Part 19 (1/2)
”It is very late, Elkish.”
”A Jewish philosopher, however, is no good match,” he persevered.
”Rita must decide that, not we. So let us go to bed now.”
”But, Hugo, you must promise me one thing. Be on your guard,--be on your guard.”
He shook the old clerk's hand: ”Rest easy, Elkish. I share your fears, and also your dislikes.”
”I knew it. That's why I came to you. Good night, Hugo, with G.o.d's help all will come out right.”
”Let us hope so.”
When the door had closed upon the old man, Hugo fetched a deep sigh. It occurred to him how suddenly and apparently for no reason Rosenfeld had left, when the conversation had turned upon Dr. Weilen's intercourse with his family.
”Is it possible that he, too....” He stared fixedly into the burning embers for some time before he put out his lamp, and went to sleep.
It was the first of January. Rita sat reading in the small, cozy drawing-room. A bright wood fire crackled upon the hearth, lit for cheer only; for the house was well heated otherwise. Rita could not bear a cold and desolate fire-place, especially on a day like this, when the cold out of doors was severe. On such days only a flood of light and warmth could bring comfort indoors. It was hardly four o'clock, but the lamps were lit, and the electric light, shaded by bright bell-shaped gla.s.s globes, produced a pleasant effect.
Through the windows draped with costly lace curtains the waning daylight peeped and the flurries of large snow-flakes. Rita put her book aside, and gazed thoughtfully at the falling snow. How beautiful the flakes were!--the white floating crystals, that played at tag, and chased each other, and then fell so silently and so calmly. The snug comfort of a warm room was peculiarly attractive in contrast to the scene outside.
Suddenly she thought of those who might be out in the cold. She glanced at the clock; it was almost four o'clock. ”Mother must be just arriving now,” she said to herself.
”I hope the snowdrifts will not cause delays.” She looked worried and arose to go to the window.
At this moment a rap came at the door, and the servant handed her a card, and announced Dr. Weilen.
”Ask him in.”
And then he stood before her, and grasped her hand, and pressed it to his lips.
”May I personally repeat the good wishes I sent in writing this morning?”
Early in the day he had sent beautiful flowers with the compliments of the season.
”That is very kind of you,” she answered, trying to overcome a slight embarra.s.sment. ”I am glad to have the opportunity to return your kind wishes and to thank you. But you must be satisfied with my company to-day. Yesterday my mother decided to take a short journey on which she started this morning, and my father and my brother are not likely to return until dinner time, at six o'clock.”
He gazed at her without speaking, and the delicate blush that suffused her face a.s.sured him that his unspoken answer was understood.
She knew that he longed to be alone with her, and she also knew that it was for her sake that he came as often as the conventions of polite society allowed. Since he had first appeared among them, several weeks ago, he had called repeatedly, and it was obvious that he felt at home with them. Mr. and Mrs. Benas enjoyed his company. With the ease of the man of the world, and with his confiding manner he had readily made a place for himself. Without overstepping the barriers that his long estrangement from his family had unconsciously raised, he was able to a.s.sume a happy mean between the position of a guest and that of a relative. Rita, too, he had been able to win over to his side. She liked to see him, such as he was, partly as one of them, and partly as the formal guest. He had overcome her shyness to such an extent that she accepted him, now as a cousin and again as a visitor. It lent an especial charm to their intercourse, this mingling of intimacy and formality. It attracted him, and even more captivated her. On his arrival it was always the Government official whom she greeted; but when she became interested in the conversation, following his lead, she called him cousin. It was a source of unending delight to him, when, carried away by the excitement of the conversation, she, of her own accord, called him cousin.
”To what happy circ.u.mstances do I owe the pleasure of finding you alone on this New Year's Day, so that I may express to you my sincere, heartfelt wishes for your happiness, my dear, dear Rita?”
She sat down at the hearth again, and he placed himself opposite. He looked at her face which, brightened by the reflections from the hearth-fire, and illuminated by her inner excitement, seemed particularly charming.
”Mamma left this morning for Rawitsch, to visit Uncle Leopold; and papa and Hugo are visiting Uncle Friedheim who has been unwell for several days.”
He looked at her in astonishment, then he smiled knowingly. ”Your mother has gone to Rawitsch, to Uncle Leopold? So unexpectedly? She mentioned nothing of her intention on the day before Christmas, when I was here, although we spoke even more than usual about Uncle Leopold and his birthday.”
”Mother decided only yesterday,--there were several things she wished to.... She believed....” She tried in vain to conceal her hesitation.