"In vain his beet endeavors were;Dull was the evening, and duller grew."--LUDOLF SCHLEF."Seest thou how its little life The bird hides in the wood?Wilt thou be my little wife-- Then do it soon. Good!--A bridegroom am I."--Arion.
Close beside St. Knud's Church, where once the convent stood, isnow the dwelling of a private man. [Author's Note: See Oehlenschlé‹‘er'sJorney to Funen.] The excellent hostess here, who once charmed thepublic on the Danish stage as Ida Munster, awaited the family to dinner.
After dinner they wandered up and down the garden, which extendedto the Odense River.
In the dusk of evening Otto went to visit the German Heinrich; hehad mentioned it to Louise, and she promised to divert attention fromhim whilst he was away.
The company took coffee in the garden-house; Otto walked in deepthought in the avenue by the side of the river. The beautiful scenebefore him riveted his eye. Close beside lay a water-mill, over thetwo great wheels of which poured the river white as milk. Behindthis was thrown a bridge, over which people walked and drove. Thejourneyman-miller stood upon the balcony, and whistled an air. Itwas such a picture as Christian Winther and Uhland give in theirpicturesque poems. On the other side of the mill arose tall poplarshalf-buried in the green meadow, in which stood the nunnery; a nunhad once drowned herself where now the red daisies grow.
A strong sunlight lit up the whole scene. All was repose and summerwarmth. Suddenly Otto's ear caught the deep and powerful tones ofan organ; he turned himself round. The tones, which went to hisheart, came from St. Knud's Church, which lay close beside thegarden. The sunshine of the landscape, and the strength of themusic, gave, as it were, to him light and strength for the darknesstoward which he was so soon to go.
The sun set; and Otto went alone across the market-place toward theold corner house, where German Heinrich practiced his arts. Uponthis place stood St. Albani's Church, where St. Knud, betrayed byhis servant Blake, [Author's Note: Whence has arisen the popularexpression of "being a false Blake."] was killed by the tumultuousrebels. The common people believe that from one of the deep cellarsunder this house proceeds a subterranean passage to the so-called"Nun's Hill." At midnight the neighboring inhabitants still hear aroaring under the marketplace, as if of the sudden falling of acascade. The better informed explain it as being a concealednatural water-course, which has a connection with the neighboringriver. In our time the old house is become a manufactory; thebroken windows, the gaps of which are repaired either with slips ofwood or with paper, the quantity of human bones which are found inthe garden, and which remain from the time when this was a church-yard,give to the whole place a peculiar interest to the common people ofOdense.
Entering the house at the front, it is on the same level as themarket-place; the back of the house, on the contrary, descendsprecipitously into the garden, where there are thick old walls andfoundations. The situation is thus quite romantic; just beside itis the old nunnery, with its dentated gables, and not far off theruins, in whose depths the common people believe that there residesan evil being, "the river-man," who annually demands his humansacrifice, which he announces the night before. Behind this liemeadows, villas, and green woods.
On the other side of the court, in a back gate-way, German Heinrichhad set up his theatre. The entrance cost eight skillings; peopleof condition paid according to their own will.
Otto entered during the representation. A cloth constituted thewhole scenic arrangement. In the middle of the floor sat a horriblegoblin, with a coal-black Moorish countenance and crispy hair uponits head. An old bed-cover concealed the figure, yet one saw thatit was that of a woman.
The audience consisted of peasants and street boys. Otto kepthimself in the background, and remained unobserved by Heinrich.
The representation was soon at an end, and the crowd dispersed. Itwas then that Otto first came forward.
"We must speak a few words together!" said he. "Heinrich, you havenot acted honestly by me! The girl is not that which yourepresented her to be; you have deceived me: I demand anexplanation!"
German Heinrich stood silent, but every feature eloquentlyexpressed first amazement, and then slyness and cunning; hisknavish, malicious eye, measured Otto from top to toe.
"Nay; so then, Mr. Thostrup, you are convinced, are you, that Ihave been cheating you?" said he. "If so, why do you come to me? Inthat case there needs no explanation. Ask herself there!" And sosaying he pointed to the black-painted figure.
"Do not be too proud, Otto!" said she, smiling; "thou couldst yetrecognize thy sister, although she has a little black paint on herface!"
Otto riveted a dark, indignant glance upon her, pressed his lipstogether, and tried to collect himself. "It is my firm determinationto have the whole affair searched into," said he, with constrainedcalmness.
