AN OUTRAGED WIFE.
The Sunday following St. John's day had always been a great holiday in
Oberstein. The little mountain-village where Dr. Reinsfeld lived had,
it is true, lost somewhat of its secluded character by the invasion of
the railway in the vicinity. The labourers on the road frequented it,
and some of the young engineers had their quarters in the little inn,
but the place was still very humble in appearance.
The doctor's house was in no contrast to its surroundings; it was a
small cottage, scantily furnished,--indeed barely provided with the
necessities of life. The sexton's widow acted as the young physician's
housekeeper, and her ideas of the duties of her position were primitive
in the extreme. Only a nature as content and unassuming as Benno's
could have long endured existence here. His predecessors had never
remained long, while this was the fifth year that he had passed in this
place, undaunted by its hardships, and with no present prospect of
leaving it.
His study was indeed a contrast to the charming, comfortable apartments
inhabited by Superintendent Elmhorst. The whitewashed walls were
destitute of decoration save for a couple of portraits of Reinsfeld's
parents. An old worm-eaten writing-table, with an arm-chair covered
with leather which had once been black, a very hard sofa with a coarse
linen cover, and a table and chairs of equal antiquity,--such was the
furniture, all purchased from the former occupant, of the room in which
the doctor lived, and laboured, and gave advice, and even, as on the
present occasion, received visits. His cousin Albert Gersdorf was with
him.
The lawyer had come from Heilborn the day before, and had found a guest
already installed here, Veit Gronau, whom he also knew, and who was
recovering here from the effects of his disaster on the Vulture Cliff.
The painful sprain from which he was suffering was not serious, but
prevented his walking. He had been with some difficulty brought as far
down the mountain as Oberstein, and here Reinsfeld had offered to take
charge of the patient until the sprain was cured; an offer which had
been gratefully accepted.
The two cousins had not met for years, and their interchange of letters
had been infrequent, so that Benno's joyful surprise was natural when
Gersdorf made his unexpected appearance. He had just persuaded him to
protract his stay somewhat, and said, delightedly, "So, then, that is
all arranged: you will stay until the day after to-morrow; that's
right; and your young wife will have no objection to being left so long
with her parents in Heilborn."
"Oh, she is extremely content there," Gersdorf explained; but there was
an unusual gravity in his voice and manner.
The doctor gave him a keen glance: "See here, Albert: when you arrived
yesterday it struck me that something was wrong. I thought you would
bring your wife. Surely you have not quarrelled?"
"No, Benno, 'tis not so bad as that. I have simply been forced to make
my father- and mother-in-law understand that their untitled son-in-law
is perfectly capable of maintaining his position."
"Aha! 'sits the wind in that corner?' What has happened?"
"Not much. As I told you, we promised to finish our wedding-tour by a
visit to my wife's parents in Heilborn, where my mother-in-law is
taking the waters. We found her there in a very exclusive circle,
which graciously admitted me, although it made me quite sensible that I
owed the honour to my having married a Baroness Ernsthausen. I showed
but little appreciation of the amiable reception accorded me, inasmuch
as I declined joining a picnic arranged for yesterday. Of course this
provoked much aristocratic indignation; my respected mother-in-law
declared me a tyrant, maintaining that her friends alone were fit
associates for her daughter, and at last inducing Molly to be
obstinate. I told her she was perfectly free to accept the invitation
for herself, and she did so."
"And went without you?"
"Without me. An hour afterwards I was on my way to see you,--I meant at
all events to see you before I went back to the city,--leaving behind
me a brief note explaining my absence."
"It was a great piece of audacity on your part to marry into so
aristocratic a family," said Benno, shaking his head. "You see marriage
by no means puts an end to your troubles."
"No, but I was perfectly well aware that I should have to fight my way
to independence."
"Can you be quite sure of your wife?"
Gersdorf smiled, both at the words and at the grave tone in which they
were uttered: "Indeed I can. Molly is still a child, it is true,--a
spoiled child who has never been trained,--but her heart is true as
steel. Do you suppose I enjoyed leaving the wayward little creature?
