Part 80 (1/2)
Three days after this interview, Brasig came home, and met the Frau Pastorin in the hall. Her right hand was in a bandage, for she had just sprained it, falling down the cellar-stairs.
”Frau Pastorin,” said he, with great earnestness and expression, ”I shall come down again immediately, and have something to tell you.”
With that, he went up-stairs to Habermann. He said neither ”Good day”
nor anything else, as he entered the room, but, looking very solemn, went through into the bedroom. There he poured out a gla.s.s of water, and returned with it to Habermann.
”Here, Karl, drink!”
”What? Why should I drink?”
”Because it is good for you. What you will need afterward, will not hurt you before.”
”Brasig, what ails you?” cried Habermann, pus.h.i.+ng away the water; but he noticed that something unusual was coming.
”Well, Karl, if you won't take it, you won't; but collect yourself, collect yourself quickly;” and he walked up and down, while Habermann followed him with his eyes, and turned pale, as he felt that this moment was to influence his destiny.
”Karl,” said Brasig, standing before him, ”have you collected yourself?”
He had really done so; he stood up and exclaimed:
”Brasig, say what you have to say! What I have borne so long, I can bear yet longer, if need be.”
”That is not my meaning,” said Brasig. ”It is all out, the rascals are convicted, and we have the money; not all, but some of it.”
The old man had dreamed what it would be to be delivered from his troubles, for a ray of hope had gleamed upon his horizon; but when the sun was fairly risen upon this new day, and shone brightly in his face, his eyes were blinded by the sudden splendor, and a thousand suns floated around him.
”Brasig! Brasig! My honest name! My child's happiness!” and he sank back in his chair, and Brasig held him the gla.s.s of water, and the old man drank, and recovered himself a little, and grasped Brasig, who stood before him, about the knees: ”Zachary, you have never in your life deceived me!”
”No, Karl, it is the pure truth, and it stands in the protocol, and the rascals will be sent to Dreiberg, the Herr Burgomeister says; but first to Butzow, to the criminal court.”
”Brasig,” said Habermann, and he stood up, and went into his sleeping room, ”leave me alone, and say nothing to Louise! Yes, tell her to come up.”
”Yes, Karl,” said Brasig, walking to the window, and looking out, and wiping the tears from his eyes, and as he went through the door he saw his Karl, in the bedroom, upon his knees.
Louise went to her father, Brasig told her nothing; but to the Frau Pastorin he was not so silent.
”Bless me,” said the little Frau, ”now Louise has gone away, and Habermann does not come, and you, Brasig, don't come at the right time, the dinner will be cold, and we have such nice fish. What were you going to tell me, Brasig?”
”Oh, nothing much,” said Uncle Brasig, looking as if the rascals had infected him with all sorts of roguery, and he must exercise it now upon the Frau Pastorin, because she had abused him so about the letter; ”only that Habermann and Louise are not coming to dinner. But we two can begin.”
”Eh, Brasig, why are they not coming?”
”Well, because of the ap.r.o.n.”
”The ap.r.o.n?”
”Yes, because it was wet.”
”Whose ap.r.o.n was wet?”