Das landhaus am Rhein. English

by Berthold Auerbach

  CHAPTER I.

  OBLITERATED TRACES.

  The gardeners raked smooth the footpaths: they bound up thedown-trodden shrubs again, removing the broken ones. Even the groomsassisted to-day in the garden, while up in the house the glaziers werealready busy, putting in new squares of plate-glass. When the gentlemenand ladies wake up, they shall see as little as possible of lastnight's tumult.

  No one in the whole house awoke until the morning was far spent. EvenManna was not visible. Perhaps this was the first time in her life thatshe had omitted going to church. The night's experience had been hardfor her to bear; for when, after the riot, she came to her mother, thelatter kept crying out,--

  "They will tar and feather him! They will tar and feather him! Oh! whydid he go among our enemies?"

  Her mother put her fingers in her ears; and when Manna tried todescribe how the Professorin had appeared as a rescuing angel, FrauCeres broke into loud laughter.

  "Yes, indeed! Europeans allow old women to tame them!"

  Manna was silent, and buried her face in her hands. She had heard thisnot long beforehand in spirit; and, as she stood on the steps, she hadfelt that all this had previously been made known to her in dreams, andthat it would vanish like a dream.

  Then, remembering her love, she realized that life cannot be sacrificedto another as an expiation, but that it can be exalted for another'ssake. Once again horror seized upon her soul. She heard the voices ofhell, and a hell opened within her. Hast thou sinned in provingfaithless? Would every thing have been better, would the dreadful thingnot have happened, if thou hadst remained true? Who knows whether,through some secret working, every thing did not become publicly knownin the capital in the very hour of thy perfidy?

  She wished to make her thoughts like those of the martyrs, whoendured stoning with bowed heads; but, in the midst of this violentsoul-torment, she only saw Eric's image again; and rising, as though hehad called her, she felt as if his hand were laid upon her head.

  Thus had Manna returned to her room, full of fear, and yet rising againas upon a wave of happiness: and thus she slept far into the day,hearing nothing of the voice of the bell which called her, and with nosuspicion of what was now being said about her; for not far from thechurch stood Pranken with Fraeulein Perini.

  Ever since his return from town, Pranken had felt a fresh irritation,which directed itself more and more against Eric; and, at the arrivalof Prince Valerian, he was highly incensed on observing how every onewent instantly to Eric's chamber, as though Eric were the centre of thehouse. "This shall be changed," he said to himself "This teacher mustfind out who he is." By reason of the riot, however, this teacher's,family had again become conspicuous; the pitiful canaille havingallowed themselves to be soothed by an old woman.

  Pranken had walked furiously through the park, and finally took theroad leading to the church. Here on this road, now, on this morning, hewould bring Manna to a decision; then he would have his own way withthe house, and discharge the teacher's family. He waited long; butManna did not come. At last, seeing Fraeulein Perini alone, he greetedher, and asked where Manna was, and whether she was well.

  "Why don't you ask after _my_ health?" replied she somewhat tartly. "Ihave something of great importance to impart to you; but you do notseem to think it worth while to trouble yourself about me."

  "Indeed I do; but you should reflect"--

  "I do reflect that you ought to reflect that I too have an existence.However, I have something of great importance to impart to you."

  "Oh! please, you were always so kind"--

  "Yes, yes, only too kind; but you forget me too quickly. Well, then,what would you do if you were told that that arrogant tutor aspired towin the hand of your betrothed?"

  Fraeulein Perini laughed, and Pranken was frightened, terrified. He hadnever heard her laugh so; and now she laughed in exactly the same tone,and made precisely the same bending of the neck, as little Nelly. Howridiculous, how inconceivable, that she should occur to his mind atthis juncture!

  "You seem in a very good humor after the riot," said he, trying toappear jocose. "You must tell me the rest after church: the third bellis just ringing."

  "Oh, no! I can neglect church for this matter. A work of mercyabsolves"--

  "A work of mercy?"

  "Yes."

  And now Fraeulein Perini told how she had seen Manna coming out ofEric's room; and how every thing had evidently been arranged in thegreen cottage, and was now settled; also how the maid-servant ofthe green cottage had even said that Manna had taken with her themarriage-contract, which had been drawn up in the library.