She must learn that a husband's rights are to be respected; if I had
yielded to my mother-in-law on this occasion there would have been no
end to her interference, and that I will not tolerate."
It was plain to see that it had not been easy for the young fellow to
keep his resolution; his eyes turned longingly to the window that
looked out on the road to Heilborn, while Benno sat lost in admiration
of his cousin's strength of character. He himself would have made any
sacrifice to a tyrannical mother-in-law rather than grieve a woman whom
he loved.
They were interrupted by the entrance of Veit Gronau. He still limped,
but otherwise seemed quite well, as he deposited a large package on the
table.
"What have you there?" asked Gersdorf.
"Genuine Turkish tobacco," Gronau replied; "and Herr Waltenberg sends
his regards and he will come over this afternoon with the ladies from
Wolkenstein, who wish to see the holiday dance. Said brought the
message and this tobacco, which I asked Herr Waltenberg to send in pity
for the doctor, who smokes wretched stuff, begging his pardon. Let me
fill the pipes; I understand that business."
"That's true," said Benno, laughing. "You and Herr Waltenberg would
smoke up my entire income in a year. I cannot afford to be fastidious."
Veit, who was entirely at home here, hobbled to a little cupboard,
whence he took three pipes, which he proceeded to prepare, and the
three men were soon filling the room with clouds of fragrant smoke.
Suddenly the door opened, and a most unexpected apparition appeared
upon the threshold, in the person of a young lady in a very elegant
travelling-dress, a veil wound about her hat, and a handsome
travelling-bag in her hand. She was about to enter hastily, but paused
as if petrified by the scene which was presented to her gaze. Gronau in
all his length of limb lay stretched out on the sofa; the doctor, in
his shirt-sleeves, was comfortably established in his arm-chair;
Gersdorf sat near him astride of a chair, while the room was filled
with a thick but unfortunately transparent cloud of blue tobacco-smoke.
"Herr Doctor," the voice of the old housekeeper was heard to say
from the corridor behind the stranger, "a young lady has arrived, and
wants----"
"I want my husband," the young lady interposed, in a resolute tone,
advancing into the room, where she created a sensation indeed.
Gronau sprang up from the sofa, uttering a cry of pain as he did so,
for his ankle resented the sudden motion; Benno started up in dismay
and began looking for his coat, which it seemed impossible to find; and
Gersdorf emerged from the cloud of smoke, exclaiming, in a tone of
delighted surprise, "Molly I--is it you?"
"Yes,--it is I!" Frau Gersdorf declared in accents so annihilating that
one might have supposed her husband had just been detected in the
commission of a crime, and as she spoke she advanced with extreme
dignity into the middle of the room, where, unfortunately, the smoke
interfered with the solemnity of the occasion, for she began to cough
and seemed almost ready to choke.
Poor Benno was crushed. He had privately exulted when he had learned
that there was no danger of a visit from his new distinguished
relative, of whom he stood in such awe that for her reception he would
have donned his grandest attire, and now here she was, and he in his
shirt-sleeves! In his confusion he took his pocket-handkerchief and
tried to flap away the smoke, but, unfortunately, he flapped it
directly into the young lady's face, at the same time sweeping his
clay pipe off the table where he had laid it, and overthrowing his
arm-chair, the leg of which was broken in the fall. At last Gersdorf
seized him by the arm: "Pray stop, Benno, or you will make things
worse," he said, kindly. "First of all let me present you to my wife.
My cousin, Benno Reinsfeld, Molly dear."
Molly bestowed a most ungracious glance upon this man in his
shirt-sleeves who was presented to her as a relative,--really it was
exceedingly provoking.
"I regret extremely having disturbed the gentlemen," she said, with a
withering look at her husband. "My husband informed me that he should
pay you a visit. Dr. Reinsfeld, but no time was appointed for his
return."
"Madame," stammered Benno, in great confusion, "it is a great
honour--and certainly----"
"I am glad to hear it," the lady interrupted him without more ado. "My
luggage is outside; pray have it brought in. I shall stay here for a
while."
