Das landhaus am Rhein. English by Berthold Auerbach
CHAPTER III.
THE FLAG IS HOISTED.
"Who's there? what do you want?" was asked by a form as it raiseditself up from a bed of black earth. A coarse, gray, sacklike linengarment covered the form from head to foot; it was like that worn byconvicts, or rather, by the insane.
"What do you want? who are you? whom do you wish to see?" the man againasked.
"I wish to see Herr Sonnenkamp."
"What do you want of him?"
"I would like to introduce myself to him."
"I am he. Who are you?"
"My name is Eric Dournay. Herr von Pranken had the kindness, day beforeyesterday, to--"
"Ah! are you the man?" Sonnenkamp replied, drawing a long breath. Withtrembling hands he unfastened the linen sack which he wore over hiscoat, saying, with a forced smile, "You have surprised me in myworking-garb."
Rolling the sack together, and tossing it away, he said, "Was noservant at hand? Do you always wear a uniform?"
It was the uniform then that gave him such a start, thought Eric. And,on looking at the man, he was sure that he could not be his uncle. Thelikeness of his missing uncle, which still hung in his father's study,was present to his mind; it represented him as a slim, delicate form,with a very prominent aquiline nose, and no trace of resemblance tothis athletic personage before his eyes.
"I am very sorry for having disturbed you," Eric resumed, convincedthat the first impression had been an unfavorable one. "I beg youindeed to excuse me," he stammered out; "the Count von Wolfsgarten,whose guest I have been, and from whom I bring to you a letter ofrecommendation, has--"
"A letter from Count Wolfsgarten? Very welcome. I am very glad to seeyou," replied Sonnenkamp, taking the letter.
"We have met very unexpectedly--there was no reason forsuspecting--prejudice as men--I mean--constraint--"
Sonnenkamp's tone had wholly changed; it had become gentle, kind,almost tenderly beseeching.
He hastily ran his eye over the lines written by Clodwig, and then saidin a low tone,--
"I am very glad,--very welcome."
Looking, up from the letter, he made a sort of bow to Eric, and, as ifsure of acquiescence, remarked, "a nobleman--just what a nobleman oughtto be--is the Count Wolfsgarten. Do you stand as high in favor with theCountess Bella?"
There was a touch of sarcasm in the tone of this last question.
Eric answered with an unmoved tone and look, "I am happy to enjoyequally the favor of husband and wife."
"Fine, very fine," Sonnenkamp resumed. "But let us go out into the openair. Are you a botanist too?"
Eric regretted that he had always neglected to extend his knowledge inthis direction.
Out in the open air, Sonnenkamp again surveyed the new-comer from headto foot. Eric now for the first time noticed, that wholly forgettinghis military attire, he had taken off his cap. And when he perceivedthe look with which he was surveyed, he realised what was the meaningof private service, to give up one's self with his whole personal beingto the dominion of an individual.
In Sonnenkamp's survey there was something which made Eric feel as ifhe were in a slave-market; and when Sonnenkamp stretched out his handwith a peculiar gesture, it seemed as if he were about to take hold ofhis chin, open his lips, and examine whether his teeth were all sound.
Eric shook his head at this strange fancy, and proudly stood erect,feeling, that he must maintain his own ground steadily in the presenceof this man.
Sonnenkamp immediately gave orders to a servant near by to getbreakfast ready at the fountain.
"Did you come on horseback?" he asked.
"Count Wolfsgarten was kind enough to furnish me with a horse."
"You have already spoken with my son?"
"Yes."
"I am glad that you came in uniform," Sonnenkamp said, making nofurther inquiries of Eric what he thought of the boy.
As if Eric were only a distinguished, well-recommended visitor,Sonnenkamp now exhibited to him the object of his greatest pride. Thiswas a perfect collection of heaths, such as is rarely to be found. Hediscoursed upon the nice distinctions in the different varieties, andadded: "I have been where the greater part of these heaths originated,the table-land of the Cape of Good Hope."
"I am sorry," said Eric, "that my mother is not here, for she wouldtake great delight in this magnificent display."
"Is your mother a botanist?"
"Our botanical professor used to boast of her proficiency; but shetakes great pains to avoid every appearance of being a blue-stocking.It must be very difficult to keep together these productions ofdifferent climates."
