harshly of you, for it sounds to me like blasphemy. What the poor man
gains in such a moment of sunshine? Oh! sir, he who is accustomed to be
thrust out of the society of men; he, for whom there is no holiday, no
market-place, no society, and scarcely a church, for whom ceremony,
courtesy and all the attentions which every man usually pays to his
neighbour are extinct; this wretched creature, for whom, in public
walks and vernal nature, there shoots and blossoms nothing but
contempt, often turns his dry eye to heaven and the stars above him,
and sees there even nothing but vacancy and doubts; but in such an hour
as that which unexpectedly bestows on him a more liberal boon, and
enables him to return to his gloomy hovel, to cheer his pining family
with more than momentary comfort, faith in God, in his father, again
rises in his heart, he becomes once more a man, he feels again the
neighbourhood of a brother, and can again love him and himself. Happy
the rich man, who can promote this faith, who can bestow with the
visible the invisible gift; and woe to the prodigal, who through his
criminal thoughtlessness deprives himself of those means of being a man
among men; for most severely will his feelings punish him, for having
poured out in streams in the wilderness, like a heartless barbarian,
the refreshing draught, of which a single drop might have cheered his
brother, who lay drooping under the load of his wearisome existence."
He could not utter the last words without a tear; he covered his face,
and did not observe that the strangers and Erich had taken leave of
their host. Sophia too wept; but she roused herself and recovered her
composure as her father returned.
After his feelings had subsided in the course of a conversation on
other topics, Edward drew the paper out of his pocket, and laid before
the counsellor the doubtful case, and how much he was afraid that he
was still his debtor in a considerable sum, which he purposed to pay
him by means of a loan which he would endeavour to procure upon his
house.
The old gentleman looked alternately at him and the yellow paper with
widely-opened eyes; at last he grasped the hand of the youth, and said
with a tremulous voice: "My young friend, you are a great deal better
than I and the world supposed you; your fine feeling delights me, and
though you ought not to have spoken so vehemently to Mr. Von
Eisenschlicht, I was nevertheless moved; for, to say the truth, I think
with you upon that point. As to this paper, I can scarcely give you a
decisive answer, whether it is valid or not. It originates from an
early period, when I had various and at times intricate money-dealings
with your worthy father: we assisted one another in our speculations
and journeys; and the old gentleman was to be sure at that time, in
early youth, sometimes a little slippery and wild. He here acknowledges
himself indebted to me in a considerable sum: the note must have been
lost among his papers; I know nothing more of it, because we had a
great many accounts to settle with one another, and I was at that time
of day myself not so steady as now. However (and with these words he
tore the paper to pieces), let this apparent demand be cancelled; for
in no case, not even if the debt were clear, could I accept this sum
from you, my son; it would at all events be my duty to pay you as much
by way of arrear for those pictures, which you sold me far too cheap.
If it is in my power, my good boy, to give you any sort of assistance,
reckon upon me, and all may perhaps still be well."
Edward bent over his hand and cried, "Yes, be my father; supply the
place of him whom I prematurely lost! I promise you, it is my firm
purpose, I will become another man, I will make up for my lost time; I
hope still to become useful to society. But the advice of a father, the
encouragement of a friend, must guide me, to enable me to take
confidence in myself."
"This happy turn," said the old man, "things might have taken with us
many years ago, but you at that time despised it. In whatever I can be
of service to you, you may safely reckon upon me. But now I will, for
curiosity's sake, take another look at my papers, to see whether they
contain any account of this debt."
He left the two young people alone, who first gazed awhile on one
another in silence, and then flew into each other's arms. They held
each other for a long time clasped. Sophia then gently disengaged
herself, kept the youth at a distance, and said, looking him in the
face with a sprightly air, "How happens this to me? Edward, what should
this signify to us?"
"Love," cried Edward, "happiness, and eternal truth. Believe me,
dearest girl, I feel as if I had waked from a stifling dream. The
happiness, which lay so close at my feet, which my affectionate father
designed for me, as he stood by thy cradle, I spurned from me like a
rude boy, to make myself contemptible to the world and to myself. Hast
thou then forgiven me, gentle being? Canst thou then love me?"