This was too much; the doctor was in despair. He thought of the bare
little garret room which was all he had had to offer to his cousin, and
now here was a Baroness Ernsthausen about to occupy it also! Suddenly
his wild, wandering glances fell upon the jacket he had been looking
for so anxiously: it lay on the floor beside him; he snatched it up,
and vanished into the next room. Gronau, whose distaste for 'the
ladies' was as decided as it was respectful, hobbled after him, closing
the door, as he left the room, with a crash that shook the house.
"Have I fallen among savages?" Molly asked, indignant at this
reception. "One shrieks, another runs away, and the third----!" She
fairly shuddered at the thought that this third was her husband.
But Gersdorf cared not a whit for the frown upon her pretty face. Now
that they were alone, he hurried towards her with outstretched arms:
"And you really came, Molly?"
Molly withdrew from his embrace, retreated a step, and declared
solemnly, "Albert,--you are a monster!"
"But, Molly----!"
"A monster!" she repeated, with emphasis. "Mamma says so, and she
thinks I ought to requite you with scorn. That is why I came."
"Ah, indeed, is that why?" said Albert, relieving her of her
travelling-bag. She allowed this attention, but maintained her
dignified attitude.
"You have deserted me,--me, your lawful wedded wife,--deserted me
shamefully, and upon our wedding-tour!"
"Pardon me, my child, you deserted me," Gersdorf protested. "You drove
off with the picnic-party----"
"For a few hours! And when I returned you were gone,--gone to the
wilderness,--for this Oberstein is no less,--and now here you sit in
this detestable tobacco-smoke, smoking and laughing and joking. Don't
deny it, Albert, you were laughing. I heard your voice plainly from
outside."
"I certainly was laughing, but that is no crime."
"When your wife was away!" Molly exclaimed, angrily,--"when your
deeply-injured wife was at that very moment bewailing the fate that has
fettered her to a heartless husband! Oh, how could you!"
She sobbed aloud, and in her despair threw herself upon the sofa;
bouncing up again instantly, however, in dismay at its extreme
hardness.
"Molly," her husband said, seriously, as he approached her, "you knew
why I wished to avoid those people, and I thought my wife would have
stood by me. I was very sorry to find myself mistaken."
The reproof went home; Molly cast down her eyes and replied, meekly "I
care nothing for all those stupid people; but mamma thought I ought not
to allow myself to be tyrannized over."
"And you complied with your mother's request rather than with mine, and
preferred to mine the company of strangers."
"You did so too," sobbed Molly; "you drove away without a thought of
your poor wife consumed with grief and longing!"
Albert put his arm around her caressingly, as he said, tenderly, "And
were you really unhappy, my little Molly? So was I."
His young wife looked up at him through her tears, and nestled close to
him: "When were you coming back?" she asked.
"The day after to-morrow, if I could have managed to stay away so
long."
"And I came to-day. Is not that enough for you?"
"Yes, my darling, quite enough!" said Gersdorf. "And if you choose we
will return to Heilborn this very day."
"No, we will not," said Molly, resolutely. "I have quarrelled with
mamma, and with papa too; they did not want me to come. I have brought
our luggage, and now we will stay here."
"So much the better," said Albert, much relieved. "I went to Heilborn
solely for your sake, and here we are really in the midst of the
mountains. I am only afraid that we must try to find some other
quarters; the doctor's house can hardly hold you with all your trunks."
The little lady turned up her nose as she surveyed the room, where the
smoke still lingered and the broken pipe and the three-legged chair
encumbered the floor.
"Yes, this seems a detestable bachelor establishment. You would grow
careless enough with this cousin of yours, who rushes away like a
madman if a lady makes her appearance. Has he no manners at all?"
"Poor Benno was so terribly embarrassed," Albert said, by way of
excuse. "He completely lost his head. Be kind to him, Molly, I pray
you, for he is the best fellow in the world. And now let me go look
after your luggage."
