Mr. Matzenauer scratched his back slightly.
“I only want to confess to you,” he said, “that it is too much for me now.”
“How so?”
“Now you see: I am a hotel owner, and as such I must be prepared for profit. That's why the show was for me a new guest very pleasant. Mr. Hirsch is a rich man - or rather his son is - and the old man lets up a lot. But he also makes the most incredible claims. He wants all kinds of furniture in his room; no chair is soft for him, no bed long and broad enough, almost every day some exchange must be made. And at any time delicacies should be there. But they are difficult to obtain in the country - and even for one person! First and foremost they cost money. As a result, Mr. Hirsch, who in all good fortune smashes with the cruiser, always finds the bill too high. My wife does not want to cook for him anymore, because he has hardly any food prepared; I have to move to the request.”
“Hm -”
“He was not so demanding in the summer. Of course he had to follow a certain diet - and he had to impose himself on the other guests because of coercion; because he still had a fresh memory of the Kurhaus.”
“The Kurhaus?”
Mr. Matzenauer blushed slightly.
“I did not tell you before - but now you should know. He had made himself mad at the whole bathing company. Everyone avoided him, especially the ladies - and finally they did not even want to tolerate him at the Kurhaus table. Since he has fled to me, so he gets something to eat.”
“See you! But what's the use? “I continued resignedly. “You have to have patience. He will not stay here forever.”
“I hope so too. If only he does not drive the few regulars out of the taproom. I have to double her in winter now. They are quiet, serious people, and since the evenings have become longer, they like to go under a tarot game. Mr. Hirsch, however, who is bored to death and moreover, as the devil is, he wants to keep up. The others, however, do not want to; You still have a certain antipathy for the country here - you understand me. And they do not want to play with any strangers. But they can not deny him that he sits down to them and watches the game. And if he behaved calmly, it would be after all. But he keeps on making remarks and exhibitions; People become confused and annoyed. Only the day before yesterday the carpenter, who is not exactly the finest, said to me: You, Mr. Matzenauer, if you do not keep the old Jew from the table, we will walk out into the sun. - Just think, in the miserable pub at the bottom of the square! After that I gave the stag the idea very clearly - but the next day he was sitting there again. In the end there will be a scandal.”
With this exclamation Mr. Matzenauer closed his quarrels and hurried away, as was demanded for him outside.
But I stopped by the glass of beer I had brought to my dining room when I arrived. The day was approaching the evening. The last rays of the November sun fell obliquely through the windows on the floor of the room; in the oven flickered, the season appropriate, a light fire; The ticking of the Black Forest clock sounded in from the taproom - and now and then a word came out, an exclamation which, together with the soft murmur of the card, indicated that the winter tribesmen had already begun with a thoughtful tarot. All this again made me feel at home, and it was only the consciousness that Herr Hirsch was still in the house that made me feel no great satisfaction.
Then I heard him enter outside.
“Aha! The game rats already together! Good luck, Mr. Gamilschegg! You were unlucky yesterday. But They also played miserably. Wait, today I sit down with you. It will be better soon!”
The local merchant mumbled something that I could not understand. Herr Hirsch, however, very audibly moved a chair as the game progressed. And it was not long before he began to criticize.
“But why a color, Mr. Gamilschegg? Tarot should have brought you. Tarot now! Not so low - higher! higher!”
“You're making me crazy, Herr von Hirsch - -”
“Nothing there! Just keep it up - tarot and tarot again!”
“You guessed it, Herr Hirsch,” a grunted voice said, obviously belonging to the carpenter. “You see all the cards!”
“What is the name of what is to be seen?” Cried Hirsch, expressing specific zeal in his eagerness. “I see nothing! Nothing at all! - So, Mr. Gamilschegg! And now the scoot on it! Won! What did I say?”
The cards were mixed and surrounded again. But Mr. Gamilschegg again did not seem to play to the satisfaction of his mentor; because this exhausted itself in references and advice. It took a while; at last it seemed too much for the others. Cards were thrown on the table, and immediately afterwards the previous voice boomed: “Either you shut up - or we stop playing!”
It was quiet for a moment. No doubt Mr. Hirsch was not prepared for such words. Finally he stammered: “Do not be so rude, Mr. Carpenter.”
“Rough or not. We do not need anyone who constantly talks to us!”
“Three speeches? I'm not talking!”
“Certainly, you disturb the game, Herr von Hirsch,” the shopkeeper put in very nicely, as if as an excuse.
“I meant it well! I wanted to help you - -”
“That's not necessary!” Thundered the carpenter. “Mr. Gamilschegg himself knows how to play. And in a nutshell: Look, you'll get ahead, or we'll show you where the door is.”
