the indiscretion of elsbeth-第1章

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THE　INDISCRETION　OF　ELSBETH





The　American　paused。　　He　had　evidently　lost　his　way。　　For　the　last

half　hour　he　had　been　wandering　in　a　medieval　town；　in　a　profound

medieval　dream。　　Only　a　few　days　had　elapsed　since　he　had　left　the

steamship　that　carried　him　hither；　and　the　accents　of　his　own

tongue；　the　idioms　of　his　own　people；　and　the　sympathetic　community

of　New　World　tastes　and　expressions　still　filled　his　mind　until　he

woke　up；　or　rather；　as　it　seemed　to　him；　was　falling　asleep　in　the

past　of　this　Old　World　town　which　had　once　held　his　ancestors。

Although　a　republican；　he　had　liked　to　think　of　them　in　quaint

distinctive　garb；　representing　state　and　importanceperhaps　even

aristocratic　pre…eminencecontent　to　let　the　responsibility　of

such　〃bad　eminence〃　rest　with　them　entirely；　but　a　habit　of

conscientiousness　and　love　for　historic　truth　eventually　led　him

also　to　regard　an　honest　BAUER　standing　beside　his　cattle　in　the

quaint　market　place；　or　a　kindly…faced　black…eyed　DIENSTMADCHEN　in

a　doorway；　with　a　timid；　respectful　interest；　as　a　possible　type　of

his　progenitors。　　For；　unlike　some　of　his　traveling　countrymen　in

Europe；　he　was　not　a　snob；　and　it　struck　himas　an　Americanthat

it　was；　perhaps；　better　to　think　of　his　race　as　having　improved

than　as　having　degenerated。　　In　these　ingenuous　meditations　he　had

passed　the　long　rows　of　quaint；　high　houses；　whose　sagging　roofs

and　unpatched　dilapidations　were　yet　far　removed　from　squalor；

until　he　had　reached　the　road　bordered　by　poplars；　all　so　unlike

his　own　country's　waysidesand　knew　that　he　had　wandered　far　from

his　hotel。



He　did　not　care；　however；　to　retrace　his　steps　and　return　by　the

way　he　had　come。　　There　was；　he　reasoned；　some　other　street　or

turning　that　would　eventually　bring　him　to　the　market　place　and　his

hotel；　and　yet　extend　his　experience　of　the　town。　　He　turned　at

right　angles　into　a　narrow　grass　lane；　which　was；　however；　as

neatly　kept　and　apparently　as　public　as　the　highway。　　A　few

moments'　walking　convinced　him　that　it　was　not　a　thoroughfare　and

that　it　led　to　the　open　gates　of　a　park。　　This　had　something　of　a

public　look；　which　suggested　that　his　intrusion　might　be　at　least　a

pardonable　trespass；　and　he　relied；　like　most　strangers；　on　the

exonerating　quality　of　a　stranger's　ignorance。　　The　park　lay　in　the

direction　he　wished　to　go；　and　yet　it　struck　him　as　singular　that　a

park　of　such　extent　should　be　still　allowed　to　occupy　such　valuable

urban　space。　　Indeed；　its　length　seemed　to　be　illimitable　as　he

wandered　on；　until　he　became　conscious　that　he　must　have　again　lost

his　way；　and　he　diverged　toward　the　only　boundary；　a　high；　thickset

hedge　to　the　right；　whose　line　he　had　been　following。



As　he　neared　it　he　heard　the　sound　of　voices　on　the　other　side；

speaking　in　German；　with　which　he　was　unfamiliar。　　Having；　as　yet；

met　no　one；　and　being　now　impressed　with　the　fact　that　for　a　public

place　the　park　was　singularly　deserted；　he　was　conscious　that　his

position　was　getting　serious；　and　he　determined　to　take　this　only

chance　of　inquiring　his　way。　　The　hedge　was　thinner　in　some　places

than　in　others；　and　at　times　he　could　see　not　only　the　light

through　it　but　even　the　moving　figures　of　the　speakers；　and　the

occasional　white　flash　of　a　summer　gown。　　At　last　he　determined　to

penetrate　it；　and　with　little　difficulty　emerged　on　the　other　side。

But　here　he　paused　motionless。　　He　found　himself　behind　a　somewhat

formal　and　symmetrical　group　of　figures　with　their　backs　toward

him；　but　all　stiffened　into　attitudes　as　motionless　as　his　own；　and

