On the square of the grain merchants in Nuremberg, Jason Philip
Schimmelweis, the husband of Marian's sister, had his bookbinder's shop.
Schimmelweis was a Westphalian. Hatred against the junkers and the
priests had driven him to this Protestant city of the South, where from
the beginning he had acquired the respect of people through his ready
wit and speech. Theresa Hoellriegel had lodged in the house in which he
opened his shop, and gained her living as a seamstress. He had thought
that she had some money, but it had proved to be too little for his
ambitious notions. When he discovered that, he treated Theresa as though
she had cheated him.
He held his trade in contempt, and was ambitious of greater things. He
felt that he was called to be a bookseller; but he had no capital
wherewith to realise this plan. So he sat morosely in his subterranean
shop, pasted and folded and quarrelled with his lot, and in his hours of
leisure read the writings of socialists and freethinkers.
It was the Autumn in which the war against France was raging. On that
very morning had come the news of the battle of Sedan. All the church
bells were ringing.
To the surprise of Jason Philip, Gottfried Nothafft stepped into his
shop. His long, patriarchal beard and tall stature gave something
venerable to his appearance, even though his face looked tired and his
eyes were dull.
"God bless you, brother," he said and held out his hand. "The fatherland
has better luck than its citizens."
Schimmelweis, who did not like the visits of kinsmen, returned the
salutation with careful coolness. His features did not brighten until he
heard that his brother-in-law was stopping at the Red Cock Inn. He asked
what errand had brought Gottfried to the city.
"I must have a talk with you," Nothafft replied.
They entered a room behind the shop and sat down. Jason Philip's eyes
harboured even now a definitely negative answer to any proposal that
might cost him money or trouble. But he was to be agreeably
disappointed.
"I want to tell you, brother," Gottfried Nothafft said, "that I have put
by three thousand taler during the nineteen years of my married life.
And since I have the feeling that I am not long for this world, I have
come to ask you to take charge of the money for Marian and the boy. It
has been troublesome enough not to touch it in these evil times that
have come. Marian knows nothing of it, and I don't want her to know. She
is a weak woman, and women do not understand money nor the worth and
dignity it has when it has been earned so bitterly hard. In some hour of
difficulty she would begin to use it, and presently it would be gone.
But I want to ease Daniel's entry into life, when his years of training
and apprenticeship are over. He is twelve now. In another twelve years
he will be, God willing, a man. You can help Marian with the interest,
and all I ask of you is to be silent and to act a father's part toward
the boy when I shall be no more."
Jason Philip Schimmelweis arose. He was moved and wrung Gottfried
Nothafft's hand. "You may rely upon me," he said, "as you would on the
Bank of England."
"I thought that would be your answer, brother, and that is why I came."
He put down on the table three thousand taler in bank notes of the
realm, and Jason Philip wrote out a receipt. Then he urged him to stay
that night at his house. But Gottfried Nothafft said that he must
return home to his wife and child, and that a single night in the noisy
city had been enough for him.
When they returned to the shop, they found Theresa sitting there. In her
lap she held Philippina, her first-born, who was three years old. The
child had a large head and homely features. Gottfried hardly stopped to
answer his sister-in-law's questions. Later Theresa asked her husband
what Gottfried's business had been. Jason Philip answered brusquely:
"Nothing a woman would understand."
Three days later Gottfried sent back the receipt. On the back of it he
had written: "The paper is of no use; it might even betray my secret. I
have your word and your hand. That is enough. With thanks for your
friendship and your services, I am your faithful kinsman, Gottfried
Nothafft."