Das landhaus am Rhein. English
Page 26
CHAPTER XIV.
A RIVAL.
The dinner was as ceremonious as it had been the day before. FrauCeres, who appeared again at table, betrayed by no look or word thatshe had conversed so confidentially with Eric; she addressed,frequently, some brief remark to him; but again all were occupied inurging her to eat something. Eric wondered at the patience with whichSonnenkamp did this again and again.
After dinner, while they were taking coffee, Sonnenkamp observed toEric in a careless way, that a new applicant had presented himself, whobrought the highest recommendation from Roland's last tutor, thecandidate Knopf. He gave Eric to understand that they did not receiveevery one at once to dinner, and ordered Joseph to introduce thestranger.
A slim, sunburnt man entered. He was introduced to the company. Ericwas introduced by the title of Captain, Doctor being sufferedtemporarily to rest in peace. The stranger, whose name was ProfessorCrutius, had been a fellow-student with the candidate Knopf, had seen agood deal of the world, and, finally, for several years, had beenprofessor in the military school at West Point, near New York.
He gave this information with great ease, but in rather a harsh tone ofvoice.
Sonnenkamp seemed to have reserved this entertainment for the dessert,to allow the two applicants to engage in a tilt with each other, whilequietly smoking his cigar. He was very shrewd in finding the pointswhere they could attack each other, but he was not not a littlesurprised that Eric immediately laid down his arms; expressing histhanks to the stranger, he said that he envied his rich experience inlife, and his wide survey of the world, while he himself had, to hisregret, been confined to the limited circle of the Principality and tothe world of books.
The stranger had made the discovery very soon that Fraeulein Perini wasthe hair-spring in the watchwork of this household, and he found thatthey had some reminiscences in common. Crutius had accompanied anAmerican family to Italy, and had gone from thence to the New World.
In a manner showing candor and experience, he described thecharacteristics of an American boy of the upper class, and how such aboy must be managed. Without directly pointing it out, this descriptionwas evidently intended for Roland, who sat gazing at the stranger.
Eric, standing with Sonnenkamp by the balcony-railing, which he graspedtightly in his hands, said that he himself was not sufficientlyprepared, and that the stranger would be, probably, the most fittingperson.
Sonnenkamp made no reply, puffing out quickly cloud after cloud ofsmoke into the air.
"Magnanimity," he thought to himself. "Magnanimity,--nothing but smokeand vapor."
The stranger was very zealously engaged in conversation with Frau Ceresand Fraeulein Perini. Roland went to his father, and said, in a voice asdetermined as it was low,--
"Send him away; I don't want him."
"Why not?"
"Because I have Herr Eric, and because Herr Knopf has sent him."
"Go to your own room; you have nothing to say about this," Ericordered.
The boy stared at him, and went.
Eric declared to the father that Roland's instinctive feeling was just;the bitterness against his former teacher he could not at all judge of,but it was evident that the boy wanted to be received by some entirelyunprejudiced stranger.
Sonnenkamp was surprised at this kindly appreciation on Eric's part,especially when he went on to state how unpleasant a thing it must befor the boy to be transferred in this way from one hand to another.The stranger, in the meanwhile, had asked Fraeulein Perini whetherSonnenkamp had any relatives, whether that had always been his name,and whether he received many letters. He touched upon one and anotherpoint in his conversation, evidently to reconnoitre the state offeeling entertained by the family concerning America; and whenSonnenkamp, with great energy, asserted that he should like a dictatorfor America, who would put to rout the rascality there, Crutius said,that there were very many in the New World who really cherished theconviction and desire that America would establish a monarchy, butdidn't dare to say so.
Sonnenkamp nodded to himself, and whistled again inaudibly.
"Where did you put up?" he abruptly inquired of the stranger.
Crutius named an inn in the village.
"There you are very well quartered."
The stranger's countenance changed for an instant. He had evidentlyexpected that his luggage would be sent for, and that he would bereceived as a guest in the house.
Sonnenkamp thanked him very courteously for the call, and requested himto give his address in full, so that he might be written to if thereshould be occasion. The stranger's hand trembled as he took out hiswell-worn pocket-book, and gave his card. He took leave with formalpoliteness.
Sonnenkamp requested Eric to escort his fellow-teacher a part of theway, and handed him several gold pieces, which he was to give to theneedy-looking man in a suitable manner.
"Is this friendly confidence, or is it expected as a service?" Ericasked himself, as he went after the stranger.
He overtook him near the park-wall, and when Eric represented himselfto be also a teacher, the countenance of the professor changed, and heexclaimed:--
"Ah! a teacher then, and perhaps my competitor?"
Eric answered in the affirmative.
Crutius looked sour at this; he had been gratified at the friendlyencouragement of the captain, whom he took to be an inmate of thefamily, and he was grateful to him for the praise he had given him; butnow he turned out to be a teacher too! He gnashed his teeth a littleover this mistake.
