The German Classics of The Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Vol. VIII by Various

V >> Various >> The German Classics of The Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Vol. VIII

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Freneli did not feel it; but her aunt awoke with a long yawn and asked,
finding it hard to collect her thoughts, "Where are we, hey? I haven't
been asleep, I hope."

Uli said, "If you look sharply, you can see our light yonder through the
trees."

"Gracious, how I have slept! I wouldn't have believed it. If only
Joggeli doesn't scold because we're so late."

"It doesn't matter," said Uli; "and Blackie can rest tomorrow; we don't
need him."

"Well, well," said his mistress, "then that's all the better. But when
horses get home late and have to start out early, that's maltreatment.
Just imagine how we'd feel if they did the same to us--run, run all the
time, and no time for eating and sleeping."

As they heard the approaching wagon, all the inhabitants of Slough Farm
rushed out of the doors with candles and lanterns, some to the horse,
others to the wagon; even Joggeli limped up, saying, "I thought you
wouldn't get here today, thought something had happened."

CHAPTER XXV

THE PLOT BEGINS TO UNRAVEL, AND AS IT IS ABOUT TO SNARL AGAIN, A GIRL
KNOCKS OUT THE TANGLE WITH A BEECH CUDGEL

[Freneli's restless eagerness to give Uli her answer banishes sleep, and
she rises before all the others, only to find Uli before her at the
wash-trough, and there they plight their faith. The mistress broaches
the subject of the lease to Joggeli, but he will not hear to it.
Freneli, however, is not disturbed, but outlines the plan of action,
which succeeds admirably. Now comes the son-in-law and makes a scene,
but Freneli trumps his ace by getting word to Johannes, who, already
suspicious of the cotton-dealer, is glad to have a chance to spoke his
wheel for him. A frightful turmoil ensues, with Johannes pounding the
table and threatening the cotton-dealer, while the latter, unterrified,
calmly admits marrying Elsie for her money, and himself draws up a
leasing plan which rather pleases Joggeli, but would exclude Uli. While
the others are arguing about this plan, the son-in-law attempts a
private understanding with Freneli, to the effect that he will further
Uli's cause if she will be complaisant with him. Freneli snatches up a
beech-wood stick and belabors him soundly, while he yells for help, and
finally escapes through an open door. Freneli tells her story; the
son-in-law sticks his head in at the door to say she lies, but the beech
stick, hurled by Freneli's strong hand, strikes him full in the face,
and, minus three teeth, he finally quits the field of battle, completely
routed, strewing the path of his retreat with noisy but vain threats.]

CHAPTER XXVI

HOW FRENELI AND ULI GET OUT AND ARE FINALLY WEDDED

From this point on affairs went much better than Uli had expected, and
many a time he could not but think that he was faring better than he
deserved and was forcibly reminded of what his old master had said--that
a good name was veritable capital and worth more than gold and goods.
The rent was reasonable; but the chief thing was the extras. Some things
that he liked especially, to be sure, Johannes came and seized. That was
only reasonable, he said, to balance up the corn and cherry brandy that
his brother-in-law had talked them out of. The extras included not only
the entire live-stock, utensils and dishes, but also the
house-furnishings and the servants' beds. The appraisal was reasonable
throughout, so that the receiver could not be ruined if the things ever
had to be returned. There were some considerable reservations, but they
could be overlooked in view of the low rent. Uli was to feed one cow for
Joggeli, fatten two hogs, supply potatoes, sow one measure of flax-seed
and two of hemp, and furnish a horse whenever they wanted to drive. If
people are on good terms such reservations are seldom too heavy; but if
misunderstandings arise, then every reservation becomes a
stumbling-block.

Uli and Freneli could save most of their money and needed to buy very
little; the promised dowry did not fail; they received a bed and a
wardrobe as handsome as could be got in all the country round. Johannes,
without waiting for their choice, sent them a handsome cradle, which
Freneli would not admit for a long time, maintaining it was not meant
for them.

