CHAPTER X.
THE VICTORIA REGIA IN BLOOM.
The Cabinetsraethin proved herself to be grateful and well informed; sheshowed to Sonnenkamp a letter from her husband, in which he stated thatthe Prince had read with great satisfaction the account of theInstitution and the popular celebration. But a much more importantpoint was, that the Prince expressed the intention of paying a visit inperson to the famous green-houses and fruit-plantations of Sonnenkamp.This must be kept a profound secret, but it was very proper thatSonnenkamp should be informed of it. He sent back the request that thevisit of the Prince should be announced by a telegram.
He seemed to himself now a prisoner in his own domains. He had had noidea of leaving the villa until it was time for him to set out for theBaths, but now it seemed to him that he might be called suddenly away,and the Prince would be sure to come during his absence.
He gave precise orders, and promised a special remuneration for thespeediest forwarding of any telegram from the capital; but day afterday passed, and none came. Everything had resumed its quiet routine,but Sonnenkamp was constantly in a state of feverish excitement.Pranken wanted to go away, but remained at Sonnenkamp's request, whoimparted to him, in the strictest confidence, what distinguishedvisitors he was expecting.
Pranken endured very patiently Manna's aversion to any decided advancestowards intimacy; he was glad to perceive that she treated Eric withspecial coolness, for after those days of harmless and merry enjoyment,she had withdrawn into her life of strict penitential seclusion; and ifshe chanced to meet Eric, her countenance at once became darkened.
Sonnenkamp went through the park, the orchard and the green-houses, andwould have been glad to beseech all the plants to be in a beautifuland a fresh condition when their Highnesses arrived; and his oldpredilection for grubbing in the earth with his sack-like garment wasindulged with great circumspection.
He was sitting in the hot-house, and saying to himself how very quiethe would be, if the Prince, as was scarcely to be doubted, should bringinto the house his diploma of nobility. And as he thus sat meditatingwith himself, there was a strange rustling in the air; a gentle,scarcely perceptible crackling was noticed, and Sonnenkamp cried out,--
"It has burst open!"
The Victoria Regia had bloomed. He saw the flower, he took delight init, and yet he shook his head in vexation. Why couldst thou not wait,and open at the very instant when the Prince was standing here? Oneought to be able to compel nature! That would be the thing!
He sent a carriage immediately for the Cabinetsraethin, and she came.She found the whole family, Frau Ceres included, in amazement at thesight of the wonderful flower; and she too was enraptured.
Sonnenkamp explained to her that the Victoria Regia was white when itfirst bloomed, and closed its flower at night; that during the secondnight it opened again, and was then of a rose-color. For four days anew flower appeared each day, and the former flower sank down underwater.
He took the Cabinetsraethin aside; she must immediately inform the Courtof the event. Now there was a special inducement for the Prince tocome.
At evening, the tidings were sent that the Prince and the Princess werecoming the next day; but they would take it very ill, if any one shouldgive it to be understood that this was anything more than a mere casualvisit.
Sonnenkamp heaved a deep sigh; if all was to appear accidental, thenthe Prince would not bring with him the patent of a nobility, for thatrequired previous preparation, many formalities, and sessions of theCommission on Orders. But perhaps all that was a matter of secrecy,which the Cabinetsraethin was not allowed to disclose.
The well-posted neighbor did not consider this probable, and soSonnenkamp's peculiar satisfaction in all this was utterly destroyed.Then one must keep doing forever some new thing, must wait, and usefresh exertions. He was so vexed, that he feared he should be uncivilto the Prince. He impressed upon himself the necessity of the greatestself-control that no vexation and impatience should appear.
In the morning, after an almost sleepless night, Sonnenkamp issueddirections that no one should leave the house on that day, and in ameasure commanded Frau Ceres not to be sick. He went to the Professorinand begged her to do the honors of the house, confessing to her whom hewas expecting, and saying that he could have no secrets with her.
The Professorin shuddered all over, and her look said:--
"You dare to tell me that, when I know----"
But she restrained herself, and placed herself at the disposal of HerrSonnenkamp.
He waited in the garden in front of the green cottage until theProfessorin had changed her dress; and she wore to-day, for the firsttime, a miniature in pastel of her deceased husband. She accompaniedSonnenkamp to the villa, and Frau Ceres was exceedingly surprised tosee her at so unusual an hour.
