FRAU ROSA'S BIRTHDAY.
High festival is being held at Zirkow in honour of Frau Rosamunda's
birthday, which is observed this year with even more ceremony than
usual. Thanks to a fortunate combination of circumstances, the major
has it in his power to bestow a costly gift upon his wife this year. He
has lately concluded a very profitable bargain: he has sold the entire
interior arrangements of the brew-house as old iron and copper to a Jew
for the magnificent sum of fifteen hundred guilders. With such wealth
much can be done. Nothing now prevents the devoted husband from
fulfilling Frau Rosamunda's two ardent desires,--a trip to Bayreuth and
the thorough repair of the much-defaced decorations on the Zirkow walls
and ceilings. On her birthday-table Frau Rosamunda finds, in the midst
of a tasteful arrangement of flowers, first, a kind of sign in
miniature,--_i.e_., a square black card, upon which is written, in red
letters, "Good for house-decorators,"--and a large earthenware prize
pig with stiff, straddling legs and a beautifully-rounded body, upon
which is written, also in red letters, "A steed to carry you to
Bayreuth." A bouquet of four-leaved clover (Zdena gathered it at dawn)
is stuck like a green plume between the animal's projecting ears. A
pin-cushion covered with a delicate imitation in needle-work of
Irish guipure, the piano arrangement of 'Tristan and Isolde' and a
potpourri from 'Parzifal,' both for four hands, complete the number of
birthday-gifts. The Irish guipure is Zdena's work; the music comes from
Wenkendorf. All these things even the house-decorator are of secondary
importance to Frau Rosamunda. Her whole attention is absorbed by the
pig, at which enigmatic monster she gazes in wonder.
"A steed to carry you to Bayreuth." It sounds like a poor jest, a very
poor jest.
The major looks at his wife with a broad smile.
"Take up the pig and shake it a little," he says at last. Frau
Rosamunda obeys. There is a clink of coin. She understands, and runs to
her husband with a cry of delight.
She celebrates the remainder of her birthday by playing duets with her
cousin from 'Tristan and Isolde' and 'Parzifal' alternately. The major
walks about with his hands clasped behind him, deep in thought and well
content, like a man who is about to carry out a carefully-devised plan.
The afternoon sun is casting long shadows, and Krupitschka, who has
just finished furbishing up the silver,--in honour of the birthday six
more silver dishes than usual have been brought out to-day,--is sitting
on a bench at the back of the castle, refreshing himself with an
examination of the foreign dictionary which he has purchased with the
money for his cantharides,--and which, by the way, he finds highly
unsatisfactory,--when a young officer of hussars upon an English
chestnut mare with a hide like satin comes galloping into the
court-yard.
At sight of the horse and its rider all clouds vanish from
Krupitschka's horizon; in his opinion there is no finer sight in the
world than a "handsome officer upon a handsome horse."
He is not the only one to admire Harry Leskjewitsch on his mare
Frou-Frou. At one of the windows of the castle a pale, girlish face
appears, and a pair of bright brown eyes look down into the court-yard,
for a moment only. But Harry has seen the face, quickly as it
disappears, and his heart beats fast.
"Are the ladies at home?" he asks Krupitschka, as he gives his steed in
charge to a groom who hurries up, clad in a striped stable-jacket very
much darned at the elbows, and a cap with a tarnished silver band.
"They are, Herr Baron." And Krupitschka shows Harry up the steps and to
the door of the drawing-room, which he opens with dignity, not because
such ceremony is at all necessary, but because the young man has been
his favourite from childhood, and he loves to perform any service for
him.
When Harry enters, Frau Rosamunda and Wenkendorf are still at the
piano, working away at 'Parzifal,' and do not seem over-pleased by the
interruption. The major is lying back in a rocking-chair, smoking a
cigarette and upon his nephew's entrance springs up with undisguised
delight and goes towards him with extended hands.
"Tell the Baroness Zdena that a visitor has arrived!" he calls out to
Krupitschka; then, turning to Harry, he says, smiling, "And so you have
come to congratulate?"
"Congratulate?" Harry repeats, surprised and preoccupied.
"Oh, you have forgotten, then?" the major rejoins.
