Das landhaus am Rhein. English by Berthold Auerbach
CHAPTER I.
A MORNING IN EDEN.
The boats sail up and down the river, the railway trains move on thisside and on that, and persons from all countries, and in every relationof life, get refreshment from the view.
There thou wouldst like to dwell, many a one thinks, and to pass awaythy days in the regular and constant enjoyment of nature, and involuntary labor, solitary, or in the society of congenial persons.
The banks of the Rhine have the appearance of being charming seats ofrepose, while they also furnish enough of stirring life. The high-roadof intercourse with the world lies before the very threshold of thehouse; and from the midst of solitude, every hour can unite itself withthe great world's varied and bustling activity.
Cheerful towns and villages along the banks, with their castles andvineyards, their beautiful and well-kept country-seats, are everywhereseen, forming an almost unbroken chain.
From town to town, and from house to house, stories are narrated of thenarrow escapes of the inhabitants, who saved themselves with resolutestrength from the ingulfing flood, or with the last energy of despairreached the shore, many being dashed with violence upon the bank.
He who comes an entire stranger from abroad, and makes his home here,can feel assured that it is at his option to cultivate an acquaintancewith the old residents, or to remain by himself. The continual currentof strangers, coming and going, allows him who remains to abide incomplete isolation.
Whose is that beautiful country-house yonder, which looks to thepasser-by, with its tower gleaming from a distance, like a white swannestling in the green bank? Travellers on the boats passing up and downthe river often ask this question, and receive the reply, that thevilla is called Eden, and that it is a real Eden, as far as one canjudge from the outside, for it is all shut up and guarded, withspring-guns and steel traps the whole length of the garden walls. Theservants have permission to show the house and park only when the owneris away on a journey, and then they take in a great deal of money.
One praises the wonderful stables with marble mangers; another, thehot-houses all in bloom; a third, the beautiful arrangement of theinterior of the house; a fourth, the fruit-garden and the park, eachone according to his own peculiar taste. The owner is a rich American,who has built this house, laid out the shady park, and changed thehalf-swampy, ragged, and uneven meadow, extending down to the river,into a fruit-garden that bears fruits of a size and beauty never beforeseen in this region. He was rebuilding, too, the ruined castle there onthe height.
And what is the name of this man?
Sonnenkamp. Almost all his servants are foreigners; he visits only afew persons in the vicinity, and seldom receives any one as a guest; noone knows, indeed, who he is, or what he is. He has the finest horses,but he, his wife, and a female companion drive and ride out together,only at some convenient point to turn back again on the public highway.
On the morning that Eric rode to the villa, a large, thick carpet waslaid by servants in morning livery on the west side upon the extensivegravelled square. A round table with green damask covering was placednear a many-colored pyramid of fragrant flowers, and on the table wasafterwards set a large, ground crystal vase, with artistically arrangedflowers and bouquets, and plates for four persons.
A side-table was placed near a blossoming copse of laburnums andvariegated lilacs, and on it a large silver tea-urn with lighted lamp.A thin vapor soon went up from the urn. Two great rocking-chairs wereput in suitable places near by.
A young man who stood aside, taking no part in the arrangement, lookedout upon the landscape, where one could enjoy a view extending over thefruit-garden and the fountain, in whose basin two pairs of swans wereswimming, over the meadows; and now he turned away from the prospect,inspected the preparations, and with the words, "All right," withdrewwith the servants. The tea-urn steamed, and the chairs and table seemedto be awaiting the company.
A pert finch alighted upon the back of one of the rocking-chairs, andwhistled to his little mate in the trees: "that was a fine set-out, andhe would like, if he could, to do the same for his little ones."
The forward, impudent young father was, however, soon scared away, forat the sound of approaching footsteps he started, and carelessly flewdirectly over the hissing urn, whose vapor seemed to scald him, and tochange his course, so that he almost grazed the hat on the head of theman who now came in.
The man limped a little with his right leg, but lie knew how todisguise it so that this limping toned down the formidable impressionof his powerful, athletic frame.
He was a large, broad-shouldered man, in a well-fitted summer suit, anda white neck-cloth with a standing shirt-collar after the Englishfashion. The man of Herculean frame seemed to do all he could toreduce, lessen, and soften the effect of it; but the finest garmentscould do this only in a small degree. He wore a broad-brimmed strawhat, so that at a short distance but little could be seen of his shadedface. The young man who had superintended the arrangements a short timebefore, bearing a large portfolio, followed the strong man. The man inthe straw hat had sat down in the rocking-chair, which, together withthe portfolio, was made ready for him.
Removing the straw hat, which the valet Joseph at once took, he strokedhis smoothly-shaven, prominent chin with his large, fleshy hand, onwhose thumb, strange to say, was a ring like a single link of a chain,a golden hoop with iron in the middle.
The man is Herr Sonnenkamp. His reddish face had deeply marked lines,and over his broad brow a lock of gray hair was combed down. There wasa more than ordinary breadth between the bristling eyebrows, giving tothem the appearance of having been forcibly rent asunder. Whoever sawthis countenance once could never forget it.