So in some anxiety of spirit they saw the time approach when Uli was to
take over the lease, given to him chiefly through confidence in his
ability and loyalty. First, however, he was to be married to Freneli.
Since New Year's there had been talk of it; but the girl always had
excuses for delay. Now she had not had time to think it all over; now
she had just been thinking it over and had decided it was better to wait
another Sunday or two; again she said she wanted to enter on her duties
as mistress immediately after the wedding, and not still be servant; or
else the shoemaker had her Sunday shoes, and she couldn't go on wooden
soles to the pastor to announce the marriage. So passed one Sunday after
another. * * *

Then one Sunday, when the shoemaker had brought the shoes, the dear God
sent a terrible snow-storm, such that no human being could take a dozen
steps with open eyes, and a dark night, the thickest and blackest that
ever was, interposed between heaven and earth. While the storm was at
his height and snow and hail rattled against the windows and piled up a
finger's length against the frames, while the wind whistled mournfully
about the roof, darkness came in at the windows thick and gloomy, so
that the lamp could scarcely prevail against it, the cats crawled
shivering to the back of the stove, and the dog scratched at the kitchen
door and crawled under the stove with his tail between his legs, Freneli
at length said, "Now Uli, get ready and we'll go; now folks certainly
won't be watching us." * * *

When they were ready and opened the kitchen door, Freneli had to make
three attempts before she could get out, and Uli had to look for his hat
on the other side of the kitchen. Her aunt began to wail and to implore
them in God's name not to go; they would be killed! But Freneli summoned
all her strength for a third attempt, and vanished in the snow-flurry; her
aunt's lamentations died away unheard. It was really almost a break-neck
undertaking, and Uli had to help the girl. With the wind directly in their
faces, they often lost the road, had to stand still at times and look
about them to see where they were and gather breath, or turn around to
let the strongest gusts go by; it took them three-quarters of an hour to
go the scant fifteen minutes' walk to the parsonage. There they first
shook off the snow as well as they could, then knocked on the door. But
they knocked long in vain; the sound was swallowed up in the howling of
the wind, which raged awesomely through the chimneys. Then Freneli lost
patience; in place of Uli's reverent knock she now tried her own, and it
was such that the indwellers started up from their seats and the
pastor's wife cried, "Mercy on us, what's that?" But the pastor calmed
her by saying that it was either a baptism or a wedding, only that, as
usual, Mary had not heard their first knocks. While Mary answered the
door he was lighting a light, so that the people need not wait long, and
as soon as Mary opened the door to say, "There's two people here, Sir,"
he was already stepping out.

Back of the house door stood the two, Freneli behind Uli. The pastor,
somewhat short, of middle age, but already venerable in appearance and
with shrewd features that could be either very sharp or very pleasant,
raised the light above his head, peered out with head bowed slightly
forward, and cried at last, "Why, Uli, is it you, in such weather? And I
suppose Freneli's behind you," he said, letting the light fall on her.
"But dear me," he cried, "in such weather? And the good mistress let you
go? Come, Mary," he called, "brush off these folks for me, and take this
collar and dry it." Mary came up very willingly with her lamp.

Now the pastor's wife opened the door, her light in her hand, and said,
"Bring them in here, why don't you? It's warmer than your study, and
Freneli and I know each other right well." There stood Freneli now in
the blaze of three lights, still between Uli and the door, not knowing
what expression to assume. Finally she put a good face on a bad game, as
the saying goes, came forward, and saluted the pastor and his wife quite
properly, saying that her aunt bade her wish them good evening, and
Joggeli too. All this Freneli said with the most innocent face in the
world.

"But," said the pastor, "why do you come in such a storm? You might have
lost your lives!"

"We couldn't manage it any other way," said Uli, who began to feel the
man's duty of taking his wife's obstinacy on his own shoulders--a duty
which one must eventually fulfil of necessity, either to avoid appearing
lien-pecked or to hide the weakness of his wife. "We couldn't wait any
longer," he continued, "as we wanted to ask the pastor to announce the
affair here and there, so that it could be published next Sunday."

They were rather late for that, the pastor said; he didn't know whether
the mail would reach both places before Sunday.

"I am sorry for that," said Uli; "I hadn't thought of it."

Freneli acted as, if she had nothing to do with it, and talked quite
interestedly with the pastor's wife about the flax, which had seemed so
fine and still yielded so little when they combed it. When the
formalities were over the pastor said to Uli, "And so you're to be
tenant on Slough Farm? I'm glad of it. You're not like so many servants,
that don't even look human, to say nothing of Christian; you act like a
man and like a Christian too."

