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diff --git a/old/40657.txt b/old/40657.txt deleted file mode 100644 index b591f87..0000000 --- a/old/40657.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,20220 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Quest, by Frederik van Eeden - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Quest - The authorized translation from the Dutch of De kleine Johannes - -Author: Frederik van Eeden - -Translator: Laura Ward Cole - -Release Date: September 4, 2012 [EBook #40657] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE QUEST *** - - - - -Produced by Marc D'Hooghe at http://www.freeliterature.org -(Images generously made available by the Internet Archive) - - - - - -THE QUEST - -BY - -FREDERIK VAN EEDEN - -THE AUTHORIZED TRANSLATION - -FROM THE DUTCH OF - -DE KLEINE JOHANNES - -by - -LAURA WARD COLE - - -MITCHELL KENNERLEY - -NEW YORK AND LONDON - -MCMXI - - - - -PART I - - - - -I - - -I will tell you something about Little Johannes and his quest. My story -is very like a fairy tale, but everything in it really happened. As soon -as you lose faith in it, read no farther, for then it was not written -for you. And, should you chance to meet Little Johannes, you must never -speak to him about it, for that would grieve him and make me sorry I had -told you all this. - -Johannes lived in an old house with a big garden. It was hard to find -the way about them, for in the house were many dark halls, flights of -stairs, chambers, and spacious garrets; and in the garden everywhere -were fencings and hot-houses. To Johannes it was a whole world in -itself. He could make far journeys in it, and he gave names to -everything he discovered. For the house he chose names from the animal -kingdom; the caterpillar loft, because there he fed the caterpillars and -watched them change their state; the chicken room, because once he had -found a hen there. This had not come of itself, but had been put there -by Johannes' mother, to brood. For things in the garden, preferring -those products of which he was most fond, he chose names from the -vegetable kingdom, such as Raspberry Mountain, Gooseberry Woods, and -Strawberry Valley. Behind all was a little spot he named Paradise; and -there, of course, it was exceedingly delightful. A great sheet of water -lay there--a pond where white water-lilies were floating, and where the -reeds held long, whispered conversations with the wind. On the opposite -side lay the dunes. Paradise itself was a little grass-plot on the near -shore, encircled by shrubbery. From the midst of this shot up the tall -nightingale-plant. There, in the thick grass, Johannes often lay gazing -through the swaying stalks to the gentle hill-tops beyond the water. He -used to go every warm summer evening and lie looking for hours, without -ever growing weary of it. He thought about the still depths of the clear -water before him--how cozy it must be down amid the water plants, in -that strange half-light. And then again, he thought of the far-away, -gloriously-tinted clouds which hovered above the dunes--wondering what -might be behind them, and if it would not be fine to be able to fly -thither. Just as the sun was sinking, the clouds piled up upon one -another till they seemed to form the entrance to a grotto; and from the -depths of that grotto glowed a soft, red light. Then Johannes would feel -a longing to be there. Could I only fly into it! he thought. What would -really be beyond? Shall I sometime--sometime be able to get there? - -But often as he made this wish, the grotto always fell apart in ashen, -dusky flecks, and he never was able to get nearer to it. Then it would -grow cold and damp by the pond, and again he would seek his dark little -bedroom in the old house. - -He lived there not entirely alone. He had a father who took good care of -him, a dog named Presto, and a cat named Simon. Of course, he thought -most of his father, but he by no means considered Presto and Simon so -very much beneath him, as a big man would have. He confided even more -secrets to Presto than to his father, and for Simon he felt a devout -respect. That was not strange, for Simon was a big cat with glossy, -black fur, and a thick tail. By merely looking at him one could see that -he was perfectly convinced of his own greatness and wisdom. He always -remained dignified and proper, even when he condescended to play with a -rolling spool, or while gnawing a waste herring-head behind a tree. At -the extreme demonstrativeness of Presto he closed his green eyes -disdainfully, and thought: "Well--dogs know no better!" - -Can you realize now, that Johannes had a great awe of him? He held much -more intimate relations with the little brown dog. Presto was neither -beautiful nor superior, but an unusually good and sagacious dog, never -farther than two steps away from Johannes, and patiently listening to -whatever his master told him. I do not need to tell you how much -Johannes thought of Presto. But he still had room in his heart for other -things. Does it seem strange that his little dark bedroom, with the -diamond window-panes, held also a large place? He liked the -wall-hangings, with the big flowers in which he saw faces--faces he had -so often studied when he was ill, or while he lay awake mornings. He -liked the one small picture that hung there. It represented stiff -figures walking in a still stiffer garden beside a smooth lake, where -sky-high fountains were spouting, and coquetting swans were swimming. He -liked best, however, the hanging clock. He always wound it up carefully -and seriously, and considered it a necessary courtesy to watch it while -it was striking. At least that was the way unless he happened to be -asleep. If, through neglect, the clock ran down, Johannes felt very -guilty and begged its pardon a thousand times. You would have laughed, -perhaps, if you had heard him in conversation with his room. But confess -how often you talk to your own self. It does not appear to you in the -least ridiculous. Besides, Johannes was convinced that his hearers -understood him perfectly, and he had no need of an answer. Secretly, -however, he expected an answer some day from the clock or the -wall-paper. - -Johannes certainly had schoolmates, but they were not properly friends. -He played with them, invented plots in school, and formed robber bands -with them out-of-doors; but he only felt really at home when he was -alone with Presto. Then he never longed for the boys, but felt himself -at ease and secure. - -His father was a wise and serious man, who often took Johannes with him -on long expeditions through the woods and over the dunes. They talked -but little--and Johannes followed ten steps behind his father, greeting -the flowers he met. And the old trees, which must always remain in the -selfsame place, he stroked along their rough bark with his friendly -little hand. Then the good-natured giants rustled their thanks. - -Sometimes his father wrote letters in the sand, one by one, and Johannes -spelled the words which they formed. Again, the father stopped and -taught Johannes the name of some plant or animal. - -And Johannes often asked questions, for he saw and heard many perplexing -things. He often asked silly questions. He wanted to know why the world -was just as it was, why plants and animals must die, and if miracles -could take place. But Johannes' father was a wise man, and did not tell -all he knew. That was well for Johannes. - -Evenings, before he went to sleep, Johannes always made a long prayer. -His nurse had taught him. He prayed for his father and for Presto. -Simon, he thought, did not need to be prayed for. He prayed a good while -for himself, too, and almost always ended with the wish that some day -there might be a miracle. And when he had said _Amen_, he peeped -expectantly around the darkening room, at the faces on the -wall-hangings, which looked still stranger in the faint twilight; and at -the door-knob, and the clock, where the miracle ought now to begin. But -the clock always kept on ticking in the very same way--the door-knob did -not stir--it grew quite dark, and Johannes fell asleep without having -seen the miracle. - -But some day it would happen. He knew it would. - - - - -II - - -It was warm by the pool and utterly still. The sun, flushed and tired -with his daily work, seemed to rest a moment on the rim of the dunes, -for a breathing spell before diving under. The smooth water reflected, -almost perfectly, the flaming face of the sun. The leaves of the beech -tree which hung over the pond took advantage of the stillness to look at -themselves attentively, in the mirror-like water. The solitary heron, -standing on one foot between the broad leaves of a water-lily, forgot -that he had come out to catch frogs, and, deep in thought, was gazing -along his nose. - -Then came Johannes to the grass plot, to see the cloud-grotto. Plump! -plump! sprang the frogs from the bank. The mirror was all rippled, the -image of the sun was broken up into broad bands, and the beech leaves -rustled angrily, for they had not yet viewed themselves long enough. - -Fastened to the bare roots of a beech tree lay a little old boat. -Johannes had been strictly forbidden to get into it; but, oh, how strong -the temptation was this evening! The clouds had already taken the -semblance of a wondrous portal, behind which the sun would soon sink to -rest. Glittering ranks of clouds ranged themselves at the sides, like a -golden-armored life-guard. The face of the water reflected the glow, and -red rays darted through the reeds like arrows. - -Slowly, Johannes loosened the boat-rope from the roots. He would drift -there, in the midst of the splendor. Presto had already sprung into the -boat, and before his master intended it the reeds moved apart, and away -they both drifted toward the evening sun. - -Johannes lay in the bow, and gazed into the depths of the light-grotto. -Wings! thought he. Wings now, and away I would fly! - -The sun had disappeared, but the clouds were all aglow. In the east the -sky was deep blue. A row of willows stood along the bank, their small, -pale leaves thrust motionlessly out into the still air. They looked like -exquisite, pale-green lace against the sombre background. - -Hark! What was that? It darted and whizzed like a gust of wind cutting a -sharp furrow in the face of the water. It came from the dunes--from the -grotto in the clouds! - -When Johannes looked round, a big, blue dragon-fly sat on the edge of -the boat. He had never seen one so large. It rested there, but its wings -kept quivering in a wide circle. It seemed to Johannes that the tips of -its wings made a luminous ring. - -That must be a fire dragon-fly, he thought--a rare thing. - -The ring grew larger and larger, and the wings whirled so fast that -Johannes could see nothing but a haze. And little by little, from out -this haze, he saw the shining of two dark eyes; and a light, frail form -in a garment of delicate blue sat in the place of the dragon-fly. A -wreath of white wind-flowers rested upon the fair hair, and at the -shoulders were gauzy wings which shimmered in a thousand hues, like a -soap bubble. - -A thrill of happiness coursed through Johannes. _This_ was a miracle! - -"Will you be my friend?" he whispered. - -That was a queer way of speaking to a stranger. But this was not an -every-day case, and he felt as if he had always known this little blue -being. - -"Yes, Johannes," came the reply, and the voice sounded like the rustling -of the reeds in the night wind, or the pattering of rain-drops on the -forest leaves. - -"What is your name?" asked Johannes. - -"I was born in the cup of a wind-flower. Call me Windekind."[1] - -Windekind laughed, and looked in Johannes' eyes so merrily that his -heart was blissfully cheered. - -"To-day is my birthday," said Windekind. "I was born not far away, of -the first rays of the moon and the last rays of the sun. They say the -sun is feminine.[2] It is not true. The sun is my father." - -Johannes determined forthwith to speak of the sun as masculine, the next -morning, in school. - -"Look! There comes up the round, fair face of my mother. Good evening, -Mother! Oh! oh! But she looks both good-natured and distressed!" - -He pointed to the eastern horizon. There, in the dusky heavens, behind -the willow lace-work which looked black against the silver disk, rose -the great shining moon. Her face wore a pained expression. - -"Come, come, Mother! Do not be troubled. Indeed, I can trust him!" - -The beautiful creature fluttered its gauzy wings frolicsomely and -touched Johannes on the cheek with the Iris in its hand. - -"She does not like it that I am with you. You are the first one. But I -trust you, Johannes. You must never, never speak my name nor talk about -me to a human being. Do you promise?" - -"Yes, Windekind," said Johannes. It was still so strange to him. He felt -inexpressibly happy, yet fearful of losing his happiness. Was he -dreaming? Near him, Presto lay calmly sleeping on the seat. The warm -breath of his dog put him at rest. The gnats swarmed over the face of -the water, and danced in the sultry air, just as usual. Everything was -quite clear and plain about him. It must be true! And all the time he -felt resting upon him the trustful glance of Windekind. Then again he -heard the sweet, quavering voice: - -"I have often seen you here, Johannes. Do you know where I was? -Sometimes I sat on the sandy bottom of the pond, among the thick water -plants, and looked up at you as you leaned over to drink, or to peep at -the water beetles, or the newts. But you never saw me. And many times I -peeped at you from the thick reeds. I am often there. When it is warm I -sleep in an empty reed-bird's nest. And, oh! it is so soft!" - -Windekind rocked contentedly on the edge of the boat, and struck at the -gnats with his flower. - -"I have come now to give you a little society. Your life will be too -dreary, otherwise. We shall be good friends, and I will tell you many -things--far better things than the school-master palms off upon you. He -knows absolutely nothing about them. And when you do not believe me, I -shall let you see and hear for yourself. I will take you with me." - -"Oh, Windekind! dear Windekind! Can you take me there?" cried Johannes, -pointing to the sky, where the crimson light of the setting sun had just -been streaming out of the golden cloud-gates. That glorious arch was -already melting away in dull, grey mist, yet from the farthest depths a -faint, rosy light was still shining. - -Windekind gazed at the light which was gilding his delicate features and -his fair locks, and he gently shook his head. - -"Not yet, Johannes, not yet. You must not ask too much just now. Even I -have not yet been at my father's home." - -"I am always with my father," said Johannes. - -"No! That is not your father. We are brothers, and my father is your -father, too. But the earth is your mother, and for that reason we are -very different. Besides, you were born in a house, with human beings, -and I in a wind-flower. The latter is surely better. But it will be all -the same to us." - -Then Windekind sprang lightly upon the side of the boat, which did not -even stir beneath his weight, and kissed Johannes' forehead. - -That was a strange sensation for Johannes. Everything about him was -changed. - -He saw everything now, he thought, much better and more exactly. The -moon looked more friendly, too, and he saw that the water-lilies had -faces, and were gazing at him pensively. - -Suddenly he understood why the gnats were all the time dancing so -merrily around one another, back and forth and up and down, till their -long legs touched the water. Once he had thought a good deal about it, -but now he understood perfectly. - -He knew, also, what the reeds were whispering, and he heard the trees on -the bank softly complaining because the sun had set. - -"Oh, Windekind, I thank you! This is delightful. Yes, indeed, we will -have nice times together!" - -"Give me your hand," said Windekind, spreading his many-colored wings. -Then he drew Johannes in the boat, over the water, through the lily -leaves which were glistening in the moonlight. - -Here and there, a frog was sitting on a leaf. But now he did not jump -into the water when Johannes came. He only made a little bow, and said: -"Quack." Johannes returned the bow politely. Above everything, he did -not wish to appear conceited. - -Then they came to the rushes. They were wide-spread, and the boat -entirely disappeared in them without having touched the shore. But -Johannes held fast to his guide, and they scrambled through the high -stalks to land. - -Johannes thought he had become smaller and lighter, but perhaps that was -imagination. Still, he could not remember ever having been able to climb -up a grass stalk. - -"Now be ready," said Windekind, "you are going to see something funny." - -They walked on through the high grass, beneath the dark undergrowth -which here and there let through a small, shining moonbeam. - -"Did you ever hear the crickets evenings in the dunes? It is just as if -they were having a concert. Is it not? But you can never tell where the -sound comes from. Now they never sing for the pleasure of it; but the -sound comes from the cricket-school where hundreds of little crickets -are learning their lessons by heart. Keep still, for we are close to -them." - -Chirp! Chirp! - -The bushes became less dense, and when Windekind pushed apart the grass -blades with his flower, Johannes saw a brightly lighted, open spot in -the thin, spindling dune-grass, where the crickets were busily learning -their lessons. - -Chirp! Chirp! - -A big fat cricket was teacher, and heard the lessons. One by one the -pupils sprang up to him; always with one spring forward, and one spring -back again, to their places. The one that made a bad spring was obliged -to take his stand upon a toadstool. - -"Pay good attention, Johannes. Perhaps you too can learn something," -said Windekind. - -Johannes understood very well what the little crickets answered. But it -was not in the least like that which the teacher of his school taught. -First came geography. They knew nothing of the parts of the world. They -were only obliged to learn twenty-six dunes and two ponds. No one could -know anything about what lay beyond, said the teacher, and whatever -might be told about it was nothing but idle fancy. - -Then botany had its turn. They were all very clever at that, and there -were many prizes distributed: selected grass blades of various -lengths--tender and juicy. But the zoology astonished Johannes the most. -There were springing, flying, and creeping creatures. The crickets could -spring and fly, and therefore stood at the head. Then followed the -frogs. The birds were mentioned, with every token of aversion, as most -harmful and dangerous. Finally, human beings were discussed. They were -great, useless, dangerous creatures that stood very low, since they -could neither fly nor spring; but luckily they were very scarce. A wee -little cricket who had never yet seen a human being got three hits with -a wisp because he numbered human beings, by mistake, among the harmless -animals. - -Johannes had never heard anything like this before. - -Suddenly, the teacher called out: "Silence. The springing exercise!" -Instantly all the little crickets stopped studying their lessons and -began to play leap-frog. They played with skill and zeal, and the fat -teacher took the lead. - -It was such a merry sight that Johannes clapped his hands with joy. - -At the sound, the entire school rushed off in a twinkling to the dunes; -and the little grass plot was as still as death. - -"See what you have done, Johannes!" cried Windekind. "You must not be so -rude--one can very well see that you were born among human beings." - -"I am sorry. I will try my best to behave. But it was so funny!" - -"It is going to be funnier still," said Windekind. They cut across the -grass plot and ascended the dunes on the other side. - -Ah, me! It was hard work in the deep sand, but Johannes caught hold of -Windekind's light blue garment, and then he sped quickly and lightly up -the slope. Half-way to the top was a rabbit-hole. - -The rabbit whose home it was lay with his head and forepaws out of the -entrance. The sweet-briar was still in flower, and its faint, delicate -fragrance mingled with that of the wild thyme which was growing near. - -Johannes had often seen rabbits disappear into their holes. He wondered -what it was like inside them, and about how many could sit together -there, and if it would not be very stifling. So he was very glad when he -heard his companion ask the rabbit if they might take a peep inside. - -"Willingly, so far as I am concerned," said the rabbit, "but -unfortunately, it just happens that I have resigned my dwelling this -evening for the giving of a charity-festival. So, really, I am not -master in my own house." - -"Ah, indeed! Has there been an accident?" - -"Alas, yes!" said the rabbit, sorrowfully. "A great calamity. We shall -not recover from it in years. A thousand jumps from here a house for -human beings has been built-a big, big house--and there those creatures -with dogs have come to live. Fully seven members of my family have -perished through their deeds, and three times as many more have been -bereft of their homes. And matters are still worse with the Mouse and -the Mole families. And the Toads have suffered heavily. So we have -gotten up a festival for the benefit of the surviving relatives. -Everybody does what he can. I gave my hole. One ought to have something -to spare for his fellow-creatures." - -The compassionate rabbit sighed and, pulling a long ear over his head -with his right forepaw, wiped a tear out of his eye. His ear was his -handkerchief. - -Then something rustled in the grass, and a stout, clumsy figure came -scrabbling up to the hole. - -"Look!" said Windekind. "Here comes Father Toad--hopping along." - -Then followed a pun at the toad's expense. - -But the toad paid no attention to the jest. His name furnished occasion -for frequent jokes. Composedly he laid down by the entrance a full ear -of corn, neatly folded in a dry leaf, and then he climbed dexterously -over the back of the rabbit into the hole. - -"May we go in?" asked Johannes, who was full of curiosity. "I will give -something, too!" - -He remembered that he still had a biscuit in his pocket-a little round -biscuit of Huntley and Palmer's. As he pulled it out he noticed for the -first time how small he had become. He could scarcely lift it with both -hands, and could not understand how his pocket had contained it. - -"That is very rare and expensive," said the rabbit. "It is a costly -gift." - -The entrance was respectfully made free to them both. It was dark in the -cave, and Johannes let Windekind go in front. Soon, they saw a -pale-green light approaching. It was a glow-worm, who obligingly -offered to light the way for them. - -"It promises to be a very pleasant evening," said the glow-worm, as he -led them on. "There are a great many guests. You are elves, I should -say. Is it not so?" With these words, the glow-worm glanced at Johannes -somewhat suspiciously. - -"You may announce us as elves," replied Windekind. - -"Do you know that your king is at the party?" continued the glow-worm. - -"Is Oberon here? That gives me a great deal of pleasure," exclaimed -Windekind. "I know him personally." - -"Oh!" said the glow-worm. "I did not know I had the honor to...." and -his light nearly went out from fright. "Yes, His Majesty much prefers -the open air, but he is always ready to perform a charitable act. This -is going to be a most brilliant affair!" - -It was indeed the case. The main room in the rabbit cave was splendidly -decorated. The floor had been trodden smooth, and strewn with fragrant -thyme. Directly in front of the entrance a bat was hanging, head -downward. He called out the names of the guests, and served at the same -time as a measure of economy for a curtain. The walls of the room were -tastefully adorned with dry leaves, spider-webs and tiny, suspended -bats. Innumerable glow-worms crept in and out of these, and all around -the ceiling; and they made a most beautiful, ever-changing illumination. -At the end of the chamber was a throne, built of bits of phosphorescent -wood. It was a charming spectacle. - -There were many guests. Johannes felt himself rather out of place in the -strange crowd, and drew close to Windekind. He saw queer things there. A -mole was chatting with a field-mouse about the handsome decorations. In -a corner sat two fat toads, nodding their heads at each other, and -bewailing the continued dry weather. A frog, arm in arm with a lizard, -attempted a promenade. Matters went badly with him, for he was timid and -nervous, and every once in a while he jumped too far, thus doing damage -to the wall decorations. - -On the throne sat Oberon, the elf-king, encircled by a little retinue of -elves. These looked down rather disdainfully upon their surroundings. -The king himself was most royal in his affability, and conversed in a -friendly way with various guests. He had come from a journey in the -Orient, and wore a strange garment of brightly colored flower-petals. -Flowers like that do not grow here, thought Johannes. On his head rested -a deep blue flower-cup, which was still as fragrant as though it had -just been picked. In his hand was his sceptre--the stamen of a -lotus-flower. - -All present were quietly lauding his goodness. He had praised the -moonlight on the dunes, and had said that the glow-worms here were -almost as beautiful as the fireflies of the Orient. He had pleasantly -overlooked the wall decorations, and a mole, even, had noticed that he -nodded approvingly. - -"Come with me," said Windekind. "I will present you." And they pressed -forward to the place where the king sat. - -When Oberon recognized Windekind, he greeted him joyfully, and gave him -a kiss. At that the guests whispered to one another, and the elves threw -envious glances at the pair. The two plump toads in the corner mumbled -together something about "fawning and flattering," and "not lasting -long," and then nodded very significantly to each other. - -Windekind talked with Oberon for a long time in a strange language, and -then beckoned to Johannes to come closer. - -"Give me your hand, Johannes," said the king. "Windekind's friends are -mine also. Whenever I can I will help you, and I will give you a token -of our alliance." - -Oberon released from the chain about his neck a little gold key, and -gave it to Johannes who took it respectfully and held it shut close in -his hand. - -"That little key may be your fortune," said the king. "It fits a golden -chest which contains a precious treasure. Who holds that chest I cannot -say, but you must search for it zealously. If you remain good friends -with me and with Windekind--steadfast and true--you will surely -succeed." With that, the elf-king inclined his beautiful head, -cordially, while Johannes, overflowing with happiness, expressed his -thanks. - -At this moment, three frogs, who were sitting together upon a little -mound of damp moss, began to sing the introduction to a slow waltz, and -partners were taken for the dance. Those who did not dance were lined -along the side walls by the master of ceremonies--a lively, fussy little -lizard--to the great vexation of the two toads who complained that they -could not see. Then the dancing began. - -And it was so comical! Every one danced in his own way, and fancied, of -course, that he danced better than any one else. The mice and frogs -sprang high up on their hind feet, and an old rat whirled round so -wildly that all the dancers retreated before him. A fat tree-slug took a -turn with a mole, but soon gave it up, under pretense that she was taken -with a stitch in the side. The real reason was that she could not dance -very well. - -However, everything moved on seriously and ceremoniously. It was a -matter of conscience with them, and all looked anxiously toward the king -to find a sign of approval upon his countenance. But the king was afraid -of causing discontent, and looked very sedate. His followers considered -it beneath them to take part in the dancing. - -Johannes had contained himself well, through all this seriousness, but -when he saw a tiny toad whirling around with a tall lizard, who now and -then lifted the unhappy toad high up off the floor and described a half -circle with her in the air, he burst out into a merry laugh. - -Then there was consternation. The music stopped and the king; looked -round with a troubled air. The master of ceremonies flew in full speed -up to the laugher, and urgently besought him to conduct himself with -more decorum. - -"Dancing is a serious matter," said he, "and nothing at all to be -laughed at. This is a dignified company, who are dancing not merely for -the fun of it. Every one was doing his best, and no one wished to be -laughed at. That was very rude. More than that, this is a mourning -feast--a sorrowful occasion. One should conduct himself respectably -here, and not behave as though he were among human beings." - -Johannes was frightened at that. Moreover, he saw hostile looks. His -familiarity with the king had made him many enemies. Windekind led him -to one side. - -"We would better go away," he whispered. "You have made a mess of it -again. That is the way when one is brought up among human beings." - -Hastily, they slipped out under the bat-wing portiere, and entered the -dim passage. The polite glow-worm was waiting for them. - -"Have you had a good time?" he asked. "Did King Oberon speak with you?" - -"Oh, yes. It was a jolly festival," said Johannes. "Do you have to stay -here all the time, in this dark passage?" - -"That is my own choice," said the glow-worm, in a bitter, mournful -voice. "I care no more for vanities." - -"Come," said Windekind, "you do not mean that!" - -"It is just as I say. Formerly--formerly there was a time when I, too, -went to feasts, and danced, and kept up with such frivolities; but now I -am purified through suffering, now...." And he became so agitated that -his light went out again. Fortunately they were near the outlet, and the -rabbit, hearing them coming, moved a little to one side, so that the -moonlight shone in. - -As soon as they were outside by the rabbit, Johannes said: "Will you not -tell us your history, Glow-worm?" - -"Alas!" sighed the glow-worm, "it is a sad and simple story. It will not -amuse you." - -"Tell us! Tell us, all the same!" they cried. - -"Well, then, you know that we glow-worms are very peculiar beings. Yes, -I believe no one would contradict that we glow-worms are the most -highly gifted of all who live. - -"Why? I do not know that," said the rabbit. At this, the glow-worm asked -disdainfully, "Can you give light?" - -"No, indeed, I cannot," the rabbit was obliged to confess. - -"Now _we_ give light--all of us. And we can make it shine or can -extinguish it. Light is the best gift of Nature, and to make light is -the highest achievement of any living being. Ought any one then to -contest our precedence? Moreover, we little fellows have wings, and can -fly for miles." - -"I cannot do that, either," humbly admitted the rabbit. - -"Through the divine gift of light which we have," continued the -glow-worm, "other creatures stand in awe of us, and no bird will attack -us. Only one animal--the human being--the basest of all, chases us, and -carries us off. He is the most detestable monster in creation!" - -At this sally Johannes looked at Windekind as though he did not -understand. But Windekind smiled, and motioned to him to be silent. - -"Once, I flew gaily around among the shrubs, like a bright -will-o'-the-wisp. In a moist, lonely meadow on the bank of a ditch there -lived one whose existence was inseparably linked with my own happiness. -She sparkled beautifully in her light emerald-green as she crept about -in the grass, and my young heart was enraptured. I circled about her, -and did my best, by making my light play, to attract her attention. -Gratefully, I saw that she had perceived me, and demurely extinguished -her own light. Trembling with emotion, I was on the point of folding my -wings and sinking down in rapture beside my radiant loved one, when the -air was filled with an awful noise. Dark figures approached. They were -human beings. In terror, I took flight. They chased me, and struck at me -with big black things. But my wings went faster than their clumsy legs." - -"When I returned--" - -Here the narrator's voice failed him. After an instant of deep emotion, -during which the three listeners maintained a respectful silence, he -continued: - -"You may already have surmised it. My tender bride--the brightest, most -glowing of all--she had disappeared; kidnapped by cruel human beings. -The still, dewy grass-plot was trampled, and her favorite place by the -ditch was dark and deserted. I was alone in the world." - -Here the impressionable rabbit once again pulled down an ear, and wiped -a tear from his eye. - -"Since that time I have been a different creature. I have an aversion -for all idle pleasures. I think only of her whom I have lost, and of the -time when I shall see her again." - -"Really! Do you still hope to?" said the rabbit, rejoiced. - -"I more than hope--I am certain. In heaven I shall see my beloved -again." - -"But--" the rabbit objected. - -"Bunnie," said the glow-worm, gravely, "I can understand that one who -was obliged to grope about in the dark might doubt, but when one can -see, with his own eyes! That puzzles me. There!" said the glow-worm, -gazing reverently up at the star-dotted skies; "there I behold them--all -my forefathers, all my friends, and her, too, more gloriously radiant -than when here upon earth. Ah, when shall I be able to rise up out of -this lower life, and fly to her who beckons me so winsomely? When, ah, -when?" - -With a sigh, the glow-worm turned away from his listeners and crept back -again into the dark passage. - -"Poor creature!" said the rabbit. "I hope he is right." - -"I hope so too," added Johannes. - -"I have my doubts," said Windekind, "but it was very touching." - -"Dear Windekind," began Johannes, "I am very tired and sleepy." - -"Then come close to me, and I will cover you with my mantle." - -Windekind took off his little blue mantle and spread it over Johannes -and himself. - -So they lay down on the gentle slope, in the fragrant moss, with their -arms about each other's neck. - -"Your heads lie rather low," said the rabbit. "Will you rest them -against me?" - -They did so. - -"Good-night, Mother!" said Windekind to the moon. - -Then Johannes shut the little gold key tight in his hand, pressed his -head against the downy coat of the good rabbit, and fell fast asleep. - - -[1] Windekind = Child of the _Winde_ or Windflower. - -[2] In Dutch, the word sun is feminine. - - - - -III - - -Where is he, Presto?--Where is he? What a fright to wake up in the boat, -among the reeds, all alone, the master gone and not a trace of him! It -is something to be alarmed about. - -And how long you have been running, barking nervously, trying to find -him, poor Presto! How could you sleep so soundly and not notice the -little master get out of the boat? Otherwise, you would have wakened as -soon as he made the least move. - -You could scarcely find the place where he landed, and here in the downs -you are all confused. That nervous sniffing has not helped a bit. Oh, -despair! The master gone--not a sign of him. Find him, Presto, find him! - -See! straight before you on the hillside. Is not that a little form -lying there? Look! look! - -For an instant the little dog stood motionless, straining his gaze out -into the distance. Then suddenly he stretched out his head, and -raced--flew with all the might of his four little paws toward that dark -spot on the hillside. - -And when it proved to be the grievously wanted little master, he could -not find a way to fully express his joy and thankfulness. He wagged his -tail, his entire little body quivering with joy--he jumped, yelped, -barked, and then pushed his little cold nose against the face of his -long-sought friend, and licked and sniffed all over it. - -"Cuddle down, Presto, in your basket," said Johannes, only half awake. - -How stupid of the master! There was no basket there, as any one could -see. - -Very, very slowly the day began to break in the mind of the little -sleeper. - -Presto's sniffings he was used to--every morning. But dream-figures of -elves and moonshine still lingered in his soul as the morning mists -cling to the landscape. He feared that the chill breath of the dawn -might chase them away. "Eyes fast shut," thought he, "or I shall see the -clock and the wall-paper, just as ever." - -But he was not lying right. He felt there was no covering over him. -Slowly and cautiously he opened his eyelids a very little way. - -Bright light. Blue sky. Clouds. - -Then Johannes opened his eyes wide and said: "Is it really true?" - -Yes, he lay in the middle of the dunes. The cheerful sunshine warmed -him, he breathed the fresh morning air, and in the distance a fine mist -skirted the woods. He saw only the tall beech tree beside the pond, and -the roof of his house rising above the foliage. Bees and beetles hummed -about him; above him sang the ascending skylark; from far away came the -sound of barkino-does, and the rumble of the distant town. It was all as -plain as day. - -But what had he dreamed and what not? Where was Windekind? And where was -the rabbit? - -He could see neither of them. Only Presto, who sat up against him as -close as possible, watching him expectantly. - -"Could I have been sleep-walking?" murmured Johannes, softly. - -Beside him was a rabbit-hole. But there were a great many such in the -dunes. He sat up straight, so as to give it a good look. What was it he -felt in his tightly shut hand? - -A thrill ran through him from the crown of his head to his feet as he -opened his hand. There lay a bright little gold key. - -For a time he sat speechless. - -"Presto," said he then, while the tears sprang to his eyes, "Presto, -then it _is_ true!" - -Presto sprang up and tried, by barking, to make it clear to his master -that he was hungry and wanted to go home. - -To the house? Johannes had not thought of that, and cared little to -return. But soon he heard different voices calling his name. Then he -began to realize that his behavior would be considered neither kind nor -courteous; and that, for a long time to come, there would be no friendly -words in store for him. - -For an instant, at the first trouble, his tears of joy were very nearly -turned into those of fear and regret. But when he thought about -Windekind, who now was his friend--his friend and confidant--of the -elf-king's gift, and of the glorious, indisputable truth of all that had -occurred, he took his way home, calm and prepared for anything. - -But the meeting was more difficult than he expected. He had not fully -anticipated the fear and distress of the household over his absence. He -was urged to promise solemnly that he never again would be so naughty -and imprudent. - -"I cannot do so," said he, resolutely. They were surprised at that. He -was interrogated, coaxed, threatened; but he thought of Windekind and -remained stubborn. What could it matter if only he held Windekind's -friendship--and what would he not be willing to suffer for Windekind's -sake! He pressed the little key close to his breast, and shut his lips -together, while he answered every question with a shrug of his -shoulders. "I cannot promise," said he, again. - -But his father said: "It is a serious matter with him--we will let him -be, now. Something unusual must have happened. Sometime, he will tell us -about it." - -Johannes smiled, silently ate his bread and butter, and then slipped -away to his little bedroom. There, he snipped oft a bit of the curtain -cord, strung his precious key upon it, and hung it around his neck, on -his bare breast. Then, comforted, he went to school. - -It went very badly that day at school. He knew none of his lessons, and -paid absolutely no attention. His thoughts flew continually to the pond, -and to the marvelous happenings of the evening before. He could scarcely -believe that a friend of the elf-king could again be obliged to figure -sums, and conjugate verbs. - -But it had all truly been, and not one of those around him knew anything -about it. No one could believe or understand--not even the master--no -matter how fierce he looked, nor how scornfully he called Johannes a -lazy dog. He endured the angry comments with resignation and performed -the tasks which his absent-mindedness brought upon him. - -"They have not the least idea of it. They may rail at me as much as they -please. I shall remain Windekind's friend, and Windekind is worth more -to me than all of them put together; yes, master and all." - -That was not respectful of Johannes. But after all the hard things he -had heard about them the evening before, his esteem for his -fellow-creatures had not been increased. - -More than that, he was not sensible enough to put his wisdom to the best -use; or, rather, to keep silent. - -When his master stated that human beings only were gifted by God with -reasoning powers, and were placed as rulers over all the other animals, -he began to laugh. That cost him a bad mark, and a severe rebuke. And -when his seat-mate read aloud from his exercise-book the following -sentence: "The sun is very old--she is older than my cross old aunt," -Johannes instantly cried out, "_He_ is older!" - -Everybody laughed at him, and the master, astonished at such amazing -stupidity, as he called it, made Johannes remain after school to write -out this sentence a hundred times: "The age of my aunt is very great, -the age of the sun is greater; but the greatest thing of all is my -amazing stupidity." - -His schoolmates had all disappeared, and Johannes sat alone writing in -the great school-room. The sun shone gaily in, lighting up a thousand -motes on the way, and forming on the white-washed walls great splashes -of light which, with the passing hours, crept slowly forward. The -teacher had gone away, and shut the door behind him with a bang. -Johannes was already on the fifty-second "age of my aunt," when a nimble -little mouse, with silky ears, and little black beads of eyes, came out -of the farthest corner of the room and ran without a sound along by the -wall. Johannes kept as still as death, not to frighten away the pretty -creature. It was not afraid, and came up close to where he was sitting. -Then, peering round a moment with its bright keen little eyes, it sprang -lightly up--one jump to the bench, the second to the desk on which -Johannes was writing. - -"Hey!" said he, half to himself, "but you are a plucky little mouse!" - -"I do not know whom I should be afraid of," said a mite of a voice; and -the mouse showed his little teeth as if he were laughing. - -Johannes had already become used to many wonderful things, but this made -him open his eyes wide. In the middle of the day, and in school! It was -past all belief. - -"You need not be afraid of me," said he, softly--for fear of startling -the mouse. "Have you come from Windekind?" - -"I came just to say to you that the teacher is quite right, and that you -roundly deserved your punishment." - -"But Windekind said that the sun was our father." - -"Yes, but it was not necessary to let anybody else know it. What have -human beings to do with it? You must never speak of such delicate -matters to them--they are too coarse. A human being is an astonishingly -cruel and clumsy creature, who would prefer to seize and trample to -death whatever came within his reach. We mice have had experience of -that." - -"But, Mousie, why do you stay in this neighborhood? Why do you not go -far away--to the woods?" - -"Alas! we cannot do that now. We are too much accustomed to town food. -Provided one is prudent and always takes care to avoid their traps and -their heavy feet, it becomes possible to endure human beings. -Fortunately, we still retain our nimbleness. The worst of it is that -human beings help out their own clumsiness by covenanting with the cat. -That is a great calamity, but in the woods there are owls and hawks, and -we should all certainly perish there. Now, Johannes, remember my advice. -There comes the teacher!" - -"Mousie, Mousie! Do not go away! Ask Windekind what I must do with my -key. I have hung it around my neck, on my bare breast. But Saturday I -have to take a bath, and I am so afraid somebody will see it. Tell me, -Mousie dear, where I can safely hide it." - -"In the ground--always in the ground. Everything is safest there. Shall -I take, and keep it?" - -"No, not here, at school!" - -"Bury it then, out in the dunes. I will tell my cousin, the field-mouse, -that he must keep watch of it." - -"Thank you, Mousie." - -Tramp! tramp! The master was coming. In the time it took Johannes to dip -his pen, the mouse had disappeared. The master himself, who was -impatient to go home, excused Johannes from the forty-eight remaining -lines. - -For two long days Johannes lived in constant fear. He was closely -watched, and no opportunity was allowed him for escaping to the dunes. -Friday came, and he was still carrying around that precious key. The -following evening he must take his weekly bath; the key would be -discovered and taken away from him. He grew stiff with fear at the -thought of it. He dared not hide it in the house--nor in the garden--no -place seemed to him safe enough. - -It was Friday afternoon and the twilight began to fall. Johannes sat -before his bedroom window, looking wistfully out over the green shrubs -of the garden to the distant dunes. - -"Windekind, Windekind, help me!" he whispered, anxiously. - -There was a gentle rustling of wings near him, then came the fragrance -of lilies-of-the-valley, and suddenly he heard the sweet, familiar -voice. - -Windekind sat near him on the window-seat, making the little lily-bells -swing on their slender stalk. - -"At last! Have you come? I have longed for you so!" said Johannes. - -"Come with me, Johannes; we will go and bury your key." - -"I cannot," said Johannes, with a sigh. - -But Windekind took him by the hand, and, light as the feathery seed of -a dandelion, he was drifting away through the still evening air. - -"Windekind," said Johannes as they went, "I think so much of you! I -believe I would willingly give up every human being for you. Presto, -even." - -"And Simon?" said Windekind. - -"Oh, it cannot make much difference to Simon whether I like him or not. -He thinks such things childish, I believe. Simon cares only for the -fishwoman; and not even for her, save when he is hungry. Do you believe, -Windekind, that Simon is an ordinary cat?" - -"No! He has been a human being." - -Buz-z-z-z! Just then a big May-bug flew against Johannes. - -"Cannot you look out for yourself better than that?" grumbled the -May-bug. "H'm! You elfin baggage! You fly as if you owned all the air -there was. You have learned that from the do-nothings who only just fly -round and round for their own pleasure. One who always does his duty, -like me--who always seeks food, and eats as hard as he can, is put out -by such actions." And away he flew, buzzing loudly. - -"Is he vexed because we are not eating anything?" asked Johannes. - -"Yes, that is May-bug fashion. Among the May-bugs it is considered the -highest duty to eat a great deal. Shall I tell you the story of a young -May-bug?" - -"Yes, do, Windekind." - -"He was a fine, young May-bug who had only just crept out of the sod. -What a surprise it was! For four long years he had been under the dark -ground, waiting for the first warm evening. When he got his head up out -of the clods and saw all that foliage, and the waving grass, and the -singing birds, he was greatly perplexed. He did not know what to do. He -touched the near-by grass blades all over with his feelers, thrusting -them out in fan shape. From this he perceived, Johannes, that he was a -male. He was very handsome in his way--with shining black legs, a plump, -powdered after-part, and a breastplate that gleamed like a mirror. -Happily, he soon discovered, not far away, another May-bug--not quite so -handsome, but who had flown out a full day earlier and thus was of age. -Quite modestly, because he was still so young, he hailed this other one. - -"'What do you want, little friend?' said the second one condescendingly, -observing that it was a novice: 'Do you want to inquire the way?' - -"'No, but you see,' said the younger, politely, 'I do not know what I -ought to be doing here. What does one do when he is a May-bug?' - -"'Indeed,' said the other, 'do you not know that? Well, that is -excusable. Once _I_ did not know. Listen, and I will tell you. The chief -concern of a May-bug's life is to eat. Not far from this is a delicious -linden hedge that was put there for us to eat from as busily as -possible.' - -"'Who planted the linden hedge there?' asked the young beetle. - -"'Well, a great creature who means well by us. Every morning he comes -along the hedge, picks out those that have eaten the most, and takes -them with him to a splendid house where a bright light shines, and where -all the May-bugs are very happy together. But those who keep flying -about the whole night instead of eating are caught by the bat.' - -"'Who is that?' asked the novice. - -"'A fearful monster with sharp teeth, that all of a sudden comes flying -after us, and crunches us up with a horrible crack.' As the beetle said -this, they heard above them a shrill squeaking which pierced through to -the marrow. 'Hey! There he is!' exclaimed the older one. 'Look out for -him, my young friend. Be thankful that I have warned you in good time. -You have a long night before you--make the best of it. The less you eat -the greater the chance of your being devoured by the bat. Only those who -choose a serious calling in life can enter the great house with the -bright light. Bear that in mind! A serious calling!' - -"Then the beetle, who was a whole day the older, scrabbled away among -the blades of grass, leaving the other behind, greatly impressed. Do you -understand what a calling is, Johannes? No? Well, neither did the young -beetle know. It had something to do with eating, he knew, but how was he -to get to the linden hedge? - -"Close beside him stood a slim, strong grass-stem swaying gently in the -evening wind. He grasped it, and hugged it tightly with his six little -crooked feet. It seemed as tall as a giant viewed from below, and -fearfully steep. But the May-bug was determined to reach the very tip of -it. - -"'This is a calling,' he thought, and he began to climb, pluckily. It -was slow work--he often slipped back; but still he made progress, and at -last, when he had climbed to the tip-top and was swinging and swaying -there, he felt content and happy. What a view! It seemed to him as if he -overlooked the world. How blissful it was to be surrounded, on all -sides, by the air! He breathed it in eagerly. How marvelously it cheered -him up! He would go still higher! - -"In ecstasy he lifted up his shields, and made his filmy wings quiver. -Higher he would go! Higher! Again he fluttered his wings--his feet let -loose the grass-stem, and--oh, joy!--He was flying, free and clear, in -the still, warm evening air!" - -"And then?" asked Johannes. - -"The continuation is not cheerful. I will tell it you a little later." - -They had flown away over the pond. A pair of belated white butterflies -fluttered along with them. - -"Where are you going, elves?" they asked. - -"To the big wild-rose that blossoms on yonder hill." - -"We will go, too! We will go, too!" - -In the distance, the rose-bush with its many pale-yellow satiny flowers -was already visible. The buds were red, and the open roses showed little -stripes of the same color, in token of the time when they still were -buds. - -In solitary calm, this sweet wild-rose bloomed, and filled the region -with its marvelous fragrance. So delicious is this that the dune-elves -live upon it alone. - -The butterflies fluttered up to it, and kissed flower after flower. - -"We come to entrust a treasure to you," said Windekind. "Will you take -care of it for us?" - -"Why not? why not?" whispered the wild-rose. "Watching does not tire me, -and I do not think to go away from here, if no one carries me off. And I -have sharp thorns." - -Then came the field-mouse--the cousin of the mouse at the school. He dug -a passage under the roots of the rose-bush, and pulled in the little -key. - -"If you want it back again, you must call on me. And then the rose need -not be harmed." - -The rose interlocked its thorny twigs close over the entrance, and took -a solemn oath to guard the trust. The butterflies were witnesses. - -The next morning, Johannes woke up in his own little bed, with Presto, -the clock, and the wall-hangings. The cord around his neck, and the -little key upon it, had disappeared. - - - - -IV - - -"Oh, boys, boys! How dreadfully tedious it is in summer!" sighed one of -the three big stoves which stood together, fretting, in a dark corner of -the garret in the old house. "For weeks I have not seen a living soul -nor heard a sensible word. And that emptiness within. It is horrible!" - -"I am full of spider-webs," said the other. "In winter that would not -happen." - -"And I am so dusty that I shall be shamed to death next winter when the -black man appears, as Van Alphen says." This bit of learning the third -stove had gotten, of course, from Johannes, as he sat before the hearth -winters, reciting verses. - -"You must not speak so disrespectfully of the Smith," said the first -stove--which was the eldest. "It pains me." - -And a number of shovels and tongs also, which lay here and there on the -floor, wrapped in paper to keep them from rusting, expressed freely -their indignation at the frivolous remark. - -Suddenly, they all stopped talking; for the trap-door was lifted, a ray -of light darted to the far corner, exposing the entire dusty company, to -their surprise and confusion. - -It was Johannes whose coming had disturbed their talk. He had always -enjoyed a visit to the garret; and now, after all the recent happenings, -he often went there to find quiet and seclusion. There, too, closed with -a shutter was a window, which looked out over the hillside. It was a -keen delight to open that shutter suddenly, and after the mysterious -gloom of the garret, to see before him all at once the wide-spread, -clearly lighted landscape, framed by the gently undulating lines of the -hills. - -Three weeks had passed away since that Friday evening, and Johannes had -not seen nor heard anything of his friend. His little key was now gone, -and there was nothing to prove to him that he had not been dreaming. -Often, he could not reason away the fear that all had been only -imagination. He kept his own counsel, and his father remarked with -anxiety that Johannes, since that night in the dunes, had certainly been -ill. Johannes, however, was only longing for Windekind. - -"Ought not he to care as much for me as I do for him?" he mused, while -he leaned against the garret window and gazed out over the verdant, -flowery garden. "And why does he not come oftener, and stay longer? If -_I_ could!... But perhaps he has other friends, and cares more for them -than for me? I have no other friend--not one. I care only for him--so -much, oh, so much!" - -Then he saw defined against the deep blue sky a flock of six white doves -which wheeled with flapping wings above the house. It seemed as if one -thought impelled them, so swiftly and simultaneously, again and again, -they altered their direction, as if to enjoy to the full the sea of -sunlight in which they were circling. - -All at once they flew toward Johannes' little attic-window, and, with -much fluttering and flapping of wings, alighted on the gutter. There -they cooed, and bustled back and forth, with little, mincing steps. One -of them had a little red feather in his wing. He tugged and pulled at it -until he held it in his beak. Then he flew up to Johannes and gave it to -him. - -Johannes had scarcely taken it when he felt that he had become as light -and fleet as one of the doves. He stretched himself out, up flew the -flock of doves, and Johannes soared in their midst, through the free, -open air and the clear sunshine. Nothing was around him but the pure -blue, and the bright gleaming of the white dove-wings. - -They flew over the garden toward the woods, whose tree-tops were waving -in the distance like the swell of a green sea. Johannes looked down -below, and saw his father sitting at the open window of the living-room. -Simon sat on the window-sill, his forepaws folded, basking in the -sunshine. "Can they see me?" he thought; but he did not dare call to -them. - -Presto was tearing through the garden paths, sniffing about every shrub, -behind every wall, and scratching against the door of every hot-house or -out-building, trying to find his master. - -"Presto! Presto!" cried Johannes. The dog looked up, and began to wag -his tail and whimper, plaintively. - -"I am coming back, Presto. Watch!" cried Johannes, but he was too far -away. - -They swept over the woods, and the crows flew croaking out of the high -tree-tops where their nests were. It was midsummer, and the odor of the -blossoming lindens streamed up from the green woods below them. - -In an empty nest at the top of a tall linden tree sat Windekind with the -wreath of wind-flowers upon his head. He nodded to Johannes. - -"Is that you? That is good," said he. "I sent for you. Now we can stay -together a long while--if you would like to." - -"Indeed, I would like to," said Johannes. - -Then he thanked the kind doves who had brought him thither, and dropped -down with Windekind into the woods. - -It was cool and shady there. The golden thrush was fluting his -strain--nearly always the very same, but yet a little different. - -"Poor bird!" said Windekind. "He was once a bird-of-paradise. That you -can still see by his strange, yellow feathers; but he was given another -covering and expelled from Paradise. There is a word which can bring -back again his former glorious covering, and restore him to Paradise, -but he has forgotten it. Day after day he tries to find that word. He -sings something like it, but it is not the right word." - -Countless flies were glistening like floating crystals in the sunbeams -that fell through the dark foliage. Listening acutely, one could hear -their buzzing like a great, monotonous concert, filling the entire -forest. It was as if the sunbeams sang. - -Thick, dark-green moss covered the ground, and Johannes had become so -small again that it appeared to him like a new-grown woods at the bottom -of the great forest. What elegant little stems and how closely they -grew! It was difficult to pass between them, and the moss-woods seemed -dreadfully large. - -Then they came upon an ant-path. Hundreds of ants ran busily to and fro, -some carrying bits of wood, little leaves, or blades of grass in their -jaws. There was such a tumult that it almost made Johannes dizzy. They -were all so busy it was a long time before one of the ants would stop to -speak with them. At last they found an old ant who had been stationed to -keep watch over the small plant-lice from which the ants draw their -honey-dew. Since his small herd was quiet he could devote a little time -to the strangers, and show them the great nest. It was situated at the -foot of an old tree-trunk, was very large, and had hundreds of entrances -and little chambers. The plant-louse herder gave explanations, and led -the visitors around everywhere, till they came to the cells of the -young, where the larvae crept out of their white cocoons. Johannes was -amazed and delighted. - -The old ant said that they were living under great stress on account of -the military campaign which was about to be executed. They were going, -with a huge force, to attack another ant colony not far away; to destroy -the nest, and to steal or kill the larvae. To accomplish this, they would -need all the help possible, and thus they must first settle the most -urgent affairs. - -"What is the reason for this military expedition?" asked Johannes. "It -does not seem nice." - -"Indeed," said the herder, "it is a very fine and praiseworthy -enterprise! You must know that it is the Fighting-Ants we are going to -attack. We are going to extirpate their species, and that is a very good -deed." - -"Are not you Fighting-Ants, then?" - -"Certainly not! What makes you think so? We are Peace-Ants." - -"Then what does that mean?" - -"Do you not know? I will explain. Once, all the ants were continually -fighting--not a day passed without great slaughter. Then there came a -good, wise ant who thought it would save a great deal of trouble if all -the ants would agree to fight no more. - -"When he said that, they all found it very strange; and what did they do -but begin to bite him into pieces. Later, came still other ants who were -of the very same opinion. These also were bitten into mince-meat. But so -many of them kept coming that the biting-up became too much work for the -others. - -"Then they named themselves Peace-Ants, and all agreed that the first -Peace-Ant was right. Whoever dissented was, in his turn, bitten up. -Thus, nearly all the ants nowadays have become Peace-Ants, and the -remnants of the first Peace-Ant have been preserved with great care and -respect. We have the head--the authentic head. We have laid waste twelve -other colonies, and have murdered the ants who pretended to have the -genuine head. Now, there are only four such colonies left. They call -themselves Peace-Ants, but they are really Fighting-Ants; because, you -see, we have the true head, and the Peace-Ant had but one head. We are -going, one of these days, to stamp out the thirteenth colony. You see -now, that this is a good work." - -"Yes, indeed," said Johannes, "it is very ... remarkable." - -Really he had become a little afraid, and felt more comfortable when -they had taken their leave of the obliging herder and, far away from the -ant colony, were resting awhile on a swaying grass-blade, in the shadow -of a graceful fern-leaf. - -"Whoo!" sighed Johannes, "that was a stupid, blood-thirsty set." - -Windekind laughed, and swung up and down on his grass-blade. - -"Oh," said he, "you must not call them stupid. Human beings go to the -ants to learn wisdom from them." - -Thus Windekind showed Johannes all the wonders of the woods. They flew -together to the birds in the tree-tops, and in the close hedges; went -down into the clever little dwellings of the moles, and saw the bees' -nest in the old tree-trunk. - -Finally, they came to an open place surrounded with undergrowth. The -honeysuckle grew there in great abundance. It twined its wanton tendrils -over all the shrubs, and its fragrant garlands adorned the luxuriant -foliage. A flock of tomtits hopped and fluttered among the leaves, and -chirped and chattered clamorously. - -"Let us stay a little longer," said Johannes. "It is delightful here." - -"Good," said Windekind. "Then you will see some more comical things." - -Little blue-bells were growing in the grass. Johannes went up to one of -them, and began to chat about the bees and the butterflies. These were -good friends of the blue-bell, and so the conversation flowed smoothly -on. - -What was that? A great shadow passed over the grass, and something like -a white cloud descended upon the blue-bell. Johannes scarcely had time -to get out of the way. He flew to Windekind, who was sitting high up in -a honeysuckle. From thence he saw that the white cloud was a -handkerchief, and just then a portly woman sat down hard upon the -handkerchief, and upon the poor little blue-bell that was under it. - -He had not time to lament, for the sound of voices and of cracking -branches filled the open place, and a crowd of people approached. - -"Now we are going to have a laugh," said Windekind. - -There they came--human beings. The women with baskets and umbrellas in -hand; the men with high, stiff black hats on. Almost all the men were -very, very black. In the sunny, green forest, they looked like great, -ugly ink spots on a splendid picture. - -Bushes were thrust rudely aside, and flowers were trampled under foot. -Many more white handkerchiefs were spread over the meek grass; and the -patient mosses, sighing, yielded to the weight that bore them down, and -feared never to recover from the shock. - -The smoke of cigars curled up over the honeysuckle vines, spitefully -driving away the delicate fragrance of their flowers; and loud voices -scattered the merry tomtits, that, chirping their fright and -indignation, sought refuge in the nearest trees. - -One man rose up from the crowd, and went to stand on a little mound. He -had long, light hair, and a pale face. He said something, and then all -the people opened their mouths frightfully wide and began to sing so -hard that the crows flew up, croaking, from their high nests, and the -inquisitive rabbits that had come to the edge of the glade, just to look -on, took fright and started on a run, and kept it up a quarter of an -hour after they were safe again in the dunes. - -Windekind laughed, and whisked away the cigar smoke with a fern-leaf. -The tears came into Johannes' eyes, but not from the smoke. - -"Windekind," said he, "I want to go away--it is so ugly and horrid -here." - -"No, we must stay a while longer. You will laugh; it is going to be -still more comical." - -The singing was over, and the pale man began to speak. He shouted, so -that all could hear, but what he said sounded very kind. He called the -people brothers and sisters, and spoke of glorious nature, and the -wonders of creation, of God's sunshine and of the dear birds and -flowers.... - -"What is that?" asked Johannes. "Why does he speak of those things? Does -he know you? Is he a friend of yours?" - -Windekind shook his garlanded head disdainfully. - -"He does not know me; still less the sun, the birds, the flowers. -Everything he says is false." - -The people all listened very attentively. The fat woman who was sitting -on the blue-bell began several times to cry, and wiped away her tears -with her skirt, because she had not the use of her handkerchief. - -The pale man said that God had caused the sun to shine so brightly for -the sake of their meeting. Then Windekind laughed and, out of the thick -foliage, threw an acorn at his nose. - -"He shall find it otherwise," said he. "My father shine for him! How -conceited!" - -But the pale man was too full of enthusiasm to mind the acorn, which -appeared to have fallen out of the sky. He spoke a long time, and the -longer the louder. At last he grew purple in the face, clenched his -fists, and shouted so loud that the leaves trembled and the grasses -waved hither and thither in astonishment. When at last he calmed down, -they all began to sing again. - -"Fie!" said a blackbird, who had heard the uproar from the top of a high -tree. "What a frightful racket! I would rather the cows came into the -woods. Just hear that! For shame!" - -Now, the blackbird is a critic, and has fine taste. - -After the singing, the people brought all sorts of eatables from -baskets, boxes, and bags. They spread out papers, and distributed rolls -and oranges. Bottles and glasses, too, came to light. - -Then Windekind called his allies together, and the siege of the feasting -company began. - -A gallant frog jumped into the lap of an old lady, close beside the -bread she was just about to eat, and remained sitting there, astonished -at his own daring. The lady gave a horrible shriek, and stared at the -intruder in amazement, without daring to stir. This mettlesome example -found imitators. Green caterpillars crept valiantly over hats, -handkerchiefs, and rolls, awakening fright and dismay. Big, fat spiders -let themselves down glistening threads into the beer glasses, and upon -heads or necks, and a loud, continual screaming accompanied their -attack. Innumerable small flies assailed the people straight in the -face, offering their lives for the good of the cause by tumbling into -the food and drink, and, with their bodies, making it unfit for use. -Finally, came multitudes of ants, a hundred at a time, and nipped the -enemy in the most unexpected places. Men and women sprang up hurriedly -from the long-crushed moss and grass; and the blue-bell was liberated -through the well-aimed attack of two ear-wigs upon the ankles of the -plump woman. Desperation seized them all; dancing and jumping with the -most comical gestures, the people tried to escape from their pursuers. -The pale man stood his ground well, and struck out on all sides with a -small black stick; till a pair of malicious tomtits, that considered no -method of attack too mean, and a wasp, that gave him a sting through his -black trousers on the calf of the leg, put him out of the fight. - -The jolly sun could no longer keep his countenance, and hid his face -behind a cloud. Big rain-drops descended upon the struggling party. -Suddenly, as though it had rained down, a forest of big black toadstools -appeared. It was the outstretched umbrellas. The women drew their skirts -over their heads, exposing white petticoats, white-stockinged ankles, -and shoes without heels. Oh, what fun it was for Windekind! He laughed -so hard he had to cling to the flower-stem. - -Faster and faster fell the rain, and a greyish, glistening veil began to -envelop the woods. Water dripped from umbrellas, high hats, and black -coats. The coats shone like the shells of the water beetle, while the -shoes kissed and smacked on the saturated ground. Then the people gave -it up--dropping silently away in little groups, leaving many papers, -empty bottles, and orange peels for unsightly tokens of their visit. The -little glade in the woods was again solitary, and soon nothing was heard -but the monotonous patter of the rain. - -"Well, Johannes! Now we have seen human beings, also. Why do you not -laugh at them, as well?" - -"Oh, Windekind! Are all human beings like that?" - -"Some of them are much worse and more ugly. At times they swear and tear -and make havoc with everything that is beautiful or admirable. They cut -down trees, and put horrid, square houses in their places. They -wantonly trample the flowers, and kill, for the mere pleasure of it, -every animal that comes within their reach. In their cities, where they -swarm together, everything is dirty and black, and the air is dank and -poisonous with stench and smoke. They are completely estranged from -Nature and her fellow-creatures. That is why they make such a foolish -and sorry figure when they return to them." - -"Oh, Windekind! Windekind!" - -"Why are you crying, Johannes? You must not cry because you were born -among human beings. I love you all the same, and prefer you to everybody -else. I have taught you the language of the birds and the butterflies, -and how to understand the look of the flowers. The moon knows you, and -good, kind Earth loves you as her dearest child. Why should you not be -glad, since I am your friend?" - -"Oh, Windekind, I am, I am! But then, I have to cry about all those -people." - -"Why? If it makes you sad, you need not remain with them. You can live -here, and always keep me company. We will dwell in the depths of the -woods, on the lonely, sunny dunes, or in the reeds by the pond. I will -take you everywhere--down under the water among the water-plants, in the -palaces of the elves, and in the haunts of the goblins. I will hover -with you over fields and forests--over foreign lands and seas. I will -have dainty garments spun for you, and wings given you like these I -wear. We will live upon the sweetness of the flowers, and dance in the -moonlight with the elves. When autumn comes, we will keep pace with the -sun, to lands where the tall palms rise, where gorgeous flowers festoon -the rocks, and the face of the deep blue sea lies smiling in the sun. -And I will always tell you stories. Would you like that, Johannes?" - -"Shall I never live with human beings any more?" - -"Among human beings there await you endless sorrow, trouble, weariness, -and care. Day after day must you toil and sigh under the burden of your -life. They will stab and torture your sensitive soul with their -roughness. They will rack and harass you to death. Do you love human -beings more than you love me?" - -"No, no, Windekind! I will stay with you." - -Now he could show how much he cared for Windekind. Yes, for his sake he -would leave and forget each and everything--his bedroom, Presto, and his -father. Joyfully and resolutely he repeated his wish. - -The rain had ceased. From under grey clouds the sunlight streamed over -the woods like a bright smile. It touched the wet, shining leaves, the -rain-drops which sparkled on every twig and stem, and adorned the -spider-webs, stretched over the oak-leaves. From the moist ground below -the shrubbery a fine mist languidly rose, bearing with it a thousand -sultry, dreamy odors. The blackbird flew to the top of the highest tree, -and sang in broken, fervent strains to the sinking sun, as if he would -show which song suited best, in this solemn evening calm, as an -accompaniment to the falling drops. - -"Is not that finer than the noise of human beings, Johannes? Yes, the -blackbird knows exactly the right tone to strike. Here everything is in -harmony--such perfect harmony you will never find among human beings." - -"What is harmony, Windekind?" - -"It is the same as happiness. It is that for which all strive. Human -beings also. Yet they are like children trying to catch a butterfly. -They simply drive it away by their silly efforts." - -"Shall I find it here with you?" - -"Yes, Johannes; but then you must forget human beings. It is a bad -beginning to have been born among human beings; but you are still young. -You must put away from you all remembrance of your human life, else it -would cause you to err and plunge you into conflicts, perplexities, and -misery. It would be with you as with the young May-bug I told you -about." - -"What else happened to him?" - -"He had seen the bright light which the older beetle had spoken of, and -could think of nothing better to do than promptly to fly to it. Straight -as a string, he flew into a room, and fell into human hands. For three -long days he suffered martyrdom. He was put into cardboard boxes, -threads were tied to his feet, and he was made to fly. Then he tore -himself free, with the loss of a wing and a leg, and finally, creeping -helplessly around on the carpet in a vain endeavor to reach the garden, -he was crushed by a heavy foot. - -"All creatures, Johannes, that roam around in the night are as truly -children of the sun as we are. And although they have never seen the -shining face of their father, still a dim remembrance ever impels them -to anything from which light streams. And thousands of poor creatures of -the darkness find a pitiful death through that love for the sun from -whom they were long ago cut off and estranged. Thus a mysterious, -irresistible tendency brings human beings to destruction in the false -phantom of that Great Light which gave them being, but which they no -longer understand." - -Johannes looked up inquiringly into Windekind's eyes. But they were deep -and mysterious--like the dark sky between the stars. - -"Do you mean God?" he asked shyly. - -"God?" The deep eyes laughed gently. "I know, Johannes, of what you -think when you utter that name; of the chair before your bed beside -which you make your long prayer every evening; of the green serge -curtains of the church window at which you look so often Sunday -mornings; of the capital letters of your little Bible; of the church-bag -with the long handle; of the wretched singing and the musty atmosphere. -What you mean by that name, Johannes, is a ridiculous phantom; instead -of the sun, a great oil-lamp where hundreds of thousands of gnats are -helplessly stuck fast." - -"But what then is the name of the Great Light, Windekind? And to whom -must I pray?" - -"Johannes, it is the same as if a speck of mold turning round with the -earth should ask me its bearer's name. If there were an answer to your -question you would understand it no more than does the earth-worm the -music of the spheres. Still, I will teach you how to pray." - -Then, with little Johannes, who was musing in silent wonder over his -words, Windekind flew up out of the forest, so high that beyond the -horizon a long streak of shining gold became visible. On they flew--the -fantastically shadowed plain gliding beneath their glance. And the band -of light grew broader and broader. The green of the dunes grew dun, the -grass looked grey, and strange, pale-blue plants were growing there. -Still another high range of hills, a long narrow stretch of sand, and -then the wide, awful sea. - -That great expanse was blue as far as the horizon, but below the sun -flashed a narrow streak of glittering, blinding red. - -A long, fleecy margin of white foam encircled the sea, like an ermine -border upon blue velvet. - -And at the horizon, sky and water were separated by an exquisite, -wonderful line. It seemed miraculous; straight, and yet curved, sharp, -yet undefined--visible, yet inscrutable. It was like the sound of a harp -that echoes long and dreamfully, seeming to die away and yet remaining. - -Then little Johannes sat down upon the top of the hill and gazed--gazed -long, in motionless silence, until it seemed to him as if he were about -to die--as if the great golden doors of the universe were majestically -unfolding, and his little soul were drifting toward the first light of -Infinity. - -And then the tears welled in his wide-open eyes till they shrouded the -glory of the sun, and obscured the splendor of heaven and earth in a dim -and misty twilight. - -"That is the way to pray," said Windekind. - - - - -V - - -Did you ever wander through the woods on a beautiful autumn day, when -the sun was shining, calm and bright, upon the richly tinted foliage; -when the boughs creaked, and the dry leaves rustled about your feet? - -The woods seem so weary. They can only meditate, and live in old -remembrances. A blue haze, like a dream, surrounds them with a -mysterious beauty, and glistening gossamer floats through the air in -idle undulations--like futile, aimless meditations. - -Yet, suddenly and unaccountably, out of the damp ground, between moss -and dry leaves, rise up the marvelous toadstools; some thick, deformed, -and fleshy; others tall and slender with ringed stems and bright-colored -hoods. Strange dream-figures of the woods are they! - -There may be seen also, on moldering tree-trunks, countless, small white -growths with little black tops, as if they had been burnt. Some wise -folk consider them a kind of fungus. But Johannes learned better. - -"They are little candles. They burn in still autumn nights, and the -goblin mannikins sit beside them, and read in little books." - -Windekind taught him that, on such a still autumn day, while Johannes -dreamily inhaled the faint odor of the forest soil. - -"What makes the leaves of the sycamore so spotted with black?" - -"Oh, the goblins do that, too," said Windekind. "When they have been -writing nights, they throw out in the morning, over the leaves, what is -left in their ink bottles. They do not like this tree. Crosses, and -poles for contribution bags, are made out of sycamore wood." - -Johannes was inquisitive about the busy little goblins, and he made -Windekind promise to take him to one of them. - -He had already been a long time with Windekind, and he was so happy in -his new life that he felt very little regret over his promise to forget -all he had left behind. There were no times of anxiety or of -loneliness--times when remorse wakens. Windekind never left him, and -with him he was at home in any place. He slept peacefully, in the -rocking nest of the reed-bird that hung among the green stalks, although -the bittern roared and the raven croaked so ominously. He felt no fear -on account of pouring rains nor shrieking winds. At such times he took -shelter in hollow trees or rabbit-holes, and crept close under -Windekind's mantle, and listened to the voice which was telling him -stories. - -And now he was going to see the goblins. - -It was a good day for the visit--so very still. Johannes fancied he -could already hear their light little voices, and the tripping of their -tiny feet, although it was yet midday. - -The birds were nearly all gone--the thrushes alone were feasting on the -scarlet berries. One was caught in a snare. There it hung with -outstretched wings, struggling until the tightly pinioned little foot -was nearly severed. Johannes quickly released it, and with a joyful -chirp the bird flew swiftly away. - -The toadstools were having a chatty time together. - -"Just look at me," said one fat devil-fungus. "Did you ever see anything -like it? See how thick and white my stem is, and see how my hood shines! -I am the biggest of all. And that in one night!" - -"Bah!" said the red fly-fungus. "You are very clumsy--so brown and -rough. I sway on my slender stalk like a grass stem. I am splendidly -red, like the thrush-berry and gorgeously speckled. I am handsomer than -any of you." - -"Be still!" said Johannes, who had known them well in former days. "You -are both poisonous." - -"That is a virtue," said the red fungus. - -"Do you happen to be a human being?" grumbled the big fellow, -scornfully. "If so, I would like to have you eat me up!" - -Johannes did not do that, however. He took little dry twigs, and stuck -them into his clumsy hood. That made him look silly, and all the others -laughed--among them, a little group of tiny toadstools with small, brown -heads, who in a couple of hours had sprung up together, and were -jostling one another to get a peep at the world. The devil-fungus was -blue with rage. That brought to light his poisonous nature. - -Puff-balls raised their round, inflated little heads on four-pointed -pedestals. From time to time a cloud of brown powder, of the utmost -fineness, flew out of the opening in the round head. Wherever on the -moist ground that powder fell, tiny rootlets would interlace in the -black earth, and the following year hundreds of new puff-balls would -spring up. - -"What a beautiful existence!" said they to one another. "The very acme -of attainment is to puff powder. What a joy to be able to puff, as long -as one lives!" - -And with devout consecration they drove the small dust-clouds into the -air. - -"Are they right, Windekind?" - -"Why not? For them, what can be higher? It is fortunate that they long -for nothing more, when they can do nothing else." - -When night fell, and the shadows of the trees were intermingled in one -general obscurity, that mysterious forest life did not cease. The -branches cracked and snapped, the dry leaves rustled hither and thither -over the grass and in the underwood, and Johannes felt the draft from -inaudible wing-strokes, and was conscious of the presence of invisible -beings. And now he heard, clearly, whispering voices and tripping -footsteps. Look! There, in the dusky depths of the bushes, a tiny blue -spark just twinkled, and then went out. Another one, and another! Hush! -Listening attentively, he could hear a rustling in the leaves close -beside him, by the dark tree-trunk. The blue lights appeared from behind -this, and held still at the top. - -Everywhere, now, Johannes saw glimmering lights. They floated through -the foliage, danced and skipped along the ground; and yonder was a -great, glowing mass like a blue bonfire. - -"What kind of fire is that?" asked Johannes. "How splendidly it burns!" - -"That is a decayed tree-trunk," said Windekind. Then they went up to a -bright little light, which was burning steadily. - -"Now I will introduce you to Wistik.