The Professorin had obtained permission to inform Frau Ceres of theexpected visit, and the lady wished to deck herself with all herjewels. It was very hard to convince her that she ought to be dressedwith great simplicity.
A telegram from the Cabinetsraethin at the capital informed them thatthe royal party had set out.
It was now a matter of certainty. Eric, Roland, and Manna were alsoinformed, and Eric wished to remain in his room.
"Perhaps you expect to be summoned?" said Pranken sharply.
"I expect nothing but civility, where I am not aware of having doneanything to offend," replied Eric, courteously.
Pranken tossed his head slightly; he had, in fact, fully made up hismind: This person must be off; the man is becoming a nuisance; but thistutor's family have nestled themselves in here, like caterpillars in abee-hive, and there's nothing to be done but smoke them out.
Pranken was the only one who was composed and self-possessed; he wasthe chamberlain and the Baron von Pranken, and all the rest werenothing but wretched underlings.
Manna especially was restless; and today, for the first time, she wasconfidential towards Pranken.
She expressed her satisfaction that the whole household had such anoble support to lean upon.
Pranken was freshly inspirited by these words,
"You will like being at Court," he said to Manna.
And Sonnenkamp, who was standing not far off, added immediately:--
"Yes, my child, you will receive delight and honor at the side of themost honored and most beloved nobleman."
Manna cast down her eyes. Then Roland came up, dressed completely inwhite.
"Just see how handsome he is," said Manna to Pranken.
Roland was full of confidence, and exhorted Manna not to be so timid:their royal Highnesses were very gracious, and after the first words,one had the feeling that he was with his own comrades.
Lootz was stationed on the flat roof of the house to look out, and nowhe came hurriedly down, exclaiming:--
"They are coming!" They separated as if no one was expected.
Two carriages drove into the courtyard. Sonnenkamp hastened down theoutside steps, but stumbled on the lowest one, and had to hold on bythe railing.
What is the meaning of this?
A black face!
Where does this come from?
"Come! Come!" cried Pranken, who was hurrying after him. "Their royalHighnesses are already getting up."
He reached the carriage at just the right moment, and had the honor ofbeing able to take the hand of the Prince as he was getting out of thecarriage. The Princess got out at the other side, with Pranken'sassistance, and expressed in gracious words how much satisfaction shetook in being able for once to see the place, and the man in his ownhouse, whence proceeded so much that was excellent and beneficent tothe people.
The Princess, who cherished a special zeal for the benevolentinstitutions of the land, considered herself bound to express herthanks for Sonnenkamp's generous expenditures. She would have preferredthat he should have devoted his munificent outlays to institutionsalready established by her, instead of founding new
ones. It was adecided oversight of Pranken's not to have taken that intoconsideration.
There was a slight tone of dissatisfaction in the remark of thePrincess, that she was always glad when new institutions were founded.
Frau Ceres had approached, accompanied by Manna.
The Princess addressed a few words to Frau Ceres, and then said toManna that she looked wholly different from her brother, except thather eyes were like his.
"But where is Roland?"
He was now seen coming down the steps; he was urgently requesting Ericto go with him, while Eric and the Mother bade him go alone.
He obeyed, and was welcomed by their royal Highnesses in a very cordialmanner.
The Prince went towards the house, where the Professorin was standingon the steps with Eric; he went up to her with quick step, holding outboth hands, and saying how glad he was to see her again; then, pointingto the miniature, he added that he cherished a most gratefulremembrance of its subject, and wore his image not on but in hisbreast. Eric seemed to be hardly noticed, till a glance from his mothersaid, "Speak to my son," and the Prince turned to him with the words:--
"I hope, dear Dournay, that you have a better pupil than your excellentfather had in me."
Eric found nothing to say in reply, but bowed in silence. Prankenapproached, and asked:--
"Will your Highness see the Park and the Victoria Regia in bloom first,or the house?"
"Ask the Princess," was the answer.
Pranken moved with great deference towards the other group, catchingManna's bright glance, which followed him everywhere. Where was Ericnow? There stood the poor fellow, and it was laughable to think of hisdaring to aspire to an equality with a Pranken.