The deeply-set, light-blue eyes had an expression of determination andshrewdness; the shoulders were broad and somewhat round; the nose waslarge, but not without a character of nobleness; the mouth was somewhatcurved with imperious disdain. The whole countenance was worn andanxious, but a domineering energy was visible in all its traits.
The impression at the first was, that one would not like to havethis man for an enemy. "Hand here," he now said, taking out of hisvest-pocket a ring on which were suspended some very small keys.
Joseph held the portfolio in the most convenient position forSonnenkamp to unlock, and then took out the letters it contained.Sonnenkamp speedily arranged them, placing together those with aforeign stamp, and by the side of them a large pile having an inlandpostage mark. Joseph now laid down the hat and the portfolio upon theempty rocking-chair, and with his ready scissors cut every envelope.
Herr Sonnenkamp quickly ran over the opened letters, and put themaside. He only looked at the seal and address of some of the inlandones, and directed that they should be placed again in the portfolio;he put two of the foreign in his pocket, and, placing the rest backwith his own hand, locked the portfolio.
The folding-doors of the terrace were opened, and Herr Sonnenkamp rose,taking from the chair his broad straw hat. Two female forms appeared onthe terrace. One, tall, with a long, pale, sad face, wore a morning capwith deep-red ribbons; and a flaming red shawl; the other was a small,pretty figure, with sharp, bloodless features, piercing brown eyes, andcoal-black hair lying flat upon the head; she was one of thosecountenances that have plainly never been youthful, and to whichadvancing age can do no harm. Her dress was of black silk, and she hadsuspended from her neck a mother-of-pearl cross that glistened andshone upon her breast.
Herr Sonnenkamp had that American trait, including in itself so muchthat is good, of respectful courteousness and considerate care towardhis own household and relatives; he went to meet the two ladies at thesteps, nodded pleasantly to the lady in black, and extending his handto the lady in the red shawl, asked in a kindly tone after her health,using the English language.
The lady, Frau Ceres, did not deem it necessary to make any reply. Shewent to her seat at the breakfast table, and a female attendantimmediately p
The lady in black, Signora Boromea Perini, went to the side-table, andtook with a spoon from the tea-canister, which a servant held, therequisite measure of tea.
"Where is Roland?" inquired Frau Ceres, in a listless tone.
"He will soon be here," answered Sonnenkamp, and made a sign to havehim sent for. Fraeulein Perini brought the first cup to Frau Sonnenkamp,to whom it appeared too great an exertion to pour in a couple of dropsof milk. In a very subdued tone, Herr Sonnenkamp asked, "Will you eatanything, dear child?"
Frau Ceres sipped a spoonful, then half a one, and looked about, as ifspent with the effort. It seemed to be a burden to her to be obliged tosip the tea herself.
"Where is Roland?" she inquired again. "It is inexcusable that he is soirregular. Did you not say something, Madame Perini?"
"Nothing, my gracious lady."
Herr Sonnenkamp remarked in a very mild, pacifying tone, if she wouldendure it patiently a little longer, Roland would receive, it was to behoped, a tutor at last who would bring him under the proper discipline.He then spoke of the letter which Otto von Pranken had written to him.At the mention of this name, Fraeulein Perini let a biscuit fall intoher cup, and busied herself in fishing it out again, while Sonnenkampadded that he should read no more applications, until he had becomeacquainted with the person recommended by Herr von Pranken.
"Is the man one of the nobility?" asked Frau Ceres.
"I do not know," replied Sonnenkamp, though he did know very well; "heis a captain."
Frau Ceres, without saying anything, determined within herself to waituntil this question of nobility was settled.
Fraeulein Perini, feeling that she must speak for Frau Ceres as ifknowing what she thought, looked at her smilingly and observed, "Oneseldom meets with so perfect a chevalier as the Baron von Pranken, atleast not in Germany; even more than the countess Bella he has----"
"I pray you," Herr Sonnenkamp here interposed, and his countenance hadthe expression of a bull-dog trying to be tender, "I pray you not topraise others at the expense of the countess; the ladies are bewitchedwith Herr von Pranken, and for my part, I am with the countess Bella."
Frau Ceres gave an almost imperceptible shrug of the shoulders, andheld the gold spoon pressed to her lips. He boasts of being fascinated,she rightly thought, and it is only for the sake of making acomplimentary speech.
"But where can Roland be?" she suddenly exclaimed, and pushed againstthe footstool so that the table shook, and everything upon it rattled.
The servant, entering, said that Roland would not come to breakfast, ashe did not wish to eat anything to-day, but to remain with Nora, whohad five puppies.
"Then tell him," rejoined Sonnenkamp, and his countenance flushed adark red even to the roots of his thin hair,--"then tell him that if hedoes not instantly come, I will have all the five young onesimmediately drowned in the Rhine."
The servant hastened out, and a beautiful youth, clothed in bluevelvet, soon made his appearance; he was pale, and his finely cut lipquivered. He had evidently gone through a hard struggle.
The boy was tall and slender, and his features were strikinglybeautiful, delicately regular as if chiselled. He took off hisjockey-cap, and showed his dark brown hair, well arranged in thickcurls about his forehead.