At any rate, it did not want to make the case so rawly reprimanded, for he immediately appeared in the dining-room, pale, with his knees shaking. He staggered laboriously to a chair near the window, sank down on it and covered his face with his ringed hands.
“God, you righteous! Nowhere will you tolerate me - everywhere you push me away - what should I do, what should I start, I poor, beaten man!”
This half-blurred outburst of deep, despairing pain had something moving. I was, to confess it openly, the dramatic scene that took place next door, not quite without Schadenfreude followed; But now she immediately turned to sympathy. I made a move.
Only now did he notice me and look at me for a long time with increasing attention; he obviously wanted to gather memories, but he did not seem to succeed. At last he got up, approached me and said without any sign of embarrassment or embarrassment, only in the tone of a reproachful charge: “Did you hear how I was treated out there?”
“Unfortunately I had to hear it. But do not take it too hard. They should not have engaged with these people.”
“You're right! It is common people. But I am an unprejudiced man and I do not know any differences in standing - although I have every reason to do it. For in my life I have communicated with the highest personalities - and only recently assisted in a whistling contest in which a general and two councilors took part.”
“The more cautious you should have been.”
“Right! That's right! I should have been careful! Unfortunately, unfortunately I have never been! - But with whom do I have the honor to speak? “He continued, suddenly taking a proud stance.
I named my name.
He looked thoughtful into the air, then shook his head to indicate that he had never heard that name.
“And are you from here?”
“No.”
“And from where, if I may ask?”
“From Vienna.”
“From Vienna!” He exclaimed loudly, spreading his arms as if to press my heart. “From Vienna! Surely you know my son!”
“I do not have the honor.”
“What? You do not know the stag? The Knight of Hirsch? Wholesaler - Director of the * Bank? - But you're probably not from the business world?”
“No, I'm not from the business world.”
“And what else, if I may allow myself?”
“I privatize.” I had already given this answer to very different people, as Mr. Hirsch.
“Ah ok! Ah ok! And what are you doing here?”
“A country stay - -”
“A country stay? At this time? At the beginning of winter? Strange taste! If I did not have a rendezvous with my son who is currently in Venice, this nest would not have
gotten into my face anymore. “And then all of a sudden:” Do you play cards?”
“No way!”
“What? A Viennese - not playing cards? Shame yourself! But billiards? As?”
“Well, now and then - when it comes right now - -”
“Nice! We can talk right now! “And he ran to the billiards.
I wanted to raise objections.
“No! No! You can not refuse me! You must play with me! “And as I still showed no real willingness, he continued in a pleading tone:” Please, play with me!”
“For God's sake! Five games.”
“Bravo! Five games! But we have to have light - it's getting dark. Mr. Matzenoër! SirMatzoër! “And when he appeared in an obliging hurry:” Light the lamp! I'll play billiards with this man! “He was apparently in a high spirits and had already completely forgotten the unpleasant incident.
Mr. Matzenauer looked at me in astonishment, switched on the light and returned to the bar, from which the guests seemed to have moved away.
“Well, now we can start,” cried Mr. Hirsch, pulling a staff from the drawer. “Just choose a good queue - that's the main thing. I give Acquit. Now show what you can do.”
“You will not see much there. I'm completely out of practice.”
“Modesty! Pure modesty! I am convinced that you play excellently. But I want you to find your master.”
“I do not doubt it,” I replied, performing the first thrust.
“Excellent! See how you hit it! But be careful, now I come!”
With that, Herr Hirsch laid down the billiard with all his might and aimed for a long time. But as it was too low and too strong, the ball jumped up and over the edge.
“Oho! Not lubricated! Where is the chalk? Who bad smears, drives badly! “He laughed aloud at the trite joke.
The game continued. Mr. Hirsch praised my game exuberantly, but always tried to outbid me by boastfully announced “artifacts". But as they almost failed, it came about that I last remained victor. When I put the cue out of theWanted to lay a hand, this was not my opponent. He could not surrender, he said, and five more games would have to be played. I made a good face, but as I was already bored boring and consequently played very inattentively, this time won Mr. Hirsch.
“And now the masterpiece!” He shouted.
“What?”
“Certainly! Now we are the same; a final game must be the decisive factor.”
It did not matter to me anymore, and to really put an end to it, I let him win.
“Look,” he cried beaming with triumph, “I've told you! - But now let's have supper! You'll probably have dinner and allow me to sit at your table.”
I could not help it and let it happen that he summoned the innkeeper.
“Mr. Matzenoër, I will sup with this gentleman! What you have to bring to me, you know. Also a small bottle of Bordeaux!”
Since I had eaten lunch very early in Graz, I also ordered something.
As we sat at the newly laid table, Mr. Hirsch filled his spiked glass and picked it up, drinking it to me.
