Specimens of German Romance Volume Ii Part 9

"The fools!"--softly whispered Master Flea to Peregrine--"the fools!

they are talking of the microscope which is in your eye. You know that I was present at the treaty of peace concluded between them about the possession of the princess, and, when Swammerdamm was flinging into the pupil of his left eye the microscopic gla.s.s which he had, in fact, received from Leuwenhock, I snapped it up, because it was not Leuwenhock's, but my lawful property. Tell them plainly at once, that you have the jewel."

Upon this Peregrine made no hesitation in declaring that he was in possession of the microscopic gla.s.s which Swammerdamm should have received, but did not receive, from Leuwenhock; and moreover that the union was not yet settled, and neither Leuwenhock nor Swammerdamm had at present the unconditional right to look on Dortje Elverd.i.n.k as his foster-daughter.

After much argument, it was agreed by the disputants that Mr. Tyss should marry Dortje Elverd.i.n.k, who tenderly loved him; and then, after seven months, should decide which of the two microscopists was the most desirable father-in-law.

However beautiful Dortje appeared in a dress so admirable that it might seem to have been fas.h.i.+oned by the Loves, and whatever burning looks of pa.s.sion she might cast at Peregrine, yet he still thought of his protege as well as of his friend, and remained true to his plighted word, declaring again that he renounced Dortje's hand. The microscopists were not a little astonished, when Peregrine announced George Pepusch for the man who had the justest claims to the princess, and that he, at all events, had no right to interfere with her choice.

With tears in her eyes the maiden staggered towards Peregrine, who caught her in his arms as she was sinking senseless to the earth.

"Ingrate!"--she sighed--"you break my heart in thrusting me from you.--But you will have it.--Take, then, my parting kiss, and let me die!"

Peregrine bent down to her, but when his mouth touched her mouth, she bit his lips so violently that the blood started, at the same time exclaiming merrily,--"Monster! it is so one must punish you!--Be reasonable, be civil, and take me, let the other cry out as he will."

During this the two microscopists had fallen together by the ears again, heaven knows wherefore; while George Pepusch flung himself quite disconsolately at Gamaheh's feet, and cried out in a voice that sounded wretched enough for any lover,--

"Oh, Gamaheh! is then your pa.s.sion quite extinguished? Do you no more remember the glorious times in Famagusta?--no more the pleasant days in Berlin?--no more----"

"You are a fool!" interrupted the little-one, laughing; "you are a fool, George, with your Gamahehs, your Thistle, Zeherit, and all the other nonsense that you must once have dreamed. I did like you, do like you, and will have you,--although the tall one yonder pleases me better,--if you solemnly promise, nay swear, to bend all your mind to----"

Here she softly whispered something to Pepusch, and Peregrine thought he collected that Master Flea was the subject of it. In the meantime the dispute between the microscopists had grown hotter and hotter; they had again recourse to their weapons, and Peregrine was busy in trying to sooth their wrath, when the company was again augmented. The door was burst open amidst a strange screaming and croaking, and in rushed the Amateur, Monsieur Legenie, and the barber, Leech. With wild, furious gestures they flew upon the princess, and the barber had already caught her by the shoulder, when Pepusch thrust away the odious a.s.sailant with irresistible might, wound about his whole flexible body, and squeezed it together in such a manner that he shot up into the air, quite thin and long, roaring aloud with pain all the time.

While this was going on with the barber, the two microscopists had reconciled themselves in an instant on the appearance of the common enemy, and made a united attack on the Amateur with much success. It availed him nothing that, when he was sufficiently drubbed below, he rose up to the cieling; for Leuwenhock and Swammerdamm had both seized short thick sticks, and whenever the Amateur descended, they drove him up again by blows, dexterously applied to that part of the body which best can bear them. It was a pretty game of racket, at which the Amateur, by compulsion indeed, played the most fatiguing, and at the same time the most ungracious part, namely, that of the ball.

This war seemed to inspire the little-one with the greatest terror; she clung to Peregrine, and entreated him to bear her away from such an abominable uproar. This he could the less refuse, as there seemed to be no need of him on the field of battle; and he therefore carried her home, that is, into the apartments of his lodger. But no sooner had she got there and found herself alone with Peregrine, than she employed all the arts of the most refined coquetry to allure him into her snares.

