come back. But the black-bird sanglouder than all, caroling, Rejoice in your life; but she stuck fast atthe second bar. The field-guard gazed round upon all, as if he had justwaked up. At last there was a calm, and the whole family sat round thetable, and ate the first new potatoes which a neighbor had boiled forthem. Never had Roland eaten any food which had such a relish, and alllaughed when he said,--
"Claus, these potatoes originated there where you are going and where Icame from; they were born in America, and we have immigrated hither."
They had a pleasant time together, and Roland presented the stolenwatch which had been restored to him to Claus, as a lasting token ofremembrance. He was not willing to take it, not even when Eric andSevenpiper joined in the request.
"Just take it, father," finally said the cooper, and Claus yielded.
Sevenpiper led the talk to-day. He made fun of the field-guard forbeing a great deal too uneasy; and for continually worrying how peoplegot to be so rich, which was wholly needless. A man might, indeed, beempty, but one couldn't eat more than his fill, or do more than quenchhis thirst; and the rich man couldn't get any more out of sleep than tosleep sound, and sleeping sound didn't depend upon the bed in which oneslept, but it was just sleeping sound; and to ride in one's coachwas pure nonsense; it was much better to go upon one's own goodwalking-sticks.
There was also some mention made of the dwarf, and Sevenpiper said,--
"Yes; if any one wants to visit the grave of this mannikin, he willhave to carry a ladder along with him."
"What for?" asked Roland.
"Because he will be hanged."
Claus did not like to have them talk of bad people.
Sevenpiper was a good representative of "blessed be nothing." He hadsent a child to his house, and just as some bottles of wine arrivedwhich Fraeulein Milch had sent, there was heard singing at the entranceof the house. The whole organ was there with all its stops, and soonEric and Sevenpiper were singing too.
At last Eric insisted that they must be on their way home; and as theywere turning from the village path into the road, a carriage drove up,from which signals were made, and the powerful voice of the Majorcried:--
"Battalion, halt!"
They halted; in the carriage with the Major were the mother and theaunt.
"This is the only thing which I had yet to wish for," said Roland."Herr Major, Claus has been released; he is innocent."
The mother embraced her son after she had first embraced Roland. Theygot out, and Eric walked to the villa arm-in-arm with his mother, whoheld Roland by the hand on the other side. The Major politely offeredhis arm to the aunt, but she declined, excusing herself by saying thatit was a peculiarity of hers never to take any one's arm.
"That's really the better way; Fraeulein Milch thinks so too. You'll getacquainted with her; you'll be good friends with one another, you mayrely upon that. She knew every thing--every single thing. It'sincomprehensible how she picked it all up. She knew that Count Clodwighad sent you an invitation. But we know a stratagem or two; we've beenbeforehand with him. 'He whom fortune favors leads home the bride,' asthe saying is."
Music was heard in the distance, and the Major informed them that itwas a part of the wedding celebration at Herr von Endlich's.
"O mother, if I am ever again desponding and low-spirited, I will callto mind this hour, and be again happy!" The mother could not speak; herheart was too full.
There was a very friendly welcome at the villa. The Cabinetsraethinembraced and kissed the Professorin; Frau Ceres sent an excuse for notappearing. Sonnenkamp came after nightfall.
The moon shone brightly when Eric and Roland escorted the mother andthe aunt to the vine-embowered dwelling. And as she stood here upon thebalcony, Eric's mother took his hand again, quietly, and said,--
"If thy father could see thee, he would rejoice in thee; thou haststill thy pure and good glance; yes, all is well, thou hast the oldpure glance."
BOOK VII.