Harry slaps his forehead. "Dearest aunt, forgive me! how thoughtless I
am!" And he kisses Frau Rosamunda's hand.
"I do not take it at all ill of you," she assures him. "At my age
people would rather have their birthday forgotten than remembered."
"Oh--ah! I have not observed that," the major declares.
"Oh, it is different for you. You may be allowed to take notice of my
being each year one year older, always provided that you give me upon
all my birthdays as great a pleasure as to-day."
"You cannot reckon upon that, my dear; all years are not alike," the
major replies. "This was a lucky chance."
"Have you had a stroke of good fortune, uncle?" Harry asks, trying to
take an interest in the matter.
"Yes," the major informs him; "I have just concluded a brilliant
transaction. I have sold the iron from the interior of the brew-house."
"For how much, may I ask?"
"Fifteen hundred guilders," the major declares, triumphantly. "I would
not abate one penny. The superintendent was surprised at the sum, I can
tell you."
"I do not understand such matters," Harry rejoins, thinking of the
enormous expense of fitting up the brew-house some years ago. His
uncle's 'brilliant transaction' reminds him of the story of 'Hans in
Luck.' "And in consequence your birthday-gifts have been very superior,
aunt?"
"Yes."
Frau Rosamunda displays with delight the prize pig. The green plume
between its ears is slightly faded, but the coins in its body clink as
triumphantly as ever.
"'A steed to carry you to Bayreuth,'" Harry reads. "I am so glad, my
dear aunt, that your wish is to be fulfilled."
"Tickets for two performances besides the journey," the major proudly
declares.
"And my cousin has surprised me with some delightful music which I have
long wanted."
"Not worth mentioning, Rosamunda," Wenkendorf says, deprecatingly.
"My wife's birthday has really turned out a Wagner festival," the
major declares. "Since ten o'clock this morning these two artists have
been playing nothing but Wagner, for their own pleasure and the
conversion of their hearers. Zdena ran away, but I stood my ground, and
I have become quite accustomed to the noise."
"That is a good sign," Wenkendorf assures him.
"You ought to hear Wagner's compositions very often. What do you say,
Roderich, to our playing for Harry some of the loveliest bits of
'Parzifal'? We are just in the mood."
"Do not let me interrupt you; pray go on; it will give me the greatest
pleasure," Harry murmurs, glancing towards the door. Why does she not
come?
Meanwhile, the two amateurs have begun with untiring energy.
"Kundry's Ride!" Frau Rosamunda calls out to her nephew, while her
hands dash over the keys. Harry does not hear her. He has seated
himself beside the major, and absently takes a cigarette from the case
which his uncle offers him.
"I came to bid you good-bye," he says, in an uncertain voice.
"Indeed!" says the major, looking at him scrutinizingly. "Is your leave
at an end?"
"No, but----" Harry hesitates and pulls at his moustache.
"H'm!" A sly smile quivers upon the major's broad face. "Have you
quarrelled with your betrothed?"
"No, but----"
The door opens, and Zdena enters, slender and pale, dressed in a
simply-fashioned linen gown. She has lost her fresh colour, and her
face is much thinner, but her beauty, far from being injured thereby,
is heightened by an added charm,--a sad, touching charm, that threatens
to rob Harry of the remnant of reason he can still call his.
"How are you, Zdena?" he says, going to meet her, while the warmest
sympathy trembles in his voice. "You look pale. Are you well?"
"The heat oppresses me," she says, with a slight forced smile,
withdrawing the hand which he would fain have retained longer in his
clasp than was fitting under the circumstances.
"The Balsam motif," Frau Rosamunda calls from the piano.
After a while Zdena begins:
"How are they all at Komaritz? Heda sent her congratulations to-day
with some lovely flowers, but said nothing with regard to the welfare
of the family."
"I wonder that Heda did not remind you of the birthday, Harry!" remarks
the major.
"Oh, she rejoices over every forgetfulness in those around her," Harry
observes, with some malice: "she likes to stand alone in her extreme
virtue."
"Motif of the Redeemer's Sufferings," Frau Rosamunda calls out. Zdena
leans forward, and seems absorbed in Wagner. Harry cannot take his eyes
off her.