[1] He is the oldest and wisest of -the goblins." - -Having come up closer, Johannes saw him sitting beside his little -candle. By the blue light of this, one could plainly distinguish the -wrinkled, grey-bearded face. He was reading aloud, and his eyebrows were -knit. On his head he wore a little acorn cap with a tiny feather in it. -Before him sat a spider--listening to the reading. - -Without lifting his head, the goblin glanced up from the book as the two -approached, and raised his eyebrows. The spider crept away. "Good -evening," said the goblin. "I am Wistik. Who are you?" - -"My name is Johannes. I am very happy to make your acquaintance. What -are you reading?" - -"This is not intended for your ears," said Wistik. "It is only for -spiders." - -"Let me have just a peep at it, dear Wistik!" said Johannes. - -"I must not. It is the Sacred Book of the spiders. It is in my keeping, -and I must never let it out of my hands. I have the Sacred Book of the -beetles and the butterflies and the hedgehogs and the moles, and of -everything that lives here. They cannot all read, and when they wish to -know anything, I read it aloud to them. That is a great honor for me--a -position of trust, you know." - -The mannikin nodded very seriously a couple of times, and raised a tiny -forefinger. - -"What were you reading just now?" - -"The history of Kribblegauw,[2] the great hero of the spiders, who -lived a long while ago. He had a web that stretched over three trees, -and that caught in it millions of flies in a day. Before Kribblegauw's -time, spiders made no webs, and lived on grass and dead creatures; but -Kribblegauw was a clever chap, and demonstrated that living things also -were created for spider's food. And by difficult calculations, for he -was a great mathematician, Kribblegauw invented the artful spider-web. -And the spiders still make their webs, thread for thread, exactly as he -taught them, only much smaller; for the spider family has sadly -degenerated." - -"Kribblegauw caught large birds in his web, and murdered thousands of -his own children. There was a spider for you! Finally, a mighty storm -arose, and dragged Kribblegauw with his web, and the three trees to -which it was fastened, away through the air to distant forests, where he -is now everlastingly honored because of his nimbleness and -blood-thirstiness." - -"Is that all true?" asked Johannes. - -"It is in this book," said Wistik. - -"Do you believe it?" - -The goblin shut one eye, and rested his forefinger along the side of his -nose. - -"Whenever Kribblegauw is mentioned, in the Sacred Books of the other -animals, he is called a despicable monster; but that is beyond me." - -"Is there a Book of the Goblins, too, Wistik?" - -Wistik glanced at Johannes somewhat suspiciously. - -"What kind of being are you, really, Johannes? There is something about -you so--so human, I should say." - -"No, no! Rest assured, Wistik," said Windekind then. "We are elves; but -Johannes has seen, formerly, many human beings. You can trust him, -however. It will do him no harm." - -"Yes, yes, that is well and good; but I am called the wisest of the -goblins, and I studied long and hard before I learned what I know. Now I -must be prudent with my wisdom. If I tell too much, I shall lose my -reputation." - -"But in what book, then, do you think the truth is told?" - -"I have read much, but I do not believe I have ever read that book. It -is not the Book of the Elves, nor the Book of the Goblins. Still, there -must be such a book." - -"The Book of Human Beings, perhaps?" - -"That I do not know, but I should hardly think so, for the Book of Truth -ought to bring great peace and happiness. It should state exactly why -everything is as it is, so that no one could ask or wish for anything -more. Now, I do not believe human beings have got so far as that." - -"Oh, no! no!" laughed Windekind. - -"Is there really such a book?" asked Johannes, eagerly. - -"Yes!" whispered the goblin. "I know it from old, old stories. And hush! -I know too, where it is, and who can find it." - -"Oh, Wistik, Wistik!" - -"Then why have you not yet got it?" asked Windekind. - -"Have patience. It will happen all right. Some of the particulars I do -not yet know, but I shall soon find it. I have worked for it and sought -it all my life. For to him who finds it, life will be an endless -autumnal day--blue sky above and blue haze about--but no falling leaves -will rustle, no bough will break, and no drops will patter. The shadows -will not waver, and the gold on the tree-tops will not fade. What now -seems to us light will be as darkness, and what now seems to us -happiness will be as sorrow, to him who has read that book. Yes, I know -this about it, and sometime I shall find it." The goblin raised his -eyebrows very high, and laid his finger on his lips. - -"Wistik, if you could only teach me...." began Johannes, but before he -could end he felt a heavy gust of wind, and saw, exactly above him, a -huge black object which shot past, swiftly and inaudibly. - -When he looked round again for Wistik, he caught just a glimpse of a -little foot disappearing in a tree-trunk. Zip!--The goblin had dashed -into his hole, head first--book and all. The candles burned more and -more feebly, and suddenly went out. They were very queer little candles. - -"What was that?" asked Johannes, in a fright, clinging fast to Windekind -in the darkness. - -"A night-owl," said Windekind. - -They were both silent for a while. Then Johannes asked: "Do you believe -what Wistik said?" - -"Wistik is not so wise as he thinks he is. He will never find such a -book. Neither will you." - -"But does it exist?" - -"That book exists the same as your shadow exists, Johannes. However hard -you run, however carefully you may reach for it, you will never overtake -nor grasp it; and, in the end, you will discover that it is yourself you -chase. Do not be foolish--forget the goblin's chatter. I will tell you a -hundred finer stories. Come with me! We will go to the edge of the -woods, and see how our good Father lifts the fleecy, white dew-blankets -from the sleeping meadow-lands. Come!" - -Johannes went, but he had not understood Windekind's words and he did -not follow his advice. And while he watched the dawn of the brilliant -autumn day, he was brooding over the book wherein was stated why all is -as it is, and softly repeating to himself, "Wistik!" - - -[1] Wistik = Would that I knew. - -[2] Kribblegauw = Quarrel = quick. - - - - -VI - - -It seemed to him during the days that followed that it was no longer so -merry and cheerful as it had been--in the woods and in the dunes--with -Windekind. His thoughts were no longer wholly occupied with what -Windekind told or showed him. Again and again he found himself musing -over that _book_, but he dared not speak of it. Nothing he looked at now -seemed beautiful or wonderful. The clouds were so black and heavy, he -feared they might fall upon him. It pained him when the restless autumn -winds shook and whipped the poor, tired trees until the pale under sides -of the green leaves were upturned, and yellow foliage and dry branches -flew up in the air. - -What Windekind related gave him no satisfaction. Much of it he did not -understand, and whenever he asked one of his old questions he never -received a full, clear, satisfactory answer. - -Thus he was forced to think again of that book wherein everything stood -so clearly and plainly written; and of that ever sunny, tranquil, autumn -day which was to follow. - -"Wistik! Wistik!" - -Windekind heard it. - -"Johannes, you will remain a human being, I fear. Even your friendship -is like that of human beings. The first one after me to speak to you has -carried away your confidence. Alas! My mother was quite right!" - -"No, Windekind! But you are so much wiser than Wistik; you are as wise -as that book. Why do you not tell me all? See, now! Why does the wind -blow through the trees, making them bend and sway? Look! They can bear -no more; the finest branches are breaking and the leaves are torn away -by hundreds, although they are still so green and fresh. They are so -tired, and yet again and again they are shaken and lashed by this rude -and cruel wind. Why is it so? What does the wind want?" - -"My poor Johannes. That is human language!" - -"Make it be still, Windekind! I like calm and sunshine." - -"You ask and wish like a human being; therefore there is neither answer -nor fulfilment. If you do not learn better to ask and desire, the autumn -day will never dawn for you, and you will become like the thousands of -human beings who have spoken to Wistik." - -"Are there so many?" - -"Yes, thousands. Wistik pretended to be very mysterious, but he is a -prater who cannot keep his secret. He hopes to find that book among -human beings, and he shares his knowledge with any one who, perhaps, can -help him. And so he has already caused a great deal of unhappiness. Many -believe him, and search for that book with as much fervor as some do the -secret of the art of making gold. They sacrifice everything, and forget -all their affairs--even their happiness--and shut themselves up among -thick books, and strange implements and materials. They hazard their -lives and their health--forget the blue heavens, good, kindly Nature, -and even their fellow-beings. Sometimes they find beautiful and useful -things, like lumps of gold. These they cast up out of their caves, on -the sunny surface of the earth. Yet they do not concern themselves with -these things--leaving them for others to enjoy. They dig and drudge in -the darkness with eager expectancy. They are not seeking gold, but the -book. Some grow feeble-minded with the toil, forget their object and -their desire, and wander about in aimless idleness. The goblin has made -them childish. They may be seen piling up little towers of sand, and -reckoning how many grains are lacking before they tumble down. They make -little waterfalls, and calculate precisely each bend and bay the flow -will make. They dig little pits, and employ all their patience and -genius in making them smooth and quite free from stones. If these poor, -infatuated ones are disturbed in their labor, and asked what they are -doing, they look at you seriously and importantly, shake their heads and -mutter: 'Wistik! Wistik!' Yes, it is all the fault of that wicked little -goblin. Look out for him, Johannes!" - -But Johannes was staring before him at the swaying, creaking trees. -Above his clear child-eyes wrinkles had formed in the tender flesh. -Never before had he looked so grave. - -"But yet--you have said it yourself, that there was such a book! Oh, I -know--certainly--that there is something in it which you will not tell -me concerning the Great Light." - -"Poor, poor Johannes!" said Windekind. And above the rushing and roaring -of the storm his voice was like a peaceful choral-song borne from afar. -"Love me--love me with your whole being. In me you will find more than -you desire. You will realize what you cannot now imagine, and you will -yourself be what you have longed to know. Earth and heaven will be your -confidants--the stars your next of kin--infinity your dwelling-place. -Love me--love me! Cling to me as the hop-vine clings to the tree--be -true to me as the lake is to its bed. In me alone will you find repose, -Johannes." - -Windekind's words were ended, but it seemed as though the choral-song -continued. Out of the remote distance it seemed to be floating -on--solemn and regular--above the rushing and soughing of the -wind--peaceful as the moonlight shining between the driving clouds. - -Windekind stretched out his arms, and Johannes slept upon his bosom, -protected by the little blue mantle. - -Yet in the night he waked up. A stillness had suddenly and imperceptibly -come over the earth, and the moon had sunk below the horizon. The -wearied leaves hung motionless, and silent darkness filled the forest. - -Then those questions came back to Johannes' head again--in swift, -ghostly succession--driving out the very recent trustfulness. Why were -human beings as they were? Why must he leave them--forego their love? -Why must the winter come? Why must the leaves fall, and the flowers -die? Why?--Why? - -There were the blue lights again--dancing in the depths of the -underwood. They came and went. Johannes gazed after them expectantly. He -saw the big, bright light shining on the dark tree-trunk. Windekind lay -very still, and fast asleep. - -"Just one question more," thought Johannes, and he slipped out from -under the blue mantle. - -"Here you are again!" said Wistik, nodding in a friendly way. "That -gives me a great deal of pleasure. Where is your friend?" - -"Over yonder. I only wanted to ask you one more question. Will you -answer it?" - -"You have been among human beings, have you not? Is it my secret you -have come for?" - -"Who will find that book, Wistik?" - -"Ah, yes. That's it; that's it! Will you help me if I tell you?" - -"If I can, certainly." - -"Listen then, Johannes." Wistik opened his eyes amazingly wide, and -lifted his eyebrows higher than ever. Then he whispered along the back -of his little hand: - -"Human beings have the golden chest, fairies have the golden key. The -foe of fairies finds it not; fairies' friend only, opens it. A -springtime night is the proper time, and Robin Redbreast knows the way." - -"Is that true, really true?" cried Johannes, as he thought of his little -key. - -"Yes," said Wistik. - -"Why, then, has no one yet found it?" asked Johannes. "So many people -are seeking it!" - -"I have told no human being what I have confided to you, I have never -yet found the fairies' friend." - -"I have it, Wistik! I can help you!" cried Johannes, clapping his hands. -"I will ask Windekind." - -Away he flew, over moss and dry leaves. Still, he stumbled now and then, -and his step was heavy. Thick branches cracked under his feet where -before not a grass-blade had bent. - -There was the dense clump of ferns under which they had slept: how low -it looked! - -"Windekind!" he cried. But the sound of his own voice startled him. - -"Windekind?" It sounded like a human voice! A frightened night-bird flew -up with a scream. - -There was no one under the ferns. Johannes could see nothing. - -The blue lights had vanished. It was cold, and impenetrably dark all -around him. Up above, he saw the black, spectral tree-tops against the -starlight. - -Once more he called. He dared not again. His voice seemed a profanation -of the stillness, and Windekind's name a mocking sound. - -Then poor little Johannes fell to the ground, and sobbed in contrite -sorrow. - - - - -VII - - -The morning was cold and grey. The black, glimmering boughs, all -stripped by the storm, were weeping in the mist. Little Johannes ran -hurriedly on over the wet, down-beaten grass--staring before him toward -the edge of the woods where it was lighter, as if that were the end in -view. His eyes were red from crying, and strained with fear and misery. -He had been running back and forth the whole night, looking for the -light. It had always been safe and home-like with Windekind. Now, in -every dark spot lurked the ghost of forlornness, and he dared not look -around. - -At last, he left the woods and saw before him a meadow over which a -fine, drizzling rain was falling. A horse stood in the middle of it near -a leafless willow-tree, motionless and with drooping head, while the -water dripped slowly from its shining sides, and out of its matted mane. - -Johannes walked along by the woods. He looked with tired, anxious eyes -toward the lonely horse and the grey, misty rain, and he whimpered -softly. - -"All is over now," he thought. "The sun will never come out again. After -this it will always be with me as it is now--here." - -But he dared not stand still in his despair; something more frightful -yet would happen, he thought. - -Then he saw the grand enclosure of a country-seat, and, under a linden -tree with bright yellow foliage, a little cottage. - -He went within the enclosure, and walked through broad avenues where the -ground was thickly covered with layers of brown and yellow linden -leaves. Purple asters grew along the grass-plots, and other brilliant -autumn flowers were flaming there. - -Then he came to a pond. Beside it stood a large house with low windows -and glass doors. Rose-bushes and ivy grew against the wall. It was all -shut up, and wore a gloomy look. Chestnut-trees, half stripped of their -foliage, stood all around; and, amid their fallen leaves, Johannes saw -the shining brown chestnuts. - -Then that chill, deathly feeling passed away. He thought of his own -home. There, too, were chestnut-trees, and at this season he always went -to find the glossy nuts. Suddenly he began to feel a longing--as though -he had heard the call of a familiar voice. He sat down upon a bench near -the house, and gave vent to his feelings in tears. - -A peculiar odor caused him to look up. A man stood near him with a white -apron on, and a pipe in his mouth. About his waist were strips of linden -bark for binding up the flowers. Johannes knew this scent so well; it -made him think of his own garden, and of the gardener, who brought him -pretty caterpillars, and showed him starlings' eggs. - -He was not alarmed, although it was a human being who stood beside him. -He told the man that he had been deserted and was lost, and he -gratefully followed him to the small dwelling under the yellow-leaved -linden-tree. - -Indoors sat the gardener's wife, knitting black stockings. Over the peat -fire in the fireplace hung a big kettle of boiling water. On the mat by -the fire lay a cat with folded forepaws--just as Simon sat when -Johannes left home. - -Johannes was given a seat by the fire that he might dry his feet. "Tick, -tack!--Tick, tack!" said the big, hanging clock. Johannes looked at the -steam which rose, hissing, from the kettle, and to the little tongues of -flame that skipped nimbly and whimsically over the peat. - -"Now I am among human beings," thought he. - -It was not bad. He felt calm and contented. They were good and kind, and -asked what he would like best to do. - -"I would like best to stay here," he replied. - -Here he was at peace, but if he went home, sorrow and tears would -follow. He would be obliged to maintain silence, and they would tell him -that he had been naughty. He would have to see all the past over again, -and think once more of everything. - -He did long for his little room, for his father, for Presto--but he -would rather endure the silent longing where he was, than the painful, -racking return. It seemed as if here he might be thinking of Windekind, -while at home he could not. - -Windekind had surely gone away now--far away to the sunny land where the -palms were bending over the blue seas. He would do penance here, and -wait for him. - -And so he implored the two good people to let him stay. He would be -obedient and work for them. He would help care for the garden and the -flowers, but only for this winter;--for he hoped in his heart that -Windekind would return in the spring. - -The gardener and his wife thought that Johannes had run away because he -was not treated well at home. They sympathized with him, and promised to -let him stay. - -He remained, and helped them in the garden and among the flowers. He was -given a little bedroom, with a blue wooden bedstead. From it, mornings, -he could see the wet, yellow linden leaves slipping along the -window-panes; and nights, the dark boughs rocking to and fro--with the -stars playing hide-and-seek behind them. He gave names to the stars, and -called the brightest Windekind. - -He told his history to the flowers--almost all of which he had known at -home; the big, serious asters, the gaudy zinias, and the white -chrysanthemums which continued to bloom so late in the rude autumn. When -all the other flowers were dead the chrysanthemums still stood--and even -after the first snowfall, when Johannes came one morning early to look -at them, they lifted their cheerful faces and said: "Yes, we are still -here. You didn't think we would be, _did_ you?" They were very brave, -but two days later they were all dead. - -But the palms and tree-ferns still flourished in the green-house, and -the strange flower-clusters of the orchids hung in their humid, sultry -air. Johannes gazed with wonder into the splendid cups, and thought of -Windekind. On going out-of-doors, how cold and colorless everything -looked--the black footsteps in the damp snow, and the rattling, dripping -skeletons of trees! - -Hour after hour, while the snowflakes were silently falling until the -branches bowed beneath their weight of down, Johannes walked eagerly on -in the violet dusk of the snow-shadowed woods. It was silence, but not -death. And it was almost more beautiful than summer verdure; the -interlocking of the pure white branches against the clear blue sky, or -the descending clouds of glittering flakes when a heavily laden shrub -let slide its snowy burden. - -Once, on such a walk, when he had gone so far that nothing was to be -seen save snow, and snow-covered branches--half white, half black--and -all sound and life seemed smothered under its glistening covering, he -thought he saw a tiny white animal run nimbly out in front of him. He -followed it. It bore no likeness to any that he knew. Then he tried to -grasp it, but it sped away and disappeared in a tree-trunk. Johannes -peered into the round, black opening, and thought--"Could it be -Wistik?" - -He did not think much about him. It seemed mean to do so, and he did not -wish to weaken in his doing of penance. And life with the two good -people left him little to ask for. Evenings, he had to read aloud out of -a thick book, in which much was said about God. But he knew that book, -and read it absent-mindedly. - -The night after his walk in the snow, however, he lay awake in bed, -looking at the cold shining of the moonlight on the floor. Suddenly he -saw two tiny hands close beside him--clinging fast to the bedside. Then -the top of a little white fur cap appeared between the two hands, and at -last he saw a pair of earnest eyes under high-lifted eyebrows. - -"Good evening, Johannes," said Wistik. "I came to remind you of our -agreement. You cannot have found the book yet, for the spring has not -come. But are you keeping it in mind? What is the thick book I have -seen you reading in? That cannot be the true book. Do not think that." - -"I do _not_ think so, Wistik," said Johannes. He turned over and tried -to go to sleep again, but he could not get the little key out of his -head. - -And from this time on, as he read in the thick book, he kept thinking -about it, and he saw clearly that it was not the true book. - - - - -VIII - - -"Now he will come," thought Johannes, the first time the snow had melted -away, and here and there little clusters of snowdrops began to appear. -"Will he not come now?" he asked the snowdrops. They could not tell, but -remained with drooping heads looking at the earth as if they were -ashamed of their haste, and wished to creep away again. - -If they only could have done so! The numbing east winds soon began to -blow again, and the poor, rash things were buried deep in the drifted -snow. - -Weeks later came the violets, their sweet perfume floating through the -shrubbery. And when the sun had shone long and warmly on the mossy -ground, the fair primulas opened out by hundreds and by thousands. - -The shy violets, with their rich fragrance, were mysterious harbingers -of coming magnificence, yet the cheerful primulas were gladness itself. -The awakened earth had taken to herself the first sunbeams, and made of -them a golden ornament. - -"Now," thought Johannes, "now he is surely coming!" In suspense he -watched the buds on the branches, as they swelled slowly day by day, and -freed themselves from the bark, till the first pale-green points -appeared among the brown scales. Johannes stayed a long time looking at -those little green leaves, and never saw them stir. But even if he only -just turned around they seemed to have grown bigger. "They do not dare -while I am watching them," he thought. - -The foliage had already begun to cast a shade, yet Windekind had not -come. No dove had alighted near him--no little mouse had spoken to him. -When he addressed the flowers they scarcely nodded, and made no reply -whatever. "My penance is not over yet," he thought. - -Then one sunny spring morning he passed the pond and the house. The -windows were all wide open. He wondered if any of the people had come -yet. - -The wild cherry that stood by the pond was entirely covered with tender -leaves. Every twig was furnished with little, delicate-green wings. On -the grass beside the bush sat a young girl. Johannes saw only her -light-blue frock and her blonde hair. A robin was perched on her -shoulder, and pecked out of her hand. Suddenly, she turned her head -around and saw Johannes. - -"Good day, little boy," said she, nodding in a friendly way. - -Again Johannes thrilled from head to foot. Those were Windekind's -eyes--that was Windekind's voice! - -"Who are you?" he asked, his lips quivering with feeling. - -"I am Robinetta, and this is my bird. He will not be afraid of you. Do -you like birds?" - -The redbreast was not afraid of Johannes. It flew to his arm. That was -like old times. And it must be Windekind--that azure being! - -"Tell me your name, Laddie," said Windekind's voice. - -"Do you not know me? Do you not know that I am Johannes?" - -"How could I know that?" - -What did that mean? Still, it was the well-known, sweet voice. Those -were the dark, heavenly-deep, blue eyes. - -"Why do you look at me so, Johannes? Have you ever seen me before?" - -"Yes, I do believe so." - -"Surely, you must have dreamed it!" - -"Dreamed?" thought Johannes. "Can I have dreamed everything? Can I be -dreaming now?" - -"Where were you born?" he asked. - -"A long way from here, in a great city." - -"Among human beings?" - -Robinetta laughed. It was Windekind's laugh. "I believe so. Were not -you?" - -"Alas, yes! I was too!" - -"Are you sorry for that? Do you not like human beings?" - -"No. Who _could_ like them?" - -"Who? Well, Johannes; but you are an odd child! Do you like animals -better?" - -"Oh, much better--and flowers." - -"Really, I do, too--sometimes. But that is not right. Father says we -must love our friends." - -"Why is that not right? I like whom I choose whether it is right or -not." - -"Fie, Johannes! Have you no parents, then, nor any one who cares for -you? Are you not fond of them?" - -"Yes," said Johannes, remembering. "I love my father, but not because it -is right, nor because he is a human being." - -"Why, then?" - -"I do not know--because he is not like other human beings--because he, -too, is fond of birds and flowers." - -"And so am I, Johannes. Look!" And Robinetta called the robin to her -hand, and petted it. - -"I know it," said Johannes. "And I love you very much, too. - -"Already? That is very soon," laughed the girl. "Whom do you love best -of all?" - -"I love--" Johannes hesitated. Should he speak Windekind's name? The -fear that he might let slip that name to human ears was never out of his -thoughts. And yet, was not this fair-haired being in blue, Windekind -himself? Who else could give him that feeling of rest and happiness? - -"You!" said he, all at once, looking frankly into the deep blue eyes. -Courageously, he ventured a full surrender. He was anxious, though, and -eagerly awaited the reception of his precious gift. - -Again Robinetta laughed heartily, but she pressed his hand, and her look -was no colder, her voice no less cordial. - -"Well, Johannes," said she, "what have I done to earn this so -suddenly?" - -Johannes made no reply, but stood looking at her with growing -confidence. - -Robinetta stood up, and laid her arm about Johannes' shoulders. She was -taller than he. - -Thus they strolled through the woods, and picked great clusters of -cowslips, until they could have hidden under the mountain of sun-filled -yellow flowers. The little redbreast went with them--flying from branch -to branch, and peering at them with its shining little black eyes. - -They did not speak much, but now and then looked askance at each other. -They were both perplexed by this adventure, and uncertain what they -ought to think of each other. - -Much to her regret, Robinetta had soon to turn back. - -"I must go now, Johannes, but will you not take another walk with me? I -think you are a nice little boy," said she in taking her leave. - -"Tweet! Tweet!" said the robin as he flew after her. - -When she had gone, and her image alone remained to him, he doubted no -more who she was. She was the very same to whom he had given his -friendship. The name Windekind rang fainter, and became confused with -Robinetta. - -Everything about him was again the same as it had formerly been. The -flowers nodded cheerfully, and their perfume chased away the melancholy -longing for home which, until now, he had felt and encouraged. Amid the -tender greenery, in the soft, mild, vernal air, he felt all at once at -home, like a bird that had found its nest. He stretched out his arms and -took in a full, deep breath--he was so happy! On his way home, wherever -he looked he always saw gliding before him the figure in light blue with -the golden hair. It was as though he had been looking at the sun, until -its image was stamped upon everything he saw. - -From this day on Johannes went to the pond every clear morning. He went -early--as soon as he was wakened by the squabbling of the sparrows in -the ivy about his window, and by the tedious chirping and chattering of -the starlings, as they fluttered in the water-leader in the early -sunshine. Then he hurried through the dewy grass, close to the house, -and watched from behind the lilac-bush until he heard the glass door -open, and saw the bright figure coming toward him. - -Then they wandered through the woods, and over the hills which lay -beyond. They talked about everything in sight; the trees, the plants, -and the dunes. Johannes had a strange, giddy sensation as he walked -beside her. Sometimes he felt light enough again to fly through the air. -But he never could. He told the story of the flowers and of the animals, -as Windekind had given it to him. But he forgot how he had learned it, -and Windekind existed no more for him--only Robinetta. He was happy when -she laughed with him, and he saw the friendship in her eyes; and he -spoke to her as he had formerly done to his little dog--saying whatever -came into his head, without hesitation or shyness. When he did not see -her he spent the hours in thinking of her; and each thing he did was -with the question whether Robinetta would find it good or beautiful. - -And she, herself, appeared always so pleased to see him. She would smile -and hasten her steps. She had told him that she would rather walk with -him than with any one else. - -"But, Johannes," she once asked, "how do you know all these things? How -do you know what the May-bugs think, what the thrushes sing, and how it -looks in a rabbit-hole, or on the bottom of the water?" - -"They have told me," answered Johannes, "and I have myself been in a -rabbit-hole and on the bottom of the water." - -Robinetta knitted her delicate eyebrows and looked at him half -mockingly. But his face was full of truth. - -They were sitting under lilac trees, from which hung thick, purple -clusters. Before them lay the pond with its reeds and duck-weed. They -saw the black beetles gliding in circles over the surface, and little -red spiders busily darting up and down. It swarmed with life and -movement. Johannes, absorbed in remembrances, gazed into the depths, and -said: - -"I went down there once. I slipped down a reed to the very bottom. It is -all covered with fallen leaves which make it so soft and smooth. It is -always twilight there--a green twilight--for the light falls through the -green duck-weed. And over my head I saw the long, white rootlets hanging -down. - -"The newts, which are very inquisitive, came swimming about me. It gives -a strange feeling to have such great creatures swimming above one; and I -could not see far in front, for it was dark there--yet green, too. And -in that darkness the living things appeared like black shadows. There -were paddle-footed water-beetles, and flat mussels, and sometimes, too, -a little fish. I went a long way--hours away, I believe--and in the -middle was a great forest of water-plants, where snails were creeping, -and water-spiders were weaving their glistening nests. Minnows darted in -and out, and sometimes they stayed with open mouths and quivering fins -to look at me, they were so amazed. There I made the acquaintance of an -eel whose tail I had the misfortune to step on. He told me about his -travels. He had been as far as the sea, he said. Because of this, he had -been made King of the Pond--for no one else had been so far. He always -lay in the mud, sleeping, except when others brought him something to -eat. He was a frightful eater. That was because he was a king. They -prefer a fat king--one that is portly and dignified. Oh, it was splendid -in that pond!" - -"Then why can you not go there again--now?" - -"Now?" asked Johannes, looking at her with great, pondering eyes. "Now? -I can never go again. I should be drowned. But there is no need of it. I -would rather be here by the lilacs, with you." - -Robinetta shook her little blonde head wonderingly, and stroked -Johannes' hair. Then she looked at her robin, which seemed to be finding -all kinds of tid-bits at the margin of the pond. Just then it looked up, -and kept watching the two with its bright little eyes. - -"Do you understand anything about it, Birdling?" - -The bird gave a knowing glance, and then went on with its hunting and -pecking. - -"Tell me something more, Johannes, of what you have seen." - -Johannes gladly did so, and Robinetta listened attentively, believing -all he said. - -"But what is to prevent all that, _now_? Why can you not go again with -me to all those places? I should love to go." - -Johannes tried his best to remember, but a sunny haze obscured the dim -distance over which he had passed. He could not exactly tell how he had -lost his former happiness. - -"I do not quite know--you must not ask about it. A silly little creature -spoiled it all. But now it is all right again; still better than -before." - -The perfume of the lilacs settled gently down upon them; and the humming -of the insects over the water, and the peaceful sunshine, filled them -with a sweet drowsiness; until a shrill bell at the house began to ring, -and Robinetta sped away. - -That evening, when Johannes was in his little room, looking at the -moon-shadows cast by the ivy leaves which covered the -window-panes--there seemed to be a tapping on the glass. Johannes -thought it was an ivy leaf fluttering in the night wind. Yet it tapped -so plainly--always three taps at a time--that Johannes very gently -opened the window and cautiously looked about. The ivy against the house -gleamed in the blue light. Below, lay a dim world full of mystery. There -were caverns and openings into which the moonlight cast little blue -flecks--making the darkness still deeper. - -After Johannes had been gazing a long time into this wonderful world of -shadows, he saw the form of a mannikin close by the window, half hidden -by a large ivy leaf. He recognized Wistik instantly, by his great, -wonder-struck eyes under the uplifted brows. A tiny moonbeam just -touched the tip of Wistik's long nose. - -"Have you forgotten me, Johannes? Why are you not thinking about it -now? It is the right time. Did you ask Robin Redbreast the way?" - -"Ah, Wistik, why should I ask? I have everything I could wish for. I -have Robinetta." - -"But that will not last long. And you can be still happier--Robinetta, -too. Must the little key stay where it is, then? Only think how grand it -would be if you both should find the book! Ask Robin Redbreast about it. -I will help you whenever I can." - -"At least, I can ask about it," said Johannes. - -Wistik nodded, and scrambled nimbly down the vines. - -Before he went to bed, Johannes stayed a long time--looking at the dark -shadows and the shining ivy leaves. - -The next day he asked the redbreast if he knew the way to the golden -chest. Robinetta listened, in astonishment. Johannes saw the robin nod, -and peep askance at Robinetta. - -"Not here, not here!" chirped the little bird. - -"What do you mean, Johannes?" asked Robinetta. - -"Do you not know about it, Robinetta, and where to find it? Are you not -waiting for the little gold key?" - -"No! no! Tell me--what is that?" - -Johannes told her what he knew about the book. - -"And I have the little key. I thought you had the golden chest. Is it -not so, Birdie?" - -But the bird feigned not to hear, and fluttered about among the fresh, -bright beech leaves. - -They were resting against a slope on which small beech and spruce trees -were growing. A narrow green path ran slantingly by, and they sat at the -border of it, on thick, dark-green moss. They could look over the tops -of the lowest saplings upon a sea of green foliage billowing in sun and -shade. - -"I do believe, Johannes," said Robinetta, after a little, "that I can -find what you are looking for. But what do you mean about the little -key? How did you come by it?" - -"Why! How did I? How was it?" murmured Johannes, gazing far away over -the green expanse. - -Suddenly, as though fledged in the sunny sky, two white butterflies met -his sight. They whirled about with uncertain capricious -flight--fluttering and twinkling in the sunlight. Yet they came closer. - -"Windekind! Windekind!" whispered Johannes, suddenly remembering. - -"Who is that? Who is Windekind?" asked Robinetta. - -The redbreast flew up, chattering, and the daisies in the grass before -him seemed suddenly to be staring at Johannes in great alarm with their -white, wide-open eyes. - -"Did he give you the little key?" continued the girl. Johannes nodded, -in silence; but she wanted to know more. - -"Who was it? Did he teach you all those things? Where is he?" - -"He is not any more. It is Robinetta now--no one but Robinetta. -Robinetta alone!" He clasped her arm, and pressed his little head -against it. - -"Silly boy!" she said, laughing. "I will find the book for you--I know -where it is." - -"But then I must go and get the key, and it is far away." - -"No, no, you need not. I will find it without a key--to-morrow--I -promise you." - -On their way home, the little butterflies flitted back and forth in -front of them. - -Johannes dreamed of his father that night--of Robinetta, and of many -others. They were all good friends, and they stood near looking at him -cordially, and trustfully. Yet later, their faces changed. They grew -cold and ironical. He looked anxiously around; on all sides were fierce, -hostile faces. He felt a nameless distress, and waked up weeping. - - - - -IX - - -Johannes had already sat a long while, waiting. The air was chilly, and -great clouds were drifting close above the earth in endless, majestic -succession. They spread out sombre, wide-waving mantles, and reared -their haughty heads toward the clear light that shone above them. -Sunlight and shadow chased each other swiftly over the trees, like -flickering flames. Johannes was in an anxious state of mind, thinking -about the book; not believing that he should really find it that day. -Between the clouds--much higher--awfully high, he saw an expanse of -clear blue sky; and upon it, stretched out in motionless calm, were -delicate, white, plume-like clouds. - -"It ought be like that," he thought. "So high, so bright, so still!" - -Then came Robinetta. The robin was not with her. - -"It is all right, Johannes," she cried out. "You may come and see the -book." - -"Where is Robin Redbreast?" said Johannes, mistrustfully. - -"He did not come. But we are not going for a walk." - -Then he went with her, thinking all the time to himself: - -"It cannot be! Not _this_ way!--it must be entirely different!" - -Yet he followed the sunny, blonde hair that lighted his way. - -Alas! things went sadly now with little Johannes. I could wish that his -story ended here. Did you ever have a splendid dream of a magical garden -where the flowers and animals all loved you and talked to you? And did -the idea come to you then, that you might wake up soon, and all that -happiness be lost? Then you vainly try to hold the dream--and not to -wake to the cold light of day. That was the way Johannes felt when he -went with Robinetta. - -He went into the house--and down a passage that echoed with his -footsteps. He breathed the air of clothes and food; he thought of the -long days when he had had to stay indoors, of his school-tasks, and of -all that had been sombre and cold in his life. - -He entered a room with people in it--how many he did not see. They were -talking together, yet when he came they ceased to speak. He noticed the -carpet; it had big, impossible flowers in glaring colors. They were as -strange and deformed as those of the hangings in his bedroom at home. - -"Well, is this the gardener's little boy?" said a voice right in front -of him. "Come here, my young friend; you need not be afraid." - -And another voice sounded suddenly, close beside him: "Well, Robbi, a -pretty little playmate you have there!" - -What did all this mean? The deep wrinkles came again above the child's -dark eyes, and Johannes looked around in perplexity. - -A man in black clothes sat near--looking at him with cold, grey eyes. - -"And so you wish to make acquaintance with the Book of Books! It amazes -me that your father, whom I know to be a devout man, has not already -given it to you." - -"You do not know my father--he is far away." - -"Is that so? Well, it is all the same. Look here, my young friend! Read -a great deal in this. Upon your path in life it will...." - -But Johannes had already recognized the book. It could not possibly come -to him in _this_ way! No! he could not have it so. He shook his head. - -"No, no! This is not what I mean. This I know. This is not it." - -He heard sounds of surprise, and felt the looks which were fastened on -him from all sides. "What! What do you mean, child?" - -"I know this book; it is the Book of Human Beings. But there is not -enough in it; if there were there would be rest among men--and peace. -And there is none. I mean something else about which no one can doubt -who sees it--wherein is told why everything is as it is--precisely and -plainly." - -"How is that possible? Where did the boy get that notion?" - -"Who taught you that, my young friend?" - -"I believe you have been reading depraved books, boy, and are repeating -the words!" - -Thus rang the various voices. Johannes felt his cheeks burning, and he -began to feel dizzy. The room spun round, and the huge flowers on the -carpet floated up and down. Where was the little mouse which had warned -him so faithfully that day at school? He needed him now. - -"I am not repeating it out of books, and he who taught me is worth more -than all of you together. I know the language of flowers, and of -animals--I am their intimate friend. I know, too, what human beings are, -and how they live. I know all the secrets of fairies and of goblins, for -they love me more than human beings do." - -Oh, Mousie! Mousie! - -Johannes heard coughing and laughing, around and behind him. It all rang -and rasped in his ears. - -"He seems to have been reading Andersen." - -"He is not quite right in his head." - -The man in front of him said: - -"If you know Andersen, little man, you ought to have more respect for -God and His Word." "God!" He knew that word, and he thought about -Windekind's lesson. - -"I have no respect for God. God is a big oil-lamp, which draws thousands -to wreck and ruin." - -No laughing now, but a serious silence in which the horror and -consternation were palpable. Johannes felt even in his back the piercing -looks. It was like his dream of the night before. - -The man in black stood up and took him by the arm. That hurt, and almost -broke his heart. - -"Listen, boy! I do not know whether you are foolish or deeply depraved, -but I will not suffer such godlessness here. Go away and never come into -my sight again, wretched boy! I shall ask about you, but never again set -foot in this house. Do you understand?" - -Everybody looked at him coldly and unkindly--as in his dream the night -before. Johannes looked around him in distress. - -"Robinetta! Where is Robinetta?" - -"Well, indeed! Corrupt my child? If you ever speak to her again, look -out!" - -"No, let me go to her! I will not leave her. Robinetta!" cried Johannes. - -But she sat in a corner, frightened, and did not look up. - -"Out, you rascal! Do you hear? Take care, if you have the boldness to -come back again." - -The painful grip led him through the sounding corridor--the glass door -rattled, and Johannes stood outside, under the dark, lowering clouds. - -He did not cry now, but gazed quietly out in front of him as he slowly -walked on. The sorrowful wrinkles were deeper above his eyes, and they -stayed there. - -The little redbreast sat in a linden hedge and peered at him. He stood -still and silently returned the look. But there was no trust now in the -timid, peeping little eyes; and when he took a step nearer, the quick -little creature whirred away from him. - -"Away, away! A human being!" chirped the sparrows, sitting together in -the garden path. And they darted away in all directions. - -The open flowers did not smile, but looked serious and indifferent; as -they do with every stranger. - -Johannes did not heed these signs, but was thinking of what the cruel -men had done to him. He felt as if his inmost being had been violated by -a hard, cold touch. "They _shall_ believe me!" thought he. "I will get -my little key and show it to them." - -"Johannes! Johannes!" called a light, little voice. There was a bird's -nest in a holly tree, and Wistik's big eyes peeped over the brim of it. -"Where are you bound for?" - -"It is all your fault, Wistik," said Johannes. "Let me alone." - -"How did you come to talk about it to human beings? They do not -understand. Why do you tell them these things? It is very stupid of -you." - -"They laughed at me, and hurt me. They are miserable creatures. I hate -them!" - -"No, Johannes, you love them." - -"No! No!" - -"If you did not, you would not mind it so much that they are not like -yourself; and it would not matter what they said. You must concern -yourself less about human beings." - -"I want my key. I want to show it to them." - -"You must not do that; they would not believe you even if you did. What -would be the use of it?" - -"I want my little key--under the rose-bush. Do you know how to find it?" - -"Yes, indeed! Near the pond, is it not? Yes, I know." - -"Then take me to it, Wistik." - -Wistik climbed up to Johannes' shoulder, and pointed out the way. They -walked the whole day long. The wind blew, and now and then showers fell; -but at evening the clouds ceased driving, and lengthened themselves out -into long bands of gray and gold. - -When they came to Johannes' own dunes, he felt deeply moved, and he -whispered again and again: "Windekind! Windekind!" - -There was the rabbit-hole, and the slope against which he had once -slept. The grey reindeer-moss was tender and moist, and did not crackle -beneath his feet. The roses were withered, and the yellow primroses with -their faint, languid fragrance held up their cups by hundreds. Higher -still rose the tall, proud torch-plants, with their thick, velvety -leaves. - -Johannes tried to trace the delicate, brownish leaves of the wild-rose. - -"Where is it, Wistik? I do not see it." - -"I know nothing about it," said Wistik. "You hid the key--I didn't." - -The field where the rose had blossomed was full of primroses, staring -vacantly. Johannes questioned them, and also the torch-plants. They were -much too proud, however, for their tall flower-clusters reached far up -above him; so he asked the small, tri-colored violets on the sandy -ground. - -But no one knew anything of the wild-rose. They all were newly-come -flowers--even the arrogant torch-plant, tall though it was. - -"Oh! where is it? Where is it?" - -"Have you, too, served me a trick?" cried Wistik. "I expected it--that -is always the way with human beings!" - -He slipped down from Johannes' shoulder, and ran away into the tall -grass. - -Johannes looked hopelessly around. There stood a small rose-bush. - -"Where is the big rose?" asked Johannes, "the big one that used to stand -here?" - -"We do not speak to human beings," said the little bush. - -That was the last sound he heard. Every living thing kept silence. Only, -the reeds rustled in the soft, evening wind. - -"Am I a human being?" thought Johannes. "No, that cannot--cannot be. I -will not be a human being. I hate human beings." - -He was tired and faint-hearted, and went to the border of the little -field to lie down upon the soft, grey moss with its humid, heavy -fragrance. - -"I cannot turn back now, nor ever see Robinetta again. Shall I not die -without her? Shall I keep on living, and be a man--a man like those who -laughed at me?" - -Then, all at once, he saw again the two white butterflies that flew up -to him from the way of the setting sun. In suspense, he followed their -flight. Would they show him the way? They hovered above his head--then -floated apart to return again--whirling about in fickle play. Little by -little they left the sun, and finally fluttered beyond the border of the -dunes--away to the woods. There, only the highest tips were still -touched by the evening glow that shone out red and vivid from under the -long files of sombre clouds. - -Johannes followed the butterflies. But when they had flown above the -nearest trees, he saw a dark shadow swoop toward them in noiseless -flight, and then hover over them. It pursued and overtook them. The next -moment they had vanished. The black shadow darted swiftly up to him, and -he covered his face with his hands, in terror. - -"Well, little friend, why do you sit here, crying?" rang a sharp, -taunting voice close beside him. - -Johannes had seen a huge bat coming toward him, but when he looked up, a -swarthy mannikin, not much taller than himself, was standing on the -dunes. It had a great head, with big ears, that stood out--dark--against -the bright evening sky, and a lean little body with slim legs. Of his -face Johannes could see only the small, glittering eyes. - -"Have you lost anything, little fellow? If so, I will help you seek it," -said he. But Johannes silently shook his head. - -"Look! Would you like these?" he began again, opening his hand. Johannes -saw there something white, that from time to time barely stirred. It was -the two white butterflies--dead--with the torn and broken little wings -still quivering. Johannes shivered, as though some one had blown on the -back of his neck, and he looked up in alarm at the strange being. - -"Who are you?" he asked. - -"Would you like to know my name, Chappie? Well, just call me -Pluizer[1]--simply Pluizer. I have still prettier names, but that you do -not yet understand." - -"Are you a human being?" - -"Better yet! Still, I have arms and legs and a head--just see what a -head! And yet the boy asks if I'm a human being! Well, Johannes, -Johannes!" And the mannikin laughed with a shrill, piercing sound. - -"How do you know who I am?" asked Johannes. - -"Oh, that is a trifle for me! I know a great deal more. I know where you -came from, and what you came here to do. I know an astonishing -lot--almost everything." - -"Ah! Mr. Pluizer...." - -"Pluizer--Pluizer. No ceremony!" - -"Do you know then?..." But Johannes suddenly stopped. "He is a human -being," thought he. - -"About your little key, do you mean?" asked the mannikin. - -"Yes, indeed I do." - -"But I did not think human beings could know anything about that." - -"Silly boy! And Wistik has babbled to so many about it!" - -"Do you know Wistik, too?" - -"Oh, yes--one of my best friends, and I have a great many of them. But I -know about the little key, without the help of Wistik. I know a great -deal more than Wistik. Wistik is a good enough fellow, but -stupid--uncommonly stupid. Not I--far from it!" And Pluizer tapped his -big head with his lean little hand in a very pert way. - -"Do you know, Johannes," he continued, "a great defect in Wistik? But -you never must tell him, for he would be very angry." - -"Well, what is it?" asked Johannes. - -"He does not exist. That is a great shortcoming, but he will not admit -it. And he says of me that I do not exist--but that is a lie. _I_ not -exist? The _mischief_--I do!" - -And Pluizer, thrusting the little butterflies into his pocket, suddenly -threw himself over, and stood on his head in front of Johannes. Then he -made a very ugly grimace, and stuck out his long tongue. Johannes, who -did not yet feel quite at his ease alone with this remarkable creature, -at the close of the day, in the lonely dunes, was quaking now, with -fear. - -"This is a most charming way of seeing the world," said Pluizer, still -standing on his head. "If you like, I will teach you to do it. -Everything looks much clearer and more life-like." - -And he sprawled his spindle legs out in the air, and whirled around on -his hands. As the red afterglow fell upon his inverted face, Johannes -thought it frightful; the small eyes blinked in the light, and showed -the whites on the wrong side. - -"You see, this way the clouds look like the floor, and the ground the -cover, of the world. You can maintain that as well as the contrary. -There is no above nor below, however. Those clouds would make a fine -promenade." - -Johannes looked at the long clouds. He thought they appeared like a -plowed field, with blood welling up from the red furrows. And over the -sea the splendor was streaming from the gates of that grotto in the -clouds. - -"Could one get there, and go in?" he asked. - -"Nonsense!" said Pluizer, landing suddenly on his feet again, to the -great relief of Johannes. "Nonsense! If you were there, it would be -precisely as it is here--and the beauty of it would then appear still a -little farther off. In those beautiful clouds there, it is misty, -grizzly, and cold." - -"I do not believe you," said Johannes. "Now I can very well see that you -are a human being." - -"Oh, come! Not believe me, dear boy, because I am a human being! And -what particular thing do you take yourself for?" - -"Oh, Pluizer! Am I too a human being?" - -"What did you suppose? An elf? Elves do not fall in love." And Pluizer -suddenly dropped down exactly in front of Johannes--his legs crossed -under him--grinning straight into his face. Johannes felt indescribably -distressed and perplexed under this scrutiny, and would have liked to -hide, or make himself invisible. Still he could not even turn his eyes -away. - -"Only human beings fall in love, Johannes. Do you hear? And that is -good; otherwise before long there would be no more of them. And you are -in love as well as the best of them, although you are still so young. -Who are you thinking about, this instant?" - -"Robinetta!" whispered Johannes, barely loud enough to be heard. - -"Whom do you long for most?" - -"Robinetta!" - -"Who is the one without whom you think you cannot live?" - -Johannes' lips moved silently: "Robinetta!" - -"Now, then, you silly fellow," sneered Pluizer, "how can you fancy -yourself to be an elf? Elves do not fall in love with the children of -men." - -"But it was Windekind," stammered Johannes, in his embarrassment. At -that, Pluizer looked terribly angry, and he seized Johannes by the ears -with his bony little hands. - -"What stuff is this? Would you frighten me with that dunce? He is -sillier than Wistik--far more silly. He does not know it, though. And -what is more, he does not exist at all, and never has existed. I alone -exist, do you understand? If you do not believe me, I will make you feel -that I _do_ exist." - -And he shook poor Johannes by the ears--hard. The latter cried out: "But -I have known him so long, and I have traveled so far with him!" - -"You have dreamed it, I say. Where, then, are the rose-bush and the -little key? Hey!--But you are not dreaming now! Do you feel that?" - -"Auch!" cried Johannes; for Pluizer was tweaking his ears. - -It had grown dark, and the bats were flying with shrill squeakings close -to their heads. The air was black and heavy--not a leaf stirred in the -woods. - -"May I go home?" begged Johannes. "To my father?" - -"Your father? What do you want of him?" asked Pluizer. "That person -would give you a warm reception after your long absence!" - -"I want to go home," said Johannes; and he thought of the living-room -with the bright lamp-light, where he had so often sat beside his father, -listening to the scratching of his pen. It was cozy there, and peaceful. - -"Yes, but you ought not to have gone away, and _stayed_ away--all for -the sake of that madcap who has no existence. It is too late now. And if -nothing turns up to prevent it, I will take care of you. Whether I do -it, or your father does it, is precisely the same thing. Such a father! -That is only imagination, however. Did you make your own selection? Do -you think no one else so good--so clever? I am just as good, and much -more clever." - -Johannes had no heart for an answer; he closed his eyes, and nodded -slightly. - -"And," continued the mannikin, "you must not look for anything further -from that Robinetta." - -He laid his hands upon Johannes' shoulders, and chattered close to his -ear. "That child thought you just as much a fool as the others did. Did -you not see that she stayed in the corner, and said not a word when they -all laughed at you? She is no better than the others. She thought you a -nice little boy, and she played with you--just as she would have played -with a May-bug. She cannot have cared about your going away. And she -knows nothing about that book. But I do--I know where it is, and I will -help you find it. I know nearly everything." - -And Johannes began to believe him. - -"Are you going with me? Will you search for it with me?" - -"I am so tired," said Johannes. "Let me go to sleep somewhere." - -"I care nothing for sleep," said Pluizer. "I am too lively for that. A -person ought always to be looking and thinking. But I will leave you in -peace for a little while--till morning comes." - -Then he put on the friendliest face he could. Johannes looked straight -into the glittering little eyes until he could see nothing else. His -head grew heavy--he leaned against the mossy slope. The little eyes -seemed to get farther and farther away until they were shining stars in -the darkening sky. He thought he heard the sound of distant voices, as -if the earth were moving away from him--and then he ceased to think at -all. - - -[1] Pluizer = Shredder. - - - - -X - - -Even before he was fully awake he had a vague idea that something -unusual had occurred while he slept. Still, he was not curious to know -what it was, nor to look about him. He would he were lapped again in the -dream which, like a reluctant mist, was slowly drifting away. Robinetta -had come to him again in the dream, and stroked his hair in the old way; -and he had seen his father once more, and Presto, in the garden with the -pond. - -"Auch! That hurt. Who did that?" Johannes opened his eyes, and saw, in -the grey dawn, close beside him, a small being who had been pulling his -hair. He was lying in a bed, and the light was dim and wavering--as in a -room. - -But the face that bent over him brought back, at once, all the misery -and gloom of the day before. It was Pluizer's face--less like a -hobgoblin, and more human--but just as ugly and frightful as ever. - -"Oh, let me dream!" he murmured. - -But Pluizer shook him. "Are you mad, you lazy boy? Dreams are foolish, -and keep one from getting on. A human being must work and think and -seek. That is what you are human for." - -"I do not want to be a human being. I want to dream." - -"Whether you wish to or not--you must. You are in my charge now, and you -are going to act, and seek, in my company. With me alone can you find -what you desire, and I shall not leave you until we have found it." - -Johannes felt a vague terror. Yet a superior power seemed to press and -coerce him. Unresistingly, he resigned himself. - -Gone were fields and flowers and trees. He was in a small, dimly-lighted -room. Outside, as far as he could see, were houses and houses--dark and -dingy--in long, monotonous rows. - -Smoke in thick folds was rising everywhere, and it swept, like a murky -fog, through the streets below. And along those streets the people -hurried in confusion, like great black busy ants. A dull, confused, -continuous roar ascended from this throng. - -"Look, Johannes!" said Pluizer. "Now is not that a pretty sight? Those -are human beings, and all those houses, as far as you can see--still -farther than that belfry in the blue distance--are full of people, from -top to bottom. Is not that remarkable? That is rather different from an -ant-hill!" - -Johannes listened with shrinking curiosity, as if some huge, horrible -monster were being shown him. He seemed to be standing on the back of -that monster, and to see the black blood streaming through the swollen -arteries, and the dark breath ascending from a hundred nostrils. And the -ominous growling of that awful voice filled him with fears. - -"Look! How fast these people go, Johannes!" continued Pluizer. "You can -see, can you not, that they are all in a hurry, and hunting for -something? But it is droll that no one knows precisely what it is. After -they have been seeking a little while, they come face to face with some -one. His name is Hein." - -"Who is that?" asked Johannes. - -"Oh, a good friend of mine. I will introduce you to him, without fail. -Now this Hein asks: 'Are you looking for me?' At that, most of them -usually say: 'Oh, no! Not you.' Then Hein remarks: 'But there is nothing -to be found save me.' So they have to content themselves with Hein." - -Johannes perceived that he spoke of death. - -"Is that always the way--always?" - -"To be sure it is--always. But yet, day after day, a new crowd gathers, -and they begin their search not knowing for what--seeking, seeking, -until at last they find Hein. So it has been for a pretty long while, -and so it will continue to be." - -"Shall I, too, find nothing else, Pluizer? Nothing but...." - -"Yes, Hein you will surely find, some day. But that does not matter. -Only seek--always be seeking." - -"But the little book, Pluizer? You might let me find the book." - -"Well, who knows! I have not forbidden it. We must seek--seek. We know, -at least, what we are looking for. Wistik taught us that. Others there -are who try all their lives to find out what they are really seeking. -They are the philosophers, Johannes. But when Hein comes, it is all up -with their search as well." - -"That is frightful, Pluizer!" - -"Oh, no! Indeed it is not. Hein is very good-hearted, but he is -misunderstood." - -Some one toiled up the stairs outside the chamber door--Clump! clump! on -the wooden stairs. - -Clump! clump! Nearer and nearer. Then some one rapped at the door, and -it sounded like ice tapping on wood. - -A tall man entered. He had deep-set eyes, and long, lean hands. A cold -draft swept through the little room. - -"Well, well!" said Pluizer. "We were just speaking of you. Take a seat. -How goes it with you?" - -"Busy, busy!" said the tall man, wiping the cold moisture from his -white, bony forehead. - -Stiff with fright, Johannes gazed into the deep-set eyes which were -fixed upon him. They were very deep and dark, but not cruel--not -threatening. After a few moments he breathed more freely, and his heart -beat less rapidly. - -"This is Johannes," said Pluizer. "He has heard of a certain book which -tells why everything is as it is; and we are going together to find that -book, are we not?" Then Pluizer laughed, significantly. - -"Is that so? Well, that is good," said Death kindly, nodding to -Johannes. - -"He is afraid he will not find it, but I tell him to seek first, -diligently." - -"Certainly," said Death. "It is best to seek diligently." - -"He thought that you were so horrible! You see, do you not, Johannes, -that you made a mistake?" - -"Ah, yes," said Death, most kindly. "They speak very ill of me. My -outward appearance is not prepossessing, but I mean well." - -He smiled faintly, like one whose mind was full of more serious matters -than those of which he spoke. Then he turned his sombre eyes away from -Johannes, and they wandered pensively toward the great town. - -It was a long time before Johannes ventured to speak. At last, he said -softly: - -"Are you going to take me with you, _now?