Young Joseph was sitting in his usual place by the fire-side, smoking.
Young Bolster was lying under his chair with his head stretched out far
enough to be able to see his master. Young Joseph looked back at him
but said nothing, and Bolster was also silent. It was very still and
quiet in Rexow farm-house on that December afternoon, the only noise
that was to be heard came from Mrs. Nüssler's basket-chair upon which
she was sitting in the window; every time she made a stitch in her
knitting it creaked out a remark upon it, a circumstance not to be so
much wondered at, when it is remembered that Mrs. Nüssler had now
become what might be called rather a stout lady. The old chair was
creaking even more than usual to-day, for she had knitted herself into
a deep reverie, and the more she became immersed in her own thoughts
the louder her chair creaked in unison with her every movement.--"Ah
me!" she said, laying her knitting down in her lap. "What a strange
thing it is that the sorrow of one human being is often the cause
of happiness for another. Do you know what I was thinking of,
Joseph?"--"No," said young Joseph, looking at young Bolster, but
Bolster could not help him to guess.--"Joseph," she asked, "how do you
think it would do for Godfrey to offer himself as a candidate for the
Gürlitz living? I know that Godfrey's but a poor rush-light in
comparison with the old parson; but a man of his kind is likely enough
to get the living, and why shouldn't he as well as another?"--Joseph
said nothing.--"Even if Pomuchelskopp were against him, our people and
those at Warnitz would vote for him, so that it all depends upon what
the squire of Pümpelhagen does, whether the election goes against him
or not. What do you say Joseph?"--"Oh," said Joseph, "it all depends
upon circumstances," and then because he was very much taken with the
idea, he added, "What's to be done now?"--"Oh, dear," said Mrs.
Nüssler, "what's the use of talking to you about it. I wish that Bräsig
were here, he would and could tell us what to do." And then she took up
her work, and began to knit vehemently.
Half an hour later Mrs. Nüssler exclaimed: "'Speak of an angel, and you
see his wings.' Here's Bräsig driving into the yard. Who's that with
him? Rudolph--just fancy, Rudolph! I wonder why Rudolph has come
to-day? Now, Joseph do me a favour--the lad does everything so
nicely--don't overwhelm him with talk." Then she hastened from the room
to receive her guests.
She had put off too much time, and she was not the first, for there was
Mina clasped in Rudolph's arms. "Goodness gracious me!" cried Mrs.
Nüssler, "what are you doing here, Mina?" She then took Rudolph into
the parlour with her.--"Well," said Joseph. "Sit down, Bräsig. Sit
down, Rudolph."--But they were not ready to do that yet, Rudolph had
too much to say to Mina and Lina to be able to sit down quietly, and
Bräsig's head felt as if it were going round and round like the hands
of a clock, so he walked quickly up and down the room making his legs
act pendulum, and thus working off some of his excitement. "Have you
heard the news, young Joseph?" he asked. "They hav'n't caught him after
all."--"Who?" asked Joseph. "Preserve us all, Joseph," said Mrs.
Nüssler, "can't you let Bräsig go on? You always interrupt people so
suddenly; _do_ let him finish his story! Who is it that they hav'n't
caught, Bräsig?"--"Regel," said Bräsig. "They traced him as far
as Wismar where they found that their prey had escaped them. He
had sailed out into the Baltic eight days before in a Swedish
trading-vessel."--"Oh, dear," cried Mrs. Nüssler, "What a misfortune
that may be for my brother Charles."--"You're right, Mrs. Nüssler.
Charles is hardly to be known for the same person he used to be, he has
insulated himself entirely, and looks very miserable. He feels the
misfortune bitterly--not for his own sake--but for his master's, for as
you will see, the young squire will sooner or later have to declare
himself insolvent."--"That would be the death of Charles," said Mrs.
