“I am lucky to find you, Mr. Lesa. I’d like to do some business with you. My name is Delrick, and I came from Dresden. I am stopping in the baths of Leuk, where there are too many people for my taste. As I want to stay in the neighborhood, I am looking for a quiet home to live in for a few weeks. When Mr. Thornau told me about yours I came to see it myself. I cannot help wishing that you would take me as a boarder.”
“I live here with my wife and child and I take in no strangers,” Mr. Lesa replied curtly.
“You are right,” Mr. Delrick answered pleasantly. “If I were in your place I’d do the same.”
Lesa could not help looking at the stranger in astonishment. “I suppose then that our business is settled?”
“I am afraid so,” replied Mr. Delrick, “but I wish you could tell me another house where I could live. One as much like yours as possible, just as well situated and surrounded by such mighty trees. You have a picked estate, Mr. Lesa, and I realize that I can’t expect to find such order and care anywhere else.”
Mr. Lesa was visibly pleased that the gentleman had eyes enough to see that his home was kept differently from many others. But his wife really merited most of the praise for the condition of the yard and garden. He could not help thinking of her, sitting in the house and worrying about her boy. By now Vinzi had probably reached his cousins on the mountain. She had hardly spoken a word all day, and he was sorry for her. It might be a good plan to take this gentleman into the house to fill her loss. She had thought before of getting a room ready for boarders and as the stranger had made a most agreeable impression on him he felt not at all averse to the idea of spending his free evenings with such a man.
After reflecting he answered, “I can’t really think of any other place. But you might go in and speak to my wife—if she should agree to take you I won’t have any objections. May I attend to my work now?”
With this he offered his hand in farewell.
At this unexpected turn Mr. Delrick was most happy and surprised. Holding Lesa’s hand in his a moment he asked, “Do I understand you right, Mr. Lesa? Will you really be satisfied with whatever your wife decides to do?”
“Yes, I’ll be satisfied,” Lesa answered before turning about.