However firmly he bore in mind that all this was merely falsehood, and aimed at bringing his protege into captivity, yet such a dizziness of the senses seized him, that he did not even think of the microscopic gla.s.s, which might have served him as an active antidote. Master Flea was again in danger; he was, however, saved this time by Mr. Swammer, who entered with George Pepusch. The former appeared to be exceedingly delighted, but the latter had wrath and jealousy in his burning glances. Peregrine left the room, and with wounded heart he strolled through the streets of Frankfort. He went through the gate and onwards, till he reached the very spot where the strange adventure had happened with his friend, Pepusch. Here he again thought over his wonderful destiny; the image of Gamaheh appeared to him lovelier than ever; the blood rolled more quickly in his veins, his pulse beat more violently, and his breast seemed ready to burst with feverish desire. He felt only too painfully the greatness of the sacrifice which he had just made, and with which he fancied that he had lost all the happiness of life.

The night had drawn in when he returned to the city. Without being aware of it, perhaps from an unconscious dread of going back to his own house, he wandered through many by lanes, and at last into the Kalbecher-street. A man, with a knapsack on his back, asked him if the bookbinder, Lemmerhirt, did not live there? and on looking up, Peregrine saw that he was actually standing before the narrow dwelling; the windows of the industrious binder, who worked through the night, were s.h.i.+ning brightly and loftily, and the door was opened to the man with a knapsack, who entered immediately.

Peregrine now recollected, with vexation, that, in the tumult of the last few weeks, he had forgotten to pay the bookbinder for several jobs that he had executed for him; he resolved to go and settle all the very next morning.

Seventh Adventure.

Hostile snares of the allied Microscopists, and their continued stupidity.--New temptations of Mr. Peregrine Tyss, and new perils of Master Flea.--Rose Lemmerhirt.--The decisive dream, and conclusion of the tale.

Although we are wholly deficient in any certain information respecting the result of the battle in Leuwenhock's chamber, yet we cannot suppose otherwise than that the microscopists, with the help of George Pepusch, had obtained a complete victory over the hostile confederates: it had else been impossible that the old Swammer had returned so friendly and contented as he really did. With the same glad face, Swammer, or rather Mr. John Swammerdamm, came the following morning to Peregrine, who was still in bed and earnestly conversing with his protege, Master Flea.

Upon seeing this visitor, Peregrine did not fail putting the microscopic gla.s.s into the pupil of his eye.

After many long and tedious excuses for his early visit, Swammerdamm at last took his place on the bed, positively refusing to let Peregrine rise and put on his dressing-gown. In the strangest phrases he thanked his landlord for the great civilities he had experienced, which, it seems, consisted in his having been received as a lodger, and also in that Mr. Tyss had allowed his household to be increased by the addition of a young female, who was sometimes too loud and vivacious.

But the greatest favour shown by Mr. Peregrine, and not without some self-sacrifice, was in his having effected a reconciliation between him (Swammerdamm) and his old friend, Antony von Leuwenhock.--In fact, as Swammerdamm went on to say, both hearts had inclined to each other at the moment when they were attacked by the Amateur and the barber and had to protect Dortje Elverd.i.n.k from those monsters. The serious reconciliation of the microscopists had soon after followed.

Leuwenhock had perceived, as well as Swammerdamm, the paramount influence which Peregrine had over both of them; and the first use, which they made of their renewed friends.h.i.+p, was, to consider in unison the strange horoscope of Mr. Tyss, and, as far as possible, to interpret it.

"What my friend, Leuwenhock, could not do alone," continued the microscopist, "was effected by our united powers, and thus this was the second experiment which, in spite of all the obstacles opposed to us, we undertook with the most splendid results."

"The short-sighted fool!" lisped Master Flea, who sate upon the pillow, close to Peregrine's ear. "He still fancies that the Princess, Gamaheh, was restored to life by him. A pretty life, indeed, is that, to which the awkwardness of the two microscopists has condemned the poor thing!"

