Eric interposed no questions, for he knew that she would reach the goal, even if she took a roundabout way. The Mother continued:—
"I have the feeling that I must bring something to pass; I cannot be forever a passive recipient; and here is the special danger of riches. The rich look upon themselves as guests in this world; they themselves have nothing to do, and others must do everything for them. I tell thee; my dear son, that I cannot stand it, I must do something. You men, you can work, create, influence, and renew your life by what you do, while we women can only recreate and restore our life by loving."
Eric suggested that she accomplished her part by simply being, but the Mother very energetically responded:—
"I am always vexed with Schiller for this: he should not have said, it isn't like him to write, 'Ordinary natures pay with what they do; noble ones with what they are.' That sounds like a carte blanche for all do-nothings, with or without coronets upon their seals."
Eric held up to her the satisfaction arising from her influence upon Frau Ceres; but the Mother shook her head without any remark.
She had placed great hopes in that, but such an enigmatical and incomprehensible person was presented to her view, that she seemed to herself wholly useless. She would not acknowledge to her son that the house had something oppressive to her; that the family had all its glory and pride in external possessions, so that everything here appeared external, directed by alien hands, and altogether destitute of any strength developed from within.
Fräulein Perini spoke always of Frau Ceres as "the dear sufferer." From what was Frau Ceres suffering?
The Professorin had once lightly touched upon the thought how greatly Frau Ceres must miss her daughter; when, with eyes sparkling like those of a snake as it suddenly darts up its head, she sent Fräulein Perini, who was at hand, into the garden; she then said to the Professorin, looking timidly round:—
"He is not to blame; I, only I. I wished to punish him when I said that to my child; but I did not mean she should go away."
The Professorin begged that she would confide the whole to her, but Frau Ceres laughed like a person wholly beside herself.