"Yes," said Uli, "why should I forget God? I need Him more than He does
me, and if I forget Him can I hope that He will think of me when He
bestows His gifts and His mercies?"

"Yes, Uli, that's fine," said the pastor, "and I think He has not
forgotten you either. You have a good farm and I think you're getting a
good wife."

Here the maid came in with the plates to set the table. Freneli noticed
it and stood up to go, although the hostess told them not to hurry, or,
better still, to have supper with them. But Freneli said they must go or
her aunt would think something had happened, thanked the pastor and
asked him to promise that he would come to see them, although they were
only leaseholders. They could always give them a cup of coffee, if they
would be satisfied with that. Her heart always rejoiced to see him, even
from a distance. Wishing them happiness and blessing in the holy state
of matrimony, the pastor himself lighted them out with candle held high,
and bade them to wish good evening to aunt and uncle for him. * * *

Nearer, and nearer came the fateful wedding-day. As on the day before
some holy Sunday, when solemn feelings almost irresistibly make their
way into the heart, almost as on the eve of her confirmation, so Freneli
felt on the eve of her wedding. Thoughtfully and seriously she did her
housework; perhaps she had never spoken so little as on that day. At
times she felt like weeping, and still she had a friendly smile for all
she met. Then again she would sink into deep reflection, in which she
forgot place and time and everything; she knew nothing of herself,
nothing of this brooding. Then when some one spoke to her, she would
start up as out of deep sleep; it seemed to her as if she had only just
recovered her eyes and ears, as if she were falling back upon the earth
from another world.

As they were sitting at supper, such an unexpected crash was heard on
the hill near the house that all started up. It was the men and some of
the day-laborers, who wished to proclaim to the world the glory of their
new masters. There lies hidden in this shooting and banging at weddings
a deep significance; the only pity is that so many a human life is
endangered by it. No hateful horn-blowing was heard; no horrible
serenades, such as envy or enmity offer to bridal couples, disturbed the
peaceful evening. * * *

Uli had a bad night. As they wanted to start at three in the morning the
hours for sleep were few, but it seemed as if they would not pass. He
could not sleep; many things busied his thoughts and tossed him
restlessly back and forth, and every thirty seconds he reached for his
watch. The whole importance of what he was now to become rolled itself
upon his soul with its entire weight. Then again lovely pictures danced
before his closed eyes. [Illustration: FIRST DANCING LESSONS _From
the Painting by Benjamin Vautier_] The spirit-hour was not long past
when he left his bed, in order to give the horse his fodder and to brush
and curry him thoroughly. When he had finished this work he went to the
well and began a similar task on himself. Then playful hands enfolded
him and Freneli brought him her loving morning salute. A glad hope had
drawn her to the well, and they lingered to caress each other in the
cold morning air as if mild evening zephyrs were blowing. All anxiety
and oppression forsook him now, and he hastened the preparations for
their departure. Soon he could go into the house for the hot coffee
which Freneli had made and for the white bread and cheese her aunt had
provided. Little peace did the girl have at the table, for the fear of
having forgotten something would not let her rest; again and again she
looked over the bundle of her belongings, and even then her aunt's
fur-lined shoes were nearly left behind. At last she stood there all in
readiness, sweet and beautiful. The two maids, whom curiosity had drawn
from their beds, encircled her with their lights, and were so absorbed
in admiration that they forgot that oil makes spots and that fire
kindles; a little more and Freneli, soaked in oil, would have gone up in
flame. Alas, in the fleshy bosoms of the poor maids heaved the yearning:
Oh, if they once had such pretty clothes, they would be as pretty as
Freneli; and then they too could ride off to be married to such a
handsome man!

Long before three o'clock they drove out into the cold, frosty morning.
Amid question and answer the flickering stars paled and sought their
sky-blue beds, and the good mother sun began to weave golden curtains
about them out of sparkling rays of light, so that their chaste
retirement, their innocent sleep, might not be sullied by the eyes of
curious sinners. Jack Frost shook his curls more mightily; driven by the
sun from the little stars to the dark bosom of the earth, away from his
heavenly sweethearts, he tried to caress earthly ones, wanted to embrace
Freneli and put his cold arms about the warm girl; his white breath was
already playing in the tips of her cap. The girl shivered and begged
Uli to take refuge just a moment in a warm room; she was shaking through
and through, and they would reach their destination soon enough.

