A köszivü ember fiai. English Read online

  CHAPTER IV.

  THE TWO OTHERS.

  "The King of Hungary" was, at the time of our narrative, one of thefinest hotels in Vienna, and much frequented by aristocratic Hungariantravellers and by Hungarian army officers.

  A young hussar officer was ascending the stairs to the second story.He was a handsome, well-built, broad-shouldered youth, and his uniformfitted his athletic figure well. His cheeks were ruddy, his face full,and on his upper lip he wore a mustache, the ends of which pointedupward with a sprightly air. His cap was tilted well forward over hiseyes, and he carried his head as proudly as if he had been the onlycaptain of horse in the whole wide world.

  On reaching the landing his attention was arrested by a strange scenein the passageway leading to one of the guest-chambers. An oldgentleman with a smooth face, and wearing a peasant's cloak, wasvociferating wrathfully before three waiters and a chambermaid. Boththe waiters and the chambermaid were exerting themselves with everydemonstration of respect to gratify his slightest wish, which onlyincreased the old gentleman's anger, and caused him to renew hisscolding, now in Hungarian, and now in Latin. Catching sight of thehussar, who had been brought to a standstill by the clamour, he calledto him in Hungarian--feeling sure that no hussar could be of any othernationality--and begged his assistance.

  "My dear Captain," he cried, "do have the goodness to come here, andexplain matters to these hyperboreans, who seem to understand nolanguage that I can speak."

  The officer approached, and perceived that his interlocutor was, toall appearances, a minister of the gospel.

  "Well, reverend father, what is the trouble?" he asked.

  "Why, you see," explained the other, "my passport describes me rightlyenough, in Latin, as _verbi divini minister_, that is, a preacher ofGod's word. Well, now, when it came my turn to show my papers to thecustom-house officer, they all began to salute me, as if I had been aminister of state, calling me 'your Excellency,' and paying me everysort of compliment, right and left,--porters, cab-drivers, waiters,and all. I thought they would kiss the ground I stood on before I wasat last shown up to this splendid apartment. Now this style is morethan I can afford. I am only a poor pastor, and I have come to Viennanot for pleasure, but forced by necessity. Pray explain matters for meto these people. I can't speak German, it is never used at home amongour people, and no one here seems to understand any other language."

  The hussar officer smiled.

  "Good father," he asked, "what languages do you speak?"

  "Well," was the reply, "I can speak Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and, in caseof need, some Arabic."

  "They will hardly be of any service here," rejoined the other,laughing. Then, turning to the head waiter, he asked him a question ina low tone, to which the servant replied by winking mysteriously andpointing upward.

  "Well, reverend father," said the hussar to the poor priest, "you gointo your room now, and in a quarter of an hour, I will return andarrange everything for you. Just now I am in haste, as some one iswaiting for me."

  "But, I beg to assure you, my business is even more pressing thanyours," was the other's reply, as he seized the young officer'ssword-tassel to prevent his escape. "If I so much as set foot in thisstate apartment, it will cost me five florins at least."

  "But, sir," explained the other, apologetically, "my affair is farmore important. Five comrades of mine are expecting me in the roomabove, and one of them is to fight with me. I really cannot wait."

  The priest was so startled by this announcement that he dropped thesword-tassel.

  "What!" he exclaimed, "you are on your way to a duel? Pray tell me thereason of such a piece of folly."

  But the young man only pressed his hand with a smile. "You wait herequietly till I come back," said he. "I shall not be gone long."

  "Supposing you are slain?" the old gentleman called after him, ingreat anxiety.

  "I'll look out for that," replied the hussar, as he sprang blithely upthe stairs, clinking his spurs as he went.

  The old priest was forced to take possession of the splendidapartment, while the whole retinue of servants still persisted inhonouring him with the title, "your Excellency."

  "This is fine, to be sure," said the good man to himself, as hesurveyed his surroundings. "Silk bed-curtains, porcelain stove--why, Ishall have to pay five florins a day, if not six. And then all thegood-for-nothing servants! One brings my valise, another a pitcher ofwater, a third the bootjack, and each one counts on receiving a goodbig fee from 'his Excellency.' I shall be expected to pay for theextra polish on the floor, too."

  Thus grumbling and scolding, and estimating how much all thissplendour would probably cost him in the end, the priest suddenlyheard a stamping of feet, and a clashing of swords in the room above.The duellists were surely at it over his very head. Now here, nowthere, he heard the heavy footsteps, accompanied by the ringing ofsteel against steel. For five or six minutes the sounds continued, thepoor parson meanwhile in great perplexity as to what course he oughtto pursue. He felt half inclined to open the window and call for help,but immediately bethought himself that he might be arrested by thepolice for disturbing the peace. Then it occurred to him to runup-stairs, throw himself between the combatants, and deliver them asermon on the text (Matt. 26: 52): "Put up again thy sword into hisplace: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword."But while he was still debating the matter the tumult over his headsubsided, and in a few minutes he heard steps approaching his door,which opened and admitted, to his great relief, the young hussarofficer, safe and sound.

