A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
There is many a chance which seems like a summons. Eric and Roland had
spoken of Clodwig on the mountain, and when they reached home, they
found a message from him, saying that he and the Countess had returned
from the baths, and would visit them to-morrow.
Clodwig was brown from his summer-journey, and Bella looked younger
than before, and seemed, as she swept with her long train through the
house and park, somewhat like a peacock. As soon as they arrived,
Roland gave an account of the curiosities found on the mountain, and
his face fairly shone with delight when Clodwig asked him to consider
them the starting-point of a museum for himself; for in making a
collection of this kind, he would experience a pleasure to which
scarcely anything else could be compared. Roland nodded to Eric, and
Clodwig told them he had made many valuable acquisitions in his
journey, which would soon be sent to him. He had met daily at the Baths
a celebrated antiquarian, who had once been a teacher of Eric.
Eric apologized to Clodwig for having slighted his friendly advance, in
not visiting him before he set out on his journey, and now another
pleasant trait was seen in Clodwig,--that he had not one trace of
sensitiveness. Kindness of heart and self-respect combined to cause
this trait; he excused every neglect of himself, and, as a man of
unquestioned position never thought of injury or slight.
"You are exempt from all apologies with me," he said, taking Eric's
hands and holding them as though he were the young man's father. "You
have cured me of selfishness. I had not believed that there was so much
of it left in me, my dear young friend. Yes, you shall mould your own
life, and I will rejoice that I have you for a neighbor. A good
neighborhood, with the ancient Romans, was not merely a political
arrangement."
They touched glasses and drank to the good neighborhood, and as the old
Count drank, his eyes beamed upon Eric.
It was an animated account that Clodwig and his wife alternately,
interrupting each other, gave of their having turned aside from their
direct course, and spent a night in the University-town for the purpose
of visiting Eric's mother and remaining an entire day with her. At last
Clodwig left the field to his wife, who told with great feeling
and earnestness of the life of the noble lady. She described the
piano-forte in its old place, and the beautiful, dignified figure
sitting at work before her window filled with flowers. On the wall
before her hung the portraits of her dead husband and of her son, and
in a frame by itself was a lock of her mother's hair, hanging between
the crayon portraits of her parents. Still she was not at all
melancholy, but cheerful and interested in every subject, taking part
in every discussion.
Then Bella described the lovely valley, and their visit to the renowned
mountain-chapel; and Eric could almost hear his mother's voice, and see
her gentle face, as she sat by the beautiful lady, listening to
Clodwig, and nodding assent and pleasure. It was for Eric an hour of
deep and quiet happiness, laden with the memories of his home.
And not less beaming were Roland's eyes, as he asked:--
"And didn't she speak of me?"
"Almost more than of her own son," Bella answered. And then she turned
again to Eric, and could not say enough of the impression which had
been made upon her by the sight of a woman like his mother, who, living
in another world, yet retained such an interest in this; who, having
given up so much, yet possessed everything in herself.
Clodwig smiled, for Bella was repeating the very words he had used; but
she continued,--"I think I never understood you, Captain, until I had
the happiness of meeting your noble mother. We agreed to write to each
other, from time to time, although she absolved me on the spot from any
feeling of obligation to do so."
More and more happy, and at home, did Eric feel with Clodwig and Bella,
and it seemed as though the spirit of his mother was lingering near
them with a benediction.
"But we must not forget your aunt!" Clodwig exclaimed, and then went on
to say that he had renewed an old acquaintance with her; he remembered
well the dazzling beauty of Fraeulein Dournay, and what an excitement
was produced when she, a citizen's daughter, was presented at court,
and invited everywhere. The story went that she and Prince Hermann, who
died in his youth, had loved each other with the purest love, and, for
his sake, she had refused all offers of marriage; but of this Clodwig
did not speak.
As they were walking in the garden after dinner, Bella said to
Eric:--"You have had a very beautiful, happy youth; but one thing was
wanting."