"Very difficult indeed. These Ericas require, at the same time, aregular temperature and a uniform moisture. You may often have noticedhow some little heath-plant with its delicate blooms, which is sent toa lady for a flowers-stand, becomes dry and brittle after a few days.This little plant will not endure the dry atmosphere of a room."
Sonnenkamp suddenly stopped, and smiled to himself. This strangerprofessed only an ordinary degree of knowledge in order to beagreeable, and to let the rich proprietor branch out and be eloquentabout his darling hobby. I can't be taken by such coarse bait, thoughtSonnenkamp. "Will you be so good as to put this tub from the stand uponthe ground?" he said, pointing to a very large Erica.
A momentary glance made Sonnenkamp aware that Eric understood wellenough that the motive was to find out whether he knew how to makehimself serviceable, and how to keep a humble position.
Eric complied very readily with the request, but Sonnenkamp hadimmediately made up his mind, in spite of Clodwig's warmrecommendation, not to receive this man into his house.
He had two reasons. The stranger had seen him, as no other person couldever boast, utterly thrown off his balance, and must therefore beremoved from his sight; now it appeared that he must maintain arespectful demeanor, which was rather irksome.
He would, in the meanwhile, show to one so well-recommended everyrespectful attention. He took pleasure in thinking how he would testthe man in all points, allow him to unfold himself in the consciousnessof a certainty of being employed, and then dismiss him withoutassigning any reason for doing so.
All this passed through Sonnenkamp's thoughts while he was turninground to lock the green-house door. The thing was as surely and asfirmly fixed in his mind as the door was surely and firmly looked.
"Do you speak English?" he asked, seeing his wife still sitting in therocking-chair; she had taken off the red shawl, and as she sat there,her satin dress had a rich golden lustre.
"Captain, Doctor, I beg your pardon, what name?" said Sonnenkamp, inintroducing him.
"Dournay."
Frau Ceres gave a hardly perceptible nod, and, as if there were no oneelse present, said in a peevish tone to her husband, that he paid noattention to her, and had not said a single word to her about her newdress. Sonnenkamp stood wholly at a loss to know what was the meaningof this unexpected sally of his wife. Did she think it was a mark ofhigh-breeding to show the stranger such a degree of indifference? Shewas not diplomatic enough for that. He turned, and as if apologising,remarked to Eric that his wife loved gay colors.
In a tone of strict truth, Eric replied that he entirely coincided withthe gracious lady; that gay colors were in keeping with externalnature; and that people ought to be sunny and bright like the flowers.
Frau Ceres smiled at this friendly turn, and Eric continued in the samestrain, that it was a lamentable effect of the style of conversationemployed in society, that the expression even of a truth should beregarded as mere civility and flattery, whenever it struck pleasantlyupon the ear; that words were deprived of their real meaning, andpeople accustomed themselves to advance ideas which neither the speakernor the hearer actually believed; that our manner of talking in societywas like a card of invitation to an evening party, in which eighto'clock was specified as the hour, when half past nine was meant; andhe who went at eight only brought the hosts
Frau Ceres looked from Eric to her husband, and from her husband toEric, and as no one said anything, Eric continued, briefly pointing outhow colors in dress harmonised with the natural environment. But hesoon perceived that he was going too far in this exposition, and headded that the attire of ladies approached nearer to the etherealbright plumage of the birds.
His mother now beckoned to Roland, who appeared in the distance. Hepointed to the summit of the tower. The mother looked up and smiled;and the father also smiled when he saw the flag of the American Unionfloating from its top.
"Who did that?" asked Sonnenkamp.
"I," Roland answered, with a joyous smile.
"What is it for?"
The boy's visage changed, and he cast a side-glance toward Eric.
Sonnenkamp screwed his under lip between his thumb and fore-finger intoa half-circle, and nodded silently.
Eric had noticed the boy's glance, and his heart beat for joy. He askedthe boy.
"Are you very proud of being an American?"
"Yes."
Eric was introduced to Fraeulein Perini as she came up to them; graspingthe mother-of-pearl cross with her left hand, she made a veryceremonious courtesy. Frau Ceres requested her to go with her to thehouse. Sonnenkamp, Eric, and Roland remained by themselves.