  The priest ran to him and felt of his arms and breast, to make surethat he had actually received no injury. "Aren't you hurt, then, inthe least?" he inquired.

  "Of course not, good father," replied the other.

  "But did you slay your opponent?"

  "Oh, I scratched him a little on the cheek."

  "And is he not in great pain?" asked the kind-hearted pastor, withmuch concern.

  "Not at all; he is as pleased over his wound as a boy with a newjacket."

  But the minister of the gospel found the matter no subject for lighttreatment. "How, pray, can you gentlemen indulge in such unchristianpractices?" he asked, earnestly. "What motive can you possibly have?"

  "My dear sir," returned the other, "have you ever heard the story ofthe two officers who fought a duel because one of them maintained thathe had picked sardines from a tree in Italy, and the other refused tobelieve him? So they fought it out, and it was only after the firsthad received a slash across the face that he remembered,--'Ah, yes,quite right; they were not sardines, after all, but capers.' So hereyou may imagine some such cause as that."

  "And you fought for such a trifle!" exclaimed the pastor.

  "Yes, something of the sort, if I remember rightly. You see, I havejust joined the regiment after serving in the life-guard, and I havebeen promoted captain; so I must fight with a dozen comrades insuccession, until they either cut me to pieces or learn to endure mypresence among them. That is the custom. But let us discuss youraffairs now. You said you were here on urgent business; pray tell meits nature."

  "Certainly," responded the other; "if you will have the kindness tohear me, I shall be most grateful. I am an entire stranger in the cityand have no one to render me any assistance. I have been summonedhither _ad audiendum verbum_, having had some differences with thelandlord of the village where I am settled as pastor. You must firstunderstand that the squire was a great oligarch, while I am nothingbut a poor country parson. There was discord between our families,arising from the squire's having a young cavalier as his eldest sonand my having a pretty daughter. I refused to listen to certainproposals on the part of the squire, and the upshot was that the sonwas sent away to Russia. That, however, did not greatly concern me.But not long afterward the squire departed this life and was buriedwith all the pomp of the Church. I made the prayer at the grave, andit is true, I said some hard things; but what I said was for God'sear, not for man's. And now, because of that prayer of mine to Heaven,I am called to account by the mighty ones of this earth. Already Ihave appeared before the consistory and before the county court,accused of impiety and sedition. I am expelled from my pastorate, andyet they are not content; they summon me hither, I know not beforewhom, to answer the charge of _lA"se-majestA(C)_. But see here and judgefor yourself; I have the text of the prayer in my pocket. Read it andsee whether it contains a single word by which I have made myselfguilty of any such offence."

  The old man's lips trembled as he spoke, and his eyes filled withtears. The hussar took the writing from his hand and read it through,the other watching meanwhile every line of the young man's face, tosee what impression the perusal would make on him.

  "Well, sir, what do you say to it?" he asked when the young officerhad finished reading. "Would you condemn me for anything in thatprayer?"

  The other folded the paper and returned it to the old man. "I shouldnot condemn you," he replied gently. He appeared to be much moved.

  "Now may God bless you for those words!" exclaimed the priest. "Wouldthat you were my judge!"

  And, indeed, he was his judge at that moment; for he was no other thanRichard Baradlay, the son of him over whose body the prayer had beenoffered. "But let me give your Reverence a piece of advice," added theyoung man. "First, stay here quietly in your room until you aresummoned. Visit no one and make your complaint to no one. You cannotbe found guilty of the offence charged against you. But if you shouldundertake to defend yourself, I could not answer for theconsequences. Just stay here in your room, and if you are sent for,answer the summons. Go whither you are called, and hear in silencewhat is said to you. When that is over, bow yourself out and hastenback to your hotel without saying a word to any one on the way oranswering a single question."

  "But I shall be taken for a blockhead," objected the other.

  "No, believe me, silence is a passport that will carry a man half-wayaround the world."

  "Very well, I will do as you direct; only I hope the process will bebrief. The Vienna air is costly to breathe."

  "Don't worry in the least about that, reverend father. If some one hascompelled you to make the journey against your will, you may be surehe will pay your score."

  The old man wondered not a little at these words, and would gladlyhave inquired who the unknown "some one" was.

  "But now my engagements call me away," concluded the young officer,and he took his leave before the other could question him further.

