Volume I Part 13 (2/2)
After the cloth is taken off, we'll have a little dance amongst ourselves.”
”We will come,” said Althea with lightened heart.
”Excellent!” cried Christopher, rubbing his hands, while a singular piercing glance of triumph fell from his eyes upon the fair widow, who immediately changed colour. ”Now I can set about the preparations for my feast with a right joyful heart. I thank my dear friends for their courtesy, and commend myself to their recollection.”
He made a profound bow and departed, accompanied out by Schindel and Tausdorf; but Althea looked after them anxiously, and sighed--”Oh that I could recall my word!”
The morrow of the 27th of July was come. In Barthel Wallach's great room on the ground floor, just before the entrance, sat Christopher Friend with his guests at the epicurean banquet, while the upper seat was graced by the betrothed pair. The first course was removed; the strong dark Hungary went unremittingly about the table in the great cups; and while the females, according to the good old custom, seemed only to kiss the goblet, the men drained it frequently till their faces glowed, and many a broad jest cast the reflection of this red upon the delicate cheeks of the ladies. Tausdorf only sat still and wrapt up in himself, and with his fork scratched letters on the pewter-dish before him.
”What ails you?” said the mild Althea sportively, and pa.s.sed her white hand across his eyes. ”You are not yourself, and cannot plead in excuse that your thoughts are absent with the object of your pa.s.sion, for she sits by you in her honoured person, and you trouble yourself but little about her.”
”My good Althea!” sighed Tausdorf, and with a mournful smile kissed the hand that caressed him.
”And what are you graving so earnestly upon the plate? I must see it, and woe betide you if it should be the name of a fortunate rival.”
She bent down more closely to read what he had written.
”_Memento mori!_ For G.o.d's sake, how is it that you are seized on a sudden with these death-thoughts at a pleasure-banquet?”
”It is a way of mine to think on death in the midst of enjoyment. I deem it pardonable at least, as in return one can blend with death the thought of the eternal joy that waits us in the world beyond.”
”My worthy Herr von Tausdorf,” interrupted Christopher with a disagreeable laugh, ”I do not doubt your oratorical powers, or your piety, and am convinced that you could, if you pleased, make an excellent funeral sermon extempore; but that would be too dull an entertainment with the full goblet: therefore take up the gla.s.s before you, and pledge me as fairly as I pledge you to the health of your n.o.ble bride.”
Tausdorf seized the goblet, but again lost himself in a sea of thought, and forgot to pledge.
”Well, dreamer,” said the intended bride with good-humoured reproach, ”do you hesitate to drink the health of your Althea?”
He raised the cup mechanically, drank, and set it down again. Schindel, who sat near him, was surprised.
”What is the matter with you, Tausdorf? I never saw you thus before?”
”I do not comprehend myself. An anxiety has possessed me, as if I were to commit a murder. It must have been so that the poor king, Saul, felt when the evil spirit was upon him. I am ashamed of this childish feeling, and yet I can so little master it, that I shudder every time the door opens, thinking that some great misfortune must enter under a dreadful form.”
”All this comes only of thick blood,” replied Schindel; ”you must be bled.”
As he spoke the word, the door was flung open, and Francis Friend burst into the room with his usual impetuosity.
”Ah, woe!” cried Althea.
Schindel clasped his hands in terror, while Christopher asked piteously, ”Why, whence do you come, brother? I thought you were long ago at Freiburg, and enjoying yourself?”
”He is a fool,” replied Francis, ”who hunts after pleasure miles off, when he knows where to find it at once. I heard yesterday of your present feasting, upon which I thought directly of surprising you, and put off mine.”
”Well, all that's true,” said Christopher; ”you have surprised us all, and most agreeably: so let us draw together. Set yourself here at my right hand, and enjoy with us the meat and drink that G.o.d has sent us.”
”Spare all this idle talk,” cried Francis, ”I'll find out a good place for myself;” and he carried his chair to the upper part of the room, seating himself between Tausdorf and Schindel, and saying to the former, ”I see by your place near my cousin that you are the knight Tausdorf. I'm glad to have an opportunity of knowing you, for though I do not in general care much about the n.o.bles, you please me well. There is a command and intelligence about you such as one does not usually see in your knights. For the rest, I am the wild Frank Friend, of whom no doubt you have heard all manner of stories, and more bad than good.
In troth, I am a mad companion, but I mean it fairly with him who means it fairly with me, and I now heartily wish you joy of your marriage with my handsome cousin Althea here.”
<script>