Nüssler.--"What help is there?" continued Bräsig. "The young man has
ruined himself with open eyes. His latest fad is the breeding of
thorough-bred horses. Old Prebberow told me that he had got into
Lichtwarte's hands, and that he had sold him a thorough-bred horse
which has a ruptured muscle, spavin, and string-halt, and a variety of
other diseases; as soon as he was in possession of this beautiful
creature Mr. von Rambow bought, with a great flourish of trumpets, a
thorough-bred mare, and now, I'm told, he has serious thoughts of
taking Triddelfitz's deaf old mare off his hands, and so setting up a
hospital for sick horses in Mecklenburg. The little mule is to be
thrown into the bargain, and I'm glad of that, for it's the only
healthy member of the stud."--"Let him be, Bräsig; he must fight his own
battles," said Mrs. Nüssler. "Joseph and I were talking of young
Mr..... Mina, you and Rudolph may go into the garden for a little, and
Lina you'd better go with them;" as soon as they were gone, she
said: "It's about the Gürlitz living. I wish that Godfrey could get
it."--"Mrs. Nüssler," said Bräsig, standing before her and looking
important, "what you have just said may be called an idea, and no one
in the whole world is so quick in seizing an idea as a woman. How did
you manage to get hold of this idea though?"--"It is my own thought
entirely," she answered, "for Joseph never agrees with me now-a-days.
He has always some objection to everything I propose."--"Joseph, be
quiet," said Bräsig, "you were wrong to oppose your wife, for her idea
is a good one. I'll answer for Warnitz, the Count and Countess will, I
know, agree to let the people vote as I wish them. You, young Joseph,
must see to Rexow. Pomuchelskopp will be against us from love of
opposition, but that doesn't matter. Pümpelhagen is the only
difficulty. Who's to speak to Mr. von Rambow? Hawermann? Nothing could
be less _apropos_ at this moment. Myself? Impossible, for he has
insulted me. Young Joseph? I can't trust young Joseph, he'd content
himself with using some of his favourite forms of speech. Godfrey? He's
a good fellow, but too slow. Who else is there? Rudolph? He is a clever
lad, as Hilgendorf tells me. Yes, Rudolph must go, and you, Mrs.
Nüssler, must go with him, because of family circumstances, and that
the young man may be more at ease."--"Good gracious!" cried Mrs.
Nüssler. "Do you mean that _I_ am to go and see Mr. von Rambow?"--"No,"
said Zachariah Bräsig, "you are to go to Mrs. von Rambow, and Rudolph
to the squire. Where's Rudolph. He must come in at once."
Rudolph was quite ready to go to Pümpelhagen for his cousin's sake, and
so it was settled that he and his aunt should drive over there on the
following day.
When the deputation arrived at Pümpelhagen, Mr. von Rambow was out
riding, but when their coming was announced to his wife, she received
them very kindly.--"Madam," said Mrs. Nüssler, going frankly up to Mrs.
von Rambow, and beginning to speak to the point without much loss of
time, "Madam, I hope that you will not be offended with me if I talk to
you in the dialect I'm accustomed to; I can speak better, but it's very
difficult. We keep up old customs at Rexow, and I always say that I'd
rather have bright shining tin plates, than silver ones that are dull
from want of rubbing."--Frida took off the good woman's shawl, made her
sit down on the sofa, and signed to Rudolph to take a chair; just as
she was about to seat herself, Mrs. Nüssler rose and said
confidentially: "You see, Madam, this is my nephew and future
son-in-law. He's the son of Kurz, the shopkeeper in Rahnstädt, from
whom you also get your things."--Rudolph bowed, and now Mrs. von Rambow
at last persuaded her visitor to seat herself, and took her place
beside her. "He has been to college," Mrs. Nüssler went on, "but didn't
do much there. Now that he has turned farmer, however, he does very
well, as Hilgendorf tells Bräsig."--Although what she said was all in
Rudolph's praise, he found it rather embarrassing, and said: "But, my
dear aunt, we hadn't come here to talk of me, but of Godfrey"--"Yes,
Madam, he's quite right. You see I've got another nephew who also wants
to be my son-in-law, I mean the son of rector Baldrian in Rahnstädt. He
has passed all his examinations, and knows everything he needs to know.
He's quite fit to be a clergyman any day. Now that our good old parson
has gone from us--and oh, Madam, what an excellent man he was--you
won't think ill of me for saying that I'd like to keep my Lina near me,
and to have Godfrey at Gürlitz parsonage."--"No, dear Mrs. Nüssler,"
said Frida, "I think that it is quite natural in you to wish it, and if
I had anything to do with it, your son-in-law should certainly get the
living. I've heard so much good of you and your daughters."--"Have you
really," said Mrs. Nüssler, looking pleased, "well, they _are_ dear
children."
