Das landhaus am Rhein. English

by Berthold Auerbach

  CHAPTER V.

  ACQUIESCENCE AND RELUCTANCE.

  It was already night when Eric reached Mattenheim. The Weidmann familyhad entered their winter residence, as they called the beautiful,bright rooms on the upper story of their house, with pictures on thewalls, and open fires burning on the tasteful hearths.

  Frau Weidmann was sitting with her daughter-in-law behind the table onwhich stood the lamp, while her son was reading aloud. Herr Weidmannwas in his study.

  Eric begged leave to seek him there, and found him among the alembicsand retorts of his laboratory.

  "I cannot shake hands," cried he gayly; "but, first of all, turn yourmind from the weight which oppresses you. That will help matters. Yousee you find me in a cheerful mood. We are trying to profit by a newdiscovery. We have found that a new sort of printer's ink can beprepared from the skins and grounds of grapes. The matter promiseswell, and our friend Knopf is probably already writing a poem on thissubject. He wishes, that, in future, all lyrics, but especiallydrinking songs, should be printed only with ink prepared in thismanner. Look, here is the new stuff boiling. But you had better wait inthe next room, where you will find some very interesting newspapers.Wait a little while, and I will be with you."

  Eric, going into the adjoining apartment, found the table strewn withAmerican newspapers, containing accounts of violent election strugglesbetween the Republicans and the Democrats. The latter name had beenassumed by those who wished to enforce State rights so far as to beincompatible with the existing Union; their true and chief object beingthe preservation of slavery. On the other hand, the Republican partywas united in the name and spirit of Abraham Lincoln.

  "In these days in which we live," thought Eric, "the great cause isbeing decided in the New World. In what state of mind is Sonnenkampawaiting the result of this struggle?" He read on without knowing whathe read.

  Weidmann came in, saying that he had expected Eric, and asked howSonnenkamp's children had endured the publicity of this affair. Hedeclared his readiness to serve, as soon as Eric had explained to himthe plan of the jury. He added, that he could not as yet foresee anypermanent result that could come from it, but that at least a clearerinsight into the matter would be obtained by this means, and, perhaps,the power of putting the children in the position due to them.

  Weidmann was the first person out of the family, with the exception ofthe Major, to whom Eric communicated his connection with Manna. He wasnot in the least surprised, having looked upon this relationship asinevitable, from all that he had heard of Manna, in connection withwhat he knew of Eric. He even added, that it was on Eric's account thathe had instantly acquiesced in the plan proposed, knowing how nearlythe restoration of the honor of the house, in such measure as waspossible, must concern him, and feeling that it was the duty of hisfriends to stand by him.

  "Oh, I was so proud of my integrity!" lamented Eric; "and now"--

  "You may remain so," interrupted Weidmann; "and I can put your mind atease on one point. It is certain that the greater part of the wealth ofthis man at Villa Eden was not gained through the slave-trade. That Iknow from my nephew."

  "Pray, assure our Roland of that, first of all."

  "I will. Send him to me as soon as possible."

  He asked how it happened that Herr von Pranken continued to considerhimself as the son of the house, clinging to this connection withinexplicable tenacity.

  Eric could only say that he and Manna, in order not to cause moreconfusion at this juncture, had kept their affection a secret with thegreatest care.

  Weidmann urged that it should be made known before the trial; and Ericgave him his word that it should.

  His friend then returned at once to the preparations for the jury,saying,--

  "One other thing will be hard to arrange. I think that we ought toinclude the negro Adams."

  Eric doubted whether Sonnenkamp would consent to this; but Weidmannrepeated that the blacks had precisely the same right to judge thewhites, as the latter had to judge them. Eric promised to propose this,but begged Weidmann, meanwhile, not to make his participation in thebusiness dependent on this.

  While they were sitting cheerfully at the table, came a new guest, theDoctor. He had been attending a patient in the neighborhood, and was inhigh spirits, having just performed a successful operation. Soonturning to Eric, he said,--

  "There you have an example. Oh, if we could only prescribe a sedativethat would quiet for weeks or months!"

  He told them about the man whom he had just left, adding,--

  "See how much the fine doings of nobility and virtue signify. The manfrom whose estate I came is an illegitimate Royal son, and his childrenare already allied by marriage with the clan of high society. So, intwenty years, no one will ask whence came the wealth of our Roland."

  When he had heard of the jury, and how his assistance was taken forgranted, and as a fixed fact, he cried,--

  "Yes! That is the way with the old tyrants! They love a mock burial.But you won't see me in the funeral-procession. Do you really believethat he will submit to your decree? His only object is to compromiseother men. He is deceiving you all; and you, dear Dournay, haveinterfered enough on this man's behalf. I advise you to leave mattersas they are. You are trying to help a negro, no, a negro-dealer, towash himself white."

  The Doctor, as he proclaimed his opinion, gave his jolly laugh, whichno one could hear without laughing too.

  "The fellow would be quite to my taste," he went on; "he would havebeen a good, healthy scoundrel of the old sort, only that rascalsnowadays, alas! are all so reflective, so self-conscious. They are notsatisfied to act as one of Nature's elementary forces, but they areconstantly making outrageous attempts at logical self-justification. Ifthis Herr Sonnenkamp really wished to change himself, it would bedespicable cowardice."