_" - -"What do you mean, my child?" said Death, roused from his meditations. -"No, not now. You must grow up and become a good man." - -"I will not be a man--like the others." - -"Come, come!" said Death. "There is no help for it." - -It was clear that this was an every-day phrase with him. He continued: - -"My friend, Pluizer, can teach you how to become a good man. It can be -learned in various ways, but Pluizer teaches it excellently. It is -something very fine and admirable to be a good man. You must not scorn -it, my little lad." - -"Seeking, thinking, looking!" said Pluizer. - -"To be sure! To be sure!" said Death; and then, to Pluizer, "To whom are -you going to take him?" - -"To Doctor Cijfer, my old pupil." - -"Ah, yes. He is a good pupil. He is a very fine example of a man--almost -perfect in his way." - -"Shall I see Robinetta again?" asked Johannes, trembling. - -"What does the boy mean?" asked Death. - -"Oh, he was love-struck, and yet fancied himself to be an elf! He, he, -he!" laughed Pluizer, maliciously. - -"No, my dear child, that will never do," said Death. "You will forget -such things with Doctor Cijfer. He who seeks what you are seeking must -forget all other things. All or nothing." - -"I shall make a doughty man of him. I shall just let him sec what love -really is, and then he will have nothing at all to do with it." - -And Pluizer laughed gaily. Death again fixed his black eyes upon poor -Johannes, who found it hard to keep from sobbing; for he felt ashamed in -the presence of Death. - -Suddenly Death stood up, "I must away," said he. "I am wasting my time. -There is much to be done. Good-by, Johannes. We are sure to see each -other again. You must not be afraid of me." - -"I am not afraid of you--I wish you would take me with you. Oh, take -me!" But Death gently motioned him back. He was used to such appeals. - -"No, Johannes. Go now to your task. Seek and see! Ask me no more. Some -day I will ask, and that will be soon enough." - -When he had disappeared, Pluizer behaved in a very extraordinary manner. -He sprang over chairs, tumbled about the floor, climbed up the wardrobe -and the mantlepiece, and performed neck-breaking tricks in the open -windows. - -"Well, that was Hein--my good friend Hein!" said he. "Do you not think -him nice? A bit plain and morose in appearance; but he can be quite -cheerful when he finds pleasure in his Work. Sometimes, however, it -bores him; for it is rather monotonous." - -"Who tells him, Pluizer, where he is to go?" - -Pluizer leered at Johannes in a teasing, cunning way. - -"Why do you ask that? He goes his own gait--he takes whom he can catch." - -Later, Johannes saw that it was otherwise. But he could not yet know -whether or not Pluizer always spoke the truth. - -They went out to the street, and moved with the swarming throng. The -grimy men passed on, pell-mell--laughing and chatting so gaily that -Johannes could not help wondering. He noticed that Pluizer nodded to -many of them; but no one returned the greeting--all were looking -straight forward as if they had seen nothing. - -"They are going like fun now," said Pluizer, "as though not a single one -of them knew me. But that is only a pretext. They cannot cut me when I -am alone with them; and then they are not so jolly." Johannes became -conscious that some one was following them. On looking round, he saw the -tall, pale figure moving among the people with great, inaudible strides. -Hein nodded to Johannes. - -"Do the people also see him?" asked Johannes of Pluizer. - -"Yes, certainly! all of them; but they do not wish to know him. Well, -for the present I overlook this defiance." - -The din and stir brought to Johannes a kind of stupor in which he forgot -his troubles. The narrow streets and the high houses dividing the blue -sky into straight strips--the people passing to and fro beside him--the -shuffling of footsteps, and the rattling of wagons, effaced the old -visions and the dream of that former night, as a storm disturbs the -reflections in mirror-like water. It seemed to him that nothing else -existed save walls and windows and people; as if he too must do the -same, and run and rush in the restless, breathless tumult. - -Then they came to a quiet neighborhood, where stood a large house with -grey, gloomy windows. It looked severe and uninviting. It was very quiet -within, and there came to Johannes a mingling of strange, pungent -odors--a damp, cellar-like smell being the most perceptible. In a room, -full of odd-looking instruments, sat a solitary man. He was surrounded -with books, and glass and copper articles--all of them unfamiliar to -Johannes. A stray sunbeam entered the room, passed on over his head, and -sparkled on the flasks filled with pretty, tinted particles. The man was -looking intently through a copper tube, and did not look up. - -As Johannes came nearer, he heard him murmur, "Wistik! Wistik!" - -Beside the man, on a long, black bench, lay something white and downy. -What it was Johannes could not clearly see. - -"Good morning, doctor!" said Pluizer. But still the doctor did not look -up. - -Then Johannes was terrified, for the white object at which he was -looking so intently, began all at once to struggle convulsively. What he -had seen was the downy, white breast of a little rabbit. Its head, with -the twitching nostrils, was held backward by pinching clamps of iron, -and the four little feet were tightly bound along its body. The hopeless -effort to free himself was soon over, and the little creature lay still -again; the only sign of life being the rapid movement of the -blood-stained throat. - -Johannes looked at the round, gentle eyes--so wide open with helpless -anguish, and it seemed to him that he recognized them. Was not this the -soft little body against which he had rested that first, blissful, -elf-land night? Old remembrances came thronging over him. He flew to the -little creature. - -"Wait, wait! Poor Bunnie, I will help you!" And he hurried to untie the -cords which were cutting into the tender little feet. - -But his hands were seized in a tight grip, and a shrill laugh rang in -his ears. - -"What does this mean, Johannes? Are you still so childish? What must the -doctor think of you?" - -"What does the boy want? Why is he here?" asked the doctor, amazed. - -"He wants to be a man, and so I brought him to you; but he is still -rather young and childish. This is not the way to find what you are -seeking, Johannes!" - -"No, this is not the way," said the doctor. - -"Doctor, let that rabbit loose!" - -But Pluizer clutched both his hands, and squeezed them painfully. - -"What was our agreement, Jackanapes?" he hissed in his ear. "We were to -seek, were we not? We are not in the dunes here, with Windekind, and -with stupid animals. We should be men--men, do you understand? If you -wish to remain a child--if you are not strong enough to help me--I will -send you out of the way. Then you may seek--all by yourself!" - -Johannes believed him and said no more. He determined to be strong. So -he shut his eyes, that he might not see the rabbit. - -"Good boy!" said the doctor. "You appear somewhat tender-hearted for -making a beginning. It truly is rather a sad sight the first time. I -never behold it willingly myself, and avoid it as much as possible. Yet -it is indispensable; and you must understand that we are men, and not -animals--that the welfare of mankind and of science is of more -importance than the life of a few rabbits." - -"Hear!" said Pluizer. "Science and mankind." - -"The man of science," continued the doctor, "stands higher than all -other men, and so he should overcome the little tendernesses which the -normal man feels, for that great interest--Science. Would you like to be -such a man? Was that your vocation, my boy?" - -Johannes hesitated. He did not exactly know what a vocation was--no more -than did the May-bug. - -Said he, "I want to find the book that Wistik spoke of." - -The doctor looked surprised and asked, "Wistik?" - -Pluizer said quickly, "Indeed he wants to be such a man, Doctor! I know -he does. He seeks the highest wisdom. He wishes to grasp the very -essence of things." - -Johannes nodded a "Yes!" So far as he understood, that was his aim. - -"You must be strong, then, Johannes--not weak and softhearted. Then I -will help you. But remember; all or nothing." - -And with trembling fingers Johannes helped to retie the loosened cords -around the little feet of the rabbit. - - - - -XI - - -"Now, we shall see," said Pluizer, "if I cannot show you just as fine -sights as Windekind can." - -And when they had bidden the doctor good-by--promising to return soon, -he guided Johannes into every nook and corner of the great town. He -showed him how the great monster lived, breathed, and fed itself; how it -consumed, and again renewed itself. - -But he was partial to the slums and alleys, where the people were packed -together--where everything was gloomy and grimy, and the air black and -close. - -He took him into one of the large buildings from which Johannes had seen -the smoke ascending that first day. - -A deafening roar pervaded the place--everywhere a rattling, clanking, -pounding, and resounding. Great wheels revolved, and long belts whizzed -in rapid undulations. The walls and floors were black, the windows -broken or covered with dust. The mighty chimneys rose high above the -blackened building, belching great columns of curling smoke. In that -turmoil of wheels and machinery Johannes saw numbers of pale-faced men -with blackened hands and clothing, silently and ceaselessly working. - -"Who are they?" asked Johannes. - -"Wheels--more wheels," laughed Pluizer, "or human beings--as you choose. -What they are doing there they do, day in--day out. And one can be human -in that way, also--after a fashion." - -They went on into dirty, narrow streets, where the little strip of blue -sky looked only a finger's width; and even then was clouded by the -clothes hung out to dry. It swarmed with people there. They jostled one -another, shouted, laughed, and sometimes sang. In the houses the rooms -were so small, so dark and damp, that Johannes hardly dared to breathe. -He saw ragged children creeping over the bare floors; and young girls, -with disheveled hair, humming melodies to thin, pale nurslings. He heard -quarreling and scolding, and all the faces around him were tired, dull, -or indifferent. - -Johannes' heart was wrung with pain. It was not akin to his earlier -grief--he was ashamed of that. - -"Pluizer," he asked, "have these people always lived here--so dreary -and so wretched? While I...." He dared not go on. - -"Certainly; and that is fortunate. Indeed, their life is not so very -dreary and wretched. They are inured to this, and know nothing better. -They are dull, careless cattle. Do you see those two women -there--sitting in front of their door? They look as contentedly over the -foul street as you used to look upon your dunes. There is no need for -you to cry over these people. You might as well cry about the moles that -never see the daylight." - -Johannes did not know what to reply, nor did he know why he felt so sad. - -In the midst of the clamorous pushing and rushing he still saw the pale, -hollow-eyed man, striding with noiseless steps. - -"He is a good man after all. Do you not think so?" said Pluizer, "to -take the people away from this? But even here they are afraid of him." - -When night fell, and hundreds of lamps flickered in the wind--casting -long, wavering lights over the black water, they passed through the -silent streets. The tall old houses looked tired--as if leaning against -one another in sleep. Most of them had closed their eyes; but here and -there a window still sent out a faint, yellow glimmer. - -Pluizer told Johannes long stories about those who dwelt behind them--of -the pains that were there endured, and of the struggles that took place -there between misery and love of life. He did not spare him, but -selected the gloomiest, the lowest, and most trying; and grinned with -enjoyment when Johannes grew pale and silent at his shocking tales. - -"Pluizer," asked Johannes, suddenly, "do you know anything about the -Great Light?" - -He thought that that question might save him from the darkness which was -pressing closer and heavier upon him. - -"Chatter! Windekind's chatter!" said Pluizer. "Phantoms--illusions! -There are only people--and myself. Do you fancy that any kind of god -could take pleasure in anything on this earth--such a medley as there is -here to be ruled over? Moreover, such a Great Light would not leave so -many here--in the darkness." - -"But those stars! Those stars!" cried Johannes; as if expecting that -visible splendor to protest for him against this statement. - -"The stars! Do you know, little fellow, what you are chattering about? -Those lights up there are not like the lanterns you see about you here. -They are all worlds--every one of them much larger than this world with -its thousands of cities--and in the midst of them we swing like a speck -of dust. There is no above nor below. There are worlds on all sides of -us--nothing but worlds, and there is no _end_ to them." - -"No, no!" cried Johannes in terror, "do not say so! I see little lights -on a great, dark plain above me." - -"Yes, you can see nothing but little lights. If you gazed up all your -life, you would see nothing else than little lights upon a dark plain -above you. But you can, you _must_ know that the universe--in the midst -of which this little clod with its pitiful swarm of dotards is as -nothing--shall vanish into nothingness. So speak no more of 'the stars' -as if they were but a few dozens. It is foolishness." - -Johannes was silenced. - -"Come on," said Pluizer. "Now we will go to see something cheerful." - -At intervals they were greeted by strains of music in lovely, lingering -waves of sound. On a dark canal stood a large house, out of whose many -tall windows the light was streaming brightly. A long line of carriages -stood in front of it. The stamping of the horses rang with a hollow -sound in the stillness of the night, and they were throwing "yeses" with -their heads. The light sparkled on the silver trappings of the harness, -and on the varnish of the vehicles. - -Indoors, it was dazzlingly bright. Johannes stood gazing, half-blinded, -in the glare of hundreds of varicolored lights, of mirrors and flowers. - -Graceful figures glided past the windows, bowing to one another, -laughing, and gesturing. Far back in the room moved richly dressed -people, with lingering step or with rapid, swaying turns. A confused -sound of laughter and of cheerful voices, sliding steps and rustling -garments reached the street, borne upon the waves of that soft, -entrancing music which Johannes had already heard from afar. In the -street, close by the windows, stood a few dark figures, whose faces -only--strange and dissimilar--were lighted by the splendor at which they -were gazing so intently. - -"That is fine! That is splendid!" cried Johannes. He greatly enjoyed the -sight of the color and light and the many flowers. "What is going on -there? May we go in?" - -"Really, do you think this beautiful, too? Or perhaps you would prefer a -rabbit-hole! Just look at the people--laughing, bowing, and glittering! -See how dignified and spruce the men are, and how gay and smart the -ladies. And how devoted they are to the dancing, as though it were the -most important matter in the world." - -Johannes thought again of the ball in the rabbit-hole, and he saw a -great deal that reminded him of it. But here everything was grander and -more brilliant. The young ladies in their rich array seemed to him, when -they lifted their long white arms, and turned their heads half aside in -dancing, as beautiful as the elves. The servants moved around -majestically, offering delicious drinks--with respectful bows. - -"How splendid! How splendid!" cried Johannes. - -"Very pretty, is it not?" said Pluizer. "But you must look a little -farther than just to the end of your nose. You see nothing now, do you, -but lovely, laughing faces? Well, almost all those smiles are false and -affected. Those kindly old ladies at the side there sit like anglers -around a pond; their young girls are the bait, the gentlemen are the -fishes. However well they like to chat together, they enviously begrudge -one another every catch. If one of those young ladies is pleased, it is -because she is dressed more beautifully, or attracts more attention than -the others. And the pleasure of the men chiefly consists in those bare -arms and necks. Behind all those laughing eyes and friendly lips lurks -something quite different. Even those apparently obsequious servants are -far from being respectful. If it suddenly became clear what each one -really thought, the party would soon break up." - -And as Pluizer pointed it out to him, Johannes plainly saw the -affectation in faces and gestures; and the vanity, envy, and weariness -which peeped from behind the smiling masks, or suddenly appeared as soon -as they were laid aside. - -"Well," said Pluizer, "they must do as they think best. Such people must -amuse themselves, and this is the only way they know." - -Johannes felt that some one was standing behind him, and he looked -round. It was the well-known, tall figure. The pale face was whimsically -lighted by the glare, so that the eyes formed large, dark depressions. -He murmured softly to himself, and pointed with a finger into the -lighted palace. - -"Look!" said Pluizer. "He is making another selection." - -Johannes looked where the finger pointed. He saw the old lady, even as -she was speaking, shut her eyes and put her hand to her head, and the -beautiful young girl stay her slow step, and stare before her with a -slight shiver. - -"When?" asked Pluizer of Death. - -"That is my affair," said the latter. - -"I should like to show Johannes this same company still another time," -said Pluizer, with a wink and a grin. "May I?" - -"To-night?" asked Death. - -"Why not?" said Pluizer. "In that place is neither hour nor time. What -now is has always been, and what is to be, already is." - -"I cannot go with you," said Death. "I have too much to do; but speak -the name that we both know, and you can find the way without me." - -They went on--some distance--through the lonely streets, where the -gas-lights flickered in the night wind, and the dark, cold water rippled -along the sides of the canal. The soft music grew fainter and fainter, -and then died away in the great calm that rested upon the city. - -Suddenly there rang out from on high, with full metallic reverberation, -a loud and festive melody. - -It dropped straight down from the tall tower upon the sleeping -town--into the sad, overshadowed spirit of Little Johannes. Surprised, -he looked up. The melody of the clock continued, in calm clear tones -which jubilantly rose, and sharply broke the deathly stillness. Those -blithe notes--that festal song--seemed strange to him in the midst of -still sleep and dark sorrow. - -"That is the clock," said Pluizer. "It is always just as jolly--year in, -year out. Every hour, it sings the selfsame song, with the same vim and -gusto. In the night time, it sounds jollier than it does in the daytime; -as if the clock were glad it has no need of sleep--that it can always -sing just as happily when thousands are weeping and suffering. But it -sings most merrily whenever any one is dead." - -Still again the joyful sound rang out. - -"One day, Johannes," continued Pluizer, "in a quiet room behind such a -window as that, a feeble light will be burning--a dim and flickering -light--making the shadows waver on the wall. There will be no sound in -the room save now and then a soft, suppressed sob. A bed will be -standing there, with white curtains, and long shadows in the folds. In -that bed something will be lying--white and still. That will have been -Little Johannes. Then joyously will that selfsame song break out and -loudly and lustily enter the room to celebrate the hour of his decease." - -Separated by long intervals, twelve heavy strokes resounded through the -air. Johannes felt at once as if he were in a dream; he no longer -walked, but floated a little way above the street, his hand in -Pluizer's. The houses and lamp-posts sped by in rapid flight. The houses -stood less close together now. They formed broken rows, with dark -mysterious gaps between, where the gas-lamps lighted pits and pools, -rubbish and rafters, in a capricious way. At last came a large gateway -with heavy columns and a high railing. As quick as a wink they were over -it, and down upon some damp grass, near a big heap of sand. Johannes -fancied he was in a garden, for he heard around them the rustling of -trees. - -"Now pay attention, Johannes, and then insist, if you can, that I am not -able to do more than Windekind." - -Then Pluizer called aloud a short and doleful name which made Johannes -shudder. From all sides, the sound re-echoed in the darkness, and the -wind bore it up whistling and whirling until it died away in the upper -air. - -Then Johannes noticed that the grass-blades reached above his head, and -that the small pebble which until now lay at his feet was in front of -his face. - -Near him, Pluizer--just as small as himself--grasped the stone with both -hands, and, exerting all his strength, turned it over. Confused cries of -shrill, high-pitched little voices rose up from the cleared ground. - -"Hey! Who is doing that? What does that mean? Blockhead!" shouted the -voices. - -Johannes saw black objects running hurriedly past one another. He -recognized the brisk black tumble-bug, the shining brown earwig with his -fine pinchers, big humpbacked ants, and snake-like millipedes. - -In the middle of them a long earth-worm pulled himself, quick as -lightning, back into his hole. - -Pluizer tore impatiently through the raving, scolding crowd up to the -worm-hole. - -"Hey, there! you long, naked lout! Come to daylight with your pointed -red nose," he cried. - -"What do you want?" asked the worm, out of the depths. - -"You must come out because I want to go in. Do you hear? You bald -dirt-eater!" - -The worm stretched his pointed head cautiously out of the opening, felt -all around with it a number of times, and then slowly dragged his bare, -ringed body farther toward the surface. - -Pluizer looked round at the other creatures that were crowding about him -in their curiosity. - -"One of you go before us to light the way. No, Black-beetle, you are too -big; and you, with the thousand feet--you would make me dizzy. Hey, -there, Earwig, I fancy your looks! Come along, and carry the light in -your pincers. Bundle away, Black-beetle, and look around for a -will-o'-the-wisp, or bring a torch of rottenwood." - -The creatures, awed by his commanding voice, obeyed him. - -Then they went down into the worm-hole--the earwig in front with the -shining wood, then Pluizer, then Johannes. It was a very dark and narrow -passage. Johannes saw the grains of sand dimly lighted by the faint -bluish flicker of the torch. They looked as large as stones--half -polished, and rubbed to a smooth, firm wall by the body of the worm, who -now followed, full of curiosity. Johannes saw behind him its pointed -head--now thrust quickly out in front, and then waiting for the long -part behind to pull up to it. - -They went in silence a long way down. When the path became too steep for -Johannes, Pluizer helped him. It seemed as if there never would be an -end; ever new sand-grains, and still the earwig crept on, turning and -bending with the winding of the passage. At last the way widened and the -walls fell apart. The sand-grains were black and wet, forming a vault -above, where the water trickled in glistening streaks, and through which -the roots of trees were stretched like stiffened serpents. - -Suddenly, a perpendicular wall--high and black--rose up before Johannes' -sight, cutting off everything in front of him. The earwig turned round. - -"Hey, ho! Now it is a question of getting behind that. The worm knows -all about it; he is at home here." - -"Come, show us the way!" said Pluizer. - -The worm slowly pulled its articulate body up to the black wall, and -touched and tested it. Johannes saw that it was of wood. Here and there -it was decayed into brownish powder. In one of these places the worm -bored through, and with three push-and-pulls the long, supple body -slipped within. - -"Now you!" said Pluizer, and he shoved Johannes into the little round -opening. For an instant, the latter thought he should be stifled in the -soft, moist mold; then he felt his head free, and with some trouble he -worked his way completely through. A large space appeared to lie beyond. -The floor was hard and damp--the air thick, and intolerably close. -Johannes dared scarcely to breathe, and waited in mute terror. - -He heard Pluizer's voice. It had a hollow ring, as if in a great cellar. - -"Here, Johannes, follow me." - -He felt the ground rise up before him to a mountain. With the aid of -Pluizer's hand he climbed this, in deepest darkness. He seemed to be -walking over a garment that gave way under his tread. He stumbled over -hollows and hillocks, following Pluizer, who led him to a level spot -where he clung in place by some long stems that bent in his hands like -reeds. - -"Here is a good place to stop. A light!" cried Pluizer. - -The dim light showed in the distance, rising and falling with its -bearer. The nearer it came and the more its faint glow filled the space, -the more terrible was Johannes' distress. - -The mountain he had traveled over was long and white. The reeds to -which he was clinging were brown, and fell below in lustrous rings and -waves. - -He recognized the straight form of a human being; and the cold level on -which he stood was the forehead. - -Before him, like two deep dark caverns, lay the insunken eyes, and the -blue light shone over the thin nose, and the ashen lips opened in a -rigid, dismal death-grin. - -Pluizer gave a shrill laugh, that was immediately stifled by the damp, -wooden walls. - -"Is not this a surprise, Johannes?" - -The long worm came creeping on between the folds of the shroud; it -pushed itself cautiously up over the chin, and slipped through the rigid -lips into the black mouth-hole. - -"This was the beauty of the ball--the one you thought more lovely than -an elf. Then, sweet perfume streamed from her clothes and hair; then her -eyes sparkled, and her lips laughed. Look _now_ at her!" - -With all his terror, there was doubt in Johannes' eyes. So soon? Just -now so glorious--and already...? - -"Do you not believe me?" sneered Pluizer. "A half-century lies between -then and now. There is neither hour nor time. What once was shall always -be, and what is to be has already been. You cannot conceive of it, but -you must believe it. Here all is truth--all that I show you is -true--true! Windekind could not say that." - -And with a grin Pluizer skipped around on the dead face, performing the -most odious antics. He sat on an eyebrow, and lifted up an eyelid by the -long lashes. The eye which Johannes had seen sparkle with joy was -staring in the dim light--a dull and wrinkled white. - -"Now--forward!" cried Pluizer. "There happens to be more to see." - -The worm appeared, slowly crawling out of the right corner of the mouth; -and the frightful journey was resumed. Not back again, but over new ways -equally long and dreary. - -"Now we come to an old one," said the earth-worm, as a black wall again -shut off the way. "This has been here a long time." - -It was less horrible than the former one. Johannes only saw a confused -heap, with discolored bones protruding. Hundreds of worms and insects -were silently busy with it. The light alarmed them. - -"Where do you come from? Who brings a light here? We have no use for -it!" - -And they sped away into the folds and hollows. Yet they recognized a -fellow-being. - -"Have you been next door?" the worms inquired. "The wood is hard yet." - -The first worm answered, "No!" - -"He wants to keep that morsel for himself," said Pluizer softly to -Johannes. - -They went farther. Pluizer explained things and pointed out to Johannes -those whom he had known. They came to a misformed face, with staring, -protruding eyes, and thick black lips and cheeks. - -"This was a stately gentleman," said he gaily. "You ought to have seen -him--so rich, so purse-proud and conceited. He retains his puffed-up -appearance." - -And so it went on. Besides these there were meagre, emaciated forms with -white hair that reflected blue in the feeble light; and little children -with large heads and aged, wizened faces. - -"Look! These have grown old since they died," said Pluizer. - -They came to a man with a full beard, whose white teeth gleamed between -the drawn lips. In the middle of his forehead was a little round black -hole. - -"This one lent Hein a helping hand. Why not a bit more patient? He would -have come here just the same." - -And there were still more passages--recent ones--and other straight -forms with rigid, grinning faces, and motionless, folded hands. - -"I am going no farther now," said the earwig. "I do not know the way -beyond this." - -"Let us turn back," said the worm. - -"One more, one more!" cried Pluizer. - -So on they marched. - -"Everything you see exists," said Pluizer as they proceeded. "It is all -real. One thing only is not real. That is yourself, Johannes. You are -not here, and you _cannot_ be here." - -And he burst out laughing as he saw the frightened and vacant look on -Johannes' face at this sally. - -"This is the last--actually the last." - -"The way stops short here. I will go no farther," said the earwig, -peevishly. - -"Well, _I_ mean to go farther," said Pluizer; and where the way ended he -began digging with both hands. - -"Help me, Johannes!" Without resistance Johannes sadly obeyed, and began -scooping up the moist, loose earth. - -They drudged on in silence until they came to the black wood. - -The worm had drawn in its ringed head, and backed out of sight. The -earwig dropped the light and turned away. - -"They cannot get in--the wood is too new," said he, retreating. - -"I shall!" said Pluizer, and with his crooked fingers he tore long white -cracking splinters out of the wood. - -A fearful pressure lay on poor Johannes. Yet he had to do it--he could -not resist. - -At last, the dark space was open. Pluizer snatched the light and -scrambled inside. - -"Here, here!" he called, and ran toward the other end. - -But when Johannes had come as far as the hands, that lay folded upon the -breast, he was forced to stop. He stared at the thin, white fingers, -dimly lighted on the upper side. He recognized them at once. He knew the -form of the fingers and the creases in them, as well as the shape of the -long nails now dark and discolored. He recognized a brown spot on the -forefinger. - -They were his own hands. - -"Here, here!" called Pluizer from the head. "Look! do you know him?" - -Poor Johannes tried to stand up, and go to the light that beckoned him, -but his strength gave way. The little light died into utter darkness, -and he fell senseless. - - - - -XII - - -He had sunk into a deep sleep--to depths where no dreams come. - -In slowly rising from those shades to the cool grey morning light, he -passed through dreams, varied and gentle, of former times. He awoke, and -they glided from his spirit like dew-drops from a flower. The expression -of his eyes was calm and mild while they still rested upon the throngs -of lovely images. - -Yet, as if shunning the glare of day, he closed his eyes to the light. -He saw again what he had seen the morning before. It seemed to him far -away, and long ago; yet hour by hour there came back the remembrance of -everything--from the dreary dawn to the awful night. He could not -believe that all those horrible things had occurred in a single day; the -beginning of his misery seemed so remote--lost in grey mists. - -The sweet dreams faded away, leaving no trace behind. Pluizer shook him, -and the gloomy day began--dull and colorless--the forerunner of many, -many others. - -Yet what he had seen the night before on that fearful journey stayed in -his mind. Had it been only a frightful vision? - -When he asked Pluizer about it, shyly, the latter looked at him queerly -and scoffingly. - -"What do you mean?" he asked. - -Johannes did not see the leer in his eye, and asked if it had really -happened--he still saw it all so sharp and clear. - -"How silly you are, Johannes! Indeed, such things as that can never -happen." - -Johannes did not know what to think. - -"We will soon put you to work; and then you will ask no more such -foolish questions." - -So they went to Doctor Cijfer, who was to help Johannes find what he was -seeking. - -While in the crowded street, Pluizer suddenly stood still, and pointed -out to Johannes a man in the throng. - -"Do you remember him?" asked Pluizer, bursting into a laugh when -Johannes grew pale and stared at the man in horror. - -He had seen him the night before--deep under the ground. - -The doctor received them kindly, and imparted his wisdom to Johannes who -listened for hours that day, and for many days thereafter. - -The doctor had not yet found what Johannes was seeking; but was very -near it, he said. He would take Johannes as far as he himself had gone, -and then together they would surely find it. - -Johannes listened and learned, diligently and patiently, day after day -and month after month. He felt little hope, yet he comprehended that he -must go on, now, as far as possible. He thought it strange that, seeking -the light, the farther he went the darker it grew. Of all he learned, -the beginning was the best; but the deeper he penetrated the duller and -darker it became. He began with plants and animals--with everything -about him--and if he looked a long while at them, they turned to -figures. Everything resolved itself into figures--pages full of them. -Doctor Cijfer thought that fine, and he said the figures brought light -to him;--but it was darkness to Johannes. - -Pluizer never left him, and pressed and urged him on, if he grew -disheartened and weary. He spoiled for him every moment of enjoyment or -admiration. - -Johannes was amazed and delighted as he studied and saw how exquisitely -the flowers were constructed; how they formed the fruit, and how the -insects unwittingly aided the work. - -"That is wonderful," said he. "How exactly everything is calculated, and -deftly, delicately formed!" - -"Yes, amazingly formed," said Pluizer. "It is a pity that the greater -part of that deftness and fineness comes to naught. How many flowers -bring forth fruit, and how many seeds grow to be trees?" - -"But yet everything seems to be made according to a great plan," said -Johannes. "Look! the bees seek honey for their own use, and do not know -that they are aiding the flowers; and the flowers allure the bees by -their color. It is a plan, and they both unfold it, without knowing it." - -"That is fine in sound, but it fails in fact. When the bees get a chance -they bite a hole deep down in the flower, and upset the whole intricate -arrangement. A cunning craftsman that, to let a bee make sport of him!" - -And when he came to the study of men and animals--their wonderful -construction--matters went still worse. - -In all that looked beautiful to Johannes, or ingenious, Pluizer pointed -out the incompleteness and defects. He showed him the great army of ills -and sorrows that can assail mankind and animals, with preference for the -most loathe-some and most hideous. - -"That designer, Johannes, was very cunning, but in everything he made he -forgot something, and man has a busy time trying as far as possible to -patch up those defects. Just look about you! An umbrella, a pair of -spectacles--even clothing and houses--everything is human patchwork. The -design is by no means adhered to. But the designer never considered that -people could have colds, and read books, and do a thousand other things -for which his plan was worthless. He has given his children -swaddling-clothes without reflecting that they would outgrow them. By -this time nearly all men have outgrown their natural outfits. Now they -do everything for themselves, and have absolutely no further concern -with the designer and his scheme. Whatever he has not given them they -saucily and selfishly take; and when it is obviously his will that they -should die, they sometimes, by various devices, evade the end." - -"But it is their own fault!" cried Johannes. "Why do they wilfully -withdraw from nature?" - -"Oh, stupid Johannes! If a nursemaid lets an innocent child play with -fire, and the child is burned, who is to blame? The ignorant child, or -the maid who knew that the child would burn itself? And who is at fault -if men go astray from nature, in pain and misery? Themselves, or the -All-wise Designer, to whom they are as ignorant children?" - -"But they are not ignorant. They know...." - -"Johannes, if you say to a child, 'Do not touch that fire; it will -hurt,' and then the child does touch it, because it knows not what pain -is, can you claim freedom from blame, and say, 'The child was not -ignorant?' You knew when you spoke, that it would not heed your warning. -Men are as foolish and stupid as children. Glass is fragile and clay is -soft; yet He who made man, and considered not his folly, is like him who -makes weapons of glass, careless lest they break--or bolts of clay, not -expecting them to bend." - -These words fell upon Johannes' soul like drops of liquid fire, and his -heart swelled with a great grief that supplanted the former sorrow, and -often caused him to weep in the still, sleepless hours of the night. - -Ah, sleep! sleep! There came a time after long days when sleep was to -him the dearest thing of all. In sleep there was no thinking--no sorrow; -and his dreams always carried him back to the old life. It seemed -delightful to him, as he dreamed of it; yet, by day he could not -remember how things had been. He only knew that the sadness and longing -of earlier times were better than the dull, listless feeling of the -present. Once he had grievously longed for Windekind--once he had -waited, hour after hour, on Robinetta. How delightful that had been! - -Robinetta! Was he still longing? The more he learned, the less he -longed--because that feeling, also, was dissected, and Pluizer explained -to him what love really was. Then he was ashamed, and Doctor Cijfer said -that he could not yet reduce it to figures, but that very soon he would -be able to. And thus it grew darker and darker about Little Johannes. - -He had a faint feeling of gratitude that he had not recognized Robinetta -on his awful journey with Pluizer. - -When he spoke of it, Pluizer said nothing, but laughed slyly; and -Johannes knew that he had not been spared this out of pity. - -When Johannes was neither learning nor working, Pluizer made use of the -hours in showing him the people. He took him everywhere; into the -hospitals where lay the sick--long rows of pale, wasted faces, with dull -or suffering expressions. In those great wards a frightful silence -reigned, broken only by coughs and groans. And Pluizer pointed out to -him those who never again would leave those halls. And when, at a fixed -hour, streams of people poured into the place to visit their sick -relations, Pluizer said: "Look! These all know that they too will -sometime enter this gloomy house, to be borne away from it in a black -box." - -"How can they ever be cheerful?" thought Johannes. - -And Pluizer took him to a tiny upper room, pervaded with a melancholy -twilight, where the distant tones of a piano in a neighboring house -came, dreamily and ceaselessly. There, among the other patients, Pluizer -showed him one who was staring in a stupid way at a narrow sunbeam that -slowly crept along the wall. - -"Already he has lain there seven long years," said Pluizer. "He was a -sailor, and has seen the palms of India, the blue seas of Japan, and the -forests of Brazil. During all the long days of those seven long years he -has amused himself with that little sunbeam and the piano-playing. He -cannot ever go away, and may still be here for seven more years." - -After this, Johannes' most dreadful dream was of waking in that little -room--in the melancholy twilight--with those far-away sounds, and -nothing ever more to see than the waning and waxing light. - -Pluizer took him also into the great cathedrals, and let him listen to -what was being said there. He took him to festivals, to great -ceremonies, and into the heart of many homes. Johannes learned to know -men, and sometimes it happened that he was led to think of his former -life; of the fairy-tales that Windekind had told him, and of his own -adventures. There were men who reminded him of the glow-worm who fancied -he saw his deceased companions in the stars--or of the May-bug who was -one day older than the other, and who had said so much about a calling. -And he heard tales which made him think of Kribblegauw, the hero of the -spiders; or of the eel who did nothing, and yet was fed because a fat -king was most desired. He likened himself to the young May-bug who did -not know what a calling was, and who flew into the light. He felt as if -he also were creeping over the carpet, helpless and maimed, with a -string around his body--a cutting string that Pluizer was pulling and -twitching. - -Ah! he would never again find the garden! When would the heavy foot come -and crush him? - -Pluizer ridiculed him whenever he spoke of Windekind, and, gradually, he -began to believe that Windekind had never existed. - -"But, Pluizer, is there then no little key? Is there nothing at all?" - -"Nothing, nothing. Men and figures. _They_ are all real--they exist--no -end of figures!" - -"Then you have deceived me, Pluizer! Let me leave off--do not make me -seek any more--let me alone!" - -"Have you forgotten what Death said? You were to become a man--a -complete man." - -"I will not--it is dreadful!" - -"You must--you have made your choice. Just look at Doctor Cijfer. Does -he find it dreadful? Grow to be like him." - -It was quite true. Doctor Cijfer always seemed calm and happy. Untiring -and imperturbable, he went his way--studying and instructing, contented -and even-tempered. - -"Look at him," said Pluizer. "He sees all, and yet sees nothing. He -looks at men as if he himself were another kind of being who had no -concern about them. He goes amid disease and misery like one -invulnerable, and consorts with Death like one immortal. He longs only -to understand what he sees, and he thinks everything equally good that -comes to him in the way of knowledge. He is satisfied with everything, -as soon as he understands it. You ought to become so, too." - -"But I never can." - -"That is true, but it is not my fault." - -In this hopeless way their discussions always ended. Johannes grew dull -and indifferent, seeking and seeking--what for or why, he no longer -knew. He had become like the many to whom Wistik had spoken. - -The winter came, but he scarcely observed it. - -One chilly, misty morning, when the snow lay wet and dirty in the -streets, and dripped from trees and roofs, he went with Pluizer to take -his daily walk. - -In a city square he met a group of young girls carrying school-books. -They stopped to throw snow at one another--and they laughed and romped. -Their voices rang clearly over the snowy square. Not a footstep was to -be heard, nor the sound of a vehicle--only the tinkling bells of the -horses, or the rattling of a shop door; and the joyful laughing rang -loudly through the stillness. - -Johannes saw that one of the girls glanced at him, and then kept looking -back. She had on a black hat, and wore a gay little cloak. He knew her -face very well, but could not think who she was. She nodded to him--and -then again. - -"Who is that? I know her." - -"That is possible. Her name is Maria. Some call her Robinetta." - -"No, that cannot be. She is not like Windekind. She is like any other -girl." - -"Ha, ha, ha! She cannot be like _nobody_. But she is what she is. You -have been longing to see her, and now I will take you to her." - -"No! I do not want to go. I would rather have seen her dead, like the -others." - -And Johannes did not look round again, but hurried on, muttering: - -"This is the last! There is nothing--nothing!" - - - - -XIII - - -The clear warm sunlight of an early spring morning streamed over the -great city. Bright rays entered the little room where Johannes lived, -and on the low ceiling there quivered and wavered a great splash of -light, reflected from the water rippling in the moat. - -Johannes sat before the window in the sunshine, gazing out over the -town. Its aspect was entirely altered. The grey fog had floated away, -and a lustrous blue vapor enfolded the end of the long street and the -distant towers. The slopes of the slate roofs glistened--silver-white. -All the houses showed clear lines and bright surfaces in the sunlight, -and there was a warm pulsing in the pale blue air. The water seemed -alive. The brown buds of the elm trees were big and glossy, and -clamorous sparrows were fluttering among the branches. - -As he gazed at all this, Johannes fell into a strange mood. The sunshine -brought to him a sweet stupor--a blending of real luxury and oblivion. -Dreamily he gazed at the glittering ripples--the swelling elm-tree buds, -and he listened to the chirping of the sparrows. There was gladness in -their notes. - -Not in a long time had he felt so susceptible to subtle impressions ---nor so really happy. - -This was the old sunshine that he remembered. This was the sun that used -to call him out-of-doors to the garden, where he would lie down on the -warm ground, looking at the grasses and green things in front of him. -There, nestled in the lee of an old wall, he could enjoy at his ease the -light and heat. - -It was just right in that light! It gave that safe-at-home feeling--such -as he remembered long ago, in his mother's arms. His mind was full of -memories of former times, but he neither wept for nor desired them. He -sat still and dreamed--wishing only that the sun would continue to -shine. - -"What are you moping about there, Johannes?" cried Pluizer. "You know I -do not approve of dreaming." - -Johannes raised his pensive eyes, imploringly. - -"Let me stay a little longer," said he. "The sun is so good." - -"What do you find in the sun?" asked Pluizer. "It is nothing but a big -candle; it does not make a bit of difference whether you are in -candle-light or sunlight. Look! see those shadows and dashes of light on -the street. They are nothing but the varied effect of one little light -that burns steadily--without a flicker. And that light is really a tiny -flame, which shines upon a mere speck of the earth. There, beyond that -blue--above and beneath us--it is dark--cold and dark! It is night -there--now and ever." - -But his words had no effect on Johannes. The still warm sunshine -penetrated him, and filled his whole being with light and peace. - -Pluizer led him away to the chilly house of Doctor Cijfer. For a little -while the image of the sun hovered before his vision, then slowly faded -away; and by the middle of the day all was dark again. - -When the evening came and he passed through the town once more, the air -was sultry and full of the stuffy smells of spring. Everything was -reeking, and he felt oppressed in the narrow streets. But in the open -squares he smelled the grass and the buds of the country beyond; and he -saw the spring in the tranquil little clouds above it all--in the tender -flush of the western sky. - -The twilight spread a soft grey mist, full of delicate tints, over the -town. It was quiet everywhere--only a street-organ in the distance was -playing a mournful tune. The buildings seemed black spectres against the -crimson sky--their fantastic pinnacles and chimneys reaching up like -countless arms. - -When the sun threw its last rays out over the great town, it seemed to -Johannes that it gave him a kind smile--kind as the smile that forgives -a folly. And the sweet warmth stroked his cheeks, caressingly. - -Then a great sadness came into Johannes' heart--so great that he could -go no farther. He took a deep breath, and lifted up his face to the wide -heavens. The spring was calling him, and he heard it. He would -answer--he would go. He was all contrition and love and forgiveness. - -He looked up longingly, and tears fell from his sorrowful eyes. - -"Come, Johannes! Do not act so oddly--people are looking at you," said -Pluizer. - -Long, monotonous rows of houses stretched out on both sides--dark and -gloomy--offensive in the soft spring air, discordant in the springtime -melody. - -People sat at their doors and on the stoops to enjoy the season. To -Johannes it was a mockery. The dirty doors stood open, and the musty -rooms within awaited their occupants. In the distance the organ still -prolonged its melancholy tones. - -"Oh, if I could only fly away--far away to the dunes and to the sea!" - -But he had to return to the high-up little room; and that night he lay -awake. - -He could not help thinking of his father and the long walks he had taken -with him, when he followed a dozen steps behind, and his father wrote -letters for him in the sand. He thought of the places under the bushes -where the violets grew, and of the days when he and his father had -searched for them. All night he saw the face of his father--as it was -when he sat beside him evenings by the still lamp-light--watching him, -and listening to the scratching of his pen. - -Every morning after this he asked Pluizer to be allowed to go once more -to his home and to his father--to see once again his garden and the -dunes. He noticed now that he had had more love for his father than for -Presto and for his little room, since it was of him that he asked. - -"Only tell me how he is, and if he is still angry with me for staying -away so long." - -Pluizer shrugged his shoulders. "Even if you knew, how would it help -you?" - -Still the spring kept calling him--louder and louder. Every night he -dreamed of the dark green moss on the hillslopes, and of sunbeams -shining through the young and tender, verdure. - -"It cannot long stay this way," thought Johannes. "I cannot bear it." - -And often when he could not sleep he rose up softly, went to the window, -and looked out at the night. He saw the sleepy, feathery little clouds -drifting slowly over the disk of the moon to float peacefully in a sea -of soft, lustrous light. He thought of the distant dunes--asleep, now, -in the sultry night--how wonderful it must be in the low woods where not -a leaf would be stirring, and where it was full of the fragrance of -moist moss and young birch-sprouts. He fancied he could hear, in the -distance the swelling chorus of the frogs, which hovered so mystically -over the plains; and the song of the only bird which can accompany the -solemn stillness--whose lay begins so soft and plaintive and breaks off -so suddenly, making the silence seem yet deeper. And it all was -calling--calling him. He dropped his head upon his arms on the -window-sill, and sobbed. - -"I cannot bear it. I shall die soon if I cannot go." - -When Pluizer roused him the following morning, he was still sitting by -the window, where he had fallen asleep with his head on his arm. - -The days passed by--grew long and warm--and there came no change. Yet -Johannes did not die, and had to bear his sorrow. - -One morning Doctor Cijfer said to him: - -"Come with me, Johannes. I have to visit a patient." - -Doctor Cijfer was known to be a learned man, and many appealed to him to -ward off sickness and death. Johannes had already accompanied him many -times. - -Pluizer was unusually frolicsome this morning. Again and again he stood -on his head, danced and tumbled, and perpetrated all kinds of reckless -tricks. His face wore a constant, mysterious grin, as if he had a -surprise all ready for the springing. Johannes was very much afraid of -him in this humor. - -But Doctor Cijfer was as serious as ever. - -They went a long way this morning--in a railway train and afoot. They -went farther than at other times, for Johannes had never yet been taken -outside the town. - -It was a warm, sunny day. Looking out of the train, Johannes saw the -great green meadows go by, with their long-plumed grass, and grazing -cows. He saw white butterflies fluttering above the flower-decked -ground, where the air was quivering with the heat of the sun. - -And, suddenly, he felt a thrill. There lay, outspread, the long and -undulating dunes! - -"Now, Johannes!" said Pluizer, with a grin, "now you have your wish, you -see." - -Only half believing, Johannes continued to gaze at the dunes. They came -nearer and nearer. The long ditches on both sides seemed to be whirling -around their centre, and the lonely dwellings along the road sped -swiftly past. - -Then came some trees--thick-foliaged chestnut trees, bearing great -clusters of red or white flowers--dark, blue-green pines--tall, stately -linden trees. - -It was true, then; he was going to see his dunes once more. - -The train stopped and then the three went afoot, under the shady -foliage. - -Here was the dark-green moss--here were the round spots of sunshine on -the ground--this was the odor of birch-sprouts and pine-needles. - -"Is it true? Is it really true?" thought Johannes. "Am I going to be -happy?" - -His eyes sparkled, and his heart bounded. He began to believe in his -happiness. He knew these trees, this ground; he had often walked over -this wood-path. - -They were alone on the way, yet Johannes felt forced to look round, as -though some one were following them; and he thought he saw between the -oak leaves the dark figure of a man who again and again remained hidden -by the last turn in the path. - -Pluizer gave him a cunning, uncanny look. Doctor Cijfer walked with long -strides, looking down at the ground. - -The way grew more and more familiar to him--he knew every bush, every -stone. Then suddenly he felt a sharp pang, for he stood before his own -house. - -The chestnut tree in front of it spread out its large, hand-shaped -leaves. Up to the very top the glorious white flowers stood out from the -full round masses of foliage. - -He heard the sound he knew so well of the opening of the door, and he -breathed the air of his own home. He recognized the hall, the doors, -everything--bit by bit--with a painful feeling of lost familiarity. It -was all a part of his life--his lonely, musing child-life. - -He had talked with all these things--with them he had lived in his own -world of thought that he suffered no one to enter. But now he felt -himself cut off from the old house, and dead to it all--its chambers, -halls, and doorways. He felt that this separation was past recall, and -as if he were visiting a churchyard--it was so sad and melancholy. - -If only Presto had sprung to meet him it would have been less -dismal--but Presto was certainly away or dead. - -Yet where was his father? - -He looked back to the open door and the sunny garden outside, and saw -the man who had seemed to be following him, now striding up to the -house. He came nearer and nearer, and seemed to grow larger as he -approached. When he reached the door, a great chill shadow filled the -entrance. Then Johannes recognized the man. - -It was deathly still in the house, and they went up the stairs without -speaking. There was one stair that always creaked when stepped -upon--Johannes knew it. And now he heard it creak three times. It -sounded like painful groanings, but under the fourth footstep it was -like a faint sob. - -Upstairs Johannes heard a moaning--low and regular as the ticking of a -clock. It was a dismal, torturing sound. - -The door of Johannes' room stood open. He threw a frightened glance into -it. The marvelous flower-forms of the hangings looked at him in stupid -surprise. The clock had run down. - -They went to the room from which the sounds came. It was his father's -bedroom. The sun shone gaily in upon the closed, green curtains of the -bed. Simon, the cat, sat on the window-sill in the sunshine. An -oppressive smell of wine and camphor pervaded the place, and the low -moaning sounded close at hand. - -Johannes heard whispering voices, and carefully guarded footfalls. Then -the green curtains were drawn aside. - -He saw his father's face that had so often been in his mind of late. But -it was very different now. The grave, kindly expression was gone and it -looked strained and distressed. It was ashy pale, with deep brown -shadows. The teeth were visible between the parted lips, and the whites -of the eyes under the half-closed eyelids. His head lay sunken in the -pillow, and was lifted a little with the regularity of the moans, -falling each time wearily back again. - -Johannes stood by the bed, motionless, and looked with wide, fixed eyes -upon the well-known face. He did not know what he thought--he dared not -move a finger; he dared not clasp those worn old hands lying limp on the -white linen. - -Everything around him grew black--the sun and the bright room, the -verdure outdoors, and the blue sky as well--everything that lay behind -him--it grew black, black, dense and impenetrable. And in that night he -could see only the pale face before him, and could think only of the -poor tired head--wearily lifted again and again, with the groan of -anguish. - -Directly, there came a change in this regular movement. The moaning -ceased, the eyelids opened feebly, the eyes looked inquiringly around, -and the lips tried to say something. - -"Father!" whispered Johannes, trembling, while he looked anxiously into -the seeking eyes. The weary glance rested upon him, and a faint, faint -smile furrowed the hollow cheeks. The thin closed hand was lifted from -the sheet, and made an uncertain movement toward Johannes--then fell -again, powerless. - -"Come, come!" said Pluizer. "No scenes here!" - -"Step aside, Johannes," said Doctor Cijfer, "we must see what can be -done." - -The doctor began his examination, and Johannes left the bed and went to -stand by the window. He looked at the sunny grass and the clear sky, and -at the broad chestnut leaves where the big flies sat--shining blue in -the sunlight. The moaning began again with the same regularity. - -A blackbird hopped through the tall grass in the garden--great red and -black butterflies were hovering over the flower-beds, and there reached -Johannes from out the foliage of the tallest trees the soft, coaxing coo -of the wood-doves. - -In the room the moaning continued--never ceasing. He had to listen to -it--and it came regularly--as unpreventable as the falling drop that -causes madness. In suspense he waited through each interval, and it -always came again--frightful as the footstep of approaching death. - -All out-of-doors was wrapped in warm, mellow sunlight. Everything was -happy and basking in it. The grass-blades thrilled and the leaves sighed -in the sweet warmth. Above the highest tree tops, deep in the abounding -blue, a heron was soaring in peaceful flight. - -Johannes could not understand--it was an enigma to him. All was so -confused and dark in his soul. "How can all this be in me at the same -time?" he thought. - -"Is this really I? Is that my father--my own father? Mine--Johannes'?" - -It was as if he spoke of a stranger. It was all a tale that he had -heard. Some one had told him of Johannes, and of the house where he -lived, and of the father whom he had forsaken, and who was now dying. He -himself was not that one--he had heard about him. It was a sad, sad -story. But it did not concern himself. - -But yes--yes--he was that same Johannes! - -"I do not understand the case," said Doctor Cijfer, standing up. "It is -a very obscure malady." - -Pluizer stepped up to Johannes. - -"Are you not going to give it a look, Johannes? It is an interesting -case. The doctor does not know it." - -"Leave me alone," said Johannes, without turning round. "I cannot -think." - -But Pluizer went behind him and whispered sharply in his ear, according -to his wont: - -"Cannot think! Did you fancy you could not think? There you are wrong. -You must think. You need not be gazing into the green trees nor the blue -sky. That will not help. Windekind is not coming. And the sick man there -is going to die. You must have seen that as well as we. But what do you -think his trouble is?" - -"I do not know--I will not know!" - -Johannes said nothing more, but listened to the moaning that had a -plaintive and reproachful sound. Doctor Cijfer was writing notes in a -little book. At the head of the bed sat the dark figure that had -followed them. His head was bowed, his long hand extended toward the -sufferer, and his deep-set eyes were fixed upon the clock. - -The sharp whispering in his ear began again. - -"What makes you look so sad, Johannes? You have your heart's desire now. -There are the dunes, there the sunbeams through the verdure, there the -flitting butterflies and the singing birds. What more do you want? Are -you waiting for Windekind? If he be anywhere, he must be there. Why does -he not come? Would he be afraid of this dark friend at the bedside? Yet -always he was there!" - -"Do you not see, Johannes, that it has all been imagination? - -"Do you hear that moaning? It sounds lighter than it did a while ago. -You can know that it will soon cease altogether. But what of that? There -must have been a great many such groans while you were running around -outside in the garden among the wild-roses. Why do you stay here crying, -instead of going to the dunes as you used to? Look outside! Flowers and -fragrance and singing everywhere just as if nothing had happened. Why do -you not take part in all that life and gladness? - -"First, you complained, and longed to be here; and after I have brought -you where you wished to be, you still are not content. See! I will let -you go. Stroll through the high grass--lie in the cool shade--let the -flies buzz about you--inhale the fragrance of the fresh young herbs. I -release you. Go, now! Find Windekind again! - -"You will not? Then do you now believe in me alone? Is what I have told -you true? Do I lie, or does Windekind? - -"Listen to the moans!--so short and weak! They will soon cease. - -"Do not look so agonized, Johannes. The sooner it is over the better. -There could be no more long walks now; you will never again look for -violets with him. With whom do you think he has taken his walks, during -the past two years--while you were away? You cannot ask him now. You -never will know. After this you will have to content yourself with me. -If you had made my acquaintance a little earlier, you would not look so -pitiful now. You are a long way yet from being what you ought to be. Do -you think Doctor Cijfer in your place would look as you do? It would -make him about as sad as that cat is--purring there in the sunshine. And -it is well. What is the use of being so wretched? Did the flowers teach -you that? They do not grieve when one of them is plucked. Is not that -lucky? They know nothing, therefore they are happy. You have only begun -to know things; and now you must know everything, in order to be happy. -I alone can teach you. All or nothing. - -"Listen to me. What is the difference whether that is your father or -not? He is a man who is dying; that is a common occurrence. - -"Do you hear the moaning still? Very feeble, is it not? He is near his -end." - -Johannes looked toward the bed in fearful distress. - -Simon, the cat, dropped from the window-seat, stretched himself, and -curled up purring on the bed close beside the dying man. - -The poor, tired head moved no more. It lay still, pressed into the -pillow; yet from the half-open mouth there still came, at intervals, -short, exhausted sounds. - -They grew softer--softer--scarcely audible. - -Then Death turned his dark eyes from the clock to rest them upon the -down-sunken head. He raised his hand--and all was still. - -An ashen shadow crept over the stiffening face. - -Silence--dreary, lonely silence! - -Johannes waited--waited. - -But the recurring groans had ceased. All was still--utterly, awfully -still. - -The strain of the long hours of listening was suspended, and it seemed -to Johannes as if his soul were released, and falling into black and -bottomless depths. - -He fell deeper and deeper. It grew stiller and darker around him. - -Then he heard Pluizer's voice, as if from far away. "Hey, ho! Another -story told." - -"That is good," said Doctor Cijfer. "Now you can find out what the -trouble was. I leave that to you. I must away." - -While still half in a dream, Johannes saw the gleam of burnished -knives. - -The cat ruffed up his back. It was cold next the body, and he sought the -sunshine again. - -Johannes saw Pluizer take a knife, examine it carefully, and approach -the bed with it. - -Then Johannes shook off his stupor. Before Pluizer could reach the bed -he was standing in front of him. - -"What are you going to do?" he asked. His eyes were wide open with -horror. - -"We are going to find out what it was," said Pluizer. - -"No!" said Johannes; and his voice was as deep as a man's. - -"What does that mean?" asked Pluizer, with a grim glare. "Can you -prevent me? Do you not know how strong I am?" - -"You shall not!" said Johannes. He set his teeth and drew in a deep -breath, looked steadily at Pluizer, and tried to stay his hand. - -But Pluizer persisted. Then Johannes seized his wrists, and wrestled -with him. - -Pluizer was strong, he knew. He never yet had opposed him; but he -struggled on with a fixed purpose. - -The knife gleamed before his eyes. He saw sparks and red flames; yet he -did not give in, but wrestled on. - -He knew what would happen if he succumbed. He knew, for he had seen -before. But it was his father that lay behind him, and he would not let -it happen now. - -And while they wrestled, panting, the dead body behind them lay rigid -and motionless--just as it was the instant when silence fell--the whites -of the eyes visible in a narrow strip, the corners of the mouth drawn up -in a stiffened grin. The head, only, shook gently back and forth, as -they both pushed against the bed in their struggle. - -Still Johannes held firm, though his breath failed and he could see -nothing. A veil of blood-red mist was before his eyes; yet he stood -firm. - -Then, gradually, the resistance of the two wrists in his grasp grew -weaker. His muscles relaxed, his arms dropped limp beside his body, and -his closed hands were empty. - -When he looked up Pluizer had vanished. Death sat, alone, by the bed and -nodded to him. - -"You have done well, Johannes," said he. - -"Will he come back?" whispered Johannes. Death shook his head. - -"Never. He who once dares him will see him no more." - -"And Windekind? Shall I not see Windekind again?" - -The solemn man looked long and earnestly at Johannes. His regard was not -now alarming, but gentle and serious, and attracted Johannes like a -profound depth. - -"I alone can take you to Windekind. Through me alone can you find the -book." - -"Then take me with you. There is no one left--take me, too! I want -nothing more." - -Again Death shook his head. - -"You love men, Johannes. You do not know it, but you have always loved -them. You must become a good man. It is a fine thing to be a good man." - -"I do not want that--take me with you!" - -"You mistake--you do want it: you cannot help it." - -Then the tall, dark figure grew vague before Johannes' eyes--it faded -into a filmy, grey mist adrift in, the room--and passed away along the -sunbeams. - -Johannes bowed his head upon the side of the bed, and sobbed for the -dead man. - - - - -XIV - - -A long time afterward, he lifted up his head. The sunbeams shone -obliquely in, bringing a rosy glow. They resembled straight bars of -gold. - -"Father, father!" whispered Johannes. - -Outside, the sun was pouring over everything a flood of shining, golden, -glowing splendor. Every leaf hung motionless, and all was hushed in -solemn worship of the sun. - -Along with the light there fell into the room a gentle soughing--as if -the sunbeams were singing. - -"Sun-son! Sun-son!" - -Johannes lifted up his head, and listened. It tingled in his ears. - -"Sun-son! Sun-son!" - -It was like Windekind's voice. He alone had named him that; should he -call him now? - -But he looked at the face beside him. He would listen no more. - -"Poor, dear father!" he said. - -But suddenly it rang again around him from all sides, so loud, so -penetrating, that he trembled with his marvelous emotion. - -"Sun-son! Sun-son!" - -Johannes stood up and gazed outside. What light! What splendid light! It -streamed over the high tree tops, it glistened amid the grass-blades, -and sparkled in the shadow-patches. The whole air was filled with it up -to the very sky where the first exquisite sunset clouds were flecking -the blue. - -Beyond the meadow, between the green trees and shrubs, he saw the dunes. -Red gold lay along their slopes, and in their shadows hung the blue of -the heavens. - -They lay stretched out reposefully in their robe of tender tints. The -delicate undulations of their expanse brought a benediction--as does -prayer. Johannes felt again as he had felt when Windekind taught him how -to pray. - -Was not that he, there, in the blue garment? Look! there in the heart of -the light--shimmering in a maze of blue and gold. Was not that -Windekind, beckoning him? - -Johannes flew out of doors into the sunlight. For an instant he stood -still. He felt the holy solemnity of the light, and scarcely dared to -move where the foliage was so still. - -Yet, there, in front of him, was the light figure again. It was -Windekind! It surely was! His radiant face was turned toward him, and -the lips were parted as if calling him. With his right hand he was -beckoning. In his left he held aloft some object. In the tips of his -slender fingers he held it, and it glittered and sparkled. - -With a glad cry of joy and yearning, Johannes sped toward the beloved -apparition. But with laughing face and waving hand, it floated before -him, still beckoning him on. Sometimes it would drift low, and -lingeringly skim the ground, to ascend again lightly and swiftly, and -float farther off, like a feathery seed borne on by the wind. - -Johannes himself longed to rise and fly as he had done long ago, in his -dreams. But the earth held his feet, and his steps were heavy on the -grassy ground. He was obliged to pick his way painfully through the -bushes--their foliage rustling and scratching along his clothes--their -branches brushing across his face. Panting with weariness he had to -climb the mossy slopes of the dunes. Yet he followed untiringly--his -eye never turned from Windekind's radiant apparition--from what was -gleaming in the upraised hand. - -There he was, in the middle of the dunes. The wild-roses, with their -thousands of pale yellow cups, were blossoming in the glowing valleys, -and gazing at the sunlight. And many other flowers were blooming -there--bright blue, yellow, and purple. A sultry heat filled the little -hollows, cherishing the fragrant herbs. Strong, resinous odors hung in -the air. Johannes smelled them as he went--he smelled the wild thyme, -and the dry reindeer-moss which crackled under his feet. It was -intoxicatingly delightful. - -And he saw mottled field-moths fluttering in front of the lovely image -he was following; also little black and red butterflies, and the -sand-eye--the merry little moth with satiny wings of the most delicate -blue. - -Golden beetles that live on the wild-rose whirred around his head, and -big bumblebees danced and hummed all about in the dry, scorched grass. -How delightful it was! How happy he would be if only he were with -Windekind. - -But Windekind swept farther and farther away. He followed breathlessly. -The big, pale-leaved thorn-bushes held him back, and hurt him with their -briars. The fuzzy, silvery torch-plants shook their tall heads as he -pushed them aside from his course. He scrambled up the sandy barriers, -and wounded his hands with the prickly broom. - -He pushed on through the low birch-wood where the grass was knee-high, -and the water-birds flew up from the little pools which glistened among -the shrubs. Dense, white-flowered hawthorns mingled their fragrance with -that of the birch-leaves and the mint, which grew in great profusion in -the swampy soil. - -But there came an end to woods, and verdure, and fragrant flowers. Only -the singular, pale blue sea-holly, growing amid the sear, colorless -heath-grass. - -On the top of the last high swell of the dunes Johannes saw Windekind's -form. There was a blinding glitter from his upraised hand. Borne over -from the other side by a cool breeze, a great, unceasing roar sounded -mysteriously alluring. It was the sea. Johannes felt that he was nearing -it, and he slowly climbed the last ascent. At the top, he fell on his -knees and gazed upon the ocean. - -As he got above the ridge, a rosy glow illumined him. The sunset clouds -had drawn apart from the central light. Like a wide ring of welded -blocks of stone, with glowing red edges, they surrounded the sinking -sun. Upon the sea was a broad path of living, crimson fire--a flaming, -sparkling path leading to the distant gates of heaven. - -Behind the sun, which could not yet be looked upon--in the depths of the -light-grotto--were exquisite tints of intermingled blue and rose. -Outside, the whole wide sky was lighted up with blood-red streaks, and -dashes and fleckings of streaming fire. - -Johannes watched--until the sun's disk touched the farthest end of that -glowing path which led up to him. - -Then he looked down, and very near was the bright form that he had -followed. A boat, clear and glistening as crystal, drifted near the -shore upon the broad, fiery way. At one end of the boat stood Windekind, -alert and slender, with that golden object in his hand. At the other -end, Johannes recognized the dark figure of Death. - -"Windekind! Windekind!" cried Johannes. But as he approached the -marvelous boat, he also looked toward the horizon. In the middle of the -glowing space, surrounded by great fiery clouds, he saw a small, black -figure. It grew larger and larger, and a man slowly drew near, calmly -walking on the tossing fiery waters. - -The glowing red waves rose and fell beneath his feet, but he walked -tranquilly onward. - -The man's face was pale, and his eyes were dark and deep--deep as the -eyes of Windekind; but there was an infinitely gentle melancholy in -their look such as Johannes had never seen in any other eyes. - -"Who are you?" asked Johannes. "Are you a man?" - -"I am more," was the reply. - -"Art Thou Jesus--Art Thou God?" asked Johannes. - -"Speak not those names!" said the figure. "They were holy and pure as -sacerdotal robes, and precious as nourishing corn; yet they have become -as husks before swine, and a jester's garb for fools. Name them not, for -their meaning has become perverted, their worship a mockery. Let him -who would know me cast aside those names and listen to himself." - -"I know Thee! I know Thee!" said Johannes. - -"It was I who made you weep for men, while yet you did not understand -your tears. It was I who caused you to love before you knew the meaning -of your love. I was with you and you saw me not--I stirred your soul and -you knew me not. - -"Why do I first see Thee now?" - -"The eyes which behold Me must be brightened by many tears. And not for -yourself alone, but for Me, must you weep. Then I will appear to you and -you shall recognize in Me an old friend." - -"I know Thee! I recognized Thee! I want to be with Thee!" - -Johannes stretched out his hands. But the man pointed to the glittering -boat that was slowly drifting out upon the fiery path. - -"Look!" said he; "that is the way to all you have longed for. There is -no other. Without those two shall you not find it. Take your choice. -There is the Great Light; there you would yourself be what you long to -know. _There_!"