At this moment foot-steps were heard approaching, and Mr. von Rambow,
who had returned from his ride, entered the room. His wife introduced
her visitors to him, and Alick, when he heard their names, made rather
a long face. Rudolph would not allow himself to be put out by this
reception, he held a trump-card that he thought would soon change the
aspect of affairs, so he said: "May I speak to you alone for a moment,
Mr. von Rambow?"--Alick took him into the next room.
"I understand, Mr. von Rambow," said Rudolph, "that you were robbed of
three hundred pounds the week before last. The money, I think you said,
was in Danish double Louis d'ors. From what I hear there is no chance
of your catching the labourer, but the police are busy tracing the
money."--"What?" cried Alick. "How do you know that?"--"I understand
that the detective, employed by the mayor of Rahnstädt, found clear
traces of the money yesterday afternoon. I was in my father's shop when
a woman, a weaver's wife, who with her husband is trying to get a
decree of divorce, came in and asked for change for a Danish double
Louis d'or. I know the woman to be in abject poverty, and the mayor
knows it also from the proceedings in the divorce case. My father and I
made the circumstance known to the authorities, and after examination
it was discovered that she had more money than the gold piece she had
shown. She could give no account of how she had become possessed of the
money, and--this is the most damaging part of the whole evidence--it
has been proved that she went along the same road as your messenger on
the same morning."--"Is it possible!" cried Alick. "Then the labourer
didn't steal the money after all."--"It seems," said Rudolph, "as if he
had been robbed. The mayor has committed the woman to prison for sundry
small thefts that have been proved against her, and has forbidden my
father and me to tell any one what we know, but when he heard that I
was coming into this neighbourhood, he desired me to let you know what
has been done. You will no doubt have a letter from him to-night
on the subject."--"Thank you, Mr. Kurz," said Alick, "for having come
here to tell this news," and he shook hands heartily with the young
man.--Rudolph smiled, and said: "I should certainly have come even if
that had been the only object of my visit which it was not. You saw my
aunt in the drawing-room, she has come to see you about something she
has much at heart."--"If I can be of any use ...." said Alick
courteously.--"I will explain. One of my cousins, who is a theological
student, offers himself, through my aunt, as a candidate for the living
of Gürlitz."--"A cousin? Are you not a theological student?"--"I was,
Mr. von Rambow," answered Rudolph brightly, "but I don't think I was,
what people call, highly organised enough to be a clergyman, so I
became a farmer, and I can assure you," looking laughingly at Alick as
he spoke, "I never was so happy in my life as I am now."--In spite of
Alick's faults and foibles, he was too good hearted not to be pleased
and touched by the freshness of the other, so he said heartily: "That's
right! That's right! I've taken to it too. The life of a Mecklenburg
farmer is the happiest of all. Where are you living just now, Mr.
Kurz?"--"With the greatest farmer of the century," laughed Rudolph,
"with Hilgendorf at Little Tetzleben."--"A most admirable man," cried
Alick, "and thorough-bred! I mean has thorough-bred horses."--And now
they began to praise Grey Momus, Herodotus, and Black Overshire, &c.,
and to praise Hilgendorf's management, and when Rudolph at last rose to
take leave, Mr. von Rambow shook hands with him warmly, and said: "You
may rely upon your cousin having my vote, Mr. Kurz."
When they went into the drawing-room, Mrs. Nüssler rose, and said to
her hostess: "He'll do all that he can for you and the squire," then
going up to Mr. von Rambow she said: "You'll give us your vote, won't
you, Mr. von Rambow? How happy I shall be to be able to keep my Lina so
near me."--Alick disliked this free way of speaking, and--without any
particular reason for it, disliked the Nüssler manner, but being
pleased at the prospect of recovering his money, and having had his
heart further opened by his horsey talk with Rudolph, he was on this
occasion able to see the sterling qualities of Mrs. Nüssler under her
somewhat unpolished manner. He went to his wife and said: "Dear Frida,
we have some hope now of recovering our three hundred pounds."--"Thank
God!" said Mrs. Nüssler, "Rudolph, did you speak to Mr. von
Rambow?"--"Yes," answered Alick. "And it's all settled, I promise
to give your nephew my vote; but--I should like to see him
first."--"That's only right and proper," said Mrs. Nüssler. "No one
cares to buy a pig in a poke! You'll see when he comes to preach that
he's quite up to the mark. But, goodness gracious me! This is folly.
