登陆注册
15679900000009

第9章 CHAPTER II IN WHICH THE PRINCE PLAYS HAROUN-AL-RAS

`If you will have the papers drawn, you may even burthen the purchase with your interest,' said Otto. `Let it be assured to you through life.'

`Your friend, sir,' insinuated Killian, `would not, perhaps, care to make the interest reversible? Fritz is a good lad.'

`Fritz is young,' said the Prince dryly; `he must earn consideration, not inherit.'

`He has long worked upon the place, sir,' insisted Mr. Gottesheim;

`and at my great age, for I am seventy-eight come harvest, it would be a troublesome thought to the proprietor how to fill my shoes. It would be a care spared to assure yourself of Fritz. And I believe he might be tempted by a permanency.'

`The young man has unsettled views,' returned Otto.

`Possibly the purchaser -- ' began Killian.

A little spot of anger burned in Otto's cheek. `I am the purchaser,' he said.

`It was what I might have guessed,' replied the farmer, bowing with an aged, obsequious dignity. `You have made an old man very happy; and I may say, indeed, that I have entertained an angel unawares. Sir, the great people of this world -- and by that I mean those who are great in station -- if they had only hearts like yours, how they would make the fires burn and the poor sing!'

`I would not judge them hardly, sir,' said Otto. `We all have our frailties.'

`Truly, sir,' said Mr. Gottesheim, with unction. `And by what name, sir, am I to address my generous landlord?'

The double recollection of an English traveller, whom he had received the week before at court, and of an old English rogue called Transome, whom he had known in youth, came pertinently to the Prince's help. `Transome,' he answered, `is my name. I am an English traveller. It is, to-day, Tuesday.

On Thursday, before noon, the money shall be ready. Let us meet, if you please, in Mittwalden, at the "Morning Star."'

`I am, in all things lawful, your servant to command,' replied the farmer. `An Englishman! You are a great race of travellers. And has your lordship some experience of land?'

`I have had some interest of the kind before,' returned the Prince;

`not in Gerolstein, indeed. But fortune, as you say, turns the wheel, and I desire to be beforehand with her revolutions.'

`Very right, sir, I am sure,' said Mr. Killian.

They had been strolling with deliberation; but they were now drawing near to the farmhouse, mounting by the trellised pathway to the level of the meadow. A little before them, the sound of voices had been some while audible, and now grew louder and more distinct with every step of their advance. Presently, when they emerged upon the top of the bank, they beheld Fritz and Ottilia some way off; he, very black and bloodshot, emphasising his hoarse speech with the smacking of his fist against his palm; she, standing a little way off in blowsy, voluble distress.

`Dear me!' said Mr. Gottesheim, and made as if he would turn aside.

But Otto went straight towards the lovers, in whose dissension he believed himself to have a share. And, indeed, as soon as he had seen the Prince, Fritz had stood tragic, as if awaiting and defying his approach.

`O, here you are!' he cried, as soon as they were near enough for easy speech. `You are a man at least, and must reply. What were you after? Why were you two skulking in the bush? God!' he broke out, turning again upon Ottilia, `to think that I should waste my heart on you!'

`I beg your pardon,' Otto cut in. `You were addressing me. In virtue of what circumstance am I to render you an account of this young lady's conduct? Are you her father? her brother? her husband?'

`O, sir, you know as well as I,' returned the peasant. `We keep company, she and I. I love her, and she is by way of loving me; but all shall be above-board, I would have her to know. I have a good pride of my own.'

`Why, I perceive I must explain to you what love is,' said Otto.

`Its measure is kindness. It is very possible that you are proud; but she, too, may have some self-esteem; I do not speak for myself. And perhaps, if your own doings were so curiously examined, you might find it inconvenient to reply.'

`These are all set-offs,' said the young man. `You know very well that a man is a man, and a woman only a woman. That holds good all over, up and down. I ask you a question, I ask it again, and here I stand.' He drew a mark and toed it.

`When you have studied liberal doctrines somewhat deeper,' said the Prince, `you will perhaps change your note. You are a man of false weights and measures, my young friend. You have one scale for women, another for men; one for princes, and one for farmer-folk. On the prince who neglects his wife you can be most severe. But what of the lover who insults his mistress? You use the name of love. I should think this lady might very fairly ask to be delivered from love of such a nature. For if I, a stranger, had been one-tenth part so gross and so discourteous, you would most righteously have broke my head. It would have been in your part, as lover, to protect her from such insolence. Protect her first, then, from yourself.'

