THE MOUTH OF HELL, page 23
Christiane watched him out of sight.
“As soon as Samuel appears,” said she to herself, “he hastens to him.”
She wiped the tears from her eyes, and was turning to go away, when she heard a footstep on the gravel behind her.
Looking round, she saw Gretchen.
“Gretchen!” she said, “but whatever is the matter with you?”
The little goatherd had changed terribly since the previous evening. Pale, dejected, with dishevelled hair, and black circles round her eyes, she seemed to have aged ten years. The excitement natural to her had given place to a sinister wildness; there was something mournful and fatal about her whole appearance.
“What is the matter? “Christiane repeated, “and where do you come from?”
“From my hut.”
“We called you, why did you not come?”
“Because my lord the Viscount was there, and I do not wish anyone to see me now. No, I shall hide myself from everyone, and speak to no one but you. I am ashamed. You I love, and I positively had to tell you. Be on your guard. Believe me, Samuel Gelb does not lie. What he says, he does. Where he has threatened, he strikes. You cannot help it, nor perhaps, can he. See, it hurts me more than I can say to tell you this, but I do so to save you. Turn your eyes away, do not look at me, I implore you, and I will tell you all. Do not look at me; there, that’s right. Now listen: Samuel Gelb had said that I should be his. Well! he made me drink a potion made of his hell and of my flowers
In a word, I am his. Look to yourself! Farewell.”
And immediately taking flight, she rushed into her hut and locked the door.
Christiane was horror-stricken and stood as if turned to stone.
“Gretchen! Gretchen!” she cried.
But she called in vain, Gretchen did not come.
“Oh!” thought Christiane, trembling all over, “it is quite true; he does whatever he says he will do. Heidelberg is at Landeck. Gretchen is ruined, and she leaves me, and my husband leaves me too. Alone! oh! I feel afraid. I will write to the baron, and ask him to come to my assistance.”
CHAPTER XLVI.
GAUDEAMUS IGITUR.
THE students were singing at the top of their voices:
“Gaudeamus igitur,
Tuvenes dum sumus;
Ubi sunt qui ante nos
In mundo fuêre?”
Suddenly they came to a turning in the road, and a village appeared. All the inhabitants, men, women, children, attracted by the noise, were at their cottage doors, staring with all their might at the invasion of this strange army.
Samuel was no longer there. He had gone in the rear to have a talk with Julius.
The student who headed the procession addressed himself to the first peasant:
“Hallo! rustic, what village is this?”
“Landeck.”
Immediately a shout burst from every lip:
“Hallo! Hurrah! Houp-la! Foxes and finches, halt! this is Landeck!”
Then a thousand different cries arose.
“Hail, Landeck!”
“Mons Aventinus of our academic Rome, we greet thee!”
“Hideous conglomeration of hovels, hail!”
“Hail! village from this time forth historical, sublime hamlet, immortal hole.”
Trichter turned to Fresswanst:
“I am thirsty,” said he.
A finch went up to a plough-boy.
“Hi! peasant, native of these parts, semblance of a man who gazes at me with the eyes of a fish, have you sufficient intelligence to direct me to the Raven Inn?”
“There is no Raven Inn at Landeck,” replied the peasant amazed.
“Well, the Golden Lion Inn.”
“There is no Golden Lion tavern in Landeck.”
“The best tavern in the neighbourhood, then, you idiot?”
“There is no tavern at all in Landeck.”
This reply was greeted with a shout of indignation from the students.
“Do you hear what this farmer-fellow says?” exclaimed the finch; “there is not one tavern in Landeck.”
“Where shall I put my hat-boxes?” asked one student dolefully.
“Where can I put my dog?” groaned a fox.
“Where shall I put my pipe?” roared furiously a moss-covered head.
“And I,” exclaimed another, “where shall I put the apple of my eye, the rose of my springtime, the beloved of my heart?”
Fresswanst said to Trichter:
“I am thirsty.”
All the students began to sing, in a doleful tone which formed a contrast to the more than merry meaning of the words, the second verse of the famous Latin song:
“Vivant omnes Virgines Faciles, formosae; Vivat membrum quodlibet Vivant membra quaelibet!”
Some began to show signs of ill-humour. The glamour of the exodus was fading away. Discontented groups provoked each other and seemed inclined to quarrel.
“Look here, Meyer,” said one big burly fox to his neighbour, “you have given me a thump in the back with your elbow, brute that you are!”
“You fool!” said Meyer.
“Fool, did you say? Very well! Meet me in a quarter of an hour, at the Kaiserstuhl hill! Ah! bless my soul! but where will be our Kaiserstuhl hill?”
“It’s appalling! no place even where we can have a fight.” A peasant cried out: “I say, sir student, take care! your dog....”
The student looked sternly at him. “Your worshipful dog, rustic, if you please!”
“Well! sir, your worshipful dog has just bitten me.”
“What! you have made my dog bite you, you rascal! There, there, take that! “He gave the rustic a thrashing. “Bravo!” shouted the students. And the chorus broke out again as if in philosophical encouragement:
“Vita nostra brevis est;
Brevi finietur.