Like every other man, he has his own little ways, I can't deny that."
Then they drove away. Godfrey had a good chance of the living.
"Everything promises well," said Bräsig, "but Godfrey must manage with
Pomuchelskopp himself. Let the iron be struck while it is hot, and as
neither God nor man can help him with Samuel Pomuchelskopp the sooner
he tries his fate with him the better." This advice was considered
good, so Godfrey was written to and told what had already been done for
him, at the same time he was ordered to make his appearance at Rexow on
the following day, there to receive further instructions.
He arrived, and when Bräsig had explained everything to him shortly, he
consented to make the difficult visit. Christian, the coachman, drove
the "phantom" round to the door; Lina put in a foot-stool, cloaks and
shawls, and wrapped up her future husband warmly. "That's right, Lina,"
said Bräsig, "wrap him up well that he mayn't catch cold, and that his
lovely voice mayn't be lost in this frightful weather."--Suddenly
Joseph rose from his corner by the stove, and said: "Mina, my
cloak."--"The world's coming to an end!" cried Bräsig.--"Joseph, what
are you about?" cried Mrs. Nüssler.--"Mother," said Joseph, "you went
with Rudolph, and I intend to go with Godfrey. I shall do my part." And
as he said this he nodded his head so decidedly, and looked round at
them all with such determination that Bräsig exclaimed: "As sure as
your nose is in the middle of your face, I never in all my life saw
anything like this."--"Ah, Bräsig," said Mrs. Nüssler, "he's quite
changed of late, but let him go quietly, no talking will prevent
it."--So Joseph was allowed to go. Lina went straight upstairs to her
little garret-room and prayed as passionately for Godfrey's success in
his difficult interview as if he had been going to his execution.
Joseph and Godfrey drove through the deep lane silently; neither spoke,
for each was buried in his own thoughts, the only remark made during
the drive was when Christian, turning his head over his shoulder, said:
"This would just be the place for an upset, Sir, if one were driving in
a dark night."--It was about three o'clock in the afternoon when they
arrived at Gürlitz manor.
Pomuchelskopp was lying on the sofa looking unhappy and rubbing his
eyes, for Gustavus had disturbed him in his after dinner sleep by
choosing a plate to take to the loft, for it was Saturday and he wanted
to make up an account of the measurement of the grain, "Gus," he cried
angrily, "you'll be a fool all your life, a regular ninny! You
nincompoop! I'll put you on a pedestal to let all the people see what
an ass you are."--"But, father ....."--"Father here, father there! How
often have I told you never to make a clatter with the plates when I'm
asleep! What carriage is that driving into the yard?"--"My eye!" cried
Gustavus. "It's our neighbour Nüssler and another gentleman."--"Idiot!"
said Pomuchelskopp. "Hav'n't I often told you not to call every Jack
and Tom 'neighbour'? Brinkmann the labourer, is my neighbour in the
sense that he lives close to my garden. I won't be every man's
neighbour," and when he had said that he went out to see what was going
on.
Joseph and Godfrey had got out of the carriage by this time, and Joseph
now came forward, saying: "How-d'ye-do, neighbour."--Pomuchelskopp made
him one of the very low bows he had learnt to make when he was
attending parliament, and signed to him to go into the parlour. The
silence in the parlour was so intense that the only sound to be heard
was a faint creak from one of the chairs when it was moved. Godfrey
thought that Joseph ought to speak, Joseph thought that Godfrey ought
to speak, and Pomuchelskopp would not speak for fear of compromising
his interests in some way. At last, however, Godfrey began: "Mr.
