PILGRIM'S ADVENTURES.
"This Pilgrim is the son of a dial painter. Early left an orphan, he
was educated by the old schoolmaster at the expense of the parish. He
was, however, far more frequently with the clockmaker, Lenz of the
Morgenhalde, than with the schoolmaster. Lenz's wife, who was buried
today, was like a mother to the lad; and her only child, Lenz, was
always like his brother. Pilgrim was considered quick and clever;
whereas Lenz, with all his ability in his profession, has something
vague and dreary in his nature; and who knows whether a great musical
genius does not lie hidden in Lenz, and an equal talent for painting in
Pilgrim! but it has not come to light yet in either of them. You really
must hear Lenz sing some time: he sings the first tenor in the Choral
Society, which has him chiefly to thank for having twice gained the
Quartett Prize at a musical festival--once at Constance and another
time at Freiberg. When the two lads were still half grown boys, Lenz
became an apprentice to his father, and Pilgrim to a dial painter; but
they still clung faithfully to their old companionship.
"In summer evenings, the two were to be seen together as certainly as
the twin stars in the sky above us. They wandered together, singing and
whistling, through the valley and over the hills; and in winter
evenings, Pilgrim braved the snow and storm to go to Lenz; for the
latter was obliged to stay at home, being somewhat spoiled by his
mother--and no wonder, for he was the only child left out of five. The
boys used to read together half the night; particularly books of
travels. I have lent them many a book, for there was a great thirst for
knowledge in both lads. When Pilgrim escaped the conscription--Lenz, as
an only son, could not be drawn--they brought forward their plan to
travel together through the world; for, with all their love of home,
our people have an irrepressible desire to travel. On this occasion
Lenz showed, for the first time, a degree of wilful obstinacy which no
one had ever suspected. He refused positively to give up the journey,
and his father was quite willing that he should go, but his mother was
in despair; and as even the persuasions of the Pastor were fruitless,
my aid was called in by the parents, and, if nothing else availed, I
was to bring forward an array of medical experience to effect their
purpose. I naturally sought some other resource.
"I had always enjoyed the entire confidence of the two inseparables,
and they willingly imparted all their plans to me. Pilgrim was the
prime mover. Lenz, with all his tenderness of feeling, is of a sound
practical disposition--I mean, of course, within his own sphere--and,
if not overpersuaded by others, he has sense and acuteness enough to
know what is right, and a degree of perseverance in all he does which
almost amounts to a virtue. Lenz was far from being as resolute to his
parents, as he affected to be in Pilgrim's presence. Old Lenz wished
that Pilgrim should regularly learn clockmaking, before beginning his
travels with a stock to dispose of: for travelling merchants must of
course be able to repair the clocks they may meet with, as well as
those they dispose of. So Pilgrim learned clockmaking regularly. When,
however, he had mastered what was absolutely indispensable, the project
of the journey was all settled. Pilgrim had all sorts of plans in his
head. At one time, his intention was to earn so much money in his
travels, that he might enter the academy for painting as a pupil; then
he proposed becoming an artist at once during his journey; and at last
his grand purpose was to bring home a large sack of money, and to spend
it freely among his own people; for, in fact, he had a great contempt
for money, in so far as he was himself concerned. Moreover, at that
time there was some love affair in his head. Greece--Athens, were the
objects of his travels; and when he even named Athens, his eyes
sparkled, and his cheeks flushed bright red. 'Athens!' said he often,
'does not the very sound of that name seem to transport us into lofty
halls, where we ascend marble stairs?' He fancied that if he were to
breathe this classical atmosphere, he would become another man, and,
above all, a great artist. Of course I endeavoured to cure him of such
wild delusions; and I so far succeeded, that he promised me to occupy
himself solely in making money, and his other plans could be fulfilled
hereafter. Old Lenz and I became his securities, for the value of the
goods that he was to take with him. He set out alone on the journey,
for Lenz, by our advice, stayed at home. 'I am like the river in the
Black Forest which runs into the Black Sea!' said Pilgrim often. He
hoped to introduce our forest clocks into the East and into Greece,
where they had not hitherto met with the same success as in northern
lands, and in the New World, It is very amusing to hear Pilgrim relate
his progress through various countries, and through cities and
villages, all hung round with Black Forest clocks, making them strike
in the streets, while he eagerly looked round on every side. But this
was his great fault: he was too anxious to see everything--customs,
manners, fine buildings, beautiful landscapes; and this is a
disadvantage to a merchant. The works in a clock never vary, even when
carried over sea and land, and just as little do our countrymen, who
are to be seen wandering in every zone, change their natures. To earn,
and to save, and to live economically until they return home with a
well-filled purse, when they can make up for their privations,--these
are the fixed purposes of their hearts, and they care little how the
world goes on around them. This is both prudent and necessary--it is
impossible to carry different objects in the head at the same time."