Venit mors velociter;
Rapit nos atrociter.”
Trichter and Fresswanst said in the same breath:
“I am fearfully thirsty!”
“Now, then,” asked one student, “are we going to take root in the heart of this stupid little village and remain stuck here like posts to point out the way to travellers?”
“Samuel was to tell us what to do.”
“Samuel! Samuel! where is Samuel?”
“Hallo! Samuel, come along, do; we do not know which way to turn; anarchy has passed all bounds, revolt is rife, confusion is worse confounded.”
“Coriolanus, is one supposed neither to eat, drink, nor sleep, among the Volscians?”
Samuel came up quietly with Julius. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Why, everything is wrong,” said Meyer, “because nothing is right.”
“What do you want, then?”
“We want the one thing man is least able to do without; a tavern.”
“Children of little faith,” rejoined Samuel. “Give me five minutes and you will have everything you want. I am going with Julius to the burgomaster’s house, to make out the riot-programme. Where is Trichter?”
“He stood there a few minutes ago, complaining of thirst.”
“Look out for him in any place where gin is to be found, and send him to me that he may act as my secretary. I advise you not to make too much noise while your King is at work.”
“All right, Samuel,” thundered the whole company.
Samuel and Julius went into the house pointed out to them as the burgomaster’s dwelling, and Trichter joined them almost immediately.
Scarcely had they entered ere the emigrants, faithful to their promise of silence, shouted in formidable tones:
“Pereat tristitia!
Pereant osores!
Pereat diabolus
Quivis antiburschius!”
CHAPTER XLVII.
BURGOMASTER PFAFFENDORF.
WHEN the burgomaster’s door opened, Samuel, Julius and Trichter found themselves in the presence of an enormous person, with a bloated face which wore a scared expression.
“Is the burgomaster in?” asked Samuel.
“What do you want him for?” stammered the extraordinarily large man.
“To speak to “him.”
“You do not intend to harm him?” this Falstaff timidly ventured to say.
“On the contrary.”
“Then, I am he.”
“I am delighted to make your acquaintance,” rejoined Samuel. “But you must have some other room than the bottom step of this staircase; if agreeable to you, we will take up our quarters in it.”
The burgomaster, trembling all over, led them into his office. Samuel sat down.
“See here!” said he, “we take possession of Landeck. We hope that you will make no resistance, and that you will spare us the unpleasant necessity of making an attack on the houses. The University deigns to make this its headquarters for a time. You understand that we must, to a certain extent, have a free hand, and that we shall probably indulge in eccentricities which it will be advisable for you not to oppose. I am here to come to terms with you. You are the burgomaster of Landeck, and I am the King of the University. The hierarchy requires that you transfer your authority to me. I accept it. Thanks.”
“But, gracious heaven,” demurred the big burgomaster in a grave voice, “what in the world do you mean to do?”
“Oh! never fear, honest.... Pardon me, what am I to call you?”
“Pfaffendorf.”
“Never fear, honest Pfaffendorf. We have come simply to study and amuse ourselves. We will entertain the village; we will give you fêtes. Will that suit you?”
“You promise to respect property and persons?”
“I pledge you my royal word.”
“Thank goodness!” said Pfaffendorf, breathing more freely.
“It is agreed!” said Samuel.
“Agreed.”
“Give me your hand on it, noble burgomaster, and have no fear that it is my intention to annihilate, nor even to diminish in any way your worthy importance. I will preserve you a rank befitting your position, and I promise you a place of honour at all entertainments and ceremonials.”
“You are very kind,” replied Pfaffendorf with a beaming face. “But I have just thought of something. If you require the militiamen of the village, I place them at your disposal.”
“How many are there?”
“One!”
“Let us have him,” said Samuel, “we will look after him.”
“Do not hurt him. I will go and look for him.”
The burgomaster went out of the room, delighted with Samuel.
In the office there was a table and a good supply of writing materials.
“Sit down there,” said Samuel to Trichter.
“Now, then,” Julius asked Samuel, “where are you going to find house-room for Heidelberg at Landeck? The castle is quite at your service, but it will be in adequate.”
“To begin with,” said Samuel, “it will be absolutely forbidden to approach the castle. We are here to obey Madame von Hermelinfeld, not to annoy her. We shall be very happy if she will condescend to be present at some of the entertainments which I intend to improvise, and we hope that, in spite of her nervousness, she will venture to attend. But she must follow her own inclination, and we will not thrust our close proximity upon her.”
“Then, where do you intend to house them all?”
“Why, truly, at the most tempting sign of any on these fine August nights: ‘Under the stars of Heaven! ‘The forest will be our green dormitory. If it rains, I have grottoes large enough to accommodate four hundred persons. Do not be afraid, these grottoes are in a different direction to those you know of. As to provisions, our people from Heidelberg have brought sufficient for a day, and to-morrow Landeck will be crammed with food, for the inhabitants will not be foolish enough to neglect to profit by the rain of gulden which falls on them from Heaven. They will lay in supplies to-night, and, at dawn, we shall be revelling in the abundance of a Gargantuan banquet.”
