"But such a constant change of masters must operate very prejudicially upon the children themselves," said Werner.
"Certainly it does. But the masters must have a better provision made for them, if they are to be expected not to throw up their employment as soon as anything better may offer! We are not in Germany, where a poor schoolmaster must put up with his lot, because he cannot hope to earn his bread in any other way, and where, if the attempt should fail, his return would remain closed from him for an endless time. If I were to accept a situation as dancing-master to-morrow, or were to go upon the stage, or take to performing conjuring tricks, it would be a very trifling obstacle, if, indeed, it would be one at all, to my becoming a schoolmaster again!"
"Are the schools all established on the same system as this one?" asked Werner.
Schwarz laughed. "Speak out what you meant to say!—established without any system at all, like this! Why we certainly cannot require better things, in summer, in New Orleans. In winter, my class is—or rather, was—three times as well attended; the lessons are regularly heard, and order prevails. But during the summer, everything slumbers—and in four weeks from this time the city, whose commercial activity now seems boundless and inexhaustible, will look like a protestant church on a week day! But we are wasting time here! We will pass the heat of the day at my house, and towards evening stroll through the town. Then it is that it shows itself in its splendour, and that one can understand the possibility of there being people who, notwithstanding the annual return of the plague-like yellow fever, yet bid defiance to the infection and to their fears, in order to live in New Orleans."
Helldorf got through a good deal of his business on this day, and Werner, in the meantime, remained in Schwarz's company, where he soon discovered that he too was intending to bid adieu to town life, and—to become a farmer in the woods of the West.
"As soon as I once forsake New Orleans," said he, "I shall never return to it. I have got through one year safely—to remain a second would be to tempt Providence; the two hundred dollars that I have been able to save will found myself a home."
"Two hundred dollars! How is it possible; why, with that you cannot buy even the most needful things."
"Oh, yes," answered Schwarz, with a smile; "you don't want much in the woods; if you like to come along with me, I will give you some practical instructions in the matter. You may still profit from a schoolmaster."
"And do you really believe that with two hundred dollars——"
"Not you," interrupted Schwarz; "not a newly arrived emigrant; unless, indeed, he follow reasonable counsel and instruction; but with those it is possible even for him; but, in that case, he does not succeed upon the strength of his two hundred dollars alone, but makes use of the premium, also, which his advisers have paid; in my own case, that amounted to seven hundred dollars—quite a decent little fund."