  Pranken shook his head incredulously. Fraeulein Perini, however, stunghim again by asking whether he would promise, in case he came intopossession of Manna and of all her property, to consecrate the Villa asa convent. He shrugged his shoulders; and the look came again intoFraeulein Perini's eyes, which she had once given to Bella after she hadturned away. She stung and irritated Pranken; for she saw that he stilldespised her, and she wished to ruin him. He must promise her, that, ifthe affair proved inevitable, he would challenge this Herr Dournay, andshoot him if possible.

  Pranken looked bewildered. Again an old memory arose within him; at thetime that he had travelled with Eric to Wolfsgarten, he had seen thisas in a vision. Must it then take place? He demurred, he hung back; hesaid that then he should certainly lose Manna. If he fell, then allwould naturally be over. If he killed Eric, Manna would never becomethe wife of a man who had killed another on her account.

  Fraeulein Perini cast down her eyes, in order to hide her malicioussmile. Things were now taking exactly the turn she had wished; Mannashould lose them both, and find in the convent her only refuge.

  They had talked so long that church was over, and as the clergyman cameout, Fraeulein Perini went with him, and Pranken turned back towards theVilla. He met the Doctor and Eric, walking together and engaged inearnest conversation.

  The Doctor was in as good spirits as ever, and was expounding to Erichow the fresh must, which is so joyously drunk and which tastes sodeliciously, is, according to the assertion of old people, a real cure,building the whole body anew, so that it is taken both for enjoymentand for the health. "Thus the crisis caused by the intoxication of thenew wine is really good. So it is with this riot. It has beenbeneficial in many ways. The anger of the inhabitants of theneighborhood has exceeded all reasonable bounds, and has thus lost allpretension of justice. On this side there is nothing more to be feared.But even in the house itself it is clear that life will henceforth bemore vigorous. That they are all sleeping is a good sign."

  They met the Cooper, and the Doctor would hear the whole story overagain, growing very merry over the account of the effect produced inthe park by the fire-engine and the water-works. The Cooper narratedhow the engine had been quickly made ready, as Herr Sonnenkamp hadpresented it with the very best hose.

  They soon met a group of men, delegates sent by the differentcommunities to assure Herr Sonnenkamp of their readiness to protect himin any emergency, if he would only abstain from bringing an action forwhat had occurred.

  The Doctor begged the men to come back on Sunday, saying that he wouldpreviously inform Herr Sonnenkamp.

  He turned back with Eric, and they were not a little surprised atfinding the Professorin already on the terrace with Manna. The Doctorjoked very merrily over the genius of accident, which could accomplishmore than all science. He declared the Professorin to be entirelycured. The Professorin had recovered the best part of herself, namely,her calmness, her courage, and the steadfast firmness of her character,and she said,--

  "There is a wonderful power of healing in being at one with the greatcommon heart. That which all men know is no longer so heavy andhorrible; the hardest part of a criminal's fate must be the feeling ofisolation, of separation; in the midst of all society he must feel likea secluded prisoner, for he has something locked and hidden withinhimself, which n
o one else must know of."

  As soon as the Professorin could transpose an event and itsconsequences into the sphere of abstract thought, it seemed no longerto weigh upon her. Above all she exhorted her son not to take it forgranted that something must be instantly done, saying that it was ofthe first importance to keep still.

  The Doctor, on inquiring whether the Countess Bella had not been thereas yet, was told that she had spoken with none of the inhabitants ofthe Villa, except Herr Sonnenkamp.

  "If I am not much mistaken," said the doctor, "Countess Bella willhenceforth feel an especial sympathy with the bold Herr Sonnenkamp. Itcorresponds with her nature, which defies the world and inclines towhatever is exceptional and extreme."

  The Professorin, although Bella had deeply wounded her, endeavored tocorrect the doctor's opinion.

  Eric was silent; he was amazed at the persistency with which thephysician pursued and explained the Countess's peculiar nature.