all　gazing　with　a　monotonous　intensity　in　the　direction　of　a

handsome　building；　which　had　been　invisible　above　the　hedge　but

which　now　seemed　to　arise　suddenly　before　him。　　Some　of　the　figures

were　in　uniform。　　Immediately　before　him；　but　so　slightly　separated

from　the　others　that　he　was　enabled　to　see　the　house　between　her

and　her　companions；　he　was　confronted　by　the　pretty　back；

shoulders；　and　blond　braids　of　a　young　girl　of　twenty。　　Convinced

that　he　had　unwittingly　intruded　upon　some　august　ceremonial；　he

instantly　slipped　back　into　the　hedge；　but　so　silently　that　his

momentary　presence　was　evidently　undetected。　　When　he　regained　the

park　side　he　glanced　back　through　the　interstices；　there　was　no

movement　of　the　figures　nor　break　in　the　silence　to　indicate　that

his　intrusion　had　been　observed。　　With　a　long　breath　of　relief　he

hurried　from　the　park。



It　was　late　when　he　finally　got　back　to　his　hotel。　　But　his　little

modern　adventure　had；　I　fear；　quite　outrun　his　previous　medieval

reflections；　and　almost　his　first　inquiry　of　the　silver…chained

porter　in　the　courtyard　was　in　regard　to　the　park。　　There　was　no

public　park　in　Alstadt！　　The　Herr　possibly　alluded　to　the　Hof

Gardensthe　Schloss；　which　was　in　the　direction　he　indicated。　　The

Schloss　was　the　residency　of　the　hereditary　Grand　Duke。　　JA　WOHL！

He　was　stopping　there　with　several　Hoheiten。　　There　was　naturally　a

party　therea　family　reunion。　　But　it　was　a　private　enclosure。　　At

times；　when　the　Grand　Duke　was　not　in　residence；〃　it　was　open　to

the　public。　　In　point　of　fact；　at　such　times　tickets　of　admission

were　to　be　had　at　the　hotel　for　fifty　pfennige　each。　　There　was

not；　of　truth；　much　to　see　except　a　model　farm　and　dairythe

pretty　toy　of　a　previous　Grand　Duchess。



But　he　seemed　destined　to　come　into　closer　collision　with　the

modern　life　of　Alstadt。　　On　entering　the　hotel；　wearied　by　his　long

walk；　he　passed　the　landlord　and　a　man　in　half…military　uniform　on

the　landing　near　his　room。　　As　he　entered　his　apartment　he　had　a

vague　impression；　without　exactly　knowing　why；　that　the　landlord

and　the　military　stranger　had　just　left　it。　　This　feeling　was

deepened　by　the　evident　disarrangement　of　certain　articles　in　his

unlocked　portmanteau　and　the　disorganization　of　his　writing　case。

A　wave　of　indignation　passed　over　him。　　It　was　followed　by　a　knock

at　the　door；　and　the　landlord　blandly　appeared　with　the　stranger。



〃A　thousand　pardons；〃　said　the　former；　smilingly；　〃but　Herr

Sanderman；　the　Ober…Inspector　of　Police；　wishes　to　speak　with　you。

I　hope　we　are　not　intruding？〃



〃Not　NOW；〃　said　the　American；　dryly。



The　two　exchanged　a　vacant　and　deprecating　smile。



〃I　have　to　ask　only　a　few　formal　questions；〃　said　the　Ober…

Inspector　in　excellent　but　somewhat　precise　English；　〃to　supplement

the　report　which；　as　a　stranger；　you　may　not　know　is　required　by

the　police　from　the　landlord　in　regard　to　the　names　and　quality　of

his　guests　who　are　foreign　to　the　town。　　You　have　a　passport？〃



〃I　have；〃　said　the　American　still　more　dryly。　　〃But　I　do　not　keep

it　in　an　unlocked　portmanteau　or　an　open　writing　case。〃



〃An　admirable　precaution；〃　said　Sanderman；　with　unmoved　politeness。

〃May　I　see　it？　　Thanks；〃　he　added；　glancing　over　the　document　which

the　American　produced　from　his　pocket。　　〃I　see　that　you　are　a　born

American　citizenand　an　earlier　knowledge　of　that　fact　would　have

prevented　this　little　contretemps。　　You　are　aware；　Mr。　Hoffman；

that　your　name　is　German？〃



〃It　was　borne　by　my　ancestors；　who　came　from　this　country　two

centuries　ago；〃　said　Hoffman；　curtly。



