Part 38 (1/2)

”It is not affectation,” Johanna replied. ”Ask Helena if I am not paralyzed by a mere appearance in public----”

”That can be overcome,” Batti interposed.

”Hardly! The mere thought of those myriad eyes upon me----!” And she shuddered. ”But I will be honest. Even if I could overcome my timidity, I should reject your proposal out of regard for my grandfather.”

”Oho!” cried Batti, and his face flushed with anger. ”My art is as honourable as any----”

”I am not disputing that,” Johanna interrupted him gently; ”but here we have to do with the invincible prejudices of an old man. As you know, he never forgave my mother's marriage.”

”And you would have regard for that old a.s.s?” shouted Batti.

”I respect and love my grandfather,” said Johanna.

Batti was silent for a while. Then he shook his head, and laughed.

”Ah, by Jove! there comes the Princess again,” he said. ”Keep that air; it becomes you famously. The regard you talk of is pure folly; but you shall have your way. I should have liked to see your father's name on my playbills; but then, if it must not be, we can find another; and another nationality too if you like. Mademoiselle So-and-so, Miss This-and-that,--we'll arrange all that. Is there any Carlo Batti to be found in the parish register? There I am called Heinrich Rauchspatz, after my father, who kept a grocer's shop in a little town in North Germany. Good old Rauchspatz had his prejudices too. He thought that to have one of his name appear as an equestrian artist might affect the respectability of his firm. Oh, what a row there was! On the other hand, I could not bring myself to measure out mola.s.ses and weigh out snuff to customers, so we struck a bargain. He let me off. I changed my name to Carlo Batti, and I think I have done it credit. So now choose a name you like, and it shall be yours.”

”I cannot; believe me, I cannot,” Johanna replied. ”Thank you again, but let me beg you to say no more about it. It distresses me, and can lead to no result.”

For a while they rode on in silence, and then Batti said, ”One word more, Fraulein Johanna. Have you considered that if you accede to my plan you insure yourself a brilliant future and a certain income? You are now _vis-a-vis de rien_.”

Johanna blushed. Twice had she heard this in the last twenty-four hours.

”I am, perhaps, not quite so helpless as you think,” she said, in a voice that faltered. ”I hope I possess another talent worth cultivating.

I have--you are the first to whom I have mentioned it--I have been trying to write.”

Carlo Batti gave a long, low whistle. ”A curious taste!” he said; ”that for riding on a snail when you might have a race-horse! 'But every elf must please himself.' If you should change your mind you know where to find me. I shall always be ready to repeat my offer.”

”How kind you are!” said Johanna. ”Thank you again; and do not be angry with me.” As she spoke she held out her hand to him.

He shook it kindly. ”Angry, no!” he said; ”but I will not deny that it vexes me. But let us say no more about it. We have not had our gallop yet.”

And away they went along the Herrenhausen Avenue.

Batti's disappointment was, however, too great to be dissipated by the ride. The longer he thought of Johanna's refusal the more it irritated him, and when at his daily breakfast at the hotel he met Dr. Stein, the latter instantly asked what ailed his 'dear friend.'

”I have been vexed; but I do not want to talk about it,” Batti shouted, as if to take all present into his confidence.

”Then let us have our breakfast,” said the other. ”A gla.s.s of wine will wash away your ill humour.”

”Ill humour! Who told you that I was ill-humoured?” Batti shouted again, as he took his seat. And even before the wine was brought Dr. Stein had learned that Batti's boasted scheme with regard to Johanna had come to nothing.

”Perhaps you did not offer her enough,” he said.

”It never came to that,” Batti replied. ”No, the money question does not touch _her_; it is her fine relatives that stick in her crop. Although the stuck-up crowd will have nothing to do with her, the only reply she has for me is regard for them. 'Tis enough to drive one mad!”

Dr. Stein appeared to reflect. ”What will you give me for taming your bird for you?” he asked, at last.

Batti shrugged his shoulders. ”I could have done it myself if any one could,” he replied. ”I have more influence with her than you have.”