  Soon after he had gone a waiter appeared with coffee, which, in spiteof the old priest's protestations that he never took any breakfast andwas in general a very light eater, the German domestic insisted onleaving upon the table. At length, as the coffee was there on hishands, the reverend gentleman proceeded to drink it in God's name; forit would have to be paid for in any case. The warm breakfast did himgood. The servant now appeared, to carry away the breakfast service.The old gentleman had learned one German word on his journey, and hehastened to make use of it.

  "Pay?" he said inquiringly, producing from the depths of his pocket along knit purse, a birthday present from his daughter, in which hisscanty savings were carefully hoarded. He wished to settle at once forhis breakfast, both because it troubled him to be in debt for even anhour, and also that he might gain some idea from this first paymenthow much his total daily expenses would probably be.

  Great was his surprise, however, when the waiter, smiling politely andwaving aside the offered purse, assured him that the breakfast wasalready paid for.

  "So that young man was right, after all," said the good priest tohimself. "Why didn't I ask him his name? But who can it be that ispaying my bills?"

  The unknown benefactor was, of course, none other than RichardBaradlay, who, on leaving the hotel, had handed the head waiter twoducats and bidden him provide for all the old gentleman's wants,adding that he, Baradlay, would pay the bill. After that the youngofficer repaired to the military riding school and exercised for anhour in vaulting, fencing on horseback, breaking a lance or two, andmastering a vicious horse. Then he went to walk for an hour around thefortifications, looked at all the pretty faces he met, and at length,toward noon, returned to his quarters. He kept bachelor's hall on thefourth floor, occupying a sitting-room and a bedroom, while across thepassageway was a little room for his servant, and a diminutivekitchen.

  His domestic was an old hussar who answered to the name of Paul, andwho was rather more inclined to command his master than to receiveorders from him. He was sixty years old and more, and still a privateand a bachelor. He was serving out his fourth enlistment and wore onhis breast the cross given to the veterans of the Napoleonic wars.

  "Well, Paul, what is there to eat to-day?" asked the captain,unbuckling his sword and hanging it up in his closet, which showed acollection of ancient swords and daggers.

  The reader must here be informed that Paul was at once body-servantand cook to his young master.

  "What is there to eat? A Greek rose-garland," answered the oldservant, with humourous phlegm.

  "Ah, that must be delicious," returned Richard; "but what is it madeof?"

  "Angels' slippers," was the reply.

  "Excellent! And is it ready?"

  Paul surveyed his master from top to toe. "Do we eat at home againto-day?" he asked.

  "Yes, if we can get anything to eat."

  "Very well; I will serve dinner at once," answered Paul, and heproceeded to spread the table--which was accomplished by turning itsred cloth, ornamented with blue flowers, so that it became a bluecloth adorned with red flowers. Then he laid a plate of faience wareand a horn-handled knife and fork, together with an old-fashionedsilver spoon, first wiping each article on a corner of thetable-cloth. He completed these preparations by adding an oldchampagne-bottle filled, as the reader will have guessed, with coldwater.

  The cavalry captain pulled up a chair and seated himself comfortably,stretching his legs out under the table. Meanwhile Paul, his hands onhis hips, thus addressed his master:

  "So we are stranded again, are we,--not a kreutzer in our pockets?"

  "Not a solitary one, as sure as you live," answered Richard, as hetook up his knife and fork and began to beat a tattoo on his plate.

  "But this morning I found two ducats in your vest pocket," remarkedthe old servant.

  Captain Richard laughed and asked, in expressive pantomime: "Where arethey now?"

  "Good!" muttered the other, as he took up the decanter that stoodbefore his master's plate and went out. Having brought it back filledwith wine, which he had procured in some way, he set it down again andresumed his discourse.

  "No doubt they went to buy a bouquet for a pretty girl," said he. "Orhave the boys drunk them up in champagne?" With that he took up aplate with a sadly nicked edge from the sideboard and added, withphilosophic resignation, as he went out: "Well, I was just that waywhen I was young." Soon he returned, bearing his master's dinner.

  The "Greek rose-garland" proved to be a dish of beans, while the"angels' slippers," cooked with them, were nothing but pigs' feet. Theold hussar had prepared the meal for himself, but there was enough fortwo, and Richard attacked the camp fare with as keen a relish as if hehad never known anything better in his life. While he ate, his oldservant stood behind his chair, although his services were not needed,as there were no plates to change, the first course being also thelast.

  "Has any one called?" asked Richard as he ate.

  "Any one called? Why, yes, we have had some callers."

  "Who were they?"

  "First the maid-servant of the actress--not the blonde one, but theother, the pug-nosed one. She brought a bouquet and a letter. I stuckthe flowers into a pitcher in the kitchen, gave the maid a pinch onthe cheek, and kindled the fire with the letter."