  "Cowardice?" interrupted Weidmann. "He who has not a good consciencecan easily be overthrown, and has no persevering fortitude. He can bebold, he can be foolhardy; but temerity is not courage."

  "Ho, ho!" interrupted the Doctor. "Have I not already told you that Ihave an aversion to all this sentimental fuss on behalf of the negroes?I have a natural repugnance for negroes. I don't see why my reasonshould brand such an innate physiological antipathy as a prejudice. Itshows prejudice, moreover, to say that all prejudices are groundless. Icould wish that we had more of such inborn dislikes, and that we didnot permit so-called civilization to rob us of those which we have. Theslave-trade is not a fine thing, it is true. If I had been a prince, Ishould, after all, have ennobled the man. I should have said, 'Goodfriend, take a bath; but then be merry, and the Devil take orthodoxy!'The thing which vexes me most is, that this Professor Crutius hasobliged the nobles by firing off his article beforehand. Could he nothave waited a day longer? Then Sonnenkamp would have been one of thenobility, and they would have been obliged to swallow it as they could.Would not that have been much better?"

  The Doctor seemed determined not to regard the matter in a seriouslight. When they were leaving, however, and he had insisted on Eric'ssitting beside him in the carriage, and tying his horse on behind, hesaid,--

  "As for the rest of it, I acquiesce, and, to tell you the truth, onaccount of your faith. You believe that the past can be atoned for byan effort of the will; and do you really believe this man will repent?Well, your faith shall remove me, the mountain of unbelief. We willsee."

  Eric told him that he had been at Wolfsgarten, and was not a littleastonished when the Doctor said that the incongruity and want ofharmony between Clodwig and Bella had reached a crisis.

  "Bella," he said, "seeks a narcotic. She studies Latin, and, whilesmaller natures intoxicate themselves with brandy, she strives to stunherself with Lord Byron's poetry. I ought not to speak of Byron. I wasonce too much inspired by him, and now go to the other extreme. Iconsider this sort of writing to be not wine, but--But then, as I said,I am a heretic, and, indeed, a renegade heretic."

  See
ing that Eric shrank back, he added,--

  "You are horrified by my heresy; but then, it is only my individualopinion."

  The Doctor was going on to abuse Bella again in his old way. Eric saidinvoluntarily, how strange it seemed to him that the Doctor should beso imbittered against her, for whom he had once shown a preference.

  "Ah, bravo!" cried the Doctor in a loud voice. "My respects! I admirethat woman. So, then, she told you that I had once paid her myaddresses? Excellent! A stroke of genius! I admire the adroitness withwhich she would fain have deprived my opinion of all weight in youreyes. What bunglers we men are! Shall I make you a solemn protestation?No. Do you believe me capable of the villany of speaking so of a womanwhom I had loved, even for a minute, or liked even for a second? But Ithank you. I am enriched by a goodly addition to my knowledge ofhumanity. I thank you. My conscience is soothed, for I have not judgedthis woman too harshly. Recall this day's ride to my mind at, somefuture time. I tell you, that woman will yet earn some notoriety.How--what? That I cannot tell you; but such a wealth of inventive powerwill yet bring, something to pass."

  All this jarred on Eric's mood. Why must it come at such a time? Wasthere not a sufficient weight on his spirits? He scarcely heard theDoctor, as he went on to relate how hard a struggle Pranken had hadwith his noble connections, and to keep his place at court, owing tohis refusal to renounce Sonnenkamp.

  When they had reached the valley, Eric took leave of the Doctor,unfastened his horse, and rode back to the Villa.

  In Sonnenkamp's room there was still a light. He sent for Eric, whoinformed him that all had agreed to the plan. He said not a word aboutAdams being proposed as a juryman.

  "I thank you, I thank you heartily," said Sonnenkamp, who was seated inhis armchair. His voice sounded like an old man's. "One thing more," hesaid, sitting upright. "Does the Countess Bella know of this?"

  "I cannot say; but I do not doubt that the Count will inform her of it.

  "Did she say nothing about me?"

  "No."

  "Nothing at all? Did she speak of no member of this household?"

  "Oh! yes. Of the children."

  "Indeed! Of the children? Well, I thank you. Pleasant dreams."

  Eric went to his chamber. He stood long at the window, gazing out uponthe landscape.

  The reign of Nature continues through all human revolutions; and happyis he, who, in contemplation of this, can forget himself.

  It was a dark night. A black, wide-spreading cloud hung over themountains. Then a bright streak of light appeared on the edge of theridge, and stood between the mountains and the cloud, which grewlighter. The moon rose, the black cloud ingulfed it, and now the lightshone out on both sides, above and below; but the dark mass was darkerthan before, while detached masses of a leaden color floated on theright and left.

  Eric closed his eyes, and lost himself in thought. When he looked upagain, the moon was standing above the dark cloud, and the landscapewas bathed in its light, which quivered on the stream. And again, aftera time, the moon was hidden by another cloud. Eric looked out long andfixedly, till the cloud had vanished. The whole sky was as clear andbright as steel undimmed by a breath; and peacefully shone the mildsphere of light, high in heaven.

  Nature, fixed on firm foundations, works on according to eternal laws.Must it not be so too with human life?

  Eric thought of Manna, and with the thought a soft light was spreadover every thing, like the radiance now diffused from on high.