"My dear friend," continued Swammerdamm, who had the less heard Master Flea, as he had just then begun to sneeze loudly, "my dear friend, you are particularly chosen by the spirit of the creation, a pet-child of nature, for you possess the most wonderful talisman, or, to speak more correctly and scientifically, the most splendid Tsilmenaja, or Tilsemoht, that was ever fed by the dew of heaven, and has sprung from the lap of earth. It is an honour to my art that I, and not Leuwenhock, have discovered that this lucky talisman sleeps for a time till a certain constellation enters, which finds its centre-point in your worthy person. With yourself, my dear friend, something must, and will, happen, which in the moment the power of the talisman awakes, may make that waking known to you. Let Leuwenhock have told you what he will, it must all be false; for, in regard to that point, he knew nothing at all, until I opened his eyes. Perhaps he tried to frighten you, my dear friend, with some terrible catastrophe, for I know he likes to terrify people without reason.--But trust to me, Mr. Tyss, who have the highest respect for you, and swear it to you most solemnly, you have nothing to fear. I should like, however, to learn, whether you do not as yet feel the presence of the talisman, and what you think of the matter altogether."

At these last words Swammerdamm eyed his host as keenly as if he would pierce his deepest thoughts; but of course he did not succeed so well in that as Peregrine with his microscopic gla.s.s, by means of which the latter learnt that it was not so much the united war with the Amateur and the Barber, as the mysterious horoscope, that had brought about the reconciliation of the microscopists. It was the possession of the mighty talisman that both were striving after. In regard to the mysterious lines in the horoscope of Peregrine, Swammerdamm remained in as vexatious ignorance as Leuwenhock; but he fancied the clue must lie within Peregrine, which would lead to the discovery of the mystery.

This clue he now sought to fish out of the novice, and then rob him of the inestimable treasure before he knew its value. He was convinced this talisman was equal to that of the wise Solomon, since, like that, it gave him who possessed it the perfect dominion over the kingdom of spirits.

Peregrine paid like with like, himself mystifying Swammerdamm, who thought to mystify him. He contrived to answer so dexterously, in such figurative speeches, that the microscopist feared the initiation had already begun, and that soon the mystery would be revealed which neither he nor Leuwenhock had been able to unravel.

Swammerdamm cast down his eyes, hemmed, and stammered a few unintelligible words; he was really in a bad plight, and his thoughts were all in confusion.

"The devil! What's this? Is this Peregrine, who speaks to me? Am I the learned Swammerdamm or an a.s.s?"

In despair he at last collected himself, and began,

"But to come to something else, most respected Mr. Tyss, and, as it seems to me, something much more agreeable."--

According to what Swammer now went on to say, both he and Leuwenhock had perceived, with great pleasure, the strong inclination which Dortje Elverd.i.n.k had conceived for him. If they had both formerly been of a different opinion, each believing that Dortje should stay with himself, and not think of love and marriage, yet they had now both come to a better conviction. They fancied that they read in Peregrine's horoscope, he positively must take Dortje Elverd.i.n.k for his wife, as the greatest advantage in all the conjunctures of his life, and, as neither doubted for a moment that he was equally enamoured of her, they had looked upon the matter as fully settled. Swammerdamm, moreover, was of opinion that Peregrine was the only one who, without any trouble, could beat his rivals out of the field; and that the most dangerous opponents, namely, the Amateur and the Barber, could avail nothing against him.

Peregrine found, from Swammerdamm's thoughts, that both the microscopists actually imagined they had read in his horoscope the inevitable necessity of his marriage with Dortje. It was to this supposed necessity only they yielded, thinking to draw the greatest gain from the apparent loss of the little-one, namely, by getting possession of Mr. Tyss and his talisman. But it may be easily supposed how little faith he must have in the science of the two microscopists, when neither of them was able to solve the centre-point of the horoscope. He did not, therefore, at all yield to that pretended conjunction, which conditioned the necessity of his marriage with Gamaheh, and found no difficulty whatever in declaring positively, that he renounced her hand in favour of his best friend, George Pepusch, who had older and better claims to the fair one, and that he would not break his word upon any condition.

Swammerdamm raised his green eyes, which he had so long cast down, stared vehemently at Peregrine, and grinned with the cunning of a fox, as he said, if the friends.h.i.+p between him and Pepusch were the only scruple which kept him from giving free scope to his feelings, this obstacle existed no longer: Pepusch had perceived, although slightly touched with madness, his marriage with Dortje was against the stars, and nothing could come from it but misery and destruction. He had therefore resigned all his pretensions, declaring only that, with his life, he would protect Gamaheh,--who could belong to no one but his bosom-friend, Tyss,--against the awkward dolt of an Amateur and the bloodthirsty Barber.

A cold shudder ran through Peregrine, when he perceived, from Swammerdamm's thoughts, that all was true which he had spoken.