--and he pointed to the dark East--"where human nature -and its sorrows arc, there lies my way. Not that errant light which has -misled you, but _I_, will be your guide. You know now. Take your -choice." - -Then Johannes slowly turned away his eyes from Windekind's beckoning -figure, and reached out his hands to the serious man. And with his -guide, he turned to meet the chill night wind, and to tread the dreary -road to the great, dark town where humanity was, with all its misery. - - -Sometime I may tell you more about Little Johannes; but it will not be -like a fairy tale. - - - - -PART II - - - - -I - - -I have said that I might perhaps have something more to tell about -Little Johannes. Surely you have not thought I would not keep my word! -People are not so very trustful in these days, nor so patient, either. - -But now I am going to put you to confusion, by telling you what else -happened to Little Johannes. Listen! It is worth your while. And the -best thing of all is that it will be rather like a fairy story--even -more so than what I have already told you. - -And yet it is all true. Yes, it all really truly happened. Perhaps you -will again be inclined to doubt; but when you are older--much, much -older--you will perceive how true it is. It will be so much more -pleasant for you to have faith in it, that I wish from my heart you may -be able to. If you cannot, I am sorry for you; but at least be truthful. -Therefore skip nothing, but read it all. - -And should you happen to meet Johannes, I give you leave to speak with -him about these matters, and to give him my regards. He might not -answer, but he will not be offended. He is still rather small, but he -has grown a bit. - - * * * * * - -The fine weather did not continue far into the evening. The splendid -clouds which Johannes had seen above the sea, and out of which strode -that dark figure, now betokened a thunder-storm. Before he reached the -middle of the dunes again, the sunset sky and the starry heavens were -obscured, and a wild, exhausting wind, filled with fine, misty rain, -swept him on. Behind him the lightning played above the sea, and the -thunder rolled as if the heavens were being torn asunder, and the planks -of its floor tossed one by one into a great garret. - -Johannes was not alarmed, but very happy. He felt the close clasp of a -warm, firm hand. It seemed as if he never yet had clung to a hand so -perfect and so life-giving. Even the hand of Windekind seemed flimsy and -feeble compared with this. - -He thought that he now had reached the end of all his puzzles and -difficulties. This may also have occurred to you. But how could that be -possible when he was still such a mere stripling, and did not yet -comprehend one half of all the marvelous things that had befallen him! - -It may be that all has been plain to you. But it was not to him, -although he may have thought so. He was yet only a little fellow without -beard or moustache, and his voice was still that of a boy. - -"My friend," said he to his Guide, "I know now that I have been -bad--very bad. But now that you have come and I can cling to your hand, -can I not redeem my faults? Is there still time?" - -The dark figure kept silently and steadily on beside him in the storm -and darkness. Johannes could see neither his eyes nor his features; he -only heard the swishing and flapping of his garments--heavy with the -rain. Then he asked again, somewhat anxiously, because the consolation -he was yearning for was longer delayed than he expected: - -"May I not sometime call myself a friend of yours? Am I not yet worthy -of that? I have always so wanted to have a friend! That was the best -thing in life, I thought--really the only thing I cared about. And now I -have lost all my friends--my dog, Windekind, and my father. Am I too bad -to deserve a true friend?" - -Then there came an answer: - -"When you can _be_ a true friend, Johannes, then indeed you will find -one." - -There was consolation in the soft, low tones, and there was love and -forgiveness; but the words were torturing. - -"Bad, bad!" muttered Johannes, setting his teeth together. He wanted to -cry, but he could not do that. That would have been to pity himself, and -that was not in accordance with his Guide's reply. He had not been a -good friend to his dog, nor to Windekind, nor to his father. He wished -now that he could at once make amends for everything, but that could not -be. It had been made clear. - - * * * * * - -It was desolate on the dunes, and dark as pitch. The wind was whistling -through the reeds and the dwarf poplars, but there was nothing to be -seen. How far away seemed the quiet sunlight now, the playful animals, -and the flowers! Silently and swiftly the two strode on along a winding -cart-track through the deep, wet sand, now and then stumbling over the -ruts. It was the road that led to the town. - -"I shall--" began Johannes again, resolutely lifting his head. But there -he halted. - -"Who says 'I shall'? Who knows what he will do? Can Johannes say, I am?" - -"I am sorry and I am ashamed, and I wish to be better," said Johannes. - -"That is well," said the soft low voice. And the tears started in -Johannes' eyes. He clung close to his Guide, trembling slightly as they -went. - -"Teach me, my Father. I want to know how to be better." - -"Not 'Father,' Johannes. We both have the same Father. You must call me -Brother." - -At that word Johannes looked timidly up at his Guide with startled face -and wide-open eyes. In a flash of the steel-blue lightning, Johannes saw -the pale brow, with the dark eyes turned kindly toward him. The hair of -his Guide was matted and dripping with water, as were also his beard and -his moustache. The locks clung to his white gleaming forehead, and his -eyes glowed with an inner light. Johannes felt a boundless love and -adoration, and at the same time an inexpressible compassion. "My -brother!" thought he. "Oh, good, good man!" - -And he said: "How wet you are! Put my jacket over your head. I do not -need it." - -But in the darkness his hand was gently restrained, and they hurried on -while the sweat and the rain were commingled upon their faces. - - * * * * * - -After a while his Guide said to him: - -"Johannes, pay attention to me, for I am going to say something to you -that you must bear in mind. Your true life is only now beginning, and it -is difficult to live a good life. If only you could remember what I am -now telling you, you would never again be unhappy. Neither life nor -people would be able to make you unhappy. And yet it will not prove -thus--because you will forget." - -There was silence for a while, broken only by the whistling of the wind, -the flapping of their garments, and their rapid breathing--for they were -walking very fast. - -"Train your memory, therefore; for without an exact and retentive memory -nothing good is attained. And mark this well; not the small and -transient must you be mindful of, but the great and the eternal." - -Then there was a flash of lightning, and it seemed as if the heavens -were being consumed in the white fire, while a terrific peal of thunder -immediately followed, directly over their heads. - -But Johannes' thoughts were dwelling attentively upon the words he had -heard, and he was neither frightened nor disquieted. He raised his head, -proud and glad that he was not afraid, and looked, with wide-open eyes, -into the high, dark dome of the heavens. - -"This is the great and the eternal, is it not?" he asked. "This I will -bear in mind." - -But his Guide said: - -"It is not the thunder and the lightning which you must bear in mind, -for they are temporal and will often recur; but that you were unafraid, -and bravely held up your countenance--_that_ you must remember, and the -reason why you did so. For it will thunder and lighten at other times, -and you will be afraid. But even now--at this instant--it could strike -you dead. Why do you not fear now?" - -"Because you are with me," said Johannes. - -"Well, then, Johannes, remember this; you always have me with you." - - * * * * * - -They were silent for a long while, and Johannes was thinking over these -noble words. But he did not understand their import. If he were always -to have his Leader with him, how could he forget? Then he asked, -although he well knew what the reply would be: - -"Are you, then, going to stay with me always?" - -"Even as I always have been with you," was the unexpected answer. - -"But I did not see you, then." - -"And very soon again you will not see me; yet I shall be with you, just -the same. Therefore, you must cultivate your memory, so that it will -remind you when your eyes see not. Who that is forgetful can be relied -on? You have never been faithful, Johannes, and you will forget me also. -But I shall remain faithful, and you will bring me to mind. Then, when -you have learned to bethink yourself, and are yourself a faithful -friend, you shall have a brother and a friend." - - * * * * * - -The road was firmer now, and in the distance they saw the lights of the -town. Close by, the orange-yellow window-squares were glimmering through -the rain and darkness--the dwellings themselves being still invisible in -the night. They saw the pools glisten, and they met a man. There was a -hurried, heavy footstep--a glowing red cigar-tip. Johannes breathed the -well-known, offensive, human atmosphere of wet garments and tobacco -smoke. By the flashes of lightning he could see all around him little -white and grey cottages. He saw the gleaming street, far out in front of -him--haystacks and barns--a fence along the way; everything suddenly -sharp and livid. - -Then a change came over him. At once, he was conscious of everything, as -one, being awakened, is aware of a voice already heard in his dream. - -He clearly felt himself to be an ordinary human being, like every one -else. And his exalted companion was also an ordinary man. He saw both, -just as the passers-by would see them; a man and a boy, wet with the -rain, walking hand in hand. Windekind did not get wet in the rain. - -As they neared the suburbs, it became lighter and more noisy. It was not -the great city where Johannes had lived with Pluizer, but the small one -where he was born and where he had gone to school. - -And as the two approached, they heard, through the rushing of the rain -and the rolling of the thunder, a lighter, indistinct sound which -reminded Johannes so well of former times. It was a confused -intermingling of voices, singing, a continual din of organ-grinding, -sharp little sounds of trumpets and flutes, the reports of fire-crackers -and rifle-shots, and now and then a shrill, discordant whistle, or the -sound of a bell. It was the Fair! - -"Be careful now, Johannes. Here are people," said his companion. - -Johannes gave a start. His task was to begin. He could no longer rail at -human beings, nor disclaim his own human origin. He knew now that he had -been erring, and he resolved to mend his ways. Had not good Death told -him it was well worth while to be a good man? So now he would live with -men, and try to become a good man himself; to relieve pain, to lighten -grief, and to bring beauty and happiness into the lives of others. Was -not that what He was teaching--He at whose blessed side he should -henceforth go? - -But he was greatly distressed. He already knew so well what men were. He -shivered in his wet clothing. - -"Are you afraid already? Think how brave you were just now. You must -mind, not only the words, but the meaning of them." - -"I will be strong and brave. I will be a man among men, a good -man--doing good to men." - -So saying, Johannes nerved himself, and with steadfast step entered the -town. - -Here things looked truly dismal. Water was spouting out of the gutters -into the streets. Everything was glistening in the wet, and big streams -of water were flowing down the tent canvases. - -But the people were out on pleasure bent, and pleasure they would have. -As the shop doors were opened one could see the red faces within, close -to one another in the blue tobacco smoke, and could hear the uproar of -loud singing and the stamping of feet. - -Under the projecting canvas of the booths the crowds flocked together, -slowly pushing one past the other into the bright light of the lamps. -Johannes and his Guide pressed in among them to get out of the rain. - -Johannes was fond of fairs. Always he was glad when the boats arrived in -the canal with the timber for the various booths and play-tents; and he -looked on eagerly while the flimsy structures--for that one week -only--were being put together. This onlooking was an earnest of the -strange and fantastic pleasures in store for him. - -He liked the gay and merry pageantry, the foolish inscriptions on the -merry-go-rounds, the mysterious places behind and between the tents, -where the performers lodged; and above all, the tiny, out-of-the-way -tents with their natural curiosities, and the strange animals, which -seemed so sadly out of place in this Dutch world, in their tedious, -unvarying captivity, with the reveling crowd around them. - -And every summer he found it just as hard to see the breaking up of this -variegated medley. - -Not that he ever had longed for the Fair when with Windekind, but, of -all that he had experienced while among human beings, the Fair seemed to -him the most delightful. - -And now he was rejoiced at the familiar scene of the booths with their -toys; the cakes, layered with rose-colored sugar and inscribed with -white lettering; all the shining brass-work of the toy-pistol bazaars; -the small tents in lonely places, where brown, smoked eels lay between -brass-headed iron bars; the shooting-galleries; the noisy and showy -merry-go-rounds. - -Nor did he, for old remembrance' sake, mind the various odors and -mal-odors; the smell of cake, of frying fat, and of smoking lamps; nor -the strange, mysterious, stable and wild-beast scents that came out of -the large exhibition tents. - -The children were running about, as usual, with their red -balloons--tooting upon trumpets, and twirling their rattles. The mothers -had their skirts over their heads to keep off the rain. Now and then a -train of young men and maidens--their caps and hoods askew, or back side -before--danced their way through the crowds, with shining, rollicking -faces, shouting as they went: "hi! ha! hi! ha!" Then they would calm -down, and step one side to look again at the cakes and the knick-knacks. - -As Johannes dearly loved a laugh, he stopped again and again where there -was anything funny; at the Punch-and-Judy show, or the antics in front -of the circus, of which the peasants are foolishly fond. - -Thus, beside his companion, he stood looking, in the midst of a group of -people holding open umbrellas. On all sides he saw staring faces, -reddened by the light of the sputtering oil-torch in front of the tent. -The people looked stupid, he thought, standing there staring, now and -then all bursting out together in a laugh when a clown cracked a joke. -Painted on the canvas, in front of the tent, he saw ugly pictures of -horrible battles between men and tigers--and everywhere, blood! From the -balustrade, a monkey was watching the people very seriously. Ever and -anon he darted a glance at a boy standing close by, to discover if he -meant well or ill by his outstretched hand. - -Behind the little table at the curtained entrance sat a buxom woman -dressed in a black silk gown. Her face was round and broad, and her -dark, glossy hair was smoothly plastered to her forehead. She was not -ugly, but reminded Johannes of the wax dolls in front of the -hair-dressers'. - -Suddenly, Johannes heard the ring-master speaking to him; and the people -turned their heads round and grinned at him. - -"Come on, young gentleman," said the ring-master, "you must see the -show, too! Ask your papa to let you see the show. There are pretty girls -here, too--very nice for young gentlemen. Just look here, what pretty -girls!" - -Then he pointed to the buxom woman behind the table, who, laughing not a -bit, but showing off her rings with their mock jewels, held up the -curtain as an invitation to Johannes to enter. And then the ring-master -pointed to a pale, slim girl, whose lank hair, light and silky, was -combed straight down, and fell below her waist. She stood in front of -the tent, dressed in a soiled white suit, spangled with silver. Her -skirt was short, and her white tights did not fit well over her long, -thin legs. - -"Hello! Come on! Come on!" cried the girl, in a shrill, eager little -voice, clapping her hands. - -Ha! How suddenly Johannes' attention was riveted! He experienced a -wonderfully strong feeling of tenderness and sympathy as he looked at -that pale child. She wore a little silver crown on her hair, which was -nearly ash-blonde, and her eyes, also, were light-grey or light-blue, he -could not tell which. - -"Would you like to go in?" asked his Guide. - -Without looking up Johannes nodded his head. They pressed slowly through -the people, and Johannes saw that the girl kept looking at him -attentively, as if his coming mattered more to her than that of the -others. What wonderful things entered his head in those few seconds, -while pressing through the packed, ill-smelling crowd, on his way into -the tent. He thought of his dead father--and about his own going, now, -to an entertainment at a Fair. But, immediately, he thought, also, of -the great change--his deliverance from Pluizer, and that he had not come -to the Fair for his own pleasure, like an every-day schoolboy, but that -he had now come among people in order to soothe their sorrows, and to -make them good and happy. At the same time he felt a strong aversion to -that rough, rude, and unsavory throng. And then he looked again at the -pale girl who had called to him, and was waiting for him. She was a -human being, too, and his whole heart went out to her. She looked so -slight, so serious and intelligent. What a life she must have led! And -what must she think and feel! - -For an instant he forgot something; namely, whose hand it was he was -holding. He had not yet let drop that dear hand, but was not thinking -who it was that had been taken for his father, and was leading him into -a circus. - -"What is the price?" he heard his Guide ask the young woman, in his -deep, serious voice. - -But the pale little girl, who had continued all this time looking at -him, cried out in an abrupt, decided tone: "It's Markus!" - -The fat young woman just glanced in silence from the girl to the two -visitors, and then struck the table with her plump, white, ring-covered -hands, till the money-box jingled. - -"Jerusalem! Is that you Vissie? Where did you swim from? And how did you -find that kid? Nix to pay! Just step inside. Right here! First row. I'll -see you again, presently, eh?" - -Then she looked straight at Johannes with her black eyes. He shrank -from that cold, hard, scrutiny. But she laughed in a friendly way and -said: - -"How d' do, youngster?" - -Johannes felt the perspiration start, from fright and confusion. That -exalted being, whom he had seen treading the glowing waters of the sea, -whose hand he still retained, to be spoken to in such a manner, by this -insignificant creature--as if he were an old acquaintance! Had he -utterly lost his senses? Had he been dreaming, and had he been walking -with one or other of the Fair-goers? - -Not until he had sat awhile, and his heart had ceased to beat so fast, -did he venture to lift his eyes--which had taken in nothing of their -surroundings--and look up at his Guide. - -The latter had evidently been regarding him for a considerable time. The -first glance sufficed. Johannes saw the selfsame pale face, the selfsame -somewhat weary, but clear and steady eyes full of earnest ardor, -trustful and begetting trust; bestowing, through their regard alone, -rest and solace indescribable. - -But he was an ordinary man--the same as the others. He had on a brown -cap with the ear-flaps tied together over the top, and he wore an old -faded cloak out of which the rain-water was still trickling down upon -the seat. His shoes, mud-covered and water-soaked, stood squarely -against each other on the wooden floor. His trousers were frayed out, -and had lost all definite color. - -Johannes wanted to speak to him, but his lips trembled so he could not -utter a word, and tears coursed down his cheeks. - -All this time they still sat hand in hand. Nothing had been said, but -Johannes felt his hand being pressed, while a superhuman assurance and -encouragement, from out those kindly eyes, gradually penetrated to the -depths of his being. - -His Guide smiled, and indicated that he ought to give attention to the -performance and to the spectators. Slowly, with a long-drawn breath, -Johannes turned his eyes thither; but he looked on listlessly and -without interest. - -And now and then--whenever he dared--he looked at his Guide; at his wet, -shabby clothes; at his hands--not coarse--but oddly rough, and with a -blackened thumb and forefinger; at his pale, patient face, with the hair -clinging to the temples. - -The boy's lips began to tremble again, his throat contracted, and -irrepressible sobs accompanied the tears. - -When he looked into the sanded ring around which the spectators sat, he -saw a large white horse coming in. Upon him stood the pale, fair little -girl. She had more color now, and looked much prettier and more -graceful. She sprang and knelt upon the big white horse while she -enlivened him with her shrill cries. - -It was not merely sympathy and tenderness that moved Johannes now, but -something more of admiration and respect; for she seemed no older than -himself, and yet she was not in the least timid, but understood her art -well. The people clapped loudly, and then she put her slender, delicate -hands one by one to her lips, waving them first to the left, then to the -right, with self-possessed grace. - -The clown made her a low bow with all kinds of foolish grimaces, and -indicated the greatest respect; and she rewarded him with a studied -smile, like a princess. Johannes could not take his eyes away from her. - -"Who is that little girl?" he asked his Guide. "Is she really so -lovely?" - -"Her name is Marjon," said his Guide, "and she is a dear, good child, -but too weak for her task." - -"I wish I could do something for her," said Johannes. - -"That is a good boy. We will go to her, presently." - -Johannes did not pay much more attention to the exhibition. His mind was -full of the prospective interview with the little actress. The world in -which she lived was charming. And she herself seemed, at this moment, -the one above all others he most wished to help and benefit. - -After the spectators were gone he went with his Guide between the -curtains from behind which the horses had come. In the dimly lighted -space where a single lamp was burning, and close to where the breathing -and stamping of the horses could be heard, Johannes saw her sitting. She -was stooping down to a chest on the top of which were some plates of -food, and she still had on her pretty costume. There was no one with -her. - -"Good day, Markus," said she, extending her hand to Johannes' Guide. -"Who is the little boy?" - -"This is Johannes. He wishes to make your acquaintance, and to do -something good for you." - -"Is that so?" laughed the girl. "Then he might just change my silver -quarters into gold." - -Johannes did not know what to say, and was more perplexed than he -remembered ever in his life to have been before. But Marjon looked at -him with her large, light, grey eyes, and nodded kindly. - -"Come, little boy, don't be so bashful. Won't you have something to eat? -Quick! Before my sister comes! But you ought to stay with us. We are -going to Delft this week. Are you going with us, Markus?" - -"It may be," said Markus. "Now, we are only going to try to find a place -to sleep in. Johannes can hardly feel hungry. Do you, Johannes?" - -Johannes shook his head. - -"He has had a great sorrow, Marjon; his father has just died." - -Marjon looked at him again, gently and good-naturedly, and then gave him -her hand, with the very same, quick gesture of confidence a monkey -employs when he recognizes his master. - -"Good-by, till morning," she said, as the two passed out of the rear -door of the tent. - -Outside, the moon was shining, and, since the rain had stopped, the -Fair-people had become still more jolly and noisy. - -Well, well! How ugly they were! How clumsily they danced, and how badly -they sang! The men and women were now standing in circles, their arms -interlocked, with one another's hoods and caps on, ready to spring into -the street, and to shriek out, in their harsh voices, songs without -sense or tune. All their faces were wanton, vacant, or downright -dissipated, and most of them were flushed with excitement or with drink. - -Johannes saw mothers, too, with infants in their arms, and leading -little children by the hand, coming out of the fritter-stalls, dragging -themselves along through the crowds. The tavern doors flew open, and the -rude Fair-goers bounced outside. Here and there, on the street corners, -a fierce quarrel was in progress, with a close ring of on-lookers -gathered around. Nothing more that was pretty, or nice, or pleasing, was -in sight. Everywhere there was raving and ranting and bawling; with a -thousand dissonant noises, and a wretched stench. - -The only exception was a squad of six soldiers, passing calmly and -quietly, with regulated step, through the throng, in single file. It was -the patrol. Johannes knew it, and it gave him a feeling of rest and -contentment, as if there was something else in human beings save -rudeness and debauchery; that a little self-restraint and worthiness -still remained. - -Up above--beyond that petty tumult--beyond that ruddy flaming and -flickering, the moon was shining, silver-white and stately. Johannes -looked up longingly. - -He found his task an awful one, and the people worse than he had -expected. But of one little being he thought with tenderness; and in her -case he would persevere. - -"Let us go to sleep," he begged. - -"Very well," said his Guide, opening a tavern door. - -It was oppressive there, and reeking with the fumes of gin and tobacco. -They pressed their way through the crowd and went up to the bar. - -"Have you lodgings for us, Vrouw Schimmel?" asked Johannes' Guide. - -"Lodgings? Well, seeing it's you, Markus. But otherwise not! See? Go -now--the two of you!" - -They crept up to a small dark garret, and there received a couple of -mattresses which the maid had dragged upstairs; and then they could lie -down. - -Johannes lay awake through the clamor and jingling and the stamping of -the Fair-goers downstairs until long after the morning light had broken. -The day just passed--long as a year, and full of great and weighty -matters--was thought over from beginning to end. Serene, -open-eyed--quietly, not restlessly, he lay there meditating till morning -dawned, and the sunlight, like a red-gold stain, touched the wall above -him, and till the din downstairs had subsided and died away. Then he -fell asleep, thinking of Marjon--her bright eyes and silver crown. - - - - -II - - -He was awakened by jovial sounds. There was something hopeful and -powerful about and within him when he opened his eyes again, and looked -around the close, dark little garret. A column of sunbeams stood -slanting from the floor to the little dormer window, and motes were -glistening in the light. - -Both out-of-doors, and below him, Johannes heard the women singing, and -busily, merrily talking--the way women do mornings as they hurry with -their kitchen and door-yard tasks. The rubbish of the day before was -thrust aside, and everything was in readiness for a new Fair day. - -Beside him lay his Guide, still calmly sleeping. He had removed nothing -but his coat with which he had covered himself, and his shoes which were -standing beside the mattress. He was in a profound sleep--his head upon -his rolled-up mantle. His curling hair was now dry, and looked dark and -glossy, and his cheeks bore a little more color. Johannes gazed -attentively at his right hand hanging down from under his coat, over the -mattress to the floor. It was a slender, shapely hand, with short-cut -nails, but the blackening which Johannes had seen the day before was -still there. That stamp of toil could not be washed away. - -Johannes slipped quietly downstairs and went to wash himself at the pump -in the courtyard. About him all was cheerful activity--scrubbing and -scouring, washing and rinsing. The summer morning was warm and yet -fresh. It was a clear and sober world with nothing dreamy or fanciful -about it. - -The bar-woman poured him out a cup of coffee, and asked in a familiar -way if his roommate was still sleeping, and how Johannes had met him. - -"Oh, just by chance!" answered Johannes, blushing deeply; not only -because he was fibbing, but because it was to himself such a delicate -and obscure matter, and of such supreme importance. - -"Who is he, really?" he asked, with a feeling of committing treason. - -"Who is he!" re-echoed the mistress, in such a loud voice and with such -emphasis that the other women stopped their work and looked up. "Did you -hear him? He asks who Markus is!" - -"Do you mean Markus Vis?" asked a slatternly work-girl. - -"Yes, that's who he means!" said the bar-woman. - -The women looked at one another, and then went on again with their -splashing and scrubbing. - -"I do not know anything _yet_," said Johannes, a little more boldly. - -"Neither do we," said the slovenly girl. "Do you, Bet?" - -"I know that he is a darn good fellow," answered Bet. - -"They do say, though, that he is not good," said another work-woman. - -"True, he _may_ not be good--but good he _is_, I say," retorted Bet. - -This sounded a bit obscure, but Johannes understood it perfectly well. - -"He has more sense than all four of you put together," said the -bar-woman, indignantly. "I have seen, with my own eyes, how the little -daughter of Sannes, the Plumber, who had been given up by as many as -four doctors because there was not a ghost of a chance for her,--how she -was taken by Markus on his lap, when all the phlegm came loose; and only -yesterday, I saw her with her mother, running in front of the booths." - -"And the other day," said the slatternly girl, "when that tall Knelis at -the vegetable market was drunk again--you know that common brawler with -the white flap on his cap--well, he just took him gently by the wing, -home to his old woman; and the fellow went along, as meek as a booby -tied to his mother's apron-string." - -In this way, one story suggested another, and Johannes soon learned how -much his Guide was liked and esteemed among performers, showmen, -workmen, day-laborers--yes, even by the shopkeepers and tavern-keepers, -although he was a poor customer. - -"What does he really do?" asked Johannes. - -"Don't you know that?" replied the mistress, astonished. "And yet I -thought you were going to be his apprentice. He is a scissors-grinder. -His cart stands here, in the shed." - -Johannes felt his heart thumping again, for he heard coming the very one -of whom they were speaking. He scarcely dared to look at him. But the -woman exclaimed: "Good morning, Markus! That's a sly-boots of yours--he -doesn't even know what your work is!" - -Quite in his accustomed way Markus said: "Good morning, all! Is there a -bowl of coffee for me, too? Well, there is time enough yet to understand -about that. One may learn fast enough, turning the wheel." - -"Will he have to turn?" asked the woman. "Then have you no footboard?" - -Markus set his coffee down among the clean drinking-glasses, on a little -table, and sat down beside it, while the maid was cutting the slices of -bread. - -Then Johannes and he regarded each other with a look full of complete, -mutual understanding. In his earnest, musical voice Markus had spoken -lightly, and easily, without conveying to the others any particular -meaning. But that they listened eagerly was apparent. Whenever his voice -was heard, others usually stopped speaking; and the least thing he said, -in jest or in earnest, was listened to with respectful attention. - -"Yes, you see," said Markus, "I still have a cart with a footboard. But -nowadays there are much finer ones with window-glass upon them, and a -big wheel which another has to turn." - -"Gracious!" said the bar-mistress, "so you're getting up in the world, -Markus! Sure, you've had a legacy, or a lucky lottery ticket." - -"No, Vrouw Schimmel, but I thought this; your standing is good, of late, -and as you have to go to the banker's now, with your money, you might -loan me, say, a hundred and fifty guldens, and I'll repay the loan at -the rate of a gulden a week. How will that do?" - -The woman stopped working and laughed. The mistress laughed, too, and -cried: "You're a regular Jew!" and, after having sauntered back and -forth a while, she said: - -"All right--begin now and here! Sharpen these knives, and mind you make -them sharp as razors!" - - * * * * * - -After Markus and Johannes had eaten their bread, the old cart was -dragged out of the shed and dusted off, the axles oiled, the rope -moistened, and the knives were sharpened. Johannes watched attentively, -and saw how swiftly and skilfully Markus turned and directed the steel -until it was sharp and bright, and how the golden fountain of sparks -flew over the whizzing wheel. - -Afterward they went together up the street, for it was necessary to earn -some money. - -Markus stepped slowly wheeling his cart through the sunny streets--alive -with people. From time to time his "Scissors to Gri-i-i-nd!" rang out -above the tramp of feet and the rattle of wagons, while he looked -searchingly right and left to see if there was not some one who had -something to be sharpened. Johannes ran ahead, to ring the bells of all -the houses, and to bring the knives and scissors out to the cart. - -Johannes did his very best. He felt that only now had life begun in real -earnest. For one's bread one must work, and earn money. He had never yet -thought about money and money-making; but the reality was stern and -sobering. Every one around him talked about money and money-getting. Yet -his noble Guide, he saw, was poor and shabby--forced to hard and -constant labor to keep from starving. Life grew serious indeed. - -They said but little to each other. They were too busy. Johannes enjoyed -the work. He felt there was something heroic and important in the fact -that he, the young gentleman who had been to a superior school here, was -now going around as a scissors-grinder's boy. And when the housemaids, -somewhat surprised, looked at his neat little suit, he carried it more -jauntily. But the meeting with an old schoolmate was full of pain. - -Toward twelve o'clock he grew tired and hungry. In passing by the -bakeries he had a feeling now that he had never known before--almost -peevishness--as if something had been taken away from him--as if that -bread were his by very right. - -Then they came to the circus, where Marjon was. And there she sat, with -her dark-eyed sister. Her flaxen hair was now braided and wound around -her head. - -Johannes heard the sound of an iron kettle being shaken, and he knew -that that meant potatoes. And there was bacon, also, and some boiled -vegetables. At first, these things were of prime importance to him. He -could think of nothing else until he had eaten--ravenously. Then, rather -ashamed, he glanced up. - -They were sitting out-of-doors, in the rear of the tents and the booths, -with an awning stretched out over their heads to protect them from the -sun, which was shining fiercely and brightly. Close by stood the -circus-wagon--painted green, with variegated red and white trimmings. A -canary's cage stood upon the platform, between flower-pots, and the -yellow bird was singing merrily. - -Johannes thought it fine and good now to be among people. There sat the -bright little being with the pale face, the large grey eyes, and the -ash-blonde hair--braided and wound like a diadem about her head. It -seemed to Johannes as if a brilliant light streamed out from her; a -light which tasted sweet, and smelled sweet also. And could she not ride -a horse, and spring through hoops, and with those slender hands throw -plates up high, and catch and balance them? And she looked often at -Johannes, and seemed to find him a nice little boy. - -Beside her, calm and serious, his head bent forward, his dark hair -curling in his neck, sat Markus, eating. This made him seem to Johannes -still more dear and intimate. - -Next, sat Marjon's sister. Johannes felt a little uneasy in her -presence. She sat close by him, and ate very audibly. She shoveled food -upon Johannes' plate, and now and then patted him on the shoulder, to -encourage him to eat. Then she looked at him, kindly enough, but with a -cold penetration as if with some fixed purpose. Her eyes seemed almost -black, and her glossy hair was as black as ebony. But her skin was waxy -white. Whenever she stirred, something in her clothing always creaked, -and there was a heavy odor of perfumery about her. - -Beyond Marjon sat the little monkey, watching the movements of the steel -forks with his sharp, earnest eyes. Occasionally Marjon spoke to him, -and then he whined in eager expectation of something to eat. - -That quarter of an hour was delightful! Johannes looked repeatedly at -Marjon, trying to think who she looked like, and why it seemed as if he -must have known her a long time. And he found it pleasant and adorable -when she spoke to him, and was as confidential as if with a friend. Yes, -he remembered something of that old sensation with Windekind--the -feeling of friendship and intimacy. But he could well see that she did -not resemble Windekind. He noticed that her nails were not very clean, -and admitted that she did make use of coarse and profane language. Yet -her speech was not flat, but musical--with a foreign accent; and her -bearing was nearly always winsome, although she did things considered -bad manners--things never permitted him. - -The afternoon which now followed, filled with the same sort of -work--continually running back and forth across the sunny -streets--seemed hard indeed. At last he could not think any more, and -his feet burned fiercely. Sad and perplexed he sat down on a stone stoop -as the shadows grew deeper and cooler, and thought of the gloomy garret -where he was again to sleep. - -"Come, Johannes. The day's money is nearly earned, and then we go to -Vrouw Schimmel's for our supper." - -"How much have we earned?" asked Johannes; expecting to hear, to his -consolation, of the riches which he had procured by his hard work. - -"Two guldens, forty-seven cents," said Markus. - -"Is that enough?" - -"So long as we can sleep for nothing at Vrouw Schimmel's and can eat for -nothing at the circus. But we cannot do that every day." - -Johannes felt greatly discouraged. Already so tired, and so little -accomplished! Not enough earned yet for one day's support! How would he -ever have enough strength left over to help the people? With his head in -his hands he sat staring vacantly at the pavement. - -"Tired?" asked Markus, gently. Johannes nodded. Markus spoke again: - -"But remember, my boy! This is your first day. It will be easier after -you get used to it." - -Johannes lifted his weary, disheartened eyes, and looked at his Guide -who was patiently engaged in putting something about the cart-axle to -rights. - -"It is not _your_ first day, though, Markus, is it? It can never be any -easier for _you_. And that ought not to be so. It will never do." - -A strange bitterness of thought took possession of Johannes--as if -everything were full of fraud and foolishness--as if he himself were -made a fool of. What sort of fellow was that, with the long hair, the -silly old cap, and frayed-out trousers, who sat there, pottering? - -Markus glanced round and looked at him. Immediately Johannes grew -ashamed of his thoughts and felt a deep, over-mastering sorrow and -sympathy, that He--He who was standing there before him, was obliged to -toil so--in poverty and squalor. - -This time he burst into unrestrained sobs, he was both so tired and so -over-excited. Weeping, he could only utter, "Why is it? I cannot -understand. It will never--never!--" - -Markus did not attempt to console him; he merely said gently but firmly -that he must wheel the cart and go home, for people were observing them. - -Johannes went early to bed, and his Guide went with him. The din from -below came up to them, as before, and the moon shone brightly into the -little garret. The two friends lay upon their hard mattresses, hand in -hand, talking together in an undertone. They did not use the careless -common-places of every-day speech, but they spoke as Johannes had done -with Windekind;--in the old, serious way. - -"When I look at you, my brother, what is it makes me feel so sad?" asked -Johannes. "When I see your shabby clothes and blackened hands; when I -hear you addressed as comrade by those poor and filthy people; when I -see you sharing their hard, unlovely life, then I cannot keep from -crying. I am sorry I gave way to my feelings, and attracted attention, -but then it is so dreadful!" - -"It is dreadful, Johannes, not on my account, but because of the -necessity for it." - -"How can there be any need of your being so plain and sad? Is there -anything good in plainness and sadness?" - -"No, Johannes; plainness and sadness are evils. The beautiful and the -joyful only are good, and it is they we must seek." - -"But, dear brother, you may be both beautiful and joyful. Indeed, what -is there you cannot be? I saw you walking upon the shining waters. That -surely was no illusion?" - -"No, that was no illusion." - -"I saw only your face--not your clothing; only your face, and that was -beautiful and noble. And if you can walk upon the sea, then you can, if -you wish to, be beautiful and grand and joyful, even among those ugly -people." - -"Yes, I can do that also, Johannes, but I will not do it, because I love -those plain and sorrowful people. I will do much more, just because so -much power has been given me. I will be a brother to them, so that they -may learn to know me. - -"Must you, for that reason, be low in station and be sorrowful?" - -"I am not of low degree, nor am I sorrowful. My spirits are high and my -heart is glad: and because I am so strong I can stoop to those who are -lowly and sad, in order that they may attain me, and with me, the -Light." - -In the dark--eyes shut close--Johannes nodded his satisfaction, and then -fell asleep, his hand still in that of his friend. - - - - -III - - -At the end of the week, the bell rang from noon until one o'clock, to -announce the closing of the Fair. The tent canvases remained fastened -down, and the performances were hurriedly broken off. The stakes and -boards were loaded upon the boats lying in the canal; and there the -wooden lions of the merry-go-rounds made a sorry figure. They bore no -resemblance whatever to the lively, furious lions of the day before; and -one could hardly tell what had become of all that motley and magnificent -array. - -The real, living Hons, and the people, in their different vehicles, went -up the street, in a long caravan, to the next town where the Fair was to -begin anew; for the summer is one long Fair for the Fair-folk. - -Days before, Johannes and Markus had passed through that same street; -for with their heavy cart, they would have been unable to keep up with -the more rapid, horse-drawn vehicles. The weather remained fine and -clear. The walks along the road from village to village, with the -excitement of finding work and earning money--the restings on the sunny, -grassy wayside--the baths in retired spots--and now and then coffee in -the kitchens of the farmhouses--all this was new, pleasant, and -stimulating, and Johannes grew light-hearted and merry again. - -Close by the next town the circus overtook them. It was only a mite of a -company. The big white horse was drawing the green wagon, and two -black-and-white spotted horses were drawing the second one. The -ring-master walked beside it, swearing now, not joking, and wearing a -very sour face. Then came a couple of men and some loose horses, in the -rear. - -Johannes lay in the grass on the lookout for Marjon. There she came, in -her hand a big branch of alder leaves, with which she was brushing away -the flies from the white horse. - -She was walking on dreamily, with only an indifferent look at the -staring peasant children along the way. But when she saw Johannes, her -eyes grew big and bright, and she waved her branch at him. - -He sprang up and ran to her, and she struck at him playfully with her -alder branch. Then, with a sudden charming movement, she gave him a -kiss. Johannes kissed her bashfully in return. The peasant children were -astonished, but circus folk are always queer! - -From between the muslin curtains of the little window in the green -wagon, Johannes saw two jet-black eyes peeping at him. They were the -eyes of Marjon's sister, and they wore a strange smile. - -Johannes and Marjon walked on, hand in hand, chatting busily about the -experiences of the past few days. And while Marjon told of her -performances--how she had learned her tricks, and how often, too, she -had fallen--he listened as deferentially as if he were being initiated -into the mysteries of a princely court or of the national government. - -Walking thus hand in hand beside the white horse, they approached the -town. By the wayside, with projecting tea-arbors, and well-planned -gardens, stood those low, wide country-seats which are still to be seen -in the neighborhood of the towns of Holland. They bear such names as -"Rust-oord,"[1] or "Nooit-gedacht,"[2] and make one think of ancient -times when the burghers went out to walk, with their Gouda[3] pipes, and -when the fragrant violets still grew upon the ramparts. - -Between the windows of these houses, fastened to a curved iron rod, are -little mirrors, in which the inmates, seated by the window, are able to -see any one standing on the stoop, or approaching from a distance. They -are called "spionnetjes." The passer-by sees in this glass only the face -of the indweller. - -In one of these little spyglasses Johannes suddenly saw a face that -startled him. Yet it was not a frightful countenance. It was pale and -spectacled, with two stiff "puffs" on each side. A lace cap crowned the -whole, with lavender ribbons falling over the ears down to the -shoulders. Two very clear, kindly, serious eyes were looking straight at -him. Johannes was startled, because he knew the face so well. It was -that of his aunt. - -There was no doubt about it--it was Aunt Serena. She had often been to -visit at his home, and now Johannes remembered the house where she -lived. He had even spent the night there. He cast a shy glance toward -it. Yes, to be sure! That was the one-story, white stucco house, with -the low windows, and the glass doors opening on the garden. He -remembered the garden, with the splendid beech-trees. Between the house -and the road was a green ditch, and on the fancy iron railing was the -name "Vrede-best." He recalled it all very well now, and it made him -uneasy and anxious. - -"What makes you so white, Jo?" asked Marjon. "Aren't you well?" - -"An aunt of mine lives there," said Johannes, blushing deeply now. - -"Did she see you?" asked Marjon, quickly perceiving the significance of -the event. - -"She surely did." - -"Don't look round," said Marjon. "Cut around the corner! Can she do -anything to you?" - -Johannes had not thought about that, at all. He owned to himself, that -while his Aunt Serena was looking at him, he felt ashamed of being seen -with the circus-wagon, but he said nothing, and grasped Marjon's hand -again, for he had let it drop. - -Fortunately Markus did not tell him to ask if there was anything at -"Vrede-best" to be sharpened. - -But that pale face, with the puffs, the spectacles, the clear eyes, as -seen in the little mirror, continued to follow Johannes in a very -disconcerting way. The reflector was double, and Johannes felt certain -that his aunt now sat before the other side, and that the fixed eyes -were watching him. - -"Have you any aunts, Marjon?" - -"How do I know? Maybe," laughed Marjon. - -"Your father, then?--Is he dead?" - -Marjon lowered her voice a little, and, in a more serious manner, began -a confidential explanation of an important matter: "I do not know, Jo. -My mother is dead. She was a lion-tamer, and met with an accident. She -is buried in Keulen; but my father was rich, and he may be living still. -So you see I may have aunts--a lot of them--rich ones, perhaps." - -"Have you never seen your father?" asked Johannes, speaking softly -himself, now. - -"No, never! But Lorum says" (Lorum was the ring-master) "that he was a -count and had a castle." - -"I can well believe that," said Johannes, looking at her admiringly. - -"Yes, but Lorum tells lies." - -That cast a shadow over Johannes' beautiful imaginings. Later, he often -had occasion to experience the untruthfulness of Lorum. - -It was a hot noon-time when they entered the town. Those afoot were -tired and irritable, and the customary visit to the municipal -authorities concerning positions was attended with no little quarreling -and swearing. The empty, darkened parlors of the stately houses looked -cool and alluringly tranquil. Bright housemaids came to the doors to see -the circus-troup go by, and they chatted and giggled with one another. - -Outside the town a large, grass-grown place was pointed out, where the -dwelling-wagons might stand. So they were all in a circle--twenty or -more of them--from the big, two-horsed leading wagons, freshly painted, -with dainty curtains, flower-pots, gilded decorations, bird-cages and -carvings, to the rickety, home-made wagons, constructed of old boards, -patched up with bits of canvas and sheet-iron, and drawn by a man and a -dog. - -And now the steaming dust-covered horses were unharnessed, the hay and -straw--which had been pilfered or begged--spread out, fires were -started, and preparations made for a hasty meal. It was a lively, -bustling camp. Markus was there, too. His new scissors-cart with its -window-glass stood beside Marjon's wagon glittering in the sunshine. He -was thoughtfully walking around among the people with Johannes, -exchanging greetings with everybody, and carrying on brief -conversations. His raincoat and cap were packed away, but his coat and -trousers were the same, for he had no others. He had on now a very -broad-brimmed straw hat, such as can be purchased at the Fairs for two -stuivers. Johannes much preferred to see him in this, and was pleased to -note how the hat became his long, dark hair. - -Wherever Markus came, things went better. Disputes filled the air, and -shocking language was to be heard on every side, even from the lips of -the children. But when Markus appeared they calmed down, and threats and -quarrels were soon exorcised. Not having been seen in a long while, he -was greeted with hearty exclamations of surprise, and with all sorts of -questions which he answered jestingly. - -"Hello, Vis! What have you been doing with yourself? Have you been under -water?" - -"At court, Dirk Volders. See what a fine present I have brought away." -And he pointed out the new cart. - -"Surely, you've been sharpening the coupon-scissors again, haven't you?" - -"No, the nail-scissors, Dirk, and it's time to do it here." - -Wherever Markus went, a troop of children followed him Without apparent -reason, or any expectation of delicacies, always several children tagged -untiringly after him, an hour at a time, clinging fast, with their dirty -little hands, to a shred of his coat or a fold of his trousers. With -earnest faces they listened to his words and watched his movements, -quietly managing the while to usurp one another's place at the front. -Whoever could catch hold of his coat held on. Wherever he went, the -ragged, unwashed little ones, from under wagons and behind boxes, put in -an appearance--trotting after, so as to be on hand. There was always a -chance of his suddenly throwing himself down and telling a story to a -dozen dirty little listeners. Their small mouths, all smeared and -stained, were wide open with interest, and their hands, furnished with a -bread-crust or an old doll, hung down motionless, as they listened in -suspense. And no one had ever surprised Markus in a peevish or impatient -word to his troublesome little admirers. Not one of the surly, scolding -parents had ever been able to admit to a child that it was naughty -enough for Markus, even, to send it away. - -Johannes observed this with great admiration. At first it seemed to him -wonderful--supernatural. A whimpering, naughty child became submissive, -a troublesome one tractable, and rude, unmannerly, and passionate -children went away composed and quiet. And how could any one remain -patient under such a continual din, and tagged after by the dirtiest and -the worst-behaved children in the world? But, listening and keenly -scrutinizing, Johannes gradually came to understand the apparently -incomprehensible. It was the power of the interest in them which -performed the miracle. There was nothing concerning those neglected -little waifs in which Markus did not evidence the keenest interest, and -he gave it his fullest attention--sparing no trouble nor exertion. Thus -the roving mind of the child was at the same time pacified and -restrained, and reduced to a state favorable for guidance. But, however -he himself might explain it, the parents who were unable to control -their children maintained that Markus had something in his eyes, or in -his fingers--a "magic," they called it--by which he ruled the children. -And these convictions grew still more settled through the knowledge of -the willing and blessed help he gave to the sick. - -There prevailed among these people a great distrust of physicians, and -the one grievance they had against Markus was that he too often -(according to their views) referred the sick to the doctor and the -hospital. "He can do it better himself," they thought. "He surely is -afraid of getting into jail." Yet they begrudged the police the -satisfaction of seeing him there. But they tried to induce Markus to -help them in every illness--even that of a broken bone--without their -having recourse to doctor or hospital. In cases where the sick body -could do without the relief of costly attendance and technical -apparatus, Markus did not refuse to help with his simple expedients. It -was said that he was a healer, yet no one had ever seen or heard him -pray beside a sick person. He sometimes sat for a long time, deep in -thought, by the side of a sufferer who was restless, or in pain. He -would lay his hand upon the head, or the affected part, or take the hand -of the patient. This he would sometimes do hour after hour, and he -seldom left without having reduced the pain and restlessness. - -Johannes had already heard this related by Marjon, and now he also saw -mothers bringing their crying infants to him for advice, and he gave -eager attention to what Markus would say. - -A baby screamed and wriggled like a worm, resisting vehemently, for it -dreaded the light, and wanted to hide its affected eyes in the mother's -arms. But Markus insisted on examining the poor little eyes. They were -all stuck together with foulness, and were red and swollen. - -Johannes expected nothing else than that Markus would anoint them and -command them to open. But Markus said: - -"That's a loathsome lot of stuff, mother. There is a good eye-clinic in -Leyden. But there is also a good one here. Go to it soon--now--to-day." - -The mother, a strong, bony woman, looked at him through her straggling -hair, in an irresolute, dissatisfied way. - -"Curse 'em--those quacks! You do it instead. You can do it just as -well." - -"I'll not do it, mother, positively. And think of it! If you do not go -quickly, your child will surely be stark blind. Go! It is your duty to." - -"How is it, Markus? Can't you do it, or don't you dare to, that you send -me off to those murderers?" - -Markus regarded her several moments, and then said, gently: "Mother, it -is your own fault--you know it very well. I may not give you help, but -it is not on account of the police. There in the town they will give you -good advice. But go now, quickly, or the blindness of your child will be -upon your conscience." - -With a sullen look the woman turned away, and Johannes asked in a -whisper: "Are these doctors more clever than Markus?" - -"They know enough for this," said Markus, abruptly. - - -[1] Rust-oord = Place of repose. - -[2] Nooit-gedacht = Beyond thought. - -[3] Gouda = Name of town. - - - - -IV - - -In the heat of the afternoon the Fair-folk went to sleep. They lay -snoring everywhere--on straw or heaps of rags, in ugly, ungainly -postures. But the children continued in motion, and often here and there -the sound of their teasing and crying could be heard. - -Johannes strolled around dejectedly. To go and lie calmly down, to sleep -between those vile men, as Markus did, was impossible. Rank odors -pervaded everything, and he was afraid, too, of vermin. Should he go -walk in the town park, or between the sunny polders? Although he was -ashamed to run away, he could not remain in peace. Again that frightful -feeling arose, of unfitness for his great task. He was too weak--too -sensitive. - -He thought, with a painful longing, of the cool, stately, and peaceful -parlors in the houses of the town, with furniture neatly dusted by tidy -maids. He thought, too, of Aunt Serena and her pretty, old-fashioned -house, and of her large, shady garden, where surely the raspberries were -now ripe. - -Strolling moodily along, he came upon the green wagon, and behold, there -was Marjon, lying in peaceful sleep. She lay on a shaggy, red-and-yellow -horse-blanket, and her lean arms and scrawny neck were bare. She was so -still--her knees drawn up and her cheek in her hand--that one could not -tell whether she was really sleeping, or lying awake with closed eyes. - -The monkey sat close beside her in the hot sun, contentedly playing with -a cocoanut. - -Johannes felt touched, and went to sit down against the wheel of the -wagon. Looking intently at the dear little girl, he thought over her -troubled, wandering life. - -In thinking of that he forgot his own grief; and from the depths of his -discontent he passed over to a mood of tender melancholy full of -compassion. And then there awakened in him words which he was careful -to remember. He thought of a butterfly that he had once seen flying -seaward over the strand; and thinking of Marjon he said to himself: - - "Out to the sea a white butterfly passed--It - looked at the sunshine, not at the shore; - Now it must flutter in every blast, - And may rest never more." - -As he repeated those last words he was greatly moved, and tears coursed -down his cheeks. He repeated the lines, over and over, adding new ones -to them, and ended by losing himself wholly in this sweet play. - -Thus the summer afternoon sped quickly, and Johannes went to the wagon -for pencil and paper, to write down the thoughts which had come into his -head. He was afraid they might escape. - -"What are you doing?" asked Marjon, waking up. "Are you sketching me?" - -"I am making verses," said Johannes. - -Marjon had to see the verses, and when she had read them she wanted to -sing them. Taking from the wagon a zither, she began to hum softly, -while trying to find the chords. Johannes waited in suspense. - -At last Marjon found a sad yet fervent melody, that sounded to Johannes -like one well known to him of old; and together they sang the song: - - "Out to the sea a white butterfly passed-- - It looked at the sun, but at the shore, never; - Now it must flutter in every blast, - Nor may rest, ever. - - "Oh, butterfly, little butterfly, - Seeking everywhere for your valley fair, - Never, ah, never again will you spy - The shady dell, where sweet flow'rs dwell. - - "By wild winds driven out to sea, - Floating on sunshine far from the shore, - Evermore she a-wing now must be, - And can rest, never. - - "Oh, butterfly, lovely butterfly! - Through sunny blue, or shadowy grey, - Never again shall you descry - That leafy dell where the roses dwell." - -The children sang it once, twice, three times through; for those who had -been awakened listened and asked for a repetition. Like a sudden -illumination of sense and soul there came to Johannes the consciousness -of having done something good. The poor, vile, neglected people--adults -and children--had listened. He had made it, and it had given him -happiness; now it seemed also to afford these sorrowful people some -pleasure. This made him glad. It was not much, but then he could do -something. - -Night came; the air grew cooler, a fresh wind blew in from the sea over -the grassy polders, and a rosy mist hung over the dunes. The broad canal -along which the camp lay was sparkling in the sunset light. Everywhere -noises awoke, and from the town came the twilight sounds of hand-organs -and the rattling of carts. - -The Fair-people formed a ring, and, eager for more music, besought -Markus to play for them. - -Markus took a harmonica, and played all kinds of tunes. Men and women, -squatting down, or prone upon the ground, chin in hand, listened with -great earnestness; and when the children, talking or loitering, and -paying no attention to the music, came up to their parents, they were -impatiently sent off. - -When Markus stopped, a man cried out in a husky voice: "Come, boys, -let's sing something--The Song of the Poor Customers." - -Instantly, they all fell in obediently--Markus striking the -key-note--and sang the following song: - - "We coatless wand'rers without land,-- - We are poor customers. - He who more dollars has than wits,-- - 'Tis he may loll around. - Tho' high we jump, or low we jump - We're bound to lose the game. - With empty stomachs we must dance,-- - Our Ruler is the dollar. - - "In olden times the King was boss, - To rack us for our sins; - But now he's only a figure-head, - And has his own boss found. - Whoever crown, or scepter bears, - And gorgeous raiment wears,-- - Tho' he jump high, or jump less high, - He's ruled by the dollar. - - "Before his men the General stands - And tells 'em how to kill. - The dapper heroes--one and all-- - Make haste to do his will. - Yet, in his 'broidered uniform, - The dickens! what commands he? - Tho' he jump high or jump less high - Th' Commander is--The Dollar. - - "Where lies our land? where spreads our roof? - We live by favor, only. - To them who have but pelf in pocket - We show our arts and tricks. - But if at last we come to grief - There yet is something for us,-- - The fill of our mouths, a tasteful cover, - And a nook that's all our own." - -When the last word of the song had died away, the husky voice cried: -"You might as well say, while you are about it, that the churchyards are -emptied out every tenth year." - -"Every twentieth!" cried another. - -"Children," said Markus, setting his instrument upon the ground between -his feet, "children, now listen to me. We have been singing of money, -and of those who had more money than sense; but have you more sense than -money? What is it you have that is better than either?" - -"Only give me the money," cried the husky voice. - -"And me!" cried the other. - -"I would sooner give money to the monkey, who would throw it into the -water, and not get tipsy with it," said Markus. - -"Children," he continued, and gradually Johannes heard that deep ring in -his voice, which riveted attention and caused an inner thrill, "where -there is gold without sense, there will be misery; and where there is -sense, there will be prosperity. For wisdom will not lack for gold. - -"You truly are poor wretches--ill-treated and deceived. - -"But nobody receives what is not his due. So do not rage and curse about -it. - -"He who is wise is strong, and cannot be ill-treated. The wise one -cannot be deceived. The wise one is good, and neither steals nor lets -himself be stolen from. - -"You are weak and foolish; therefore you are deceived. - -"But you cannot help it, poor children. I know it well; for the children -suffer because of what parents and grandparents have done. - -"But yet nobody receives what he does not deserve. - -"We suffer for our parents and grandparents. Do not call that unjust. -The wise ones love their parents, and will redeem their wrong-doing. - -"And we can all make amends for what our parents did amiss. Yes, we can -make amends to our parents--even now that they are dead. - -"The grave is not a snare, children, for catching soul-birds. Father -and mother are living still, and are benefited through our efforts. - -"Make your little ones good, then, for you will have need of them. Yes, -those who die like the dumb beasts--like the harlots and drunkards--even -they will find good children most needful. - -"And no one can complain who fails of the expiation of the good -children, nor is there any one who with their help cannot grow wiser. - -"If two travelers, wandering at night in the cold--the one having wood, -the other matches--do not understand each other, both will suffer and be -lost in the dark. - -"And if two shipwrecked people have between them a single cocoanut, and -one takes the milk and the other the meat, then they both will -perish--one from hunger, the other from thirst. - -"So, also, with wisdom; and no one lives upon the earth who can be wise -alone." - -Markus' voice rang loud and clear, and it was as still as death in the -sultry field, among those ragged people. For a time he was silent, and -Johannes was so moved he was softly weeping; although he by no means -accurately understood the meaning of the discourse. - -Finally, the husky voice sounded again, but now more gently: - -"I'll be darned if I can make head or tail of it; but I take it for -truth." - -"Children," said Markus, "you are not bound to understand, and you are -not bound to believe me; but will you, for my sake, remember it, word -for word, and teach it to your children? Then I will be grateful to -you." - -Softly rang the voices here and there: "Yes--yes, indeed!" - -"Will you not play some more?" asked a young girl with large, dark eyes. - -"Yes, I will play, and then you can dance," said Markus, nodding kindly. - -Then he took a violin from one of the musicians and began to play for -the dancing--such fine music that the promenaders upon the street along -the canal stood still, and remained to listen. A magistrate, who often -played piano and violin duets with his friend the notary, remarked that -there must be a veritable Zigeuner among the Fair-folk, since he only -could play in such a manner. - -Then, forming a large circle, the people began to dance. The men, -holding the maidens with stiff right arms under the armpits, whirled -them around in an awkward, woodeny way. They kept it up until the -perspiration streamed from their red, earnest faces. The children and -their parents sat around. Occasionally, also, songs were sung. There was -a good deal of laughing, and they all enjoyed themselves greatly. - - * * * * * - -In the midst of their jollity, two breathless children came running in. -The larger was a little girl of eight years, with a dirty little -cherub-face, haloed with flaxen ringlets. She had on an old pair of -boy's trousers, held up by suspenders, and falling quite down to her -little bare feet, so that in running so fast she nearly tripped in them. -"The cops!" cried the child, panting, and the little one cried after -her: "The cops!" - -Johannes scarcely comprehended the full import of this word; but it had -the effect upon the group which the appearance of a hawk in the upper -air has upon a flock of tomtits, or of sparrows. - -The presence of one or two watchmen, or policemen, on the road in front -of the camp was nothing unusual; but now they were coming in greater -numbers, and conducted by a dignified official in a black coat, and with -a walking-stick and eye-glasses--the mayor, perchance! With that heroic -tread which indicates an exalted sense of duty he led his men upon the -scene. The music and noisy demonstrations were struck dumb, the dancing -stopped, and everybody looked toward the road whence the common danger -menaced. Each asked himself who most probably would be the victim; or -considered the possibility of a harmless retreat from the neighborhood. -Johannes alone thought nothing specially about it, not comprehending the -extraordinary concern of the others. - -But, behold! After the policemen and the presumptive mayor had stood a -while at the entrance to the camp, asking information, they came -straight up to Marjon's wagon. They soon had their eyes on Marjon and -Johannes, and Johannes at once felt that the affair concerned himself. -He felt wretchedly ashamed, and, although he could not remember any evil -deed, he felt as if he certainly must have done something very wrong, -and that now the law--the _Law_, had come to get him, and to punish him. - -"_Jimminy_, Johnnie! Now you're in a pickle!" said Marjon. "She's got -you in a hole." - -"Who?" asked Johannes, all at sea, and turning pale. - -"Well, that furious aunt of yours, of course." - -Johannes heard his name called, and he was requested to go with them. -While he was hesitating, in miserable silence, Marjon's sister began -scolding, in a sharp voice. - -But the policemen acted as if they did not hear her, and the chief -began, in a kindly, admonitory tone: "Young man, you are a minor--you -must obey the orders of your family. Here you are not in your own -station. Your aunt is a very nice and excellent lady. You will be much -better off with her than you are here. Your aunt is influential, and you -must do what she says. That is the wisest way." - -In his uncertainty, Johannes looked round at Markus and asked: - -"What shall I do?" - -Gravely, without any consolation in the look he gave him, Markus said: -"Do you think, Johannes, that I shall tell you every time what you ought -to do? That would not make you any wiser. Do what seems to you best, and -do not be afraid." - -"Come, boy, this isn't a matter of choice," said the gentleman with the -cane. "You can't stay, and that's the end of it." - -And when Johannes started to follow, Marjon threw herself upon his -shoulder, and began to cry. The Fair-people drew together in groups, -muttering. - -But Johannes did not cry. He was thinking of his Aunt Serena's tidy -house, and of the fresh, spacious chamber with its large bed curtained -with green serge, and of the big bed-tassel. - -"Cheer up, Marjon," said he. "I'll not forget you. Good-by till we meet -again." - -And with the three officials he went his way to Vrede-best, often -turning round to look at the camp, and to wave his hand at the weeping -Marjon. - - - - -V - - -"Well, well, Master Johannes!" said Daatje, the old servant, as she -thrust the heated bed-pan between the fresh linen sheets. "Truly, that -was a blessed escape for you; like getting out of purgatory into -paradise--away from those vile people to be with our mistress. That was -fortunate, indeed. My! My!" - -Damp sheets are dangerous, even in midsummer, and Daatje had been -drilled very strictly by her mistress in caring for the comfort of -guests. - -Daatje wore a snow-white cap and a purple cotton gown. Her face was -wrinkled, and her hands and arms were still more so. She had been an -astonishingly long time in Aunt Serena's service--perhaps forty -years--and lost no opportunity clearly to prove to Johannes what an -excellent being his aunt was: always polite and kind, always ready to -assist, a blessing to the poor, a refuge for every one in the -neighborhood, adored by all who knew her, and pure as an angel. - -"She is converted," said Daatje, "yes, truly converted. Ask whoever you -please; like her there are not many living." - -Johannes perceived that "converted" meant "very good." According to -Daatje, the natural man was not good, and it was necessary for every one -to be converted before he was fit for anything. For a long time before -falling asleep, while looking around the big, quiet bedroom, Johannes -lay thinking over these things. A night-light was spluttering in a glass -filled with equal parts of water and oil. As soon as the flame was -lighted, behind the milk-white, translucent shade appeared strange, -dreamy landscapes--formed by the unequal thicknesses. - -The chamber had an ancient, musty odor, and all the furniture bore an -old-fashioned stateliness. There was a queer pattern upon the green -bed-curtains, distressing to see; like half-opened eyes, alternately -squinting. The big bed-tassel hung down from above in dogged dignity, -like the tail of a lion keeping watch up above, on the canopy of the -four-poster. - -Johannes felt very comfortable, yet there was something uncanny around -him that he did not quite relish. Once, it really seemed to be the -ponderous linen-chest of dark wood, with its big, brass-handled drawers, -upon which stood, under a bell-glass, a basket filled with wax fruit. -What the pictures represented could not be seen in the dim light, but -they were in the secret too, as was also the night-stand with its -crocheted cover, and the fearfully big four-poster. - -Every half-hour "Cuckoo! Cuckoo!" rang through the house, as if those -out in the hall and in the vestibule were also in the secret; the only -one left out being the little fellow in clean underclothes and a -night-gown much too big for him, who lay there, wide awake, looking -around him. In the midst of all these solid, important, and dignified -things, he was a very odd and out-of-place phenomenon. He felt that, in -a polite way, he was being made sport of. Besides, it remained to be -seen whether, after his more or less unmannerly adventures, he could -ever be taken into confidence. Evidently the entire house was, if not -precisely hostile, yet in a very unfriendly attitude. He kept his eye -upon the bed-tassel, all ready to see the lion wag his tail. In order to -do that, however, he must surely first become "converted," just like -Aunt Serena. - -When the day dawned, this new life became more pleasant than he had -anticipated. Aunt Serena presided at the breakfast, which consisted of -tea, fresh rolls, currant buns, sweet, dark rye-bread, and pulverized -aniseed. Upon the pier-tables, bright with sunshine, stood jars of -Japanese blue-ware, filled with great, round bouquets of roses, -mignonette, and variegated, ornamental grasses. The long glass doors -stood open, and the odor of new-mown grass streamed in from the garden -to the room, which was already deliciously fragrant with the roses and -mignonette, and the fine tea. - -Aunt Serena made no allusion to the foregoing day, nor to the death of -Johannes' father. She was full of kindly attentions, and interrogated -him affably, yet in a very resolute manner, concerning what he had -learned at school, and asked who had given him religious instruction. It -was now vacation time, and he might rest a little longer, and enjoy -himself; but then would come the school again and the catechism. - -Until now Johannes had had small satisfaction out of his solemn -resolution to value men more highly in order to live with them in a -well-disposed way. But this time he was more at ease. The nice, cool -house, the sunshine, the sweet smells, the flowers, the fresh rolls, -everything put him in good humor; and when Aunt Serena herself was so in -harmony with her surroundings, he was soon prepared to see her in the -light of Daatje's glorification. He gazed confidingly into the gleaming -glasses of her spectacles, and he also helped her carry the big, -standing work-basket, out of which she drew the bright-colored worsteds -for her embroidery--a very extensive and everlasting piece of work. - - * * * * * - -But the garden! It was a wonder--the joy of his new life. After being -released by his aunt until the hour for coffee, he raced into it like a -young, unleashed hound--hunting out all the little lanes, paths, -flower-plots, arbors, knolls, and the small pool; and then he felt -almost as if in Windekind's realm again. A shady avenue was there which -made two turns, thus seeming to be very long. There were paths between -thick lilac-bushes already in bloom; and there were mock-oranges, still -entirely covered with exceedingly fragrant white flowers. There was a -small, artificial hill in that garden, with a view toward the west, over -the adjacent nursery. Aunt Serena was fond of viewing a fine sunset, and -often came to the seat on the hilltop. There was a plot of roses, very -fragrant, and as big as a plate. There were vivid, fiery red poppies -with woolly stems, deep blue larkspurs, purple columbines, tall -hollyhocks, like wrinkled paper, with their strange, strong odor. There -were long rows of saxifrage, a pair of dark brown beeches; and -everywhere, as exquisite surprises, fruit trees--apples, pears, plums, -medlars, dogberries, and hazel-nuts--scattered among the trees which -bore no fruit. - -Indeed, the world did not now seem so bad, after all. A human being--a -creature admirably and gloriously perfect--a human dwelling filled with -attractive objects, and, close beside, a charming imitation of -Windekind's realm, in which to repose. And all in the line of duty, with -no departure from the prescribed path. Assuredly, Johannes had looked -only on the dark side of life. To confess this was truly mortifying. - -Towards twelve o'clock Daatje was heard in the cool kitchen, noisily -grinding coffee, and Johannes ventured just a step into her domain, -where, on all sides, the copper utensils were shining. In a little -courtyard, some bird-cages were hanging against the ivy-covered walls. -One large cage contained a skylark. He sat, with upraised beak and fixed -gaze, on a little heap of grass. Above him, at the top of the cage, was -stretched a white cloth. - -"That's for his head," said Daatje, "if he should happen to forget he -was in a cage, and try to fly into the air." - -Next to this, in tiny cages, were finches. They hopped back and forth, -back and forth, from one perch to another. That was all the room they -had; and there they cried, "Pink! Pink!" Now and then one of them would -sing a full strain. Thus it went the whole day long. - -"They are blind," said Daatje. "They sing finer so." - -"Why?" asked Johannes. - -"Well, boy, they can't see, then, whether it is morning or evening, and -so they keep on singing." - -"Are you converted, too, Daatje?" asked Johannes. - -"Yes, Master Johannes, that grace is mine. I know where I'm going to. -Not many can say that after me." - -"Who besides you?" - -"Well, I, and our mistress, and Dominie Kraalboom." - -"Does a converted person keep on doing wrong?" - -"Wrong? Now I've got you! No, indeed! I can do no more wrong. It's more -wrong even if you stand on your head to save your feet. But don't run -through the kitchen now with those muddy shoes. The foot-scraper is in -the yard. This is not a runway, if you please." - - * * * * * - -The luncheon was not less delicious: fresh, white bread, smoked beef, -cake and cheese, and very fragrant coffee, whose aroma filled the entire -house. Aunt Serena talked about church-going, about the choosing of a -profession, and about pure and honest living. Johannes, being in a -kindly mood, and inclined to acquiescence, avoided argument. - -In the afternoon, as he sat dreaming in the shady avenue of lindens, -Aunt Serena came bringing a tray, bearing a cooky and a glass of -cherry-brandy. - -At half-past five came dinner. Daatje was an excellent cook, and dishes -which were continually recurring on stated days were particularly well -prepared. Vermicelli soup, with forced-meat balls, minced veal and -cabbage, middlings pudding with currant juice: that was the first meal, -later often recalled. Aunt Serena asked a blessing and returned thanks, -and Johannes, with lowered eyes and head a little forward, appeared, -from the movement of his lips, to be doing a little of the same thing. - -Through the long twilight, Aunt Serena and Johannes sat opposite each -other, each one in front of a reflector. Aunt Serena was thrifty, and, -since the street lantern threw its light into the room, she was not in a -hurry to burn her own oil. Only the unpretending little light for the -making of the tea was glimmering behind the panes of milk-white -glass--with landscapes not unlike those upon the night-light. - -In complete composure, with folded hands, sat Aunt Serena in the dusk, -making occasional remarks, until Daatje came to inquire "if the mistress -did not wish to make ready for the evening." Then Daatje wound up the -patent lamp, causing it to give out a sound as if it were being -strangled. A quarter of an hour later it was regulated, and, as soon as -the cozy, round ring of light shone over the red table-cover, Aunt -Serena said, in the most contented way: "Now we have the dear little -lamp again!" - -At half-past ten there was a sandwich and a glass of milk for Johannes. -Daatje stood ready with the candle, and, upstairs, the night-light, the -chest of drawers with the wax fruit, the green bed-curtains, and the -impressive bed-tassel were waiting for him. Johannes also descried -something new--a big Bible--upon his night-table. There was no -appearance yet of any attempt at a reconciliation on the part of the -furniture. The cuckoo continued to address himself exclusively to the -stilly darkness, in absolute disregard of Johannes; but the latter did -not trouble himself so very much about it, and soon fell fast asleep. - -The morning differed but little from the foregoing one. Some Bibles were -lying ready upon the breakfast-table. Daatje came in, took her place -majestically, folded her half-bare wrinkled arms--and Aunt Serena read -aloud. The day before, Aunt Serena had made a departure from this, her -custom, uncertain how Johannes would take it; but, having found the boy -agreeable and polite, she intended now to resume the readings. She read -a chapter of Isaiah, full of harsh denunciations which seemed to please -Daatje immensely. The latter wore a serious look, her lips pressed close -together, occasionally nodding her head in approval, while she sniffed -resolutely. Johannes found it very disconcerting, and could not, with -his best endeavors, keep his attention fixed. He was listening to the -twittering of the starlings on the roof, and the cooing of a wood-dove -in the beech tree. - -In front of him he saw a steel engraving, representing a young woman, -clad in a long garment, clinging with outstretched arms to a big stone -cross that stuck up out of a restless waste of waters. Rays of light -were streaming down from above, and the young person was looking -trustfully up into them. The inscription below the engraving read, "The -Rock of Ages," and Johannes was deep in speculation as to how the young -lady had gotten there, and especially how she was to get away from -there. It was not to be expected that she could long maintain herself in -that uncomfortable position--surely not for ages. That refuge looked -like a peculiarly precarious one; unless, indeed, something better might -be done with those rays of light. - -Upon the same wall hung a motto, drawn in colored letters, amid a -superfluity of flowers and butterflies, saying: "The Lord is my -Shepherd. I shall not want." - -This awakened irreverent thoughts in Johannes' mind. When the -Bible-reading was over, he was suddenly moved to make a remark. - -"Aunt Serena," said he, conscious of a rising color, and feeling rather -giddy on account of his boldness, "is it only because the Lord is your -Shepherd that you do not lack for anything?" - -But he had made a bad break. - -Aunt Serena's face took on a severe expression, and adjusting her -spectacles somewhat nervously, she said: "I willingly admit, dear -Johannes, that in many respects I have been blessed beyond my deserts; -but ought not you to know--you who had such a good and well-informed -father--that it is very unbecoming in young people to pass judgment, -thoughtlessly, upon the lives of older ones, when they know nothing -either of their trials or of their blessings?" - -Johannes sat there, deeply abashed, suddenly finding himself to be a -silly, saucy boy. - -But Daatje stood up, and in a manner peculiarly her own--bending a -little, arms akimbo--said, with great emphasis: "_I'll_ tell you what, -mistress! you're too good. He ought to have a spanking--on the bare -spanking place, too!" And forthwith she went to the kitchen. - - - - -VI - - -There were regularly recurring changes in Aunt Serena's life. In the -first place, the going to church. That was the great event of the week; -and the weekly list of services and of the officiating clergymen was -devoutly discussed. Then the lace cap, with its silk strings, was -exchanged for a bonnet with a gauze veil; and Daatje was careful to have -the church books, mantle, and gloves ready, in good reason. Nearly -always Daatje went also; if not, then the sermon was repeated to her in -detail. - -Johannes accompanied his aunt with docility, and tried, not without a -measure of success, to appreciate the discourse. - -The visits of Minister Kraalboom were not less important. Johannes saw, -with amazement, that his aunt, at other times so stately and estimable, -now almost humbled herself in reverent and submissive admiration. She -treated this man, in whom Johannes could see no more than a common, -kindly gentleman, with a head of curling grey hair, and with round, -smoothly shaven cheeks, as if he belonged to a higher order of beings; -and the adored one accepted her homage with candid readiness. The most -delicious things the aunt had, in fine wines, cakes, and liqueurs, were -set before him; and, as the minister was a great smoker, Daatje had a -severe struggle with herself after every visit, between her respect for -the servant of the Lord and her detestation of scattered ashes, stumps -of cigars, and tobacco-smelling curtains. - -Once a week there was a "Krans," or sewing circle, and then came Aunt -Serena's lady friends. They were more or less advanced in years, but all -of them very unprepossessing women, among whom Aunt Serena, with her -erect figure and fine, pale face, made a very good appearance; and she -was clearly regarded as a leader. Puff-cakes were offered, and warm wine -or "milk-tea" was poured. The aim of the gatherings was charitable. -Talking busily, the friends made a great many utterly useless, and, for -the most part, tasteless, articles: patchwork quilts, anti-macassars, -pin-cushions, flower-pot covers, picture frames of dried grasses, and -all that sort of thing. Then a lottery, or "tombola,"[1] as it was -called, was planned for. Every one had to dispose of tickets, and the -proceeds were given, sometimes to a poor widow, sometimes to a hospital, -but more often, however, to the cause of missions. - -On such evenings Johannes sat, silent, in his corner, with one of the -illustrated periodicals of which his aunt had a large chestful. He -listened to the conversation, endeavoring to think it noble and amiable; -and he looked, also, at the trifling fingers. No one interfered with -him, and he drank his warm wine and ate his cake, content to be left in -peace; for he felt attracted toward none of the flowers composing this -human wreath. - -But Aunt Serena did not consider her duty accomplished in these ways -alone. She went out from them to busy herself in parish calls on various -households--rich as well as poor--wherever she thought she could do any -good. It was a great satisfaction to Johannes when, at his request that -he be allowed to go with her, she replied: "Certainly, dear boy; why -not?" - -Johannes accompanied her this first time under great excitement. Now he -was going to be initiated into ways of doing and being good. This was a -fine chance. - -So they set out together, Johannes carrying a large satchel containing -bags of rice, barley, sugar, and split peas. For the sick there were -jars of smoked beef and a flask of wine. - -They first went to see Vrouw Stok, who lived not far away, in French -Lane. Vrouw Stok evidently counted upon such a visit, and she was -extremely voluble. According to her statements, one would say that no -nobler being dwelt upon earth than Aunt Serena, and no nicer, more -grateful, and contented creature than Vrouw Stok. And Dominie Kraalboom -also was lavishly praised. - -After that, they went to visit the sick, in reeking little rooms in -dreary back streets. And everywhere they met with reiterations of -gratitude and pleasure from the recipients, together with unanimous -praising of Aunt Serena, until Johannes several times felt the tears -gather in his eyes. The barley and the split peas were left where they -would be of use, as were also the wine and the jars of smoked beef. - -Johannes and his aunt returned home very well pleased. Aunt Serena was -rejoiced over her willing and appreciative votary, and Johannes over -this well-conducted experiment in philanthropy. If this were to be the -way, all would be well. In a high state of enthusiasm he sped to the -garden to dream away the quiet afternoon amid the richly laden -raspberry-bushes. - -"Aunt Serena," said Johannes, at table that noon, "that poor boy in the -back street, with the inflamed eyes and that ulcerated leg--is he a -religious boy?" - -"Yes, Johannes, so far as I know." - -"Then is the Lord his Shepherd, too?" - -"Yes, Johannes," said his aunt, more seriously now, having in mind his -former remark. But Johannes spoke quite innocently, as if deep in his -own thoughts. - -"Why is it, then, that he lacks so much? He has never seen the dunes nor -the ocean. He goes from his bed to his chair, and from his chair to his -bed, and knows only that dirty room." - -"The Lord knows what is good for us, Johannes. If he is pious, and -remains so, sometime he will lack for nothing." - -"You mean when he is dead?... But, Aunt Serena, if I am pious I shall go -to heaven, too, shall I not?" - -"Certainly, Johannes." - -"But, Aunt Serena, I have had a fine time in your home, with raspberries -and roses, and delicious things to eat, and he has had nothing but pain -and plain living. Yet the end is the same. That does not seem fair, -does it, Aunt Serena?" - -"The Lord knows what is good for us, Johannes. The most severely tried -are to Him the best beloved." - -"Then, if it is not a blessing to have good things, we ought to long for -trials and privations?" - -"We should be resigned to what is given us," said Aunt Serena, not quite -at her ease. - -"And yet be thankful only for all those delicious things? Although we -know that trials are better?" - -Johannes spoke seriously, without a thought of irony, and Aunt Serena, -glad to be able to close the conversation, replied: - -"Yes, Johannes, always be thankful. Ask the dominie about it." - -Dominie Kraalboom came in the evening, and, as Aunt Serena repeated to -him Johannes' questions, his face took on the very same scowl it always -wore when he stood up in the pulpit; his wry mouth rolled the _r's_, -and, with the emphasis of delightful certainty, he uttered the -following: - -"My dear boy, that which you, in your childlike simplicity, have asked, -is--ah, indeed--ah, the great problem over which the pious in all ages -have pondered and meditated--pondered and meditated. It behooves us to -enjoy gratefully, and without questioning, what the good Lord, in His -eternal mercy, is pleased to pour out upon us. We should, as much as -lies in our power, relieve the afflictions that He allots to others, and -at the same time teach the sufferers to be resigned to the inevitable. -For He knows what we all have need of, and tempers the wind to the shorn -lamb." - -Then said Johannes: "So you, and Aunt Serena, and I, have a good time -now, because we have no need of all that misery? And that sick boy does -need it? Is that it, Dominie?" - -"Yes, my dear boy, that is it." - -"And has Daatje, too, need of privations? Daatje said that she was -converted as completely as you and Aunt Serena were." - -"Daatje is a good, pious soul, entirely satisfied with what the Lord has -apportioned her." - -"Yes, Dominie; but," said Johannes, his voice trembling with his -feeling, "I am not converted yet, not the least bit. I am not at all -good. Why, then, have I so much more given me than Daatje has? Daatje -has only a small pen, up in the garret, while I have the big guest-room; -she must do the scrubbing and eat in the kitchen, while I eat in the -house and get many more dainties. And it is not the Lord who does that, -but Aunt Serena." - -Dominie Kraalboom threw a sharp glance at Johannes, and drank in -silence, from his goblet of green glass, the fragrant Rhine wine. Aunt -Serena looked, with a kind of suspense, at the dominie's mouth, -expecting the forthcoming oracle to dissipate all uncertainty. - -When the dominie spoke again, his voice was far less kindly. He said: "I -believe, my young friend, that it was high time your aunt took you home -here. Apparently, you have been exposed to very bad influences. Accustom -yourself to the thought that older and wiser people know, better than -yourself, what is good for you; and be thankful for the good things, -without picking them to pieces. God has placed each one in his station, -where he must be active for his own and his fellow-creatures' -salvation." - -With a sigh of contentment, Aunt Serena took up her embroidery again. -Johannes was frightened at the word "picking," which brought to mind an -old enemy--Pluizer. Dominie Kraalboom hastened to light a fresh cigar, -and to begin about the "tombola." - - * * * * * - -That night, in the great bed, Johannes lay awake a long while, uneasy -and restless. His mind was clear and on the alert, and he was in a state -of expectancy. Things were not going right, though. Something was the -matter, but he knew not what. The furniture, in the still night-time, -wore a hostile, almost threatening air. The call of the cuckoo spelled -mischief. - -About three or four o'clock, when the night-light had sputtered and gone -out, he lay still wider awake. He was looking at the bed-cord, which, -bigger and thicker than ordinary, was growing ominously visible in the -first dim light. - -Suddenly--as true as you live--he saw it move! A slight quiver--a -spasmodic, serpentine undulation, like the tail of a nervous cat. - -Then, very swiftly and without a rustle, he saw a small shadow drop down -the bed-cord. Was it a mouse? - -After that he heard a thin little voice: - -"Johannes! Johannes!" - -He knew that voice. He lifted up his head and took a good look. - -Seated upon the bed-tassel, astride the handle, was his old friend -Wistik. - -He was the same old Wistik, looking as important as ever; yes, his -puckered little face wore a peculiar, almost frightened expression of -suspense. He was not wearing his little acorn-cup, but a smart cap that -appeared black in the twilight. - -"I have news for you," cried Wistik. "A great piece of news. Come with -me, quick!" - -"How do you do, Wistik?" whispered Johannes. He lay cozily between the -sheets, and was glad to see his friend again. Let the chest of drawers -and the cuckoo be as disagreeable as they wanted to, now; here was his -friend again. "Must I go with you? How can I? Where to?" - -"This way--up here with me," whispered Wistik. "I have found something. -It will make you open your eyes. Just give me your hand. That's the best -way. You can leave your body lying here while you are away." - -"That will be a fine sight," said Johannes. - -But it happened without any trouble. He put out his hand, and in a -twinkling he was sitting beside Wistik, on the bed-tassel. And truly, -as he looked down below, there he saw his body lying peacefully fast -asleep. A ray of light streamed into the room, through the clover-leaf -opening in the blinds, and lighted up the sleeping head. Johannes -thought it an extremely pretty sight, and himself still a really nice -boy as he lay there among the pillows, with his dark curly hair about -the slightly contracted brows. - -"Do you believe that I am very bad, Wistik?" said he, looking down upon -himself. - -"No," said Wistik, "we must never fib to each other. Neither am I bad; -not a bit. I have found that out now, positively. Oh, I have discovered -so much since we last met! But we must not admire ourselves on that -account. That would be stupid. Come, now, for we have not much time." - -Together they climbed up the bed-cord. It was easy work, for Johannes -was light and small, and he climbed nimbly up the shaggy rope. But it -felt warm, and hairy, and alive in his hands! - -Up they worked themselves, through the folds of the canopy. But the -bed-cord did not end there. Oh, no! It went on farther and grew bigger -and bigger, and then.... What they came to, I will tell you in the -following chapter. - - -[1] Lottery-Fair. - - - - -VII - - -It was, indeed, a real lion's tail, and not a bed-cord. - -Johannes and Wistik were now sitting on the very back of the mighty -beast. Above them it was all dark, but out in front--away where the lion -was looking--the daylight could be seen. - -They let themselves down cautiously to the ground. They were in a large -cave. Johannes saw streaks of water glistening along the rocky walls. - -Gently as they tried to slip past the monster, he yet discovered them, -and turned his shaggy head around, watching them distrustfully. - -"He will not do anything," said Wistik. And the lion looked at them as -if they were a pair of flies, not worth eating up. - -They passed on into the sharp sunlight outside, and, after several -blinding moments, Johannes saw before him a wide-spread, glorious -mountain view. - -They were standing on the slope of a high, rocky mountain. Down below, -they saw deep, verdant valleys, whence the sound of babbling brooks and -waterfalls ascended. - -In the distance was the dazzling, blinding glitter of sunshine upon a -sea of deepest, darkest blue. They could see the strand, and every now -and then it grew white with the combing surf. But there was no sound; it -was too far away. - -Overhead, the sky was clear, but Johannes could not see the face of the -sun. It was very still all around, and the blue and white flowers among -the rocks were motionless. Only the rushing of the water in the valleys -could be heard. - -"Now, Johannes, what do you say to this? It is more beautiful than the -dunes, is it not?" said Wistik, nodding his head in complete -satisfaction. - -Johannes was enchanted at the sight of that vast expanse before him, -with the rocks, the flowers, the ravines, and the sea. - -"Oh, Wistik, where are we?" asked he, softly, enraptured with the view. - -"My new cap came from here," said Wistik. - -Johannes looked at him. The pretty cap that had appeared black in the -twilight proved to be bright red. It was a Phrygian cap. - -"Phrygia?" asked Johannes, for he knew the name of those caps well. - -"Maybe," said Wistik. "Is not this a great find? And I know, too...." -Here he spoke in whispers again, very importantly, behind the back of -his hand, in Johannes' ear: "Here they know something more about the -little gold key, and the book, which we are both trying to find." - -"Is the book here?" asked Johannes. - -"I do not know yet," said Wistik, a trifle disturbed. "I did not say -that, but the people know about it--that is certain." - -"Are there people here?" - -"Certainly there are. Human beings, and elves, and all kinds of animals. -And they know all about it." - -"Is Windekind here, too, Wistik?" - -"I do not doubt it, Johannes, but I have not seen him yet. Shall we try -to find him?" - -"Oh, yes, Wistik! But how are we going to get down there? It is too -steep. We shall break our necks." - -"No, indeed, if only you are not afraid. Just let yourself float. Then -you will be all right." - -At first Johannes did not dare. He was wide awake, not dreaming; and if -any one wide awake were to throw himself down from a high rock, he would -meet his death. If one were dreaming, then nothing would happen. If only -he could know, now, whether he was awake or dreaming! - -"Come, Johannes, we have only a little time." - -Then he risked it, and let himself drift downward. And it was -splendid--so comfortable! He floated gently down through the mild, -still air, arms and legs moving as in swimming. - -"Is it only a dream, then?" he asked, looking down attentively at the -beautiful, blooming world below him. - -"What do you mean?" asked Wistik. "You are Johannes, just the same, and -what you see, Johannes sees. Your body lies asleep, in Vrede-best, at -your aunt's. But did you ever in the daytime see anything so distinct as -this?" - -"No," said Johannes. - -"Well, then, you can just as well call your Aunt Serena and Vrede-best a -dream--just as much as this." - -A large bird--an eagle--swept around in stately circles, spying at them -with its sharp, fierce eyes. - -Below, in the dark green of the valley, a small white temple, with its -columns, was visible. Close beside it a mountain stream tumbled -splashing down below. Still and straight as arrows, tall cypresses, with -their pale grey trunks and black-green foliage, encircled it. A fine -mist rose up from the splashing water, and, crowned with an exquisite -arc of color, remained suspended amidst the glossy green myrtle and -magnolia. Only where the water spattered did the leaves stir; elsewhere -everything was motionless. - -But over all rang the warbling and chattering of birds, from out the -forest shade. Finches sang their fullest strains, and the thrushes -fluted their changeful tune, untiringly. - -But listen! That was not a bird! That was a more knowing, more cordial -song; a melody that _said_ something--something which Johannes could -feel, like the words of a friend. It was a reed, played charmingly. No -bird could sing like that. - -"Oh, Wistik, who is playing? It is more lovely than blackbird or -nightingale." - -"Pst!" said Wistik, opening his eyes wide. "That is only the flute, yet. -By and by you will hear the singing." - -They sank down upon a mountain meadow, in a wide valley. The limpid, -blue-green rivulet flowed through the sunny grass-plot, between -blood-red anemones, yellow and white narcissi, and deep purple -hyacinths. On both sides of it were thick, round azalea-bushes, entirely -covered with fragrant, brick-red flowers. White butterflies were -fluttering back and forth across it. On the other side rose tall laurel, -myrtle, olive, and chestnut trees; and still higher the cedars and -pines--half-way up the mountain wall of red-grey granite. - -It was so still and peaceful and great blue dragon-flies with black -wings were rocking on the yellow narcissus flowers nodding along the -stream. - -Then Johannes saw a fleeing deer, springing up from the sod in swift, -sinewy leaps; then another, and another. - -The flute-playing sounded close by, but now there was singing also. It -came from a shady grove of chestnut trees, and echoed gloriously from -mountain-side to mountain-side, while the brook maintained the rhythm -with its purling, murmuring flow. The voices of men and women could be -heard, vigorously strong and sweetly clear; and, intermingling with -these somewhat rude shouts of joy, the high-pitched voices of children. - -On they came, the people, a joyous, bright-colored procession. They all -bore flowers--as wreaths upon their heads, as festoons in their hands or -about their shoulders-flute-players, men, women, and children. And they -themselves seemed living flowers, in their clear-colored, charming -apparel. They all had abundant, curling hair which gleamed like dull -gold in the sunshine, that tinted everything. Their limbs and faces were -tanned by the sun, but when the folds of their garments fell aside, -their bodies beneath them shone white as milk. The older ones kept step, -with careful dignity; the children bore little baskets, with fruit, -ribbons, and green branches; but the young men and maidens danced as -they went, keeping the rhythm of the music in a way Johannes had never -seen before. They swayed their bodies in a swinging movement, with -little leaps; sometimes even standing still, in graceful postures, -their arms alternately raised above their heads, their loosened garments -flowing free, and again arranging themselves in charming folds. - -And how beautiful they were! Not one, Johannes noted, old or young, who -had not those noble, refined features, and those clear, ardent eyes, in -which was to be found the deep meaning he was always seeking in human -faces--that which made a person instantly his friend--that made him long -to be cordial and intimate--that which he had first perceived in -Windekind's eyes, and that he missed so keenly in all those human faces -among which he had had to live. _That_, they all had--man and woman, -grey-haired one and little child. - -"Oh, Wistik," he whispered, so moved he could scarcely speak, "are they -really human beings, and not elves? Can human beings be so beautiful? -They are more beautiful than flowers--and much more beautiful than the -animals. They are the most beautiful of all things in this world!" - -"What did I tell you?" said Wistik, rubbing his little legs in his -satisfaction. "Yes, human beings rank first in nature,--altogether -first. But until now we have had to do with the wrong ones--the trash, -Johannes--the refuse. The right ones are not so bad. I have always told -you that." - -Johannes did not remember about it, but would not contradict his friend. -He only hoped that those dear and charming people would come to him, -recognize him as their comrade, and receive him as one of them. That -would make him very happy; he would love the people truly, and be proud -of his human nature. - -But the splendid train drew near, and passed on, without his having been -observed by any one; and Johannes also heard them singing in a strange, -unintelligible language. - -"May I not speak to them?" he asked, anxiously. "Would they understand -me?" - -"Indeed, no!" said Wistik, indignantly. "What are you thinking about? -This is not a fairy tale nor a dream. This is real--altogether real." - -"Then shall I have to go hack again to Aunt Serena, and Daatje, and the -dominie?" - -"Yes, to be sure!" said Wistik, in confusion. - -"And the little key, and the book, and Windekind?" - -"We can still be seeking them." - -"That is always the way with you!" said Johannes, bitterly. "You promise -something wonderful, and the end is always a disappointment." - -"I cannot help that," said Wistik. - -They went farther, both of them silent and somewhat discouraged. Then -they came to human habitations amid the verdure. They were simple -structures of dark wood and white stone, artistically decorated and -colored. Vines were growing against the pillars, and from the roofs hung -the branches of a strange, thickly leaved plant having red flowers, so -that the walls looked as if they were bleeding. Birds were everywhere -making their nests, and little golden statues could be seen resting in -marble niches. There were no doors nor barriers--only here and there a -heavy, many-colored rug hanging before an entrance. It seemed very -silent and lonely there, for everybody was away; yet nothing was locked -up, nor concealed. An exquisite perfume was smoldering in bronze basins -in front of the houses, and columns of blue smoke coiled gently up into -the still air. - - * * * * * - -Then they ventured farther into the forest that lay behind the houses. -It was dusky twilight there, and all was solemnly and mysteriously -silent. The moss grew thick upon the massive rocks between which the -mighty chestnut and cedar trees took root. Foaming rivulets were flowing -down; and frequently it seemed to Johannes as if he saw some creature--a -deer or other animal--peep at him, and then dart away between the -tree-trunks. "What are they? Deer?" asked Johannes. - -"Indeed, no!" said Wistik, lifting a finger. "Only listen! They are -laughing. Deer do not laugh." - -Truly, Johannes heard every now and then, as he saw a figure disappear -in the twilight of the woods, a soft peal of laughter--clearly, human -laughter. - -"Now! now we are going to see him!" said Wistik. - -"Who?" asked Johannes. - -"Pst!" said Wistik, very mysteriously, pointing toward an open place in -the forest. - -Johannes saw there such a pretty and captivating spectacle that he stood -speechless, with only a light laugh of joy and amazement. - -The forest was more open there, and the sun shone in upon a grassy, -flower-covered spot. In the centre stood a single, extraordinarily large -chestnut tree. About its foot, bordered with white narcissi, a little -stream of purest water was winding. On every side tall rhododendrons -stood out in all their beauty of dark foliage, and hundreds of -hemispherical clusters of purple flowers. - -At the foot of the tree, in the shade of its leaves, a strange figure, -dark and shaggy, was sitting in a circle of exquisite, fair-skinned -beings. Johannes did not know what to think of them, they were so light -and so delicate. And they lay in all sorts of graceful attitudes amid -the tall grass and the narcissus flowers. They seemed to be human -beings, but they were so small; and they were as white as the foam of -the brook. Their long hair was so feathery light, it seemed to float -about their heads in the motionless air. - -In the centre sat the dark, shaggy figure, with his arms upon his knees, -and his hands extended. He had a long, grey beard, an old, wrinkled, -friendly face, large gold earrings, a wreath of leaves upon his head, a -red flower-festoon adorned with living yellow butterflies about his -shoulders, bare, brown arms, a deep, broad, hairy chest, and legs -entirely covered with a growth of red-brown fleece. On each hand rested -a bird--a finch--and each bird sang, in turn, his longest strain. Then -the old figure laughed, and nodded his approval, and the fair little -beings joined in the laugh. On his shoulder sat a squirrel, shucking -chestnuts so that the shells fell upon his beard. - -"Oh, Wistik!" cried Johannes, half laughing, half crying, with rapture, -"I know who that is--I know him. That is Pan--Father Pan!" - -"Very likely!" said Wistik, with a knowing look. "Now _he_ will listen -to us. Let's try!" - -Diffidently, Johannes went nearer. At the first step he took in the open -space, the little white nymphs sped apart in a trice--as swiftly and -softly as if they had been turned into newts--and there was nothing to -be heard save their light, mocking laughter, and a slight rustling in -the dark shadow of the rhododendrons. The two finches flew away and the -yellow butterflies, also, from their flower-festoon; and the squirrel -shot into the tree--his little nails clattering as he went. But Pan -remained sitting, with head bent forward, down-dropping hands, and -peering, friendly eyes. - -"I know you all right!" came from the wide mouth of Pan, while he nodded -to Johannes, and looked at him with his large head a little to one side. - -"Oh, Father Pan!" exclaimed Johannes, quivering with awe and suspense, -"do you know me? Will you answer me? Tell me where we are, then!" - -Continuing to nod in a quieting, affable manner, Pan replied: "Phrygia! -Golden Era--to be sure!" - -"And do you know Wistik, too? And Windekind? And do you know about the -little key, and the book?" - -"Wistik? Certainly! Would that I knew all, though!--You know how to ask -questions, Vraagal. Know-all and Ask-all! A pretty pair you are!" - -And Pan laughed heartily, showing his great white teeth in an -astonishingly large mouth. - -"But tell me, Father Pan! Who is Windekind?" - -"My dearest dear! My darling, clever little son! That is who he is. We -are two yolks of one egg, although I am old, rough, and shaggy, and he -is sleek, and fine, and beautiful." - -"Shall I ever see him again?" - -"Why not? He comes here often; and you also like it here, do you not?" - -"But Wistik said I could not stay." - -"You cannot do so--now; but why could you not come back again sometime?" - -"Could I?" - -Pan's face took on a most amused, astonished look, and he puffed out his -cheeks. - -"You dear little Vraagal! Give me your hand." Johannes laid his small -hand trustfully in the broad open palm. The large hand was dark and -shaggy on the outside, but white, and smooth, and firm on the inside. -"Do you not know that yet? Then let Father Pan make you happy with a -word. Do not forget it, mind! _Vraagal can do whatever he wills to -do--everything_--if he will only be patient! But tell me now,--how did -you know me?" - -"I have seen statues and engravings of you." - -"Do I look like them?" - -"No!" said Johannes. "I think you are much nicer. In the prints you look -like the Devil." - -"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Pan, raising his heavy hands above his head, and -clapping them together. "That is who I am, Vraagal. They have made a -devil of me, so as to drive people away. But do you believe, now, that I -am bad? Give me your paddy again! And now the other one!" - -This time Johannes laid both his own in Pan's two giant hands, and said: -"I know who you are. You are good. You are Nature!" - -"Hold your tongue, little hypocrite, with your conceited platitudes! Are -you not ashamed of yourself?" - -Johannes blushed deeply; tears fell from his eyes, and he wished he -could sink out of sight. But Pan drew him up closer and stroked his -cheek. - -"Now, do not cry! It is not so bad. You have come, too, out of a dreary -nest. I am not evil--neither is Wistik. Only trust us." - -"I have told him that, too," said Wistik, earnestly and emphatically. - -"Little Vraagal," continued Pan, looking very serious, "there is, -indeed, an evil Devil, but he is far more ugly than I am. Is it not so, -Wistik? You know him. Is he not much uglier? Tell us!" - -Johannes never forgot the look on Wistik's face as Father Pan asked him -this in a loud voice, with a keen, serious regard. The little fellow -grew as pale as death, his mouth dropped open, he pressed both hands -upon his stomach, and from his trembling lips came the almost inaudible -word: "Horrible!" - -"Oh, indeed!" said Pan. "Well, I am not that. Sometime Wistik must point -him out to you. He looks much more like those foolish people you have -just come from than like me." - -"Aunt Serena?" asked Johannes, astounded. "Is _she_, then, not good and -first-rate? Is _she_ a foolish person?" - -"Now, now, you dear little Vraagal!" said Pan, in palliation. -"Everything is relative. But it is a fact that she looks more like the -Devil than I do." - -"How can that be?" asked Johannes, in amazement. - -Pan grew a little impatient. "Does that puzzle you? Then ask her to show -you the little tree she has in her safe, with the golden apples growing -on it. Do not forget!" - -"Good, good!" shouted Wistik, clapping his hands with delight. - - * * * * * - -At this moment there came suddenly from the distance an alarming -sound--a short, hoarse, resounding roar that echoed through the forest. - -"The lion!" cried Wistik; and away he went, as fast as he could run. - -Johannes also was greatly frightened. He knew it was time to leave, but -he would not go quite yet. He asked, imploringly: - -"Father Pan, shall I find the book?" - -"Remember what I said to you," replied Pan. "Vraagal can do what Vraagal -wills to do. To will is to do. But it must be the right sort of will." - -Again that frightful roar resounded, this time much nearer. Johannes -stretched out his hand, hesitating between his mounting fears, and his -desire to make use of an instant more. - -"One more question!" he cried. "Who is Markus?" - -At that, he saw Pan's eyes distend, and stare at him with a look full of -intense emotion. He seemed as fiercely sorrowful as a wounded animal; -and, until now, Johannes had not observed what beautiful great eyes he -had. He lifted up his outspread hands--then covered his face with them, -and began to weep and wail, loudly. The air grew dense and dark, and a -heavy shower descended. - -Then, for the third time, the lion roared.... - - - - -VIII - - -"It's a downright shame!" said Daatje, snappishly, while unfastening the -third shutter, which opened with a shriek and a rumble. "Half -past-nine--on Saturday, at that--and the room to be tidied up! You'll -catch it from Aunt Serena. Half-past nine! It's a downright shame!" - -Johannes was not pleased with this familiarity, as if he were still a -mere child; and, in a rebellious spirit, without quite understanding his -own object, he muttered: "This thing's got to end." - -With Aunt Serena, disapproval was expressed in a manner very different -from that in a kermis-wagon. There was no swearing, nor scolding, nor -any din; and no cooking utensils flew out of the window. - -But Aunt Serena would grow a little paler, her fine face become cold and -severe like marble, and the very few words that fell from her lips would -be short and spoken in a soft, low voice. She knew how, though, to make -one so uncomfortable in this way, that he would rather she had thrown a -piece of the tea-set at his head. - -Johannes, however, neither felt, nor evinced, any remorse. On the -contrary, he assumed an independent bearing. He was not saucy, but -wonderfully indifferent; neither was he morose, but cheerful and -obliging; for his thoughts were full of that beautiful land and its -noble people, and of his good Father Pan. Aunt Serena, herself, felt a -little disconcerted. - -That evening the circle of lady friends came in full force. There was -Juffrouw Frederike--called Free--tall and bowed, with her grey hair in a -net. There was Pietekoo, who was always laughing, and saying flattering -things, but who could, also, show a tart side upon occasion. There was -Suze, who had the name of being so musical, and who, pluming herself on -that score, kept on taking piano lessons far on in her sixties though -she was. There was the saintly Koos, who had once leaped into the water, -in a religious frenzy, and who could repeat the sermons, word for word. -There was the quiet Neeltje, a bit round-shouldered, and very negligent -in her dress, who never said anything, and was always being teased about -suitors. There was the widow Slot, who, in her deep voice, uttered -short, sarcastic comments, mostly at the expense of poor Neeltje. There -was Miebet, the beauty of the company, toward whom Johannes felt a -special aversion. They all brought their hand-work, and were speedily -deep in conversation. Johannes was greeted in a friendly way as "dear -boy" and "good boy," but, after that, as always, was left in peace. - -It did seem, listening to their conversation, as if love and meekness -reigned undisturbed in their hearts. It was an uninterrupted competition -in generosity, each striving to be foremost in helping the others to the -footstools, the cozy places, and the various delicacies. Miebet said -that she had only one defect--this one, that she always thought of -others first, and herself last. From this single defect one could -perceive, by comparison, the nature and number of her virtues. To the -saintliness of Koos, according to her own testimony, even Daatje and -Aunt Serena would have to yield precedence. She could repeat, word for -word, the long, closing prayer of the previous Sunday, and stood alone -in this proficiency. Johannes noticed that she could neither read nor -write, nor even tell the time, but cunningly contrived to hide her -ignorance. Juffrouw Frederike, who was wont to enumerate the -excruciating pains that her poor health inflicted upon her, was not -silent concerning the heavenly patience with which she endured these -trials, and the indifference of the world toward her sufferings. - -At seven o'clock came the dominie. He was greeted respectfully, and with -a tender solicitude, while he made interested and condescending -inquiries after health and circumstances. Also, he admired and praised -the products of womanly industry, deducing therefrom weighty and -forceful morals that were listened to in thoughtful silence. - -Johannes had received a cold, limp hand-shake. He felt that he had been -a long time in disfavor. Neither had Aunt Serena's stiffness relaxed, -and she looked at him now and then, restlessly, as if wishing and -expecting that he would show signs of repentance or submissiveness. And -it seemed as if the entire circle concerned themselves less about him -than ever. - -He sat still in his corner, turning the leaves of his penny magazine, -his little heart brave and not at all disquieted. But he did not see -much of the engravings, and felt more than at other times constrained to -listen to the talking. - -Then, while all gave quiet attention, Aunt Serena began an enumeration -of all the petty trifles and knick-knacks which had been brought -together this time for the "tombola": "three napkin-rings, two -corner-brackets, one waste-paper basket worked with worsted, seven -anti-macassars, a knitting-needle holder, two sofa-pillows, one -lamp-shade, the beautiful fire-screen made by Free, two picture-frames, -four pin-cushions, one needle-book, one patchwork quilt, one pair of -slippers, by Miebet, one reticule, one painted teacup, two flower-pieces -made of bread, one cabinet of shells, one straw thread-winder, seventeen -book-marks, eight pen-wipers, one small postage-stamp picture, two -decorated cigar-cases, one ash-holder. That is all, I believe." - -"Aunt Serena," said Johannes, over the top of his penny magazine, "do -you know what else you ought to count in?" - -A moment of suspense followed. All eyes were turned upon him. Aunt -Serena looked surprised, but kindly inquisitive. The dominie suspected -something, and his brows contracted. - -"What, my dear boy!" asked Aunt Serena. - -"A couple of gold apples, from your little tree." - -There followed a moment of subdued silence. Then Aunt Serena, with a -self-restrained but severe manner, asked: - -"What tree do you mean, Johannes?" - -"The little tree you have in your chest, with the gold apples growing on -it." - -Again silence, but all understood; that was clear. Pietekoo even -tittered. The others exchanged significant glances. Aunt Serena's pale -face flushed perceptibly, and she shot a glance at the dominie over her -spectacles. The dominie took the affair very calmly, gave Johannes a -cold, disdainful look, as much as to say that he had all along had his -measure, and then, while his eyes narrowed in a smile, he signified to -Aunt Serena, by a quieting motion of the hand, that she ought not to -bestow any thought upon such a matter. Thereupon, with assumed -unprejudice, and in a sprightly tone, he said: - -"This is, indeed, a fine 'tombola'!" - -But Aunt Serena was not to be appeased in this way. She threw back her -rustling, purple silk cap-strings with a nervous, trembling gesture (in -her the betrayal of vehement emotion), and, standing up, motioned to -Johannes to follow her into the vestibule. - -Closing the door of the room behind her: "Johannes!" said she, in a -voice not quite within control, "Johannes, I will not suffer this! To -think of you making me appear ridiculous to others! For shame! And after -all the good I thought to have done you! Ought you to have grieved your -old aunt so? For shame, Johannes! It is mean and ungrateful of you!" - -With a face almost as pale as that of his aunt, Johannes looked straight -up into her glistening glasses. There were tears in her voice, and -Johannes saw them appear from under the spectacles, and slowly trickle -down along the delicate lines of her cheeks. - -It was Johannes' turn, now, to feel badly. He was utterly confounded. -Who was right--Father Pan or Aunt Serena? In such straits was he that he -would rather be running the streets at such a pace as never to get back -again. - -The street door stood ajar, the autumn day was drawing to its close in a -melancholy twilight, and a drizzling rain was falling. Daatje was -standing outside, talking with some one. - -"Aunt Serena," said Johannes, trying hard to control himself, "I know -that I am wicked, but I really will be good--_really_--if only I -knew...." - -Just then there came from outside a sound which made him quiver with -agitation. It thrilled through marrow and bone, and he felt his knees -giving way. It was the sharp, rasping sound of steel being held against -the whetstone; and through the door-crack he saw the glitter of that -beautiful fountain of golden sparks. - -It sounded to him like a blessed tidings--like the utterance of mercy to -one condemned. - -"That is Markus!" he cried, with heightened color and shining eyes. - -Aunt Serena went to the door and opened it. There, bowed over his work, -stood Markus. Again, he was treading the wheel of the old cart, the one -with the footboard. As before, the water was dripping from his old cap, -down upon his faded raincoat. His face was sad, and there were deep -lines about his mouth. - -"Markus!" cried Johannes; and, springing forward, he threw his arms -around him, and pressed his head caressingly against the wet clothing. - -"For the love of Christ, Boy! What are you doing?" said Daatje. "What -Romish freak is this?" - -"Oh, Aunt Serena!" cried Johannes. "May he not come indoors? He is so -wet, and so tired! He is a good man--my best friend." - -Daatje placed her arms akimbo, and stepped angrily in front of Aunt -Serena and the doorway. - -"Now, I'll attend to that. The dear Lord preserve us! Such a dirty lout -of a gypsy come into my clean marble hall! That's altogether too much!" - -But Aunt Serena, in that earnest tone which had always been a command -for Daatje--admitting no oppositions--said: "Daatje, go back to the -kitchen. I will settle this matter myself." - -And turning toward Markus she asked: "Will you not come in and rest?" - -Slowly straightening himself up, Markus replied: "I will, Madam." And he -laid down his scissors, took off his cap, and walked in. - -This time Daatje was disobedient, for she did not return to the kitchen, -but remained, arms still akimbo, repeatedly shaking her head, surveying -the intruder with horror--especially his feet, and the old coat which he -hung upon the hat-rack. And, when Aunt Serena actually let him out of -the vestibule into the room itself, she tarried behind the unclosed -door, anxiously listening. - -Within the room a dead stillness ensued. The dominie's face took on an -expression of utter amazement, while he lifted his eyebrows very high, -and thrust out his pursed-up lips. Pietekoo tittered in her -embarrassment, and then hid her face in her hands. The others looked, -now with a puzzled mien at Markus, then in doubtful expectation at Aunt -Serena, with distrust at Johannes, with very expressive glances at one -another, and finally, with pretended absorption in their hand-work. The -silence was still unbroken. - -"Will you take something?" asked Aunt Serena. - -"Yes, Madam, a bit of bread," said Markus, in his calm, gentle voice. - -"Would you not rather have a glass of wine, and some cake?" - -"No, Madam, if you will excuse me; I prefer common bread." - -The dominie thought it time to intervene. He was stung by the censure -conveyed in Markus' refusal. - -"The Scripture teaches, my friend, that we should eat what is set before -us, when we are guests." - -"Do you take me for a theologian--or for an apostle?" asked Markus. - -"He has the gift of gab," said Mevrouw Slot, in her coarse voice. - -In those pure accents which held Johannes breathlessly attentive, Markus -continued: "I will even sit at table with witches, but not necessarily -eat of their food." - -"Dear me! Dear me!" said the dominie, and the ladies cried: "Good -gracious!" and other exclamations of disapproval and indignation. "Be a -little less uncivil, friend; you are not with your own kind here." - -Markus continued, in a calm, friendly tone: "Theologians, however, thank -God for many a rude truth, and know, also, how to take parables. Even -when with cannibals, an apostle need not eat human flesh." - -Widow Slot, who alone of all in the circle seemed to have retained her -coolness, here interposed: "We have not improved, yet." - -Markus turned toward her and said with great earnestness: - -"Who are they who have their portion? Are not the poorest ones they who -drink wine and eat cake, and yet produce not even bread? Every day they -sink deeper into debt. I prefer to eat honest food." - -"You mistake, my man! I have no debts!" cried Aunt Serena, with -trembling lips. - -"But, Aunt Serena, he does not mean that," said Johannes, as much moved -as herself. - -"Children must be silent, here!" cried the dominie, angrily. - -"If the children are silent here, who is there to speak sense?" -continued Markus. And then, with a gentle, penetrating voice, he -addressed Aunt Serena. "Whoever will not listen to children, the Father -will not understand. I spoke in metaphor--in a simple way, for simple -people. The whole world is a metaphor, and not a simple one. If we do -not yet understand such a simple metaphor, then the world must indeed -remain a sad riddle." - -The dominie held his peace, and smoked fiercely; but Aunt Serena thought -it over, looking in front of her, and said; "All understanding comes -through the light of grace." - -Markus nodded, kindly. "Yes," said he, "for those who unbolt the -shutters and throw open the windows. And the sun will shine even through -little windows." - -Then he ceased speaking and ate his bread. No one said anything more, -unless in a whisper to his next neighbor. - -When Markus had eaten he stood up and said: "Thank you. Good night!" - -Johannes also stood up, and said anxiously: "Markus, You are not going -away?" - -"Yes, Johannes. Good-by till we meet again!" - -Then he passed silently out of the door, took his cap and coat, and was -let out by Daatje. Johannes heard her ask: "How much did you get?" And -when Markus said simply: "Twopence," he felt a twinge at his heart. -Indoors, no one spoke so long as the creaking of the cart-wheel could be -heard. Then the dominie, in a loud tone, and with assumed lightness, -said: - -"That was a venturesome deed, dear Madam. You ought to be more cautious -in future with that altogether too-largely developed philanthropy of -yours. That man is known as a very dangerous individual." - -Exclamations of astonishment and alarm followed this, and different -ladies cried: "Goodness!" "It's a sin!" "Do you know him?" - -"Alas, indeed I do!" averred the dominie, with a contemptuous shrug of -the shoulders. "He is a well-known person--one of those fanatics who -incite the people and poison their natures: a nihilist." - -"A nihilist!" echoed the ladies, frightened and horrified. Poor Johannes -sat listening to Dominie Kraalboom with painful interest. The name -"nihilist" did not make him afraid, but such notoriety was a bitter -disappointment. It was as if thereby all the mysterious superiority of -his beloved friend had been leveled. Had it, then, all been a fraud? - -When the circle had taken their leave, and Aunt Serena was going to bed, -he saw Daatje very carefully counting the silver spoons! - - - - -IX - - -"Listen, Juffrouw," said Daatje, the following morning, when all was -ready for going to church, "for forty years I have served you faithfully -and well; but I just want to say to you, that if you bring any more -heathen or Hottentots into the house--into the parlor, rather--in the -future, _I_ will leave in a jiffy, as sure as fate!" - -"Will you, Daatje?" said Aunt Serena, drily, asking for her prayer-book. -Johannes sat stiffly in his Sunday collar, struggling to draw his thread -gloves smoothly over his finger-tips. Then, under two umbrellas, the -three set out for church. - -Already Dominie Kraalboom was sitting in the chancel, busily stroking -his freshly shaven cheeks, and thoughtfully watching the coming in of -his flock. Not one of the circle was missing. The clothing of the -congregation, wet with rain, gave out a peculiar odor; chairs were -noisily shoved about over the flat, blue tombstones, while above the -sound of shuffling feet and of slamming doors the deep throbbing of the -organ was heard. - -The dominie soon caught sight of Johannes; and the little man had cause -to feel conceited by reason of all the attention paid him. Johannes said -to himself that it certainly must be his own imagining (for what could -such a great man have to do with a little boy?) but it appeared as if -the entire sermon was written for, and especially aimed at, Johannes. - -The text was: "Who shall understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from -secret faults." - -The dominie dwelt upon the sin of arrogance, and the numbers of young -people who were wrecked through it ere they rightly understood what it -was, and said that they ought to desire to be cleansed from it. - -Young people, said the dominie, were conceited and presumptuous, and -full of evil; but they were themselves unconscious of it. They thought -they knew more than their elders, and they listened, far too willingly, -to pernicious dogmas that would make all men equal--that would reason -away royal and divine authority, and that made people rebellious, and -discontented with the sphere in which God had placed them. - -"The true Christian," said the dominie, "cares for neither gold nor -goods. He has higher aspirations. If he be blessed with them, let him -manage them well, for they are only lent to him. If he be poor, then let -him not repine nor complain, knowing that everything is ordered for the -best, and that true riches are not of this world." - -It was a fine sermon. Johannes and his aunt both listened attentively. -The precentor looked pleased, and the saintly Koos nodded repeatedly. -Neeltje, alone, slept; but, as everybody knew, that was because of her -nervous trouble. - -The entire congregation joined spiritedly in the singing, and the -dominie sat down visibly self-satisfied. - -Once, Johannes looked around, and, close by the door, athwart the -chancel in the shadow, beheld, supported by a slender hand, a bowed head -with dark hair! - -He knew the hand well, and recognized instantly that dark-haired man. -Again and again he felt constrained to look in that direction. The -figure remained sitting, motionless, and in a bowed posture. - -But when the singing came to an end, and the dominie deliberately made -ready to continue his sermon.... Surely, the dark head was lifted up! -Markus regarded the faces about him for an instant, with a sorrowful -look, and then he stood erect. - -Johannes' heart began to thump. "Was he going away? What was he going to -do? Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" - -But Markus, taking advantage of that pause wherein the people in a -congregation are wont to cough, to make use of their handkerchiefs, and -to compose themselves again for listening, began speaking in his gentle, -musical voice: - -"My friends, excuse me for addressing you unbidden, but you know that it -is always permitted to bear witness of the Father, if one can do so -truthfully." - -In perplexity, the congregation looked from the speaker to Dominie -Kraalboom. The precentor, also, directed his frightened eyes to the -chancel up behind him, as if expecting from that quarter deliverance -from this extraordinary difficulty. - -Dominie Kraalboom grew very red, and, speaking in his most impressive -tones--rolling his r's, for he was really angry--he said: "I beseech you -not to disturb the order of this church." - -Markus, however, paid not the slightest attention to these words. His -voice rang clearer than ever through the chill, lofty spaces. The people -listened, and the dominie had no alternative but to be silent or to -shout the louder, which latter expedient he renounced from a sense of -dignity. - -"My poor friends," said Markus, "does it not alarm you that there are -wrong-doings of which you are not conscious? Is it not sad to be guilty -and not to know it?" - -"If we, poor souls, forgive those who unconsciously wrong us, will not -our Father forgive us? - -"But to wander is to wander, and not to follow the straight course: and -he who errs, though he may know it not, does not do right, although he -may intend a thousand times to do the right. - -"And he who continues to wander gets lost; for the Father's justice is -inalterable and unfailing. - -"And yet, my poor friends, the Father's forgiveness is for every one, -even the poorest wanderer. His mercy is for all. - -"And His forgiveness is called knowledge, and the name of His mercy is -insight. - -"These are bestowed upon every one who does not reject them; and no one -will be lost who makes use of them. - -"Therefore, the Psalmist begged to be cleansed from secret faults. He -knew that we know not ourselves how very guilty we are. And He knew -that the enlightening and purifying fire of confession is of the -Father's mercy. - -"Has ever a thirsty one continued to wander away from the water, after -recognizing his mistake? - -"Who of us does not long for forgiveness and blessedness? Or who would -continue to err after confession? - -"Confess, then, and will to look within. It is never too late to do so. - -"We are guilty, my poor friends: confess it and there will be -forgiveness, but not without knowledge thereof. The least among you can -understand this, if only he will. - -"It was not the Father who willed that you should be poor, and rich--the -poor laboring, the rich idling. It would be abominable blasphemy to say -that. Believe it not. Shun as defiling those who would thus delude you. - -"Not by divine ordering, but through human mismanagement, wickedness, -and foolishness, and the wandering away from the Father's will, have -poverty and riches come into this human world. - -"Acknowledge it; for, truly, there will be no forgiveness for those who -reject the Father's mercy." - -Here Dominie Kraalboom beckoned to the sexton and the precentor, who -were standing together whispering with considerable vehemence, casting -furious looks at the speaker. The sexton coughed and mounted the pulpit. -The dominie exchanged a few words with him, and, with a resigned air, -half-closed eyes, and a face as severe as possible, went to resume his -seat. The sexton strode resolutely through the church, and left the -building, all eyes following him in suspense. - -Imperturbably, Markus proceeded: - -"My poor friends, did ever an artist create a grand masterpiece, and -desire that no one should admire it? - -"Would the Father, then, have made the mountains, seas, and flowers, -gold and jewels, and have desired that we should despise and reject them -all? - -"No; the highest good belongs not to this world, and neither does the -beauty of the universe belong to this world. Yet even here--upon this -earth--we may learn to know and to admire; for why else were we placed -in this world? - -"Let us admire not the mere wood and strings, but the music of them; not -paint and canvas, but the eternal beauty to which they do homage. - -"So we shall love the world, and admire it only as that by means of -which the Father speaks to us; and whoever despises the world despises -the voice of the Father. - -"Will not he who receives a letter from his distant love kiss the dry -paper, and wet the black ink with his tears? - -"Shall we, then, hate the world, through which alone, in our alienation, -the Father reveals to us his beauty?" - -Markus' voice was so deep-toned, and so sweet to hear, that many -listeners were moved, even although they only half understood. Tears -were streaming freely from Johannes' shining, wide-open eyes. Aunt -Serena, too, looked agitated, and Neeltje, even, had waked up. The -dominie scowled blackly, with closed eyes, like one about to lose his -forbearance. The precentor looked nervously toward the door. - -Again Markus began: - -"My friends, how shall the poor, who compulsorily toil, and the rich, -who compel them, comprehend the sacred message of the Father? - -"Must they always remain both deaf and blind to what is best and most -beautiful? Must they see and hear nothing of this? - -"Sooner can the sunlight penetrate dungeon-doors of threefold thickness, -than can the light of the Father's loving kindness and the radiance of -His beauty enter the soul of the stupefied drudge. - -"Upon the sands of the sea grow neither grapes nor roses. In the heart -of the overworked, needy sufferer grows neither beauty nor wisdom. - -"And the rich--who purloin the good things which the Father has given -to others--who are served, without rendering service--who eat, without -working, and found their houses upon the misery of others--how can these -comprehend the justice of the Father? - -"Exceeding sweetness shall turn to gall in the rich man's stomach; -illicit pleasure shall waste him away like sorrow; wisdom, unrighteously -acquired, shall turn in him to despair and madness. - -"The rich man is like one who takes away the fire of many others, that -he may always keep himself warm; but the heat consumes him. He will have -all the water, that he may never again thirst; but he is drowned. Yet -unto all the Father has given light and water in equal measure. - -"No one escapes the Father's justice. The rich have their reward as they -go; and in want shall they envy those whom they robbed while they were -still upon earth. - -"Admit, then, my poor friends, that it is not the Father's will that -there should be poverty and riches, but that your own wickedness and -maliciousness have created them--your unbrotherliness and ignorance, -your thirst for power and your servility. - -"Confess, and there shall be forgiveness for the most guilty. Submit and -humble yourselves, and you shall be exalted. Lift up your hearts, fear -not, and you shall be saved. Throw open the windows and the light will -stream in." - - * * * * * - -At last, there was a creaking of the heavy, outside door, which was held -shut by a rope, weighted with lead. Then followed several more -long-drawn creakings of the pulley, ere the door closed with a dull -thud. All heads were again turned in that direction. The dominie, too, -looked up, visibly relieved. - -And Johannes, stiff with terror, saw, in the rear of the sexton, two -officers--two common, insignificant policemen--step up to Markus with -an air of professional sternness, albeit with a rather slouching mien. - -Yes, it was going to happen! The congregation looked on in breathless -suspense. The sexton bristled, and the officers hesitatingly prepared -themselves for a struggle. - -But before the outstretched hand of the helmeted chief had descended -upon his shoulder, Markus looked round and nodded in a friendly way as -if he was expecting them. After that, he looked about the congregation -once again, and bade them farewell with a cordial, comforting gesture -which seemed to come to all as a surprise. He had the appearance, -indeed, of one who was being conducted by two lackeys to a feast, -instead of by policemen to the station. - -When he went away, the officers grasped him by his arms, as firmly as if -they were resolutely determined not to let him escape. They did this so -awkwardly, and Markus was so cheerfully docile, that the effect was very -comical, and several people smiled. - -The dominie spoke a few more words, and made a long closing prayer -which, however, was not listened to attentively. The congregation were -too anxious to talk over what had happened. And they made a busy -beginning even before they were out of the church. - -But Aunt Serena and Johannes went home with averted eyes, and in anxious -silence, without exchanging a word or a look. - - - - -X - - -Johannes had one peculiarity which he could not excuse in himself. His -good intentions and heroic resolves always came, according to his own -opinion, a trifle too late. He might be a good boy yet, he thought, if -only things did not happen so suddenly that he had not due time to think -them over before he needed to act. Thus, sitting on the opposite side of -the breakfast table from his Aunt Serena, deliberating whether it would -still be proper, after the agitating events of the morning, to spread -his first roll, as usual, with sweet-milk cheese, and his second with -Deventer cake, it suddenly dawned upon him what a mean, cowardly, -perfidious boy he had been. He felt that any other brisk, faithful -person in his place would have risen up instantly, and resisted with all -his power of word and deed that shameful outrage against his beloved -brother. - -Of course, there had been something for him to do! He ought to have -intervened, instead of walking home again with Aunt Serena, as calmly -and serenely as if he were not in the least concerned. How was it -possible--how _could_ it be possible, that he only now perceived this? -He might not, perhaps, have accomplished anything; but that was not the -question. Was it not his dearest friend who was concerned; and had he -not, like a coward, left him alone? Was not that friend now sitting -among thieves in a musty pen, enduring the insolence of policemen, while -he himself was here in Aunt Serena's fine house, calmly drinking his -coffee? - -That must not be. He felt very sure of it, now. And since Johannes, as I -have already remarked, was never afraid to do a thing if he was only -first sure about it, not only the cake and cheese, but even the rolls -and coffee, remained untouched. He suddenly stood up and said: - -"Aunt Serena!" - -"What is it, my boy?" - -"I want to go!" - -Aunt Serena threw back her head, that she might give him a good look -through her spectacles. Her face took on a very grieved expression. - -At last, after a long pause, she asked, in her gentle voice, "What do -you mean?" - -"I want to go away. I cannot stand it. I want to be with my friend." - -"Do you think he will take better care of you than I do, Johannes?" - -"I do not believe that, Aunt Serena, but he is being treated unfairly. -He is in the right." - -"I will not take it upon myself...." said Aunt Serena, hesitating, "to -say that he is wrong. I am not clever enough for that. I am only an old -woman, and have not studied much, although I have thought and -experienced a great deal. I will readily admit that perhaps I was at -fault without knowing it. I did my best, to the best of my belief. But -how many there are, better than I am, Johannes, who think your friend in -the wrong!" - -"Are they also better than he is?" asked Johannes. - -"Who can say? How long have you known this friend--and whom of the -people have you known besides? But although your friend were right, how -would it help me, and what would it matter to me? Must I, in my -sixty-fourth year, give away all that I have, and go out house-cleaning? -Do you mean that I ought to do that, Johannes?" - -Johannes was perplexed. "I do not say that, dear Aunt Serena." - -"But, what do you say, then? And what do you want of me?" - -Johannes was silent. - -"You see, Johannes...." continued Aunt Serena, with a break in her -voice--not looking at him now, but staring hard at her coffee-tray--"I -never have had any children, and all the people whom I have been very -fond of are either dead or gone away. My friends do, indeed, show me -much cordiality. On my birthday I had forty-four calls, two hundred and -eleven cards and notes, and about fifty presents; but that, however, is -not for me true life. The life of the old is so barren if no young are -growing near. I have not complained about it, and have submitted to -God's will. But since ... for a few months ... you ... I thought it a -blessing--a dispensation from God...." - -Aunt Serena's voice grew so broken and hoarse that she stopped speaking, -and began to rummage in her work-basket. - -Johannes felt very tenderly toward her, but it seemed to him as if, in -two seconds, he had become much older and wiser; yes, as if he had even -grown, visibly, and was taller than a moment before. Never yet had he -spoken with such dignity. - -"My dear Aunt, I really am not ungrateful. I think you are good. More -than almost any other you have been kind to me. But yet I must go. My -conscience tells me so. I would be willing to stay, you see; but still I -am going because it is best. If you say, 'You must not,' then I cannot -help it; I think, though, that I will quietly run away. I am truly sorry -to cause you sadness, but you will soon hear of an--another boy, or a -girl, who will make you happier. I must find my friend--my conscience -tells me so. Are you going to say, Aunt Serena, that I must not?" - -Aunt Serena had taken out her worsted work, and appeared to be comparing -colors. Then, very slowly, she replied: - -"No, I shall not say that, my dear boy; at least, if you have thought it -all over well." - -"I have, Aunt Serena," said Johannes. - - * * * * * - -Being deeply anxious, he wished to go instantly to learn where Markus -had been taken. After that he would return to "Vrede-best." - -He mounted the stone steps of the police station with dread and -distaste. The officers, who were sitting outside on chairs, received -him, according to their wont, with scant courtesy. The chief eyed -Johannes, after the latter's bashful inquiry, with a scornful -expression, which seemed to say: "What business is it of yours, and -where have I seen you before?" - -Johannes learned, however, that "the prisoner" had been set free. What -use he had made of his freedom Johannes must find out for himself. - -As he could give no other reason for his interest in the prisoner than -that he was his friend, and as this reason was not enough to exalt him -in the esteem of police authority, none of the functionaries felt called -upon to put him on the track. They supposed that the scissors-grinder -had very likely gone back to the Fair. That was all the help they gave. - -Johannes returned to his aunt's baffled and in dismay. There, happily, -he found relief; for the good aunt had already discovered that Markus -had been led out of the town, and that, with his cart, he had taken the -road to Utrecht. Already, lying in plain sight, he saw a large, -old-fashioned satchel of hairy leather (a sort of bag which could be -hung about one), full of neatly packed sandwiches and hard-boiled eggs. -And in the inside of a waistcoat Aunt Serena had sewed a small pocket. -Within that pocket was a purse containing five little gold-pieces. - -"I do not give you more, Johannes, for by the time this is gone you will -surely know if you really wish to stay away for good or to come back -again. Do not be ashamed to return. I will not say anything to you about -it." - -"I will be honest, and give it back to you when I have earned it," said -Johannes. He spoke in sober earnest; but he had, no more than had his -aunt, any clear expectation that it would be possible. - -Johannes took just a run into the garden to say good-by to his favorite -places--his paths and his flowers. Swiftly and shyly, so as not to be -seen, he ran past the kitchen where Daatje, loudly singing hymns the -while, stood chopping spinach. After that, he embraced Aunt Serena in -the vestibule for the first and for the last time. "Cuckoo! Cuckoo!" -came insultingly and triumphantly from the little trap-door, as the -clock struck two. Then the stately green front door closed between him -and Aunt Serena. - -That was a painful moment; yet there quickly followed in Johannes' heart -a delightful glow--a feeling of freedom such as he had never yet known. -He almost felt himself a man. He had extricated himself from soft and -perilous ways; he was going out into the wide world; he would find his -beloved brother again; he had a bagful of rolls, and in his waistcoat -were five gold-pieces. These last were only lent to him; he would earn -as much, and give them back again. - - * * * * * - -It was a still, humid, August day, and Johannes, full of gladness, saw -his beautiful native land lying in white light under a canopy of -delicate grey. He saw thickly wooded dikes, black and white cattle, and -brown boats in water without a ripple. He walked briskly, inquiring -everywhere for Markus the scissors-grinder. In front of an inn, not far -from the city, sat three little gentlemen. They were apparently -government or post-office clerks, who had taken their midday stroll and -their glass of bitters. - -Johannes asked information of the waiter who brought drinks, but -received no answer. - -One of the little dandies, who had heard his question, said to his -companions: - -"Jerusalem! but did you chaps hear that kicker? The fellow went into the -new church yesterday morning, and talked back at the dominie." - -"What fellow?" asked the others. - -"Good Lord! Don't you know him? That half-luny fellow with the black -curly-pate? He does that now and then." - -"Gee! That's rich. And what did the dominie say?" - -"Well, he found it no joke, for the fellow knew all about it--as darned -well as he did himself. But the gypsy had his trouble for his pains; for -that time the dominie wouldn't have anything to do with such a dirty -competitor!" - -And the three friends laughed at the top of their voices. - -"How did it end?" - -"He had him walked clean out of the church, by the sexton and two cops." - -"That's confounded silly. 