CONTENT AND PEACE.
The morning after the first night spent by Egon at Castle Osternau
dawned so brilliantly that the light of the rising sun shining in at
his window awoke him. The storm had raged itself out, and the blue sky
was cloudless.
He was quickly dressed and down in the garden, where the delicious air
and the dewy flowers filled him with a new delight. Although he had
slept but a few hours, he felt more rested and refreshed than when
rising in Berlin at noon.
He walked through the garden out into the fields, involuntarily
striking into the path leading to the Oster meadows. He had time for a
walk, for he was not to be ready for the trip with Herr Storting until
seven o'clock, and it was now but a little after five.
He soon reached the eminence whence he had yesterday looked down with
Lieschen upon the harvest-fields. The charming view seemed more lovely
and peaceful than before, for the busy crowd of harvesters was absent.
Labour in the fields had not yet begun. A single horseman was riding
through the valley towards the castle. When he saw Egon he waved his
hand, and spurred his horse on to where the young man was standing.
Egon recognized Herr Storting. "Good-morning, Herr Pigglewitch,"
Storting called from afar. "I did not expect to meet you in the Oster
meadows at five in the morning. Did you wish to be sure that the storm
has done us no harm? Aha! you begin to take an interest in our harvest.
You may be easy, we have come off very well. The rain was only an
honest summer thunder-storm. In some places it has indeed beaten down
the grain, but the injury is slight, and I can with a clear conscience
fulfil my promise and go to Breslau with you this morning."
Storting was so rejoiced at the safety of his harvest that he entirely
forgot his yesterday's displeasure at his companion's conduct, and he
walked his horse slowly back to the castle at Egon's side, pointing
with pride to the luxuriant fields on each side of them, and speaking
with enthusiasm of Herr von Osternau and his agricultural foresight and
skill.
His talk was most interesting to Egon, who felt an increased respect
and esteem for the man of whom an intelligent inspector in his employ
could speak in terms of such admiration.
Arrived in the court-yard the pair separated, Storting to superintend
the arrangement of the day's labour, since, as he said, with a
half-smile, "The chief superintendent will hardly appear before eight
o'clock, his usual time of rising," while Egon repaired to his room.
Here he found his breakfast awaiting, and beside his plate a letter
addressed to Colonel D. von Sastrow, Berlin. It was the one he had been
requested by Herr von Osternau to take charge of on the previous
evening, and the sight of it reminded him of his own letter to
Pigglewitch, which he had laid away unsealed after he had written it.
He took it out and read it over once more. It did not please him, but
he could not resist the longing desire that possessed him to remain for
a while at Osternau. He shuddered at the thought of resuming the
tedious old Berlin life. Any means were justifiable that should enable
him to escape that.
With a sigh he enclosed the notes for the promised money, sealed the
letter, and addressed it. Then he took from his pocket-book an
additional two hundred marks. Thus much, he reflected, Gottlieb must
have possessed before falling into the hands of the sharpers, and so
much therefore his substitute might surely sacrifice to the exigencies
of the occasion. He needed some school-books, and also some linen. That
contained in the travelling-bag filled him with disgust.
Punctually at seven he started with Storting for Breslau. The
travelling-bag containing Pigglewitch's old suits was carried to the
station by a servant, and the travellers arrived duly at their
destination, where Egon's first care was to post Herr von Osternau's
letter and his own. After this he began his expedition in the town with
Storting, the first visit naturally being paid to the tailor. Here it
would have gone ill with him but for Storting's assistance. The tailor
at first seemed disinclined to grant credit to a stranger, and
Candidate Pigglewitch could not possibly pay the two hundred and fifty
marks requisite for the furnishing him with two respectable suits of
clothes, except by quarterly instalments. Storting, however, came to
the rescue. His credit with the tradesman was excellent, and he
arranged the matter, while Egon stood by, now and then biting his lip
to keep himself from laughing, so ludicrous did the whole situation
seem to him. In less than an hour his outfit was complete. The clothes
borrowed from Storting and one of his own new suits were packed up to
be sent to the railway-station. Egon paid the ready money agreed upon,
and the tailor requested him to sign a paper agreeing to pay the rest
in quarterly instalments as arranged. The pen was in his hand when he
suddenly reflected that he had no right to sign Pigglewitch's name to a
due-bill, that to do so was actually a transgression of the law. He
hesitated, but when Storting said, "Sign, Herr Pigglewitch, I will
write my name as surety below yours," there was nothing for it but to
comply. Here was one of the consequences of coming to Castle Osternau
under a false name.