The Princess said that, after her drive, she would prefer to go intothe house first.
They repaired to the balcony room, where a breakfast stood ready, andSonnenkamp had the audacity to beg their Highnesses to accept withfavor such a simple and extempore repast as a commoner could offerthem.
Frau Ceres was favored with a seat at the Prince's right hand, and theProfessorin was seated at his left; the Princess sat between Sonnenkampand Roland.
Eric was fortunate enough to find, among the gentlemen in attendance, aformer comrade to converse with.
"You must enter the military school soon," said the Prince, addressingRoland.
Sonnenkamp looked fixedly at him; the Prince knew very well when Rolandwas to enter, and every moment Sonnenkamp expected to see a sign givento one of the chamberlains to hand him his patent of nobility, but itdid not come. The Prince talked very earnestly with the Professorin,expressing his regret that a lady of such rare spiritual and mentalendowments should have withdrawn from Court.
They soon rose from the table, and Sonnenkamp was made happy by thePrince's praise of his green-house and park, and his skilful fruitculture. Suddenly, in the orchard, the Prince asked the Professorin:--
"Where is your sister-in-law, the beautiful Claudine?"
"She is close by; she lives with me in the house in which HerrSonnenkamp has established us."
"We will call upon her," said the Prince, abruptly; and they wentthrough the new gate, across the meadows, to the green cottage.
The Aunt was very much surprised, but retained her quietself-possession. The Prince told her that he could never think ofharp-playing without at the same time thinking of Fraeulein Claudine;one of the pleasantest recollections of his youth was of seeing andhearing her, as she sat with her long curls, on a tabouret in hismother's room; it was the prettiest bit of romance among his childishmemories. Then again he expressed his gratitude to the sister of histeacher, and extolled Herr Sonnenkamp's good fortune in having two suchnoble ladies as neighbors.
The Prince sincerely desired to make people happy, and he believed thathe could do so with his porcelain flowers of speech; he was perfectlyconvinced that from this day forth Aunt Claudine would feel anunexampled satisfaction and happiness.
He remained a long time at the cottage, and gave orders that thecarriages should follow him, that they might start from there on theirreturn.
Eric, who had not been asked to join the party, remained behind at thevilla, and talked with a tall coal-black negro, named Adams.
The negro, who wore a fantastic livery, soon became confidential, andsaid that he had been a member of a circus company, and was muchapplauded for his bold leaps, and his extraordinary strength; thebrother of the Prince, when travelling in America, had bought hisfreedom, and he was now the Prince's favorite footman. His only troublewas that his wife, a white woman who had loved him dearly, and hischild were dead, and he should never get another wife.
Eric had never before spoken to a man who had been a slave, and hecould not help saying how much it moved him to do so.
While Eric was talking with the negro, he little thought that he wasbeing talked of in the green cottage; his aunt resolutely turned theconversation upon him, and told the Prince what a man he had become. Asthe guests were about to enter their carriage, the Prince said, inquite a loud voice, to the Professorin:--
"Where is your son? Tell him that I should be very glad to prove to himhow well I remember our boyish companionship."
The Princess' party drove off. The tall negro, who was sitting behindthe carriage, gazed back for a long time. Sonnenkamp was much out oftemper, and said to Pranken that this visit from the Prince had takenan incomprehensible turn, which he could not understand; he was unusedto such things. It was clear that it had left him in most decidedill-humor.
When they returned to the villa. Manna went to Eric and said,--
"The Prince left a special message for you with your mother, and youare to remember that you were his comrade in boyhood."
Eric answered with frank cordiality:--
"The only gratifying circumstance about the Prince's gracious message,Fraeulein Manna, is, that you bring it to me."
All looked surprised at this friendly dialogue between Eric and Manna.Pranken ground his teeth, and clenched his fists at the ready audacityof the tutor.
"Where have you been?" asked Sonnenkamp, in a tone of reproof.
"I have been talking with the Prince's servant."
Sonnenkamp gave him a peculiar look, and then went to his green-house.
Pranken announced that he must now take his departure; he evidentlyexpected Manna to raise some opposition, but she said nothing. So herode off, leaving a strange feeling of disturbance behind him at thevilla.
Das landhaus am Rhein. English Page 141