"Did Pilgrim really arrive in Athens at last?"
"Not a doubt of it; and he often told me that the Crusaders, when they
first saw Jerusalem, could not have felt more piety and enthusiasm than
he did, when he gazed for the first time at Athens. He rubbed his eyes,
and could scarcely believe that he really saw Athens, where marble
statues were to welcome and greet him. He went along the streets
sounding his clocks, but he did not succeed in selling a single clock
in Athens. He suffered great privations, and was at last only too glad
when he got employment. But what employment it was! For fourteen long
days, under the blue Grecian sky, he was engaged in painting the
railing of a public-garden green, within sight of the Acropolis!"
"What is the Acropolis?" asked Bertha.
"Explain the word to her, Herr Starr," said the Doctor.
The Techniker described, in a lively manner, the former glories of this
grand Athenian citadel, and the few fragments that still remain. He
promised on his return, to bring a sketch of it with him, and then
begged the Doctor to go on with his story.
"I have not much more to tell," resumed the Doctor. "Pilgrim contrived
to realize sufficient, by the sale of the clocks, to prevent his
being a burden on the parish. It required no little courage to
return home even poorer than he went, and to be the derision of his
neighbours; but as his artistic nature feels the most thorough contempt
for _purse-pride_, as he calls it, he always seems quite contented and
at his ease, and pays no attention to the jeers and gibes of his
companions. He arrived naturally, first of all, at the Morgenhalde. The
family there were all seated at dinner, and were in the act of saying
grace, when Lenz uttered such a cry, that his mother often said if she
were to hear it again it would be her death. The two friends embraced
eagerly. Pilgrim was soon as merry as ever, and said that he had best
luck at home, for he had arrived just as dinner was ready, and no one
would make him so welcome as the parents and their son at the
Morgenhalde. Old Lenz wished Pilgrim to live in his house altogether,
but he is unusually jealous of his independence. He erected a neat
workshop near us, at Don Bastian's. At first he took great trouble to
introduce new patterns of clock dials. He has a very good idea of
colour, but his drawing is sadly defective: his chief mistake, however,
was endeavouring to alter the original form of our Black Forest
dials--a square with an arch above. When he discovered that he made no
progress with his novelties, he resumed making the old fashioned
timepieces to order, and is now always cheerful and good humoured. You
must know that different countries have peculiar tastes in the dials of
clocks. France likes bright colours, and the dial painted all over;
North Germany, Scandinavia, and England prefer more simple lines,
something architectural, triangular figures, columns, or at most a
wreath; America likes no ornamental painting, nothing but a wooden
clock case with more or less carving, and the weights resting on
pulleys at the sides of the clock--these are called American clocks;
Hungary and Russia approve of painted fronts or a landscape. The style
of decoration that art would sanction as beautiful has seldom good
sale; on the contrary, spirals and flourishes are generally most
admired. If you could combine that style with the embellishment of our
native clocks, you would find Pilgrim quick at executing a design; and
you might, perhaps, thus give a fresh impulse to his life."
"I beg you will make me acquainted with the man."
"Certainly--you may accompany me tomorrow--you heard him invite me; but
you must come quite early, and then you can cross the hills with me. I
will show you some beautiful points of view, and many good honest men."
The Techniker wished them a cordial good night, and the Doctor went
into the house with his family.
The moon shone bright in the sky--the flowers emitted their fragrance
for themselves alone--and the stars gazed down on them. All was still
around, save here and there, when, in passing a house, a clock was
heard to strike.