"What is that?"
"A sister."
"I would be glad to think that she had come to me," Eric replied, in a
low voice.
Bella looked down, for a minute, and then called Roland to her. They
went on to the castle, and Clodwig begged the Architect, for the sake
of his young friend, Roland, to be very careful whenever traces of
further remains were discovered.
The company sat down on a projection of the castle-wall, where the
Major had made a comfortable seat. Clodwig and Roland were together,
and Bella and Eric were sitting at a little distance from them. She was
inclined to be romantic. She had brought from Paris all the new
fashions, but now she said to Eric, How foolishly we burden ourselves
with superfluities! Then, without any apparent cause, she remarked,
that everybody thought she was fond of display and fashion; but she
would like best to live in a little fisherman's hut, on the Rhine, in
one quiet room, with a bright fire.
"And who would make this fire?" Eric inquired.
Bella started at this question. "We must not be romantic," said she.
Then I there was a long pause.
At last Eric began. "You have learned to know my mother; if you had
known my father, you would have found great pleasure in him too."
"I did know him, but I thank you; I understand that you would have me
share all that is yours." There was a heartfelt expression in her
voice, and her eyes beamed, and she fixed them upon Eric with such a
look, that he turned his own away. Biting her lip, she continued: "You
have seen,--yes, you have certainly noticed how I look at you. Now I
must fulfil one of Clodwig's wishes, because I think that perhaps I may
succeed. He wants me to take your likeness, and I will try; but I must
have your young friend with you. Roland, come here," she called, as she
saw the boy approaching; and then she explained, with blushes
overspreading her face, that she had wished to surprise Clodwig with
the portrait on his birthday, but that that was impossible now, and she
must do it openly.
"Please, Roland, sit down on the Captain's knee. So,--yes, just
so,--put your right hand on his shoulder, but farther forward. Yes; now
put your head a little more to the left. Pray say something, Captain.
You must be telling Roland something."
"I've nothing to say," replied Eric, smiling.
"That will do; I see the motion of your lips; it will be difficult, but
I hope to catch it. When will you sit to me?"
Clodwig was delighted, and said he never liked surprises; a
well-prepared and long-expected pleasure was much more desirable. He
urged Eric and Roland to be his guests at Wolfsgarten, until the family
should come back. But Eric declined with equal friendliness and
firmness; he did not like to disarrange the daily routine which he had
laid out for Roland; and Clodwig approved of his resolution, and
promised to come again soon to the villa with Bella, and have the
portrait taken there. Bella wished a photograph of Eric and Roland in
the positions she had chosen for them, but Clodwig said that a portrait
taken with the help of a photograph was always stiff and unnatural; he
condemned photographs of human figures, of which they could give only
the mere form, and often wholly out of drawing. Roland had a word to
say also, in regard to the picture. Why not have Griffin in it? Clodwig
agreed, saying the dog would make a very good foreground.
Bella was out of humor. She had enjoyed companionship and gaiety so
long, that she was reluctant to go back to her lonely life among the
antiquities; perhaps there were further unacknowledged reasons for her
regrets. The visit to Eric and Roland was a welcome reprieve to her;
but the proud Captain was so reserved, and had always some great
principle so ready to apply to even the smallest action, and her
husband--his worst weakness was beginning to show itself, the doting
fondness of old age--whenever the Captain spoke, Clodwig was wholly
absorbed in the young man.
Her features seemed suddenly to become thin and faded, and to lose all
roundness. She noticed this, and recovered her self-control. She was
especially friendly, and when Eric took leave of her and kissed her
hand, he thought he felt a returning pressure on his lips, but perhaps
it was a mistake, or arose from some awkwardness on his part. While he
was thinking about it, Roland said,--
"I don't know why, but I did not feel comfortable while the Countess
was looking at me, did you? and she looked at you so strangely."
"It was the critical look of an artist," answered Eric; but his own
words choked him. Who knew whether this reply was the exact truth?