stories by english authors in germany(旅德英国作家的故事)-第24章
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〃Well； I like that！〃 says he； with a flush in his face。 〃Do you think I
should care two straws whether my friends knew I had married the niece
of an innkeeper？ I should show them Franziska。 Wouldn't that be enough？
An innkeeper's niece！ I wish the world had more of 'em； if they're like
Franziska。〃
〃And besides；〃 says Tita； 〃have you any notion as to how Franziska
herself would probably take this mad proposal？〃
〃No；〃 says the young man； humbly。 〃I wanted you to try and find out
what she thought about me； and if； in time something were said about this
proposal； you might put in a word or two； you know； just toto give her an
idea； you know； that you don't think it quite so mad； don't you know？〃
〃Give me your hand； Charlie；〃 says Tita； with a sudden burst of
kindness。 〃I'll do what I can for you； for I know she's a good girl； and she
will make a good wife to the man who marries her。〃
You will observe that this promise was given by a lady who never； in
any circumstances whatsoever； seeks to make up matches； who never
speculates on possible combinations when she invites young people to her
house in Surrey； and who is profoundly indignant； indeed； when such a
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charge is preferred against her。 Had she not； on that former Christmas
morning； repudiated with scorn the suggestion that Charlie might marry
before another year had passed？ Had she not； in her wild confidence；
staked on a wager that assumption of authority in her household and out of
it without which life would be a burden to her？ Yet no sooner was the
name of Franziska mentioned； and no sooner had she been reminded that
Charlie was going with us to Huferschingen； than the nimble little brain
set to work。 Oftentimes it has occurred to one dispassionate spectator of
her ways that this same Tita resembled the small object which； thrown into
a dish of some liquid chemical substance； suddenly produces a mass of
crystals。 The constituents of those beautiful combinations； you see； were
there； but they wanted some little shock to hasten the slow process of
crystallisation。 Now in our social circle we have continually observed
groups of young people floating about in an amorphous and chaotic
fashiongood for nothing but dawdling through dances； and flirting； and
carelessly separating again； but when you dropped Tita among them； then
you would see how rapidly this jellyfish sort of existence was abolished
how the groups got broken up； and how the sharp； businesslike relations of
marriage were precipitated and made permanent。 But would she own to it？
Never！ She once went and married her dearest friend to a Prussian officer；
and now she declares he was a selfish fellow to carry off the girl in that
way； and rates him soundly because he won't bring her to stay with us
more than three months out of the twelve。 There are some of us get quite
enough of this Prussian occupation of our territory。
〃Well；〃 says Tita to this long English lad； who is lying sprawling on
the grass； 〃I can safely tell you this； that Franziska likes you very well。〃
He suddenly jumps up； and there is a great blush on his face。
〃Has she said so？〃 he asks； eagerly。
〃Oh yes！ in a way。 She thinks you are good…natured。 She likes the
English generally。 She asked me if that ring you wear was an engaged
ring。〃
These disconnected sentences were dropped with a tantalising
slowness into Charlie's eager ears。
〃I must go and tell her directly that it is not；〃 said he； and he might
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probably have gone off at once had not Tita restrained him。
〃You must be a great deal more cautious than that if you wish to carry
off Franziska some day or other。 If you were to ask her to marry you now
she would flatly refuse you； and very properly； for how could a girl
believe you were in earnest？ But if you like； Charlie； I will say something
to her that will give her a hint； and if she cares for you at all before you go
away she won't forget you。 I wish I was as sure of you as I am of her。〃
〃Oh I can answer for myself；〃 says the young man； with a becoming
bashfulness。
Tita was very happy and pleased all that day。 There was an air of
mystery and importance about her。 I knew what it meant； I had seen it
before。
Alas！ poor Charlie！
V 〃GAB MIR EIN' RING DABEI〃
Under the friendly instructions of Dr。 Krumm； whom he no longer
regarded as a possible rival； Charlie became a mighty hunter； and you may
be sure that he returned of an evening with sprigs of fir in his cap for the
bucks he had slain； Franziska was not the last to come forward and shake