"I wish thee well from my very heart, my old playmate," said Sophia:
"but for all that, we are not happy yet."
"What can there be still in our way?" cried Edward. "Oh! how deeply am
I ashamed, to have been capable of mistaking so grossly your generous
father! How kindly he meets my wishes! How cordially he presses me to
his bosom as his son!"
"Ay, thou strange creature," said Sophia, laughing, "but his caresses
were not meant so. But the man will never reflect as long as he lives,
and immediately begins to reckon without his host! Of what you are
talking of, papa, however kind he may be, will not consent to hear a
syllable. Besides, we must first become better acquainted with each
other. These are things, my friend, which may linger on for years to
come. And in the mean time you perhaps may shift about again, and then
in your jovial company laugh over my sorrow and my tears."
"No," cried Edward, and threw himself at her feet, "do not think
harshly of me; be as good and kind as thy eye bespeaks thee! And I feel
it, thy father will rejoice in our happiness, and bless our union!" He
embraced her passionately, without observing that her father had
returned, and was standing behind him.
"What is that, young gentleman?" cried the old man angrily: "bless your
union? No, drive away, banish from his house, that will he, the loose
companion who would thus abuse his confidence and partiality."
Edward had risen and looked him earnestly in the face. "You do not mean
to give me your daughter for my wife?" he asked in a quiet tone.
"What!" cried the old man with the greatest impatience, "are you
raving, master? To a man who has sold and flung away his paternal
inheritance, the most precious pictures? Not though you were worth a
million, should a man so void of feeling ever obtain her! Ay, then
indeed, after my death, perhaps even in my lifetime, my treasures would
be brought to a fine market: there would the pictures go flying to all
the four corners of the world, that I should not rest in my grave. He
is politic, however, my pretty gentleman. First properly opens my
heart, brings me with noble magnanimity an old bond of his father's,
which he is ready to pay me, tickles me into emotion, that I may become
still more magnanimous, still more generous and heroic, and throw my
daughter into his arms. No, no, my young sir, you have not won the game
so easily with me. The debt is discharged; I find no traces of it in my
books, and even, as I said before, if there were, I will even assist
you, as I promised, by word and deed, with friendship and money, as
much as you can reasonably desire. But as to my child, let her be left
out of the business, and to that end I beg in future to decline your
company in my house. Nor, if I know her mind, has she any inclination
for you. Speak, Sophy, could you prevail upon yourself to take up with
such a good for nought?"
"I have no wish to marry yet," said Sophia, "and least of all a person
who is more fit for any thing in the world than a husband." Half in
pain, and yet smiling, she threw the youth a parting look, and left the
saloon.
"Sophia!" cried Edward, and was on the point of hastening after her:
"how canst thou speak those words?" The old man held him fast by the
skirts, and threatened by his looks to give him another long lecture;
but Edward, who had now entirely lost his patience, took up his hat,
and placing himself in front of the father, said with a voice
overpowered by anger and sobs, "I am going, sir, and do not return,
mark that, to your house, till you send for me, till you yourself
invite me back again! Ay, till you earnestly entreat me not to disdain
your dwelling. I cannot fail; talents, good conduct, accomplishments,
these pave my way to the highest posts. I am already recommended to the
prince. That however is the first and least step to my fortune. Wholly
different roads must open to me. And then, when the city prides itself
on having given me birth, when I have quite forgotten the present hour,
then will I send some confidential person of reputation to you, and
privately inquire after your daughter: then will you be in ecstasy, at
finding that I still remember you; you will fold your hands in
gratitude to Heaven, for showing you the possibility of obtaining such
a son-in-law,--and so, precisely so, it will come about, and in this
way I shall force you to give me your daughter."
He rushed out, and the father looked after him with an air of doubt,
and muttered, "Now has he quite lost his senses."