  The Doctor sent to ask Sonnenkamp whether he wished to speak with him.The reply was, that he would like to have him first visit Frau Ceres.

  "How do I look?"

  Sonnenkamp had put this question to Joseph, his valet, before rising;indeed, on first awaking.

  "As usual, sir."

  He asked for a hand-glass, then giving it again to the servant, layback among the pillows with closed eyes. He must have had the strangeidea that the emotions of the past night could be read upon hisfeatures. It was long ere he left his chamber. He had told Joseph thathe wished to be alone. He heard the raking of the paths, outside, andthe steps of men going to and fro. He would wait until the traces ofdevastation without were removed, as far as possible; he would waituntil he was able to obliterate the traces left within him by thisexperience. He sat long alone; only his favorite dog was with him. Hisheavy head weighed him down like a cannon ball; yet he repeated tohimself,--

  "I must recover my composure; for I alone can help myself."

  "Thou alone?" he asked again, and his thoughts passed to Bella. Thereis a woman such as he has never found before. There is courage, power,genius. But in what can even she help him? Nothing. No one.

  Then, laying his hand on the dog's head, he thought: "Two bugbears arethe worst enemies we have in the world,--fear before the deed, andrepentance after it. With these quackeries we squander our existence.He alone is free who fears no future and rues no past."

  "I will be free!" cried he.

  "I am so within myself; but where will freedom be allowed me? I must goback to America. No, to Italy, to Paris, to new surroundings.

  "But the children, the children! They are filled with thoughts whichtake from them home and parents. Thy best course, after all, is toremain here, to despise mankind, whose hatred will gradually beblunted. Perhaps, too, there may be found some means of appeasing theirwrath, which will have a penitent aspect. Was it the Professorin, or Imyself, who spoke yesterday of a jury? That's the thing! Come on,World! I am myself again, and nothing else."

  High above all these recent occurrences arose again in him the hatredof Crutius.

  "How he is now rubbing his hands in his editorial office, where thelittle gas-jet burns! How he will rejoice at the signal-rocket whichhas roused the masses! How the riot will figure in the newspapers!"

  He now rang, and, sending for Eric, reminded him how he had formerlypublicly exalted the gratitude and good manners of the people. Now, hesaid with a laugh, he must also properly expose their misbehavior; hemust, anticipating all other reports, describe the whole thingnaturally as an extravagance inspired by the new and effervescent wine.At the close, he must add that Herr Sonnenkamp (for that was his name,lawfully derived from the maternal side of the house) would dosomething which should correct and satisfy public opinion.

  He thought Eric pedantic, for wishing to know at once whether any thingwas to be done.

  What's the use?

  We show the public something prospective; but it is not necessary thatthis should be brought to pass; men forget what has been promised them.

  This he wished to say to Eric, but withheld it, merely telling him thathe might let the whole thing alone if he chose.

  Just as Eric had left the room, came the dog-keeper, exclaiming,--

  "Oh, sir, she is poisoned!"

  "Who is poisoned?"

  "The good beastie, Nora; in the night, during the riot, the shamefulmen gave her something, apparently a toadstool roasted in grease. Sheis dying now."

  "Where is she?"

  "Before the kennel."

  Sonnenkamp went with the keeper to the enclosure where the dogs were.There lay Nora, with her loosened chain beside her.

  "Nora!" he cried.

  The dog wagged its tail once more, raised its head, and blinked. Thenthe head fell, and she was dead.

  The glance of the beast was piteous. Sonnenkamp seemed to wish totorture himself with gazing at her.

  "Bury the dog before Roland sees her, he said at last.

  "Where shall we bury her?"

  Yonder, by the ash. But first skin her: the hide is worth something.

  "No, sir, I cannot: I loved the dog too well to skin it."

  "Very well. Then bury it skin and all."

  He turned away and wandered about the garden; yet he could not refrainfrom returning to the spot where the dog was being buried.

  "Yes," he said aloud to himself: "that's the way. The world givesus a toadstool roasted in fat. The world _is_ a toadstool roasted infat--palatable, but poisonous!"

  He returned to the house.

  The other dogs were howling quite frightfully, as though they knew thatone of their comrades had departed.