Withered Leaves Volume I Part 23

Without pa.s.sion, nothing great can be done in the world. It is a narrow view that condemns pa.s.sion because the compa.s.s of its wisdom is disturbed thereby."

Euphrasia ventured to touch the fanatical private tutor's coat sleeve in a beseeching manner. Reising understood the slight warning, and tried to stem the storm of indignation which had taken possession of him. But Baute said, with great composure--

"Any one who would solve the difficult question according to the causes of negative judgment, must look upon you, dear Reising, as an original phenomenon."

The young philosopher did not appear to be dissatisfied with the character a.s.signed to him. He sat down, and pressed Euphrasia's hand underneath the table.

"In one thing I quite agree with you," said he, in a conciliatory tone, "my dear Professor, that Frulein Kalzow is a truly harmonious looking creature. She is a beautiful, inspired, intellectually animated being."

Euphrasia considered it inc.u.mbent upon her to intimate to her future bridegroom her disapproval of such remarks by a pressure of her foot, which exceeded any expression of love.

"There is something of the beauty and repose about her," continued Reising, "something of the blissful majesty and winning loveliness which is peculiar to a cla.s.sical ideal."

"Now that is too bad," said Lori, "did he ever utter such absurdities to us? Pray do not forget that we, too, are cla.s.sical in our way."

"The infatuation of men!" said Ophelia, "anything new always possesses a most bewitching charm for them."

Euphrasia had risen poutingly, and crushed her straw hat in her hand; tall Albertina drew aside from the Doctor as from a criminal. War with all the daughters had succeeded the peace which he had just concluded with the father.

Reising, however, a.s.sumed an air of being unconscious of this outlawry which could be read on every countenance. He lighted a cigar, and stroked the large poodle which Professor Baute had procured in order to pursue a study of animals' souls, which, as a genuine Herbartian, he did not cla.s.s very far beneath those of mankind.

Meanwhile, Blanden had seated himself in a distant arbour with Doctor Kuhl. Their conversation also turned upon Eva.

"She is also a Principessa," said Kuhl, "and may any day compete with the fairy of Lago Maggiore as regards the magic of her beauty. I wish you joy from my heart, dear friend."

"And I feel my happiness, perfectly, fully! It seems to me as if I had previously only seen the world through a veil, as if I now saw it clearly and steadily in free and yet decided outlines. All gloomy over-cloudings of my life have been transformed into sunny vapour, such as lies upon a bright landscape."

"Indeed, she will relieve Kulmitten from its everlasting tedium," said Kuhl. "A splendid estate, but there in those woods one must become melancholy; a covey of wild ducks across the yawning lake alone brings animation into the lifeless scene. But will she like it?"

"My dear friend, a young wife--"

"Shall live entirely in her husband, I know. But besides that devout wors.h.i.+p, she needs fresh air and suns.h.i.+ne, nor are we indeed G.o.ds.

Concerts, theatres, all favourite resources she must dispense with there."

"She will know how to adapt herself to it; domestic happiness--"

"Now you are beginning to preach! You know desperately little of that happiness so far; a remedy whose efficacy you have not tried yourself, without hesitation you calmly prescribe for your wife."

"You see everything in a gloomy light to-day."

"I am not in rosy mood; I, too, have my little annoyances. You will be happy, I hope, but what may lie dormant in your wife, who can tell?

They often change wonderfully after marriage. Every Pandora, however beautiful she is, has her box that is filled with evil, and only when she is married does she raise the cover."

"Those are consoling reflections for a lover."

"She is beautiful, really beautiful, but she has such enthusiastic eyes. There is something insatiable about all enthusiasm. She will, perhaps, love you, but she will demand of you that you shall have none other thought besides her; she will desire to be everything to you, house and court, state and church, society and philosophy, extract of all beauty and amiability that exists on earth. Quintescence of all intellectual advantages that are usually divided amongst various talents, she will be jealous of the book that you read, of the woman to whom you speak, of the friend to whom you pour out your heart; for anything that I know, even of me. _Dixi et animam salvi_," said the inexorable Doctor, as he pressed his felt hat farther over his brow.

At that moment, Wegen came up breathlessly, a packet of letters under his arm. Kuhl responded coldly and glumly to his friendly greeting.

"All goes well," cried Blanden's factotum, that cheery friend, whose cheeks sea air and zeal had combined to redden. "Mller von Stallupnen is getting a first-rate orchestra together; this evening a grand rehearsal. The mixed chorus is formed; I, too, sing in it. We shall only have a couple of light, lively songs; there is not time enough to bring up the heavy guns; it would take too much trouble. Some of the male singers have no ears, some of the female ones no voices, and Mller, as conductor, will be able to wield his ivory _bton_, with its silver mounting, just as well. Mller is a good leader, but very rude.

