Volume II Part 6 (1/2)
”You are very kind to say so; thank you!” says my uncle, rubbing his husky hands with satisfaction. ”Rejoiced to meet with you, truly! It is always a gratification to have an intelligent and sympathizing brother to open one's mind to; it is especially refres.h.i.+ng to me, for, as I may say without egotism, my life and labors have _not_ been appreciated.”
From that the old interminable story took its start and flowed on, the faithful nose nodding a.s.sent at every turn in that winding stream.
The children came in for their share of the fun; and for the first time in our lives we took pleasure in the old gentleman's narration of his varied experiences.
”O hear him! see him go it!” said Robbie. ”What a nose!”
”Long may it wave!” said Harry.
With other remarks of a like genial nature; while there they sat, the two,--my uncle on one side, long, lathy, self-satisfied, gesticulating, earnestly laying his case before a grave jury of one, whom he was bound to convince, if time would allow; my little Jew facing him, upright in his chair, stiff, imperturbable, devoted to business, honorably earning his money, the nose in the air, immovable, except when it played duly up and down at fitting intervals: in which edifying employment I left them, and went about my business, a cheerier man.
Ah, what a relief it was to feel myself free for a season from the attacks of the enemy--to know that my plucky little Iron-Clad was engaging him! In a hour I pa.s.sed through the hall again, heard the loud blatant voice still discoursing (it had got as far as the difficulties with the second parish), and saw the unflinching nasal organ perform its graceful see-saw of a.s.sent. An hour later it was the same,--except that the speaker had arrived at the persecutions which drove him from parish number three. When I went to call them to dinner, the scene had changed a little, for now the old gentleman, pounding the table for a pulpit, was reading aloud pa.s.sages from a powerful farewell sermon preached to his ungrateful paris.h.i.+oners. I was sorry I couldn't give my man a hint to use his handkerchief at the affecting periods, for the nose can hardly be called a sympathetic feature (unless indeed you blow it), and these nods were becoming rather too mechanical, except when the old gentleman switched off on the argumentative track, as he frequently did.
”What think you of that?” he would pause in his reading to inquire.
”Isn't that logic? isn't that unanswerable?” In responding to which appeals n.o.body could have done better than my serious, my devoted, my lovely little Jew.
”Dinner!” I shouted over my uncle's d.i.c.key. It was almost the only word that had the magic in it to rouse him from the feast of reason which his own conversation was to him. It was always easy to head him toward the dining-room--to steer him into port for necessary supplies. The little Iron-Clad followed in his wake. At table, the old gentleman resumed the account of his dealings with parish number three, and got on as far as negotiations with number four; occasionally stopping to eat his soup or roast-beef very fast; at which time Jacob Menzel, who was very much absorbed in his dinner, but never permitted himself to neglect business for pleasure, paused at the proper intervals, with his spoon or fork half-way to his mouth, and nodded,--just as if my uncle had been speaking,--yielding a.s.sent to his last remarks after mature consideration, no doubt the old gentleman thought.
The fun of the thing wore off after a while, and then we experienced the solid advantages of having an Iron-Clad in the house; Afternoon--evening--the next day--my little man of business performed his function promptly and a.s.siduously. But in the afternoon of the second day he began to change perceptibly. He wore an aspect of languor and melancholy that alarmed me. The next morning he was pale, and went to his work with an air of sorrowful resignation.
”He is thinking of Fatherland,” said the sympathizing Dolly; while Harry's less refined but more sprightly comment was, that the nose had about played out.
Indeed it had almost ceased to wave; and I feared that I was about to lose a most valuable servant, whose place it would be impossible to fill. Accordingly I wrote on a slip of paper, which I sent in to him,”--
”You have done well, and I raise your salary to a dollar and a quarter a day. Your influence over our unfortunate relative is soothing and beneficial. Go on as you have begun,--continue in well-doing, and merit the lasting grat.i.tude of an afflicted family.”
That seemed to cheer him a little--to wind him up, as Harry said, and set the pendulum swinging again. But it was not long before the listlessness and low spirits returned; Menzel showed a sad tendency to s.h.i.+rk his duty; and before noon there came a crash.
I was in the garden, when I heard a shriek of rage and despair, and saw the little Jew coming toward me with frantic gestures.
”I yielt! I abandone! I take my moneys and my s.h.i.+rt, and I go!” says he.
I stood in perfect astonishment at hearing the dumb speak; while he threw his arms wildly above his head, exclaiming:
”I am not teaf! I am not teaf! I am not teaf! He is one terreeble mon!
He vill haf my life! So I go--I fly--I take my moneys and my s.h.i.+rt--I leafe him, I leafe your house! I vould earn honest living, but--Gott im himmel! dieu des dieux! all de devils!” he shrieked, mixing up several of his languages at once, in his violent mental agitation.
”Jacob Menzel!” said I, solemnly, ”I little thought I was having to do with an impostor!”
”If I haf you deceive, I haf myself more dan punis.h.!.+” was his reply.
”Now I resign de position. I ask for de moneys and de s.h.i.+rt, and I part!”
Just then my uncle came up, amazed at his new friend's sudden revolt and flight, and anxious to finish up with his seventh parish. ”I vill hear no more of your six, of your seven,--I know not how many paris.h.!.+”
screamed the furious little Jew, turning on him.