* * * * *
In the open air, as a violent snow storm beat against his face, the
youth's extraordinary heat began to cool; he could not help first
smiling, and then laughing aloud at his own vehemence, and those absurd
speeches; and when he had returned home, as he changed his dress, he
perfectly recovered his senses. This was a day of the highest
importance for him, for the hour had now come, when he was to present
himself to the prince, who, as he was told, had in the meanwhile
arrived. The suit which he put on to-day was one which he had not worn
for a long time, nor had he ever looked at himself with such attention
in the glass. He surveyed his shape, and could not conceal from himself
that his proportions were good, that his eye was full of fire, his face
pleasing, and his brow noble. "My first appearance," said he to
himself, "will at least not displease him. All men, even those who
dislike me, praise the address and refinement of my carriage; I possess
a variety of talents and knowledge, and what I want I can, at my age,
and with my excellent memory, easily supply. He will take a liking to
me, and I shall soon grow indispensable to him. Intercourse with the
great world will, by degrees, polish off all the rust that may still
cling to me from bad company. If I travel with him, and am forced to
absent myself for a year or even longer from this spot, these qualities
will, in foreign countries, only contribute the more to fix me firmly
in his favour. We then come back; my accomplishments, my pretensions,
will, through his protection, meet with offers of the most considerable
posts here, or even abroad, and I shall then certainly not have
forgotten that it was after all, in fact, Sophia who first roused my
better self from its lethargy."
He was now dressed, and so intoxicated with his hopes, that he did not
observe he was again using the same language in his soliloquy, for
which he had just before been laughing at himself. He took out of the
glass the full-blown rose, and pressed it to his lips, to strengthen
himself for his visit; but at the same moment, all its leaves dropped
at his feet. An evil omen! He sighed, and went out to get into the
carriage.
On his arrival at the palace, he gave one of the servants his letter of
recommendation to the prince. As he was walking up and down by the side
of the pier glasses, young Dietrich, to his astonishment, came out of a
side room in hurry and confusion, and at first did not observe his
acquaintance. "How come you here?" asked Edward hastily. "Do you know
the prince?" "Yes--no--" stammered Dietrich--"it is a singular affair,
which--I will tell it you, but here we shall have no time for it."
This was indeed the case, for a richly-dressed lady, sparkling with
jewels, stepped in with an imposing air, and drove off the young
painter, who retired with awkward bows. Edward stood still as the
glittering apparition approached; he was on the point of bowing, but
astonishment paralysed his motion, when on a sudden he recognized in
her the fair one who, to the prejudice of his reputation, had so long
resided in his house, and more than all his extravagances had reduced
his fortune. "How!" he exclaimed, "thou--you here in these apartments?"
"And why not?" said she laughing: "these are good quarters. Thou
perceivest, of course, my friend, that as I was once thy protegée, so
now I am the protegée of the prince; and if thou hast any favour to ask
of him, I can perhaps be of service to thee, faithless as thou art, for
he has more tenderness than thou, and I can calculate more safely on
the continuance of his favour, than was possible with thy volatile
humour."
Edward did not choose at this juncture to recall to the kind fair one's
recollection, that it was she who first deserted him, as soon as she
saw that his fortune was spent. He disclosed to her his situation, and
his hopes, and she promised to exert her interest in his behalf with
the utmost zeal. "Be calm only, my friend"--so she concluded her
assurances--"thou canst not and shalt not fail, and then it will be
seen whether thou hast preserved a spark of love for me in thy cold
heart. Only thou must be cautious, and play the stranger in his
presence, that he may not learn or observe that we formerly knew each
other."
With a hasty kiss, during which her painted cheek excited his vehement
disgust, she left him, and Edward paced up and down the saloon in the
greatest uneasiness, at finding every thing assume a shape so entirely
different from that which he had figured to himself. To meet with this
creature, whom he could not help hating, in his new sphere, overthrew
all his hopes, and he firmly resolved to elude her snares and
enticements, though this virtue of his should expose him to the
greatest disadvantages.
Here the door opened, and the repulsive stranger stept in, with his
arrogant gait and supercilious mien.