People's position is nothing to him; he treats ladies of the greatest importance as a policeman would women who were obstructing the way. If we had to learn a difficult vocal piece, there would be more actions for damages than notes. But I must away, my good friend."

"I am very grateful to you for your zeal, dear Wegen; but whither are you going in such haste?" asked Blanden.

"You see I am freighted with music; I am going to Frulein Ccilie von Dornau. She will sing a solo, and I shall accompany her, but we have not yet decided what we shall select."

Doctor Kuhl's fingers drummed impatiently upon the table.

"I have searched out every note that was to be met with amongst the princ.i.p.al stars in the heaven of the Neukuhren musicians, and also amongst the Baute Pleiaides; besides that, I have plundered all pianos and music cupboards. But I must away, Frulein Ccilie expects me."

Wegen bade adieu as breathlessly and hastily as he had arrived. Blanden looked smilingly at the Doctor, who now sat there with moody glances and folded arms.

"But tell me, friend, what does this signify? It almost looks as if it were impious desecration of your sanctuary. Does the flame of the Dioscuri no longer s.h.i.+ne at the mast of your life's s.h.i.+p? Ccilie, the beloved one of your intellectual days, appears to have become faithless to you."

"It is possible," replied the Doctor.

"Friend Wegen at least moves briskly and cheerily in the channel of a new affection which is surely not to be discouraged, otherwise he would not be in so roseate an humour."

"I do not know if this Lacertes is escaping me," said Kuhl, with defiant resignation, "I do not know if it is in earnest or in play when she shows such particular attention to Herr von Wegen; I almost think she is playing with us both."

"Is she a coquette, then?"

"All are, women and girls, each in her own manner. I think she will make fun of me and my views. Yesterday I called her to account for her response to Herr von Wegen, and she excused herself with the most charming grace. She quite shared my views; life is much too rich to be able to restrict oneself; besides, nothing is so ridiculous as jealousy. She likes me much, but only on her intellectual days; therefore, for her foolish days, of which she experiences many now, she has sought out Herr von Wegen. And, at the same time, she smiled so politely, and made me such a pretty curtsey."

Blanden could not suppress loud merriment at this communication.

"She beats you with your own weapons."

"Laugh away! It drives me to despair! Who can explain to such a sprite, in solemn earnest, what a great difference exists between man and woman in restriction of the affections?"

"Nor would that be so easy."

"Simple as a child, I tell you, only I have no inclination to do so at present. Besides, I am curious to see how far she carries it."

"Perhaps to marriage. Our whole life is only directed towards that, and you always go groping about in an Utopia with your theories. But girls have sense and tact, and, at a certain age, they begin to freeze in the open air, and seek a shelter."

"I shall never believe that Ccilie belongs to those everyday womanish natures; but if she be really in earnest with this Herr von Wegen, I shall know how to console myself. For a rejected lover, there is often nothing more consolatory than the thought of his successor, for if the latter belongs to tin soldiers, a man knows, too, in which box he must pack his beloved one, and that he has been much mistaken if he counted her amongst living ones. An error is always painful, but it is a pleasure to find it out; the table must be entirely cleared and laid again from the beginning."

"Do not forget that Wegen is my friend," said Blanden, seriously.

"As a friend, he may possess great merits. I appreciate his self-sacrificing zeal; but in a girl, who can be in love with him, I have been mistaken, and that is my affair. Now farewell, I must go into the sea! They are tuning the fiddles over there already. I shall get out of the way of that _dilettante_ howling to-day."

While Kuhl walked, towards the bathing-place, Blanden went in search of his betrothed. However, the old Regierungsrath, whose countenance was now filled with unwonted suns.h.i.+ne, informed him that Eva had begged to be allowed to be quite alone that evening. There were evenings on which she loved to indulge her thoughts in solitude, and she hoped her _fianc_ would grant her that privilege once more on the evening before her betrothal.

Kalzow declared himself ready to compensate the lonely lover with a game of _ombre_, at which the Kreisgerichtsrath would a.s.sist, and even a "dummy" was provided, if he should appear to be necessary.

The only young man in Kuhren available, was one who neither sang nor played upon any instrument, the talented architect, who, on that evening, would certainly have to sit as "dummy" at all the concert rehearsals.

Blanden a.s.sented unwillingly; he was full of ardent yearning for his betrothed; the wish to see her, to speak to her, being ungratified, became all the keener in him. How pale appeared the picture that his imagination sketched of the beautiful girl. It alarmed him that the outlines sometimes seemed to become confused, and out of that dimness another picture gazed towards him, which had once been dear to his heart.