"Come to me," said his mother, "and kiss me, Roland, you look so pale;is anything the matter with you?"
The boy kissed his mother, and, shaking his head as if denying thatanything ailed him, said in a voice hovering between a falsetto and abass, "I am as well as my young dogs."
A deep color dyed his cheeks, and his lips became purple.
"I do not wish to punish you on the day that you receive your tutor,"said Sonnenkamp, casting a glance toward his wife.
"I? a tutor again? no tutor for me," replied the boy; "and if you giveme one, I will soon make him take his leave."
Sonnenkamp smiled. This bold, defiant attitude of the boy seemedspecially to delight him. When Roland, who had just declined all food,ate now heartily, his mother followed his example; in the satisfactionof knowing that her son had so good an appetite, she also found one, sothat Fraeulein Perini could not refrain from remarking to Roland,--
"See, Master Roland, how on your dear mother's account you should comeregularly at meal-time, for she can only taste food when you alsopartake of it."
The boy gave Fraeulein Perini a peculiar look, but made no reply; thereseemed to be no good understanding between the boy and the companion ofhis mother. Fraeulein Perini, however, showed her friendliness towardthe boy, promising to pay a visit with him to the young dogs afterbreakfast.
"Do you know why dogs are born blind?" asked Roland.
"Because God has so ordained it."
"But why has God ordained it?"
Fraeulein Perini looked puzzled at this question, and Herr Sonnenkampcame to her help, saying that he who was continually asking the reasonwhy would never accomplish anything, and that Roland had fallen intothis way of constant questioning, because he was not willing to learnanything thoroughly.
The boy looked down. A certain sullenness or dulness, perhaps both,appeared in the expression of his face.
Frau Ceres left the breakfast table, seated herself in a rocking-chair,and contemplated her long, delicate, almond-shaped nails.
Herr Sonnenkamp told her what a number of letters in German, French,and English he had received in answer to his advertisement; thecandidates had generally enclosed their photographs, and rightly, forpersonal appearance was significant.
Frau Ceres listened like one who is sleepy, sometimes closing her eyes.When Sonnenkamp remarked how much misery there was in the world, aconstant looking for a perfect success, to which every man believesthat money is the one thing needful, she threw upon him a sidelongglance of surprise, apparently not comprehending how any one couldlive, and be destitute of means.
Fraeulein Perini, the companion, was a useful mediator; she knew how,while Frau Ceres remained apparently or really quite inattentive, tokeep up the conversation with short questions, or remarks, as sheoccasionally looked up from her embroidery and cast a glance, the realconvent glance, shy but benignant, upon Herr Sonnenkamp. In this wayFrau Ceres could listen, without exerting herself to join in theconversation.
Fraeulein Perini seemed to serve Herr Sonnenkamp as a person upon whomhe could practice politeness; and they stood in the most courteousrelation to each other. He would, in fact, have been glad to dismissher long before, but she was fastened upon him like the rheumatism-ringwhich he wore on his left thumb.
Frau Ceres was always carefully waited upon by Fraeulein Perini; neveralone, she had a constant companion and attendant, and when they droveout, Herr Sonnenkamp always left the seat next his wife to FraeuleinPerini, riding backwards himself. He could not be rid of her, and itwas best to treat her with polite consideration. Besides, she had manyexcellent qualities, and best of all, no whims; she was alwayseven-tempered, never put herself forward, and always had an opinion,which generally was one that caused no discussion. She never appearedoffended; if she was overlooked, she seemed not to notice it; or ifdrawn into conversation, she was agreeable, and even witty; she wasalways ready to help, to do for and to meet others, and never talked ofherself.
Every morning, summer and winter, she went to church, and was always inorder, as if ready for a journey at an hour's notice; she knew whereeverything was in the house, and was never in the way in travelling.She was always busy with embroidery, and there was no church for milesaround which had not an altar-cloth, or some part of the decoration, ofher work.
She spoke all the continental languages with ease, except German, whichshe said she never could learn. Sonnenkamp was convinced, however, thatshe understood it perfectly, and that her want of comprehension wasonly a mask whose object it was easy to see.
Her relations with Roland were peculiarly distant. She treated him asthe young master of the house, bu
The more Herr Sonnenkamp spoke of the recommendation of Herr vonPranken, so much the more attentive Fraeulein Perini seemed to become,but she did not utter a single word; but when Herr Sonnenkamp asked herwhat had been her feelings when she was first introduced to the familyat Nice, she answered, "I had the happiness to be introduced to you bymy noble guardian, the Dean."
Roland was impatient and beckoned to Fraeulein Perini to go with him:but Sonnenkamp requested her to remain with the mother, and in order tomanifest some sympathy in his son's joy, he himself accompanied him.
Roland was the only one whom the dog allowed to come near her; and whenHerr Sonnenkamp ventured it, she growled, and snapped at him with herteeth. He was very angry, but he restrained himself and went away.
Roland brought his cross-bow and shot at the doves and sparrows in thecourtyard. Suddenly the boy left off. A horseman, with horse well inhand, galloped up to the gate.