Quicksands Part 2

"Any, every sacrifice!" Pigglewitch cried, eagerly. "Ask what you will of me, it shall be done."

"I will not ask much. You shall have the round sum of three thousand five hundred marks--just enough to pay your uncle, replace your patrimony, and take you to America--if you will give me, to dispose of as I may see fit, your beautiful name of Gottlieb Pigglewitch, with the necessary articles and doc.u.ments thereto belonging,--to wit, your testimonials, credentials, letter of introduction to Osternau, etc., and, above all, your beautiful black suit, which fits you so admirably,--promising also to go direct from here to Wilhelms.h.a.gen, whence you can send your uncle his money, and whence you promise to take the next train, by way of Berlin, to Bremen, where you will embark in the first vessel bound for America, and all this without revealing to a living soul the occurrences of the last two days."

"You are making game of me, Herr Fortune," Pigglewitch said, in his most lachrymose tones; "but I must endure it, for you have saved my life."

"Don't mention it. That is a debit and credit affair. Had you not sung your hymn I should be lying in the forest with a bullet in my brains, and you would be reposing peacefully beneath the green, crystal waters of the lake. You certainly owe me nothing, and need think of nothing save your own advantage in deciding whether or not to accept the bargain I offer you, for I am not jesting. I make you the serious offer of three thousand five hundred marks cash, payable upon the receipt of your name, your credentials, your clothes, which you can exchange for mine,--and not a bad exchange either, it seems to me,--and lastly, of your express promise to emigrate immediately to America."

"Are you really not joking? Three thousand five hundred marks----"

"Cash. I pay _en amateur_. I like the beautiful name of Pigglewitch, and your black coat, with its long, pointed swallow-tail, enchants me.

I am sure it will become me admirably."

Pigglewitch looked doubtfully at the young man, who spoke so calmly, but whom he was inclined to p.r.o.nounce insane. "What do you want to do with my name and my credentials?" he said.

"I have lived a long time as Fortune, and for the sake of variety I should like to live and labour for a while as Pigglewitch. For how long? I do not know; and besides that is not the question between you and me. I shall go on living from day to day until the Pigglewitch existence also becomes intolerable to me. Come, decide, friend Pigglewitch; will you accept my proposal or not?"

Gottlieb reflected. Herr Fritz Fortune was evidently quite insane. Only a madman would kill himself from _ennui_ when his pockets were full of money. His offer was a crazy one, but what business was that of Gottlieb Pigglewitch? The proposal was most tempting,--three thousand five hundred marks. He might well sell his credentials, which would be valueless in America, for such a sum. Why should he not in his need accept an offer which would lay the foundations of his fortune? It would be unpardonable folly not to seize with both hands so unexpected a piece of luck.

"If you are really in earnest," he said, with a suspicious look at Herr Fortune,--"I can hardly believe it,--but if your offer is made seriously, I will accept it."

"Bravo, friend Pigglewitch! you are a delightful fellow!" cried Fortune. "There's my hand, the bargain is concluded."

With some hesitation Pigglewitch took the offered hand. He was still in some doubt, but this vanished when Fortune sprang up and led him up the bank whence a short time previously each had thrown himself into the lake. Here upon the short gra.s.s lay Fortune's coat and hat, with Pigglewitch's tall beaver and travelling-bag. In the breast-pocket of his coat Fortune found a pocket-book, which he opened, taking from it a thick bundle of bank-notes of a thousand or five hundred marks each, with here and there one for a hundred only. At this sight everything glimmered before the astonished eyes of Pigglewitch, who had never before seen so much money together. And the happy possessor of this wealth, which seemed quite 'beyond the dreams of avarice,' had very nearly killed himself voluntarily a short hour previously. Oh, the poor fellow was evidently mad, quite mad!

Meanwhile, Fortune selected three bank-notes of a thousand marks each, and ten hundred-mark notes. "Here, friend Pigglewitch," he said, "are four thousand marks; our bargain was for three thousand five hundred, but I add the rest and make the four thousand complete on condition that you make over to me your travelling-bag and its contents. I should like to begin my new life fully equipped as Pigglewitch. Do you agree?"

"Oh, certainly. You are most generous. I thank you from my soul, but----"

"But? Go on; why do you hesitate?"

"If you really wish to a.s.sume the life of a poor man like myself you must not carry about you so well filled, a pocket-book."

Fortune looked up in surprise. "You are cleverer than I thought," he said; "you are right. It were best to throw the entire rubbish into the lake, where it can do no mischief."

"For G.o.d's sake, take care what you do, Herr Fortune!" Pigglewitch exclaimed, in dismay, seizing the young man by the arm as he was about to toss the pocket-book into the water. "It is a sin to destroy all that beautiful money. If you do not want it, give it to me."

Fortune's hand fell by his side, he reflected for a moment, and then said as he looked at Pigglewitch with a smile, "The appet.i.te grows with eating. A moment ago four thousand marks seemed wealth to you, now you would like to have more. No, friend Pigglewitch, four thousand marks is enough. If you cannot begin life afresh with that sum, a larger one would a.s.suredly plunge you into misery. But you were right, nevertheless, to prevent me from destroying this money, it would have been folly. I always act foolishly when I follow the impulse of the moment, and I thank you for hindering me. I will keep the pocketbook.

