stories by english authors in germany(旅德英国作家的故事)-第23章
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say when I remonstrated with him on the way home！ '/Why/；' says he； '/I
will put an end to Krumm！ I will abolish Krumm！ I will extinguish
Krumm！/' Now； madame； who is responsible for this？ Who had been
praising Franziska night and day as the sweetest； gentlest； cleverest girl in
the world； until this young man determines to have a flirtation with her
and astonish you？〃
〃A flirtation！〃 says Tita； faintly。 〃Oh no！ Oh； I never meant that。〃
〃Ask him just now； and he will tell you that women deserve no better。
They have no hearts； they are treacherous。 They have beautiful eyes； but
no conscience。 And so he means to take them as they are； and have his
measure of amusement。〃
〃Oh； I am sure he never said anything so abominably wicked；〃 cried
Tita； laying down the rose that Franziska had given her for her hair。 〃I
know he could not say such things。 But if he is so wickedif he has said
themit is not too late to interfere。 /I/ will see about it。〃
She drew herself up as if Jupiter had suddenly armed her with his
thunderbolts。 If Charlie had seen her at this moment he would have
quailed。 He might by chance have told the truth； and confessed that all the
wicked things he had been saying about woman's affection were only a
sort of rhetoric； and that he had no sort of intention to flirt with poor
Franziska； nor yet to extinguish and annihilate Dr。 Krumm。
The heartbroken boy was in very good spirits at dinner。 He was
inclined to wink。 Tita； on the contrary； maintained an impressive dignity of
demeanour； and when Franziska's name happened to be mentioned she
spoke of the young girl as her very particular friend； as though she would
dare Charlie to attempt a flirtation with one who held that honour。 But the
young man was either blind or reckless； or acting a part for mere mischief。
He pointed the finger of scorn at Dr。 Krumm。 He asked Tita if he should
bring her a yellow fox next day。 He declared he wished he could spend the
remainder of his life in a Black Forest Inn； with a napkin over his arm；
serving chopins。 He said he would brave the wrath of the Furst by
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shooting a capercailzie on the very first opportunity； to bring the shining
feathers home to Franziska。
When Tita and I went upstairs at night the small and gentle creature
was grievously perplexed。
〃I cannot make it out；〃 she said。 〃He is quite changed。 What is the
matter with him？〃
〃You behold； madam； in that young man the moral effects of vulpicide。
A demon has entered into him。 You remember； in 'Der Freischutz；' how〃
〃Did you say vulpicide？〃 she asks； with a sweet smile。 〃I understood
that Charlie's crime was that he did /not/ kill the fox。〃
I allow her the momentary triumph。 Who would grudge to a woman a
little verbal victory of that sort？ And； indeed； Tita's satisfaction did not last
long。 Her perplexity became visible on her face once more。
〃We are to be here three weeks；〃 she said； almost to herself； 〃and he
talks of flirting with poor Franziska。 Oh； I never meant that！〃
〃But what did you mean？〃 I ask her； with innocent wonder。
Tita hangs down her head； and there is an end to that conversation； but
one of us； at least； has some recollection of a Christmas wager。
IV CONFESSIO AMANTIS
Charlie was not in such good spirits next morning。 He was standing
outside the inn； in the sweet； resinous…scented air； watching Franziska
coming and going； with her bright face touched by the early sunlight； and
her frank and honest eyes lit up by a kindly look when she passed us。 His
conscience began to smite him for claiming that fox。
We spent the day in fishing a stream some few miles distant from
Huferschingen； and Franziska accompanied us。 What need to tell of our
success with the trout and the grayling； or of the beautiful weather； or of
the attentive and humble manner in which the unfortunate youth addressed
Franziska from time to time？
In the evening we drove back to Huferschingen。 It was a still and
beautiful evening； with the silence of the twilight falling over the lonely
valleys and the miles upon miles of darkening pines。 Charlie has not much
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of a voice； but he made an effort to sing with Tita：
〃The winds whistle cold and the stars glimmer red； The sheep are
in fold and the cattle in shed；〃
and the fine old glee sounded fairly well as we drove through the
gathering gloom of the forest。 But Tita sang； in her low； sweet fashion； that
Swedish bridal song that begins：
〃Oh； welcome her so fair； with bright and flowing hair； May Fate
through life befriend her； love and smiles attend her；〃
