“O, she does not feel it!” said Wilhelm: “she cannot feel it; for that she is too rude, too much of an animal.”
CHAPTER X
“Were the pease not tender, and the vegetables fresh and sweet as sugar What was the matter with the hams, the smoked goose-breasts, and the herrings? What with the roasted lamb, and the refreshing red-sprinkled head-lettuce? Was not the vinegar sharp, and the nut-oil balmy? Was not the butter as sweet as a nut, the red radishes tender? What?”—VOSS’S Louise.
“Mr. Thostrup shall see the Kammerjunker’s old country-seat; to-morrow we must go over.”
Louise could not go with them, a hundred small duties chained her to the house. The most important of them all was ironing.
“But that the house-maid can do,” said Sophie. “Do come with us.”
“When thou seest thy linen nice and neat in thy drawers,” returned Louise, “thou wilt certainly pardon me for remaining at home.”
“Yes, thou art a glorious girl!” said Sophie; “thou dost deserve to have been known by Jean Paul, and made immortal in one of his books. Thou dost deserve the good fortune of being sung of by such a poet.”
“Dost thou call it good fortune,” answered the sister, “when the whole world directs its attention to one person?—that must be painful! unhappy! No, it is much better not to be remarked at all. Take my greetings with you, and ask for my Claudius back; they have had it now a whole half year.”
“There, they have kept half my sister’s library,” said Sophie, smiling to Otto. “You must know she has only two books: Mynster’s Sermons, and the ‘Wandsbecker Boten.’”
The carriage rolled away through the chestnut avenue. “There upon the hill, close by the wood, did I act the elf-maiden,” said Sophie. “I was not yet confirmed; there were strangers staying with us at the hall, and we wandered in the beautiful moonlight through the wood. Two of my friends and I hastened toward the hill, took hold of each other’s hands and danced in a ring. The day after, two persons of the congregation told the preacher about three elfin-maidens, clad in white, who had danced upon the hill in the moonlight. The elfin-maidens were we; but that our backs were hollow as baking-troughs, and that the hill glanced like silver, was their own invention.”
“And in this oak,” exclaimed Wilhelm, “when a boy, I killed the first bird which fell from my shot. It was a crow, and was very honorably interred.”
“Yes, beneath my sister’s weeping-willow,” said Sophie. “We buried it in an old chapeaubras, adorned with white bows; the grave was decorated with peony-leaves and yellow lilies. Wilhelm, who was then a big boy, made an oration, and Louise strewed flowers.”
“You were little fools!” said the mother. “But see, who comes here?”
“O, my little Dickie, my dwarf of Kenilworth!” exclaimed Sophie, as a little hump-backed man, with thin legs and an old face, approached. He was dressed as a peasant, and bore upon his back a little knapsack of red calfskin, the hairy side turned outward: in this he carried his violin.
“Is he called Dickie?” asked Otto.
“No, that is only a joke of Sophie’s,” pursued Wilhelm; “she must always make suitable people romantic. He is called commonly ‘Musikanti.’ The inhabitant of Funen Italianizes most names; otherwise he is called Peter Cripple.”
“You will hear his tones,” said Sophie. “The day after to-morrow, when we have the mowing-feast, he will he number one. He understands music with which you are scarcely acquainted; he will play you the ‘Shoemaker’s Dance’ as well as ‘Cherry-soup:’ such dances as these have people here in the country.”
“We are now beyond my lands, and upon our neighbor’s,” said the old lady. “You will see a thorough old mansion.”
“Now, I should like to know how the inhabitants will please Mr. Thostrup,” said Sophie. “The Kammerjunker you know; he is an excellent country gentleman. His sister, on the contrary, is a little peculiar: she belongs to that class of people who always, even wily the best intentions, say unpleasant things. She has for this quite a rare talent—you will soon experience this; but she does not intend anything so bad. She can also joke! Thank God that you will not remain there over night, otherwise you would experience what she and the Mamsell can invent!”
“Yes, the Mamsell is my friend!” said Wilhelm. “You will see her work-box with all the curiosities. That little box plays a great part: it is always taken out with her when she pays a visit—for the sake of conversation it is brought out; all is then looked through, and every article goes the round of the company. Yes, there are beautiful things to be seen: a little wheelbarrow with a pincushion, a silver fish, and the little yard-measure of silk ribbon.”
“Yes, and the amber heart!” said Sophie; “the little Napoleon of cast iron, and the officer who is pasted fast to the bottom of the box: that is a good friend in Odense, she lately told to me in confidence.”
“See what beautiful stone fences the Kammerjunker has made!” said the mother. “And how beautifully the cherry-trees grow! He is an industrious man!”
They approached the garden. It was laid out in the old French style, with straight walks, pyramids of box, and white painted stone figures: satyrs and goddesses peeped through the green foliage. You now caught sight of a high tower with a spire; and soon the whole of the old mansion presented itself to view. The water was conveyed away from the broad moats, where the weeping willows with bowed heads and uncovered roots stood in the warm sunshine. A number of work-people were busily employed in clearing the moats of mud, which was wheeled in barrows on both sides.
They soon reached the principal court-yard. The barns and the out-buildings lay on the opposite side. A crowd of dogs rushed forth barking toward the carriage—all possible races, from the large Danish hound, which is known to the Parisian, down to the steward’s little pug-dog, which had mixed with this company. Here stood the greyhound, with his long legs, beside the turnspit. You saw all varieties, and each had its peculiar and melodious bark. A couple of peacocks, with bright outspread tails, raised at the same time a cry, which must have made an impression. The whole court-yard had a striking air of cleanliness. The grass was weeded from between the stones; all was swept and arranged in its appointed order. Before the principal flight of steps grew four large lime-trees; their tops, from youth bent together and then clipped short, formed in spring and summer two large green triumphal arches. On the right stood upon an upright beam, which was carved and formed into a pillar, a prettily painted dove-cot; and its gay inhabitants fluttered and cooed around. The peacock-pigeon emulated the peacock in spreading its tail; and the cropper-pigeon elevated itself upon its long legs, and drew itself up, as though it would welcome the strangers with the air of a grand gentleman. The reddish-brown tiles and the bright window-panes were the only things which had a modern air. The building itself, from the stone window-seats to the old-fashioned tower through which you entered, proclaimed its antiquity. In the vaulted entrance-hall stood two immense presses: the quantity of wood which formed them, and the artistical carving, testified to their great age. Above the door were fastened a couple of antlers.
The Kammerjunker’s sister, Miss Jakoba, a young lady of about thirty, neither stout nor thin, but with a strange mixture of joviality and indolence, approached them. She appeared to rejoice very much in the visit.
“Well, you are come over, then!” said she to Wilhelm. “I thought you had enough to do with your examination.”
Wilhelm smiled, and assured her that after so much study people required relaxation.
“Yes, you doubtless study in handsome boots!” said the young lady, and in a friendly manner turned toward Sophie. “Good heavens, miss!” she exclaimed, “how the sun has burnt your nose! That looks horrible! Don’t you ever wear a veil? you, who otherwise look so well!”
Otto was a stranger to her. He escaped such unpleasant remarks. “They should spend the whole day there,” insisted Miss Jakoba; but mamma spoke