There is no danger for me in the money, I know its worthlessness. Give me your travelling-bag. Is there a key to it? Yes? Thank you. I will deposit the pocket-book here in this bag, where it shall remain untouched. And now we will exchange clothes. I am longing to don your charming black suit as a bride longs to deck herself in her veil. We are about the same height, we shall have no difficulty in the matter."

He took off his cravat and waistcoat, and with a shake of the head Pigglewitch followed his example. In a few minutes the transformation was complete. Fritz Fortune in the wet black suit confronted its amazed former possessor; the clothes, 'a world too wide' for his slender, muscular figure, dangled and hung loosely about him, he clapped the tall black hat upon his head and exclaimed with a laugh as he looked at himself in a small pocket-mirror which he had taken from his own coat, "Horrible! ugly beyond belief! Indeed I am worthy of you, friend Pigglewitch. But my poor fellow, how you look! You have the worst of the bargain. My new summer coat suits you about as well as does a dress-coat a poodle. Look at yourself!"

He handed Pigglewitch the little mirror. Gottlieb contemplated his image with much complacency. He thought he presented an aristocratic appearance in his elegant attire, and said so.

"Are you pleased? So much the better," said Fortune. "Then we are both satisfied. And now, friend Pigglewitch, let us take leave of each other, but first swear to me by all that you hold sacred, by the very salvation of your soul, that you never will reveal to a human being what has taken place between us, and that you will sail for America as soon as possible."

"I swear it, so help me G.o.d! Amen!" Pigglewitch rejoined, raising his hand towards the skies.

"Farewell, my worthy other self, then. Farewell until we meet in another world more pleasantly than we did in this. You are going towards Wilhelms.h.a.gen. My way lies in an opposite direction. Farewell."

He shook Pigglewitch cordially by the hand, took up the travelling-bag and hung it by the handle on the end of a stick, which he rested upon his shoulder. Then, with an elastic step, he started for the forest.

CHAPTER II.

OSTERNAU.

Castle Osternau is situated in the midst of a country distinguished not for any conspicuous or unique beauty of natural scenery, but for luxuriance of cultivation. The undulating landscape forbids an extended view, it is only from the summit of some of the larger hills that the long range of the Riesengebirge can be discerned in the distance. All sight of this range is shut off from Castle Osternau itself by low hills.

Nevertheless, the country about the castle is by no means wanting in charm. The richly-cultured fields waving with golden grain, the luxuriant, flowery meadows, which lie like broad green ribbons among them, the dark forests which bound the horizon do not it is true combine to form a scene of majestic magnificence, but the landscape is full of a tender, benignant beauty, and in the eyes of Herr von Osternau, who was agriculturist to his very heart's core, there was in all Silesia no more beautiful spot than his dear Osternau. A field of wheat was far more lovely in his eyes than the most picturesque bare rocks. The steep mountains, available only for the cultivation of timber and inaccessible for the plough, where the peasant toiled laboriously to earn a scanty subsistence, were odious to him. An extensive, level, cultured plain was his ideal of beauty. It was hardly attained in the gently-undulating fields of Osternau, but, so far as luxuriance of cultivation was concerned, they left nothing to be desired.

All the lords of Osternau had been capable, practical agriculturists.

The love of agriculture had descended for centuries from father to son with the entailed estate. Its proprietors had successively, from time immemorial, resided at Castle Osternau and personally superintended the management of its extensive lands, the younger sons only had devoted themselves to a diplomatic career, and, for the most part, not for long. So soon as they could lay claim to a pension from the government they had followed their natural bent, resigned their positions, and retired to Castle Osternau, where they had loyally a.s.sisted the elder brother in the management of his estates. But few of these younger brothers had ever married, most of them had died bachelors. Thus the male descendants of the Osternau line had never been numerous. At present there were but three of them. The head of the house, Friedrich von Osternau, had but one son, a boy six years of age, and only one male relative, a cousin, Albrecht von Osternau by name, who had for a long time considered himself the heir-at-law, since the marriage of Friedrich von Osternau had been blessed for some years with a daughter only. When this daughter, however, had reached the age of eleven, the birth of a son had blasted the young man's hopes of succeeding to the estates.

Albrecht von Osternau was a young, pleasure-loving officer. As the future possessor of Osternau, he had cared very little for the fact that he had gambled away and squandered his patrimony in a few years.

His credit was good, for it was supposed by the Berlin money-lenders that the present owner of Osternau was consumptive and could live but a few months longer at the furthest. But the victim of consumption lived not only months, but years, and just when his death was predicted with great certainty, he astonished the world with the news that a son and heir was born to him.

It was a fearful blow for Lieutenant Albrecht von Osternau when he suddenly learned, in a very kind letter from his cousin, that his expectations in life had crumbled to ruins. With his prospects of inheritance his credit also vanished. His creditors, hitherto most patient, besieged him, and in one case, where he had imprudently given his note of hand, he was threatened with a complaint to be lodged with his commanding officer. Until now the lieutenant had never found any difficulty in covering one debt with another; this was no longer possible. The money-lenders, who had formerly considered it an honour to accommodate the Herr Lieutenant, rudely refused compliance with his wishes.