'Twould have been better to see who could crow -the loudest. It's the loudest cock that wins." - -"The idea! You'd have me believe you mean it? Suppose they gave the -prize to the wrong fellow?" - -"Whether you are cheated by a fool of a preacher, or by a -scissors-grinder, what's the difference?" - -Johannes reflected a moment and wondered if it would not be commendable -to do what he ached to do--fly at these people and rain blows upon their -heads. But he controlled himself and passed on, convinced that in doing -so he was escaping some hard work. - -For five hours he walked on without being much the wiser for his -inquiries. Some people thought they had seen Markus; others knew -positively nothing about him. - -Johannes began to fear he had passed him; for by this time he ought to -have overtaken him. - -It began to grow dark, and before him lay a wide river which he must -cross by means of a ferry-boat. On the farther side were hills covered -with an underwood of oak, and tall, purple-flowered heather. - -The ferryman was positive that he had not that day taken over a -scissors-grinder; but in yonder town, an hour's distance from the river, -a Fair was to begin in the morning. Very likely Markus also would be -there. - -Johannes sat down by the roadside in the midst of the dark broom, with -its millions of small purple flowers. The setting sun cast a glorious -coloring over land and mist, and over the lustrous, flowing water. He -was tired but not depressed, and he ate his bread contentedly, certain -that he should find Markus. The road had become quiet and lonely. It -was fun to be so free--so alone and independent--at home in the open -country. Rather than anywhere else he should like to sleep -out-of-doors--in the underwood. - -But just as he was about to lay himself down, he saw the figure of a man -with his hands in his pockets, and his cap pushed back. Johannes sat up, -and waited until he came closer. Then he recognized him. - -"Good evening, Director!" said Johannes. - -"Good evening to you, my friend!" returned the other. "What are you -doing here? Are you lost?" - -"No; I am looking for friends. Is Markus with you?" - -The man was the director of a Flea-Theatre; a little fellow, with a -husky voice, and eyes inflamed by his fine work. - -"Markus? I'm not sure. But come along--there's no knowing but he might -be there." - -"Are you looking for new apprentices?" asked Johannes. - -"Do you happen to have any? They're worth a pretty penny, you know!" - - * * * * * - -They walked together to the camp of gypsy wagons, near the town. -Johannes found there all the old acquaintances. There was the fat lady, -who could rest a plate upon her bosom and thus eat out of it. Now, -however, she was eating simply from a box, like the others, because -there were no spectators. There were the mother and daughter who -represented the living mermaid, taking turns because one could not hold -out very long. There was the exhibitor of the collection of curiosities ---a poor, humpbacked knave whose entire possessions consisted of a -stuffed alligator, a walrus-tooth, and a seven-months baby preserved in -alcohol. There were the two wild men, who, growling horribly, could eat -grass and live rabbits, and who might come out of the wagon only at -night, when the street boys were away; but who, far from savage now, -were sitting in the light of a flickering lantern, "shaving" one another -with exceedingly dirty cards. - -The flea-tamer brought Johannes at last to Marjon's wagon. - -"Bless me!" cried Lorum, who seemed to be in a good humor as he sat by -the road smoking his pipe. "Here is our runaway young gentleman again! -Now the girls will be glad!" - -From behind the wagon came the soft tones of a voice, singing to a -zither accompaniment. Johannes could hear the song distinctly, in the -dreamlike stillness of the hour. It was sung in a whining, melancholy, -street-organ style, but with unusual emotion: - - "They have broken my heart-- - Ah, the tears I have shed! - They have torn us apart-- - His dear voice is now dead. - Alas! Alas! - How could you forsake me? - Alas! Alas! - How you have deceived me!" - -It was a ditty that Johannes thought he had often heard the nurse-maids -sing. But, because he recognized that dear voice, and perhaps even -because he was worried over the applicability to himself, he was greatly -touched by it. - -"Hey, there!" cried Lorum to one behind him. "The kid has come back! -Stop your squalling!" - -Then Marjon appeared from behind the wagon, and ran up to Johannes. -Also, the door of the wagon flew back, and Johannes saw Marjon's sister -standing in the bright opening. Her fat arms were bare, and she was in -her night-gown. - - - - -XI - - -Since that first night in the dunes with Windekind, Johannes had slept -many a time in the open air, and he did not see why he should not now do -so. He would lie down under the wagon, upon some hay. He was tired, and -so would sleep well. - -But sleep did not come to him very promptly. Adventures in the world of -people proved to be even more exciting than those in Windekind's land of -elves. He was full of the important and unusual situation in which he -was placed; the strange human life that surrounded him claimed his -attention. Above him, feet were shuffling over the wagon floor, and he -could see the people crawling around one another inside the warm, dirty -wagons. He was obliged to listen to the talking, singing, laughing and -quarreling that frequently broke out here and there. A solitary ocarina -continued to whistle awhile; then all was still. - -It grew cold. He had with him only a thin cloak of Aunt Serena's; and, -as a horse-blanket could not be spared, he found a couple of empty -oat-bags; but they were too short. - -When all were asleep, and he was still lying awake, shivering, his -spirits already inclined to droop, he heard the door of the wagon open. -A voice called him, in a whisper. Johannes scrambled out into sight, and -recognized Marjon's dark sister. - -"Why don't you come in here, Kiddie?" she asked. - -The truth was that Johannes, above all else, feared the closeness and -the fleas. But he would not offer these insulting reasons, so he -replied--intending to be very courteous and praiseworthy: "But that -would not do for me--to be with you!" - -Now, formality is not a very strong point in a house-wagon. In the very -stateliest, a curtain does indeed sometimes define two sleeping-rooms -at night, thus denoting regard for the proprieties. But in most cases -the custom is to do as do the birds which change their suits but once a -year, and not too much, at that; and as do the mice which also have no -separate bedrooms. - -"Aw! Come, Boy! You're silly. Just come on! It's all right." - -And when Johannes, perplexed and very bashful, hesitated, he felt a fat, -heavy arm around his neck, and a soft, broad, cold mouth upon his cheek. - -"Come on, Youngster! Don't be afraid. Surely you are not so green! Hey? -It's time for me to make you wiser." - -Now there was nothing Johannes had learned more to value than wisdom, -and he never willingly neglected a chance of becoming wiser. But this -time there came to him a very clear idea of the existence of an -undesirable wisdom. - -He had no time to deliberate over this wonderful discovery; for, -happily, there came to the help of his immature thoughts a very strong -feeling of aversion, so that for once he knew betimes what he ought to -do. - -He said loudly, and firmly: "I will not! I rest better here." And he -crept back under the wagon. The swarthy jade appeared not to like that, -for she uttered an oath as she turned away, and said: "Clear out, then!" -Johannes did not take it greatly to heart, although it did appear to him -unfair. He slept, however, no more than before; and the sensation of the -recent touches, and the wretched odor of poor perfumery which the woman -had brought with her, remained with him, to his distress. - -As soon as it began to grow light, the door of the wagon was again -opened. Johannes, surprised, looked up. Marjon came softly out in her -bare feet, with an old purple shawl thrown over her thin little -shoulders. She went up to Johannes and sat down on the ground beside -him. - -"What did she do?" she asked, in a whisper. - -"Who?" asked Johannes, in return. But that was from embarrassment, for -he well knew whom she meant. - -"Now, you know well enough. Did you think I was sleeping? Did she give -you a kiss?" - -Johannes nodded. - -"Where? On your mouth?" - -"No. On my cheek." - -"Thank God!" said Marjon. "You will not let her do it again? She is a -common thing!" - -"I could not help it," said Johannes. - -Marjon looked at him thoughtfully a few moments, with her clear, light -grey eyes. - -"Do you dare steal?" she asked then, abruptly. - -"No," said Johannes. "I dare to, but it's wrong." - -"Indeed it isn't!" said Marjon, very emphatically. "Indeed, it is not! -It's only a question of who from. Stealing from one another is mean, but -from the public is allowable. I must not steal from that woman any more -than from Lorum. But _you_ may steal from the huzzy, if you only dared." - -"Then can you steal from me, too?" asked Johannes. Marjon looked at him -in sudden surprise, and gave a pretty laugh, showing her white, even -teeth. - -"A while ago I could, but not now. Now you belong to me. But that woman -has a lot of money and you have not." - -"I have some money, too--fifty guldens. Aunt Serena gave it to me." - -Marjon drew in the air with her lips as if sipping something delicious. -Her pale face shone with pleasure. - -"Five little golden Teners! Is it truly so? But, Johannes, then we are -well off! We'll have a good time with them. Shan't we?" - -"To be sure," assented Johannes, recovering himself. "But I want to find -Markus." - -"That's good," said Marjon. "That's the best thing to do. We'll both go -looking for him." - -"Right away?" asked Johannes. - -"No, you stupid! We should be nabbed in no time. We'll start in the -evening. Then, during the night, we can get a good way off. I'll give -you the signal." - - * * * * * - -It was morning--clear and cool, yet growing warmer with the early August -sunshine. Everywhere over the dark heather the dew-covered cobwebs were -shining like clusters of sparkling stars. The fires of the foregoing -evening were still smouldering in the camp; and there was a smell of -wood coals and of honey. - -Johannes was well pleased. There was a glowing little flame also within -himself. He felt that it was good to be alive, and a joy to strive. It -was a long, strange day, but he was patient and happy in the thought of -fleeing with Marjon. The dark woman was friendly toward him again. He -was helping her in the circus the entire day, and had no chance to speak -with Marjon. But now and then they gave each other a look full of -complete understanding. That was delightful! Never before in his -every-day life had Johannes experienced anything so delightful. - -That evening there was an exhibition, and Marjon performed her tricks. -Johannes felt very proud and important because he belonged to the -troupe, and was looked upon by the public as an athlete or an -equestrian. He might stand, in topboots and with a whip, at the entrance -to the stall, but he must not perform a single trick, nor once crack his -whip. - -When it was good and dark, and everybody was asleep again, Marjon came -to summon him. He could scarcely distinguish her figure; but he knew by -a soft, grunting sound, that she carried Kees, her monkey, on her arm. -She thrust her guitar into Johannes' hand, and said in a low tone: "Move -on, now!" - -They set out hastily and in silence, Marjon taking the lead. First they -went by the highway; then they took a footpath along the river; and -then, at a ferry, they softly unfastened a small boat, and pushed out -into the current. - -"Keep your wits about you, Jo, and be on the lookout!" - -"We shall be overtaken," said Johannes, not quite at his ease. - -"Are you afraid?" - -"No, not afraid," said Johannes, although the truth was that he was -trying not to be; "but where are we going to bring up? And how can we -keep out of the way if a boat should come along? We have no oars!" - -"I wish a boat _would_ come. Then we'd go on with it." - -"Where do you want to go, Marjon?" - -"Well, over the frontier, of course. Otherwise they'll catch us. - -"But Markus!" - -"We'll find him, by and by--only come on now." - -In silence the two children drifted out over the still, black water, -which here and there bubbled past a floating log, or a barrel. -Everything was mysterious. It was pitch dark, and there was no wind. The -reeds, even, scarcely sighed. Keesje whined, complainingly, not liking -the cold. - -"But who is Markus, Marjon? Do you know?" - -"You must not ask that, Jo. You must trust him. I do." - - -Then they heard a dull, fitfully throbbing sound that slowly drew nearer -from the distance, and Johannes saw red and white lanterns ahead of -them. - -"A steamboat!" he cried. "What are we going to do now?" - -"Sing!" said Marjon, without a moment's hesitation. - -The boat came very gradually, and Johannes saw in the rear of her a long -file of little lights, like a train of twinkling stars. It was a -steam-tug with a heavy draught of Rhine-boats. It seemed to be panting -and toiling with its burden, against the powerful current. - -They stayed a boat's length away from the tug, but its long, unwieldy -train--swinging out in a great curve at the rear--came nearer and -nearer. - -Marjon took her guitar and began to sing, and suddenly, with the sound -of lapping water and throbbing engines, the music was ringing out in the -still night--exquisite and clear. She sang a well-known German air, but -with the following words: - - "Tho' on dark depths of waters - I fear not and am strong, - For I know who will guard me - And guide me all life long." - -"Are you tipsy, there, or tired of life? What do you put yourself across -the channel for--and without a light?" rang out over the water from one -of the vessels. - -"Help! Throw a line!" cried Marjon. - -"Help! help!" cried Johannes, after her. - -Then a rope came wabbling across their oarless craft. By good luck -Johannes caught it, and pulled himself, hand over hand, up to the -vessel. The helmsman, standing beside the great, high-arched rudder, -looked overboard, with a lantern in his hand. - -"What wedding do you hail from?" - -Johannes and Marjon climbed into the boat and Marjon pushed off their -own little shallop. - -"Two boys!" exclaimed the helmsman. - -"And a monkey!" subjoined Marjon. - -Johannes looked round at her. By the light of the lantern he saw a -little figure that he hardly recognized--a slip of a boy wearing a cap -on his closely cropped head. She had sacrificed for the flight her silky -blonde hair. Keesje's head was sticking up out of her jacket, and he was -blinking briskly in the glare of the lantern. - -"Oh, that's it! Fair-folk!" grumbled the skipper. "What's to become of -that boat?" - -"It knows the way home!" said Marjon. - - - - -XII - - -I will simply tell you, without delay, in order that you may be able to -read what follows in peace of mind, that Johannes and Marjon became -husband and wife ere the ending of the story. But at the time the old -skipper pointed out to them a comfortable sleeping-corner in the -deck-house of the long Rhine-boat, they had not the least idea of it. -Being very tired, they were soon lying, like two brothers, in deep -sleep, with Keesje, now warm and contented, between them. - -When it grew light, the whole world seemed to have vanished. Johannes -had been wakened by the rattling of the anchor-chains, and when he -looked out, he saw on all sides nothing but white, foggy light; no sky, -no shore--only, just under the little windows, the yellow river current. -But he heard the striking of the town clocks, and even the crowing of -cocks. Therefore the world was still there, as fine as ever, only hidden -away under a thick white veil. - -The boats lay still, for they could not be navigated. So long as the -waters of the Rhine could not be seen frothing about the anchor-chains, -so long must they wait for a chance to know the points of the compass. -Thus they remained for hours in the still, thick white light, listening -to the muffled sounds of the town coming from the shore. - -The two children ran back and forth over the long, long vessel, and had -a fine time. They had already become good friends of the skipper, -especially since he had learned that they could pay for their passage. -They ate their bread and sausage, peering into the fog in suspense, for -fear that Lorum and the dark woman might be coming in a boat to overtake -them. They knew that they could not yet be very far away from their last -camping-place. - -At last the mists grew thinner and thinner, and fled from before the -shining face of the sun; and, although the earth still remained hidden -beneath swirling white, up above began to appear the glorious blue. - -And this was the beginning of a fine day for Johannes. - -Sighing and groaning, as if with great reluctance, the tugboat began -again its toilful course up the stream. The still, summer day was warm, -the wide expanse of water sparkled in the sun, and on both sides the -shores were gliding gently by--their grey-green reeds, and willows and -poplars, all fresh and dewy, peeping through the fog. - -Johannes lay on the deck, gazing at land and water, while Marjon sat -beside him. Keesje amused himself with the tackle rope, chuckling with -satisfaction every now and then, as he sprang back and forth, with a -serious look, after a flitting bird or insect. - -"Marjon," said Johannes, "how did you know so certainly yesterday that -there was nothing to be afraid of?" - -"Some one watches over me," said Marjon. - -"Who?" asked Johannes. - -"Father." - -Johannes looked at her, and asked, softly: - -"Do you mean your own father?" - -But Marjon made a slight movement of her head toward the green earth, -the flowing water, the blue sky and the sunshine, and said, with -peculiar significance, as if now it was quite clear to her: - -"No! I mean The Father." - -"The Father Markus speaks about?" - -"Yes. Of course," said Marjon. - -Johannes was silent a while, gazing at the rapid flow of the water, and -the slower and slower course of things according to their distance in -the rear. His head was full of ideas, each one eager for utterance. But -it is delightful to lie thus and view a passing country spread out under -the clear light--letting the thoughts come very calmly, and selecting -carefully those worthy of being clad in speech. Many are too tender and -sensitive to be accorded that honor, but yet they may not be meanest -ones. - -Johannes first selected a stray thought. - -"Is that your own idea?" he asked. Marjon was not quick with an answer, -herself, this time. - -"My own? No. Markus told me it. But I knew it myself, though. I knew it, -but he said it. He drew it out of me. I remember everything he -says--everything--even although I don't catch on." - -"Is there any good in that?" asked Johannes, thoughtlessly. - -Marjon looked at him disdainfully, and said: - -"Jimminy! You're just like Kees. He doesn't know either that he can do -more with a quarter than with a cent. When I got my first quarter, I -didn't catch on, either, but then I noticed that I could get a lot more -candy with it than with a cent. Then I knew better what to do. So now I -treasure the things Markus has said--all of them." - -"Do you think as much of him as I do?" asked Johannes. - -"More," said Marjon. - -"That cannot be." - -Then there was another long pause. The boat was not in a hurry, neither -was the sun, and the broad stream made even less haste. And so the -children, as well, took plenty of time in their talking. - -"Yes, but you see," Johannes began again, "when people speak of our -Father, they mean God, and God is...." - -What was it again, that Windekind had said about God? The thought came -to him, and clothed in the old terms. But Johannes hesitated. The terms -were surely not attractive. - -"What is God, now?" asked Marjon. - -The old jargon must be used. There was nothing better. - -"... An oil-lamp, where the flies stick fast." - -Marjon whistled--a shrill whistle of authority--a circus-command. -Keesje, who was sitting on the foremast, thoughtfully inspecting his -outstretched hind foot, started up at once, and came sliding down the -steel cable, in dutiful haste. - -"Here, Kees! Attention!" - -Kees grumbled assent, and was instantly on the alert, for he was well -drilled. His sharp little brown eyes scarcely strayed for one second -away from the face of his mistress. - -"The young gentleman here says he knows what God is. Do you know?" - -Keesje shook his head quickly, showing all his sharp little white teeth -in a grin. One would have said he was laughing, but his small eyes -peered as seriously as ever from Marjon's mouth to her hand. There was -nothing to laugh at. He must pay attention. That was clear. Goodies were -bound to follow--or blows. - -But Marjon laughed loudly. - -"Here, Kees! Good Kees!" - -And then he had the dainties, and soon was up on the mast, smacking -aloud as he feasted. - -The result of this affront was quite unexpected to Marjon. Johannes, who -had been lying prone on the deck, with his chin in his hands, gazed -sadly for a while at the horizon, and then hid his face in his folded -arms, his body shaking with sobs. - -"Stop now, Jo; you're silly! Cry for _that_!" said Marjon, half -frightened, trying to pull his arms away from his face. But Johannes -shook his head. - -"Hush! Let me think," said he. - -Marjon gave him about a quarter of an hour, and then she spoke, gently -and kindly, as if to comfort him: - -"I know what you wanted to say, dear Jo. That's the reason, too, why I -always speak of The Father. I understand that the best; because, you -see, I never knew my earthly father, but he must have been much better -than other fathers." - -"Why?" asked Johannes. - -"Because I am much better than all those people round about me, and -better than that common, dark woman who had another father." - -Marjon said this quite simply, thinking it to be so. She said it in a -modest manner, while feeling that it was something which ought to be -spoken. - -"Not that I have been so very good. Oh, no! But yet I have been better -than the others, and that was because of the father; for my mother, too, -was only a member of a troupe. And now it is so lovely that I can say -'Father' just as Markus does!" - -Johannes looked at her, with the sadness still in his eyes. - -"Yes, but all the meanness, the ugliness, and the sorrow that our Father -permits! First, He launches us into the world, helpless and ignorant, -without telling us anything. And then, when we do wrong because we know -no better, we are punished, Is that fatherly?" - -But Marjon said: - -"Did you fancy it was not? Kees gets punished, too, so he will learn. -And now that he is clever and well taught he gets hardly any blows--only -tid-bits. Isn't that so, Kees?" - -"But, Marjon, did you not tell me how you found Kees--shy, thin, and -mangy--his coat all spoiled with hunger and beatings; and how he has -remained timid ever since, because a couple of rascally boys had -mistreated him?" - -Marjon nodded, and said: - -"There are rascals, and deucedly wicked boys, and very likely there is a -Devil, also; but I am my Father's child and not afraid of Him, nor what -He may do with me." - -"But if He makes you ill, and lets you be ill-treated? If He lets you do -wrong, and then leaves you to cry about it? And if He makes you -foolish?" - -Keesje was coming down from the mast, very softly and deliberately. With -his black, dirty little hands he cautiously and hesitatingly touched the -boy's clothes that Marjon was wearing. He wanted to go to sleep, and had -been used to a soft lap. But his mistress took him up, and hid him in -her jacket. Then he yawned contentedly, like a little old man, and -closed his pale eyelids in sleep--his little face looking very pious -with its eyebrows raised in a saintly arch. Marjon said: - -"If I should go and ill-treat Keesje, he would make a great fuss about -it, but still he would stay with me." - -"Yes; but he would do the same with a common tramp," said Johannes. - -Marjon shook her head, doubtfully. - -"Kees is rather stupid--much more so than you or I, but yet not -altogether stupid. He well knows who means to treat him rightly. He -knows well that I do not ill-treat him for my own pleasure. And you see, -Jo, I know certainly, _ever_ so certainly--that my Father will not -ill-treat me without a reason." - -Johannes pressed her hand, and asked passionately: - -"How do you know that? How do you know?" - -Marjon smiled, and gave him a gentle look. - -"Exactly as I know you to be a good boy--one who does not lie. I can -tell that about you in various ways I could not explain--by one thing -and another. So, too, I can see that my Father means well by me. By the -flowers, the clouds, the sparkling water. Sometimes it makes me cry--it -is so plain." - -Then Johannes remembered how he had once been taught to pray, and his -troubled thoughts grew calmer. Yet he could not refrain from -asking--because he had been so much with Pluizer: - -"Why might not that be a cheat?" - -Suddenly Keesje waked up and looked behind him at Johannes, in a -frightened way. - -"Ah, there you are!" exclaimed Marjon, impatiently. "That's exactly as -if you asked why the summer might not perchance be the winter. You can -ask that, any time. I know my Father just for the very reason that He -does not deceive. If Markus was only here he would give it to you!" - -"Yes, if he was only here!" repeated Johannes, not appearing to be -afraid of what Markus might do to him. - -Then in a milder way, Marjon proceeded: - -"Do you know what Markus says, Jo? When the Devil stands before God, his -heart is pierced by genuine trust." - -"Should I trust the Devil, then?" asked Johannes. - -"Well, no! How could that be? Nobody can do that. You must trust the -Father alone. But even if you are so unlucky as to see the Devil before -you see the Father, that makes no difference, for he has no chance -against sincere trust. That upsets his plans, and at the same time -pleases the Father." - -"Oh, Marjon! Marjon!" said Johannes, clasping his hands together in his -deep emotion. She smiled brightly and said: - -"Now you see that was a quarter out of my savings-box!" - - * * * * * - -Really, it was a very happy day for Johannes. He saw great, white, -piled-up clouds, tall trees in the light of the rising sun, still houses -on the river-banks, and the rushing stream--with violet and gold -sparkling in the broad bends--ever flowing through a fruitful, verdant -country; and over all, the deep, deep blue--and he whispered: -"Father--Father!" In an instant, he suddenly comprehended all the things -he saw as splendid, glorious Thoughts of the Father, which had always -been his to observe, but only now to be wholly understood. The Father -said all this to him, as a solemn admonition that _He_ it was--pure and -true, eternally guarding, ever waiting and accessible, behind the -unlovely and the deceitful. - -"Will you always stay with me, Marjon?" he asked earnestly. - -"Yes, Jo, that I will. And you with me?" - -Then Little Johannes intrepidly gave his promise, as if he really knew -what the future held for him, and as if he had power over his entire -unknown existence. - -"Yes, dear Marjon, I will never leave you again. I promise you. We -remain together, but as friends. Do you agree? No foolishness!" - -"Very well, Jo. As you like," said Marjon. After that they were very -still. - - - - -XIII - - -It was evening, and they were nearing Germany. The dwellings on the -river-banks no longer looked fresh and bright colored, but faded and -dirty. Then they came to a poor, shabby-looking town, with rusty walls, -and grey houses inscribed with flourishing black letters. - -The boats went up the stream to lie at anchor, and the custom-house -officers came. Then Marjon, rousing up from the brown study into which -Johannes' last question had plunged her, said: - -"We must sing something, Jo. Only think! Your Aunt's money will soon be -gone. We must earn some more." - -"Can we do it?" asked Johannes. - -"Easy. You just furnish the words and I'll take care of the music. If it -isn't so fine at first, that doesn't matter. You'll see how the money -rains down, even if they don't understand a thing." - -Marjon knew her public. It came out as she said it would. When they -began to sing, the brusque customs collectors, the old skipper, and -other ships' folk in the boats lying next them, all listened; and the -stokers of the little tugboat stuck their soot-begrimed faces out of the -machine-room hatch, and they, also, listened. For those two young voices -floated softly and harmoniously out over the calmly flowing current, and -there was something very winning in the two slender brothers--something -fine and striking. They were quite unlike the usual circus-people. There -was something about them which instantly made itself felt, even upon a -rude audience, although no one there could tell in what it consisted, -nor understand what they were singing about, nor even the words. - -At first they sang their old songs--_The Song of the Butterfly,_ and the -melancholy song that Marjon had made alone, and which Johannes, rather -disdainfully, had named _The Nurse-Maid's Song_, and also the one Marjon -had composed in the evening, in the boat. But when Marjon said, "You -must make something new," Johannes looked very serious, and said: - -"You cannot _make_ verses--they are born as much as children are." - -Marjon blushed; and, laughing in her confusion, she replied: "What silly -things you do say, Jo. It's well that the dark woman doesn't hear you. -She might take you in hand." - -After a moment of silence, she resumed: "I believe you talk trash, Jo. -When I make songs the music does come of itself; but I have to finish it -off, though. I must _make_--compose, you know. It's exactly," she -continued, after a pause, "as if a troop of children came in, all -unexpected--wild and in disorder, and as if, like a school-teacher, I -made them pass in a procession--two by two--and stroked their clothing -smooth, and put flowers in their hands, and then set them marching. -That's the way I make songs, and so must you make verses. Try now!" - -"Exactly," said Johannes;'"but yet the children must first come of -themselves." - -"But are they not all there, Jo?" - - * * * * * - -Gazing up into the great dome of the evening sky, where the pale stars -were just beginning to sparkle, Johannes thought it over. He thought of -the fine day he had had, and also of what he had felt coming into his -head. - -"Really," said Marjon, rather drily, "you'll just have to, whether you -want to or not--to keep from starving." - -Then, as if desperately alarmed, Johannes went in search of pencil and -paper; and truly, in came the disorderly children, and he arranged them -in file, prinked them up, and dealt them out flowers. - -He first wrote this: - - "Tell me what means the bright sunshine, - The great and restless river Rhine, - This teeming land of flocks and herds-- - The high, wide blue of summer sky, - Where fleecy clouds in quiet lie. - To catch the lilt of happy birds. - - "The Father thinks, and spreads his dream - As sun and heaven, field and stream. - I feast on his creation-- - And when that thought is understood, - Then shall my soul confess Him good, - And kneel in adoration." - -Marjon read it, and slowly remarked, as she nodded: "Very well, Jo, but -I'm afraid I can't make a song of it. At least, not now. I must have -something with more life and movement in it. This is too sober--I must -have something that dances. Can't you say something about the stars? I -just love them so! Or about the river, or the sun, or about the autumn?" - -"I will try to," said Johannes, looking up at the twinkling dots -sprinkled over the dark night-sky. - -Then he composed the following song, for which Marjon quickly furnished -a melody, and soon they were both singing: - - "One by one from their sable fold - Came the silent stars with twinkling eyes, - And their tiny feet illumed like gold - The adamantine skies. - - "And when they'd climbed the domed height-- - So happy and full of glee, - There sang those stars with all their might - A song of jubilee." - -It was a success. Their fresh young voices were floating and gliding and -intertwining like two bright garlands, or two supple fishes sporting in -clear water, or two butterflies fluttering about each other in the -sunshine. The brown old skipper grinned, and the grimy-faced stokers -looked at them approvingly. They did not understand it, but felt sure it -must be a merry love-song. Three times--four times through--the children -sang the song. Then, little by little, the night fell. But Johannes had -still more to say. The sun, and the splendid summer day that had now -taken its leave, had left behind a sweet, sad longing, and this he -wanted to put upon paper. Lying stretched out on the deck, he wrote the -following, by the light of the lantern: - - "Oh, golden sun--oh, summer light, - I would that I might see thee bright - Thro' long, drear, winter days! - Thy brightest rays have all been shed-- - Full soon thy glory will have fled, - And cold winds blow; - While all dear, verdant ways - Lie deep in snow." - -As he read the last line aloud, his voice was full of emotion. - -"That's fine, Jo!" said Marjon. "I'll soon have it ready." - -And after a half-hour of trying and testing, she found for the verses a -sweet air, full of yearning. - -And they sang it, in the dusk, and repeated the former one, until a -troupe of street musicians of the sort called "footers" came -boisterously out of a beer-house on the shore, and drowned their tender -voices with a flood of loud, dissonant, and brazen tones. - -"Mum, now," said Marjon, "we can't do anything against that braying. But -never mind. We have two of them now--_The Star Song_ and _The Autumn -Song_. At this rate we shall get rich. And I'll make something yet out -of _The Father Song_; but in the morning, I think--not to-night. We've -earned at least our day's wages, and we can go on a lark with contented -minds. Will you go, Jo?" - -"Marjon," said Johannes, musingly, hesitating an instant before he -consented, "do you know who Pluizer is?" - -"No!" said Marjon, bluntly. - -"Do you know what he would say?" - -"Well?" asked Marjon, with indifference. - -"That you are altogether impossible." - -"Impossible? Why?" - -"Because you cannot exist, he would say. Such beings do not and cannot -exist." - -"Oh, he must surely mean that I ought only to steal and swear and drink -gin. Is that it? Because I'm a circus-girl, hey?" - -"Yes, he would say something like that. And he would also call this -about the Father nothing but rot. He says the clouds are only wetness, -and the sunshine quiverings, and nothing else; that they could be the -expression of anything is humbug." - -"Then he would surely say that, too, of a book of music?" asked Marjon. - -"That I do not know," replied Johannes, "but he does say that light and -darkness are exactly the same thing." - -"Oh! Then I know him very well. Doesn't he say, also, that it's the same -thing if you stand on your head or on your heels?" - -"Exactly--that is he," said Johannes, delighted. "What have you to say -about it?" - -"That for all I care he can stay standing on his head; and more, too, he -can choke!" - -"Is that enough?" asked Johannes, somewhat doubtfully. - -"Certainly," said Marjon, very positively. "Should I have to tell him -that daytimes it is light, and night-times it is dark? But what put you -in mind of that Jackanapes?" - -"I do not know," said Johannes. "I think it was those footers." - - * * * * * - -Then they went into the deck-house where Keesje was already lying on the -broad, leather-cushioned settee, all rolled up in a little ball, and -softly snoring; and this cabin served the two children as a -lodging-house. - - - - -XIV - - -On the second day they came to the great cathedral which, fortunately, -was then not yet complete, and made Johannes think of a magnificent, -scrag-covered cliff. And when he heard that it was really going to be -completed, up to the highest spire, he was filled with respect for those -daring builders and their noble creation. He did not yet know that it is -often better to let beautiful conceptions rest, for the reason that, -upon earth, consummated works are sometimes really less fine and -striking than incomplete projects. - -And when at last, on the third evening, he found himself among the -mountains, he was in raptures. It was a jovial world. Moving, over the -Rhine in every direction were brightly lighted steamboats laden with -happy people, feasting and singing. Between the dark, vine-covered -mountains the river reflected the rosy, evening light. Music rang on the -water; music came from both banks. People were sitting on terraces, -under leafy bowers, around pretty, shining lamps--drinking gold-colored -wine out of green goblets; and the clinking of glasses and sound of loud -laughter came from the banks. And, singing as they stepped, down the -mountains came others, in their shirt sleeves, carrying their jackets on -alpenstocks over their shoulders. The evening sky was aflame in the -west, and the vineyard foliage and the porphyry rocks reflected the -glowing red. Hurrah! One ought to be happy here. Truly, it seemed a -jolly way of living. - -Johannes and Marjon bade their long ark farewell, and went ashore. It -saddened Johannes to leave the dear boat, for he was still a sentimental -little fellow, who promptly attached himself by delicate tendrils to -that which gave him happiness. And so the parting was painful. - -They now began the work of earning their livelihood. And Keesje's idle -days were over, as well. They put his little red jacket upon him, and he -had to climb trees, and pull up pennies in a basin. - -And the children had to sing their songs until they lost their charm, -and Johannes grew weary enough with them. - -But they earned more--much more than Markus with his scissors-grinding. -The big, heavily moustached, and whiskered gentlemen, the prettily -dressed and perfumed ladies, sitting on the hotel terraces, looked at -them with intolerable arrogance, saying all kinds of jesting -things--things which Johannes only half understood, but at which they -themselves laughed loudly. But in the end they almost all gave--some -copper, some silver--until the _frised_ waiters, in their black coats -and white shirt-fronts, crossly drove them away, fearing that their own -fees might be diminished. - -Marjon it was who dictated the next move, who was never at a loss, who -dared the waiters with witty speeches, and always furnished advice. And -when they had been singing rather too much, she began twirling and -balancing plates. She spoke the strange tongue with perfect fluency, and -she also looked for their night's resting-place. - -The public--the stupid, proud, self-satisfied people who seemed to think -only of their pleasure--did not wound Marjon so much as they did -Johannes. - -When their snobbishness and rudeness brought tears to his eyes, or when -he was hurt on account of their silly jests, Marjon only laughed. - -"But do not you care, Marjon?" asked Johannes, indignantly. "Does it not -annoy you that they, every one of them, seem to think themselves so much -finer, more important, and fortunate beings than you and I, when, -instead, they are so stupid and ugly?" - -And he thought of the people Wistik had shown him. - -"Well, but what of it?" said Marjon, merrily. "We get our living out of -them. If they only give, I don't care a rap. Kees is much uglier, and -you laugh about it as much as I do. Then why don't you laugh at the -snobs?" - -Johannes meditated a long time, and then replied: - -"Keesje never makes me angry; but sometimes, when he looks awfully like -a man, then I have to cry over him, because he is such a poor, dirty -little fellow. But those people make me angry because they fancy -themselves to be so much." - -Marjon looked at him very earnestly, and said: - -"What a good boy you are! As to the people--the public--why, I've always -been taught to get as much out of 'em as I could. I don't care for them -so much as I care for their money. I make fun of them. But you do not, -and that's why you're better. That's why I like you." - -And she pressed her fair head, with its glossy, short-cut hair, closer -against his shoulder, thinking a little seriously about those hard -words, "no foolishness." - -They were happy days--that free life, the fun of earning the pennies, -and the beautiful, late-summer weather amid the mountains. But the -nights were less happy. Oh! what damp, dirty rooms and beds they had to -use, because Fair-people could not, for even once, afford to have -anything better. They were so rank with onions, and frying fat, and -things even worse! On the walls, near the pillows, were suspicious -stains; and the thick bed-covers were so damp, and warm, and much used! -Also, without actual reason for it, but merely from imagination, -Johannes felt creepy all over when their resting-place was recommended -to them, with exaggerated praise, as a "very tidy room." - -Marjon took all this much more calmly, and always fell asleep in no -time, while Johannes sometimes lay awake for hours, restless and -shrinking because of the uncleanliness. - -"It's nothing, if only you don't think about it," said Marjon, "and -these people always live in this way." - -And what astonished Johannes still more in Marjon was that she dared to -step up so pluckily to the German functionaries, constables, officers, -and self-conceited citizens. - -It is fair to say that Johannes was afraid of such people. A railway -official with a gruff, surly voice; a policeman with his absolutely -inexorable manner; a puffed-out, strutting peacock of an officer, -looking down upon the world about him, right and left; a red-faced, -self-asserting man, with his moustache trained up high, and with -ring-covered fingers, calling vociferously for champagne, and appearing -very much satisfied with himself,--all these Marjon delighted to -ridicule, but Johannes felt a secret dread of them. He was as much -afraid of all these beings as of strange, wild animals; and he could not -understand Marjon's calm impudence toward them. - -Once, when a policeman asked about their passport, Johannes felt as if -all were lost. Face to face with the harsh voice, the broad, -brass-buttoned breast, and the positive demand for the immediate showing -of the paper, Johannes felt as if he had in front of him the embodied -might of the great German Empire, and as if, in default of the thing -demanded, there remained for him no mercy. - -But, in astonishment, he heard Marjon whisper in Dutch: "Hey, boy! Don't -be upset by that dunce!" - -To dare to say "that dunce," and of such an awe-inspiring personage, -was, in his view, an heroic deed; and he was greatly ashamed of his own -cowardice. - -And Marjon actually knew how, with her glib tongue and the exhibition of -some gold-pieces, to win this representative of Germany's might to -assume a softer tone, and to permit them to escape without an -inspection. - -But it was another matter when Keesje, seated upon the arm of a chair, -behind an unsuspecting lieutenant, took it into his little monkey-head -to reach over the shining epaulet, and grasp the big cigar--probably -with the idea of discovering what mysterious enjoyment lay hidden in -such an object. Keesje missed the cigar, but caught hold of the upturned -moustache, and then, perceiving he had missed his mark, he kept on -pulling, spasmodically, from nervous fright. - -The lieutenant, frightened, tortured, and in the end roundly ridiculed, -naturally became enraged; and an enraged German lieutenant was quite the -most awful creature in human guise that Johannes had ever beheld. He -expected nothing less than a beginning of the Judgment Day--the end of -all things. - -The precise details of that scrimmage he was never able to recall with -accuracy. There was a general fracas, a clatter of iron chairs and -stands, and vehement screeching from Keesje, who behaved himself like -murdered innocence. From the lieutenant's highly flushed face Johannes -heard at first a word indicating that he was suspected of having vermin. -That left him cold, for he had been so glad to know that up to this time -he had escaped them. Then he saw that it was not the shrieking Keesje, -but Marjon herself, who had been nabbed and was being severely pommeled. -She had hurriedly caught up the monkey, and was trying to flee with him. - -Then his feelings underwent a sudden change, as if, in the theatre of -his soul, "The Captivity" scene were suddenly shoved right and left to -make place for "A Mountain View in a Thunder-storm." - -The next moment he found himself on the back of the tall lieutenant, -pounding away with all his might; at first on something which offered -rather too much resistance--a shining black helmet--afterward, on more -tender things--ears and neck, presumably. At the same time he felt -himself, for several seconds, uncommonly happy. - -In a trice there was another change in the situation, and he discovered -himself in a grip of steel, to be flung down upon the dusty road in -front of the terrace. Then he suddenly heard Marjon's voice: - -"Has he hurt you? Can you run? Quick, then; run like lightning!" - -Without understanding why, Johannes did as she said. The children ran -swiftly down the mountain-side, slipped through the shrubbery of a -little park, climbed over a couple of low, stone walls, and fled into a -small house on the bank of the river, where an old woman in a black -kerchief sat peacefully plucking chickens. - -Johannes and Marjon had continually met with helpfulness and -friendliness among poor and lowly people, and now they were not sent -off, although they were obliged to admit that the police might be coming -after them. - -"Well, you young scamps," said the old woman, with a playful chuckle, -"then you must stay till night in the pigsty. They'll not look for you -there; it smells too bad. But take care, if you wake Rike up, or if that -gorilla of yours gets to fighting with him!" - -So there they sat in the pigsty with Rike the fat pig, who made no -movement except with his ears, and welcomed his visitors with short -little grunts. It began to rain, and they sat as still as mice--Keesje, -also, who had a vague impression that he was to blame for this sad state -of things. Marjon whispered: - -"Who would have thought, Jo, that you cared so much for me? _I_ was -afraid this time, and you punched his head. It was splendid! Mayn't I -give you a kiss, now?" - -In silence, Johannes accepted her offer. Then Marjon went on: - -"But we were both of us stupid; I, because I forgot all about Kees, in -the music; and you, because you let out about me. - -"Let out about you!" exclaimed Johannes, in amazement. - -"Certainly," said Marjon, "by shouting out that I was a girl!" - -"Did I do that?" asked Johannes. It had quite slipped out of his mind. - -"Yes," said Marjon, "and now we're in a pickle again! Other togs! You -can't do that in these parts. That's worse than hitting a lieutenant -over the head, and we mustn't do any more of that." - -"Did he hit you hard?" asked Johannes. "Does it hurt still?" - -"Oh," said Marjon, lightly, "I've had worse lickings than that." - - * * * * * - -That night, after dark, the old woman's son--the vine-dresser--released -them from Rike's hospitable dwelling, and took them, in a rowboat, -across the Rhine. - - - - -XV - - -Bright and early one still, sunny morning they came to a small -watering-place nestled in the mountains. It was not yet seven o'clock. A -light mist clung around the dark-green summits, and the dew was -sparkling on the velvety green grass, and over the flaming red -geraniums, the white, purple-hearted carnations, and the fragrant, -brown-green mignonette of the park. Fashionably dressed ladies and -gentlemen were drinking, according to advice, the hot, saline waters of -the springs; and later, while the cheerful music played, they promenaded -up and down the marble-paved esplanade. - -Marjon sought such places; for in them more was to be earned. Already a -couple of competitors were there before them--a robust man and his -little daughter. Both of them were dressed in flesh-colored tights, and -in spangled, black velvet knickerbockers; but oh, how dusty and worn and -patched they were! The little girl was much younger than Marjon, and had -a vacant, impudent little face. She walked on her hands in such a way -that her feet dangled down over her black, curly pate. - -Johannes did not enjoy this encounter. Marjon and he belonged to the -better class of Fair-people. Their caps and jackets just now were not, -it is true, quite so fresh and well brushed as formerly, but all that -they had on was whole--even their shoes. Johannes still wore his suit, -which was that of a young gentleman, and Marjon was wearing the velvet -stable-jacket of a circus-boy. They paid no attention to the shabby -Hercules and his little daughter. - -In Marjon's case this was only from vexation because of the competition; -in Johannes', he well knew, it was pride. He pitied that rough man with -the barbarous face, and that poor, dull child-acrobat; but it was not to -his taste that he should be thought their colleague and equal, by all -these respectable watering-place guests. - -He was so vexed he would not sing; and he walked dreamily on amid the -flowers, with vague fancies, and a deep melancholy, in his soul. He -thought of his childhood home, and the kitchen-garden; of the dunes, and -of the autumn day when he went to the gardener's, at Robinetta's country -home; of Windekind, of Markus, and of Aunt Serena's flower-garden. - -The flowers looked at him with their wide-open, serious eyes--the pinks, -the stiff, striped zinias, and the flaming yellow sunflowers. -Apparently, they all pitied him, as if whispering to one another: "Look! -Poor Little Johannes! Do you remember when he used to visit us in the -land of elves and flowers? He was so young and happy then! Now he is sad -and forsaken--a shabby circus-boy who must sing for his living. Is it -not too bad?" - -And the white, purple-hearted carnations rocked to and fro with -compassion, and the great sunflowers hung their heads and looked -straight down, with dismay in their eyes. - -The sunshine was so calm and splendid, and the pointed heads of the -mignonette smelled so sweet! And when Johannes came to a bed of drooping -blue lobelias that seemed always to have shining drops of dewy tears in -their eyes purely from sympathy, then he felt so sorry himself for poor -Little Johannes that he had to go and sit down on a bench to cry. And -there, just as if they understood the situation--in the music tent, -concealed by the shrubbery--the portly band-master and his musicians, -in their flat, gold-embroidered caps, were playing, very feelingly, a -melancholy folksong. Marjon, however, who persistently kept business in -mind, was on the marble esplanade, deep in jugglery with plates and eggs -and apples. Johannes saw it, and was a little ashamed of himself. He -began trying to make verses: - - "Ah, scarlet geranium, blossom true! - Ah, lovely lobelia blue! - Why look those eyes so mournfully? - For whom do you wear, - In the morning bright, - Those glistening tears of dew? - - "Ah! do you still know me?..." - -But he got no further, because he found it too hard, and also because he -had no paper with him. - -Just then Marjon came up: - -"Why do you sit there bungling, Jo, and let me do all the work? As soon -as the bread and butter comes you'll be sure to be on hand." - -She spoke rather tartly, and it was not surprising that Johannes -retorted curtly: - -"I am not always thinking of money, and something to eat, like you." - -That hit harder than he thought; and now the sun was sparkling not only -upon the dew-drops in the lobelia's eyes, but upon those in the two -clear eyes of a little girl. However, Marjon was not angry, but said -gently: - -"Were you making verses?" - -Johannes nodded, without speaking. - -"Excuse me, Jo. May I hear them?" - -And Johannes began: - - "Ah, scarlet geranium, blossom true! - Ah, lovely lobelia blue! - Why look those eyes so earnestly? - Why thus bedight, - This morning bright - With glistening tears of dew? - - "Oh, do you still think of the olden days...." - -Again he broke down, and gazed silently out before him, with sorrowful -eyes. - -"Are you going to finish it, Jo?" asked Marjon with quiet deference. -"You just stay here, I shall get on very well alone. See if I don't!" - -And she returned to the fashionable, general promenade, with Keesje, her -plates, her eggs, and her apples. - -Then Johannes looked up, and suddenly saw before him something so -charming and captivating that he became conscious of an entirely new -sensation. It was as if until now he had been living in a room whose -walls were pictured with flowers and mountains and waterfalls and blue -sky, and as if those walls had suddenly vanished, and he could see all -about him the real blue heavens, and the real woods and rivers. - -The sunny, flower-filled little park of the watering-place was bounded -by steep rocks of porphyry. At the foot of them, by the side of a small -stream of clear, dark water, was a rich growth of shadowy underwood. A -small path led from the mountain, and two children were descending it, -hand in hand, talking fast in their light, clear voices. - -They were two little girls, about nine and ten years of age. They wore -black velvet frocks confined at the waist by colored ribbons--one red, -the other ivory-white. Each one had trim, smoothly drawn stockings of -the same color as her sash, and fine, low shoes. They were bare-headed, -and both had thick golden hair that fell down over the black velvet in -heavy, glossy curls. - -The musicians, as if aware of their presence, now played a charming -dance-tune, and the two little girls, with both hands clasped together, -began playfully keeping time with their slender limbs--_One_, two, -three--_one_, two, three--or the "three-step," as children say. And what -Johannes experienced when he saw and heard that, I am not going even to -try to describe to you, for the reason that he has never been able -himself to do it. - -Only know that it was something very delightful and very mysterious, -for it made him think of Windekind's fairyland. Why, was more than he -could understand. - -At first, it seemed as if something out of the glorious land of -Windekind and Father Pan had been brought to him, and that it was those -two little girls upon the mountain-path, keeping time to the music with -their slim little feet. - -Then, hand in hand, the two children went through the park, chatting as -they went--now and then running, and sometimes laughing merrily as they -stopped beside a flower or a butterfly, until, through the maze of -promenaders, they disappeared in the halls of a large hotel. - -Johannes followed after them, wondering what they were so much -interested in, observing the while all their pretty little ways, their -intonations and winsome gestures, their dainty dress, their beautiful -hair and slender forms. - -When he was again with Marjon, he could not help remarking how much less -pretty she was--with her meagre form and pale face--her larger hands and -feet, and short, ash-colored hair. Johannes said nothing about this -little adventure, but was very quiet and introspective. Because of this, -Marjon also was for a long time less merry than usual. - -That afternoon, when they went the round of the place again, trying to -collect money from the families who, according to the German custom, -were taking cake and coffee in front of the hotels and the pavilions, -Johannes felt himself getting very nervous in the neighborhood of the -big hotel into which the two little girls had gone. His heart beat so -fast he could not sing any more. - -And sure enough, as they came nearer, he heard the very same two -bird-like little voices which had been ringing in his ears the whole day -long, shouting for joy. That was not on account of Little Johannes, but -of Keesje. For the first time Johannes was fiercely jealous of him. - -In a gentle, quieting way, a musical voice called out two names: -"Olga!--Frieda!" - -But Johannes was too much confused and undone to note clearly what he -saw. It was they--the two lovely children whom he had first seen in the -morning--and they came close up, and spoke to Keesje. Their mother -called them again, and then the children coaxed and pleaded, in most -supplicating tones, that the delightful monkey might be allowed to come -a little nearer--that they might give him some cake, and that he might -perform his tricks. - -It seemed to Johannes as if he were in a dream--as if everything around -him were hazy and indistinct. He had felt that way when he stood in -Robinetta's house, confronted by those hostile men. But then everything -was dismal and frightful, while now it was glad and glorious. He heard, -vaguely, the confusing sounds of voices, and the clatter of cups and -saucers, and silver utensils. He felt the touch of the children's gentle -little hands, and was led to a small table whence the reproving voice -had sounded. A lady and a gentleman were sitting there. Some dainties -were given to Keesje. - -"Can you sing?" asked a voice in German. - -Then Johannes bethought him for the first time that the two little girls -had been speaking in English. Marjon tuned her guitar and gave him a -hard poke in the side with the neck of it, because she found him getting -so flustered again. Then they sang the song that Johannes had completed -that morning, and which Marjon had since put to music. - - "Ah, scarlet geranium, blossom true! - Ah, lovely lobelia blue! - Why gaze at me so mournfully? - Why thus bedight, - This morning bright - With glistening tears of dew? - - "Ah! is't remembrance of olden days, - When the exquisite nightingale sung? - When the fairies danced, over mossy ways, - In the still moonlight, - 'Neath the stars so bright, - When yet the world was young? - - "Ah, scarlet geranium, blossom true! - Ah, lovely lobelia blue! - The sun is grown dim, and the sky o'ercast, - The winds grow cold, - The world is old, - And the Autumn comes fast--so fast!" - -Johannes was singing clearly again. The lump in his throat had gone away -as suddenly as it had come. - -Then he heard the gentleman say in great astonishment: "They are singing -in Dutch!" And then they had to repeat their song. - -Johannes sang as he never yet had sung--with full fervor. All his -sadness, all his indefinite longings, found voice in his song. Marjon -accompanied him with soft, subdued guitar-strokes, and with her alto -voice. Yet the music was entirely hers. - -The effect upon the family at the table, moreover, was quite different -from that which up to this time they had produced. The stylish lady -uttered a prolonged "Ah!" in a soft, high voice, and closely scanned the -pair through a long-handled, tortoise-shell lorgnette. The gentleman -said in Dutch: "Fine! First rate! Really, that is unusually good!" The -little girls clapped their hand, and shouted "Bravo! Bravo!" - -Johannes felt his face glowing with pleasure and satisfaction. Then the -stylish lady, placing her lorgnette in her lap, said: - -"Come up nearer, boys." She, too, now spoke in Dutch, but with a foreign -accent, that sounded very charming to Johannes. - -"Tell me," she said kindly, "where did you come from, and where did you -find that beautiful little song?" - -"We came from Holland, Mevrouw," replied Johannes, still a trifle -confused, "and we made the song ourselves." - -"Made it yourselves!" exclaimed the lady, with affable astonishment, -while she exchanged a glance with the gentleman beside her. "The words, -or the music?" - -"Both," said Johannes. "I made the words, and my friend the music." - -"Well, well, well!" said the lady, smiling at his pretty air of -self-satisfaction. - -And then they both had to sit at the table and have some cake and -coffee. Johannes was gloriously happy, but the two dear little girls had -eyes only for Keesje, whom they tried cautiously to caress. When Keesje -turned his head round rather too suddenly, and looked at them too -sharply out of his piercing little brown eyes, they quickly withdrew -their small white hands, making merry little shrieks of fright. How -jealous Johannes was of Keesje! Marjon wore the serious, indifferent -expression of face that was native to her. - -"Now tell us a little more," said the charming lady. "Surely you are not -common tramps, are you?" - -Johannes looked into the refined face, and the eyes that were slightly -contracted from near-sightedness. It seemed to him as if he never before -had seen such a noble and beautiful lady. She was far from old -yet--perhaps thirty years of age--and was very exquisitely dressed, with -a cloud of lace about her shoulders and wrists, pearls around her neck, -and wearing a profusion of sparkling rings and bracelets. An exquisite -perfume surrounded her, and as she looked at Johannes, and addressed him -so kindly, he was completely enchanted and bewildered. Acceding to her -request he began, with joyful alacrity, to tell of himself and his life, -of the death of his father, of his Aunt Serena, and of his meeting with -Marjon, and their flight together. But still he was discreet enough not -to begin about Windekind and Pluizer, and his first meeting with Markus. - -The circle gave close attention, while Marjon looked as dull and -dejected as ever, and busied herself with Keesje. - -"How extremely interesting!" said the children's mother, addressing the -gentleman who sat next her. "Do you not think so, Mijnheer van -Lieverlee?--Very, very interesting?" - -"Yes, Mevrouw, I do, indeed--very peculiar! It is a find. What is your -name, my boy?" - -"Johannes, Mijnheer." - -"Is that so?--But you are not Johannes, the friend of Windekind!" - -Johannes blushed, and stammered in great confusion: "Yes,--I am he, -Mijnheer!" - -Suddenly Keesje gave an ugly screech, causing the lady and gentleman to -start nervously. Evidently, Marjon had pinched his tail--a thing she -rarely did. - - - - -XVI - - -See, now, what comes of not doing what I expressly desired! Mijnheer van -Lieverlee knew very well that I did not wish Little Johannes to be taken -in hand; and yet now it happened, and, as you are to hear, with -disastrous consequences. - -Mijnheer van Lieverlee was not more than six years the senior of -Johannes. He had large blue eyes, a waxy white face with two spots of -soft color, a scanty, flax-like, double-pointed beard, and a thick tuft -of sandy hair artfully arranged above his forehead. A scarf-pin of blue -sapphires was sparkling in his broad, dark-violet scarf, a high, -snow-white collar reached from his modish coat-collar up to the hair in -his neck, and his hands--covered with rings--were resting on the -exquisitely carved, ivory head of an ebony walking-stick. On the table, -in front of him, lay a fine, light-grey felt hat, and his pantaloons -were of the same color. - -All were silent for a moment after Johannes' acknowledgment. Then -Mijnheer van Lieverlee pulled out a handsome pocket-book, bearing an -ornamental monogram in small diamonds, made in it several entries, and -said to the lady: - -"We can say to a certainty that this is not an accident. Evidently, his -'karma' is favorable. That he should have come directly here to us who -know his history, and comprehend his soul, is the work of the highest -order of intelligences--those who are attending him. We must heed the -suggestion." - -"It surely is an important circumstance, and one to be considered," said -the lady, irresolutely. "Where do you live?" - -"Over there by the railway--in the lodging-house," replied Marjon. - -Mevrouw looked rather coldly, and said: "Well, boys, you may go home -now. Here are three marks for each of you. And, Johannes, will you not -write out that little song for me? There really was a charming -melancholy in it. 'Twas sympathetic." - -"Yes, Mevrouw, I will do so. And then may I come and bring it to you -myself?" - -"Certainly, certainly!" said the lady; but, at the same time, she -closely scrutinized his clothing, through her lorgnette. - -When they had turned away, and were out of sight, Marjon ran straight -back again to the rear of the hotel, and began making personal -inquiries, and kept busy as long as she could find any one who knew -anything about the household of the stately lady, and the two lovely -little girls. - -"Do you mean the Countess?" asked a conceited head-waiter, with scornful -emphasis. "Do you perchance belong to the family?" - -"Well, why not?" retorted Marjon, with great self-assurance. "All the -same, there have been countesses who eloped with head-waiters." - -The cook and the chambermaids laughed. - -"Clear out, you rascal!" said the waiter. - -"What country is she from?" asked Marjon, undeterred. - -"She? She has no native country. The Count was a Pole, and the Countess -came from America. At present she is living in Holland." - -"Widow--or divorced?" asked one of the chambermaids. - -"Divorced, of course! That's much more interesting." - -"And that young Hollander? Is he related to her?" - -"What! He's a fellow-traveler. They met there." - -"Shall we not start out again, Jo?" asked Marjon, as they sat together -eating their supper of brown bread and cheese, in the same cramped, -smoky room where the humble Hercules and his little daughter were also -sitting--dressed, at present, in shabby civilian clothes, and each -provided with a glass of beer. - -"I am going to take my song," said Johannes. - -"Manage it some way, Jo; I'll have nothing to do with those people." - -Johannes ate his supper in silence. But, secretly, his feeling toward -Marjon grew cooler, and she dropped in his estimation. She was jealous, -or insensitive to what was beautiful or noble in people. She had also -lived so long among dirty and rude folk! Oh, those two dear little -girls! They were nobler and more refined beings. -Softly--fervently--Johannes repeated their names: "Olga! Frieda!" - -Then, as true as you live, there came a gold-bebraided small boy from -the big hotel, bearing a note so perfumed that the close little room was -filled with its sweetness; and the beer drinkers sniffed it with -astonishment. - -It was from Mijnheer, requesting Johannes to come to him, but without -the monkey. - -"Go by yourself," said Marjon. "Kees mustn't go along because he has an -odor of another sort. You may say that I prefer that of Kees." - -Mijnheer van Lieverlee was drinking strong black coffee from small metal -cups, and smoking a Turkish pipe with an amber mouthpiece. At each pull -of the pipe the water gurgled. He wore black silk hose and polished -shoes, and he invited Johannes to a seat beside him on the broad divan. - -After a pause he addressed Johannes as follows: "There--that's it, -Johannes! Sit quite still, and while we talk try to maintain yourself in -the uppermost soul-sphere." Then, after a period of pipe-gurgling, -Mijnheer van Lieverlee asked: "Are you there?" - -Johannes was not quite sure about it, but he nodded assent, being very -curious concerning what was to follow. - -"I can ask you that, Johannes, because we understand each other -instantly. You and I, you know--you and I! We knew each other before we -were in the body. It is not necessary for us to make each other's -acquaintance after the manner of ordinary, commonplace people. We can -instantly do as you and Windekind did. We are not learning to know, but -we recognize each other." - -Johannes listened attentively to this interesting and extraordinary -statement. He looked at the speaker respectfully, and tried indeed to -recall him, but without success. - -"You will already have wondered that I should know about your -adventures. But that is not so very marvelous, for there is some one -else to whom you appear to have told them. Do you know whom I mean?" - -Johannes knew well whom he meant. - -"Really, you ought not to have done it, Johannes. When I heard of it I -said at once that it was a great pity. The world is too coarse and -superficial in such matters. People do not comprehend them. You must not -permit that which is rare and delicate to be desecrated and contaminated -by the foul touch of the indifferent public--the stupid multitude. Do -you understand?" - -Johannes nodded, the pipe gurgled, and Mijnheer van Lieverlee took a sip -of coffee. Then, in a lighter tone, and gesticulating airily with his -slender, white hands, he resumed: - -"The veil of Maja, Johannes, obscures the vision of all who are -created--of all who breathe and have aspirations--of all who enjoy and -suffer. We must extricate ourselves from it. Will you have some coffee, -too?" - -"If you please, Mijnheer," said Johannes. - -"A cigarette? Or do you not smoke yet?" - -"No, Mijnheer." - -"It is true, Windekind did not like tobacco smoke. But I do not smoke as -common people do, for the fun of it or because it is pleasant. No! I -permit myself to do so through my lowest qualities--the eighth and ninth -articulations of Karma-Rupa. My higher attributes--the fourth and fifth ---remain apart; just as a gentleman from the balcony of his country-seat -views his cattle grazing. The cows do nothing but eat ravenously, -digest, and eliminate. The gentleman makes of them a poem or a -picture." - -A pause, accompanied by the gurgling of the pipe. - -"Well, as I have said, we should not cast before swine the pearls of our -higher sensations and states of mind. We, Johannes--you and I, who have -already passed through many incarnations--we are aged souls--we have -already worn the veil so long that it is beginning to wear out. We can -see through it. Now, we must not have too much to do with those young -novices who are just setting out. We should decline, retrograde, and -lose the benefit of our costly conquests." - -That all seemed quite just to Johannes, and very flattering moreover. -And it was also now made clear to him why he got on so poorly with -people. He was of age, among minors. - -"We, Johannes," resumed Van Lieverlee, "belong, so to speak, to the -veterans of life. We bear the scars of countless incarnations, the -stripes of many years--or, rather, let me say ages--of service. We must -maintain our rank, and not throw to the dogs our dignity and prestige. -This you will do if you continue to noise abroad all your intimate -experiences; and I believe you still have a childish and quite perilous -tendency that way." - -Johannes thought of his many faults and blunders--of his stupidity in -asserting his wisdom at school, and in blurting out Windekind's name -before the men. Ashamed, he sat staring into his empty coffee cup. - -"In short, it evidently was intended that you should find me, this -time--me and Countess Dolores. For you must know that you have found two -souls of the supremest refinement. Exactly what you need." - -"Yes, how charming she is, and how lovely the children are!" chimed in -Johannes, enthusiastically. - -"Not on account of her being a countess," said Van Lieverlee, with a -gesture of disdain. "Titles signify nothing with us. My family is -perhaps more distinguished than hers. But she is the sister of our -souls--a blending of glowing passion and lily-white purity." - -At these fine words of Van Lieverlee, uttered with great care and -emphasis, Johannes felt himself coloring with embarrassment. How did any -one dare to say such words as if it were nothing? - -"Are you a poet?" he asked bashfully. - -"Certainly, I am. But you are one also, my boy. Did you not know it? -Well, then, let me tell you, you are a poet. You see, at present you are -the ugly duckling that for the first time meets a swan. Do you -understand? Do not be afraid, Johannes. Do not be afraid, brother swan! -Lift up your yellow beak--I shall not oppress you, but embrace you." - -Johannes did lift up his yellow beak, but, instead of embracing him, Van -Lieverlee took out the diamond-bedecked pocket-book, and began writing -in it, hurriedly. Then, as he put away book and pencil, he smilingly -said: "One must hold fast to good ideas. They are precious." - -"Well, then," he resumed, drawing at his pipe again, while again it -gurgled loudly, "you really could not have managed better, in the -pursuit of your great aim, than to have come to us. We know the -explanation of all those singular adventures with Pluizer and Windekind, -and we can show you the infallible way to what you are seeking. That is, -we go together." - -Now was not that good news for Johannes? How stupid of Marjon not to be -willing to go too! He listened thoughtfully to what followed. - -"Give me your attention, Johannes, and I will tell you who all those -beings are that you have encountered. I will also solve the riddle of -their power, and tell you what there remains for us to do." - -At that moment the door opened, and Countess Dolores came in with the -children. She was dazzling, with magnificent jewels sparkling on her -bare neck and arms. The children were in white. The grand table-d'hote -was over, and the countess had now come to drink her Arabic coffee with -Van Lieverlee. - -"Ah!" said she, looking at him through her lorgnette, "Have you a -visitor? Shall we disturb you? But, really you can make such delicious -coffee, and I cannot endure the hotel coffee!" - -"Where is the monkey? Where is the monkey?" cried the two children, -running up to Johannes. - -Johannes stood up, in confusion. The two winsome children encircled him. -He scented the exquisite perfume of their luxuriant hair and their rich -dress. He felt their warm breath, their soft hands. He was charmed, -through and through--possessed by delightful emotions. The little girls -caressed him while they, asked after the monkey, until the gently -reproachful "Olga!