Part 12 (1/2)
but declared ”The Hypochondriac,” by Guistorp, the wittiest drama in the world. In short, this large cla.s.s of men ranged themselves in bold opposition to the favoritism shown to Frenchmen by Frederick the Great. These were the elements which composed the audience in the Council-house.
One afternoon, just before the opening of the theatre, two young men were walking arm-in-arm in the castle court; with one of them we are already acquainted, Joseph Fredersdorf, the merry student of Halle, the brother of the private secretary--he who had been commissioned to seek the black ram, for the propitiation of the devil. In obedience to the command of the secretary, he, with ten other members of this unholy alliance, had been searching in every quarter for this sacrifice. Joseph Fredersdorf, indebted to fortune or his own adroitness, was the first to return from his wanderings, and he brought with him a black ram, on whose glossy coat the sharpest eye could not detect one white hair.
Fredersdorf, and Baron Kleist, the husband of the lovely Louise von Schwerin, were truly happy, and paid willingly some hundred thalers for this coveted object. Indeed, they considered this a very small interest to pay for the large capital which they would soon realize.
They were the princ.i.p.al leaders in the secret conspiracy for gold- making, and many other most distinguished n.o.bles, generals, and officers belonged to the society. Fredersdorf was resolved to fathom this mystery; he wished to buy himself free from his service to the king, and wed the woman he had long so pa.s.sionately loved. Kleist was riotous and a spendthrift; he felt that gold alone would enable him to buy smiles and rapture from this worn-out and wearisome world. Kleist and his beautiful wife required money in large measure; she had been a faithful companion and aid--had stood by honestly and a.s.sisted in the waste of her own property; and now they were compelled to confine themselves to the small income of captain of the king's guard.
Joseph laughed, chatted, and jested with his young companion, who walked by his side with modest and downcast eyes. Joseph sometimes put his hand merrily under the dimpled chins of the rosy servant- girls who pa.s.sed them from time to time, or peeped rather impertinently under the silk hoods of the burgher maidens; his companion blushed and took no part in these bold pastimes.
”Truly,” said Joseph, ”if I did not have in my pocket a letter from my former room-mate at Halle, introducing you as a manly, brave boy, and a future light in the world of science, I should suspect you were a disguised maiden; you blush like a girl, and are as timid as a lamb which has never left its mother's side.”
”I am a villager, a poor provincial,” said the youth, in a somewhat maidenly voice. ”The manners of your great city embarra.s.s me. I admire but cannot imitate them. I have been always a recluse, a dusty book-worm.”
”A learned monster!” cried Joseph, mockingly, ”who knows and understands every thing except the art of enjoying life. I acknowledge that you are greatly my superior, but I can instruct you in that science. You have been so strongly commended to me that I will at once commence to unfold to you the real, satisfying duties and pleasures of life.”
”I fear,” said the youth. ”your science is beyond my ability. I have no organ for it. My father is a celebrated physician in Quedlinburg; he would be greatly distressed if I should occupy myself with any thing else than philosophy and the arts. I myself have so little inclination and so little ability for the enjoyment of mirth and pleasure, that I dare not exchange the world of books for the world of men. I do not understand their speech, and their manners are strange to me.”
”But, without doubt, you have come to Berlin to learn something of these things?”
”No, I have come to visit the medical college, and to speak with the learned and renowned Euler.”
”Folly and nonsense!” said Fredersdorf, laughing; ”keep your dry pursuits for Halle, and give your time and attention to that which you cannot find there, gayety and amus.e.m.e.nt. I promise to be your counsellor and comrade. Let us begin our studies at once. Do you see that little theatre-bill fastened to the wall? Eckhof appears as Cato to-night.”
”Go to the theatre!” said Lupinus, shrinkingly. ”How! I go to the theatre?”
”And why not, friend?” said Joseph. ”Perhaps you belong to the pietists, who look upon the stage as the mother of blasphemy and sin, and who rail at our n.o.ble king because he will not close these houses?”
”No, I do not belong to the pietists,” said the youth, with a sad smile, ”and I try to serve G.o.d, by understanding and admiring His works: that is my religion.”
”Well, it seems to me that this faith does not forbid you to enter the theatre. If it pleases you to study G.o.d's master-work, I promise to show you this night on the stage the n.o.blest exemplar. Eckhof plays this evening.”
”Who, then, is Eckhof?”
Joseph looked at the young man with surprise, and shrugged his shoulders contemptuously.
”You have, indeed, been greatly neglected, and it was high time you should come to me. You do not know, then, that Eckhof is the first tragedian who has dared to set aside the old and absurd dress and manners of the stage, and introduce real, living, feeling men, of like pa.s.sions with ourselves, and who move and speak even as we do.
Now we must certainly enter the theatre; look there, at that great crowd entering the dark and lowly entrance. Let us remove our hats reverentially; we stand before the temple of art.” So saying, he drew the young man, who had no longer courage to resist, into the house. ”This is Eckhof's benefit. You see the great tragedian has many admirers; it seems to me that half of Berlin has come to bring him tribute this evening.”
Lupinus sat silent and confused in the parterre, near Joseph. There was a row of seats slightly elevated and made of common plank, called loges; one of these nearest the stage was adorned by a golden eagle, from which some pitiful drapery was suspended; this was called the king's loge, but, I am constrained to say, it had never been visited by the king or any member of the royal family. The royal loge was indeed empty, but the great body of the house was fearfully crowded, and many an expression of pain was heard from those who were closely pressed and almost trampled upon.
”It is fortunate for you that Eckhof appears as Cato tonight: it is his best role. Perhaps your learned soul may be somewhat reconciled to such vanities when you see a drama of Gottsched, and a hero of the old and cla.s.sic time.”
”Yes, but will not your Eckhof make a vile caricature of the n.o.ble Roman?” sighed Lupinus.
”You are a pedant, and I trust the Muses will revenge themselves upon you this night,” said Joseph, angrily. ”I prophesy that you will become this evening a wild enthusiast for Eckhof: that is always the punishment for those who come as despisers and doubters.
If you were a girl, I should know that you would be pa.s.sionately in love with Eckhof before you slept; you have taken the first step, by hating him.”
Joseph said this thoughtlessly, and did not remark the deep impression his words made upon the stranger. His face flushed, and his head sank upon his breast. Joseph saw nothing of this. At this moment the curtain rose and the piece began.