Then turning to Trichter:
“Transcribe the orders of the day.”
A quarter of an hour later, Trichter, standing on a chair, read out to the students, who swarmed round him, the following Napoleonic decree:
“We, Samuel I., Emperor of Foxes, Tyrant of Camels and Philistines, Protector of the Academic Confederation, etc.
“We have decreed, and do decree the following:
“GENERAL ORDERS
“Art. I. — Considering that there is no tavern at Landeck, all the houses of Landeck are converted into taverns.
“Art. II. — Considering however, that the houses of Landeck will not suffice for our colony, a camp, provided with all the comforts of life, will be formed in the wood; there will be tents of tick, beds of bracken, sofas of straw, divans of hay. Women, children, and valetudinarians, with certificate from the medical council, will alone inhabit the vile houses of lath and plaster.
“Art. III. — Rents, and general or special articles of refreshment to be paid for either out of the public funds, or out of the purses of the individual, as the case may be, except so far as goods that the inhabitants of Landeck may have purchased from Heidelberg are concerned. All merchandise coming from that excommunicated town will be confiscated without mercy. With this one exception, all outrage against properties, as also against persons, will be severely reprimanded and duly punished according to the disciplinary penalties in use in the Students’ Guild.
“However, this rule applies only to the ‘studentes,’ and, in order to allow the noble inhabitants of Landeck absolute freedom, that glorious endowment of humanity, men will not be forbidden to lend, nor women to give, whatsoever they please.
“PROVISIONAL ORDERS: —
“The close of the first day will be employed in reconnoitring the ground and in installation.
“To-morrow, two placards will announce, the one the syllabus of lectures, the other the programme of amusements and rejoicings which are to be organised, in this promised land of Landeck, to sweeten and charm away for the ‘studentes ‘the sadness of life.
“This very night, Julius von Eberbach bids his old comrades to a monster punch in the forest.
“Executed at Landeck, this 10th August, 1811.
“SAMUEL I.
“A true and faithful copy,
“TRICHTER.”
The reading was interrupted with cheers. The promise of punch was hailed with especial delight. When Trichter had finished speaking, there was a perfect thunder of vivats and hurrahs.
The burgomaster Pfaffendorf arrived at this moment with the man who composed the Militia of Landeck.
Samuel caught hold of them and cried:
“All women, horses and luggage, to follow me.”
Then, escorted by the burgomaster and the militiaman, who represented authority and consequently obviated the necessity of his employing force, he installed as best he could, in the houses of the village, the women, the bandboxes, and the carriages.
Afterwards he came back to the men: “And you,” he said, “who prefer the sky to a ceiling and the stars to candles, follow me.”
CHAPTER XLVIII.
FOREST REVELS.
SAMUEL GELB led the troop along a pleasant road, winding upwards through wooded slopes. The students ascended for about a quarter of an hour; then, turning to the left, followed a narrow path that opened all of a sudden on to a vast platform two hundred feet square or thereabouts, and enclosed on all sides by a thick curtain of large trees.
The sun, which was setting behind the mountain, seemed as if anxious to make itself regretted, by bathing the branches of the trees in rosy-coloured light. A stream of sparkling water flowed over the pebbles on the borders of the woods, and made as much noise as it could with its tiny voice and its tiny cataracts. The singing of a million birds mingled with this entrancing sound and blended so harmoniously with it that the stream seemed to flow in notes and the singing to; gush out in drops.
“Does this room suit you?” asked Samuel.
“Viva vallera!” the students replied.
“Very well! make this into your sleeping quarters.”
The majority began to pitch tents, others to sling hammocks. Acting on Trichter’s advice before starting, they had taken the precaution of providing themselves with all the canvas necessary. Fresswanst prepared to drive in his stakes.
But Trichter stopped him.
“Fresswanst,” said he seriously, “you are departing from history.”
“What history?” asked Fresswanst, astonished.
“The history of Robinson Crusoe.”
“What is that?”
“Have you not read, dear fox of the - I 111
bottle, that Robinson, having no bedroom in his island, and afraid of wild beasts if he slept on the ground, climbed up into a tree and made his bed on one of the branches? I feel the noble desire to imitate this great example. To-night I shall not go to bed, I will go to roost.”
“And supposing I fall from the top to the bottom? “Fresswanst asked uneasily.
“That will show that a parrot can beat you any day; Fresswanst,” Tritcher added, lowering his voice, “we must give the lie to some evil reports that are being circulated about us, and prove to the younger generation that we never get tipsy. Look here, set your mind at rest, if you are afraid of falling, I will tie you up securely.”
“All right. In that case, I give up my tent.”
“Give it up for good, and do not let it be said that we have never been to bed in a nest.”
By the time all these delightful preparations were made, night had fallen. The burgomaster, whom Samuel had invited to the entertainment, hastened thither long before the appointed time, and appeared upon the scene, radiant, proud and imposing, just as the students were sitting down to supper on the grass.
Pfaffendorf was greeted on his arrival, by shouts as pleasant to his soul as they were harsh to his ears. He admired Samuel’s choice, and the quarters which the students had built for themselves.
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