hands with him and congratulate him； as is the custom in these primitive
parts。 And then she was quite made one of the family when we sat down to
dinner in the long； low…roofed room； and nearly every evening； indeed；
Tita would have her to dine with us and play cards with us。
You may suppose； if these two young folk had any regard for each
other； those evenings in the inn must have been a pleasant time for them。
There were never two partners at whist who were so courteous to each
other； so charitable to each other's blunders。 Indeed； neither would ever
admit that the other blundered。 Charlie used to make some frightful
mistakes occasionally that would have driven any other player mad； but
you should have seen the manner in which Franziska would explain that
he had no alternative but to take her king with his ace； that he could not
know this； and was right in chancing that。 We played three…penny points；
and Charlie paid for himself and his partner； in spite of her entreaties。 Two
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of us found the game of whist a profitable thing。
One day a registered letter came for Charlie。 He seized it； carried it to
a window； and then called Tita to him。 Why need he have any secret about
it？ It was nothing but a ringa plain hoop with a row of rubies。
〃Do you think she would take this thing？〃 he said； in a low voice。
〃How can I tell？〃
The young man blushed and stammered； and said：
〃I don't want you to ask her to take the ring； but to get to know
whether she would accept any present from me。 And I would ask her
myself plainly； only you have been frightening me so much about being in
a hurry。 And what am I to do？ Three days hence we start。〃
Tita looked down with a smile and said； rather timidly：
〃I think if I were you I would speak to her myselfbut very gently。〃
We were going off that morning to a little lake some dozen miles off to
try for a jack or two。 Franziska was coming with us。 She was； indeed；
already outside； superintending the placing in the trap of our rods and bags。
When Charlie went out she said that everything was ready； and presently
our peasant driver cracked his whip； and away we went。
Charlie was a little grave； and could only reply to Tita's fun with an
effort。 Franziska was mostly anxious about the fishing； and hoped that we
might not go so far to find nothing。
We found few fish anyhow。 The water was as still as glass； and as clear；
the pike that would have taken our spinning bits of metal must have been
very dull…eyed pike indeed。 Tita sat at the bow of the long punt reading；
while our boatman steadily and slowly plied his single oar。 Franziska was
for a time eagerly engaged in watching the progress of our fishing； until
even she got tired of the excitement of rolling in an immense length of
cord； only to find that our spinning bait had hooked a bit of floating wood
or weed。 At length Charlie proposed that he should go ashore and look out
for a picturesque site for our picnic； and he hinted that perhaps Miss
Franziska might also like a short walk to relieve the monotony of the
sailing。 Miss Franziska said she would be very pleased to do that。 We ran
them in among the rushes； and put them ashore； and then once more
started on our laborious career。
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Tita laid down her book。 She was a little anxious。 Sometimes you
could see Charlie and Franziska on the path by the side of the lake； at
other times the thick trees by the water's side hid them。
The solitary oar dipped in the lake； the boat glided along the shores。
Tita took up her book again。 The space of time that passed may be inferred
from the fact that； merely as an incident to it； we managed to catch a chub
of four pounds。 When the excitement over this event had passed； Tita said：
〃We must go back to them。 What do they mean by not coming on and
telling us？ It is most silly of them。〃
We went back by the same side of the lake； and we found both
Franziska and her companion seated on the bank at the precise spot where
we had left them。 They said it was the best place for the picnic。 They
asked for the hamper in a businesslike way。 They pretended they had
searched the shores of the lake for miles。
And while Tita and Franziska are unpacking the things； and laying the
white cloth smoothly on the grass； and pulling out the bottles for Charlie
to cool in the lake； I observe that the younger of the two ladies rather
endeavours to keep her left hand out of sight。 It is a paltry piece of
deception。 Are we moles； and blinder than moles； that we should
continually be made the dupes of these women？ I say to her：
〃Franziska； what is the m
