CHAPTER VII.
BITTER ALMONDS BECOME SWEET.
The Justice's wife was an object of envy in that the first coffee-partyof the winter was to be at her house. It seemed hardly necessary toprovide any entertainment; for who would care to eat and drink whenthere was so much to talk about?--of Sonnenkamp, of Bella, of thebetrothal of Eric and Manna, of poor Frau Ceres, of the negro, of thePrince, of Clodwig's death. There was so much, that only a part of itcould be brought into play.
At length the company assembled.
The corner of the sofa where Bella used to sit--it seemed decadesago--was shunned with a kind of superstitious dread. Frau "Lay-Figure"was so extremely fortunate as to have a story to tell about asofa-corner. There was a physician back in the country, with a verysmall practice, and the sofa in his parlor had a great hole in it: so,whenever a caller came, the doctor's wife was very affable, and seatedherself forthwith upon the torn place in the sofa. It was a good storyenough, and Frau Lay-Figure told it well, too: and she laughed, as shegenerally did; for she laughed at every thing: but nobody else laughedvery heartily.
Luckily, a stranger was now introduced; quite a distinguishedpersonage, who now made her first appearance at the grand coffee-party.This was the wife of the Director of the Water-works, who, in thedischarge of his duties as Rhine Commissioner, had come to reside for ashort time in the little town.
The Frau Directorin of the Water-works seated herself, allunconsciously, in Bella's old place.
And now they could begin.
But who would have guessed that the covetousness of the Cabinetsraethenwould be first discussed as a kind of appetizing morsel! This was theway with great people. Of course, one could get clothes from Paris bysuch machinations. A magnificent system of bribery indeed! Who knewwhat else she might have got out of Sonnenkamp, and others besides? Theladies were almost ashamed of their own virtuous stupidity.
The English lady spoke with great respect of the Americans who hadpurchased the villa of the Cabinetsrath.
The Consul's wife in particular, she said, belonged to one of the firstfamilies in the Northern States; for there was a decided aristocracythere, distinguished for its noble bearing. The great merchants, themillionaires of the North, were usually called "merchant-princes."
Frau White, or Frau "Coal," as she was called, gazed reverently up atthe English lady. Her glance said that she considered the latter ahappy woman to have any thing so well worth telling.
The Rhine Commissioner's wife had a very good time. To her they couldtell the whole story of the house of Sonnenkamp; and the ladies tookturns, and supplemented one another's narratives.
The wife of the cement-manufacturer wore her perpetual frown, andnodded occasionally, as if she had much to say, when, in reality, shehad nothing.
Frau Lay-Figure observed, smiling sweetly, that it was very interestingto have known a slave-trader. She had often wished to see one.
"And a cannibal too!" said the wife of the steamboat-agent, who, asusual, held her cup aloft in her left hand, and dipped her cake in itfrom time to time. She had always the very best appetite.
"Yes, that is interesting too," assented Frau Lay-Figure, smiling so asto show her teeth.
It was remarkable that no one ventured at first to allude to FrauBella, until the wife of the steamboat-agent told how she had gone withher eldest daughter to the dentist, and he had told her he was never sostartled in his life as when the Countess von Wolfsgarten came to him,the very night Count Clodwig was so ill, to have a front tooth set.
The Doctor's wife said that Frau Bella was not guiltless of herhusband's death.
All now fell upon her. She must tell them what she knew; and, beforeshe could explain herself, Frau Lay-Figure added,--
"And no doubt Herr Sonnenkamp was guilty too! Who knows what he did?"
The good Doctor's lady turned pale; but though she protested earnestlyand solemnly, that her husband had said nothing about it, that shenever would have spoken if he had, they would not believe her. TheDoctor's wife was exceedingly sorry, and retracted her remarks, thatBella, in a passionate outburst, had wounded deeply her husband'sfeelings. The mistaken declaration of the coroner, so strenuouslycontradicted, was revived; and they said it was evident that Frau Bellahad felt herself in some way to blame, and had fled on this account.