  "The deuce take you!" exclaimed Richard; "what made you burn up theletter?"

  "It asked for money from the captain," was the reply.

  "But how did you know that, Paul? I thought you couldn't read."

  "I smelt it."

  Richard laughed aloud. "Well, who else has been here?" he asked.

  "The young gentleman." This title was always used by Paul to designateone particular person.

  "My brother? What did he wish?"

  As if in answer to this inquiry, the young gentleman suddenly appearedin person.

  The youngest Baradlay was a slender youth of frail physique. On hissmooth, boyish face sat a somewhat affected expression of amiability,and if he carried his head rather high, it was not from pride, but onaccount of the eye-glasses which he wore on his nose. As he shookhands with his older brother, the latter was somehow reminded of theregulation that requires certain government officials, as a part oftheir duties, to show the utmost courtesy to every one--_ex officio_.

  "Your servant, JenA'. What's up now?"

  "I came to tell you," replied the other, "that I have received aletter from mother."

  "I received one, too," said Richard.

  "She informs me," continued JenA', "that she is going to double mymonthly allowance, and, in order to enable me to fit up my rooms asbecomes one of my rank, she sends me a thousand florins."

  "And she writes to me," said the older brother, "that if I continue tospend money as I have in the past, I shall soon run through my shareof the property; and unless I am more economical she will send me nomore funds."

  "But my difficulty," rejoined the other, "is that if I begin now tospend a good deal of money, those over me will notice it. You can'timagine how one is made to suffer for it when once his superiors inthe government service begin to suspect him of playing the independentgentleman. Really, I don't know what I shall do. Look here, Richard;do you know what I came for this morning? I came to share with you themoney that mother sent me."

  The other continued to chew his toothpick. "What interest?" he asked.

  "Don't insult me with such a question!" protested JenA'.

  "Then you offer to divide with me simply because you don't know how tospend the money yourself and want my help in getting rid of it? Good!I am at your service."

  "I thought you could make a better use of it than I," said the youth,handing over the half of his thousand florins, and pressing hisbrother's hand as he did so. "I have something else to give you also,"he added, with assumed indifference,--"an invitation to thePlankenhorsts' reception to-morrow evening."

  Richard rested his elbows on the table and regarded his brother with asatirical smile. "How long have you been acting as advertising agentof the Plankenhorst receptions?" he asked.

  "They begged me most cordially to invite you in their name," returnedthe other, moving uneasily in his chair.

  Richard laughed aloud. "So that is the usury I am to pay?" said he.

  "What do you mean by that?" asked JenA', with vexation, rising from hisseat.

  "I mean that you would like to pay your court to Miss Alfonsine if hermother, who considers you a very raw youth as yet, were not in theway. Madame Antoinette herself claims to be not devoid of personalcharms, and, if her _friseur_ is to be believed, she is still abeautiful woman. When I was in the guard I used to dance with heroften at the masked balls, and I recognised her under her domino morethan once when she mistook me for an acquaintance and fell tochatting with me. You know all that very well, and you say toyourself: 'I'll take my brother along as elephant.' All right,brother; never fear, I am not going to hand back the five hundredflorins. Your charges are high, but I'll be your elephant. Climb up onmy back, and while you beguile the daughter I will keep the motheramused. But first I must impose one condition. If you really want mycompany at the reception, do me the favour to intercede with yourchief on behalf of a poor priest who has been summoned to Vienna. Havehim sent home in peace. I don't need to tell you he is our pastor atNemesdomb, and he has been set upon because of the funeral prayer hesaw fit to make."

  "How did you learn all that?" asked JenA', in surprise.

  "Oh, I picked it up," replied the other; "and I tell you he is anhonest man. Let him go."

  JenA' assumed his official expression of countenance. "But really,"said he, "I have reason to know that the chancellor is greatlyincensed against him."

  "Come, come!" cried the elder brother, impatiently; "don't try toimpose on me with your great men. I have seen any number of them, inall sorts of undress, and I know that they are built just like othermortals,--eat and drink, yawn and snore exactly like the rest ofmankind. Your great magistrate wrinkles his brow, talks in a harshtone to the innocent victim before him, and when he has let him go,the mighty man laughs aloud at the terrible fright he gave the poorwretch. This priest is an honest fellow, but his tongue sometimes runsaway with him. Yet he is a servant of God, and he must be allowed todepart in peace. May he long minister to his little flock!"

  "Well, I will speak to his Excellency," returned JenA'.

  "Thank you. Now sit down and drink with me, to seal our compact.Paul!"

  The old hussar appeared.

  "There is a ten-florin note. Go and get two bottles of champagne,--onefor us and one for yourself."

  Old Paul shook his head as he withdrew, and muttered, "I was just suchanother myself when I was a youngster."