His enjoyment of the occasion was disturbed, but only for a moment;
when they had left the shop he felt it his duty to make a special
acknowledgment to the inspector for his great kindness in so readily
becoming surety for an entire stranger. Storting interrupted him with a
laugh.
"You must thank Fraeulein Lieschen, if you wish to thank anybody--our
gracious little lady. 'Pray make Herr Pigglewitch look like a human
being,' she said to me yesterday. Not very flattering to you, but for
me a command to be obeyed under all circumstances. I tell you frankly
that but for this I should have had some hesitation in going surety for
you, for your conduct yesterday provoked me. To-day, however, you are a
different person, and I am quite sure that I run no risk in signing
your promise to pay."
"Fraeulein Lieschen's word is your law, then?"
"Yes, so I told you yesterday, and so I tell you again to-day."
Storting laughed as he spoke, but the seriousness in his eyes
contradicted the laughter of his lips. "Fraeulein Lieschen rules at
Castle Osternau. Just as you controlled Soliman yesterday, Fraeulein
Lieschen will control you before two days are gone by. Yesterday you
tried to withstand the magic of her glance, to-morrow you will obey her
implicitly, as I do, as every one in the castle does."
He turned as he finished the sentence into the old-clothes shop, where
Pigglewitch's cast-off habiliments were to be disposed of. If Egon had
enjoyed the novelty of the transaction with the tailor, here he was
infinitely more entertained. Storting defended his interests bravely.
The Jew dealer declared that he should be ruined by the purchase at any
price of such antiquated garments, but finally with many lamentations
agreed to give twenty-four marks for the two suits. Storting was
content; the porter who had carried the bag was paid and dismissed;
Egon pocketed his gains with a smile, and took the empty bag under his
arm.
The chief business in Breslau was completed, and Egon found that he had
still half an hour before the departure of the train for Osternau. This
time he employed in the purchase of linen and school-books, and arrived
with Storting at the station just in time to pack away his various
bundles in the railway-carriage and to take his seat beside his
companion before the train started.
The events of this little expedition to Breslau were very unimportant,
and yet they exercised an important influence upon Egon's mode of
thought, his views of life. For the first time some idea occurred to
him of the value of money. The tailor's hesitation to trust him for the
insignificant sum of two hundred and fifty marks, the petty haggling
for an infinitely less sum in the old-clothes shop, were a lesson to
him. And in his purchase of linen and books the impossibility of his
buying, as he had been wont to do, everything that he desired, or even
everything that he thought necessary, set him thinking in earnest.
He had smiled at the gravity with which Storting, at the tailor's,
reckoned up the cost of the clothes, at the eagerness with which he had
contested a few marks with the Jew dealer, while his zeal was all in
behalf of another, and the same man who was so anxious to save expense
for the poor Candidate Pigglewitch did not hesitate to pledge himself
to pay a hundred and fifty marks in case the tutor should be unable to
do so. And this when the sum in question was of great importance to
him, for, as he had frankly told Egon, he was without means except his
salary as inspector, out of which he contributed to the support of a
sister who was preparing for the governess examinations in Berlin.
Under these circumstances the kindness shown to Egon by Storting was
genuine indeed, and placed the recipient under an obligation which
instead of annoying him gave him pleasure. Hitherto Egon had been
disposed to regard any favour shown him as due to his wealth and
position. Storting's disinterestedness therefore made the greatest
impression upon him, and weakened the morbid suspicion with which he
had come to look upon all friendly advances made to him.
