In the Summer House [pp. 129-138]

In the Summer-house.
left. If it had been suitable for a school
master, Timotheus could have laughed
and sung on his way to the summer-house.
Tomorrow he could stand at his window,
without being obliged to endure the sight of
this stroller.
But he would not merely give him notice
to leave: no-by virtue of his position, he
would warn him no longer to offend against
decency, and once for all to give up the silly
business of writing.
Dame Lerche found Hannchen in the
kitchen. She coughed three times and said:
"Richter is going away this very evening."
All the color left Hannchen's cheeks; she
tried to speak, but only a confused sound
escaped her lips. Her mother left the
kitchen and thought, "Heaven help us!
She really loves him. What a mercy that
it is as it is! That would have been a horrible story; that would indeed have been a
nail in my coffin!"
In the kitchen Hannchen sank on her
knees; she clasped her hands over her eyes,
and hot tears rolled through her cold fingers.
The master knocked at the door of the
little room where the student sat at work.
He arose and politely enquired, "How can
I serve you, sir?"
"I am Master Timotheus Baumgarten,
and I suppose you have already heard of me."
"No," was the candid answer.
The master twisted his mouth. "Well!
Yes, to people of your sort, our sort, it is
true, is not often known."
"What am I to understand by that, sir?"
"In short, you desire to be something extraordinary; but I, in virtue of my position
as Master, I tell you that you are a good-fornothing; for -"
"Sir! " roared the student.
"For a person who dresses like you, who
runs around as you do, to the extreme annoyance of respectable people, is precisely a
good-for-nothing. Young man, you should
be ashamed of yourself! I-in virtue of
my position I advise you to reflect. Think
of the consequences, and from this time
forth clothe yourself as becomes a decent
man."
Richter laughed. "If you had nothing
more to say to me, you might have spared
yourself the walk."
"Oh! I have not yet concluded; the
most important is yet to come. You write
books: what kind of books are they? I do
not know them. I will never read them;
but that your books are wretched stuff, that
is bomb-proof. Monsieur Richter, desist!
Listen diligently to your instructors, that
you may receive some knowledge, and make
your parents and fellow beings glad. For I
tell you, if you continue, you will bring down
sorrow upon the heads of your unfortunate
parents, and reputable men will avoid you
as they would a pestilence."
"And I tell you," said the student, who
could contain himself no longer, "that you
may pack yourself off this moment, or I will
show you!" He lifted his clenched hand.
"As soon as I have imparted to you the
mnatter of importance, I will go," answered
the master, retreating to the door, for the
clenched hand looked formidable. "I have
come with a message from Madame Lerche.
Madame Lerche insists that you leave this
place instantly-instantly! And if you are
seen here after fifteen minutes, Peter Wilm
will come and throw you head over heels.
Do you understand? Dixi!"
Richter trembled and staggered: it was
an evil dream. When he lifted his eyes
again, the school-master had disappeared.
Then everything was clear to him. Disgusting truth! What can he do against the
wishes of Madame Lerche? Nothing! He
went to the window, and took leave of the
trees, the flowers, and the mossy bank.
Then gathering togetherhis books, his clothes,
his pipe, with one last look, he left his paradise, thrust out by ignorance and misapprehension.
He returned to his gloomy little room in
the city, and wrote and wrote; and when
the second part of his " Grbnliindischen Processe" was finished, Herr Voss paid him
one hundred and twenty-five shining dollars. Fortunate Jean Paul Friedrich Richter! If all went well, he would surely be a
rich man! The first use he made of his
135
1885.]