Part 13 (2/2)
He had conquered his restlessness a little during these reflections; he lit a cigar and went over to a table by the fire-place, heaped with books, pamphlets, and journals. A low fire flickered on the hearth. He fanned it to a bright flame, then moved the lamp from his desk to the table and settled himself in an arm-chair.
”I wonder whether they _will_ restore me to their good graces! Not only the Benases, but the others,--Uncle Leopold's family. If only for the one day! How I hope they will! I'm actually homesick for--for the Ghetto!”
He took up a book. ”If they were to see you now, Victor, the gentlemen of the Foreign Office! Yet a Ghetto it remains for all their liberty and all their magnificence. Whether in the grand drawing-room of the Tiergarten villa, or at Uncle Leopold's in Rawitsch.... That's exactly what the young son recognizes in his vigor and in his consciousness of injured pride. The older ones have become resigned to it.”
In the family of Geheimrat Benas the visit of Dr. Weilen had caused dissension. The father wished to invite Dr. Weilen to dinner in the near future. It seemed to him a matter of course that a guest who had approached them so graciously and unconstrainedly should receive equal courtesy at their hands. His wife was inclined to second him in this view, but she was strongly influenced by Hugo, who decidedly opposed fostering a connection which, experience taught them, might result in nothing but mortification and neglect. At first Rita was a silent member of these councils, but at length she said: ”I cannot understand why you talk yourself into such ideas, Hugo. We have no right to be discourteous to a guest who has approached us so politely. Impoliteness is lack of refinement in all circ.u.mstances. We do not interfere with your opinions, and therefore you have no right to ask us to have none of our own. But above all, you should not ask us to disregard all the social consideration to which any visitor at our house is ent.i.tled.”
”Yes, any one except Dr. Weilen.”
”But why? You're indulging in pure caprice! Has he done anything or neglected to do anything to cause such brusque treatment?”
Hugo frowned.
”Did he not please you, Hugo?” his mother asked, in a pacific tone.
”Please me? I don't think we have a right to be influenced by our personal sympathies or antipathies. Dr. Weilen pleased me well enough, but he is our enemy, just as every one else.... or rather more than any one else! And therefore I find it unnecessary to give him encouragement.
I should not like him to think we are running after him, or feel honored because he condescended....”
”Goodness gracious, Hugo, sometimes you are quite unbearable! If people heard you, they would think you're Elkish. One can excuse such prejudices in an old, uneducated man; but in a modern young fellow of your education they are hardly to be condoned. We do not oppose your ideas and your convictions, but you ought not to go so far as to impose them upon the family! As a result of circ.u.mstances beyond our control we find ourselves outsiders in society; yet we need not carry our resentment to the extent of repulsing a gentleman who has been so pleasant and respectful in his advances. And that only because he is a man in an exalted position.”
Mr. Benas spoke with irritation. He continued impatiently:
”Entirely of his own accord he told us how he had happened to become estranged from his family; and no doubt he could explain his further actions. But after all it is none of our business. The sincerity of his manner, his personality attracted me. Of course, at moments we were constrained and uncomfortable, but that was surely due to us, not to him, and above all to your own brusqueness; and his manner of ignoring that was more than amiable.”
”We must thank him for this condescension most humbly.”
”Hugo!” He met a look of warning and beseeching in his mother's eyes.
”Well, enough of this. We'll invite Dr. Weilen to dine with us next Sunday. It is not to be a formal invitation. f.a.n.n.y, you yourself write a few lines, and don't invite many people. Ten or twelve will do. In the small dining-room--a simple but elegant affair. However, you're well posted in all those fine distinctions, my lady,” he added playfully, to temper the impression of his severity toward Hugo. ”And see to it that our young man acquires more normal ideas. I know you are confederates, and secretly you harbor his views.”
”Joshua!”
He laughed. ”There, you see, I am right. Usually you call me Joe, but in uncommonly solemn moments it is Joshua! Dr. Weilen made the advances, we must invite him, unless we intend to insult him with a repulse, and as we do not want to insult him, we must follow the conventions. I expect you to take this as your rule of behavior toward the Regierungsrat, Hugo. I have no fondness for ostentation or inconsiderateness. Our opinions in order to be sincere and effective need not take the form of aloofness and discourtesy. Remember that!”
The young man looked almost pained; but he did not respond. As he was a Jewish young man, respect for paternal authority was deep-rooted in his being. Moreover, his father was ordinarily so amiable, kind, and considerate toward his children, that when once he was decided and firm, there was no thought of opposing him.
Rita's eyes gleamed on her father. A genial, tacit understanding existed between the two, which leagued them, as it were, against the mother and Hugo. This pretty, good-natured party difference gave a peculiar charm to the intimacy of their family life.
”It is lucky that Rita is my confederate,” he laughingly said as he arose, ”else, by this time, the s.h.i.+eld of David would be emblazoned over the door, and no stranger would be allowed to cross the threshold. In fact, Elkish advocated some such thing when we spoke of Dr. Weilen's visit. Elkish and you on the same platform! For heaven's sake, children, do not let us be ridiculous! I surely appreciate the old man; and during the past days he has brilliantly demonstrated his value in the matter of the 'Magdeburgs,' but everything must be kept within bounds. It is time for me to go to my office now. f.a.n.n.y, whom do you want to invite?”
”How would Professor Zeidler do--and Jedlitzka, and Hoffman, the sculptor?”
”All right! But no; they have not been invited for some time; and they mustn't think we waited until we could have a Regierungsrat to meet them,--oh, no!”
A smile of triumph flitted about the corners of Hugo's mouth.
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