Part 59 (1/2)
He was still brooding over these thoughts, when he saw two comrades coming along a bridle path from the woods towards the ca.n.a.l. They were Uhlans, as he could plainly see even from a distance by their ”Czapkas.” But who were they? To be sure, he could not remain long in doubt and before they had approached within a hundred paces, Botho saw that they were the Rexins, cousins, and both from the same regiment.
”Ah, Rienacker,” said the elder. ”Where are you going?”
”As far as the sky is blue.”
”That is too far for me.”
”Well, then, as far as Saatwinkel.”
”That is worth thinking of. I believe I will join the party, that is, provided that I do not intrude.... Kurt (and as he spoke he turned to his younger companion), I beg your pardon. But I want to speak with Rienacker. And under the circ.u.mstances ...”
”You would rather speak with him privately. Just as you prefer, Bozel,”
and Kurt von Rexin touched his hat and rode on. The cousin who had been addressed as Bozel, however, turned his horse around, took the left side of Rienacker, who was far above him in rank and said: ”Very well then, to Saatwinkel. We shall take care not to ride into the Tegeler rifle range.”
”At all events I shall try to avoid it,” replied Rienacker, ”first for my own sake and second for yours. And third and last because of Henrietta. What would that interesting brunette say, if her Bogislaw should be shot and killed and that too by some friend?”
”That would indeed give her a heartache,” answered Rexin, ”and would also strike out one item in the reckoning between her and me.”
”What reckoning do you mean?”
”That is the very point, Rienacker, about which I wanted to consult you.”
”To consult me? And about what point?”
”You ought to be able to guess it. It is not difficult. Naturally I mean an affair, an affair of my own.”
”An affair!” laughed Botho. ”Why, I am at your service, Rexin. But, to be frank with you, I hardly know just what leads you to confide in me.
I am not a remarkable fount of wisdom in any direction, least of all in this. And then, too, we have quite different authorities. One of these you know very well. And moreover he is a special friend of yours and of your cousin's.”
”Balafre?”
”Yes.”
Rexin felt that there was something like reluctance or refusal in these words and stopped talking with some air of finality. But that was more than Botho had meant, and so he led on a little further. ”Affairs.
Pardon me, Rexin, there are so many affairs.”
”Certainly. But however many there are, they are all different.”
Botho shrugged his shoulders and smiled. But Rexin, evidently not meaning to be stopped the second time through his own sensitiveness, only repeated in an indifferent tone: ”Yes, however many there are, yet they are different. And I wonder, Rienacker, that you should be the one to shrug your shoulders. I really thought ...”
”Well, then, out with it.”
”So I will.”
And after a while Rexin went on: ”I have been through the University, and have served with the Uhlans, and before that (you know I joined them rather late) I was at Bonn and Gottingen and I need no instruction and advice when the case is a usual one. But when I examine myself carefully, I find that in my case the affair is not usual but exceptional.”
”Everyone thinks that.”