The elation that he felt upon returning from Breslau to Castle Osternau
was not damped by the fulfilment of his duties there. His little
pupil's boyish eagerness to learn, his affectionate enthusiasm for his
dear Herr Pigglewitch, warmed Egon's heart, while the hours spent in
giving Lieschen her music-lessons were the most delightful he had ever
passed in his life.
After the daily game of billiards, in which, much to the Lieutenant's
chagrin, Egon maintained his supremacy, Frau von Osternau accompanied
her daughter and the tutor to the sitting-room, where the lesson on the
piano was given. Egon began his instruction with an interest which the
discovery of his pupil's talent for music heightened to enthusiasm, and
the girl's progress was such that Frau von Osternau was charmed, and in
the delight which these lessons gave her forgot that she had at first
been present at them from a sense of duty. Indeed, her anxiety lest
Lieschen's interest in her teacher might transcend the limits of that
which a pupil should feel for a master seemed entirely groundless. The
girl admired the musician, as did Frau von Osternau. She listened to
every word of his, and did her best to obtain his approval. When he
praised her her lovely face beamed with smiles, but it was to the
teacher as such that she paid her tribute of respectful attention. The
lesson once concluded, Lieschen was again the merry, artless, audacious
child. She teased Herr Pigglewitch as she was wont to tease Cousin
Albrecht, Herr Storting, and Herr von Wangen, the third inspector. She
expressed without reserve her admiration for his skill at billiards and
as a horseman, and then, when displeased by some reckless speech of
his, she scolded him as unreservedly. She was as frankly familiar with
him as with the others, and her conduct in this respect was at times a
proof to her mother that her fears for her daughter had been unfounded.
She willingly allowed the daily rides, during which the pair, of
course, were never alone, Fritz always forming one of the party.
It was a delight indeed to Egon to make these expeditions through field
and forest with the sister and brother. Lieschen assumed all the
gravity of age as she held forth to the Herr Candidate upon the
mysteries of agriculture, now and then praising the progress made by
her pupil, and she was no less charming when she laughed at him for his
ignorance. Herr Storting was right when he prophesied that Egon would,
like all the other inmates of the castle, shortly yield Fraeulein
Lieschen a willing obedience. Egon smiled at his own folly, but none
the less did he succumb to her charm, even putting a bridle upon his
tongue when habit would have led him to utter some sneering remark. One
word of admonition from Lieschen was enough to put him upon his guard.
The life he led at Castle Osternau, in utter contradiction as it was to
everything that he had known hitherto, threw a strange spell around
him, made him calm and content, filled him with a satisfaction which
forbade for the time all idea of change.
At the noonday meal he no longer listened mutely to the agricultural
discourse of the lord of the castle. His awakened interest found
utterance in inquiry and discussion which afforded Herr von Osternau
genuine pleasure. Frau von Osternau also would give the young man a
kindly nod as she marked his growing interest in such topics. The
Lieutenant alone was discontent; he never let slip an opportunity for a
covert sneer at the Candidate. Egon paid no attention to his insulting
words, but they called forth at times a sharp reproof from Herr von
Osternau, which but served to embitter Albrecht still further against
its cause.
And the evenings around the tea-table, from which Egon would rise to
take his seat at the piano, were perhaps the most enjoyed of all this
pleasant existence. What matter was it to the young fellow if the
Lieutenant hated him? He felt that every other member of the family
regarded him with kindness, that Fritz positively worshipped him, that
Frau von Osternau had confidence in him, that her husband treated him
as his equal in rank, as a friend of the family. And Lieschen? She was
as frank and merry as upon their first meeting. She even teased him now
and then about his old coat, in which she still insisted he looked like
a scarecrow, but at intervals, in the midst of her girlish merriment,
her eyes would meet his own with a look which, he could hardly have
told why, filled him with intense, unreasoning joy.