Part 32 (1/2)
”Oh, what a double-dyed fool I was!” a voice within him cries out. ”How could I be so vexed with her sc.r.a.p of childish worldly wisdom, instead of simply laughing at her for it, teasing her a little about it, and then, after I had set her straight, forgiving her, oh, how tenderly!”
”Zdena is not quite herself. I do not know what ails her,” said the major, stroking the girl's thin cheek.
”You have long been a hypochondriac on your own account; now you are trying it for other people,” says Zdena, rising and going to the window, where she busies herself with some embroidery. ”I have a little headache,” she adds.
”Earthly Enjoyment motif,” Frau Rosamunda calls out, enthusiastically, in a raised voice.
The major bursts into Homeric laughter, in which Zdena, whose overstrained nerves dispose her for tears as well as laughter, joins.
Harry alone does not laugh: his head is too full of other matters.
”Is Zdena also going to Bayreuth?” he asks.
”No,” the major replies; ”the finances are not equal to that.”
”'Tis a pity,” Harry remarks: ”a little change of air might do her good.”
”So it seems to me,” the major a.s.sents, ”and I was about to propose a plan. By the way, when do you take your departure?”
”Are you going away?” asks Frau Rosamunda, rising from the piano, aglow with enthusiasm and artistic zeal, to join the trio. Wenkendorf also rises and takes a seat near the rest.
”He is going away,” the major replies.
”Yes,” a.s.sents Harry.
”But what does your betrothed say?”
”I have already put that question to him,” said the major.
”One of my comrades has suddenly been taken ill,” Harry stammers, frowning; ”and so--of course it is very unpleasant just now----”
”Very, very,” murmurs the major, with a hypocritical show of sympathy.
”When do you start?”
”Oh, the day after to-morrow.”
”That suits me remarkably well,” the major remarks. ”There will be a vacant room at Komaritz, and Zdena might go over for a couple of days.”
Wenkendorf frowns disapprovingly. ”It is a great pity that you are not going with us to Bayreuth,” he says, turning to the young girl.
”That would be a fine way to cure the headache,” the major observes.
”I would rather stay at home with you, uncle dear,” Zdena a.s.sures him.
”That will not do. Friday evening my wife starts for Bayreuth; Sat.u.r.day I expect the painters; the entire house will be turned upside-down, and I have no use for you. Therefore, since there is room for you at Komaritz----”
”There is always room at Komaritz for Zdena,” Harry eagerly declares.