Pomuchelskopp," he said, "good old parson Behrens has gone to his rest,
and though it may seem hard and unchristian to make an application for
the living so soon after his death, I do not think that in doing so I
am really sinning against proper feeling, or true Christianity, for I
am only acting in accordance with the advice of my own parents and of
those of my future wife."--Godfrey had now opened the proceedings to
the best of his ability; but still Pomuchelskopp was quite justified in
drawing himself up a little and saying: That might be all very well,
but he wanted to know with whom he had the honour to be talking. Joseph
signed to Godfrey to answer, and Godfrey said that he was the son of
rector Baldrian, and a theological student. As soon as this information
had been given Joseph leant back in his chair comfortably, as though he
had nothing more to do and might have a quiet pipe. But as Muchel did
not ask him to smoke, he was obliged to content himself with making a
fruitless movement with his lips as if he were doing so, which made him
look exactly like a Bohemian carp, gasping for air.--"Sir," said
Pomuchelskopp, "a good many of your sort have already called upon me,
and asked for my vote,"--that was a lie, but it was the only way he
knew of making a bargain, for he looked upon a living as a species of
merchandise, and chaffered as much about it as he would have done with
a butcher who came to buy his fat pigs,--"but," he went on, "I sent
them all away for the present without an answer, for there is only one
thing that I care about in the whole business."--"And that is?" asked
Godfrey. "My examina ....."--"I don't care a pin about that," said Mr.
Pomuchelskopp. "I mean the glebe lands. If you will promise to give me
a lease of the glebe--of course I should give you a good rent, a very
good rent,--you shall have my vote, but not otherwise."--"I think I
heard," said Godfrey, "that the glebe is let to Mr. von Rambow, and I
should not like ...."--"You need have no scruple on that head," said
Pomuchelskopp decidedly.--Joseph said nothing, but looked at his future
son-in-law as much as to say: "What have you to say to that, my
boy?"--Godfrey was very much taken aback, for he was ignorant of
worldly matters, but after a moment's thought his whole honest soul
revolted against such a bargain, so he answered frankly: "I cannot and
will not make you such a promise, I do not wish to gain the living by
these means. There is plenty of time to settle matters of this kind,
and they had better be left alone until I am in office."--"That's the
way, is it?" said Pomuchelskopp with a cunning smile. "Then let me tell
you that the fox is not to be trapped; 'a bird in the hand', &c; if Mr.
von Rambow does not want the glebe, you may perhaps let it to your
father-in-law. Is it not so, to your father-in-law?"
That was a horrible idea Pomuchelskopp had promulgated.--Joseph take a
lease of the glebe! Joseph, who already found the burden of his daily
work more than he could bear! He sprang to his feet and said:
"Neighbour, when a man does what he can, he can't do more than he can;
and what am I to do now? If the squire of Pümpelhagen won't have the
glebe, I won't have it either, I've enough to do without."--"Mr.
Nüssler," said Pomuchelskopp slyly, "will you give me your promise in
black and white that you won't take a lease of the glebe?"--"Yes,"
cried Joseph from the bottom of his heart; he then reseated himself and
resumed his former occupation of pretending to smoke.--Pomuchelskopp
began to walk up and down the room, and as he did so thought within
himself: Mr. von Rambow was not going to renew his lease, and Joseph
wouldn't take it if it were offered him, so that all danger from
without was guarded against, for the glebe was too small for anyone to
rent by itself. The only remaining fear was lest Godfrey should wish to
farm the land himself, and Pomuchelskopp was determined to find out.
Now God has created many different kinds of men, each of whom has his
own special capacity; there was one thing that was completely wanting
in Godfrey's composition, and that was all comprehension of
agricultural subjects. Bräsig had given himself no end of trouble to
teach Godfrey a few of the rudiments of the subject, but all his
efforts were vain. It is impossible to get from any man that which he
does not possess. Godfrey did not know the difference between oats and
barley, he could not tell a cow from a bull, and his ignorance was
altogether so dense that Bräsig said to himself at last: "God bless my
soul! I don't see how the poor lad is ever to get through the world!"
Pomuchelskopp was not long in discovering this weak point in Godfrey's
composition, and he rejoiced greatly thereat: "He'll never be a
farmer," he said to himself, "and so he's just the man for me. But, I
mustn't let him see that."--"Sir," he said aloud, "I am satisfied with
you so far, for you seem to be a very large-minded sort of person, and
also a man of morality"--he thought that a particularly good word for
the occasion--"you will not grant my request--good!--neither shall I
grant yours. But if Mr. Nüssler will sign a written document to the
effect that he will not take a lease of the glebe, I am willing to have
a further conversation with you on this subject, for, as I said, I am
satisfied with you so far."
