Young Jochen went with Young Bauschan up and down the yard, and stopped
frequently to rub his head, as if there were something he did not
rightly understand. Bauschan also stood still, looked at Jochen, wagged
his tail rather doubtfully, and sank back into his own gloomy thoughts
about the co-regency. Rudolph came out.
"God bless you, father, are you up already?"
"Yes, Rudolph, it is because of the old geese,"--he had something more
to say, but was not quite ready with it, and Rudolph said:
"Well, father, never mind the old story; but I am glad you are up so
early this morning, you can tell the bailiff what the people are to do;
I did not go over to the Pumpelhagen boundary yesterday, I will run
over, and see how they are getting on with the ploughing. We are to do
just as we did yesterday, manuring the potato-land."
"Yes, Rudolph, but----"
"Yes, father, you will find it all right; I must hurry, to get back in
time," and he was off.
Jochen walked up and down again; the day-laborers, meanwhile, were
coming into the yard, and the bailiff, Kalsow, came up to Jochen.
"Kalsow," said he, "let the people all come together here, in a heap,"
and with that he and Bauschan went into the house. The day-laborers,
the housewives, and the farm-people all stood in a group before the
house, and asked, "What are we to do?"
"_I_ don't know," said Kalsow, the bailiff.
"Well, go in and ask him then!" Kalsow went in. Young Jochen was
walking up and down the room, with Bauschan at his heels, for young
Jochen had kept on his cap, and that was a token to Bauschan that his
attendance was required.
"Herr," said Kalsow, "the people are all there."
"Good!" said Jochen.
"What shall we do?" asked Kalsow.
"Wait," said Jochen.
Kalsow went out, gave the people orders, and they waited. After a
little while, he came in again.
"Herr, they are waiting."
"Good!" said Jochen. "Tell them to wait a little longer, I am going to
make them a speech presently."
Kalsow went back, and said they must keep waiting, the Herr would make
them a speech presently.
The people waited; but, as nothing came of it, Krischan the coachman
said, "Kalsow, I know him, go in and remind him of it."
So Kalsow went in again; and said, "Well, Herr, how is it about the
speech?"
"Thunder and lightning!" cried Jochen, "do you suppose thoughts grow on
my shoulders?"
Bailiff Kalsow was frightened; he went back to the people, saying,
"That was of no use, he was angry with me; we must wait."
"God bless me!" said Frau Nuessler to herself, in her store-room, where
she was putting things in order, "what does it mean, that the people
are all standing before the house?" and opening the window she called
out, "what are you standing here for?"
"Eh, Frau, we are standing here waiting."
"What are you waiting for?"
"Eh, Frau, we don't know; the Herr is going to make us a speech."
"Who?" asked Frau Nuessler.
"The Herr," said Kalsow.
"_What_ is he going to make?" asked Frau Nuessler.
"A speech," said Kalsow.
"He must be going crazy," exclaimed Fran Nuessler, dropping the window,
and, running in to Jochen, she seized him by the arm, and shook him, as
if to bring him to his senses.
"What do you want to do? Make a speech? What are you going to make a
speech about? About me, or about Rudolph and Mining?"
"Mother," said Jochen,--but he said it firmly,--"about the geese."
"God have mercy on you," said Frau Nuessler, quite beside herself, "if
you say another word to me about the geese!"
"What?" cried Jochen, setting himself up, far the first time in his
life, against his wife. "Cannot I make a speech? They all make
speeches, Herr von Rambow makes speeches, Pomuchelskopp, Braesig talks
in the Reform-what? am I not good enough?"--and he brought down his
fist on the table,--"wife, am I not master? And shall I not talk about
my geese?"
Frau Nuessler turned quite pale, stood there stiffly, looking Jochen in
the eye, but said not a word, pressed one hand against her heart, and
felt with the other after the door-latch behind her, and when she found
it opened the door, and went out backwards, still with her eyes
fastened upon Jochen,--as a lion-tamer does, when he sees that the
beast has lost its respect for him. But, when she was outside, she
threw herself down on a bench in the hall, and began to cry and sob
terribly. Yes, the year 1848 was a dreadful year, no government was
secure; even in this, open revolt had broken out.
Braesig came down stairs, singing and whistling; but how suddenly he
ceased, when he saw his old treasure in her grief!
"May you keep the nose on your face! What has happened? At this time of
day, Frau Nuessler, half-past six, do you sit down and cry?" With that
he threw himself on the bench beside her, and tried to pull away the
apron from her face. Frau Nuessler pushed away his hands. "Frau Nuessler,
I beg you, for God's sake, tell me what is the matter."
At last Frau Nuessler said, with a heavy sigh, "Jochen!"
"Good heavens!" cried Braesig, "he was perfectly well yesterday. Is he
dead?"
"No indeed;" cried Frau Nuessler, taking away the apron, and turning her
red eyes upon Braesig, "but he has gone crazy!"
"God forbid!" exclaimed Braesig, springing to his feet, "what has he
been doing?"
"He is going to make a speech."
