Part 55 (1/2)
Why should you remain with a wretched wight A puppet of wood on a couch of ice?'”
”That is meant for me!” said Cloten, furiously, grinding his teeth.
”Certainly, certainly!” said the professor; ”but listen:
”'You flee! and yonder on rockiest strand, In nurse's familiar house by the sea, There falls in a moment the hampering band That bound you before, and there is he!
There love in a thousand fiery brooks, Breaks forth in caresses and tenderest looks In Nurse's familiar house by the sea.
”'You flee! and alas 'tis not to the port, Where spies are no more nor watching eyes!
Oh flee to the safe, to the only resort, Where wait for you milder and happier skies!
Oh flee to the banks of the beautiful Seine, Where love is at freedom, amain! amain!
And free from society's hateful lies!'”
The professor folded up the paper again, pocketed it, and said:
”This poem troubled me sorely, for I know the way my wife makes her poems. She takes the subject from actual life. But I was much more startled yet, when I went on using a husband's right and examined the papers that were scattered all over her table. I found this little note [here the professor put his hand in his waistcoat pocket]. Do you know the hand-writing, Baron Cloten?”
”That is my wife's hand,” cried the young n.o.bleman, casting a glance at the paper. ”What does she say? Let me see! 'All remains as agreed upon, dear Primula. Everything is ready. We meet at Mrs. Lemberg's. Tomorrow at this hour a world divides us. Shall I be able to embrace you once more? I shall be at home at three. I should like to see you so much, but--can you venture to come without rousing suspicion? I leave the matter to you. Good-by, good-by, dearest! Free to-day! Oh, I can hardly conceive such happiness! Good-by--a thousand farewells!' By the Almighty!” cried the happy husband, crumpling up the paper and pus.h.i.+ng it into his pocket. ”Now I see it all! I never could understand why she was all the time going to see that old woman in Ferrytown! But I'll spoil the fun; I'll----”
As the happy man did not exactly know what he was going to do, he broke down, and walked up and down, like a man suffering with a furious toothache.
Professor Jager looked at him, his head inclined on his right shoulder, and folding his hands in sympathetic emotion; but he had the air of an ear-owl, gazing with big, staring eyes at a poor foolish bird that has been caught in a snare.
”You may believe me, my dear sir,” he said; ”I am heartily sorry for the whole thing; and I a.s.sure you I would have kept it all to myself if I did not think it was the good shepherd's duty to s.n.a.t.c.h the lamb from the jaws of the wolf. For this man is a raving wolf. I found him out at first sight, but they would not believe me. Now they see it clear enough. Only this morning Doctor Black, one of the trustees of the college, came to see me, and to tell me that Doctor Clemens had called for an official inquiry into the conduct of the terrible man, which could not fail to end in his dismissal--his dismissal in disgrace. And while I was still considering how we could best make it known to all the world that he was a wolf in sheep's clothes, chance came to my aid and caused these papers to fall into my hands, which prove clearly that the worst that was reported about this man was not as bad yet as the truth. I knew at once what my duty was. Certain that my wife would never hear of the exposure to which I had been morally forced, and relying on the discretion of a n.o.bleman, I hastened----”
”I must consult Barnewitz,” said Cloten, suddenly; and he made a motion as if he were going into the room where Barnewitz was waiting.
”For G.o.d's sake, my dear sir,” cried the frightened professor, ”are you going to ruin me? Consider, I pray, you have solemnly promised not to expose Mrs. Jager----”
”Nonsense!” said Cloten; ”you surely would not have me go into such a serious matter alone. Barnewitz!”
”What's the matter?” said the latter, looking up from his paper.
”Just come this way! I have something important to tell you.”
Barnewitz came, and Cloten told him rapidly what the matter was, while the professor stood by, rubbing his hands, in great embarra.s.sment.
”It cannot be doubted,” continued Cloten. ”I must tell you frankly I had my suspicions; but, to be sure, I did not guess that rascal--that man Stein ... But I see it all now. I knew she was going over to Ferry town again to-day; and now I remember she said, contrary to her usual way, she would not be back before night. And then you saw last night--oh, no doubt it is all so! What am I to do? What ought I to do?”
And the young man struck his forehead with his closed fist.
”What ought you to do?” said Barnewitz. ”Let her run!”
”Pardon me,” said the professor; ”that would cause an unheard-of scandal, which even now, I think, can only be prevented by very energetic measures.”
”The professor is right,” said Cloten; ”we must not let them get off; but I cannot prevent it alone. Will you help me, Barnewitz?”