He went, and Frau Gersdorf took her seat upon the sofa, with more
caution than before. In a few moments another door was softly and
timidly opened, and the master of the house appeared. He had employed
the time of his absence in arranging his dress, and he now approached
his guest with much humility. At first she seemed scarcely inclined to
be as amiable as her husband had entreated her to be; on the contrary,
she eyed her new cousin with judicial severity.
"Madame," he began, with hesitation, "pray pardon me that, upon your
unexpected arrival--I was very sorry for it, very sorry----"
"For my arrival?" Molly interrupted him, indignantly.
"God forbid, no!" exclaimed Benno. "I only meant--I wished to observe
that I am a bachelor."
"Unfortunately," said Molly, still ungraciously. "It is very sad to be
a bachelor. Why do you not marry?"
"I?" cried Benno, dismayed at the question.
"Certainly; you must marry as soon as possible."
The words sounded so dictatorial that the doctor did not venture to
contradict them; he merely bowed so profoundly that Frau Molly began to
feel her irritation evaporate, and she added, in a milder tone,--
"Albert is married and likes it extremely. Do you doubt it?"
"Oh, no, assuredly not," poor Benno hastened to reply; "but I----"
"Well, you, Herr Doctor?" his new relative persisted.
"I am not accustomed to ladies' society, and my manners are very rude,"
he said, sadly,--"very rude, madame,--and that unfits me for social
enjoyment."
This confession found favour with Molly. A man who felt his
deficiencies so profoundly deserved sympathy. She laid aside her air of
severity and rejoined, kindly,--
"They can easily be improved. Come, sit down, Herr Doctor, and let us
discuss the matter."
"What! Marriage?" Benno asked, in renewed dismay. This seemed like an
immediate settlement of his future life, and he was naturally startled.
"Oh, no: only your manners, for the present. You are anxious to learn,
I can see; all you want is some one to advise and train you. I will do
it!"
"Oh, madame, how kind you are!" said the doctor, with so touching an
expression of gratitude that his instructor of eighteen was entirely
won over.
"I am your cousin, and my name is Molly," she rejoined. "We must call
each other by our first names; so, Benno, come and sit down by me."
He complied with her invitation rather shyly, but the little lady soon
put him entirely at his ease. She questioned him closely, and he soon
grew very confidential; he told her about his awkwardness at the
Nordheim villa, his consequent mortification, and his desperate but
fruitless attempts to attain some degree of ease of manner. As he went
on, all his awkwardness vanished and he showed himself as he was,
frank, true, intelligent, and kindly. When Gersdorf returned at the end
of a quarter of an hour, he found his wife and his cousin talking
together like the best of friends.
"I have had the luggage brought here for the present," he said, "and I
have sent to know if we can have rooms at the inn."
"Not at all necessary," said Molly; "we can stay here. I am sure Benno
will make room for us; will you not, Benno?"
"Of course I will," the doctor exclaimed, eagerly. "I shall move out.
Gronau and I can move into the garret, and you can have the lower
rooms, Molly. I will go and have it arranged immediately."
He sprang up, and hurried out to do as he said.
"Benno?--Molly? You seem to have made astonishing progress in a few
minutes!"
"Albert, your cousin is a very superior man," Molly declared. "We must
befriend the young fellow; it is our duty as his relatives."
Her husband burst out laughing: "The young fellow? Allow me to observe,
madame, that he is just twelve years your senior."
"I am a married woman," was the dignified reply, "and he,
unfortunately, is a bachelor. But it is not his fault, and I shall have
him married as soon as possible."
"Good heavens!" exclaimed Gersdorf, "you have scarcely seen poor Benno,
and you are already scheming to marry him? I beg you----"
He got no further, for his wife confronted him with an indignant air:
"'Poor,' do you call him, because he is to be married? You think
marriage a misfortune, then. Is it because your own is unhappy? Albert,
what can you mean by such words?"
But Albert only laughed the more; undismayed by his wife's impressive
manner, he clasped her in his arms, and said, "I mean that there is
only one little woman in the world who can make her husband as happy as
I am. Does this explanation content you?"
And Frau Gersdorf was content.