Part 49 (1/2)

CHAPTER XXVI.

Young Jochen sat in his chimney-corner smoking. Young Bauschan lay under his chair, but with his head far enough out to look at young Jochen. Young Jochen looked at him, but said nothing, and Bauschan said nothing.

It was very quiet and peaceful, in the Rexow house, on this December afternoon; there was only one thing which rattled and creaked, that was Frau Nussler's arm-chair, in which she sat by the window; and every time that she took up a st.i.tch, it made a note of it; for which it should not be blamed, for she squeezed it without mercy, since she had become, with time, what one calls a stout woman. But, to-day, the old chair creaked more than usual, for Frau Nussler had been knitting, in deep thought, and her thoughts became more and more earnest, and oppressed her soul, and the chair and its creaking became louder and louder. ”Dear heart!” said she, laying her knitting in her lap, ”why must it be so, in this world, that one's misfortune should be another's happiness! Jochen, do you know what I have just thought of?”

”No,” said young Jochen, and looked at Bauschan; Bauschan didn't know, either.

”Jochen, what would you think, if Gottlieb should offer himself for the Gurlitz parish? Gottlieb is but a farthing candle, compared with our old Herr Pastor; but somebody must get the parish, why not he as well as another?”

Jochen said nothing.

”If Pomuchelskopp is against him, and our people and the Warnitzers in his favor, it will depend merely on the Pumpelhagen Herr. What do you say, Jochen?”

”Yes,” said Jochen, ”it is all as true as leather;” and, because the matter interested him uncommonly, he spoke further, and said, ”what shall we do about it?”

”Ah,” said Frau Nussler, ”there is no use in talking to you. I wish Brasig were only here, he could give us advice,” and she resumed her knitting.

”Well,” she exclaimed, half an hour later, ”speak of the wolf, and he is not far off; there comes Brasig, driving up the yard. And who has he with him? Rudolph,--now just think of it, Rudolph! Why should Rudolph come to-day? Jochen, now do me a single favor,--the old fellow is doing so nicely,--don't go and distress him with your foolish chatter!” With that she ran to the door, to receive her guests.

But she had delayed too long over her preface, for, as she came out, Mining lay in Rudolph's arms.

”Preserve us!” cried Frau Nussler, ”softly, Mining!” and she led Rudolph into the living-room.

”Well,” said Jochen, ”Brasig, sit down a little! Rudolph, sit down, too!”

But that was not so easily done. Rudolph had too much to arrange with Mining and Lining, to be in haste to sit down, and Brasig's head was going round like clock-work, and he trotted up and down the room, as if his legs were the pendulums, to keep the machinery running.

”Young Jochen,” said he, ”have you heard the news? They haven't caught him.”

”Whom,” asked Jochen.

”Good gracious, Jochen,” said Frau Nussler, ”let Brasig tell. You are always interrupting people so; let him speak! Brasig, whom haven't they caught?”

”Regel,” said Brasig; ”they tracked him to Wismar, but there they found themselves too late, since he had gone off a week before, on a Swedish oak.u.m s.h.i.+p, and is up in the Baltic sea.”

”What a trouble this is for my brother Karl!” sighed Frau Nussler.

”Frau Nussler, you are right there; Karl is hardly to be recognized, for he has completely insulated himself, and is surrounded with gloomy thoughts. The business troubles him dreadfully, not on his own account,--no! only on his young Herr's account, for you shall see, the young man must, sooner or later, declare himself insolvent.”

”That would kill Karl!” cried Frau Nussler.

”How can you help it?” said Brasig. ”The young n.o.bleman is ruining himself with his eyes open; he is beginning now the higher style of horse-breeding. For, as I learned from old Prebberow, he has become intimate with Lichtwark, and has bought an old thorough-bred horse, which has got spavin, and swelled sinews, and in short, the whole band in his legs, and he has bought a thorough-bred mare, and he is going to buy Triddelsitz's old, deaf granny, and establish a complete horse-hospital. He has got the little mule too, and I am glad of that, for it is the only sensible creature in the whole company.”

”Well, never mind him, Brasig, he must run his risk,” said Frau Nussler; ”but Jochen and I were just talking about the young Herr--Mining, you can take Rudolph out a little while! And Lining, you can go with them!”--and when they were gone she said, ”Brasig, it is about the Gurlitz living. If Gottlieb could only get it!”

”Frau Nussler,” said Brasig, bringing his pendulums to a stop, and standing before Frau Nussler, as if the clock had struck, ”what you have said is an idea, and n.o.body in the world is so quick at conceiving ideas as the women folks. Where did you get this idea?”

”Entirely by myself,” said Frau Nussler, ”for Jochen does not agree with me, as he used to; he is always contradicting.”

”Jochen, keep perfectly quiet!” said Brasig. ”You are wrong, for this opinion of your dear wife is a reasonable one. I will answer for Warnitz; the people will choose my candidate, even if the gracious count and countess should oppose; you for Rexow, young Jochen; Pomuchelskopp won't do it, out of spite; but no matter, it depends on Pumpelhagen. Who shall talk to the young n.o.bleman about it? Habermann?