Part 10 (1/2)
”Mr. Breitbach has not been here for an age,” remarked Elkish with a shrewd look.
”Well! To offset that, Herr Regierungsrat Dr. Weilen wishes to visit us to-day--a cousin of my wife.”
”He?” The eyes of the old clerk flamed suddenly with burning hatred. ”He is baptized, Herr Geheimrat. A grandson of Rabbi Eliezer,.... the first in the family.”
”That is not so certain,” murmured the Kommerzienrat under his breath.
”And merely to further his prospects! A grandson of Rabbi Eliezer!”
Unbounded contempt was expressed by the tone of the faithful clerk, for many years the confidant of his chief, whom he had accompanied from their former home to Berlin.
”How does the cat get across the stream, Elkish? As a Jew he would have had no future, even if he were a direct descendant of King David.”
”And is a career everything?”
”One is ambitious, and one must--why not succeed?”
”How about the honorable Geheimrat himself? Haven't you succeeded? If one is able to declare a dividend of fourteen and a half per cent, isn't that success? And if one owns a villa in the Tiergartenstra.s.se, isn't that what you call success? And if one's son serves with the Dragoons of the Guard? And Miss Rita studies music with Jedlitzka, and literature with Erich Schmidt? She told me so yesterday. Isn't all that success? I tell you, Herr Kommerzienrat, that is success enough. Who buys pictures of Menzel, and busts of Begas, who, indeed? Krupp and Joshua Benas of Lissa. That's what _I_ call success.” The longer he spoke, the more intense his enthusiasm, and unconsciously he lapsed into the Jewish intonation, which ordinarily did not characterize his speech.
”Not every one can get to be a Kommerzienrat, Elkish. Earning money is unquestionably a very nice thing, but there are idealists who seek advancement in other ways.”
”Idealists! Fine idealists, who sell their religion as Dr. Weilen has done. The whole Duchy of Posen was scandalized! A grandson of Rabbi Eliezer! And what does he want of you? Mrs. Benas, I hope, will show him what she thinks of the like of him. I'm certainly surprised that with her views she should consent to receive him.”
”He wishes to speak of family affairs.”
”Family affairs?” sneered the old man. ”Chutzpeh! Perhaps he wants to borrow money of you. That's what usually makes such people remember their family.”
”Why, you're in a fine mood to-day, Elkish.”
”My mood is always spoilt when I think of such matters, Mr. Benas. After all it is really none of my business. If I had had the _Zechus_ to belong to the family of Rabbi Akiba Friedlander, I should not have allowed such a person to cross my threshold.”
”Calm yourself, Elkish.”
”Why should I calm myself? I am not at all excited. It does not concern me. You must consider what you are doing; and the main thing after all is that to-morrow we declare fourteen and a half per cent.”
”Yes, Elkish, after all, that is the main thing.”
At precisely nine o'clock the servant brought in the card of Regierungsrat Dr. Victor Weilen.
As was their custom in the evening when at home to a small circle, the family was a.s.sembled in the little round sitting-room. The Geheimrat was seated in an American rocking-chair, near a revolving book-case, in which the evening papers were carefully arranged on their racks. He was smoking a ”Henry Clay,” and was busily engaged in studying the stock quotations in the ”National”.
The tea-table, at which Mrs. Benas sat, with its fine silver service, its costly embroidered silk table cover, and with cakes and fruit arranged in beautiful old Meissen bowls, made an attractive picture. An atmosphere of comfort pervaded the room, which despite the luxuriousness of its furnis.h.i.+ngs made a cozy impression. Artistic vases filled with fresh flowers, fantastically arranged, added to the charm--orchids, delicate and sensitive; chysanthemums of brilliant coloring; bright Chinese lilies curiously shaped, and fire-red berries on th.o.r.n.y branches. Interspersed among these exotic flowers were graceful violets, lilies of the valley, roses, and lilacs, amid tall foliage plants. The display of flowers drew one's attention away from the artistic objects with which the room was filled, but not overburdened. A rich and refined taste was shown in the whole arrangement. Dr. Weilen appreciated it the instant he entered the room. Mr. Benas had advanced a few steps to greet his guest, which he did formally, but cordially, and then presented his wife and his daughter Rita. When the visitor entered, Rita put aside the latest publication by Fontane which she had been reading.
His rapid glance recognized ”Stechlin.”
Immediately after the entrance of the guest, a young man stepped through the half-open door of the adjoining billiard room.
”My son Hugo,” the Geheimrat introduced him. ”Referendar at the court of appeals.”