"I pity Herr von Pranken," said Lina suddenly.
All eyes were turned upon her; and Lina quietly continued,--
"Yes, he is not so bad a man after all. He has lost his bride, and nowhis sister has deserted him; and for so much shame and misery to beheaped upon his head is too hard."
The wife of the Director of the Waterworks praised Lina'skind-heartedness, and wanted to know more about Bella's character. FrauLay-Figure said she was the one to inform her; for she had a cook whohad formerly lived with Bella. The latter was not bad to her servants,only capricious. She sometimes scolded them dreadfully, but made thempresents afterwards, and took care to have them enjoy themselves.
A good deal of curiosity was expressed by one and another, as towhether Eric and Manna would soon marry. The death of Frau Ceres andthe Priest's violent harangue were next discussed.
The steamboat-agent's wife had some further information to give aboutBella's nocturnal journey. She had questioned the pilot; and universalastonishment was expressed that Bella had taken no wardrobe with her.
"I fancy she will assume man's attire, and she will look remarkablywell in it."
Frau Lay-Figure rolled her eyes about the circle after this audaciousremark; but she encountered no glance. The eyes of all the ladies werecast down.
The question was now asked, whether the Professorin had been invited.The Justice's wife replied in the affirmative; and Frau Lay-Figurebegan, that people said,--but they all knew no one had ever said it butherself,--that the Professorin had managed very adroitly to oustPranken, and substitute her son. Before any one could reply, there wasa knock, and the Professorin entered. All rose; and Frau Lay-Figure,who had ensconced herself in the harmless corner of the sofa, insistedupon giving the Professorin her place.
With winning frankness, the lady remarked, that she had had a strongdesire to see something of her fellowmen once more, and could entermost heartily into their simple and delightful mode of life. Amidst somuch confusion, one was apt to forget that there could be any thingsteadfast in the world.
Every one was struck with respectful surprise, Frau Lay-Figure most ofall.
Inquiries were made for Manna; and the Professorin said she had wishedto be remembered to them, and regretted that she could not come. Agenial feeling prevailed; and Lina did not wait to be entreated, but,at the request of the Professorin, seated herself at the piano, andsang. She felt that her music would refresh the good lady; and she sangwith her whole soul. She had never sung better. In the midst of herperformance. Manna appeared with Aunt Claudine in the adjoining room.Both waited in silence till the song was ended.
Lina was overjoyed at Manna's arrival, and accosted her thus,--
"Forgive me for being so naughty! It has vexed me that my happybetrothal-time should be spoiled by all this trouble; and now it isjust the same with you! I was thinking even now, as I sang, how Iwished I could give you some of my joy and forgetfulness andhopefulness and all the rest."
The eyes of all were fixed upon Manna, whose appearance was totallychanged by her mourning dress. The Rhine Commissioner's wife observedin a low tone, that she had never seen such dark eyes, or so broad andfair a forehead. Manna was perfectly self-possessed, and bowed whenassailed on all sides with entreaties that she would continue to liveat the Villa, and not sell it, and remove to another country. They wereall so much attached to Eric and herself, and would like so much tohave them for friends and neighbors.
In fact, a magnanimous spirit took possession of the company; and, ontheir way home. Manna exclaimed,--
"O Mother! Eric was perfectly right. He persuaded me to come here, andI am
glad I did. We ought not to seclude ourselves from people whenthey are kindly disposed towards us."
During the whole drive. Manna held the Professorin's hand, and, whenthey arrived at the Villa, ran up the steps for the first time with afirm and rapid tread. She ordered the room to be brightly lighted, andalso begged Eric to sing to her. He knew what songs to choose; and,when they separated, she said,--
"Yes, my dear ones, I have taken my journey, and now I am once morequite at home."
Das landhaus am Rhein. English Page 204