Edward went up to him and said, "Perhaps you belong to the retinue of
his Highness, and can inform me whether I can now have the honour of
paying my respects to him?" The stranger stood still, looked at him,
and after a pause answered in a cold tone, "That I can indeed tell you;
no one better than I." Edward was startled at observing the letter of
recommendation in his hand. "Will not the prince speak with me?" he
asked in dismay. "He is speaking to you," answered the other, in so
sneering and contemptuous a tone, that the youth entirely lost his
composure. "I have been staying in this city for some time past,"
proceeded the dignified stranger, "and have been enabled by my
incognito to make myself acquainted with men and circumstances. We fell
in one another's way in a somewhat singular manner; and though I might
excuse that step which you are yourself conscious was not quite an
innocent one, still it has inspired me with a just mistrust of your
character; so that I cannot possibly grant you a place which would
unite us in a confidential intimacy. I therefore return you this
letter, to which, notwithstanding the warmth of the recommendation, and
the highly respectable hand from which it comes, I can pay no
attention. As to the personal affront I received from you, you have, as
you did not know me, my full forgiveness, and your present shame and
confusion is a more than sufficient punishment. A young man has just
left me from whom I have bought a tolerably successful piece, and to
whom I have also given some warnings and good lessons for his future
conduct.--I see that our meeting agitates you rather too much, and as
you had perhaps calculated upon the place with too great confidence,
and are probably under a pressing momentary embarrassment, accept this
ring as a memento of me, and a sign that I part from you without the
slightest ill-will."
Edward, who had in the meanwhile had time to recollect himself, stept
modestly back, and said: "Let not your Highness impute it to pride and
haughtiness, if at this moment I decline this present, which under
other circumstances I should have deemed the highest honour. I cannot
disapprove of your Highness's way of proceeding, and you will, no
doubt, allow me likewise to follow my own feelings."
"Young man," said the prince, "I do not mean to hurt your delicacy; and
as you force my respect, I must tell you in addition, that
notwithstanding the singular way in which we formed our acquaintance,
we should still have become connected with each other, had not a person
whom I cannot but respect and believe, and whom you met just now in
this saloon, told me so many things to your disadvantage, and
pressingly requested me to pay no regard to the letter."
"I shall not follow the lady's example," said Edward, perfectly
restored to composure, "and in my turn accuse or complain of her, since
she has, no doubt, spoken according to her conviction. If however your
Highness will do me the favour to show me young Dietrich's work, and
some of your other paintings, I shall take my leave of you with the
greatest gratitude."
"I am glad," answered the prince, "that you take an interest in the
art; I have indeed only a few things here, but one picture, which I was
fortunate enough some days ago to make mine, is alone equivalent to an
ordinary collection."
They stept into a richly-furnished cabinet, where, on the walls and
some easels, were seen pictures ancient and modern. "Here is the young
man's attempt," said the prince, "which certainly promises something,
and though I cannot at all relish the subject, still the management of
it deserves praise. The colouring is good, though rather harsh, the
drawing is firm, and the expression pathetic. Only I wish people would
have done painting Virgins with the Child." The prince drew aside a
curtain, placed Edward in the right light, and exclaimed: "But look
here at this finished, magnificent work of my favorite, Julio Romano,
and give way to admiration and rapture." Edward in fact could not help
saluting this large picture with a loud ejaculation, and with an
expression of extreme pleasure and even laughter in his face; for it
was the well-known counterfeit of his old friend, on which he had been
at work for a year past. It was Psyche and Cupid sleeping. The prince
took his place by his side, and cried: "To have made this acquisition
alone repays me for my journey hither. And on this jewel I lighted at
the house of that obscure old man!--a man who himself plays no
inconsiderable part as an artist, but yet is not so well known by a
great deal as he ought to be. He had been long in possession of the
picture, and knew that it was Julio's; still, as he had not seen every
thing of his, he had always some doubts remaining, and he was delighted
to learn from me so many details respecting this master and his works.
For in fact he has a sense of beauty, the old man, and knows well how
to appreciate such a gem; but he had not penetrated into all the
excellences of the painter. I should have been ashamed to take
advantage of his ignorance, for he asked for this glorious work, which
he came by in a singular way, too moderate a price; this I raised, in
order to have paid for the ornament of my gallery at a rate worthy of
it."