and though she sang quietly； just as if she were singing to herself； we
all listened with great attention； and with great gratitude too。 When we got
out of Huferschingen； the stars were out over the dark stretches of forest；
and the windows of the quaint old inn were burning brightly。
〃And have you enjoyed the amusement of the day？〃 says Miss Fahler；
rather shyly； to a certain young man who is emptying his creel of fish。 He
drops the basket to turn round and look at her face and say earnestly：
〃I have never spent so delightful a day； but it wasn't the fishing。〃
Things were becoming serious。
And next morning Charlie got hold of Tita； and said to her； in rather a
shamefaced way：
〃What am I to do about that fox？ It was only a joke； you know； but if
Miss Fahler gets to hear of it； she'll think it was rather shabby。〃
It was always Miss Fahler now； a couple of days before it was
Franziska。
〃For my part；〃 says Tita； 〃I can't understand why you did it。 What
honour is there in shooting a fox？〃
〃But I wanted to give the skin to her。〃
It was 〃her〃 by this time。
〃Well； I think the best thing you can do is to go and tell her all about it；
and also to go and apologise to Dr。 Krumm。〃
Charlie started。
〃I will go and tell her； certainly； but as for apologising to Krumm； that
is absurd！〃
〃As you please；〃 says Tita。
By…and…by Franziskaor rather Miss Fahlercame out of the small
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garden and round by the front of the house。
〃O Miss Fahler；〃 says Charlie； suddenly；and with that she stops and
blushes slightly；〃I've got something to say to you。 I am going to make a
confession。 Don't be frightened； it's only about a foxthe fox that was
brought home the day before yesterday； Dr。 Krumm shot that。〃
〃Indeed；〃 says Franziska； quite innocently； 〃I thought you shot it。〃
〃Well； I let them imagine so。 It was only a joke。〃
〃But it is of no matter； there are many yellow foxes。 Dr。 Krumm can
shoot them at another time； he is always here。 Perhaps you will shoot one
before you go。〃
With that Franziska passed into the house； carrying her fruit with her。
Charlie was left to revolve her words in his mind。 Dr。 Krumm could shoot
foxes when he chose； he was always here。 He； Charlie； on the contrary；
had to go away in little more than a fortnight。 There was no Franziska in
England； no pleasant driving through great pine woods in the gathering
twilight； no shooting of yellow foxes； to be brought home in triumph and
presented to a beautiful and grateful young woman。 Charlie walked along
the white road and overtook Tita； who had just sat down on a little camp…
stool； and got out the materials for taking a water…colour sketch of the
Huferschingen Valley。 He sat down at her feet on the warm grass。
〃I suppose I sha'n't interrupt your painting by talking to you？〃 he says。
〃Oh dear； no；〃 is the reply； and then he begins； in a somewhat
hesitating way； to ask indirect questions and drop hints and fish for
answers； just as if this small creature； who was busy with her sepias and
olive greens； did not see through all this transparent cunning。
At last she said to him； frankly：
〃You want me to tell you whether Franziska would make a good wife
for you。 She would make a good wife for any man。 But then you seem to
think that I should intermeddle and negotiate and become a go…between。
How can I do that。 My husband is always accusing me of trying to make
up matches； and you know that isn't true。〃
〃I know it isn't true；〃 says the hypocrite； 〃but you might only this once。
I believe all you say about this girl； I can see it for myself； and when shall
I ever have such a chance again？〃
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〃But dear me！〃 says Tita； putting down the white palette for a moment；
〃how can I believe you are in earnest？ You have only known her three
days。〃
〃And that is quite enough；〃 says Charlie； boldly； 〃to let you find out all
you want to know about a girl if she is of the right sort。 If she isn't you
won't find out in three years。 Now look at Franziska； look at the fine；
intelligent face and the honest eyes； you can have no doubt about her； and
then I have all the guarantee of your long acquaintance with her。〃
〃Oh；〃 says Tita； 〃that is all very well。 Franziska is an excellent girl； as
I have told you oftenfrank； kind； well educated； and unselfish。 But you
cannot have fallen in love with her in three days？〃
〃Why not？〃 says this blunt…spoken young man。
〃Because it is ridiculous。 If I meddle in the affair I should probably
find you had given up the fancy in other three days； or if you did marry
her and took her to England you would get to hate me because I alone
should know that you had married the niece of an innkeeper。〃
〃Well； I like that！〃 says he； with a flush
