Yesterday I wandered the whole day among the mountains, and even
ascended the Zahn. On the way I asked myself a dozen times: Why art
thou climbing up here, thou old child? Upon the summit I shall find the
answer, I thought. I saw the kingdom of the Alps. I gazed into the
blue depths of the glen below where by the black sheet of water stands
the manor-house. I strained my eyes toward the south, my eyes already
weak, but--it was all in vain. As often as I have climbed up there, I
have never, never yet beheld the sea.
They say it is visible on a clear winter day. Besides this sight, I have
nothing more to wish for now; but that one thing I still desire.
In descending I gathered a bunch of Alpine roses, _Edelweiss_,
spikenard, arnica, and other flowers and plants and pinned them on the
front of my hat, like a love-sick lad. For whom art thou taking home
the nosegay? For wife and child? Ah, thou stupid old man!
But when I am away from her, as I was up there on the Alm, I see that
she is still lovely. She will surely accept a bouquet of Alpine roses
from me. I will be polite and not force it upon her. Had I but a
single drop of old Ruepel's blood in my veins, I would recite a poem
appropriate to the flowers! These were my thoughts; it is astonishing
that I am still so daring!
When I reached Lauterhoehe, I seated myself under a tree to rest. My
meditations were suddenly interrupted by something pulling at my hat; I
turned to see what had disturbed me. A brown cow stood there chewing my
mountain nosegay.
I started up, about to strike the stupid animal with my stick, when it
occurred to me: Good creature, perhaps my flowers have given you more
pleasure than they would afford her, so God bless them to you! She will
drink your nourishing milk as a recompense.
As, late in the evening, I came down to the village, her windows were
brightly lighted.
One of the lady's servants, Jacob, is a jack-at-all-trades. He is
exceedingly clever, can play on musical instruments, do tailoring, make
shoes and draw, and finally he has even made a drawing of me. I did not
wish to sit for it, but he contrived, until at last, dressed in all my
finery, I took my seat on the block of wood yonder. After having made
the sketch, he then painted it in colours, the result being most
remarkable. The red neckerchief was particularly well done.
He has given me the picture, which I look at in the privacy of my room;
but the school children must not see it!