Clear the Track! Part 35

laughed the doctor. "By the way, just at this moment, you bear a most remarkable resemblance to your sainted cousin, the man of the desert, who used to cast his eyes heavenward, in the same piteous manner. But come, Dagobert, we must break up now, else the train will leave you."

He drank out his mug of beer and stood up. The portly host of the "Lamb" attended them to the front-door, and once more, in woe-begone manner, begged that his most humble respects be presented to Herr Dernburg, with the a.s.surance that he, for his part, was firmly devoted to the party of law and order, but that, as the father of a family and under these distressing circ.u.mstances----

"I shall tell him that you are once more the victim of your calling,"

exclaimed Hagenbach, breaking short his wail. "You just keep on trembling in quiet and pocket the jingling cash all the same. Your beer is excellent, and no doubt the gentlemen will know how to appreciate it. It will dispose them to be more humane and save the 'Golden Lamb'

from destruction, if it comes to the worst."

Herr Willmann shook his head gently and reproachfully at this waggish aspect of the case, and took leave of his guests with a reverential bow, who, on their part, now repaired to the railroad station, where the train was already in waiting. While Hagenbach was crossing the platform with his nephew, he gave him one more impressive lecture, by way of farewell. "I would like to be certain of one thing, namely, that you will set yourself to studying steadily in Berlin, and not turn aside to the follies that played the wild with that fellow Runeck's prospects in life," said he with emphasis. "He had always been very sensible until he went among those Socialists. I tell you, my boy, if you let yourself be taken in by people of that sort----"

He put on such a ferocious look that the pale-faced Dagobert shrank back in affright and laid his hand upon his breast in protestation of his innocent intentions. "I am not going among radicals, dear uncle, certainly not," a.s.serted he, with touching candor.

"They would not make much of a haul when they caught you," opined the doctor contemptuously. "But they take all that they can get, and you, alas! are ripe for any kind of folly. I only hope that your cursed poem 'To Leonie' was your first and will be your last. At all events I made clear enough to you, I trust, the undesirableness of writing such trash.--But the signal for the cars to start has already been given!

Have you got your satchel in hand? Get in, then, and a pleasant trip to you!"

He shut the coach-door and stepped back. Dagobert really did not breathe freely until he saw himself separated from his uncle by the solid wall of the coach, for, upon his heart, in his vest-pocket rested a long, touching farewell poem "To Leonie." After the miscarriage of his first attempt, it is true that the young poet had not ventured to place in the hands of his _inamorata_ this effusion of his sentiments, but he had made up his mind to send it in a letter, from Berlin, with the a.s.surance that his love would be eternal, however cruelly the rude world might come in between himself and the object of his ardent affections.

This "rude world," in the shape of the doctor, stood upon the platform, waving another farewell greeting as the train now began to move. Then Hagenbach sought the station-master and inquired whether the fast-train from Berlin was behind time.

"No, indeed, Doctor, that train will be here punctually in ten minutes," answered that official. "Are you expecting any one?"

"Yes, young Count Eckardstein will arrive today."

The station-master's face expressed surprise. "What! Count Victor coming? It was said that an irreparable breach was made between his brother and himself, that time when he came here in the spring, and went away all of a sudden. So, the case at Eckardstein is a desperate one?"

"To this extent, at least, that Count Victor had to be informed of it.

He is the only brother, you know."

"Yes, yes--the lord-proprietor is unmarried as well," wound up the railroad agent significantly. "Will you not step into the waiting-room, Doctor?"

"No, I thank you. I prefer to stay out of doors; it will be only for a few minutes."

Hagenbach was not the only expectant person there. Landsfeld appeared with a troop of workmen, who were also evidently awaiting the arrival of some one, for they planted themselves on the platform, conversing in loud, dictatorial tones about the approaching electorial a.s.sembly.

Finally the train came rushing up. It brought a good many pa.s.sengers, who got out here at the larger railway-station, so that, for a few minutes, there was a regular commotion in the great reception hall.

Hagenbach walked along the whole line of coaches, with scrutinizing glance, when suddenly he saw before him the tall figure of Runeck, who had just left the coach. Both stopped short, the first instant, when Egbert made a quick motion, as though he would approach the physician, but Landsfeld had already discovered him and pressed up to him with his followers. With noisy greetings they encircled the young engineer, took him into their midst and as they left the depot, raised a loud cheer for him.

"The tribune of the people sails in smooth waters," growled the doctor irritably. "A pretty surprise this, that he is preparing for Herr Dernburg! I am only curious as to what our Odensburgers are going to say. They are in it too, and, as it seems, in goodly numbers."

