CHAPTER XXXVII.
Young Jochen went with Young Bauschan up and down the yard, and stopped frequently to rub his head, as if there were something he did not rightly understand. Bauschan also stood still, looked at Jochen, wagged his tail rather doubtfully, and sank back into his own gloomy thoughts about the co-regency. Rudolph came out.
"God bless you, father, are you up already?"
"Yes, Rudolph, it is because of the old geese,"--he had something more to say, but was not quite ready with it, and Rudolph said:
"Well, father, never mind the old story; but I am glad you are up so early this morning, you can tell the bailiff what the people are to do; I did not go over to the Pumpelhagen boundary yesterday, I will run over, and see how they are getting on with the ploughing. We are to do just as we did yesterday, manuring the potato-land."
"Yes, Rudolph, but----"
"Yes, father, you will find it all right; I must hurry, to get back in time," and he was off.
Jochen walked up and down again; the day-laborers, meanwhile, were coming into the yard, and the bailiff, Kalsow, came up to Jochen.
"Kalsow," said he, "let the people all come together here, in a heap," and with that he and Bauschan went into the house. The day-laborers, the housewives, and the farm-people all stood in a group before the house, and asked, "What are we to do?"
"I don't know," said Kalsow, the bailiff.
"Well, go in and ask him then!" Kalsow went in. Young Jochen was walking up and down the room, with Bauschan at his heels, for young Jochen had kept on his cap, and that was a token to Bauschan that his attendance was required.
"Herr," said Kalsow, "the people are all there."
"Good!" said Jochen.
"What shall we do?" asked Kalsow.
"Wait," said Jochen.
Kalsow went out, gave the people orders, and they waited. After a little while, he came in again.
"Herr, they are waiting."
"Good!" said Jochen. "Tell them to wait a little longer, I am going to make them a speech presently."
Kalsow went back, and said they must keep waiting, the Herr would make them a speech presently.
The people waited; but, as nothing came of it, Krischan the coachman said, "Kalsow, I know him, go in and remind him of it."
So Kalsow went in again; and said, "Well, Herr, how is it about the speech?"
"Thunder and lightning!" cried Jochen, "do you suppose thoughts grow on my shoulders?"
Bailiff Kalsow was frightened; he went back to the people, saying, "That was of no use, he was angry with me; we must wait."
"God bless me!" said Frau Nüssler to herself, in her store-room, where she was putting things in order, "what does it mean, that the people are all standing before the house?" and opening the window she called out, "what are you standing here for?"
"Eh, Frau, we are standing here waiting."
"What are you waiting for?"
"Eh, Frau, we don't know; the Herr is going to make us a speech."
"Who?" asked Frau Nüssler.
"The Herr," said Kalsow.
"What is he going to make?" asked Frau Nüssler.
"A speech," said Kalsow.
"He must be going crazy," exclaimed Fran Nüssler, dropping the window, and, running in to Jochen, she seized him by the arm, and shook him, as if to bring him to his senses.
"What do you want to do? Make a speech? What are you going to make a speech about? About me, or about Rudolph and Mining?"
"Mother," said Jochen,--but he said it firmly,--"about the geese."
"God have mercy on you," said Frau Nüssler, quite beside herself, "if you say another word to me about the geese!"
"What?" cried Jochen, setting himself up, far the first time in his life, against his wife. "Cannot I make a speech? They all make speeches, Herr von Rambow makes speeches, Pomuchelskopp, Bräsig talks in the Reform-what? am I not good enough?"--and he brought down his fist on the table,--"wife, am I not master? And shall I not talk about my geese?"
Frau Nüssler turned quite pale, stood there stiffly, looking Jochen in the eye, but said not a word, pressed one hand against her heart, and felt with the other after the door-latch behind her, and when she found it opened the door, and went out backwards, still with her eyes fastened upon Jochen,--as a lion-tamer does, when he sees that the beast has lost its respect for him. But, when she was outside, she threw herself down on a bench in the hall, and began to cry and sob terribly. Yes, the year 1848 was a dreadful year, no government was secure; even in this, open revolt had broken out.
Bräsig came down stairs, singing and whistling; but how suddenly he ceased, when he saw his old treasure in her grief!
"May you keep the nose on your face! What has happened? At this time of day, Frau Nüssler, half-past six, do you sit down and cry?" With that he threw himself on the bench beside her, and tried to pull away the apron from her face. Frau Nüssler pushed away his hands. "Frau Nüssler, I beg you, for God's sake, tell me what is the matter."
At last Frau Nüssler said, with a heavy sigh, "Jochen!"
"Good heavens!" cried Bräsig, "he was perfectly well yesterday. Is he dead?"
"No indeed;" cried Frau Nüssler, taking away the apron, and turning her red eyes upon Bräsig, "but he has gone crazy!"
"God forbid!" exclaimed Bräsig, springing to his feet, "what has he been doing?"
"He is going to make a speech."