Young Joseph signed the paper as he was asked, and then he and his
nephew drove away from Gürlitz manor perfectly contented with what they
had done. They had gained nothing from their visit, but an indefinite
promise from Pomuchelskopp, for which Joseph had had to put his name to
a paper; but still they were pleased with the result of their
application. Joseph was convinced that his signature had been the
ultimate cause of their good luck, and had secured the living to his
future son-in-law.
Joseph and Godfrey wanted to go to the parsonage, but Christian, the
coachman, refused point blank to take them there, for, as he said, it
was getting as dark as pitch; so the "phantom" floated back to Rexow
like a ghostly shadow in the mist and gloom. Now sleep is the almost
inevitable consequence of a long drive through the mist and darkness of
night, therefore it was not wonderful that Joseph sank into a peaceful
slumber shortly after leaving Gürlitz, and soon afterwards Christian
followed his example and though he seemed to be driving, the horses
really went of their own accord; had it been daylight this would of
course have been discovered, but as it was, no one saw it. Godfrey was
the last to fall asleep, and when he did so his dreams were all of
Lina, his election sermon, and the first sermon he should preach after
he had been chosen minister of the parish. When they reached the spot
where Christian had made the remark that it was a good place for an
upset, and when Godfrey was dreaming of his election papers, the
carriage began to sway from side to side in a terrible manner; then the
fore wheel rose in the air, and the hind wheel on Godfrey's side sank
in a deep hole--and the next moment--they were all tumbled into the
ditch.
I have seen many Grand Ducal chamberlains get out of their carriages at
my neighbour, Mrs. Laurence's inn, but never in all my life did I see
anything so perfect as the way in which Joseph was shot out of the
phaeton; he fell on the top of Godfrey into the muddy ditch, and
Christian, not to be behindhand with his master, tumbled from the box
in such a manner as to lie side by side in the ditch with him.--"Faugh!
Oh! Just stay where you are, Sir," cried the honest old fellow. "The
horses are standing quite still!"--"You idiot!" said Joseph.--"Thank
God!" said Christian rising, "none of my bones are broken. But stay
where you are, Sir, I'll catch the horses."--"You idiot!" cried Joseph
once more as he struggled to his feet, while Godfrey was coughing and
choking in the deep mud bed in which he was lying, "what on earth made
you upset us?"--"It all depends upon circumstances," answered
Christian, who had learnt to make use of his master's favourite
expressions during his long years of service at Rexow, "what was to be
done on such a road in a pitch dark night?"--Joseph did not know what
else to say, now that the very words were taken out of his mouth, so he
contented himself with asking: "Are any of your bones broken,
Godfrey?"--"No, uncle," said the divinity student, "and yours?"--"No,
I'm all right except my nose, which I think has been knocked off my
face altogether."--Meanwhile the carriage had been raised, and when
Joseph and Godfrey had resumed their seats in it, Christian once more
turned round on the box, and said: "Didn't I tell you so this very
afternoon? This is the exact place."--"Idiot!" said Joseph rubbing his
nose energetically, "you had gone to sleep."--"To sleep, Sir, to sleep?
It doesn't much matter in such pitch darkness whether one's asleep or
awake; I told you before. I know the road by heart and I warned you."
And whenever he told the story afterwards to the other servants, he
always added: "but I told him how it would be beforehand," and made out
that Joseph was a regular daredevil who had no fear of risking his
life.
They drove home, and Godfrey was the first to get out of the carriage.
Lina had long been uneasy about their absence, and was listening
anxiously for every sound that should bring her certainty of the good
or evil fate of her father and lover. There was a noise outside. They
are coming!--It was only the sighing of the wind in the poplars.--But
now!--Yes, it was a carriage, it same nearer, it drove up to the door.