--Frieda!" sounded again. - -Then they went and sat with Johannes on the sofa, one each side of him. -The mother lighted a cigarette. - -"Now proceed with your talking," said she, "so that I can be learning a -little." Then in English: "If you listen quietly, girls, and are not -troublesome, you may stay here." - -Van Lieverlee had risen, put aside his Turkish pipe, grasped the lapel -of his skirtless dinner coat with his left hand, and was gesticulating -with the right, in front of Johannes and the countess. - -"I ought to explain to him who Windekind, Wisterik, or--What is his -name? Wistarik?... and Pluizer, are, Mevrouw. You know, do you not, -those characters in Johannes' life?" - -"I--I--do not recall them," said the lady, "but that is nothing--speak -out. Do not mind me. I do not count. I am only a silly creature." - -"Ah! If people in general were similarly silly! Windekind, Wisterik, and -Pluizer, then Johannes, are nothing other than "dewas," or elementals, -materialized by a supreme effort of the will. They are personified, or -rather impersonated, natural power--plasmatic appearances from the -crystal-clear, elementary oneness. Windekind is harmonic poetry, or, -rather, poetic harmony--the original dawning, or, rather, the dawning -originality, of our planetary aboriginal consciousness. Wistarik, on the -contrary, or Pluizer, is demoniacal antithesis--the eternally skeptical -negation, or negative skepticism. They are like all ebb and flow, like -the swinging pendulum, like winter and summer, eternally struggling with -each other--continually destroying and forever reviving, the -indispensable, mutually excluding, and yet again mutually complementing, -first principles of dualistic monism, or of monistic dualism." - -"How interesting!" murmured the countess; and turning to Johannes, she -asked very seriously: "And have you really met with these elementals?" - -"I--I believe I have," stammered Johannes. - -"But, Van Lieverlee, then he truly is a medium! Do you not think so?" - -"Of the second grade, Mevrouw, undoubtedly. Perhaps, with study and -proper culture, he will attain the first rank." - -"But would it not be well for us to introduce him to the Pleiades?" - -And turning toward Johannes, she said affably: "We have a circle, you -know, for the study of the higher sciences, and for the general -improvement of our 'Karma.'" - -"An ideal society, with a social ideal," supplemented Van Lieverlee. - -That sounded very alluring to Johannes. Would Frieda and Olga belong to -it also? he wondered. - -He said, however, as politely and modestly as possible: "But, Mevrouw, -would I really be in place there?" - -His manner pleased the countess. Smiling most sweetly she said: "Surely, -my boy! Rank has nothing to do with the higher knowledge." - -Then to Van Lieverlee, in English, with that characteristic, cool -loftiness of the English, who suppose the hearer does not understand -their language: "Really, he is not so bad?--not so very common!" - -But Johannes had learned English at school; yet, because he was still -such a mere boy, with so little self-consciousness, he felt flattered -rather than offended. He said--using English now, himself: "I am not -good yet, but I will try my best to become so." - -This word fell again upon good ground, with mother and daughters. There -came to Johannes that exhilarating sensation of making conquests; he, -Little Johannes--a brief while ago the scissors-grinder boy--at present -a singer of street songs--_he_, in a world of supremely refined spirits, -with a beautiful countess, all decked with glittering jewels, and her -two enchanting little daughters! And that, not on account of birth or -patronage, but through his own personal powers. If he could only see -Wistik again, now--how he would boast of it! - -But, suddenly, to his honor be it said, something else occurred to him: - -"My comrade, Mevrouw! May we both go?" - -"Who is your comrade? How did you meet him?" - -Whoever had heard Johannes then would not have said that, only so short -a time ago, he had thought slightingly of his little friend. He stood up -for her warmly, described her natural goodness and her unusual -talents,--yes even drew on his imagination for her probable noble -origin, until it ended in his having touched the heart of Countess -Dolores. But, in his enthusiasm, he said, by turns, "he" and "she," so -that one of the little girls, being observing, as children usually are, -abruptly asked: "Why do you say 'she'? Is it a girl?" - -Then Johannes confessed. It could do no harm here, he thought--among -such high-minded people. Blushing more deeply than ever, he said: "Yes, -it is really a girl. She is disguised, so as not to fall into anybody's -hands." - -Van Lieverlee looked at Johannes very sternly and critically, without -making any comment. The little girls, with a serious air, said: "How -lovely!" Mevrouw laughed, rather nervously: - -"Oh, oh! That is romantic. Almost piquant. Then let her come, but in the -clothing that belongs to her, if you please." - -"And the monkey, Mama? Will the monkey come, too?" asked Olga, the -elder. - -"Oh, lovely, lovely!" cried Frieda, clapping her hands. - -"No, children; it is not to be thought of. Of course, you understand, -Johannes, that the monkey cannot come with you. He would have a very bad -influence. Would he not, Van Lieverlee?" - -Van Lieverlee nodded his head emphatically, and, with an expressive -gesture of refusal, said: "It would simply nullify all the higher -influences. We must exclude carefully all low and impure fluids. The -monkey, Johannes, has in general a very low and unfavorable aura, or -inimical sphere, as you may always perceive from his fatal odor." - -"It would make me ill," said the countess, putting her handkerchief to -her face at the very thought of it. - -So Johannes walked home that evening, proud and happy, with his head -full of brilliant fancies; but at the same time burdened with a -charge--a message to Marjon--which grew more and more heavy as the -distance between him and the grand hotel increased, and the distance -between him and the small lodging-house lessened. - - - - -XVII - - -You will be sure to think matters went hard that night, in the rank -little room, and that there was a scene between Marjon and Johannes, -involving many tears. If so, this time you have made a mistake. - -Even before he reached the house, the task had become too difficult for -him. When he saw Marjon, with her stolid face, sitting as she probably -had been sitting the entire evening--listless and lonely, his own joyful -excitement vanished, and with it went the inclination to be outspoken -and communicative. He well knew in advance that he should meet with no -response nor interest. And what chance would there be of inducing Marjon -to give up Keesje for the Pleiades, so long as he could not convey to -her even the slightest spark of that ardent admiration for the beautiful -and worthy of which he himself had become conscious. - -Therefore, he said nothing, and, as Marjon asked no questions, they went -calmly and peacefully to sleep. Johannes, however, first lay awake a -long time, musing over the splendid worldly conquest he had made, and -the distressing difficulties into which it had led him. Marjon would not -go with him, that was certain; and ought he to desert her again? Or must -he renounce all that beauty--the most beautiful of all things he had -found in the world? - -You must not suppose, however, that he had such great expectations from -what Van Lieverlee had pictured to him. Although looking up with -intelligent respect to one so much older than himself, so elegant and -superior in appearance, and who professed to be so traveled, well read, -and eloquent, Johannes in this instance was clever enough to see that -not all was gold that glittered. - -But the two dear little girls and their beautiful mother drew him with -an irresistible force. If there was anything good and fine in this -world, it was here. Should he turn away so long as he could cling to it? -Had the supremely good Father ever permitted him to see more beautiful -creatures? and should he esteem any faith more holy than faith in the -Father of whom Markus had taught him, and who only made himself known -through the beauty of his creation? - - * * * * * - -The following day he found himself no nearer a solution of his -difficulties. Marjon still asked no questions, and gave him no -opportunity to tell anything. - -Keesje sipped his sweetened coffee out of Marjon's saucer with much -noisy enjoyment, carefully wiping out what remained with his flat hand, -and licking it off, while he kept sending swift glances after more, as -calmly and peacefully as if the Pleiades and the higher knowledge had no -existence. - -How, then, could Johannes now accompany her to their daily work? He did -not feel himself in a condition to do so; and, since they had received -six marks extra, the day before, he said he was going out to take a -walk, alone, in order to think. "Perhaps I may come home with a new -poem," said he. But he had slight hope of doing so. He would be so glad -if he could find a way out of his difficulties. He went to seek help in -the mountains. Was there not there an undefined bit of nature, the same -as on the dunes of his native land--beside the sea? - -Marjon's pale face wore a really sorrowful look, because he wanted to go -without her. Her obstinacy gave way, and she would have liked to -question him, but she held herself loftily and said: "Have your fling, -but don't get lost." - - * * * * * - -Johannes went up the mountain path where he had first seen the two -little girls. It was a still, beautiful September day--a little misty. -Here and there, beneath the underwood, the ferns had become all brown; -and the blackberries, wet with dew, were glistening along his way amid -their red-bordered leaves. How many spider-webs there were amidst the -foliage! There was a solemn stillness over all; but, as Johannes climbed -farther up the mountain dell, he heard the constant rushing of water, -and in the small mountain meadows--the open places in the woods--he saw -many little rivulets glistening in the grass, gurgling and murmuring as -they flowed. - -Still farther, where the woods were denser and the mountains more -lonely, he heard now and then the sound of a fleeing deer; and he saw -too a fine roe, with fear-filled eyes and large ears directed toward -himself from the forest's edge. - -At last he came to a narrow path bordering a small brook. To right and -left were dark rocks glistening with moisture and beautifully overgrown -with fantastic lichens; and there were little rosette-like clumps of -ferns, and exquisite, graceful maiden-hair, gently quivering in the -spray of the waterfall. Higher up began the overhanging underwood, and -thorny bramble-bushes, while only now and then were there glimpses of -the steep mountain sides, with the knotty roots of dense firs and -beeches. - -There seemed no end to that path. It wound all through the bottom of the -ravine, following the brook--sometimes crossing it by a couple of -stepping-stones, and thence again continuing to the other bank. And it -grew stiller in the mountains. The blue sky above could seldom be seen, -and the sunlight sifted only dimly through the leaves of the mountain -ash and the hazel tree. Tall digitalis, with its rows of red and yellow -bells, looked down upon Johannes out of the shadowy depths of the -thicket with venomous regard, as if threatening him. - -Where was he? An agitation, half anxious, half delightful, took -possession of him. It was like Windekind's wonderland here! - -He went on and on, wondering how much farther he could go without there -being a change. He grew very tired, and then quite distressed. - -Out of the general stillness a vague, indefinable sound now proceeded. -At first it seemed to be the throbbing and rushing of his blood, and the -heart-beats in his ears; but it was stronger and more distinct--a -roaring, with an undertone of melancholy moaning like continuous thunder -or ocean surf, constant and regular, and, also, a higher note sounding -by fits and starts, like the ringing of bells borne by a high wind. - -And listen! A sound loud as the report of a cannon, making the ground -tremble! - -Johannes ran about in his agitation, looking on all sides. But there was -no wind--every leaflet, every blade of grass, was still as death. The -sound of water, alone--the rush of water--grew louder! - -Then he saw, in front of him, the small cascade which caused the sound. -The brook was flowing over the face of a rock, down amid the ferns. The -path seemed to come to an end, and lose itself in the darkness. - -Behind the waterfall, hidden by the foaming flow as by a veil, was a -grotto, and the path entered it. - -And now Johannes heard the sounds clearly--as if they were coming out of -the earth: the deep resounding, the short intermittent thunderclaps, and -the ringing of bells--incessant and regular. - -He sat down beside the path much agitated, and panting from his rapid -movement, and gazed through the veil of water into the cool, dark -grotto. He sat there a long time, listening, hesitating, not knowing -whether to venture farther or to turn back. - -And slowly--slowly--a great mysterious sadness began to steal over him. -He saw, too, that the mists were still rising from the valley, and that -a mass of dark grey clouds was silently taking the place of the glad -sunlight. - -Then he heard near him a slight sound--a soft, sad sighing--a slight, -gentle wailing--a helpless sobbing. - -And, sitting on the rock next to him he saw his little friend Wistik. He -was looking straight at Wistik's little bald head, with its thin grey -hair. The poor fellow had taken off his little red cap, and was holding -it, with both hands, up to his face. He was sobbing and sniveling into -it as if his heart would break, and the tears were trickling down his -long, pointed beard to the ground. - -"Wistik!" cried Johannes, filled with pity and distress. "What is it, -little friend--my good mannikin? What is the matter?" - -But Wistik shook his head. He was crying so hard he could not speak. - -At last he controlled himself, took his cap wet with tears away from his -face, and put it on his head. Then, sobbing and hiccoughing, he slid -from his seat, and stepped upon the stone in the brook. With both hands -he grasped the sparkling veil of falling water, tore a broad rent in it, -turned round his whimpering little face, and silently beckoned Johannes -to follow him. - -The latter went through the dark fissure while Wistik held the water -aside, and reached the interior quite dry. Not a drop fell upon his -head. Then they went farther into the cavern, Wistik taking the lead, -for he was used to the darkness and knew the way. Johannes followed, -holding him by the coat. - -It was totally dark, and continued so a long time while they walked on, -perceptibly downward, over the smooth, hard way. - -The sombre sounds grew louder and louder about them. The echoing, the -peals of thunder, the ringing of bells--all these overwhelmed now the -babbling of the water. - -In the distance the light was shining--a grey twilight, pale as the -misty morning. The day shone in, making the wet stones glimmer with a -feeble sheen. A tumultuous noise now penetrated the rocky passage, and -the screaming and bellowing of the wind-storm greeted the ear. - -Soon they were standing outside, in sombre daylight. There was nothing -to be seen save a desolate heap of mighty rocks, grizzly and -water-stained. No plant--not a blade of grass--was growing in its -midst. - -Just before them an angry sea was roaring and raving, casting great -breakers upon the strand. Once in a while Johannes saw the white foam -tossing high. Great, quivering flakes were torn away by the storm, and -driven from rock to rock. - -Iron-grey clouds, in ragged patches, were chasing along the heavens, -transforming themselves as they sped. They scudded close to the boiling -sea, and the white foam torn from the mighty breakers seemed almost to -touch them. The earth trembled as the waves broke on the rocks, and the -wind howled and shrieked and whistled amid the uproar, like the baying -of a dog at the moon, or the yell of a man in desperation. - -Wherever the dark clouds were torn apart an alarmingly livid night sky -was exposed. - -Oppressed by the high wind, blinded by the spray, Johannes sought -shelter with Wistik in the lee of a rock, and looked away, over the open -country. - -It appeared to be evening. Over the sea, but at the extreme left, where -Johannes had never seen it, the sunlight was visible. For one instant -the face of the sun itself could be seen--sad, and red as blood--not far -from the horizon. Beneath it, like pillars of glowing brass, the rays of -light streamed down to rest upon the sea. - -And now and then, on the other side, high up in the ashen sky, appeared -the pale face of the moon--deathly pale, hopelessly sad, motionless and -resigned--in the midst of the furious troop of clouds. - -Johannes looked at his friend in indescribable anguish. - -"Wistik, what is this? Where are we? What is happening?--_Wistik!_" - -But Wistik shook his head, lifted up his swollen eyes toward the sky, -and, in mute anguish, clenched his fists. - -Above the roar of wind and sea could still be heard the deep-toned -sound, like the report of cannon or the booming of bells. Johannes -looked around. Behind him rose the mountains--black and menacing--their -proud, heaven-high heads confronting the rushing swirl of clouds that -were piled up, miles high, into a rounded black mass. At times it -lightened vividly and then followed a frightful peal of thunder. And -when one of the highest peaks was freed from its mantle of mists, -Johannes saw that it was afire with a steady, orange-colored glow which -grew ever fiercer and whiter. - -The tolling of bells came from every direction, as if thousands on -thousands of cathedral bells were ringing in unison. - -Then Wistik and Johannes took their way inland, clambering over the -jagged rocks, clinging to each other in the wild wind. The sea thundered -still louder, and the wind whistled as if in utter frenzy--like an -imprisoned maniac tugging at his bars. - -"It is no use," wailed Wistik. "It is no use. He is dead, dead, dead!" - -Then Johannes heard the winds speaking as he had formerly heard the -flowers and animals talk. - -"He shall live!" shrieked the Wind; "I will not let him die!" - -And the Sea spoke: "Them that menace him shall I destroy--his enemies -devour. The hills shall I grind to powder, and all animals o'erwhelm." - -Then spoke the Mountain: "It is too late. The time is fulfilled. He is -dead." - -Now Johannes knew what it was the bells were sounding. They cried -through all the earth, and the darkened heavens: - -"Pan is dead! Pan is dead!" - -And the pale Moon spoke softly and plaintively: - -"Alas! poor earth! Where now is thy beauty? Now shall we -weep--weep--weep!" - -Finally, the Sun also spoke: "The Eternal changes not. A new day has -come. Be resigned." - -And all at once it grew still--perfectly still. The wind went suddenly -down. The air was so motionless that the iridescent foam-bubbles floated -hither and thither as if uncertain where to alight. - -A silence, full of dread, oppressed the whole dreary land. - -The waste of waters only, could not so suddenly subside, and still -pounded in heavy rollers upon the shore. - -But it also grew still and calm--so calm that the sun and the moon were -reflected in it, as perfectly as in a mirror. - -The thunder was silenced about the volcano, and everything was waiting. -But the bells pealed on, loud and clear: - -"Pan is dead! Pan is dead!" - -And now the clouds formed a dark, fleecy layer above the mountains--soft -and black, like mourning crepe. From it there fell perpendicularly a -fine rain, as if the heavens were shedding silent tears. - -The air was clearer above the sea, and moon and evening star stood -bright against a pale, greenish sky. Glowing in a cloudless space, the -red sun was nearing the horizon. When Johannes turned away and looked -toward the mountains, now veiled in leaden mists, a marvelous double -rainbow, with its brilliant colors, was spanning the ashen land. - -Out of a deep valley that cleft the mountains like the gash of a sword, -and upon whose sides Johannes thought to have seen dark forests, -approached a long, slow-moving procession. - -Strange, shadowy figures like large night-moths hovered and floated -before it, and flew silently like phantoms beside it. - -Then came gigantic animals with heavy, cautious tread--elephants with -swaying trunks and shuffling hide, their bony heads rolling up and down; -rhinoceri, with heads held low, and glittering, ill-natured eyes; -snuffling, snorting hippopotami, with their watery, cruel glances; -indolent, sullen monsters with flabby-fleshed bodies supported by slim -little legs; serpents, large and small, gliding and zig-zagging over the -ground like an oncoming flood; herds of deer and antelopes and -gazelles--all of them distressed and frightened, and jostling one -another; troops of buffaloes and cattle, pushing and thrusting; lions -and tigers, now creeping stealthily, then bounding lightly up over the -turbulent throng, as fishes, chased from below, spring out of the -undulating water; and round about the procession, thousands of -birds--some of them with slow, heavy wing-strokes--alighting at times -upon the rocks by the wayside; others, incessantly on the wing, circling -and swaying, back and forth and up and down; finally, myriads of -insects--bees and beetles, flies and moths--like great clouds, grey and -white and varicolored, all in ceaseless motion. - -And every creature in the throng which could make a sound made -lamentation after its own fashion. The loudest was the worried, -smothered lowing of the cattle, the howling and barking of the wolves -and hyenas, and the shrill, quivering "oolooloo" of the owls. - -The whole was one volume of voiced sorrow--an overwhelming cry of woe -and lamentation, rising above a continual, sombre humming; and buzzing. - -"This is only the vanguard," said Wistik, whose despair had calmed a -little at the sight of this lively spectacle. "These are only the -animals yet. Now the animal-spirits are coming." - -Then, in a great open space respectfully avoided by all the animals, -came a group of wonderful figures. All had the shapes of animals, only -they were larger and more perfectly formed. They seemed also to be much -more proud and sagacious, and they moved not by means of feet and wings, -but floated like shadows, while their eyes and heads seemed to emit rays -of light, like the sea on a dark night. - -"Come up nearer," said Wistik. "They know us." - -And it really seemed to Johannes as if the ghosts of the animals greeted -them, sadly and solemnly; but only those of the animals known to him in -his native land. And what most impressed him was that the largest and -most beautiful were not those esteemed most highly by human beings. - -"Oh, look! Wistik, are those the butterfly-spirits? How big and handsome -they are!" - -They were splendid creatures--large as a house--with radiant eyes, and -their bodies and wings were clearly marked in brilliant colors. But the -wings of all of them were drooping as though with weariness, and they -looked at Johannes seriously, silently. - -"Are there plant-spirits, too, Wistik?" - -"Oh, yes, Johannes, but they are very large and vague and elusive. Look! -There they come--floating along." - -And Wistik pointed out to him the hurrying, hazy figures that Johannes -had first seen in front of the procession. - -"Now he is coming! Now he is coming! Oh! Oh! Oh!" wailed Wistik, taking -off his cap and beginning to cry again. - -Surrounded by throngs of weeping nymphs who were singing a soft and -sorrowful dirge--their arms intertwined about one anothers' -shoulders--their faded wreaths and long hair dripping with the -rain--came the great bier of rude boughs whereon lay Father Pan, hidden -beneath ivy and poppies and violets. He was borne by young, -brawny-muscled fauns, whose ruddy faces, bowed at their task, were -distorted with suppressed sobs. In the rear was a throng of grave -centaurs, shuffling mutely along, their heads upon their chests, now and -then striking their trunks and flanks with their rough fists, making -them sound like drums. - -Curled up, as if he intended to stay there, a little squirrel was lying -on the hairy breast of Pan. A robin redbreast sat beside his ear, -mournfully and patiently coaxing, coaxing incessantly, in the vague hope -that he might still hear. But the broad, good-natured face with its -kindly smile never stirred. - -When Johannes saw that, and recognized his good Father Pan, he burst -into tears which he made no effort to restrain. - -"Now the monsters are coming," whispered Wistik. "The monsters of the -primal world." - -Ugh! That was a spectacle to turn one into ice! Dragons, and horrid -shapes bigger than ten elephants, with frightful horns and teeth, and -armor of spikes; long, powerful necks, having upon them small heads with -large, dull eyes and sharp teeth; and pale, grey-green and black, -sometimes dark-red or emerald-green, spots on the deeply wrinkled, -knotty or shiny skin. All these now went past with awkward jump or -trailing body; most of the time mute, but sometimes making a gruff, -quickly uttered, far-sounding howl. And then odd creatures like reddish -bats, having hooked beaks and curved claws, flashed through the air with -their black and yellow wings, chattering and clumsily floundering in -their flight. - -At last, when the entire multitude had come to the broad, rocky strand, -thousands upon thousands of little and big rings were circling over the -mirror-like surface of the water, as far as eye could see; swift -dolphins sprang in and out of the water, in graceful curves; pointed, -dorsal fins of sharks and brown-fish cut the smooth surface swiftly, in -straight lines, leaving behind them widely diverging furrows. The mighty -heads of shining black whales pushed the water from in front of them, -spouting out white streams of vapor with a sound like that of escaping -steam. - -The sun neared the horizon, the rain ceased falling, and the mists -melted away, disclosing other stars. Above the crater of the mountain -stretched a dark plume of smoke, and beneath it the fire now glowed -calmly, at white heat. - -Then all that din of turbulent life grew fainter and fainter, until -nothing was audible save a faint sighing and wailing. At last--utter -silence. - -The bier of Pan was resting upon the seashore, encircled by all the -living. - -The red rays of the sun lighted up the great corpse, the tree-trunks -upon which it rested, and the dark heaps of withered leaves and flowers. -But also they shot up the mountain heights, sparkling and flaming in -glory there--over the rigid, basaltic rocks. - -Wistik stared at the red-reflecting mountain-top, with great, wide-open -eyes, and a pale, startled little face, and then cried in a smothered -voice: - -"Kneel, Johannes, Kneel! She comes! Our holy Mother comes!" - -Trembling with awe, Johannes waited expectantly. - -He could not begin to comprehend that which he saw. Was it a cloud? a -blue-white cloud? But why was it not red, in the glow of that sunset? -Was it a glacier? But look! The blue-and-white came falling down like an -avalanche of snow. Steel-blue lightning flashed in sharp lines upon the -red mountain-side. - -Then it seemed to him that the descending vapor was divided. The larger -part, and darker--that at the left--was blue, and blue-green; that at -the right, a brilliant white. - -He saw distinctly now. Two figures were there, in shining, luminous -garments; and the light of them was not dimmed by the splendor of that -setting sun. Rays of green shone from the garment of the larger, but -around the head was an aureole of heavenly blue. The other was clothed -in lustrous white. - -They were so great--so awful! And they swept from the mountain in an -instant of time, as a dove drops from out a tree-top down upon the -field! - -When they stood beside the bier, Johannes looked into the face of the -larger figure, and he felt that it was as near and dear to him as a -mother. It was indeed his mother--Mother Earth. - -She looked upon the dead, and blessed him. She looked at all the living -ones, and mused upon them. Then she looked into the face of the sun ere -it disappeared, and smiled. - -Turning toward the volcano, she beckoned. The side of the crater burst -open with a report like thunder, and a seething stream of lava shot down -like lightning. - -After that everything was night, and gloom, and darkness to Johannes. He -saw the bier on fire--consumed to a pile of burning coals--and the -thick, black smoke enveloped him. - -But also he saw, last of all, the shining white figure moving beside -Mother Earth, irradiating the night and the smoke. He saw Him -coming--bending down to him His radiant face until it embraced the -entire heavens. - -Then he recognized his Guide. - - - - -PART III - - - - -I - - -The warm tears for Father Pan were still flowing down his cheeks, when -Johannes lifted up his eyes with the consciousness of being awake. That -which met his gaze was exactly what he had last seen--the comforting -face of his exalted Brother enveloped by a dun swirl of smoke. But now -it looked different, or else it was perceived through another -sense--like the same story told in another tongue--like the same music -played upon an instrument of different timbre: neither finer nor more -effective, but simpler and more sober. - -He found himself sitting on the slope of a mountain, and saw Markus -bending over him. The sun had set, and the valley lay in twilight, yet -in the dusk one could see the glow of fiery furnaces--could see tall -factory-chimneys out of whose huge throats there rolled great billows of -murky smoke, like dirty wool. The whole valley and everything that grew -on the mountain-side was smirched with black. A constant humming and -buzzing, pounding and resounding, rose up from that city of bare, -blackened buildings. At intervals there flared up from the furnace -bluish yellow and violet flames, like glowing, streaming pennants. The -land looked gloomy and desolate, as if laid waste by lava; yet now and -then, as a rotary oven belched out a flood of brilliant sparks, the grey -air was lighted up for miles beyond. - -"Markus," said Johannes, his heart still heavy with sorrow, "Pan is -dead!" - -"Pan is dead!" said Markus in return. "But your Brother lives." - -"Thank God for that. What brought you here?" - -"I am among the miners, Johannes, and the factory operatives. They need -me." - -"Oh, my Brother! I too need you. I do not know where in the world to go -... and Pan is dead!" - -Johannes embraced the right arm of Markus, and rested his head against -his Brother's shoulder. Thus sitting, he was a long time silent. - -He gazed at the clouded valley with its colossal mine-wheel, the black -chimneys and ovens, the black, yellow, and blue-white wreaths of vapor, -the great iron sheds, and the many-windowed buildings devoid of ornament -and color. - -All about him he could see the sides of the mountains severed as by -great, gaping wounds; the trees prostrate; all nature, with its -beautiful verdure, burned to cinders; and the rocks cleft and crushed. -Upon the top of the mountain, at the very edge of the chasm--an -excavation resembling the hole made by fruit-devouring wasps--several -pine-trees were still standing. But these last children of the forest -were also soon to fall. And in the distance the echo of explosions -reverberated through the mountains, followed by the loud sounds of -falling stones, as the rocks were shattered with dynamite. - -"Pan is dead!" His beautiful wonderland was being destroyed; and in the -new life which was to be founded upon the ruins of the old one, Johannes -knew not where to go. He was frightened and bewildered. - -But had he not found his Brother again, and for the second time beheld -him in a glorified form, clothed in shining raiment? And was he not, -even now, in his warm, comforting presence? - -The thought of this composed and strengthened Johannes. - -"My Brother," he asked, "who killed Pan?" - -"No one. His time had come." - -"But why, then, was he so sad when I asked him about you?" - -"The flower must perish if the fruit is to ripen. A child cries when -night comes and it is time to sleep, because he wants to play longer and -does not know that rest is better for him. All people who continue to be -like children cry about death, which is only a birth and full of joyful -anticipations." - -"Have Pan and Windekind known you, Brother?" - -"No, but they have feared me, as the lesser fears the greater." - -"Will your kingdom, then, be more beautiful than theirs?" - -"As much more beautiful as the sun is brighter than the moon. But the -weak, the frail and timid ones who live in the night-time, will not -perceive this, and will fear the glorious sun." - -For a long time Johannes thought this over. In the far, smoky valley -with its mines and factories, a clock struck--farther away another--in -the distance still another. Thereupon followed the shrill screaming of -steam-whistles, and the loud clanging of bells, and people could be seen -pouring out of the workshops. - -"How gloomy!" exclaimed Johannes. - -Markus smiled. "The black seed also, in the dark ground, is gloomy, yet -it grows to be a glad sunflower." - -"Brother," said Johannes, imploringly, "advise me what to do now. The -beautiful is of the Father, is it not?" - -"Yes, Johannes." - -"Then must I not follow after that which is the most beautiful of all I -have found in this human world? Do tell me!" - -"I only tell you to follow the Father's voice where it seems to call you -most clearly." - -"And what if I am in doubt?" - -"Then you must question, fervently, and, still as a flower, listen with -all your heart." - -"But if I must act?" - -"Then do not for an instant hesitate, but venture in the name of the -Father, trusting in your own and His love, which is one and the same." - -"Then suppose I make a mistake?" - -"You might do that; but if the error is for His sake, He will open your -understanding. Only when you fear for your own sake, and forget Him, can -you be lost." - -"Show me then, Brother, what _your_ way is!" - -"Very well, Johannes. Come with me." - - * * * * * - -Together they descended to the valley. The ground was everywhere -black--black with coal and slag and ashes, and the puddles of water were -like ink. - -From all sides came the sound of heavy footfalls. It seemed as if the -black town would empty itself of all its people. Hundreds of men ran -hither and thither, all of them with heavy, weary, yet hurried steps. -Apparently, they were all running over one another--each one in the -others' way--but yet there was no disorder, for each seemed to know -where he wished to go. - -Most of them looked black--completely begrimed with coal and smoke. -Their hats and blouses were shiny with blackish water. Usually they were -silent; but now and then they called to one another roughly and to the -point, as men do who have spent all their strength, and have none left -for talking or jesting. - -Several were already leaving the wash-houses, cleansed and in their -customary sober garments. Their freshly washed faces looked -conspicuously pale in the twilight, amid those of their unwashed -comrades; but their eyes bore dark rims that could not be cleaned. - -Johannes and Markus went past the mines, the coal pits, and the smelting -works, until they came to long rows of little houses where the families -of the laborers lived. Thitherward also the people were now streaming. -Behind the small windows where wives were waiting with supper, little -lights began to twinkle everywhere. - -Markus and Johannes entered a large, dreary hall having a low wooden -ceiling. In the front part of it two lighted gas-jets were flickering. -The rest of the place was in semi-darkness. There were a good many -benches, but no one had yet arrived. The walls were bare and besmirched, -and upon them were several mottoes and placards. - -For a half-hour the two sat there without speaking. A dismal impression -of the gloom and ugliness of this abode took possession of Johannes. It -was worse than the tedium of the schoolhouse. It seemed more frightful -to have to live here than in the wildest and most desolate spot in -Pan's dominion. There it was always beautiful and grandiose, though -often also terrible. Here all was cramped, uninteresting, bare, and -ugly--the horrors of a nightmare, the most frightful Johannes had ever -known. - -This lasted an hour, and then the great hall gradually filled with -laborers. They came sauntering in, somewhat embarrassed, pipes in their -mouths, hat or cap on head. At first they remained in the dark -background; then, seating themselves here and there upon the benches, -they glanced to right and left and backward, occasionally expectorating -upon the floor. Their faces looked dull and tired, and the hands of most -of them--rough and broad, with black-rimmed nails--hung down open. They -talked in an undertone, at times laughing a little. Women also came in -with children in their arms. Some were still fresh and young, with a bit -of color about their apparel; some, delicate little mothers in a -decline, with deformed bodies, sharp noses, pale cheeks, and hollow -eyes. Others were coarse vixens, with hard, selfish looks and ways. - -The hall filled, and the rows of faces peered through the tobacco smoke, -watching and waiting for what was to take place. - -A laborer--a large, robust red-bearded man--came forward under the -gaslight, and began to speak. He stammered at first, and pushed his -right arm through the air as if he were pumping out the words. But -gradually he grew more fluent; and the hundreds of faces in the hall -followed his attitudes and gestures with breathless interest, until one -could see his anger and his laughter reflected as if in a mirror. And -when he broke off a sentence with a sharp, explosive inquiry, then the -feet began to shuffle and stamp with a noise which sometimes swelled to -thunder, in the midst of which could be heard cries of "Yes! Yes!" while -laughing faces, and looks full of meaning, were turned hither and -thither as if searching for, and evincing, approval. - -Johannes did not very well understand what was said. He had, indeed, -learned German; but that did not avail him much here, on account of the -volubility of the speaker and his use of popular idioms. His attention, -too, was given as much to the listeners as to the speaker. - -Nevertheless, the great cause which was being agitated grew more and -more clear to him. - -The speaker's enthusiasm was communicated to his audience, becoming -intensified a hundred-fold, until a great wave of emotion swept over all -present, Johannes included. - -He saw faces grow paler, and observed signs of heightened interest. Eyes -began to glisten more and more brightly, and lips were moving -involuntarily. Now and then a child began to whimper. But it disturbed -no one. On the contrary, the orator appeared to utilize the occurrence -for his own purposes. Two tears rolling down the ruddy moustache riveted -Johannes' attention, and he heard a quiver in the rough voice as the -speaker pointed with both hands toward the wailing infant, in such a way -as to remove from the incident all that was comic or annoying. - -It was apparent to Johannes that these people suffered an injustice; -that they were about to resist; and that this resistance was -perilous--yes, very perilous--to the point of involving their lives and -their subsistence, and also that of their wives and children. - -He could see the evidences of long-suffered injustice, in their -passionate looks and eager gestures. He saw breathless fear at the -thought of the danger which menaced them and their dear ones if they -should offer resistance. He saw the proud glitter in their eyes, and the -high-spirited lifting of their heads as the inner struggle was decided, -and heroism triumphed over fear. They would fight--they knew it now. The -great rising wave of courage and ardor left no irresolute one unmoved. -Johannes looked the faces over very carefully, but there was not one -upon which he could still read the traces of anxiety and hesitation. -One kindled soul illuminated them all, like a mighty fire. - -Then Johannes' soul grew ardent, and he too waxed strong at heart; for -there began to touch him the first rays of the beauty which lay -slumbering beneath that sombre veil of ugliness. - -After this speaker there were others, who rose in their places without -coming forward. Not one of them hazarded the quenching of the sacred -fire. They all spoke of the coming struggle as of an inevitable event. -But Johannes, with a sensation that made him clench his fists as if the -enemy's hand were already at his throat, now saw a heavy, burly fellow -stop, stammering, in the middle of his speech, and begin to sob; not -from fear--no!--but from keen anger, on account of suffered scorn and -humiliation, and because of the insupportable suspicion that he had been -disloyal to his comrades. Johannes guessed the details of that story, -even although he did not understand the words. The man had been -deceived; and, in a time of deep misery, when his wife was ill, he had -been seduced, by promises, from joining his comrades in this struggle. - -Johannes was glad to see actions, fine in themselves, proceed from a -burst of pure emotion, when the whole earnest assemblage, in one -unanimous spirit of generosity, forgave the seeming traitor, and -reinstated him in their regard. - -And as the workmen were about to take their leave, with the stern yet -cheerful earnestness of those who are committed to a righteous struggle, -Johannes saw, with great pleasure, that Markus was going to speak. They -knew him, and instantly there was absolute silence. There was something -in the pleased readiness with which these German miners took their -places again to listen--a childlike trust, and a good-natured -seriousness--that Johannes had never seen among the Fair-people; no, nor -anywhere in his own country. - -As Markus spoke German with the careful slowness and the purity of one -who did not belong to the land, Johannes understood it all. - -"My friends," said Markus, "you have been taught in your schools and -churches of a Spirit of Truth, which was to come as the Comforter of -mankind. - -"Well, then, this which has now taken possession of you, and which has -strengthened all your hearts and brightened all your eyes--even this is -the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Ghost. - -"For Truth and Righteousness are _one_, and proceed from One. From your -cheerful and courageous eyes I see that you know surely, with a full -conscience, that it is the truth which has stirred you, and that you are -to risk your lives in the cause of justice. - -"And that this spirit is a Comforter you will find by experience; that -is, if you are loyal. - -"But this I now say to you, because you do not know as I know, that -truth is like a mountain-path between, two abysses, and that it is more -difficult to maintain than the tone of a violin. - -"You have suffered injustice; but you have also committed injustice. For -the act of oppression is injustice, and it is also injustice to permit -oppression. - -"You have been taught otherwise, and have been told it is written that -injustice will be permitted. But even if this were written, the Spirit -of Truth would cause it to be erased. I say to you that whoever -practices injustice is an evil-doer, and whoever permits injustice is -his accomplice. - -"There is a pride which in God's eyes is an honor to a man, and there is -also an arrogance which will cause him to stumble and to be crushed. - -"The Spirit of Truth says this: 'Acquaint yourselves with your own -value, and endure no slight which is hostile to the truth.' But he who -overestimates himself will have a fall, and God will not lift him up." - -After these powerful and penetrating words, which sounded like a -threatening admonition, Markus sat down, resting his head upon his hand. -After waiting awhile in silence, the whispering crowd dispersed with -shuffling footsteps, without having made a sign of approval or -acquiescence. - -"May I stay with you, Markus?" asked Johannes, softly, afraid of -disturbing his guide. Markus looked up kindly. - -"How about your little comrade?" he asked. "Would she not grow uneasy? -Come with me. I will show you the way back again." - -Together they found the way in the night through the woods to the little -resort and the lodging-house. But excepting an exchange of "Good-nights" -not another word was spoken. In his great awe of him, Johannes dared not -ask Markus how he knew all about his adventures. - - - - -II - - -The next morning, in the dirty little breakfast-room of the -lodging-house, there mingled with the usual smell of fresh coffee and -stale tobacco smoke the fragrance of wood-violets and of musk; for a -pale lavender note, written with blue ink, was awaiting Johannes. - -He opened it, and read the following: - -Dearly beloved Soul-Brother: - -Come to me to-day as soon as you can, upon the wings of our -poet-friendship. Countess Dolores went yesterday, with her little -daughters, and her servants; but she left something for you which will -make you happy, and which I myself will place in your hand. - -The following is the first delicate and downy fruit of our union of -souls: - - HYMEN MYSTICUM - - To Little Johannes - - In solemn state swim our two souls, - Like night-black, mystic swans. - O'er passion-seas profoundly deep-- - Of briny, melancholy tears. - - Oh! Thou supremely bitter ocean! - All wingless, bear we with us, thro' the sky's dark courses, - Thy ceaseless, lily-sorrow-- - And the fell weight of this sad world's woe. - - Entwine with mine thy slender throat, my brother, - That, swooning, we may farther swim, - And with our song the dazzled race amaze. - - Let us, in sensuous tenderness, - Like faded lilies intertwine, - With a death-sob of supremest ecstasy. - -Would not your friend be able to compose music for this? And I hope soon -to know her better. - - Your soul's kinsman, - Walter v. L. T. D. -_Kurhotel_,8th Sept. (Van Lieverlee tot Endegeest). - -Just here, I wish I could say that Johannes immediately let Marjon read -both the letter and the verses, and that, with her, he made merry over -them. But that, alas! the truth will not permit. And now, for the sake -of my small hero, I confess I should be heartily ashamed if I thought -that none of you, in reading the above, would be as ingenuous as he was, -in regarding the poem with the utmost seriousness--even hesitating, like -himself, to doubt its quality, concluding that it must indeed be fine -though a little too high for understanding, and, for that very reason, -not at first sight so very striking and intelligible. - -Are you certain that none of you would have been so stupid as to be -deceived by it? Quite certain? Well, then, please do not forget how -youthful Johannes still was; and consider, also, the wonderful progress -of the age, due, no doubt, to the zealous and untiring efforts of our -numerous literary critics. - -Johannes did not mention the letter; but when he saw Marjon, he said: - -"I saw somebody, yesterday. Can you think who it was?" - -Marjon's pale, dull face lighted up suddenly, and she stared at Johannes -with fixed, bright eyes. - -"Markus!" said she. Johannes nodded assent, and she continued: - -"Thank God! I felt it. I heard that the laborers about here were soon to -go on a strike, and then I supposed-well--Now everything will be all -right again!" - -Then she was silent, eating her bread contentedly. A little later, she -asked: - -"Where are you going? Is it far? What have you agreed to do?" - -"I have settled nothing," said Johannes. "But I will go to him with you -before long. It is not far." Then, affecting to make light of it, he -said: "I have had an invitation to the hotel." - -"Gracious!" said Marjon, under her breath. "The deuce is to pay again." - - * * * * * - -In the park Johannes met Mijnheer van Lieverlee. He stood on the grass -in front of a thicket of withered shrubs, gazing at the mountains; and -was clad in cream-white flannel, with a bright-purple silk handkerchief -in his breast pocket. One hand rested upon his ebony walking-stick; with -the other--thumb and forefinger pressed together, and little finger -extended--he was making rhythmical movements in the air. - -When he saw Johannes, he greeted him with a nod and a wink, as if there -were a secret understanding between them. - -"Superb! Is it not? Superb!" - -Johannes did not exactly know what he meant--the verses he had received, -the mountains opposite, or the fine, September morning. He selected the -most obvious, and said: - -"Yes, sir! Glorious weather!" - -Van Lieverlee gave him a keen look, as if uncertain whether or not he -was being made sport of, and then leisurely remarked: - -"You do not appear to be impressed by the combination of white, mauve, -and golden brown." - -Johannes thought himself very sensitive to the effect of color; so he -felt ashamed of not having noticed the color-composition. He saw it now, -fully--the white flannel, the purple pocket-handkerchief, and the faded, -yellow-brown shrub. That Van Lieverlee should thus include himself in -this symphony of color seemed to him in the highest degree pertinent. - -"I was engaged in making a 'pantoem' in harmony with that color-scheme," -said Van Lieverlee; and then, seeing the blank look on Johannes' face, -he added, "Do you know what a 'pantoem' is?" - -"I do not, sir." - -"Oh, boy! boy! and you call yourself a poet! What did you receive this -morning? Do you know what _that_ is?" - -"A sonnet," said Johannes, eagerly. - -"Is that so? Did you think it a fine one?" - -That was a disquieting question. Johannes was quite at a loss about it; -but it seemed that poets were wont to ask such questions, so he overcame -what he considered his childishness, and said: - -"I think it is splendid!" - -"You think so! Well, I _know_ it. There is no need to make a secret of -it. I call what is good, _good_, whether it was I who made it, or -somebody else." - -That seemed both just and true to Johannes. Now that he was again with -Van Lieverlee, and heard him talk in such a grand style, with that easy, -fluent enunciation, and those elegant gestures, he found him, on the -whole, not bad, but, on the contrary, attractive and admirable. He knew -that Marjon would think otherwise; but his confidence in her judgment -declined as his confidence in Van Lieverlee augmented. - -"Now, Johannes, I have something for you which ought to make you very -happy," said Van Lieverlee, at the same time taking from a pretty, red -portfolio, that smelled delightfully like Russia leather, a note -embellished with a crown and sealed with blue wax. "This was written by -Countess Dolores with her own hand, and I know what it contains. Treat -it with respect." - -Before handing it over to him, Van Lieverlee, with a sweeping flourish, -pressed it to his own lips. Johannes felt himself to be a dolt; for he -knew it would be an impossibility for him to imitate that. - -The note contained a very brief, though cordial, invitation to stay at -her home sometime, when she should be with her children, at her -country-seat in England. There was, too, within the note, a pretty bit -of paper. Johannes had never seen its like. It meant money. - -"How kind of her!" he exclaimed rapturously. He felt greatly honored. -Immediately, however, his thoughts turned toward Markus--toward Marjon -and Keesje. How about them? Something must be done about it; to decline -was impossible. - -"Well?" said Van Lieverlee. "You do not appear to be half pleased about -it. Or do not you believe it yet? It really is not a joke!" - -"Oh, no!" said Johannes. "I know it is not ... but...." - -"Your friend may go with you, you know; or does she not care to?" - -"I have not asked her yet," said Johannes, "for, you see, we have ... we -have finally found him." - -"What do you mean? w hat are you talking about? Speak out plainly, boy. -You need never keep secrets from me. - -"It is no secret, sir," said Johannes, greatly embarrassed. - -"Then why are you stuttering so? And why do you say 'sir'? Did I not -write you my name? Or do you reject my offer of brotherhood?" - -"I will accept it, gladly, but I have still another brother that I think -a great deal of. It is he whom we are seeking--my comrade and I. And now -we have found him." - -"A real, ordinary brother?" - -"Oh, no!" said Johannes. And then, after a moment of hesitation, softly, -but with emphasis, "It is ... Markus.... Do you know whom I mean?" - -"Markus? Who is Markus?" asked Van Lieverlee, with some impatience, as -if completely mystified. - -"I do not know who he is," replied Johannes, in a baffled manner. "I -hoped that you might know because you are so clever, and have seen so -much." - -Then he related what had happened to him after he had fallen in with the -dark figure, on the way to the city where mankind was--with its sorrows. - -Van Lieverlee listened, staring into space at first, with a rather -incredulous and impatient countenance, now and then giving Johannes a -scrutinizing look. At last he smiled. - -Then, slowly and decisively, he said, "It is very clear who he is." - -"Who is he?" asked Johannes in breathless expectancy. - -"Well, a Mahatma, of course--a member of the sacred brotherhood from -Thibet. We will surely introduce him, also, to the Pleiades. He will -feel quite at home there." - -That sounded very pleasing and reassuring. Was the great enigma about to -be solved now, and every trouble smoothed away? - -"But," said Johannes, hesitating, "Markus feels really at home only when -he is among poor and neglected people--Kermis-folk, and working men. He -looks like a laborer, too--almost like a tramp--he is so very poor. I -never look at him without wanting to cry. He is very different from -you--utterly unlike!" - -"That is nothing. That does not signify," said Van Lieverlee, with an -impatient toss of his head. "He dissembles." - -"Then you, also, think...." said Johannes, hesitating, and resuming with -an effort, "You think, Walter, that the poor are downtrodden, and that -there is injustice in wealth?" - -Van Lieverlee threw back his head, and made a sweeping gesture with his -right arm. - -"My dear boy, there is no need for you to enlighten me upon that -subject. I was a socialist before you began to think. It is very natural -for any kind-hearted man to begin with such childish fancies. The poor -are imposed upon, and the rich are at fault. Every newsboy, nowadays, -knows that. But when one grows somewhat older, and gets to be-hold -things from an esoteric standpoint, the matter is not so simple." - -"There you are," thought Johannes. "As Markus told it, it was much too -simple to be true." - -"Do not forget," resumed Van Lieverlee, "that we all come into the world -with an individual Karma. Nothing can alter it. Each one must bring with -him his past, and either expiate or else enjoy it. We all receive an -appointed task which we are obliged to perform. The poor and downtrodden -must attribute their sad fate to the inevitable outcome of former deeds; -and the trials they endure are the best medium for their purification -and absolution. There are others, on the contrary, who behold their -course in life more clear and smooth because their hardest struggles lie -behind them. I really sympathize deeply with the unhappy proletarian; -but I do not on that account venture to lower myself to his pitiful -condition. The Powers hold him there, and me here--each at his post. He -still needs material misery to make him wiser. I need it no longer, -because I have learned enough in former incarnations. My task, instead, -is the elevation, refinement, and preservation of the beautiful. -Therefore I am assigned to a more privileged position. I am a watch-man -in the high domain of Art. This must be kept pure and undefiled in the -great, miry medley of coarse, rude, and apathetic people who compose the -greater part of mankind. This cultivation of the beautiful is my sacred -duty. To it I must devote myself in all possible ways, and for all time. -The beautiful! The beautiful! in its highest refinement--sleeping or -waking--in voice, in movement, in food, and in clothing! That is my -existence, and to it I must subordinate everything else." - -This oration Van Lieverlee delivered with great emphasis while slowly -moving forward over the short, smooth grass, accompanying the cadences -of the well-chosen sentences with wide time-beats of the ebony -walking-stick. - -Johannes was convinced--to such a degree that he perceived in it naught -else than the complement and completion of that which Markus, up to the -present, had taught him. - -Yes, he might go to his children now. He was sure of it. Markus would -approve. - -"I wish that Marjon might hear you--just once," said he. - -"Marjon? Is that your comrade? Then why does he not come? Bless me! It -was a girl, though, truly! What _are_ you to each other?" - -Van Lieverlee stopped, and, stroking his small, flaxen beard gave -Johannes another keen look. - -"Do you not really think, Johannes," he proceeded, with significant -glances, and in a judicial tone, "do you not think ... h'm ... to put it -mildly, that you are rather free and easy?" - -"What do you mean?" asked Johannes, looking straight at him, -unsuspiciously. - -"You are a sly little customer, and you know remarkably well how to -conduct yourself; but there is not a bit of need for your troubling -yourself about me. I am not one of the narrow-minded, every-day sort of -people. Such things are nothing to me--no more than a dry leaf. I only -wish you to bear in mind the difficulties. We must not expose our -esoteric position. There are too many who understand nothing about it, -and would get us into all kinds of difficulties. Countess Dolores, for -example, is still very backward in _that_ respect." - -Johannes understood next to nothing of this harangue, but he was afraid -of being taken for a fool if he let it be evident. So he ventured the -remark: - -"I will do my best." - -Van Lieverlee burst out laughing, and Johannes laughed with him, pleased -that he appeared to have said something smart. Thereupon he took his -leave, and went to look up Marjon, that they might go to the city of the -miners. - - - - -III - - -The walls of the little house were much thicker than those of the houses -of Dutch laborers. The small sashes, curtained with white muslin, lay -deep in the window-openings, and upon each broad sill stood a flowering -plant and a begonia. - -When Johannes and Marjon looked in through the window, Markus was -sitting at the table. The housewife stood beside him, sleeves tucked up, -carrying on her left arm a half-sleeping child, while with her right -hand she was putting food upon his plate. A somewhat older child stood -by his knee watching the steaming: food. - -The mother's cheeks were pale and sunken, from sorrow, and her eyes were -still full of tears. - -"Nothing will come of it, after all," she said with a sigh. "If only he -had been wiser! Those miserable roysterers have talked him into it. -That's what comes of those meetings. If only he had stayed at home! The -husband belongs at home. - -"Do not be afraid, mother," said Markus. "He did what he sincerely -thought was right. Who does that can always be at peace." - -"Although he should starve?" asked the wife, bitterly. - -"Yes, although he should starve. It is better to starve with a good -conscience, than to live in comfort by fraud." - -This silenced the woman for a time. Then she said, "If it were not for -the children...." and the tears flowed faster. - -"It is exactly on account of the children, mother. If the children are -good, they will thank the father who is struggling for their sakes, even -though he struggle in vain. And there is something for them still, else -you would not have been able to give to me--the stranger." - -Markus looked at her smilingly, and she smiled in return. - -"You--you should have our last mouthful!" said she, heartily. Then, -glancing toward the window, she added: "Who are those young scamps -looking in? And a _monkey_ with them!" - -Then Markus turned around. As soon as the two standing outside -recognized his face, they shouted "Hurrah!" and rushed in without -knocking. - -Marjon flew to Markus, threw her arms about his neck, and kissed him. -Johannes, rather more shy, clung to his hand. Keesje, being distrustful -of the children, peered around the place with careful scrutiny. - -Then there followed in Dutch a brisk, confused interchange of -information. All the adventures had to be narrated, and Marjon was very -happy and communicative. The mother kept still, looking on with a -discontented air, full of her own troubles. The noise awakened the -half-slumbering child, and it began to cry. - -Then the husband came home, morose and irritable. - -"What confounded business is this?" he cried; and the two were silent, -slowly comprehending that they were in a dwelling full of care. Johannes -looked earnestly at the weary, care-seamed face of the man, and the -pale, anxious features of the mother, wondering if there was any news. - -"Hollanders?" asked the miner, seating himself at the table, and holding -up a plate. - -"Yes, friends of Markus," replied the wife. Then, in assumed calmness, -she asked: "Is there any news?" - -"We have the best of it!" said the husband, with forced cheerfulness. -"We win--we surely win. It can't be otherwise. What have you to say -about it, Markus?" - -But Markus was silent, and gazing out-of-doors. Swearing because the -food was not to his taste, the man then began to eat. Marjon's merriment -subsided. The wife shook her head sadly, and kissed her child. - -"You need to look out, you young rascals," said the man, all at once. -"They are searching for you. Have you been pilfering? Which of you is -the girl in disguise?" - -"_I_ am!" said Marjon. "What do they want of me? Now what if I have no -other duds?" - -"Are you a girl?" asked the wife. "Shame on you!" - -"Has not Vrouw Huber a spare garment for her?" asked Markus. "She has so -many daughters!" - -"We may need to pawn them all," replied the wife. But Johannes, with a -manly bearing, cried: "We can pay for them. I have some money!" - -"O-o-oh!" said the others doubtfully, while Markus simply smiled. Thus -Marjon was soon back again in her girl's apparel--an ugly red-checked -little frock. Keesje alone was satisfied with the change. - -"Have you been singing much?" asked Markus. - -"Yes, we sing every day," said Marjon, "and Johannes has made some nice -new songs." - -"That is good," said Markus. Then, turning to husband and wife: "May -they sing here a little?" - -"Sing! A pretty time for singing!" said the wife, scornfully. - -"Why not?" asked the husband. "A nice song is never out of place." - -"You are right," said Markus. "It is not well to hear nothing but -sighs." - -Marjon softly tuned her guitar; and while the husband sat beside the -brick stove, smoking his pipe, and the wife laid her little one in bed, -the two children began to sing a song--the last of those they had made -together. It was a melancholy little song, as were all those they had -sung during the last weeks. These were the words: - - "If I should say what makes me sad, - My effort would be all in vain; - But nightingales and roses glad - They whisper it in sweet refrain. - - "The evening zephyr softly sighs - In strains one clearly understands; - I see it traced high o'er the skies - In writing made by mystic hands. - - "I know a land where every grief - Is changed into a mellow song; - Where roses heal with blushing lips - All wounds and every aching wrong. - - "That land, though not so far away, - I may not, cannot enter there; - It is not here where now I stay - And no one saves me from despair." - -"Is that Dutch, now?" asked the miner. "I can't understand a bit of it? -Can you, wife?" - -Weeping, the wife shook her head. - -"Then what are you snivelling for, if you don't understand?" - -"I don't understand it at all; but it makes me cry, and that does me -good," said the wife. - -"All right, then! If it does you good we'll have it once more." And the -children sang it over again. - - * * * * * - -When they went away, they left the family in a more peaceful mood. - -Markus took his place in the middle, between the two children, Keesje -sitting upon his shoulder, with one little hand resting confidingly on -his cap, attentively studying the thick, dark hair at his temples. - -"Markus!" said Johannes. "I do not understand it. Really, what has my -grief to do with theirs? And yet, it did seem as if they were crying -over my verses. But my little griefs are of so little account, while -they are anxious about things so much more important." - -"I understand, perfectly," said Marjon. "Awhile ago, they might beat me -as hard as they pleased, and I wouldn't utter a sound. But once, when -they had given me a hard whipping, I saw a forlorn little kitten that -looked quite as unhappy as I was, and then I began to cry with all my -might, and it made me feel better." - -"Then you think, children, that all sorrow suffered is one single -sorrow? But so is all happiness one happiness. The Father suffers with -everything, and whoever comforts a poor little kitten, comforts the -Father." - -These sayings made things more plain to Johannes, and gave him much to -ponder over. He forgot everything else, until they were again in their -lodgings--two little rooms in an old, unoccupied mill. Here they were -given some bed-clothes, by a girl from a near-by lodging-house. Marjon -now slept apart, while Johannes and Markus stayed together, in one room. - -The next morning, while they were drinking coffee in the dark little -bar-room of the lodging-house, Johannes felt he must speak of what lay -on his heart. He brought out the fragrant, violet-colored note, also the -one adorned with the crown and the blue sealing-wax; but in his -diffidence even his hope of an understanding with Markus drooped again. - -"I smell it already!" cried Marjon. "That's the hair-dresser scent of -that fop, with his tufted top-piece." - -That angered Johannes. "Don't you wish you could make such poems as that -'fop' can?" - -And, nettled by this disrespect of his new friend, he sprang to his -feet, and began excitedly repeating the verses. He had his trouble for -his pains. Markus listened with unmoved countenance, and Marjon, -somewhat taken aback, looked at Markus. But the latter said not a word. - -"I'll tell you what," she exclaimed at last, "I don't believe a bit of -it! Not a darn bit." - -"Then I'll tell you," retorted Johannes, sharply, "that you are too -rude and coarse to understand things that are elevated." - -"Maybe I am," said Marjon in her coolest, most indifferent manner. - -Then Johannes spoke to Markus alone, hoping for an understanding from -him. What he said came out passionately, as if it had long been -repressed, and his voice trembled with ready tears. - -"I have thought for a long, long time, Markus, that there was no use in -trying. I cannot bear anything rude and rough, and everything I have yet -seen in people _is_ rude and rough--neither good nor beautiful. It -cannot be that the Father meant it to be so. And now that I have found -something fine, and exquisite, and noble, ought I not to follow it? I -had not thought that there were anywhere such beautiful human beings. -Markus, they are the most beautiful of all I have ever seen. Their hair -is like gold, Markus. Not even the elves have more beautiful hair. And -their little feet are so slim, and their throats so slender! I cannot -help thinking of them all the time--of the pretty, proud way they raise -their heads, of their sensitive lips, of the beautiful, upturned curves -at the corners of their mouths, and of the music in their voices when -they ask me anything. They danced together to the music, hand in hand, -and then their nice smooth stockings peeped out, together, from under -their little velvet dresses. It made me dizzy. One of them has blue -eyes, and fuller, redder lips. She is the gentler and more innocent. The -other has greyer, more mischievous eyes, and a smaller mouth. She is -more knowing and roguish. She is the fairer, and she has little fine -freckles just under her eyes. And you ought to see them when they run up -to their mother, one on each side, when all their hair tumbles down over -her, in two shades of gold--brown gold and light gold--that ripples -together like a flowing river! And I saw the diamonds in their mother's -neck, sparkling through it all! You ought to hear them speak English--so -smoothly and purely. But they speak Dutch, too, and I would much rather -hear that. One of them--the innocent one--lisps a little. She has the -darkest hair, with the most beautiful waves in it. But I could talk more -easily with the other one. She is more intelligent. And the mother, -also, is so attractive in every way. Everything she says is fine and -noble, and every movement is charming. You have a feeling that she -stands far, far above you, and yet she acts in everything as if she were -the least of all. Isn't that lovely, Markus? Is it not the way it should -be?" - -Markus made no reply, but looked straight at him, very seriously, and -with a puzzling expression. It was kind, but wholly incomprehensible to -Johannes. - -In his excitement Johannes kept on: "I have just come into a -consciousness now of something in the world of people, of which I knew -nothing whatever before. My friend Walter, the one who made that poem, -lives in that world. She--" pointing to Marjon--"has no idea of it. That -is not her fault. I had no idea of it before. But I am not surly, like -her; I do not scoff at it just because I do not belong there yet. It is -a world of beauty and refinement--a sublime world of poetry and art. -Walter wishes to lead me into it, and I think it silly in her now to -jeer about it. Do you not think it silly, Markus?" - -Markus' eyes remained as serious and puzzling as ever, and his mouth -uttered not a word. Johannes looked first at one, then at the other, for -an answer to his question. - -At last Markus said: "What does Marjon say?" - -Marjon, who had been leaning forward as she sat, lifted up her head. She -no longer looked indifferent. Her cheeks were glowing, and her eyes, -with their dry, red rims, seemed to be afire. She stared with the fixed, -glittering look of one in a fever, and said: - -"What do I say? I have nothing to say. He thinks me too rude and rough. -Possibly I am. I swear sometimes, and Keesje smells. I can't endure -those people, and they don't want anything to do with me--certainly not -with Kees. As Jo has need of finer companionship now, he must choose -for himself." - -"No, Marjon, you do not understand me; or do you not wish to -understand?" said Johannes, sadly. "It is not because I have need of it, -but because it is good. It is good to enter a finer life--into a more -elevated world. Is it not so, Markus? You understand me, do you not?" - -"I understand," said Markus. - -"Tell her, then, that she must come too--that it would be better so." - -"I don't think it would be better," said Marjon, "and I'm certainly not -going with you." - -"Tell us, then, Markus, while we have you with us--tell us what we ought -to do. We will do as you say." - -"I don't know yet whether I will or not," said Marjon. - -Then Markus smiled, and nodding toward Marjon, he said: "Look! She knows -already we must not promise obedience to any one. Let him who promises -obedience promise it to the Father." - -"But you are so much wiser than we are, Markus." - -"Is it enough that I am wiser, Johannes? Do you not wish to become wiser -yourself? Because I can run better, ought you to let me carry you? How -will you ever learn to run, yourself?" - -Marjon stared at him fixedly, with her flashing, flaming eyes, while two -red spots burned upon her pale cheeks. She stepped up to Markus and -pressed her hand upon his mouth, exclaiming passionately: - -"Do not say it! I know what you are going to say. Don't say it; for then -he will do it, and he must not! he _must_ not!" - -Then she hid her face on Markus' arm. Markus laid his hand upon her head -and spoke to her tenderly: - -"Are you not willing, then, to grant him what you yourself demand--that -he should be doing what he himself, not some one else, thinks right?" - -Marjon looked up. Her eyes were tearless. Johannes listened quietly, and -Markus continued: - -"There are frightful events, children, but most of them are not so bad -as they seem to be. The fear of them, only, is bad. But the only events -that you should dread come through not doing what you yourself think -right--_yourself,_ children--yourself alone, with the Father. The Father -speaks to us also through men, and through their wise words. But they -are indirect vehicles; we have Him within ourselves--directly--just as -you, Marjon, are now resting upon my bosom. He wills it to be so, and -there we must seek him--more and more. - -"Now there is a great deal of self-deception. Self is a long while blind -and deaf, and we often mistake the Devil's voice for the voice of God, -and take the Enemy to be the Father. But whoever is too fearful of -straying never leaves his place, and fails to find the right way. A -swimmer who dares not release his hold upon another--will drown when in -peril. Dare then, children, to release your hold upon others--all--all ---to follow the Father's voice as it speaks within yourselves. Let all -who will, call evil what seems to yourselves good. Do this, and the -Father will not be ashamed of you." - -"But understand me well; close your ears to no one, for the truth comes -from all sides, and God speaks everywhere. Ask the opinion of others, -but ask no one else to judge for you." - -They were all silent for awhile. At last Marjon stood up, slowly, with -averted face, and flinging back her short, ash-blonde hair from her -forehead, she stepped up to Keesje, who, fastened to a chain, sat -shelling nuts. She loosened his chain, and said gently and -affectionately: "Coming with me, Kees? I know very well what is going to -happen now." Then she had him leap to her shoulder, and, without once -looking round, she went out into the street. - -"Do you also know, Johannes?" asked Markus. - -"Yes!" said Johannes, resolutely, "I am going!" - - - - -IV - - -And so Little Johannes took leave again of his Guide and of his friend, -and went forth to seek a finer and a nobler sphere of life. - -He did not do this now in a heedless way, as when first he left his -father, and, afterward, Windekind; nor partly by compulsion, as when he -chose Vrede-best rather than the gypsy-wagon. - -He was acting now quite voluntarily, according to his own ideas--not -recklessly, but in harmony with his convictions. Ought we not to admit -that he was making good progress? Indeed, he thought so himself. - -How well he recollected his first talk with Markus, during the storm, -about remembering and forgetting! What he was now doing, however, did -not seem to him disloyal. True, he was turning away from friends, but he -was following that which he took to be the mind of his dearest friend, -even as Markus had taught him. - -He was resolved to combat the sorrows of humanity. But first of all, he -most become a good man himself, and he agreed with Van Lieverlee that it -was the proper thing for a good man to be also a clever one, and to live -a fine life. - -Hitherto, there had been too little of that which was beautiful around -him. With regard to his face, he had a vague idea that it was plain. But -that he could not very well help. All the more, it behooved him to have -a care for his clothes. Every flower and every bird presented a more -comely appearance than did he. His cap and jacket were formless, ragged, -and rain-spotted. His shoes were worn and out of shape. And while so -attired, the thought of becoming the guest of a countess, and of -appearing beside Van Lieverlee, was not a little distressing. - -Happily, he now possessed a little money--not much, to be sure, for he -had his traveling expenses to meet, but yet he could spare a little for -a few purchases. And that was a serious question for Johannes, involving -much thought--how he could array himself the most finely, at the least -cost. - -He first bought