Das landhaus am Rhein. English

by Berthold Auerbach

  CHAPTER III.

  THE GREAT WORLD IN THE LITTLE CAPITAL.

  While Sonnenkamp, the next morning, was looking through the courtcalendar and making a list of the visits that were first to be paid,Eric, also, was arranging his programme. He determined to free his mindfrom every personal disquietude, as the only means of being able todevote himself to the new difficulties of his task.

  In a large close carriage, made half of glass, with two servants in furcoats sitting on the box, and the footman behind, Sonnenkamp and FrauCeres drove about the city. The question whether Roland's cards shouldbe left too had been carefully considered, and it was finally decidedin the affirmative.

  Eric used the day's leave of absence he had obtained in visiting someof his old comrades, and spending some time with them at the militaryclub. He was more cordially greeted than he expected, and the men hemet were better and sounder than he remembered them. Of course thetalk was of the newly-established gaming-table, of horses andballet-dancers, but there was a prevailing seriousness among many ofhis comrades. The great excitements of the day, which were affectingall minds, were not without their results even in this military club.One young man, who sat in the window with Eric, went so far as to envyhim for having struck out for himself an independent career.

  Eric's mind grew quite light and tranquil after visiting a few more ofhis friends, and he returned to find the Sonnenkamp family in goodhumor also.

  On this first day, the Cabinetsrath, with his wife and two daughters,was invited to dinner. The dresses had come from Paris, and werealready the town-talk of the little capital, the custom-house officialshaving told their wives, and they their relations, that dresses hadbeen received from Paris finer than any in the wardrobe of the Queenherself. They were duly admired by the ladies, and everything was inthe best possible train. Sonnenkamp had his party at whist in thefashionable club-house, to which the Cabinetsrath introduced him; andas they rose from table, Bella and her husband were announced as thefirst visitors.

  Bella's gait, manner, and dress always suggested not only invisibleservants in livery to appear, but a carriage and horses besides; shealways looked as if she had just left her carriage, or was about toenter it; it was so in the drawing-room, and so in the street. She wasextremely animated, and only to Eric regretted that his mother stillcontinued in the country. She told Sonnenkamp that Otto would arrive ina few days, with the Russian prince, for the two men were to take partin a French comedy that was to be performed at court, in which she alsowas to play. She made Sonnenkamp give her a considerable sum of moneyfor the purchase of articles to be sold for the benefit of the poor, ata fair held at the beginning of the next month, by the first ladies ofthe capital. Sonnenkamp promised further to place at her disposal somebeautiful plants from his greenhouses.

  Clodwig was tired, and stipulated beforehand that little should beexpected from him in the way of society. The representatives wereassembled in both houses. Prince Leonhard, the brother of the reigningSovereign, a man who had seen the world for himself, and had eventravelled in America, had been chosen President of the Chamber ofLords, Clodwig being Vice-President, but having to perform most of theduties of actual President.

  While they were still together, they had the pleasure of receiving aninvitation from Herr von Endlich to a great ball. Bella could not helprepeating what was said by the scandal-mongers, that Herr von Endlichgave his great entertainment thus early, lest the daily expected newsof his son-in-law's death should prevent his giving it altogether. Thiswas just the height of the season; they had come to town quite earlyenough. It was said that the Court would be present at Herr vonEndlich's ball; at least the brother of the reigning Prince mightconfidently be expected, for he maintained relations with society quiteindependent of the palace. Bella was also called upon to admire theParisian toilettes in the adjoining room, and advised Frau Ceres toreserve the handsomest for the entertainment Herr Sonnenkamp himselfwould give.

  The evening at Herr von Endlich's was very successful. The nobility,notwithstanding the wound inflicted upon their pride by the Sovereign'sinconsiderate raising of the rich wine-merchant to their ranks, werelargely represented. It was a singular step for him to have taken, veryunlike the almost priestly solemnity with which he usually regarded allaffairs of court etiquette. He perceived his mistake, and liked to bemade to forget it. A sure way of winning his favor was to showcordiality to Herr von Endlich. So it happened that the companyassembled at the house of this newly made noble, was the most brilliantof the season.

  Herr von Endlich was shrewd enough to invite some distinguished membersof the House of Deputies, and even two of the extreme opposition, not,however, without first having made sure that the Court would take nooffence at such a step. The Court itself was not present, except in theperson of Prince Leonhard. He had made no secret of his disapproval ofthis conferring of new titles, but as a subject of his brother, heappeared at the ball, and conversed freely with the members of theopposition, especially with Herr Weidmann, the President of the Houseof Deputies.

  Although the Prince represented his brother, and always spoke of himwith great deference, he was not averse to hearing such remarks as,"Ah, if you were the ruler, there would be a different order of things;then we should have a model country." In court circles a secretcompassion was felt for Prince Leonhard, because custom made itdesirable, in fact even necessary, for him to affect liberal views, topopularize himself, as the aristocracy called it. He encouraged artsand sciences, and even political movements; the journal which wasunderstood to be secretly supported by him slightly favored theopposition.

  Prince Leonhard made the circuit of the rooms arm in arm with Clodwig,which was no slight mark of distinction. The Count must have mentionedEric to the Prince, for he called him from his place behind the firstrow of those who were waiting to be saluted, and said aloud:--

  "I am glad to see you again, my dear Dournay; you have become a greatscholar, I hear. Well, well, you always had considerable talent thatway; you showed it even as a boy. How is your honored mother?"

  Eric expressed his thanks, with a tone of happy relief that the firstmeeting with Prince Leonhard had passed off so pleasantly. No triflingcompliment was paid him by the Prince, who added:--

  "I should be glad if you would bring Herr Sonnenkamp to me; where ishe?"