Eric tendered him the present of gold with great delicacy, puttinghimself on an equality with the stranger, making known his own poverty,and declaring how impossible it often was not to accept from those whohad means.
"Ha! ha!" the stranger laughed out. "He knows me; he wishes to put meunder obligation and release himself!"
Eric said that he did not understand such expressions.
"Indeed!" the stranger said, laughing. "So innocence with a captain'srank allows itself also to be bought? The whole world is nothing but anold rag-shop. What matter! The den where the tiger devours his prey isvery fine and very tasty! paint and tapestry can cover up a good deal!I ask your pardon, I have taken wine this morning, and I am not used toit. Well, hand it over! My most humble compliments to Villa Eden! Ha!ha! a very nice name!"
Without adding a word more, the stranger, grasping tightly the gold,touched his hat, and walked off at a rapid pace.
Eric returned to Sonnenkamp in a meditative mood. Sonnenkamp invitedhim to be seated, in a very friendly manner, asking.--
"Did he take the money?"
Eric nodded.
"And of course, with hardly a thank you?"
Eric said that the man had acknowledged, of his own accord, that he hadbeen drinking wine that morning, and was not used to it.
Pointing to a great packet of letters, Sonnenkamp said that they wereall applications for the advertised situation. He expatiated verymerrily upon the great number of persons who depend upon some wind-fallor other; if one should only open a honey-pot, suddenly bees, wasps,and golden-flies appear, nothing of which had been seen before. Then hecontinued:--
"I can give you a contribution to your knowledge of men."
"Anything about Herr Crutius?"
"No; of your very much be-pitied dwarf. It is really refreshing to findsuch a charming piece of rascality. I have known for a long time howsmart he was in stealing the black wood-vetch from the hill above; butnow the bite received in training the dog is nothing but a lie. I havealready informed Roland of it, and I am glad that he can becomeacquainted so early with the vileness and deceitfulness of men."
"You will not keep the dwarf any longer in your employment, I suppose?"
"Certainly I shall. I am delighted that the droll little man has somuch rascality. It is a perfect satisfaction to play with the villainyand roguery of people, and I should like to have half a dozen such onhand, so as to teach R
oland how to deal with chaps of that stamp."
"I would rather not be able to give him that instruction," said Eric.
"It is not for you to do that; you are here for something else."
Eric left Sonnenkamp's room, greatly depressed.
A servant informed him that Roland was waiting for him at theriver-bank; he went there, and Roland invited him to take a sail withhim on the Rhine. He unfastened the pretty boat from the shore, androwed expertly out into the stream; it was now a dark green, and theislands above, with their dense foliage, seemed to be growing out of asoil of liquid emerald.
A fresh breeze rippled the surface; Roland was happy that he couldunfurl the sail, and showed himself skilful in his mastery over theelements. Every movement was so graceful that Eric took great delightin looking at him.
Eric was a novice on the water, and he was glad to give Roland thesatisfaction of instructing him, and of showing him how the boat ismade to turn, and to go in any direction. There was a joyous tone inRoland's voice that Eric had never remarked before.
And while they were sailing along with a full breeze, the splashingwaves striking against the boat, Roland spoke of the candidate Knopf,who first made him really at home upon the water. Knopf could row,sail, steer, and make the boat describe a circle in the water, betterthan the best boatman. Yes, better than the boatman's wife even, alarge, powerful woman, who now called out to him as she steered a largeboat made fast to a tow-boat, while her husband, a not less powerfulform, leaned against the mast.
Roland, steering towards the tow-boat, made fast to the boat which thewoman was managing. She chatted with him without looking round, for shemust keep the exact course. When they had gone far enough, Rolandunfastened the boat, and sailed back with the current.
He gave a humorous account of the helmswoman's rule over her husband,but Eric led the conversation to the candidate Knopf. Roland was notinclined to say anything more about him, nor to speak of his previoustutors, who were evidently regarded by him with as much indifference asis a yesterday's waiter at a hotel, or a discharged servant. Who willask about people whom they have dismissed? It was only apparent, fromsome words dropped by Roland, that this candidate must have had a warmaffection for his pupil.
Mention was made, also, of the dwarf, and Roland took it very coollythat he had turned out a rascal, for he regarded all poor people asrascals.
Eric had gained in this sail a new and deeper knowledge of his pupil;pity was now added to the love he felt for the boy, who had so earlyacquired a contempt for the world, and who appeared to have no personand no thing to which he clung inseparably, and the thought of whichgave him new inspiration. Only with his sister did he seem to have anyreal bond of affection, for as they were approaching the villa, hesaid:--
"Just as I am now walking with you, Manna is walking with Herr vonPranken. I think that you and Manna, when she comes, will also be goodfriends."
BOOK III.