“To our acquaintance!” He said emphatically. Suddenly he paused and stared at me. “Strange! I must have seen you somewhere already.”
“Certainly,” I replied with a smile. “Eight days ago in the same place.”
In the face of Herr Hirsch an indescribable change took place; it got out of joint, so to speak. “That's you ?” He stammered. Then he fell silent and his lower lip sank down. All of a sudden he laughed out loud, put his hands to his sides and shouted, “What did you think of me then?”
I shrugged evasively.
“No no! Just out with it! You thought: this man has no way of life.”
“Well - if you yourself - -”
“Did not I hit it? Oh, I know, I know! This is generally believed by me. But I tell you, I have a way of life - I must have a way of life, for I am moving in Vienna in the finest society. In the country, of course, I let myself go. “As if to substantiate this assertion, he drove his knife into a small mountain of caviar, which had been placed on a bowl, and brought the tip to his mouth. “Excellent! Real Astrakhan! You have to taste it! I let him come especially for me. But try it!”
I did not want to hurt him and took a bit of the large-grain rye, which was indeed excellent.
“You are a foodie,” I said.
“Yes, that's my weakness - my only weakness. If you live as long as I do, you will come to the conclusion that a good bite is the most real enjoyment. And I can stand it. My digestion leaves nothing to be desired. How old do you think I am?”
“About sixty -”
“False stories! Far miss! Seventy, I tell you, seventy! Seventy-two! Yes, you can not see it on. A little gout in the legs - besides, I'm perfectly healthy and take it up with some boys. But now guess what I've ordered after the caviar?”
“Well, what?”
“Wild boar! Delicious wild boar that an adjacent forester has delivered to the kitchen. It is the time now. You look at me? They laugh? You are surprised that I eat such a thing as a Jew.”
“I did not think of that.”
“They have! They have! But you do not see any Orthodox - although I grew up among them in Galicia. I've always been a freethinker, an enlightened one, and that's why in the past - and now it's quite different, of course - there was some annoyance. And now even with my wife! That was - God let them rest - in such matters of severity - a true Hasidim! To enjoy something that violated the dietary laws seemed to her the greatest crime. Seligmann, she often said to me, if I had sinned in this regard, Seligmann - that's my name - you're a renegade! And only on the Sabbath! There I had my misery. I was not allowed to light a pipe - at that time I still smoked out of pipes - I was not allowed to write a letter - I can not even read it. But she was a magnificent woman, how to find no more today. And of a beauty! I cried, cried like a child when she cut off her jet-black hair on the wedding day. What a nonsense! But then it was no different. Yes, that was a woman, my Gittel! “He sank in and his eyes got wet.
Now the Eberbraten appeared. Mr. Hirsch looked up. “Now? Does not that look appetizing? Take a bit too! “And despite my objections, he put a slice on my plate and drove while he was comfortable “It's strange how things sometimes turn out to be. I have had an inveterate Jewess as my wife, although I myself have never been a very good Jew, as I said before. My son is much more than me - and you see, he has another woman who is ashamed of her Jewishness. She comes from a very fine, distinguished home - and educated - she is educated! She speaks all languages - and she reads books, of which we both have no idea. But she is also vain, very vain! Everything that somehow protrudes in Vienna is to be gathered in their home: statesmen, scholars, artists and writers. And most of them, too - though still very much against us - and those who do not want to notice it, are the most. All these people appear well in the drawing room, and are not reluctant to sit at the blackboard - but as soon as they are outside again, they pour already on the stairs against the Jews. I know that. And my daughter-in-law knows it too, although she does not want to admit it. Therefore, she feels secretly upset, humiliated. And my son loves her. Fabulous is how he loves her. They are already married for ten years - and still he is so fiery, so full of adoration, as on the first day. And she is nothing less than beautiful. Mind does have it - spirit and energy. It will make me baptize my son - or at least the children, so they will not run around in the world as Hebrews. ” they pour themselves already on the stairs against the Jews. I know that. And my daughter-in-law knows it too, although she does not want to admit it. Therefore, she feels secretly upset, humiliated. And my son loves her. Fabulous is how he loves her. They are already married for ten years - and still he is so fiery, so full of adoration, as on the first day. And she is nothing less than beautiful. Mind does have it - spirit and energy. It will make me baptize my son - or at least the children, so they will not run around in the world as Hebrews. ” they pour themselves already on the stairs against the Jews. I know that.