In his great need, Albrecht von Osternau decided to apply to his only relative, the head of the house, although until now he had had but little intercourse with him. He paid a visit to Castle Osternau, where he was received with open arms. The good-natured Friedrich considered it a duty to indemnify his only relative, in some measure at least, for his shattered hopes. He recognized the severity of the law of entail which cuts off all the younger branches of a family from a share in the wealth which is lavished upon the heir, and he thought it quite natural that Albrecht should have heretofore ordered his life upon a scale commensurate with his expectations.

Since the state of his own health had prevented him from leading any but the simple life of a country gentleman, he was in the habit of yearly laying aside considerable sums, which were usually, however, expended in the improvement of the estates, wherefore his private property was not very large. Nevertheless, he gladly sacrificed a considerable amount of money in paying his cousin's debts.

Amply provided with means, Albrecht returned from Osternau to Berlin.

He arrived there a day too late. His merciless creditor had already sent to the colonel of the regiment a notice of the note that was due.

Upon the payment of his claim he would gladly have recalled it, but, since the colonel had received it, the latter was obliged to advise the young officer to send in his resignation from the service.

Albrecht's military career was ended. It must shortly have terminated at all events, for with his expensive tastes and habits he could not possibly have maintained his position as cavalry officer of the guards without loading himself with debt. What was he to do? At the age of twenty-four, in the very flower of his youth, he found himself without a future.

Once more he found a kind and ready friend in his cousin, to whom he confided his misfortune. Baron Friedrich invited him to come to Osternau, there to follow the traditions of the family in devoting himself to agriculture.

The luxurious young officer, accustomed to the delights of the capital, unused to work of any description, after living a careless life of pleasure among his wealthy comrades, was to bury himself in a lonely castle, where, in the society of an invalid cousin and his simple-hearted wife, he must spend his weary days in a pursuit that was odious to him. He who had been free as a bird of the air after the easy duties of his daily service were over, must now be his cousin's slave, condemned to constant occupation, obedient to command, a.s.suming the part of an upper superintendent upon the very estates which he had been wont to consider as his own in the future. Could the munificent compensation offered him by his cousin atone to him for what he relinquished, for the delights he must resign? He felt no grat.i.tude towards his generous relative; he hated him as he had always envied him. For years he had set all his hopes upon the death of the man whom he had believed a prey to consumption. These hopes were now annihilated, and he felt almost inclined to reproach his cousin for still living, and for being blessed with a direct heir. How could he be grateful to the hated relative whose subordinate, whose slave he was doomed to be? The thought was intolerable; and yet, hard as this lot was, no choice was left for the ruined officer. Again and again he destroyed the letter in which he had tried to accept his cousin's offer with thanks. He ground his teeth as he wrote out the hollow expressions of his grat.i.tude, but there was no help for it, he had to write them, and when the letter was finally finished he paced the floor of his room in a frenzy of envy and disgust.

In a few days he followed his letter to Castle Osternau, and from that time all the male members of the ancient family were united beneath its roof. Albrecht occupied some elegantly-furnished rooms in the third story of the castle; the windows of his sleeping-room looked out upon the court-yard, those of his other rooms upon the garden.

The head of the family himself occupied the second floor of the castle.

He was so enthusiastic a farmer that he quite despised the lovely view of the castle gardens. His delight was in overlooking from the windows of his sitting-room the s.p.a.cious court-yard, with its busy throng of servants and labourers. If the state of his health confined him to the house, he thus contrived still to maintain a supervision of his people.

He would sit at these windows from early morning when the weather was bad, only leaving his post to repair to the dining-hall at dinner-time.

From half-past two until half-past four was his only time for recreation or repose. If the weather were propitious he spent the entire remainder of the day out of doors, in the fields, on foot or on horseback, in the court-yard and stables. He took an interest in the smallest details of his extensive agricultural operations without relaxing in his strict general superintendence. The Osternau estates were regarded all through the country as a model of good management.

The castle court-yard was a huge quadrangle, one side of which was formed by the extensive structure of the castle itself. Its s.p.a.cious barns were on the opposite side; to the right were long rows of stables for horses and cows, and to the left were those devoted to various breeds of sheep. In the midst of the large s.p.a.ce thus enclosed was a pond for watering the cattle, and beside it stood a shed, beneath which was a fire-engine.

Perfect neatness and order reigned in the court-yard; the keen eye of the master of Osternau saw to it that these were always strictly maintained. He certainly was the gentlest and kindest of masters, but he could not endure the slightest disorder. Even the huge muck-heap before the cow-stables, the pride of its possessor and the ornament of the court-yard of an agricultural estate, was well kept, and gave no impression of uncleanliness; indeed, the neighboring landed proprietors regarded it with admiration when they drove past the court-yard on their way to pay a friendly visit to Herr von Osternau. They preferred to go round the narrower country road, past the court-yard, to gain the front entrance to the castle, rather than to approach it by the broader road leading directly from the highway.

CHAPTER III.