It was one of the good old taverns whose proprietors do not change every
year, but where one generation succeeds the other. The innkeepers, who
were just sitting at their coffee as the bridal couple entered,
recognized Uli at once. Now a very friendly salutation, and the couple
must sit down and celebrate with them, whether or no. They were told not
to make a fuss about it, everything was ready, and nothing was more
grateful on such a cold morning than a cup of hot coffee. Freneli acted
somewhat bash-fully, for it seemed bold of her to sit down with them as
if that was her home. But the hostess urged her until she sat down,
surveyed her, and began to praise her to Uli, remarking what a pretty
wife he had; there hadn't been a prettier one there this long time. She
was glad he was doing so well; they had all been sorry when he went
away; one always liked to see a friend get along well. Not that there
weren't folks that couldn't bear to see it, but there weren't many such.

Uli asked whether she thought the pastor was up; he would go to him
first. He surely would be, they thought, especially on a Friday, when
folks usually came. Not that he was one of the earliest risers usually,
for he liked to lie abed; but he was getting old and so that could be
excused. But he had had a vicar during the winter, and he had never been
in sight before eight; everybody had been vexed that they had to have
such a lazy vicar. Here Uli asked whether it was customary to take the
bride along. No, they said; folks seldom waited in the parsonage.
Afterward a good many went back together to get the certificate. But the
bashful ones, or those that thought the pastor would have cause to say
something to them, would come right back to the inn, and only the lads
would go for the certificate. After Freneli had declined to go along and
had bidden Uli to let his master know and send word to have his master
and mistress come, he set out.

In his handsome dress and in the dark room the old pastor did not at
first recognize him, but then was heartily rejoiced. "I heard," he said,
"that you were doing well, were to get a fine lease and a good wife, and
had saved a tidy sum. It gives me great joy to bless a marriage that I
can hope will remain in the Lord. That you have saved something is not
the chief thing; but you wouldn't have it, and people wouldn't have had
so much confidence in you, if you were not honest and God-fearing, and
that's what pleases me most of all. The things of the world and the
things of the spirit are much closer to each other than most people
believe. They think that in order to get along well in the world, you've
got to hang up your Christianity on a nail. But it's just the reverse;
that's what causes the everlasting complaint in the world; that's why
most men make their beds so that they have to lie on nettles. Ask
yourself if you would be as happy now if you had stayed a vagabond,
despised by all. What do you think--what sort of a wedding would you
have had? Just imagine what kind of a wife you would have got, and the
prospects you would have had, and what people would have said when they
saw you going to be married, and then see how it is today; reckon up the
enormous difference. Or what do you think about it? Is blind fortune,
accident, so-called luck, back of it all? Folks are always saying: 'I
don't have any luck; you just can't do anything nowadays.' What do you
think, Uli? Is it only luck? Would you have had this luck if you had
stayed a vagabond? But the misfortune is just that people want to be
happy through luck and not by God-fearing lives on which God's blessing
rests. And so it's quite fitting that those who are only waiting for
luck should be deceived by it, until they come to the knowledge that
nothing depends on luck, but everything on the blessing of God."

"Yes, Your Reverence," said Uli, "I can't tell you how much happier I am
now than when I was one of the rabble that run around the streets. But
something depends on luck, too; for if I hadn't come to such a good
master no good would have come of me."

"Uli, Uli," said the pastor, "was that luck or God's decree?"

"It's all the same, I think," answered Uli.

"Yes," said the pastor, "it is the same; but it's not a matter of
indifference which you call it, as men think, and that's just where the
difference lies. The man that talks of luck doesn't think of God, nor
thank Him, nor seek His grace; he seeks luck of and in the world. He who
speaks of God's providence thinks of Him, thanks Him, seeks to please
Him, sees God's hand in everything; he knows neither bad nor good luck,
but to him everything is God's good guidance, which is to lead him to
blessedness. The different words are the expression of a different state
of mind, a different view of life; that is why there is so much
difference in the words, and it is important which one we use. And
however good our intentions, still, when we talk of luck, it makes us
frivolous or discontented; but if we speak of God's providence, then
these words themselves awaken thoughts in us and direct our eyes to
God."

"Well, yes, Your Reverence," said Uli, "you're about right in that, and
I'll bear it in mind."