"He is fortunate," said Edward, "this neglected old man, to have made
such a connoisseur and so generous a protector his friend; it is
perhaps in his power to enrich your Highness's gallery with some other
rarities, for in his dark lumber-room he possesses many things which he
himself does not know or value, and is often self-willed enough to
prefer his own works to all those of elder masters."
Edward took his leave; he did not, however, go immediately home, but
hastened, lightly drest as he was, to the park, ran briskly through the
distant snow-covered walks, laughed aloud, and exclaimed: "O world,
world! Mere toys and fooleries: O folly, thou motley, whimsical child,
how prettily dost thou conduct thy favorites by thy glittering
leading-strings! Long live the great Eulenböck, he who surpasses Julio
Romano and Raphael! So for once in my life I have been fortunate enough
to know one of the knowing ones."
* * * * *
Edward had now made preparations for the jovial evening which he had
concerted with Eulenböck. A short time back this day appeared to him as
an irksome one, which he only wished to have soon over; but now his
mood was such, that he anticipated these hours of giddiness with
pleasure, thinking they would be the last he should enjoy for a long
time. Towards evening the old man made his appearance, trailing in with
the help of a servant two hampers filled with wine. "What means this?"
asked Edward: "Is not it settled then that I am to entertain you?" "And
thou shalt too," said the veteran: "I am only bringing a supplementary
stock, because thou dost not properly understand the thing, and because
I mean this evening to make a complete bout of it."
"A melancholy purpose," rejoined Edward, "to resolve to be merry; and
yet I have formed it too, in spite of myself and my destiny."
"See there," said Eulenböck, laughing, "hast thou too a destiny? That
is more than I ever knew, youngster: to me thy nature seemed at the
utmost prone to a sort of suspense. But the other is undoubtedly the
choicer word, and perhaps it may improve into dexterity, when thou art
grown a little wiser. Ay, ay, my friend, dexterity, that is what most
men want, intelligence to take advantage of circumstances or to produce
them, and thereupon they fall into destiny, or even into that still
more fatal suspense, when a Christian hand is not always to be found to
cut them down."
"Thou art impudent," exclaimed Edward, "and thinkest thyself witty; or
else thou art already fuddled."
"May be, child," said the other with a grin, "and we will soon take
measures for sobering me again. Our good prince has placed me in a sort
of affluence, which, if I have discretion, may be lasting; for he
protects me admirably, means to buy still more of me, and even orders
things from my own pencil. He thinks that in this town I am not in my
place, that my merits are not sufficiently recognized, and that I lack
encouragement. Perhaps he may take me with him, and improve me still
into a genuine artist, for he has the best of inclinations for it, and
I precisely taste and talent enough to understand him, and let myself
be advised by him."
"Rogue that thou art!" said his young friend, "I could not help
laughing at thy having disposed so advantageously of thy Julio Romano;
but still I should not like to be in thy place."
The old man went up to him, stared at him, and said, "And why not,
chuck, if thou hadst but the gift required for it? Every man paints and
tricks himself out, to put himself off for better than he really is,
and to pass for a wonderfully precious original, when most of them are
but daubed copies of copies. Hadst thou but heard my patron analyse the
picture, then mightest thou have learnt something! Now I begin to
understand all the technical designs of Julio Romano; thou wilt not
believe how many excellences I had overlooked in the picture, how many
passages of his racy pencil. Ay, it is delightful to penetrate so
thoroughly into such an artist; and when one comprehends him entirely,
and in all his parts alike, there creeps over us in the full sense of
his high merit a feeling of self-complacency, as though we ourselves
had some share in the display of his genius; for fully to understand a
work of art, they say, is in some measure to produce it. What deep
gratitude I owe to my serene patron and critic, for having, beside the
money, poured into me such a flood of inspiration!"
"If I had not seen the man at the canvas painting," exclaimed Edward
smiling, "he might make me believe the picture was genuine."