"What? Young Jochen make a speech? That is a bad sign!"
"Oh, Lord! Oh, Lord!" lamented Frau Nüssler, "and the laborers are all standing out in the yard, and he has turned me out of the room, I don't know how I came here."
"This is going to extremes!" cried Bräsig, "but compose yourself, Frau Nüssler, I am not afraid of him, I will venture to go in." And he entered the room.
Jochen was walking up and down, rubbing his head. Bräsig sat down near the door, and followed him with his eyes, but did not speak; on the other side of the room sat Bauschan, who also followed his master with his eyes, but did not speak,--it was a very serious business, at least for Jochen and for Bräsig; Bauschan was tolerably composed. At last, Bräsig asked very gently:
"What is the matter, Jochen?"
"I don't know," said Jochen, "my head is so confused; my thoughts are running every way, as when one shakes up a bushel of oats."
"I believe you, Jochen, I believe you," said Bräsig, and looked after him again, as he walked up and down. All at once Jochen stood still, and exclaimed angrily, "How the devil can I think of a speech, with both of you looking at me like that!"
"So! Do you want to make a speech? What do you want to make a speech for?"
"Bräsig, am I any worse than other people? Are my laborers worse than other people's laborers? They want their satisfaction, in these hard times; but I am not exactly fitted for it, the business is too much for me; you are quicker-witted, do me a favor, and make one for me."
"Why not?" said Bräsig, "if it is to do you a favor; but you mustn't disturb me!" and now Bräsig walked up and down the room, and Jochen sat still, and looked at him.
Suddenly the Herr Inspector opened the window, and called: "All come up here!" The day-laborers came up.
"Fellow-citizens!" began Bräsig; but--bang!--he shut down the window: "Thunder and lightning, that won't do! They are only day-laborers, one can't talk to them as if they were burghers! And now you see, Jochen, how difficult it is to make a speech, and will you meddle with a business, for which even I am not prepared?"
"Yes, Bräsig, but----"
"Be still, Jochen, I know what you are going to say." He went to the window, opened it again, and said, "Children, each one go to his work, for to-day; there will be no speech to-day."
"Well, that is all the same to us," said Kalsow, "but the Herr---"
"He has been thinking about it," interrupted Bräsig, "and he has decided that the spring is too early for it; by and by, at harvest, he will make you a fine one."
"Yes," said Kalsow, "that is the best way. Come then, people!" and they went to their labor.
But now, as the coast was clear, Bräsig turned towards Jochen, and all the dignity, which his body was capable of expressing, was shown in his manner to Jochen, and all the influence he had exercised upon Jochen, in years past, now centered upon the poor kammerpächter, as he said, "What? They call you crazy? You are no more crazy than Bauschan and I; but you are foolish. Why did your dear--I mean blessed--I mean cursed--parents bring you into the world? To make speeches, and frighten your dear wife out or her wits, who has nourished you at her bosom this five and twenty years, like a new-born child? Come with me, this moment, and beg her pardon, and tell her you will never do so again!"
And Jochen would have done so; but he was spared the apology, at least in the manner which Bräsig demanded, for Frau Nüssler entered the room:
"Jochen, Jochen! How you distress me!"
"Eh, mother----"
"Jochen, you will be the death of me!"
"With your good-for-nothing speeches," interposed Bräsig.
"Mother, I will not---"
"Ah, Jochen, I believe you will not do it this morning; but you have set yourself up, you shall see, it will happen again."
Jochen said no, he had had enough of it.
"God grant it!" said Frau Nüssler, "and that you may see that I can give up, too; for all me, Rudolph may be married to-morrow."
"So," said Bräsig, "now there is peace in the house again! now everything is in order, now give each other a kiss! One more, Jochen, that the left side of your mouth need not come short."
This was done, and Uncle Bräsig trotted off directly to Gurlitz, that he might inform his little goddaughter Mining of her happy prospects. He took the nearest foot-path, and that was the one which the Herr Proprietor Muchel had stopped up, that it might not be public any longer; but he had not succeeded in his design, for Gottlieb, at Bräsig's suggestion, had opposed it, and had gained the suit.
As Bräsig went along this path, he met the Herr Proprietor coming towards him, with a very friendly face in the distance, and as he came nearer he said, "Good-morning, my dear----" but he got no further, for Bräsig turned upon him, and without looking him in the face said, "A certain person was going to have my boots pulled off, and let me hop about with bare legs, like a crow;" and with that, he passed on, without looking round.
And when he had discharged his errand to Mining, at Gurlitz, and, after great rejoicing with his little rogues, Lining begged him to spend the day with them, although he must excuse Gottlieb, since it was Saturday, and he must write his sermon, he said, "Frau Pastorin Lining, every one has his business, and if the Herr Pastor Gottlieb has a sermon to make, why shouldn't I have one, too? For I must go to the Reform this evening;" and so he went back to Rahnstadt.