Overpowered by the strangest and the most opposite feelings, he sank back upon his pillow and closed his eyes. The microscopist pressed him to come down himself, and hear from Dortje's mouth, from George's, the present state of things, and then took his leave with as much ceremony as he had entered.

Master Flea, who sate the whole time quietly on the pillow, suddenly leaped up to the top of Peregrine's nightcap. There he raised himself up on his long hind-legs, wrung his hands, stretched them imploringly to Heaven, and cried out in a voice half stifled with tears,

"Woe to poor me! I already thought myself safe, and now comes the most dangerous trial. What avail me the courage, the constancy of my n.o.ble patron?--I surrender myself! All is over."

"Why," said Mr. Tyss, in a faint voice--"why do you lament so on my nightcap, my dear master? Do you fancy that you alone have to complain?

that I myself am not in the unhappiest situation in the world? for my whole mind seems broken up, and I neither know what to do, nor which way to turn my thoughts. But do not fancy, my dear master, I am foolish enough to venture near the rock upon which all my resolutions might be s.h.i.+pwrecked. I shall take care not to follow Swammerdamm's invitation, and to avoid seeing the alluring Dortje Elverd.i.n.k."

"In reality," said Master Flea, after he had taken his old post, upon the pillow, by Peregrine's ear,--"in reality I am not sure that I ought not to advise you to go at once to Swammerdamm's, however destructive it may appear to myself. It seems to me as if all the lines of your horoscope were running quicker and quicker together, and you yourself were upon the point of entering the red centre.--Well, let the dark destiny have decreed what it will, I plainly perceive even a Master Flea cannot escape such a conclusion, and it is as simple as useless to expect my safety from you. Go then, take her hand, deliver me to slavery, and, that all may happen as the stars will it, without any interference, make no use of the microscopic gla.s.s."

"Formerly," said Peregrine,--"formerly, Master Flea, your heart seemed stout, your mind firm, and now you have grown so fainthearted!--You may be as wise as you will, but you have no good idea of human resolution, and, at all events, rate it too meanly.--Once more--I will not break my word to you, and that you may perceive how fixed my determination is, of not seeing the little-one again, I will now rise and betake myself, as I did yesterday, to the bookbinder's."

"Oh Peregrine!" cried Master Flea, "the will of man is a frail thing; a pa.s.sing air will break it. How immense is the abyss lying between what man wills and what really happens! Many a life is only a constant _willing_, and many a one, from pure volition, at last does not know what he will. You _will_ not see Dortje Elverd.i.n.k, and yet who will answer for it that you do not see her in the very moment of your declaring such a resolution?"

Strange enough, the very thing really happened which Master Flea had prophesied.

Peregrine arose, dressed himself, and, faithful to his intention, would have gone to the bookbinder. In pa.s.sing Swammerdamm's chamber, the door was wide open, and,--he knew not how it happened,--he stood, leaning on Swammerdamm's arm, close before Dortje Elverd.i.n.k, who sent him a hundred kisses, and with her silver voice cried out, joyfully, "Good morning, my dear Peregrine!"--George Pepusch, too, was there, looking out of the window and whistling. He now flung the window to with violence, and turned round.

"Ha!" he exclaimed as if he had just then seen Peregrine--"ha! look!

You come to see your bride. That's all in order, and any third person would only be in the way. I too will take myself off; but let me first tell you, my good friend, Peregrine, that George Pepusch scorns every gift which a compa.s.sionate friend would fling to him as if he were a beggar. Cursed be every sacrifice! I will have nothing to thank you for. Take the beautiful Gamaheh, who so warmly loves you; but take care the Thistle, Zeherit, do not take root, and burst the walls of your house."

George's voice and manner bordered upon brutality; and Peregrine was filled with vexation, when he saw how much his whole conduct was mistaken. Without concealing his disgust, he said,

"It never has entered into my head to cross you in your path, but the madness of jealousy speaks out of you, or you would see how innocent I am of all you have been brooding in your own soul. Do not ask of me to kill the snake, which you have been nouris.h.i.+ng in your breast for your own torment; learn too, I gave _you_ no alms, I made _you_ no sacrifice, in giving up the fair-one, and with her, perhaps, the greatest blessing of my life. Other and higher duties, an irrevocable promise, compelled me to it."

Pepusch, in the wildest wrath, raised his clenched hand against his friend, when Gamaheh sprang between them, and, catching Peregrine's arm, exclaimed,