Part 40 (2/2)
Helena was sitting alone, in an evident ill humour, at the breakfast-table, when Johanna and Lisbeth made their appearance; and when the child, after embracing her mother, asked after Uncle Carlo, she was crossly told to be quiet, that he had gone to the circus. Turning to Johanna, Helena added, ”He cannot ride out with you to-day; he has too much to do.”
”Let us call things by their right names,” Johanna rejoined. ”It is disagreeable to him to meet me since by his permission an article concerning me has appeared in the papers.”
”You are mistaken! It was not Carlo's fault!” exclaimed Helena. ”On the contrary, Stein and he have had a quarrel about it----”
”My dear Helena,” Johanna interrupted her, ”the newspaper article was written in consequence of a wager between Batti and Dr. Stein, and who, if not Batti, could have informed the writer of the circ.u.mstances of my mother's marriage, of my betrothal, of my estrangement from my grandfather, and of my unlucky gift of horsemans.h.i.+p?”
”How can I help it?” Helena rejoined, in an irritated tone. ”It really is more than I can bear! Carlo is rus.h.i.+ng about like a roaring lion.
Stein, who was so entertaining, will never come any more to see us, and you take me to account for things with which I have nothing to do, and of which I am as innocent as an unborn babe!” And, bursting into tears, she added, ”And everything was so delightful before you came. Carlo and I were as one heart and soul.”
”If I interfere with your relations to each other,” Johanna replied, ”you will consent, I am sure, to my leaving you as soon as possible.”
Lisbeth, who had been turning from her sister to her mother, her eyes wide with anxiety, sprang up. ”No, no! you must not go away!” she said, throwing her arms about her sister.
Helena wiped her eyes. ”As if you would be allowed to go!” she said, crossly. ”You know very well that Carlo and Lisbeth cannot live without you!”
”Not another word, Helena!” Johanna hastily interrupted her. ”I must prove to you this very day that I am in earnest about leaving you. After what you have said, I should not stay, even had there been no newspaper article.” With these words, she gently put Lisbeth from her and arose.
Helena detained her. ”How hasty you are!” she complained. ”Every one rages at me, but I must weigh every word I utter. Batti, who was going to stay here until autumn, has suddenly--of course because of this Stein affair--made up his mind to travel. He is going in two weeks to Holland, to Belgium, and heaven knows where else! In the autumn we are to go to St. Petersburg. But Lisbeth cannot travel. The doctor says she cannot possibly pa.s.s a winter in Russia. I am at my wits' end. It would kill me to let Batti go without me.”
Again she burst into tears. Johanna had much ado to suppress the expression of her joy. ”Be composed,” she said. ”I will take charge of Lisbeth.”
”How can you do that if you leave us?” Helena sobbed. And, seizing Johanna's hand, she entreated, ”Be kind; make it up with Batti, and stay with us----”
But to stay after all that had been said and done was simply impossible.
Every kindness shown Johanna by Batti would furnish Helena with cause for jealousy. After reflecting for a few moments, Johanna replied, ”I must go; indeed, it is the right thing to do. But we need not part in anger. We will tell Batti that this hotel is too noisy for me; that I need fresh air. I will find a quiet lodging at a reasonable rate in the suburbs. Whenever you drive out you can bring Lisbeth to me, and when you go away you can leave her with me altogether.”
”But what will you live on?” Helena asked. ”I would gladly help you, but I never have anything; my dress costs so much!”
”Don't let that trouble you,” said Johanna. ”I have a couple of hundred thalers.” She had saved this from her pocket-money that she might have the wherewithal to bestow upon the poor of Donninghausen and Tannhagen.
”Moreover, Dr. Wolf has enabled me to dispose of a novel which I wrote awhile ago, and I shall go on working diligently.”
”Wrote?” drawled Helena. ”Dear Johanna, have you reflected? No one thinks much of auth.o.r.esses----Blue-stocking! it sounds odious!”
Johanna laughed: ”That must be borne. My only choice lay between the circus and the pen----”
”You are right; the pen suits you and your serious style much better!”
Helena exclaimed. ”But it is odd to fancy you a blue-stocking. How did you happen to think of it? I wish you had married your cousin. Is not a reconciliation possible?”
Johanna's reply was to take up a newspaper and remark that she would look through the advertis.e.m.e.nts of lodgings; in which occupation she became shortly absorbed, whilst Helena felt offended at her persistent reserve, and looked forward to her departure as a relief.
Johanna started on her tour of discovery, and the mysterious something which we call chance befriended her, leading her, after several fruitless applications, to the family of a teacher, who advertised for a couple of young girls to board. She drove a short distance outside the city, and arrived at an old dark two-storied structure, with small grated windows on the ground-floor. A creaking wooden staircase led up from a dim, damp hall. Johanna's courage fell; but when on the landing she opened a door the bell of which rang clearly as she did so, and which bore the name Rupprecht upon a china plate, she entered another world,--clean, whitewashed walls, clear windows, and an open door opposite which seemed to lead out from the second story into the open air.
She had no time for further observation. At the sound of the bell of the opening door, the doors of the rooms on each side opened. The next moment Johanna was surrounded by three pretty blonde girls and two barking dogs; and as soon as she had, with some difficulty, made known her wishes, she was conducted into the little drawing-room, where an elderly, worn, lady-like woman rose from her seat at the window.
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