He quickened his pace, for he just now caught sight of Victor Eckardstein alighting from the last coach, in company with an elderly gentleman. The young Count also perceived him, and hastened to meet him".

"Nothing has happened yet at Eckardstein, has it?" asked he nervously.

"No, Count; the condition of the patient has not perceptibly altered since day before yesterday. But as I happened to be at the station, I thought I would wait to welcome you."

The young Count now turned and introduced: "Dr. Hagenbach, my uncle, Herr von Stettin."

Hagenbach bowed, recognizing the name and knowing that he had before him the brother of the deceased Countess Eckardstein. Stettin offered him his hand.

"You are treating my nephew, as I learn."

"I am, Herr von Stettin, being called in by the express desire of the family physician. My colleague did not want to undertake the responsibility alone."

"In that he did perfectly right. His report was so alarming that I determined to accompany Victor. The case is a serious one, is it not?"

"An inflammation of the lungs is always serious," answered the doctor evasively. "We must build upon the powerful const.i.tution of the patient. We considered it a duty, at any rate, not to keep the Count in ignorance of the danger hanging over his brother."

"I thank you," said Victor with emotion. He looked pale and agitated, the thought of seeing that brother, from whom he had parted in anger, lying upon what was perhaps his death-bed, evidently oppressed him sorely. He kept silent, while Stettin asked the most particular questions, informed himself exactly as to the condition of his elder nephew. Out of doors in front of the railroad station stood an Eckardstein carriage, and the doctor took leave of the two gentlemen, promising to be at the Castle early the next morning. Then he went over to the "Golden Lamb" to bid his coachman prepare likewise for departure.

In the hall he once more met Runeck and Landsfeld, who had rid themselves of their comrades and were just inquiring of the host if he could not furnish them with a private room, as they wanted to confer about something.

This time Egbert bowed and paused hesitatingly, as though he were in doubt whether he should address the doctor or not. At the same time he cast an almost shy glance over at the steps where Landsfeld stood.

"Well?" asked he sharply, the word sounding more like a command than a summons.

That decided the matter. The young engineer defiantly threw back his head and stepped up to the physician.

"A word with you, Doctor! How goes it at Odensburg--in the Manor-house, I mean?"

Hagenbach had responded very coolly to his greeting, and answered with reserve:

"As you would expect in a house of mourning, where death entered so suddenly and shockingly--you have heard, I suppose, how the young gentleman died?"

"Yes, I know about it," said Egbert in a voice that betrayed suppressed emotion. "How did his father bear it?"

"Worse than he would have one believe. And yet his is an iron nature that manfully resists every a.s.sault made upon it, and he has not much time to devote to his grief either. Affairs in and around Odensburg claim his attention more than ever. You will understand how this is better than I, Herr Runeck!"

The doctor's thrust, however, seemed to glance aside from the apparently thick panoply of Egbert's composure, as he calmly went on questioning:

"And Maia? She loved her brother very dearly."

"Why, Miss Maia, you know, is hardly seventeen yet. At that age one weeps freely and is then consoled. On the contrary, Mrs. Dernburg suffers more acutely under her loss than I could have supposed possible."

"The young widow?" asked Egbert in a low tone.

"Yes; those first days she abandoned herself so to grief, that I entertained serious apprehensions, and even now she is broken-hearted as it were. I would not have attributed to her such exquisite sensibility."

Runeck's lips quivered, but he made no reply to this last remark.

"Remember me to Miss Maia--she perhaps will not spurn my salutation,"

said he hurriedly. "Farewell, Doctor."

So saying he turned to the stairs, where Landsfeld was still awaiting him, and mounted them with him, while Hagenbach called his coachman and then seated himself in his carriage.

Herr Willmann, from the front door, made another reverential bow. The very next minute, he hurried as fast as his corpulence would admit of, after the other two.

And he did not tremble at all when he stood before the dreaded Landsfeld, but bent just as low before him as he had done awhile ago to the doctor, and in the most fawning manner asked his honored guests to take possession of the gentlemen's parlor, where they should be entirely undisturbed--he would see to it that n.o.body came in. Whatever their honors wanted in kitchen or cellar, yes, the whole house was at their disposal.

"No, we need nothing now," said Landsfeld carelessly. "Only you see to it, mine host, that nothing is lacking this evening. The crowd will be very great."

The fat host of the "Lamb" exhausted himself in a.s.surances that everything should be attended to in the very best of style, and then with the greatest self-complacency repaired to his a.s.sembly-room, to attend to making some arrangements in person. Herr Pancratius Willmann possessed, in the highest degree, the art of serving two masters.