"What a change!" he muses. "Can she--could she be suffering on my
account?"
There is an agreeable flutter of his entire nervous system: it mingles
with the sense of unhappiness which he drags about with him.
"Oh, what a double-dyed fool I was!" a voice within him cries out. "How
could I be so vexed with her scrap of childish worldly wisdom, instead
of simply laughing at her for it, teasing her a little about it, and
then, after I had set her straight, forgiving her, oh, how tenderly!"
"Zdena is not quite herself. I do not know what ails her," said the
major, stroking the girl's thin cheek.
"You have long been a hypochondriac on your own account; now you are
trying it for other people," says Zdena, rising and going to the
window, where she busies herself with some embroidery. "I have a little
headache," she adds.
"Earthly Enjoyment motif," Frau Rosamunda calls out, enthusiastically,
in a raised voice.
The major bursts into Homeric laughter, in which Zdena, whose
overstrained nerves dispose her for tears as well as laughter, joins.
Harry alone does not laugh: his head is too full of other matters.
"Is Zdena also going to Bayreuth?" he asks.
"No," the major replies; "the finances are not equal to that."
"'Tis a pity," Harry remarks: "a little change of air might do her
good."
"So it seems to me," the major assents, "and I was about to propose a
plan. By the way, when do you take your departure?"
"Are you going away?" asks Frau Rosamunda, rising from the piano, aglow
with enthusiasm and artistic zeal, to join the trio. Wenkendorf also
rises and takes a seat near the rest.
"He is going away," the major replies.
"Yes," assents Harry.
"But what does your betrothed say?"
"I have already put that question to him," said the major.
"One of my comrades has suddenly been taken ill," Harry stammers,
frowning; "and so--of course it is very unpleasant just now----"
"Very, very," murmurs the major, with a hypocritical show of sympathy.
"When do you start?"
"Oh, the day after to-morrow."
"That suits me remarkably well," the major remarks. "There will be a
vacant room at Komaritz, and Zdena might go over for a couple of days."
Wenkendorf frowns disapprovingly. "It is a great pity that you are not
going with us to Bayreuth," he says, turning to the young girl.
"That would be a fine way to cure the headache," the major observes.
"I would rather stay at home with you, uncle dear," Zdena assures him.
"That will not do. Friday evening my wife starts for Bayreuth; Saturday
I expect the painters; the entire house will be turned upside-down, and
I have no use for you. Therefore, since there is room for you at
Komaritz----"
"There is always room at Komaritz for Zdena," Harry eagerly declares.
"Yes,--particularly after you have gone. It is decided; she is going. I
shall take her over on Saturday afternoon," the major announces. "You
can tell Heda."
"And who will go to Bayreuth with my aunt?" asks Harry.
"Her musical cousin Roderich. By the way, Wenkendorf, you will come
back to Zirkow from Bayreuth?"
"Of course I shall escort Rosamunda upon her return."
"We shall be glad to welcome you for the hunting. I take it for granted
you will give us a long visit then?"
"That will depend upon circumstances," says Wenkendorf, with a
significant glance towards Zdena, which does not escape Harry.
Meanwhile, the August twilight has set in. Krupitschka brings the
lamps. Harry rises.
"Will you not stay for supper?" asks Frau Rosa.
"No, thank you; I have a deal to do."
"No wonder, before leaving," says the wily major, not making the
slightest effort to detain the young fellow. "You are looking for your
sabre?--there it is. Ah, what a heavy thing! When I reflect upon how
many years I dragged such a rattling tool about with me!"
Harry has gone. The major has accompanied him to the court-yard, and he
now returns to the room, chuckling, and rubbing his hands, as if at
some successful trick.
"What an idea! So sudden a journey!--and a betrothed man!" Frau Rosa
remarks, thoughtfully.
"If I were his betrothed I would hurry and have the monogram
embroidered on my outfit," drawls the major. "Let me come there, if you
please." These last words are addressed to Wenkendorf, who is about to
close the piano. The major takes his place at it, bangs away at his
triumphal march with immense energy and a tolerably harmonious bass,
then claps down the cover of the much-tortured instrument, locks it,
and puts the key in his pocket. "There, that's enough for to-day!" he
declares.