She sprang up and rushed out of the room, but had to stop a moment with
her hand pressed to her side to still the beating of her heart, which
was torn by the conflicting emotions of hope and fear. Would Godfrey
bring her good news or had he failed in his attempt? She ran out into
the porch. "Don't come near me!" cried Godfrey, but his warning came
too late, for Lina, although she was the eldest of the family, was
still very thoughtless, and she had thrown herself into his arms as
soon as she saw him. But suddenly she felt her hands and arms quite
damp and cold, it almost felt as if she were embracing a frog,
and letting him go, she exclaimed: "Good gracious! what's the
matter?"--"The carriage was upset," said Godfrey; "the carriage was
upset by the Providence of God; I mean that Christian upset the
carriage, and God has providentially shielded us from all harm."--"What
objects you look, to be sure!" said Bräsig, who just then came
into the porch with a candle in his hand, and saw Joseph behind
Godfrey.--"Yes, Bräsig," said Joseph, "it's just as it is. We've had an
accident."--"How did you manage it," asked Bräsig. "I don't see how any
reasonable mortal can get himself upset on his own roads; a man of your
age too! You must have gone to sleep, Joseph."--"Merciful Heaven!"
cried Mrs. Nüssler, "what a sight you've made of yourself, Joseph!" and
she turned him round before the candle, as if he were a roast she was
turning on a spit--"Mercy! Joseph, look at your nose!"--"His Reverence
is in a nice mess too," said Bräsig, examining Godfrey from head to
foot. "Hollo," he cried, "just look at Lina! Why, Lina, were you in the
upset too? Mrs. Nüssler, do you see that she has got half the road from
here to Gürlitz sticking to her clothes."
Lina blushed deeply, and Mina at once began to rub her down, while
Mrs. Nüssler did the same kind office to her husband: "My goodness,
Joseph, what a state you're in, to be sure. And your beautiful new
cloak!"--Joseph had bought the cloak twenty years before, when he was
engaged to be married.--"This'ill never do," he said, "I must change my
clothes, and then to-morrow they can all be put in the oven, and
thoroughly dried."--They all agreed that it was the only thing to be
done, and soon afterwards uncle and nephew were able to join the rest
of the family in the parlour. Mrs. Nüssler now caught sight of her
Joseph's nose in the bright light, and exclaimed: "Joseph, look at your
nose!"--"You said so before," said Joseph.--"Well," said Bräsig, "I
should be telling a downright lie if I were to say that I had ever
thought your nose a particularly handsome one; but keep this nose! and
what a nose it is!"--"For shame, Bräsig. Why do you wish him to keep
this nose. Preserve us all! it's growing thicker every moment! What's
to be done?"--"Mrs. Nüssler," said Bräsig, "he must go to the
water-cure."--"What!" cried Mrs. Nüssler, "my Joseph go to a water-cure
because he has given his nose a little bit of a knock."--"Please,
understand me," said Bräsig, "I don't mean him to try the water-cure on
his whole body, on his legs and arms; no, I only mean him to put a cold
plaget on his nose. Or, Joseph, what do you say to bleeding your nose a
little. It would cool it down nicely if you did."--Joseph could not
agree to the last proposal, so they determined to try the effect of
cold water. At last he settled down in his chair with stately
composure, a wet linen rag on his nose, and his pipe in his mouth.
"But now," said Bräsig, "none of us have heard what arrangements you
made with Samuel Pomuchelskopp."--"Yes," said Lina, "what did you do
Godfrey?"--Godfrey then described their interview with the squire of
Gürlitz, and when he had done, Joseph said: "It's all right. I signed a
paper."--"And what paper did you sign?" asked Bräsig angrily.--"A
promise not to take a lease of the glebe."--"That was a very foolish
thing to do. Oh the Jesuit! He wants the land himself. Nightingale, I
hear you, you want to get it all your own way! That's your aim and
object! But--but"--here Bräsig sprang to his feet and began to pace the
room with long strides--"I'll catch you in your own net. Don't count
your chickens before they're hatched! Samuel Pomuchelskopp, we've not
done with each other yet. What did the celebrated poet say of David and
Goliath? I look upon myself as David, and upon him as Goliath. 'He took
the sling in his hand and struck him on the forehead, and so did for
him.' And how beautifully the celebrated poet ends the story by saying:
'Thus it is with all boasters, when they think they stand, they are
sure to have a fall.'--And so it shall be with you, Samuel. I've
been in a passion, Mrs. Nüssler, so I can't eat any supper, and will
say 'good-night' now as I've a good many things to think about."--He
took his candle and went to his room, and the others followed his
example soon after supper was finished. Lina lay awake for a long time
in anxious thought, listening to the wind in the trees by her window,
and to uncle Bräsig walking about in his room, which was below hers.