"What? Young Jochen make a speech? That is a bad sign!"
"Oh, Lord! Oh, Lord!" lamented Frau Nuessler, "and the laborers are all
standing out in the yard, and he has turned me out of the room, I don't
know how I came here."
"This is going to extremes!" cried Braesig, "but compose yourself, Frau
Nuessler, I am not afraid of him, I will venture to go in." And he
entered the room.
Jochen was walking up and down, rubbing his head. Braesig sat down near
the door, and followed him with his eyes, but did not speak; on the
other side of the room sat Bauschan, who also followed his master with
his eyes, but did not speak,--it was a very serious business, at least
for Jochen and for Braesig; Bauschan was tolerably composed. At last,
Braesig asked very gently:
"What is the matter, Jochen?"
"I don't know," said Jochen, "my head is so confused; my thoughts are
running every way, as when one shakes up a bushel of oats."
"I believe you, Jochen, I believe you," said Braesig, and looked after
him again, as he walked up and down. All at once Jochen stood still,
and exclaimed angrily, "How the devil can I think of a speech, with
both of you looking at me like that!"
"So! Do you want to make a speech? What do you want to make a speech
for?"
"Braesig, am I any worse than other people? Are my laborers worse than
other people's laborers? They want their satisfaction, in these hard
times; but I am not exactly fitted for it, the business is too much for
me; you are quicker-witted, do me a favor, and make one for me."
"Why not?" said Braesig, "if it is to do you a favor; but you mustn't
disturb me!" and now Braesig walked up and down the room, and Jochen sat
still, and looked at him.
Suddenly the Herr Inspector opened the window, and called: "All come up
here!" The day-laborers came up.
"Fellow-citizens!" began Braesig; but--bang!--he shut down the window:
"Thunder and lightning, that won't do! They are only day-laborers, one
can't talk to them as if they were burghers! And now you see, Jochen,
how difficult it is to make a speech, and will you meddle with a
business, for which even I am not prepared?"
"Yes, Braesig, but----"
"Be still, Jochen, I know what you are going to say." He went to the
window, opened it again, and said, "Children, each one go to his work,
for to-day; there will be no speech to-day."
"Well, that is all the same to us," said Kalsow, "but the Herr---"
"He has been thinking about it," interrupted Braesig, "and he has
decided that the spring is too early for it; by and by, at harvest, he
will make you a fine one."
"Yes," said Kalsow, "that is the best way. Come then, people!" and they
went to their labor.
But now, as the coast was clear, Braesig turned towards Jochen, and all
the dignity, which his body was capable of expressing, was shown in his
manner to Jochen, and all the influence he had exercised upon Jochen,
in years past, now centered upon the poor kammerpaechter, as he said,
"What? They call _you_ crazy? You are no more _crazy_ than Bauschan and
I; but you are _foolish_. Why did your dear--I mean blessed--I mean
cursed--parents bring you into the world? To make speeches, and
frighten your dear wife out or her wits, who has nourished you at her
bosom this five and twenty years, like a new-born child? Come with me,
this moment, and beg her pardon, and tell her you will never do so
again!"
And Jochen would have done so; but he was spared the apology, at least
in the manner which Braesig demanded, for Frau Nuessler entered the room:
"Jochen, Jochen! How you distress me!"
"Eh, mother----"
"Jochen, you will be the death of me!"
"With your good-for-nothing speeches," interposed Braesig.
"Mother, I will not---"
"Ah, Jochen, I believe you will not do it this morning; but you have
set yourself up, you shall see, it will happen again."
Jochen said no, he had had enough of it.
"God grant it!" said Frau Nuessler, "and that you may see that I can
give up, too; for all me, Rudolph may be married to-morrow."
"So," said Braesig, "now there is peace in the house again! now
everything is in order, now give each other a kiss! One more, Jochen,
that the left side of your mouth need not come short."
This was done, and Uncle Braesig trotted off directly to Gurlitz, that
he might inform his little goddaughter Mining of her happy prospects.
He took the nearest foot-path, and that was the one which the Herr
Proprietor Muchel had stopped up, that it might not be public any
longer; but he had not succeeded in his design, for Gottlieb, at
Braesig's suggestion, had opposed it, and had gained the suit.
As Braesig went along this path, he met the Herr Proprietor coming
towards him, with a very friendly face in the distance, and as he came
nearer he said, "Good-morning, my dear----" but he got no further, for
Braesig turned upon him, and without looking him in the face said, "A
certain person was going to have my boots pulled off, and let me hop
about with bare legs, like a crow;" and with that, he passed on,
without looking round.
And when he had discharged his errand to Mining, at Gurlitz, and, after
great rejoicing with his little rogues, Lining begged him to spend the
day with them, although he must excuse Gottlieb, since it was Saturday,
and he must write his sermon, he said, "Frau Pastorin Lining, every one
has his business, and if the Herr Pastor Gottlieb has a sermon to make,
why shouldn't I have one, too? For I must go to the Reform this
evening;" and so he went back to Rahnstadt.