"I hope you will come back here with your bride after the service?"

"Very willingly, if you wish it," said Uli; "but I'm afraid we shall
keep you from your work."

"No one does that," said the pastor; "for it is not only my office, but
also my pleasure, to speak on serious occasions a serious word to hearts
in which I can hope for good soil that will bear fruit. What the pastor
says on such occasions is not so soon forgotten."

Meanwhile Freneli had taken off the fur-lined shoes and put on the
proper cap, and with her own hands the hostess had fastened on the
wreath. It was made in the Langental fashion, she said. "But whatever
fashion it is, it's becoming to you," she continued.

The bells began to peal and Freneli's heart to beat loudly; her eyes
grew fairly dim with dizziness. The hostess brought her aromatic salts,
rubbed her temples with something, and said, "You mustn't take it so
hard, girlie, we all have to go through with it. But go now in God's
name; the pastor doesn't wait long on a Friday; he's a great one for
hurrying."

Uli took his Freneli by the hand and walked with her toward the church;
solemnly the solemn peals echoed in their hearts; for the sexton rang
the bells with all his skill, so that the clappers struck on both edges,
and not as if they were lame, now on one edge, now on the other. As they
came to the churchyard, the grave-digger was just busy at a grave, and
it was quiet about him; no sheep, no goat came and desecrated man's last
resting-place; for in this village the churchyard was no pasture for
unclerical animals.

Suddenly an irresistible melancholy came over Freneli. The venerable
mound, the digging of the new grave, woke gloomly thoughts. "That's no
good omen," she whispered; "they are digging a grave for one of us."

Before the church stood a baptismal party, one godmother holding a child
on her arm. "That means a child-bed for one of us," whispered Uli, to
comfort Freneli.

"Yes, that I'm to die in one," she answered; "that I must leave my
happiness for the cold grave."

"Just remember," said Uli, "that the dear God does everything and that
we mustn't be superstitious, but believing. That our graves will be dug
some day is certain; but that digging a grave means death to those who
come along I never heard. Just think how many people see a grave being
dug; if all of them had to follow soon, think what a lot of deaths
there'd be."

"Oh, forgive me," said Freneli; "but the more important a journey is the
more alarmed the poor soul gets and wants to know what will be the
outcome, and so takes every encounter as an omen, bad or good; do you
remember when you did the like?"

Then Uli pressed her hand and said, "You're right; but let us put our
trust in God and not worry. What He shall do to us, or give or take, is
well done."

They entered the church softly and hesitatingly; went separately to left
and right; saw a child taken into the covenant of the Lord; thought how
beautiful it was to be permitted to commend such a tender and feeble
being, body and soul, to the especial care of its Saviour, and how great
a load it must take from the parents' breasts, when they received in the
baptism the assurance that the Lord would be with them and let them feed
the child with His spirit, as the mother fed it with her milk. They
joined very reverently in the prayers, and thought how seriously they
would take it when they should have to promise as godparents to see to
it that a child should be brought to the Lord. The customary collect was
lost upon them in the importance of the serious moment that came nearer
and nearer. When the pastor stepped forward from behind the baptismal
fount, when Uli had taken Freneli by the hand, and they had stepped
forward to the bench, both sank to their knees, far anticipating the
ceremony, held their hands in fervent clasp, and with all their soul and
all their heart and all their strength they prayed and promised what the
words bid them--yes, and much more that gushed forth from their true
hearts. And when they arose, they felt exceedingly firm and cheerful;
both felt that they had won a great treasure for their whole life, which
must make them happy, which none could take from them by force or guile,
and with which they must remain united to all eternity.

When outside, Uli begged his bride to go with him to the pastor, to get
the certificate. Abashed, Freneli tried to decline, under the pretext
that she did not know him, that it was unnecessary, and so on. But she
went none the less, and no longer timorous, like a thief in the night,
but as well becomes a happy woman at the side of an honest man. Freneli
knew how to take herself in hand.

With kindness they were received by the pastor, a venerable, tall, lean
gentleman. There were not many who, like him, knew how to mingle
seriousness and graciousness, so that hearts opened before him as if
touched with a magic wand.

When he had looked at Freneli, he asked, "What do you think, Uli? Was it
due to luck or God's guidance that you got this little wife?"

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