"Yes, but it will bring you some disagreeables!" said Heinrich, andlaughed scornfully.
"Do not laugh in that manner when I speak to you!" said Otto, withflushing cheeks.
Heinrich leaned himself calmly against the door which led into thegarden.
"I am acquainted with the head of the police," said Otto, "and Imight leave the whole business in his hands. But I have chosen amilder way; I am come myself. I shall very soon leave Denmark; Ishall go many hundred miles hence shall, probably, never return;and thus you see the principal ground for my coming to you is awhim: I will know wherefore you have deceived me; I will know whatis the connection between you and her."
"Nay; so, then, it is that that you want to know?" said Heinrich,with a malicious glance. "Yes, see you, she is my best beloved; sheshall be my wife: but your sister she is for all that, and thatremains so!"
"Thou couldst easily give me a little before thou settest off onthy journey!" said Sidsel, who seemed excited by Heinrich's words,and put forth her painted face.
Otto glanced at her with contracted eyebrows.
"Yes," said she, "I say 'thou' to thee: thou must accustom thyselfto that! A sister may have, however, that little bit of pleasure!"
"Yes, you should give her your hand!" said Heinrich, and laughed.
"Wretch!" exclaimed Otto, "she is not that which you say! I willfind out my real sister! I will have proof in hand of the truth! Iwill show myself as a brother; I will care for her future! Bring tome her baptismal register; bring to me one only attestation of itsreality--and that before eight days are past! Here is my address,it is the envelope of a letter; inclose in it the testimonial whichI require, and send it to me without delay. But prove it, or youare a greater villain than I took you for."
"Let us say a few rational words!" said Heinrich, with a constrained,fawning voice. "If you will give to me fifty rix-dollars, then youshall never have any more annoyance with us! See, that would be agreat deal more convenient."
"I abide by that which I have said!" answered Otto; "we will nothave any more conversation together!" And so saying, he turned himround to go out.
Heinrich seized him by the coat.
"What do you want?" inquired Otto.
"I mean," said Heinrich, "whether you are not going to think aboutthe fifty rix-dollars?"
"Villain!" cried Otto, and, with the veins swelling in hisforehead, he thrust Heinrich from him with such force, that he fellagainst the worm eaten door which led into the garden; the panel ofthe door fell out, and had not Heinrich seized fast hold on somefirm object with both his hands, he must have gone the same way.Otto stood for a moment silent, with flashing eyes, and threw theenvelope, on which his address was, at Heinrich's feet, and wentout.
When Otto returned to the hotel, he found the horses ready to beput to the carriage.
"Have you had good intelligence?" whispered Louise.
"I have in reality obtained no more than I had before!" replied he;"only my own feelings more strongly convince me than ever that Ihave been deceived by him."
He related to her the short conversation which had taken place.
The Kammerjunker's carriage was now also brought out; in this wasmore than sufficient room for two, whereas in the other carriagethey had been crowded. The Kammerjunker, therefore, besought thatthey would avail themselves of the more convenient seat which hecould offer; and Otto saw Sophie and her mother enter theKammerjunker's carriage. This arrangement would shortly before haveconfounded Otto, now it had much less effect upon him. His mind wasso much occupied by his visit to German Heinrich, his soul wasfilled with a bitterness, which for the moment repelled the impulsewhich he had felt to express his great love for Sophie.
"I have been made Heinrich's plaything--his tool!" thought he. "Nowhe ridicules me, and I am compelled to bear it! That horrible beingis not my sister!--she cannot be so!"
The street was now quiet. They mounted into the carriage. In thecorner house just opposite there was a great company; lightstreamed through the long curtains, a low tenor voice and a highringing soprano mingled together in Mozart's "Audiam, audiam, miobene."
"The bird may not flutter from my heart!" sighed Otto, and seatedhimself by the side of Louise. The carriage rolled away.
The full moon shone; the wild spiraea sent forth its odor from theroad side; steam ascended from the moor-lands; and the white mistfloated over the meadows like the daughters of the elfin king.
Louise sat silent and embarrassed; trouble weighed down her heart.Otto was also silent.
The Kammerjunker drove in first, cracked his whip, and struck up awild halloo.
Wilhelm began to sing, "Charming the summer night," and theKammerjunker joined in with him.
"Sing with us man," cried Wilhelm to the silent Otto, and quicklythe two companies were one singing caravan.
It was late when they reached the hall.