  Sonnenkamp, unhappily, was not to be found. By the time he was summonedfrom the smoking-room it was too late; the Prince was already openingthe ball with Bella.

  Herr von Endlich was beaming with happiness, but Sonnenkamp's face worea singular expression when he learned that the Prince had desiredCaptain Dournay to present him. A still more striking contrast existedbetween the dispositions of the two men. The Wine-count possessed aconfident, self-satisfied manner, with sufficient tact, however, toprevent him from giving offence. His every word and motion plainlyimplied his superior knowledge on all points. He could enter intoconversation with men of the most dissimilar pursuits, and make a goodappearance in the eyes of all. The fact of his being financier,political economist, agriculturist, merchant and ship-owner, andthoroughly acquainted with everything connected with those pursuits, heallowed to be taken for granted; but besides these, he was able toconverse with equal intelligence upon the exact sciences and all thestatesmen of Europe. He was a careful observer, and knew how to turnhis observation to good account.

  Sonnenkamp, who was often one in a group of persons to whom Herr vonEndlich would be talking, was made to feel, perhaps for the first timein his life, quite like a school-boy, in fact, extremely insignificant.He was standing with some others listening to Herr von Endlich'saccount of the casting of steel, when the Prince approached, andobserving that the conversation ceased abruptly upon his arrival,said:--

  "Pray, let me not interrupt you," and listened with apparentgratification while Herr von Endlich explained the whole process, as ifhe had spent his whole life as a worker in a machine shop.

  Upon Sonnenkamp
being presented, the Prince inquired if he hadpractised grape culture in America.

  Sonnenkamp replied in the negative.

  With a sudden change of subject, the Prince then asked again whether heknew Theodore Parker, whose preaching he had heard with pleasure.

  Here again Sonnenkamp was unfortunately obliged to say no, feelinghimself wretchedly poor and ignorant.

  The Prince perceived the stranger's embarrassment, and desiring tointroduce a subject on which he could not fail to be at home, askedwhether he believed in the possibility of a peaceable settlement of theslavery question.

  The bystanders listened with interest, while Sonnenkamp proceeded tostate that the horrors generally associated with the idea of slaveryhad no actual existence, and that the abolitionists might be very wellintentioned, but certainly they did not set to work in the right way.

  "You must tell me more about this matter of slavery sometime; you mustcome to see me."

  "Your Highness has but to command," replied Sonnenkamp, most happy thatthe conversation should end here.

  Eric stood through the greater part of the evening near Weidmann, butdesirous as he was of giving his undivided attention to the excellentman, he found it impossible to keep his eyes from wandering towardsBella. Bella was in the highest spirits. There was something Juno-likeabout her appearance. There was a dignified ease and a magnificentfulness of outline, with a look of pride and self-possession; she had asignificant word for some, and a lighter for others; age she cheered,youth she made more gay, and all with an inimitable grace and noblenessof manner.

  A constrained expression sometimes hovered about her lips, but as shepassed from one to another she had a cheerful smile for all, and therewas a magic charm in her friendliness. Even in her outward appearanceshe remained a mystery, for no one could tell the exact color of hereyes, though all were fascinated by their glance.

  You might hate Bella, but you could not forget her.

  Such must have been Dr. Richard's experience. The Doctor had beenunjust to her, Eric thought, for Bella's leading principle wasambition, and ambition directed to great ends would appear likegreatness. The feeling that he also had done her injustice, made hismanner towards her more friendly and respectful. Bella seemed to divinewhat was passing in him, and nodded to him from time to time graciouslyand significantly.

  Eric's manner set her mind completely at rest; for in fact she hadsometimes secretly thought: What if this tutor should boast--pah! noone would believe him. Besides, he is by nature too noble to boast.

  And what had happened between them, after all?

  She had already found a subject of pride in her first contrition;having begun by persuading herself that the whole thing had been apassing exuberance of spirits, a tempting pastime, nothing but sport,in fact.

  And who could contradict her?

  She appeared to herself in the light of a heroine who had gloriouslyovercome temptation.

  Her rehabilitation was so complete as to become the main fact in thecase; indeed, the whole thing seemed to her like a romance she had readin some book; it had certainly made a great impression upon her, it hadended differently from what she had expected; but now it was finished,done with, laid aside, returned to the desk of the library. Yes, Bellacould laugh at the idea of her still being so impressionable; she wasalmost proud of being still so naive in her feelings, still capable ofbeing carried away. Now it was all over, and she was ready forsomething else.

  She exchanged a few words with Eric and Weidmann, rejoicing that thetwo had found one another, and hoping that Eric would often come to seeClodwig and herself, that so they might enjoy some more intellectualtalk together, and be brought to a knowledge of their true selves inthe midst of this whirl of society. She also asked Eric to take hersome day into the Cabinet of Antiques, and give her some instructionabout them. With a tone of sisterly advice she reminded him thatetiquette required the making of certain visits on his part, in ordernot to be left out of society.

  She was rejoiced to hear that he had already done part of his duty inthis respect; and in reply to his remark that he had even inquired forthe Sovereign's negro, but found he was spending the winter in Napleswith the invalid princess of the royal family, she asked:--

  "Ah? Herr Sonnenkamp sent you then to the nigger on some specialcommission?"

  Eric replied that he did not understand the question, upon which Bellahastily changed the subject, saying that it was only an idle jest; andsoon afterwards she was laughing and talking with Sonnenkamp, andcalling his attention to a man in the company, the brother of Herr vonEndlich, who kept the most fashionable tailor's shop in the capital.

  Herr von Endlich could not help inviting his brother, who was a personof consideration in the city; and it was thought an excellent joke,that the man who sold the clothes yesterday could see now how well theyfitted his customers.

  Sonnenkamp congratulated himself that he would at least have no suchintolerable family connections to dread when he should enter the ranksof the nobility.