〃We　are　indeed　honored　by　your　return　to　it；〃　returned　Sanderman

suavely；　〃but　it　was　the　circumstance　of　your　name　being　a　local

one；　and　the　possibility　of　your　still　being　a　German　citizen

liable　to　unperformed　military　duty；　which　has　caused　the　trouble。〃

His　manner　was　clearly　civil　and　courteous；　but　Hoffman　felt　that

all　the　time　his　own　face　and　features　were　undergoing　a　profound

scrutiny　from　the　speaker。



〃And　you　are　making　sure　that　you　will　know　me　again？〃　said

Hoffman；　with　a　smile。



〃I　trust；　indeed；　both；〃　returned　Sanderman；　with　a　bow；　〃although

you　will　permit　me　to　say　that　your　description　here；〃　pointing　to

the　passport；　〃scarcely　does　you　justice。　　ACH　GOTT！　it　is　the　same

in　all　countries；　the　official　eye　is　not　that　of　the　young　DAMEN。〃



Hoffman；　though　not　conceited；　had　not　lived　twenty　years　without

knowing　that　he　was　very　good…looking；　yet　there　was　something　in

the　remark　that　caused　him　to　color　with　a　new　uneasiness。



The　Ober…Inspector　rose　with　another　bow；　and　moved　toward　the

door。　　〃I　hope　you　will　let　me　make　amends　for　this　intrusion　by

doing　anything　I　can　to　render　your　visit　here　a　pleasant　one。

Perhaps；〃　he　added；　〃it　is　not　for　long。〃



But　Hoffman　evaded　the　evident　question；　as　he　resented　what　he

imagined　was　a　possible　sneer。



〃I　have　not　yet　determined　my　movements；〃　he　said。



The　Ober…Inspector　brought　his　heels　together　in　a　somewhat　stiffer

military　salute　and　departed。



Nothing；　however；　could　have　exceeded　the　later　almost　servile

urbanity　of　the　landlord；　who　seemed　to　have　been　proud　of　the

official　visit　to　his　guest。　　He　was　profuse　in　his　attentions；　and

even　introduced　him　to　a　singularly　artistic…looking　man　of　middle

age；　wearing　an　order　in　his　buttonhole；　whom　he　met　casually　in

the　hall。



〃Our　Court　photographer；〃　explained　the　landlord　with　some　fervor；

〃at　whose　studio；　only　a　few　houses　distant；　most　of　the　Hoheiten

and　Prinzessinen　of　Germany　have　sat　for　their　likenesses。〃



〃I　should　feel　honored　if　the　distinguished　American　Herr　would

give　me　a　visit；〃　said　the　stranger　gravely；　as　he　gazed　at　Hoffman

with　an　intensity　which　recalled　the　previous　scrutiny　of　the

Police　Inspector；　〃and　I　would　be　charmed　if　he　would　avail　himself

of　my　poor　skill　to　transmit　his　picturesque　features　to　my　unique

collection。〃



Hoffman　returned　a　polite　evasion　to　this　invitation；　although　he

was　conscious　of　being　struck　with　this　second　examination　of　his

face；　and　the　allusion　to　his　personality。



The　next　morning　the　porter　met　him　with　a　mysterious　air。　　The

Herr　would　still　like　to　see　the　Schloss？　　Hoffman；　who　had　quite

forgotten　his　adventure　in　the　park；　looked　vacant。　　JA　WOHLthe

Hof　authorities　had　no　doubt　heard　of　his　visit　and　had　intimated

to　the　hotel　proprietor　that　he　might　have　permission　to　visit　the

model　farm　and　dairy。　　As　the　American　still　looked　indifferent　the

porter　pointed　out　with　some　importance　that　it　was　a　Ducal

courtesy　not　to　be　lightly　treated；　that　few；　indeed；　of　the

burghers　themselves　had　ever　been　admitted　to　this　eccentric　whim

of　the　late　Grand　Duchess。　　He　would；　of　course；　be　silent　about

it；　the　Court　would　not　like　it　known　that　they　had　made　an

exception　to　their　rules　in　favor　of　a　foreigner；　he　would　enter

quickly　and　boldly　alone。　　There　would　be　a　housekeeper　or　a

dairymaid　to　show　him　over　the　place。



More　amused　at　this　important　mystery　over　what　he；　as　an　American；

was　inclined　to　classify　as　a　〃free　pass〃　to　a　somewhat　heavy　〃side

show；〃　he　gravely　accepted　the　permission；　and　the　next　morning

after　breakfast　set　out　to　visit　the　model　farm　and　dairy