And my daughter-in-law knows it too, although she does not want to admit it. Therefore, she feels secretly upset, humiliated. And my son loves her. Fabulous is how he loves her. They are already married for ten years - and still he is so fiery, so full of adoration, as on the first day. And she is nothing less than beautiful. Mind does have it - spirit and energy. It will make me baptize my son - or at least the children, so they will not run around in the world as Hebrews. ” They are already married for ten years - and still he is so fiery, so full of adoration, as on the first day. And she is nothing less than beautiful. Mind does have it - spirit and energy. It will make me baptize my son - or at least the children, so they will not run around in the world as Hebrews. ” They are already married for ten years - and still he is so fiery, so full of adoration, as on the first day. And she is nothing less than beautiful. Mind does have it - spirit and energy. It will make me baptize my son - or at least the children, so they will not run around in the world as Hebrews.”
“And would that be very undesirable to you?”
“Undesirable? Me? My God, you know that I'm not a fanatic, and years ago I expressed it to the horror of the church that we all will have no choice. - And even if I was not right, what could I do about it? You have to allow your children. “He sighed and pushed the plate away thoughtfully.
“Do you have more children?” I asked after a pause.
“Had! Had! There were four in all; two of them died in their early teens. Only this son has stayed with me - and a daughter. “He was silent for a while, then suddenly asked,” Do you know King Lear of Shakespeare? “(He pronounced Liar and Shikispir.)
“Yes - I know the piece.”
“Well, I'm such a king Liar! But no, “he continued hastily,” you must not believe that my daughter is a Recha or Gonowril - but she is not Ophelia either. I want to explain the matter to you. “He leaned far back and continued after a pause:” As you see me there, I am a poor man. That is, how to take it - I have what I need. But I was once a rich, very rich man. And twice. The first time in Poland. I was in contact with all the nobility there, who used my help when he was embarrassed. And I was too good-natured; I could not refuse anything - and so I almost lost all my fortune. With the rest I went with the children - my wife had died in the meantime - to Vienna. You can not figure out how hard it was for us to get a foothold there. But I succeeded. By and by, I made business connections - and became the rich deer again. Over time, my Sarah - that's the daughter - became manbar. A beauty, I tell you! Certainly very different from the mother - but a beauty. Today's painters, who always paint only women with red hair, would have torn themselves around them. Colored hair is very common now; but theirs was by nature red gold, and dissolved, it fell like a train to the ground. Now I had a business friend named Mandel-a very wealthy man, more prosperous than me. He had a son, and this one By and by, I made business connections - and became the rich deer again. Over time, my Sarah - that's the daughter - became manbar. A beauty, I tell you! Certainly very different from the mother - but a beauty. Today's painters, who always paint only women with red hair, would have torn themselves around them. Colored hair is very common now; but theirs was by nature red gold, and dissolved, it fell like a train to the ground. Now I had a business friend named Mandel-a very wealthy man, more prosperous than me. He had a son, and this one By and by, I made business connections - and became the rich deer again. Over time, my Sarah - that's the daughter - became manbar. A beauty, I tell you! Certainly very different from the mother - but a beauty. Today's painters, who always paint only women with red hair, would have torn themselves around them. Colored hair is very common now; but theirs was by nature red gold, and dissolved, it fell like a train to the ground. Now I had a business friend named Mandel-a very wealthy man, more prosperous than me. He had a son, and this one Today's painters, who always paint only women with red hair, would have torn themselves around them. Colored hair is very common now; but theirs was by nature red gold, and dissolved, it fell like a train to the ground. Now I had a business friend named Mandel-a very wealthy man, more prosperous than me. He had a son, and this one Today's painters, who always paint only women with red hair, would have torn themselves around them. Colored hair is very common now; but theirs was by nature red gold, and dissolved, it fell like a train to the ground. Now I had a business friend named Mandel-a very wealthy man, more prosperous than me. He had a son, and this one Of course she immediately fell in love with Sarah. One day the old almond comes to me and says, 'Listen, stag, give your daughter to my son. I'll buy him a farm in Hungary - that was after the year forty-eight - and your Sarah can become a castle wife. ' I did not say yes, I did not say no. The game was good, very good - but I did not like the young almond. He was too unattractive to me, too ugly - to report with respect, a true scarecrow. So I called Sarah and said, 'Sarah,' I say, the young almond wooed you. I'm not talking to you. If you take him, you will take him, if not, not. ' Now I expected her to clap her hands over her head and run out of the room. But nothing there! She replied calmly, 'Why should not I take the young almond, Father? I'll take him. ' Soon after, it was a wedding, a brilliant wedding. But in the process I pressed myself into an adjoining room, for I was ashamed that my daughter had taken such an offense as her husband, while the others believed that I had withdrawn, in order to shed tears of joy over the rich marriage. And so people never understood me - never! “At these words he tore a cigar box out of his breast pocket with a violent gesture of his arm and started to smoke.
Short Stories From Austria- Ferdinand Von Saar Page 8