`Ay,' quoth Mr. Gottesheim, who had been looking on with his hands behind his tall old back, `ay, that's Scripture truth.'

Fritz was staggered, not only by the Prince's imperturbable superiority of manner, but by a glimmering consciousness that he himself was in the wrong. The appeal to liberal doctrines had, besides, unmanned him.

`Well,' said he, `if I was rude, I'll own to it. I meant no ill, and did nothing out of my just rights; but I am above all these old vulgar notions too; and if I spoke sharp, I'll ask her pardon.'

`Freely granted, Fritz,' said Ottilia.

`But all this doesn't answer me,' cried Fritz. `I ask what you two spoke about. She says she promised not to tell; well, then, I mean to know. Civility is civility, but I'll be no man's gull. I have a right to common justice, if I do keep company!'

`If you will ask Mr. Gottesheim,' replied Otto, `you will find I have not spent my hours in idleness. I have, since I arose this morning, agreed to buy the farm. So far I will go to satisfy a curiosity which I condemn.'

同类推荐
  • 肇论

    肇论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 至言总卷

    至言总卷

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 无上依经

    无上依经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 根本说一切有部毗奈耶皮革事

    根本说一切有部毗奈耶皮革事

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 甘疯子传

    甘疯子传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 有情常伴无情泪

    有情常伴无情泪

    雪,本是凝成霜的雨,未曾想,雨也是流着泪的冰。芸芸众生中,红尘俗世里,那一抹温柔,恰似一缕阳光照进心扉,却奈何峥嵘岁月,诉说着,有情有时也有泪,无情常伴有情时……
  • 魔刃传说

    魔刃传说

    凡人少年王冲,在成为九运宗采药杂役的第二天,捡到了一把神秘短刀。从此,奇遇不断,步步升仙。******《魔刃传说》1群:571917495
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、
  • 麦格儿

    麦格儿

    会不会有人对一个名字念念不忘?他遇见三个不同的女人,她们是她吗?她们只是和她名字相似而已!没有人可以代替她,唯一的她!
  • 异界之天灾军团

    异界之天灾军团

    北风呼啸,陈琛独自站在他命名为纳克萨玛斯的战争堡垒上,面无表情的看着地面无数的骷髅、憎恶、死亡骑士,天空中黑压压的石像鬼、冰霜巨龙,占领一座有一座城池,内心毫无动摇之念,只为那心中的一丝执念。
  • 青楼女子逆翻天:邪魅世子追妻记

    青楼女子逆翻天:邪魅世子追妻记

    前世,她,沧月帝国左丞相嫡女,父亲为左丞相,母亲为护国大将军独女,本是天之娇女,只因十三岁那年因母亲失踪,错信姨娘,疏远了本疼爱自己的亲人,与渣男成婚当日,遭庶妹一条白绫勒死,死前得知所有真相,悔不当初……今世,有缘涅槃重生,誓要将前世欠她的统统拿回来,姨娘陷害,原封不动的还回去;庶妹欲想毁自己清白,怎么动我怎么还回去;渣男求婚,霸气一言:“有多远滚多远……”————————[本文纯属虚构,若有雷同,敬请见谅]
  • 爱你信么

    爱你信么

    她,集万千宠爱于一身。他,除了毒跟嫖什么都沾。当校花遇上流氓。
  • 逝去的青葱岁月

    逝去的青葱岁月

    每个人都有自己的故事,有痛苦、有快乐、有悲伤、有甜蜜。往事不会忘记,更不会消失。水晶能否把她的故事说完,现在我还不得而知,只能偶尔陪陪她,听她述说那些年的人和事,希望从她的樱桃小口里探索出值得我们追逐的青春爱情。不管是美好的结局还是悲凉的现实,但愿你和我共同期待~
  • 跨越千年闯情关

    跨越千年闯情关

    就因这长了个熊猫眼一般的胎记,整整二十八岁的她还没谈过恋爱,一个夏天的傍晚,她离开了这个五彩缤纷的时代,跨越千年,她依然有着太多的无奈,那些美好的憧憬,也只能在心底深理,虽然有一个非常爱她的将军大少,可她的记忆却不能接受那分纯真的爱,尽管那个人爱得她天昏地暗死去活来,她依然没有改变记忆中的心态,最后,她选择了离开,到一个非常遥远的地方去寻找属于她的幸福和属于她的爱——
  • 慕雨羡与诸葛嫣然

    慕雨羡与诸葛嫣然

    一本描写”90后“这个特殊群体的当代青春小说