a white, starched "dicky," and with it a ready-made -tie--black--not venturing, when he thought of Van Lieverlee's gorgeous -cravats, to select a colored one. Then for his dicky he selected studs -with little green stones in them. They looked like emeralds, but they -were only green glass. The studs were not a necessity, for the dicky -fastened at the back. But their modest twinkling simply attested his -toleration of outward adornment. He bought also a stiff, round hat, a -cloak, and a pair of new shoes. That the shoes pinched and pained him -was a small matter. He was pleased at the odor of new leather which they -spread around, and liked their loud squeaking still better. - -They did not squeak at first, to his distinct disappointment; but after -an hour or two--there it was! They began to creak and squeak, as if -proclaiming to everybody that from this day forward he became part of -the higher life, and one of the finer sort of human beings. - -Finally--a pair of kid gloves! But these he dared not put on after he -had them. As little did he dare leave them off, for they had cost a good -deal, and the money must not be thrown away. So he settled the question -by wearing one and carrying the other. He seemed, indeed, to remember -that this was the mode. - -And a traveling-bag now seemed to him the ideal--the acme--of dignity. -But he had nothing to put into it. To buy more for the mere sake of -filling it was not to be thought of, and to carry it for the mere sake -of appearances ran counter to his ideas of sincerity and honesty. Aunt -Serena's old satchel he left behind with Marjon. - -The leave-taking was not hard for him. No, indeed! He was too full of -the new life which awaited him. Never had he felt more fully convinced -that he was taking the right path--that he was going to do the right -thing. - -Markus had said that we must seek for happiness and prosperity, as well -as for goodness. Johannes felt happier than he ever had felt since -leaving Windekind. Did not that prove that he was in the right way? - -And what was the Father's voice of which Markus had spoken, if not this -inner joy? It was not, however, the audible, usual voice, sounding in -Dutch, or some other tongue. The Bible, indeed, said so; but that was -not now the way. Surely, then, it must be this feeling of joy and of -glad anticipation that he now experienced. - -Does it not seem to you that Johannes had advanced? I do not believe -that you would have reasoned better than he did. And if you were not -taken in as he was, it would have been more from good luck than from -wisdom. - -At first Van Lieverlee had promised to accompany him; but at the last -moment, without giving a reason, he wrote to recall his promise, and let -Johannes go alone. - -In the corner of a third-class railway coach, among a strange people, he -sped through a foreign country. He was at rest and contented, because he -was going to the two children. It was as great a pleasure to him as if -he had been traveling to the home of his parents. Where those dear, -beautiful little beings were, there was his home. He looked at the -foreigners with interest. They seemed less coarse and clownish, less -ugly and unmannerly, than his own people. They were much more merry and -agreeable, also more obliging to one another. Johannes was on the alert -for an occasion to do the polite thing. However, as he did not speak the -language very fluently, he sat in his corner wrapped in his cloak, -listening quietly, and in a friendly mood, to the scraps of conversation -that came to him. This was carried on in the rattling, jolting car, with -loud laughter and vehement gesticulations. - -At night he slept once more on the leather-covered benches of a boat. -This time it was not on the smooth Rhine, but on the mighty, swelling -ocean. All around him were people to whom he had nothing to say. Only, -his neighbor on the leather bench requested him not to kick his head. -Then he made himself as small as possible, and lay farther away, and -quite still. - -About midnight he took a peep around the cabin, hardly knowing whether -or not he had been asleep. - -The people lay at rest. Most of them appeared to be asleep--some making -queer noises. The light was dim, and, in the semi-darkness, the lamps -swung mysteriously to and fro, and the plants that stood upon the table -were all of them quivering. One could hear, above the soft jingling and -creaking everywhere, the quaking and dull throbbing of the engines. -Outside, the water was hissing and rushing, and dashing along the sides -of the vessel. - -Beside the table sat a lone passenger--a tall, dark figure. He was -motionless, his head resting upon his hand. - -Johannes gave him a good look. He seemed to have on an amazingly big, -spacious cloak, full of folds; on his head was a broad-brimmed hat. The -one hand which Johannes could distinguish looked very thin and white. - -How familiar the man looked, though! Johannes expected immediately to -hear the sound of a well-known voice. He thought of Markus, then of his -father.... - -Suddenly, the emaciated hand was removed, and the face turned slowly -round toward Johannes. Only the white beard came into view. The rest -remained in the shadow of the hat. Then Johannes recognized him. - -"Friend Hein!" said he. And he was much more at his ease than the first -time he had seen him--in fact, not at all afraid. - -"How do you do?" said Death, nodding. How very kind he looked, and how -much more human! Not a bundle of bones with a scythe! He looked instead -more like a kind, old--very, _very_ old, uncle. - -"What are you doing here?" asked Johannes. - -"Things!" replied Death, drily. - -"Are we going to be shipwrecked?" - -Johannes had come to this conclusion without any special alarm. It even -seemed to him just now that a shipwreck would be a rather interesting -incident. - -"No, no!" said Death. "Would you really like that?" - -"I would not want it, but neither would I be afraid of it." - -"The last time we met, Johannes, you asked me to take you with me." - -"I would not ask you that now," said Johannes; "life is too pleasant -now." - -"Then you are not afraid of me this time, Johannes?" - -"No; for now you look so much more friendly." - -"And I am friendly, Johannes. The more you try your best to live a fine -life, the more friendly I become." - -"But what do you mean, friend Hein? I should think the finer life -became, the harder it would be to leave it." - -"It must be the right sort of fineness, Johannes--the right sort." - -"Then it must certainly be that I am seeking the right kind now, or you -would not look so much more friendly." - -"You are indeed seeking it, Johannes; but look well to it that you also -find it. Take care! Take care! I should like when I come again to look -most friendly, dear Johannes, and you must be careful to have it so." - -"What shall I do, friend Hein? How can I be certain of the right way to -live? How can I make you look friendly when you come again?" - -But Death turned away his pale face, gave a slight shake of the head, -and continued to sit immovable and silent. Once again Johannes asked him -a question, but it was of no avail. Then his head grew heavy, his -eyelids drooped, and everything vanished under the veil of slumber, -while his resting-place quivered and shivered above the heaving waters. - - * * * * * - -When on deck, the next morning, the world looked again most bright and -cheerful. The sun was shining warmly, the fresh, blue sea was sparkling -in the light, and there, in front of him--there lay the foreign land--a -long line of grey-white coast, basking in the October sunshine. On the -hills Johannes saw little houses standing out in full sight; and he -thought of the pettiness of life in those houses--of dressing, of bread -and butter, and of little children going to school;--everything so -trite and trivial, in what for him was so strange and great. - -They coursed up a large river, much broader than the Rhine. The -sea-gulls circled over the yellow water, and rested on the sand-banks -and the muddy shores. The fishing-boats tacked in zig-zags all about, -and throngs of ships and steamboats came to meet them. At last there -loomed in the distance, enshrouded with a grey fog, a giant city--a dark -maze of masts and chimneys and towers. It was sombre, awful, -incomprehensible. - -If Johannes had not been so absorbed in thinking of the two children, he -would have paid more attention to the city. As it was, he only accepted -it for a fact--the unforeseen shadow of a mysterious substance--an -ominous premonition, like the rumbling of the ground preceding an -earthquake: an instant later all fear is over, and one thinks no further -about it. - -So it was with Johannes; the great city, the miners--everything was -forgotten, when he heard the loved voices of the two little girls. - - * * * * * - -They lived in a country-seat which to Johannes seemed a small palace. It -was built of red brick and grey limestone, and stood on the summit of a -hill, close by the shore. In the garden were dark cedar-trees and -holm-oaks, and large plots of rhododendrons. The grass was short and -even--quite like green velvet; and through it led neat, trim paths of -yellow gravel. - -The day was far from being so pleasant as Johannes had expected. In -fact, it was very unpleasant. To be waited upon by a lackey, as one -conies without a trunk, from a third-class carriage, is far from funny. -Johannes had not heretofore had such a trying experience. - -Indoors, it was very still and stately. The children were at their -lessons, and for the first hour were invisible. Johannes received an -unfavorable impression of fashionable life. He wished that he had not -come. His hopefulness and confidence suddenly took flight. He tripped -over a rug of white bearskin, and ran against a glass door, thinking it -was open--just as if he were a bumblebee behind a window-pane. He -wondered which was the quickest way out, and wished he were with Markus -again, in the small tavern. He was not very far from crying. - -On a couch in the quiet reception-room, beside a softly crackling coal -fire, sat the countess. Johannes strode up to her, and made an awkward -bow. A number of dogs, as many as seven, snapped and yapped about his -shin-bones. He thought of his dicky and the green glass studs, and felt -that they could be making next to no impression. The countess looked as -if she did not quite remember who he was, nor what could have been his -object in coming. - -"Sit down," she said, in English, with a formal smile, and a weary tone -of voice; "I hope you have had a pleasant journey." - -Johannes took a seat and, as he did so, observed that some one else was -in the room. He tried again to bow, but his attempt was unnoticed. - -That other indeed was a most impressive personage. She lay back in an -armchair, so enswathed in white lace, swan's down, gauze, and tulle as -to look still larger than she really was. Upon her head was a huge hat, -bearing natural-sized plums and peaches, artificial blue -flowers--forget-me-nots and corn-flowers--besides a blue gauze veil. Her -face was amazingly big, and highly colored by nature, but toned down -with powder to a rosy flush. It was somewhat pimply, and more or less -moustached. Her fat, red, shiny hands were rigid with jeweled rings; -and, although it was not at all warm, she waved incessantly a large fan -of white ostrich-feathers, in the midst of which glittered purple and -green precious stones. Most wonderful bangles of gold and silver--little -pigs, crosses, hearts, and coins--hung in a great bunch upon her bosom, -from a long, many-stranded necklace. A slender crutch with a gold handle -stood beside her chair, and on the table at hand, a small green parrot -was eating grapes. The seven little dogs--all of them white, with -pale-blue ribbons around their necks--probably belonged to her. They sat -in a threatening circle, as if awaiting the word, and sharply eyed -Johannes' ankles. - -"What does that boy want?" she asked, in a deep, heavy voice, without -even looking at Johannes. And before and answer could come, she called, -"Alice!" - -Instantly, there appeared from behind a curtain, just as in a comedy, a -trim, spruce lady's-maid. She was dressed in black, with cap and cuffs -of dazzling whiteness. With quiet little steps and mincing manners, she -glided up to the large lady, and offered a smelling-bottle, at which -that person began to sniff industriously. - -Johannes sat there in extreme embarrassment. He felt that the costly -cut-glass smelling-bottle concerned himself. It cried out, in the keen -language of its hundreds of cut facets, "You smell of the third class!" - -He sat like one rooted to the spot, and all unnerved, looking at the -smelling-bottle as if he wished it was a dynamite bomb which would -promptly send himself, the fine house, and all his beautiful illusions, -flying into space. - -Then Countess Dolores came to his rescue. - -"Dear Lady Crimmetart," said she, in a coaxing voice, "this is a very -interesting youth--really, very interesting. He is a young poet who -sings his own compositions. Is it not so, Johannes? They are so -charmingly melancholy--really, charmingly so! Indeed, you must hear -them, dear friend. I am sure they will please you." - -"Really?" said the deep voice; and the blue goggle-eyes in the -frightfully big face glared at Johannes. - -"Oh, yes, Lady Crimmetart," continued the countess; "but that is not -all. Johannes is also a medium--a sensitive--who can see all kinds of -elementals--sometimes even in broad daylight. Is it not so, Johannes?" - -Johannes was too much distressed and confounded to do more than give a -nod of stupefied acquiescence. - -"Really?" said Lady Crimmetart, in a voice like that of a ship's -commander in heavy weather. "Then he must come to my party next Saturday -evening." - -"Do you hear, Johannes? That is a great honor," said Countess Dolores. -"Lady Crimmetart is one of the cleverest women in the world, and the -elect of intellectual England attend her parties." - -"Young man," said Lady Crimmetart, "I will let you talk with -Ranji-Banji-Singh, of the University of Benares, the great Theosophist, -and with Professor von Pennewitz, from Moscow." - -One can well fancy what a fine prospect that opened out for poor little -Johannes! But Lady Crimmetart did not request; she commanded. It did not -seem possible to decline. - -Then came another housemaid--just as trim and still and swift as the -first one--to offer tea, little slices of bread and butter, and hot -cake. Johannes watched nervously, to see how the others partook of them, -and then tried to do as they did. But, under the cool, keen regard of -the trig maid, of course he upset the milk. - -"The bishop is coming, too! The angel!" burst forth Lady Crimmetart. - -Johannes had before his mind's eye the mitre and crozier at the evening -party. It made him think of Santa Claus. Thereupon the ladies began -chatting about church affairs, the altar and the Lord's Supper, -elections, and corn-laws, until he could follow them no further. At last -Alice was again summoned, the carriage ordered, the smelling-bottle -stored away in a big reticule, the seven small dogs were arranged upon -a long, blue-silk cord--like a string of beads; and thus, with the -parrot upon the hand of the lady's maid, the procession passed out. At -the door, the great lady, who limped a little with gout, turned round -once again, while still fanning herself, and thundered: "Come on time, -mind! And do not forget your instrument!" - - * * * * * - -"A woman in a million," said Countess Dolores after she had gone. "Is -she not a wonderful woman, Johannes? So good! So clever!" - -"Yes!" replied Johannes, meekly, his thoughts occupied anxiously with -that instrument he was expected to take to the party. - -At last he heard the chattering of high-pitched little voices, and the -pattering of light little feet through the quiet house. - -His heart began to thump. Then the door opened, and in two seconds the -dear, soft little hands put him into a tumultuous state, and the lively, -high little voices quite overwhelmed him. - -He was consoled; and when they led him away, out-of-doors, and he walked -with them, one on each side, over the green cliffs, beside the broad -ocean--then he felt something of the new happiness for which he had -hoped. - -But at night he could not sleep, and when it grew light he still lay in -a state of excitement, gazing at the handsome ceiling of dark-brown wood -whereon he could see little gilt stars. - -He--Little Johannes--was being entertained by a countess, ushered into a -sphere of refinement, and living with the dearest little creatures to be -found among human beings. He was with his child friends now, but yet he -was not happy. He was much too poor and too dull, and would be pitifully -mortified here. When he thought of that glittering smelling-bottle, and -of the upset milk-pitcher, he buried his face, in shame and bitterness, -deep in the pillows. - -Toward morning, when he fell asleep for a little while, he dreamed of a -big shop where swimming trousers only were for sale in a hundred -varieties of color and material, and bordered with fur, cloth, leather, -ermine, and velvet, and decked with bows and monograms. And when -Johannes went in to select a pair for the party, an immense man, with a -long beard and a high fur cap, stood up behind the counter. It was -Professor von Pennewitz, and he gave Johannes an examination; but -Johannes knew nothing--absolutely nothing. He failed. Then he was given -a stringless violin, and forced to play upon it. The professor was not -pleased with the performance; and taking off his fur cap, he completely -extinguished Johannes. Suffocated with the heat and closeness, the boy -found himself awake, and clammy with distress, having been aroused by a -vigorous tap, tap, tap! - - - - -V - - -Even before his "ya" (instead of the "yes" he had firmly intended to -say, but was surprised out of saying), the door flew open, and the -chambermaid came in bearing a big, silver tea-tray. She looked still -more trig and trim than the day before, as if all this time she had been -standing under a bell-glass. Without the least embarrassment, she went -up to Johannes and presented the tea. - -Oh, woe! That was a distressing situation! Nothing of the kind had -befallen him since the whooping-cough period while his mother was still -living, and when she had brought him, abed, tea and toast. Daatje had, -indeed, come just once to call him, and it had made him angry because it -seemed as if he were still a child. In Daatje's case, too, it was quite -different. She looked more like a nurse-maid. - -But this utterly strange and stylish little lady, with arranged hair, -and a cap with snow-white strings, who surprised him in his nightgown, -sound and well, in bed, while his dicky was still hanging by itself over -the back of a chair, and the green glass studs were looking in a -frightened way at the rest of the shabby clothes lying scattered over -the table--_this_ housemaid put him out of countenance. Blushing deeply, -he declined the tea. As each of his poor garments came under the eye or -hand of this pert chambermaid, he could feel her scornful, unuttered -thoughts, and he lay dead still while his room was being put in order. -He shrank under the sheets up to his nose, and grew wet with -perspiration. When the door closed behind her, he took breath again, and -regarded, in astonishment, the pitcher of hot water and the snowy towels -that she had left him, uncertain exactly what it was he was expected to -do with them all. - -Really, it was no trifling matter for Johannes--that entrance into a -higher and finer station. - -Things went rather better during the forenoon, for he stayed with the -two children and their German governess. With this kind, every-day sort -of person, Johannes felt more at his ease; and he ventured to consult -her about his clothes, and what he might, and might not, do in such a -grand house. - -The countess herself he did not see until afternoon. Then, through the -medium of a housemaid, he received an invitation to go to her. She -wished to talk with him. - -She was again resting on the sofa, and beckoned him to a seat beside -her. Johannes thought that she wished to ask him about something. But -no! She simply wanted a little conversation--he must know what about. -Then, very naturally, Johannes could not think at all; and after a -painful quarter of an hour, during which he uttered scarcely anything -more than "Yes, Mevrouw!" or "No, Mevrouw!" he was dismissed, still more -unhappy than before. - -The principal meal, at half-past eight in the evening, was no less -distressingly formal, and full of trials. It was as quiet as a funeral, -voices were low and whispering, and the servants moved noiselessly to -and fro. The governess had told Johannes that he must "dress" for -dinner. But alas! poor fellow! What had he to do it with? - -As he stood behind his chair, in his shabby jacket and dicky, while the -rose-shaded candles lighted up the flowers and the glittering -table-furnishings, and the countess came into the great dim dining-room -in her rustling, silk attire--then again he felt really wretched. -Besides, it was very awkward trying to talk English here, and Dutch -seemed not to be in favor. He was conscious during each course of doing -something wrong or clumsy; and the lackeys, as they bent over him in -offering the dishes, breathed slightingly on his neck. - -The second night, being tired from lack of sleep, he soon lost -consciousness. But during the small hours he had a thrilling and -stirring time. Surely I do not need to tell you what rude occurrences -there may be in one's dreams. Raging bulls tore after him as he tried -to escape, meeting him again and again at the turning of a lane. There -were lonely rooms whose doors flew open of their own accord--a footstep, -and a shadow around the corner--of _it_! There were railway tracks with -an oncoming train, and, suddenly--paralysis! Then loud hangings at the -door, and a call of "Johannes! Johannes!" and, waking up, a deathly -stillness. After that he noticed some very queer and most astonishing -things in the room--a pair of pantaloons that walked away of itself, and -in the corner a blood-curdling phantom. And then he was conscious of not -being awake, and of making a desperate effort to shake off sleep. Such -was the frightful time which befell Johannes that night. - -At last, when he actually woke himself up with a scream that he heard -resounding in the stillness, and while he lay listening to the beating -of his heart, he also heard, like a soft echo of his cry, a fearful, -smothered moaning and lamenting that lingered in the silent hallways of -the darkened house When all was still, he thought it had been a part of -his dreams. But even while he was lying wide awake, it began again, and -it was such a dismal sound he could feel the goose-flesh forming. Then -silence. "It must have been a dog," he thought. But there it was! A dog -does not groan like that! It was a human voice. Could Olga or Frieda be -ill? - -The next time it came, he knew it was not the voice either of Olga or of -Frieda. It was that of a much older person--not an invalid, but some one -in mortal anguish--some one being menaced, who was imploring pity. He -heard something like "Oh! Oh!--O God, have mercy!" But he could not -understand the words, for the sounds came faintly. - -He thought a murder was being committed, and he recalled that Death had -been his fellow traveler. He sprang out of bed and stepped into the dark -hall. Everything was quiet there. The sound came from upstairs, and now -he heard, replying to the groans, a calm, soothing, hushing -voice--sometimes commanding, sometimes coaxing. A door opened, and a -faint light shone out. Another door was opened and then closed. All this -seemed to prove that Johannes' intervention was not at all necessary, -and that he would perhaps cut a ridiculous figure by attempting to step -in as a rescuer. Then, unnerved and miserable, he went to sleep again. - -In the morning, both little girls and the governess partook of their -breakfast of tea, malted milk, toasted bread, and ham and eggs, just as -if nothing had happened. The mother was to be away again until -afternoon. Frieda and Olga sat peacefully and quietly eating, like well -bred little girls. - -At last Johannes could keep silence no longer, and said to the -governess: - -"Did anything bad happen in the night?" - -"No," said the young German lady, looking at her plate. "There is an -invalid in the house." - -"Did you hear Helene?" asked Olga, looking at Johannes earnestly. "I -never hear her now. At first I used to very plainly, but now I sleep -through it. Poor Helene!" - -"Poor Helene!" lisped Frieda dutifully after her, resuming her busy -spooning of the malted milk. - - * * * * * - -At noon Johannes was again summoned to the drawing-room. He had had a -long walk, alone, beside the sea, and felt more at his ease. He had -resolved to ask if he might not go away, since he was out of place here, -and felt unhappy. And the party the next evening, at Lady Crimmetart's, -where he was expected with an instrument--that was too much for him. He -must get away before that. - -But ere he had a chance to speak about it, his hostess began thus: - -"Were you alarmed in the night, Johannes? Did you hear anything?" - -Johannes nodded. - -"Well, now that I trust you, fully, I will confide to you my sorrowful -secret. Listen." - -And the estimable and attractive woman beckoned him, with her loveliest -smile, to sit beside the sofa, on a low stool. - -It made Johannes feel as if he had been brought, nearly benumbed, into a -warm room. Pleasant tinglings coursed down his back, and a fine feeling -of contentment and security came over him. The countess rested her soft, -delicate hand upon his own, and looked into his eyes, kindly. How -beautiful she was! And what a sweet, caressing voice she had! All the -distress of those recent days was more than amended. - -"I am going to speak to you, my dear Johannes, as if you were much older -than you are. You really do seem to me older and wiser than your years -would lead one to expect." - -Johannes was charmed. - -"You must know, then, that my life has been full of suffering. Sorrow -has been, so to speak, my constant companion, from earliest youth." - -Johannes' heart was aglow with compassion. In well-chosen words, and in -the flowing English that Johannes more admired than comprehended, the -lady continued: - -"My marriage was very unhappy. Constrained by my parents I married a -rich man whom I did not love. He is dead now. I will not speak any evil -of him." - -Johannes that instant made up his mind to a certainty that the man had -been a wretch. - -"Neither will I trouble you with the story of all our misery. It -suffices to say that we did not belong to each other, and each -embittered the other's life. After six years of torture--it was nothing -else--something happened ... what usually happens in such cases.... Do -you understand?" - -Johannes, greatly to his vexation, did not understand, and he felt -himself to be very stupid. - -"I became fond of another.... Do you think less of me for that?" - -"No! No!" said Johannes' head, as he shook it emphatically. - -"Fortunately, my dear boy, I can say that I have nothing to reproach -myself with, and can look into the faces of my children without shame. -The man for whom I cared was unhappily married--just as I was. We have -never seen each other again--not even...." - -There was a pause in which the voice of the beautiful speaker broke, -while her eyes were veiled in the tears that she was making an effort to -repress. Johannes' heart was melting with sympathy. - -"Not even," she resumed, "when I was free. My husband made this the -opportunity for taking away from me my two children. For years I lived -separated from them, even in poverty and privation, with only one old -servant who, notwithstanding his low wages, would not desert me. - -"During that time, my boy,--you may be surprised to know it,--I longed -not only for my children, but even for him who had caused me so much -suffering. The mutual parentage of dearly loved children is a wonderful -bond that is never completely severed. I would have forgiven him all if -he had only called me back." - -A silence, in which Johannes' heart, already so inclined to admiration, -surrendered itself wholly. The lady continued: - -"I was recalled, but alas! too late. They telegraphed me that he was -ill, and wished to speak with me. When I arrived, he lay raving, and -never recovered his reason. For three days and nights I sat beside him, -almost without sleep, to catch anything he might have to say to me. But -he raved and raved, incessantly, uttering nothing but nonsense and -inarticulate sounds. He certainly knew me; but just the same, he -remained hard and cold--sometimes taunting, sometimes angry and abusive. -Never shall I forget that night...." - -"With my own two children I found an older girl whom I had never seen. -They told me she was a child of a former union. I had never even heard -of her. Where the mother was, no one could say. It was thought she was -not living. The girl was then about fifteen years of age, beautiful, -with a brilliant color, a fine profile, and flowing black hair." - -"More beautiful than Frieda or Olga?" asked Johannes. - -The countess smiled. - -"Quite another kind of beauty. Much more gloomy and melancholy. When I -went to her, she sat crying, and would pay no attention to me. 'Every -one dislikes me,' she kept saying. And she repeated this all day long. -She did nothing but walk back and forth, crying and lamenting. Only with -the greatest trouble could she be induced to rise in the morning, and be -dressed, and in the evening, to go to sleep. Her mind was diseased, and -little by little it has grown worse. My husband died, and I remained -with the three daughters, caring for them as well as I could." - -Countess Dolores studied for a while her beautiful, gem-adorned hands, -and then went on, with frequent pauses. - -"Helene knew very little concerning her mother; but she steadfastly -maintained that she was living, and would return, and also ... that her -father and mother had been married...." - -Another prolonged silence, the countess regarding Johannes with her -lightly half-closed eyes, to see if he understood. Apparently he did not -understand; for he sat, in unsuspecting patience, waiting for whatever -else was to be said. - -"Can you fancy, Johannes, what that would signify to me to my children -... if it were true?" - -Johannes fancied only that he was looking at the speaker in a somewhat -confounded and sheepish manner. - -"Bigamy, Johannes, is a terrible crime!" - -Wait!--A light broke in upon him, albeit a feeble one. His dearly loved -children, then, were not legal--were illegitimate--natural, or whatever -it was called. Yes, indeed! That was terrible, even though no one, to -look at them, would ever think it. But the countess enlightened him -still further. - -"The idea of living upon the property of another, Johannes, is, to a -woman of honor, insufferable!" - -What more? The property of another? Then all this sumptuousness, -belonged, perhaps, to poor, crazed Helene; and his dear, pretty children -and their beautiful mother were only illegal intruders--usurpers of -another's possessions! - -Johannes faithfully tried his best to feel as the speaker did about all -these curious and confusing things. But he did not succeed. Then, in his -desire to comfort her, he gallantly uttered in broken English whatever -came into his head. - -"No, Mevrouw; you must not think that. You are beautiful and your -children are beautiful, and therefore everything that is beautiful -belongs to you. I do not believe you have cause to be ashamed, for I -have seen no sign of it. If there were any disgrace, I should have -detected it. And how is any one to suppose that such evidence exists -either on paper or in some secret closet or other--who knows where? Are -you and Frieda and Olga any less beautiful, less lovely, less good? I do -not care a bit about it. Absolutely nothing." - -The countess laughed so heartily, and pressed his hand so warmly, that -Johannes was embarrassed. - -"Oh, you lovely boy!" she laughingly cried. "Oh, you queer, funny, -darling of a boy! How you cheer me up! I have not been so light-hearted -in a long time." - -Johannes was very glad, and proud of his success. Countess Dolores dried -her tears of laughter upon her lace handkerchief, and resumed: - -"But now we must be in earnest. It will be clearer to you now why I am -so interested in all that pertains to spiritualism and theosophy--why I -listen so eagerly to the wisdom of Mijnheer van Lieverlee, and of Lady -Crimmetart--why I attend the circle of the Pleiades, at the Hague--and, -too, why it made me so happy to meet you, when I heard that you also -were a medium, and could see the _elementals_, in full daylight." - -"But why, Mevrouw?" asked Johannes, in some distress. - -"How can you ask that, my dear boy! Nothing can ever bring back my -peace of mind, except _one_ word from him, from the other side of the -grave!" - -Ah! but that was a hard blow for Johannes. He was not so troubled at -having been invited as a guest, for a side purpose--he was not so -overweening as that--but because he was surely going to be a -disappointment to his beloved countess. With a sigh he looked down at -the carpet. - -"Shall we not make a call upon the invalid?" asked the lady, rising. - -Johannes nodded, and followed her. - - * * * * * - -The door of the sick-room was barely open, when a pitiable scream rang -out from the corner. The poor girl sat on the floor, huddled up in her -nightgown, her long black hair disheveled, and hanging down over face -and back. Her beautiful dark eyes were widely distended, and her -features wore an expression of mortal anguish. - -"Oh, God!--It is coming!" she shrieked, trembling. "Now it will happen! -Oh, God! It surely will! I know it will! There it comes! Did I not say -so? Now it comes!--Oh! Oh! Oh!" - -The nurse hushed and commanded, but the poor, tormented creature -trembled and wept, and seemed so desperately afraid, that Johannes, -greatly moved, begged leave to go away again. It seemed as if she were -afraid of him. - -"No, my boy!" said the countess. "It is not on account of you. She does -that way whoever comes in. She is afraid of everybody and everything she -sees or hears." - - * * * * * - -That whole day, and a good deal of the night, Johannes mused over this -one query: "Why--_why_ is that poor girl so afraid?" - - - - -VI - - -Johannes did not leave, and at last came the day of the dreaded party. -Having grown more confident, he had spoken of his needs. The carriage -put in an appearance, and in the neighboring town, he was soon provided -with suitable clothing. - -Still, his mind was not quite at rest. - -"Will you also say, dear lady," said Johannes that afternoon, when with -the children and their mother, "that I truly cannot play upon any -instrument? Please don't ask me to do anything!" - -"But, Johannes," urged the countess, "that would really be very -disagreeable in me. After what I have said, something will be expected -of you." - -"I cannot do anything!" said Johannes, in distress. - -"He is joking, Mama," said Olga; "he can play the castanets and can -imitate animals." - -"Oh, yes! all kinds of animals! Awfully nice!" cried Frieda. - -"Is that so, Johannes? Well, then?" - - * * * * * - -It was true that Johannes had amused his two little friends while they -were taking walks together--mimicking all sorts of animal sounds, like -those of the horse, donkey, cow, dog, cat, pig, sheep, and goat. He had -whistled like the birds so cleverly that the two little girls had been -enraptured. And one single instrument he did indeed play admirably--the -genuine boys' castanets that every schoolboy and street urchin in -Holland carries in his pocket certain months of the year. Many an autumn -day, sauntering home from school, he had shortened the way for himself -with the sharp, clear, uninterrupted "a-rick-a-ty, tick-a-ty -_tick_!--a-rick-a-ty, tick-a-ty _tick_!--a-rick-a-ty, tick-a-ty -_tick_!--tack! tack!" - -The little girls now begged him to let their mama hear. So he took out -his castanets, which he himself had made while there, and clicked away -with them lustily. - -"Delightful!" cried the countess. "Now you must sing and dance at the -same time, like the Spaniards." - -Johannes shied at the dancing. But indeed he would sing. And he sang all -kinds of street ditties, such as "Oh, Mother, the Sailor!" and "Sara, -you're losing your Petticoat," to the merry music of the castanets. The -children thought it splendid. - -Their enthusiasm excited him, and he began improvising all sorts of -nonsense. The little girls clapped their hands, and the longer he played -the more merry they grew. Johannes struck an attitude, and announced his -selections just as if he were before an audience. The countess and her -daughters went and sat in a row--the little girls wild with delight. - -"Sketches from Animal Life," announced Johannes, beginning, to the -time-keeping accompaniment of the castanets, the well-known air from -_The Carnival of Venice_, - - "A hen that came from Japan - Assured a crippled toad - She'd never have him for her man. - That was a sorry load." - -The little girls shouted and stamped, with glee. - -"More, Jo!--More, more, Johannes! Do!" - -"Splendid!" cried the countess, speaking in Dutch, now, herself. - - "A rhinoceros said to a louse, - 'I'll stamp you flat on the ground!' - The louse made tracks for his house, - And there he is now to be found. - - "A grasshopper sat in the grass, - And said to a chimpanz_ee_: - 'Your coat I will thank you to pass, - That I may attend a part_ie_.' - - "A snoop who stood on the stoop - Asked of his fellow boarder - If hairs he found in the soup. - The _hostess_?--'Twas malice toward her! - - "A crab who enjoyed a joke, - Gave his mama a kick. - And when she dropped at his poke, - He laughed till the tears fell thick." - -"Hey, there!" the little girls shouted boisterously. "Jolly! More, more! -Jo!" - - "A stock-fish, deaf-and-dumb born, - Once said to a billy-goat: - 'Of my head I see I am shorn-- - 'Twas you did it, silly goat!'" - -"There, there, Johannes! That will do. Now you are getting foolish," -said the mother. - -"Oh, no, Mama! Only funny!" cried Frieda and Olga. "He _is_ so funny! Go -on, Jo!" - -But Johannes was quite disconcerted by the mother's comment, and there -was no further exposition of "Sketches from Animal Life." - - * * * * * - -In the evening Johannes drove with the countess in the state-coach to -Lady Crimmetart's. Milady dwelt in a very handsome house--a castle in a -large park. From a distance, Johannes could see the brightly lighted -windows, and also the vehicles in front of the pillars, at the entrance. - -Overhead, an awning was spread, and a long strip of heavy, bright-red -carpeting laid down, so that the guests might be protected in passing -from their carriages to the magnificent vestibule. The way was lined -with lackeys--full twenty on each side. They looked very impressive, all -of them tall and heavy, wearing knee-breeches of yellow plush, and red -lace-trimmed coats. Johannes was puzzled because they all seemed to be -such old men. Their hair was white as snow. That was powder, however, -and it added to their dignity. How small and shabby Johannes felt while -running the gauntlet of those liveried lackeys! - -Indoors, Johannes was completely blinded by the dazzling light. He -ascended a vaulted staircase, the broad steps of which were of -many-colored marble. He saw vaguely, flowers, electric lamps, variegated -carpets, broad, conspicuously white expanses of shirt-linen bordered -with black coat, and bare necks adorned with gems and white lace. He -heard a subdued murmur of soft voices, the rustling of silk clothing, -the announcement of names. - -In the background, at the top of the stairs, the swollen visage of Lady -Crimmetart was glowing like a railway danger-signal. All the guests went -up to her, and their names being spoken, each one received a bow and a -handshake. - -"What name, sir?" asked a colossal lackey, as he bent obliquely over -Johannes. Johannes stammered out something, but the countess repeated -it, changed. - -"Professor Johannes, of Holland!" he heard called out. He bowed, -received a handshake, and saw the powdered face smiling--or -grinning--with affected sweetness. Lady Crimmetart's neck and arms were -so fat and bare that Johannes was nearly terrified by them, and did not -dare look straight. They were loaded with precious stones--big, flat, -square, uniformly cut diamonds, alternating with pear-shaped pearls. -Three white ostrich feathers bobbed in her head-dress. There were no -animals at her side, but of course she had her fan and her gold-headed -crutch. - -"How do you do?" inquired the deep voice. But before Johannes could -reply that he was pretty well, she addressed herself, with a grinning -smile, to the next comer. Beside her stood a short, heavily built man. -He had a shiny, bald head, a red face with deeply cut lines, and a -large, bony nose. It was precisely such a head as one sees carved upon -knobs of walking-sticks and parasols. It was Lord Crimmetart who stood -there, and he gave Johannes' hand a firm clasp. - -For an hour or so Johannes wandered about in the midst of the crowd. He -felt dispirited and lonesome to begin with; and the babel of voices, the -sheen and rustle of silken garments, the glitter of lights and of -precious stones, the uniforms, bare necks, and white shirt-fronts, and -the heavy scent of perfumery and of flowers,--all this oppressed him -until he became deeply dejected. There was such a press of people that -at times he could not stir, and the ladies and gentlemen talked straight -into his face. How he longed for a quiet corner and an every-day -companion! Everybody except himself had something to say. There was no -one among those passing by so forlorn as he. He did not understand what -they all could be saying to one another. The scraps of conversation that -did reach him were about the stir in the room and the magnificence of -the party. But the saying of that was not the reason for their having -come together. - -Johannes felt that the feast of the elves in the dunes had been far more -pleasant. - -Then, strains of music reached him from a stringed orchestra hidden -behind green laurel. That awakened longings almost painful, and he drew -closer, to sit down, unobserved, and let the people stream by. There he -sat, with moistened eyes, looking dreamily out before him, while his -thoughts dwelt upon quiet dunes and sounding seas on a moonlit night. - -"Professor Johannes, let me introduce you to Professor von Pennewitz," -rang suddenly in his ears. He rose to his feet startled. There stood -Lady Crimmetart beside a diminutive man, whose scanty grey locks hung -down to his coat-collar. The vision was little like Johannes' dream. - -"This is a youthful prodigy, Professor von Pennewitz--a young poet who -recites his own compositions. At the same time he is a famous medium. -You certainly will have interesting things to say to each other." - -Thereupon, Lady Crimmetart disappeared again among the other guests, -leaving the two bowing to each other--Johannes abashed and perplexed, -von Pennewitz bowing and rubbing his hands together, teetering up and -down on his toes, and smiling. - -"Now for the examination!" thought Johannes, waiting in mute patience--a -victim to whatever wise questions the great man was to pillory him with. - -"Have you--ah--known the family here for long?" asked von -Pennewitz--opening and closing his thin lips with a sipping sound, while -with fingers affectedly spread, he adjusted his eyeglasses, peering over -the tops of them at Johannes. - -"No, I do not know them at all!" replied Johannes, shaking his head. - -"No?" said von Pennewitz, rubbing and wringing his hands, most -cheerfully. And then he continued, in broken English: - -"Well, well! That pleases me. Neither do I. Curious people! Do you not -think so, young man?" - -Johannes, somewhat encouraged by this affability, gave a hesitating -assent. - -"Have you such types in Holland, also? Surely upon a more modest scale? -Ha! ha! ha!--These people are astonishingly rich! Have you tried their -champagne?--No? Then you must just come with me to the buffet. It is -worth the trouble, I can assure you." - -Happy, now, to be at least walking with some one, Johannes followed the -little man, who piloted him through the packed mass of people. - -Arrived at the buffet they drank of the sparkling wine. - -"But, sir," said Johannes, "I have heard that Lady Crimmetart is so very -clever." - -"Have you, indeed?" said the Professor, looking again at Johannes over -the top of his glasses, and nodding his head. "I have nothing to say -about that. Much traveled--papa a hoarding-house keeper--a smattering -of almost everything. Nowadays one can get a good deal out of the -newspapers. Do you read the papers, young man?" - -"Not much, sir," said Johannes. - -"Good! Be cautious about it. Let me give you some extra-good advice. -Read few newspapers, and eat few oysters. Especially in Rome eat no -oysters. I have just come from a fatal case of poisoning--a Roman -student." - -Johannes mentally resolved, on the spot, to eat anything in Rome rather -than oysters. - -"Is Lord Crimmetart also so clever, Professor?" asked Johannes. - -"He is bright enough. In order to become a Lord and an arch-millionaire -by means of patent pills alone, one needs to be a bright rascal. Just -try it! Ha! ha! ha!" - -The professor laughed heartily, snorted and sniffed, clicked his false -teeth, and finished off his glass. Then he said: - -"But take care, young man, that you do not marry before you have made -your pile. That was a stupid move of his. He would be able to do very -much better now. If he chose, he might win Countess Dolores." - -The blood rushed to Johannes' head, and he flushed deeply, - -"I am staying there, sir!" said he, considerably touched. - -"Is that so? Is that so?" replied the professor, in a propitiatory tone. -"But I said nothing about her, you know. A most charming woman. A -perfect beauty. So she is your hostess? Well, well, well!" - - * * * * * - -"There is His Grace, the bishop!" cried the heavy voice of Lady -Crimmetart, as she passed by, hurrying toward the entrance. - -Johannes was on the _qui vive_ for the white mitre and the gilded -crozier, but he could see only a tall, ordinary gentleman in a black -suit, and wearing gaiters. He had a smooth, good-looking face, that bore -an affected smile; and in his hand he held a curious, flat hat, the brim -of which was held up with cords, as if otherwise it might droop down -over his nose. Lady Crimmetart received him quite as warmly as Aunt -Serena received the dominie. How Johannes wished he was still at his -Aunt Serena's! - - -"Sir!" said some one at his ear, "Milady wishes to know if you have -brought your instrument, and if you will not begin now." - -Johannes looked round, in a fright. He saw a portly personage with an -upstroked moustache, in black satin short-clothes, and a red -coat--evidently a master of ceremonies. - -"I have no instrument," stammered Johannes. But he did have his -castanets in his pocket. "I cannot do anything," he repeated--most -miserable. - -The pompous one glanced right and left, as if he had made some mistake. -Then he stepped away a moment, to return soon, accompanied by Countess -Dolores. - -"What is it, my dear Johannes?" said the countess. "You must not -disappoint us." - -"But, Mevrouw, I really cannot." - -The pompous one stood by, looking on in a cool, impassive way, as if -quite accustomed to the sight of freaks who were considered youthful -prodigies. Johannes' forehead was wet with perspiration. - -"Indeed you can, Johannes! You are sure to do well." - -"What shall I announce?" asked the pompous one. Johannes did not -understand the question, but the countess replied, in his stead. - -In a twinkling he was standing beside a piano encircled by guests, and -he saw hundreds of eyes, with and without eyeglasses, fastened upon him. -Straight in front--next Lady Crimmetart--sat the bishop, looking at him -severely and critically, out of hard, cold, light-blue eyes. - -The master of ceremonies called out, loudly and clearly: - -"National Hymns of Holland." And then poor Little Johannes had to clap -and sing--whatever he could. To keep up courage, he threw just a glance -at the beautiful face of the countess, with its near-sighted eyes--and -tried to think it was for her alone that he sang. He did his best, and -sang in _tremolo_ from "Oh, Mother, the Mariner!" and "We are going to -America," to "The Hen from Japan," and "The Tiger of Timbuctoo"--his -entire repertory. - -They listened, and looked at him as if they thought him a queer -specimen; but no one laughed. Neither the goggle-eyes of the hostess, -nor the stern regard of the bishop, nor one of the hundreds of other -pairs of eyes pertaining to these richly dressed and excellent ladies -and gentlemen, evinced the slightest token of emotion, happy or -otherwise. That was scarcely to be wondered at, since they did not -understand the words; but it was not encouraging. Without loss of time, -most of them turned away their attention, and began anew their laughing -and chattering. - -When he stopped, there sounded, to his astonishment, a lone -hand-clapping, and Countess Dolores came up to him, gave her hand, and -congratulated him upon his success. Lady Crimmetart, also, thundered out -that it was "awfully interesting." A tall, thin young lady, in white -satin, whose prominent collar bones were but slightly concealed by a -ten-fold necklace of pearls, came, smiling sweetly, to press his hand. -She was so happy, she said, to have heard the _Carnival of Venice_ in -the original, by a veritable resident of the city. "How peculiarly -interesting! But it must be so nice, Professor ... ah! I have lost your -name!... so nice to live in a city lying wholly under water, and where -everybody wears wooden shoes!" - -"Was that entirely your own composition, Professor Johannes?" inquired a -plain, good-natured little lady, in a simple black gown. And several -other women, of riper years, sought to introduce themselves. He really -brightened up a little at these tokens of approval, although he rather -mistrusted their sincerity. When, however, he found himself beside a -group of tall, broad-shouldered Britishers, with high collars, florid, -smooth-shaven cheeks, and trim, closely-cropped, wavy, blonde hair, who, -one hand in the trousers' pocket, stood drinking champagne, he heard -such expressions as "beastly," "rot," and "humbug," and he very well -knew that the words were applied to himself. - -Shortly after this it became clear to him what constitutes genuine -success. A robust young lady, with very artfully arranged hair, and -pretty white teeth, sang, accompanied by the piano, a German song. With -her head swaying from side to side and occasionally tossed backward, and -with her mouth open very wide, she threw out trills and runs, like a -veritable music-box. The sound of it all pierced through to Johannes' -very marrow. What her song was intended to say, it was hard to tell, for -she spoke a remarkable kind of German. Apparently, she was exciting -herself over a faithless lover, or mistress, and dying--out of sheer -affection. - -When she had ended, and made a sweet, smiling bow, a vigorous round of -applause followed, with cries of "bis," and "encore." Johannes had not -himself received such acclaim, nor would he now take part therein. - -In his dejection, he went to find Countess Dolores. She was the only one -there to whom he could turn for comfort. He asked if he might not take -his leave, since he was tired, and did not feel at home where he was. - -The countess herself appeared not to be very well satisfied; she had won -no honors through him, nevertheless she said: - -"Come, my boy, do not be discouraged! You have still other gifts. Have -you spoken with Ranji-Banji-Singh?" - -A little earlier, Johannes had seen the tall East-Indian, with head -erect, and a courtly carriage, striding through the motley crowd. He had -wide nostrils, large, handsome eyes with somewhat drooping lids, a -light-brown complexion, splendid blue-black hair, and a sparse beard. He -wore his white turban, and yellow silk clothing, with solemn -ceremoniousness. When any one spoke to him, he smiled most -condescendingly, and, closing his eyes, he laid his slender hand, with -its pale nails and upturned finger-tips, upon his bosom, and made a -profound and graceful bow. - -Johannes had noticed him especially, as one to whom he felt more -attracted than to any other; and he had visions of deep, blue skies, -majestic elephants, rustling palms, and palace facades of pale marble, -on the banks of the Sacred River. However, he had not dared to address -him. - -But now the countess and Johannes went to find him, and find him they -did, beside Lady Crimmetart, in a circle of ladies to whom he appeared -to be speaking in rotation, with a courtly smile. - -"Mr. Ranji-Banji-Singh," said Countess Dolores, "have you made the -acquaintance of Professor Johannes, of Holland? He is a great medium, -and you certainly will find him sympathetic." - -The East-Indian showed his white teeth again, in a winning smile, and -gave his hand to Johannes. The boy felt, however, that it was not given -from the heart. - -"But are you not also a medium, Mr. Singh?" asked one of the ladies, -"such a great theosophist as you!" - -Ranji-Banji-Singh threw back his head, made with his clasped hands a -gesture as if warding off something, and smiling disdainfully, said, in -broken English: - -"Theosophists not mediums. Mediums is organ-grinders--theosophist, -composer. Medium-tricks stand low;--street-jugglery for gold. -Theosophist and Yogi can everything, all the same--can much more, but -not show. That is meanness, unworthiness!" - -The slender brown hand was shaken in Johannes' face, in an endeavor to -express its owner's contempt, while the dark face of the East-Indian -took on an expression of one compelled to drink something bitter. - -That was too much for Johannes. Feeling himself misunderstood by the -only one upon whom he cared to make a good impression, he said, -angrily: - -"I never perform tricks, sir. I exhibit nothing. I am not a medium." - -"Not by profession--not a professional medium," said Countess Dolores, -to save the situation. - -"Then you do not practise table-tilting, nor slate-writing, nor -flower-showering?" asked the East-Indian, while his face cleared. - -"No, sir! Nothing whatever!" said Johannes, emphatically. - -"If I had known that!" exclaimed Lady Crimmetart, while her eyes seemed -almost rolling out of her head. "But, Mr. Singh, can you not, just for -this one time, show us something? Let us see something wonderful? A -spinning tambourine, or a violin that plays of itself? Do, now! When we -ask you so pleadingly, and when I look at you so fondly! Come!" - -And she cast sheep's eyes at Mr. Ranji-Banji-Singh in a manner which did -not in the least arouse Johannes' envy. - -The theosophist bowed again, smiling with closed eyes, but at the same -time contracting his brows as if struggling with his aversion. - -Then they went to a boudoir having glass walls and exotic plants--a kind -of small conservatory, in a soft twilight. There they seated themselves -at a table, with the East-Indian in the circle. Johannes was promptly -excluded with the words: "Antipathetic! Bad influence!" - -"That's Keesje, yet--surely!" thought Johannes. - -Then there was writing upon slates held by Mr. Singh in one hand, under -the table. The scratching of the pencil could be heard, and soon the -slate reappeared--covered with writing in various languages--English, -Latin, and Sanscrit. These sentences were translated by the East-Indian, -and appeared to contain very wise and elevating lessons. - -But Johannes had the misfortune to notice that the slate which should -have been written upon was quickly exchanged by the theosophist the -instant that he succeeded in diverting the attention of all the -on-lookers. And Johannes added to his inauspicious observation the -imprudent exclamation--loud and triumphant--"I see it all! He is -exchanging slates!" - -A regular riot ensued. Yet Ranji-Banji-Singh, with the utmost calmness, -brought the exchanged slate to light again, and, with a triumphant -smile, showed that it was without writing. Johannes looked baffled, yet -he knew to a certainty that he had seen the deception, and he cried: "I -saw it, nevertheless!" - -"For shame!" thundered Lady Crimmetart. And all the other ladies cried -indignantly, "Disgraceful!" - -Ranji-Banji-Singh, with a taunting smile said: "I have compassion. Yogi -know not hate, but pity evil-doer. Bad Karma. Unhappy person, this!" - -That did not agree with what Herr van Lieverlee had said. He had -commended Johannes' Karma. But Countess Dolores, now realizing that she -was to have no further satisfaction out of her protege, at once -withdrew, and quite good-naturedly, so that he might not feel at all -reproached. Indeed, she comforted him, with her friendly jests. - - * * * * * - -Johannes saw some daily papers lying in the hall of Countess Dolores' -house. Against the advice of Professor von Pennewitz, he began running -them through. His eyes remained glued to the page, for he saw there a -communication from Germany, to the effect that the miners' strike had -ended. The laborers had lost the battle. - -The sleepless night that ensued seemed very long to him. Poor Helene, -also, was restless, and wailed and wailed without pause. - - - - -VII - - -Be brave now, for my story is going to be truly sombre and shuddery. -Truth can sometimes appear very black; but if we only dare to look her -straight in the eye, she smiles, in the end, brightly and blithely. - -Only those who are afraid of her, and turn halfway back, will be caught -and held fast in the meshes of gloom and misery. - - * * * * * - -You have, doubtless, known all along that there was something utterly -amiss in Johannes' fine, new life--that he had made a pitiful mistake, -and was all at sea. He, also, knew it now, although he would not admit -it to himself. Those joyful expectations had not been prompted by the -Father's voice, and he knew now that one could be misled by positive -impressions. - -However, he was not yet out of the scrape. To acknowledge again that he -had made a mistake--to leave this life and return to Markus and Marjon, -was a hard thing to do. Here were far greater attractions than Aunt -Serena's raspberries and fresh rolls. When he thought of the garden at -Vrede-best, ah, how eagerly he longed to be there again! But that which -held him here had a much stronger hold upon him, for he would not admit -to himself that it would be better to leave it. That he should be an -intimate little friend of this beautiful, distinguished woman--_that_, -above all things--preoccupied him day and night. - -Did you ever, late at night, when you ought to have been in bed, read a -very captivating book? You knew then, did you not, that it was not good -for you--that you would be sorry for it? Perhaps you even found the book -to be dull or base. And yet you could not break off, but read on and on, -just one more chapter, to see how it ended. - -That was the way with Johannes, in the pretty villa of Countess Dolores. - -He stayed on, week after week, month after month, writing nothing to -Holland, nor to Aunt Serena--nothing to his Brother, nor to Marjon, -either because of he knew not what, or because he was ashamed. - -One thought alone prevailed over all others; what would she say when he -should have another talk with Countess Dolores, and what should he -reply? Would she stroke his hair, or even press a kiss upon it, as once -she had done--the same as with her two little daughters? - -Perhaps you have never yet been in love. If you never have, you cannot -know what all this means. But it is not a slight matter, and there is -nothing in it to rail about. - -Johannes himself did not quite know what had happened. He only felt that -never yet in his life had anything so perplexing and distressing come to -him. - -It was so wonderful, too. It gave him pain--sharp pain--and yet it was -sweet to him, and he welcomed it. It caused him anguish and anxiety, and -yet he would not run away from it. It was so contradictory--so -confounding! - -One sultry, stormy evening he took a lonely walk over the cliffs, and -followed a narrow path lying close to the grey steeps at the foot of -which the breakers were pounding. - -He saw the sun go down behind great masses of clouds, just as he had -formerly done. But now how different it was! How cold and strange it -seemed! He felt left out. Life--cruel, human life--with its passions and -entanglements, now had him in its grasp. - -It seemed agonizing and frightful, as if a great monster had pursued him -to the shore of the sea, and were still close behind. And now Nature had -become strange and inhospitable. - -He stretched out his hand, and cried to the clouds: - -"Oh, help me, clouds with the silver lining!" But the clouds rolled on -as if wholly unconscious of the wonderful shapes they assumed at every -turn--ever changing, and adorned anew with glittering gold and gleaming -silver. And all the while the sea was roaring just as if it had no -memory whatever of Johannes. - -And when he had cried "Help me, clouds with the silver lining!" the -words clung to his mind, and, like shining angels, they beckoned other, -sister words, still lingering in the depths of his soul, to come and -join them. And so they came--one after another, in twinkling file, and -fell into line. Their faces seemed more serious than did ever those of -his own words. - - "Help, oh, help me, ye silver-lined clouds! - Oh, save me, sun and stormy sea! - To thee I fly from stifling haunts of men. - _Life_, with its frightful, crimson-flaming hands, - Has laid its hold on me. - Once I was thy friend and confidant-- - At home in thy mysterious loneliness. - I explored without fear thy boundless space - And celestial mansions builded I there - With the mere light of stars, and the waves of wind. - Peace I found in thy grandeur stern, - And rest in thy bright expanse. - Now, life sweeps me on with its current swift, - And a seething volcano I find where erst - Was an ocean serene of exalted delights. - Alas! thou doest rest in thy splendor immersed-- - As cool as a lion licking his paws. - All slowly the cloud is transformed, - Letting the light stream through, - And the tossing main with sparks is clad, - As if with a golden coat of mail. - Ah, beautiful world! Untrue and unreal - Thou glidest away 'neath my anguished eyes. - The ocean roars ever, and silent are sun and clouds. - Sadly, I see the strange daylight fail. - It leaves me alone with still stranger night. - Oh! may I yet find there my Father's spirit, - That dwells beyond sun and sea and clouds? - Must I join with the hapless, hopeless throng - And bind my sorrowful fate to theirs, - Until the Great Leveler bring surcease?" - -What Johannes meant by the "Great Leveler" he did not himself know at -first. Neither did he at all realize that he had composed something -better than formerly. But in the night he understood that it was Death -he had meant. And he knew, also, that something within him had opened to -the light, like an unfolding flower. - -He felt that the verses might be sung like a song, but he could not hear -the melody--or but faintly--like wind-wafted tones from the farthest -distance. At night, he heard in his dreams the full strain, but in the -morning he had entirely forgotten it. And Marjon was not there to help -him. - -You must remember that Little Johannes was no longer so _very_ little. -Nearly four years had passed since that morning when he had waked up in -the dunes, with the little gold key. - -He could not refrain from reading the poem to the countess on the -following day. The making of it--the writing and rewriting--had calmed -the unrest out of which it had come. He was curious, now, to learn what -others would say of it--above all, the one who was ever in his thoughts. - -"Ah, yes!" said she, after he had read it aloud, "life is fearful! And -that 'surcease' is all that I long for. I fully agree with you." - -This remark, however kind the intention of the speaker, gave Johannes, -to his own astonishment, small pleasure. He would have preferred to hear -something different. - -"Do you think it good?" he asked, with a vague feeling that he really -ought not to ask the question, because he had been so very much in -earnest over the verses. And when one is deeply in earnest about -anything one does not ask if it is good; no more than he would ask if -he had wept beautifully. But yet he would have liked, so well, to know -what she thought. - -"I do not know, Johannes. You must not hope for a criticism from me. I -think the idea very sympathetic, and the form seems to me also quite -poetic. But whether or not it is good poetry, you must ask of Mijnheer -van Lieverlee. He is a poet." - -"Is Mijnheer van Lieverlee coming soon?" - -"Yes; I expect him shortly." - -One fine day Van Lieverlee put in an appearance. With him arrived a host -of merrily creaking, yellow trunks, smelling delightfully like russia -leather--ditto high-hat box, and a brisk, smooth-shaven, -traveling-servant. - -Van Lieverlee wore in his button-hole a dark-red rose, and pointed -pale-green carnation leaves. - -He was very much at his ease--contented and gay--and when he saw -Johannes he did not appear to have a very clear remembrance of him. - -That evening Johannes read to him the poem. Van Lieverlee listened, with -an absent-minded expression of face, while he drummed on the arm of the -low, easy-chair in which he lay indolently outstretched. It looked very -much as if the verses bored him. - -When it was over, and Johannes was waiting in painful suspense, he shook -his head emphatically. - -"All rhetoric, my worthy friend--mere bombast! 'Oh! Alas!' and 'Ah!' All -those are impotent cryings which show that the business is beyond you. -If you had full control of expression, you would not utter such -cries--you would form, shape, knead, create, model--_model_! Plasticity, -Johannes! That is the thing--vision, color, imagery! I see nothing in -that poem. I want something to see and taste. Just think of that sonnet -of mine! Every line full of form, of imagery, of real, actual things! -With you, there is nothing but vague terms--weak swaggering--all about -the spirit of your Father, and such things--none of them to be seen. -And, to produce effect, you call upon the other words: 'Ah!' and -'Alas!' and 'Oh!' as if that helped, at all. Any cad could do that if he -fell into the water. That is not poetry." - -Johannes was completely routed. And although his hostess tried to -console him with assurances that if he did his best things would go -better with him by and by, when he was a little older, it was of no -avail. Johannes already knew that it was quite in vain for him to -attempt his best, so long as the inspiration he so much needed was -withheld. - -His night was a sad one; for the serious words of the poem were -continually before him, and to think that they had been disdained was -indeed torture. They would not be driven away, but remained to vindicate -their worth. And then he wished that others, as well as he, should value -them. But his powerlessness and his own mistrust, were a grievous -vexation. - -In the small hours, he had just fallen asleep--probably for only a few -minutes--when he awoke again with the feeling that his room was full, -but with what kind of company--human beings or other creatures--he -could not tell. He did not see them; for just in the place where he was -looking there was no one, and where he wanted to look, he could not. He -seemed to be prevented from doing so by a strange power. - -He heard a laugh, and the sound was very familiar to him. It was a -dismal, old-time memory. It was Pluizer's laugh. - -Could Pluizer be in the room? - -Johannes tried his best to look at the spot whence the sound came. -Exerting himself, he saw something at last--not an entire figure, but -hands only--two, four, six little hands, busily doing something. Higher -up, to what was above the hands, he could not look--but that they were -the hands of Pluizer he was quite positive. - -There was something in those hands--a white band--and the little hands -were very busy tying all kinds of knots in it. And all the while there -was continuous laughing and snickering, as if it was great fun. - -What could that mean? Johannes felt that something menaced. The play of -those little hands portended danger. Most plainly of all he saw the -white band--a common, white tape. - -Then the hands went out of the room, and Johannes was forced to follow -them. In another room--that of Helene's nurse--there they were, as busy -as ever, this time with a pair of scissors. The scissors had fallen upon -the floor close to a toilet-table. One point having stuck through the -carpet into the floor, there they stood--erect. The invisible one was -laughing again--giggling and snickering--and all six little hands were -pointing at the scissors. - -A light was burning in Helene's room, but the poor, sick girl was not -now complaining. All was quiet there. The door opened, and the nurse -came out, leaving it open behind her. The nurse went to her own room to -look for something. She was a long time searching, but could not find -it. Surely it was the scissors. - -All this time they were sticking by one point, in the carpet behind the -toilet-table, and the six little hands were pointing at them. But the -seeker apparently neither saw the hands nor heard the laughter. - -Johannes could not help her. He had to follow the hands. He still heard -giggling and snickering, and saw the little hands go away--downstairs, -through the hall, outside. - -Save for the shining of the stars--sharp and clear in the black sky--it -was still very dark out-of-doors. - -On the terrace, there was visible to Johannes, a tall, dark figure. He -could look at it better than at the sneering ones. He recognized it, -instantly. It was He with whom he had traveled by sea. - -The dark figure now took the lead with slow, firm strides. Pluizer went -next, but in between these two there was a third. - -It was quite impossible for Johannes to look at that third one. When he -tried to look, he felt an indescribable agony. - -That third one! Yes, he certainly knew it well. It was _it_! Do you -understand? The _It_ which lies in wait around the corner, outside the -door, while you dream of being alone in a dark room, vainly trying to -call for help. - -_It_, the most frightful object!--so frightful that no one can either -look at or describe it. - -These three now passed down the dark avenue of the park until they came -to the black pool lying deathly still and calmly expectant--shining -beneath the starlight. - -There the three sat down and waited. - -It was still as still could be. Not a leaf rustled. - -The star-tips on the water were as sharply defined as points of light -upon fathomless darkness. - -"Prettily planned; don't you think so?" said Pluizer. - -_It_ grumbled, sneeringly. - -Thereupon good Death, in a soft, restful voice, said: "Yet all is for -the best!" - -Then again they sat very still. Johannes waited with them for he could -not do otherwise. - -The sound of a door was heard in the still night air, and a white figure -drew near, with light, swift steps. By the faint starlight Johannes saw -the slender girl in a white night-dress, her black hair flowing loose. - -For an instant she stood still at the edge of the pool. Johannes could -see her eyes shining with both terror and joy, like those of one pursued -who sees escape. He tried to call or to move, but could do neither. - -Then the girl waded into the water with her arms extended as if to -embrace it. She went cautiously, so that the water neither plashed nor -spattered; only, the star-points were broken up and became long stripes, -and serpentine lines of light. These, after the white garment could be -seen no more, still continued--dancing up and down with the ripples. - -"We have her!" sneered Pluizer. - -"That remains to be seen," said good Death. - - * * * * * - -At once, Johannes found himself awake, in his own bed. He had been -wakened by noises, cries of anguished voices, hasty runnings hither and -thither through the hallways of the house, and by the opening and -shutting of doors. - -"Helene! Helene!" rang through the halls, in the garden, in the park. -"Helene! Helene!" - -Johannes dressed himself, not overhastily, for he knew it was too late. - -The members of the household were already gathered in the large -vestibule. The poor nurse, with a startled face of deathly pallor, came -in from the garden. - -"I cannot find her anywhere," she cried. "It is my fault--my fault!" - -She sat down and began to sob. - -"Come, dear," said the countess, in her tranquil voice, "do not reproach -yourself. She may be back again in no time; or perhaps the servants will -find her in the town." - -"No, no," shrieked the poor nurse. "She has long wanted to do it, and I -knew it. I never left her door unfastened. But this time I only thought -to be gone two seconds. She had knotted a tape into a tangle, and I -wanted to get my scissors. But I could not find them ... and then.... O -God! How could I be so stupid! I can never forgive myself. Oh, my God, -my God!" - -Could not Johannes have run quickly to the pool, and told what he knew? -No, for he also knew, quite as surely, that it was too late. And before -he could have done it, the men came to say she had been found. He saw -her borne into the house, wrapped in a checked bed-cover. - -And when he saw them making vain endeavors to resuscitate her he -remarked that he feared it would do no good. And he added, "Indeed, I -don't fear--but I hope so." - -"For her sake," said the countess. - -"Surely for her sake," repeated Johannes, in some surprise. - - -Van Lieverlee had not appeared. But when the corpse of the beautiful -girl had been placed upon her death-bed, her slender hands crossed upon -her breast, her hair--still moist--laid in heavy braids about the -delicate, sallow little face, the dark lashes nearly closed over the -sightless eyes, white lilies and snowdrops all around, then Van -Lieverlee came to see. - -"Look," said he to Johannes, "this is very pretty. I would not have -cared to see her taken from the water. A drowned person is nearly always -an ugly spectacle. Even the most beautiful girl becomes repulsive and -clownlike when being dragged out of the water by leg or arm, with face -and hair all duck-weed and mud. But _this_ is worth while. Mind, -Johannes, genuine artists are always lucky. They come across the -beautiful, everywhere. Such an event as this is, for a poet, a rare bit -of good luck." - - * * * * * - -The next day he was deep in the making of poetry. But Johannes was in a -restless, introverted mood, and could find no words for what distressed -him. - - - - -VIII - - -A few days later, the two guests were sitting with their hostess at the -afternoon-tea table. - -"Is it not a frightful thought," said Countess Dolores, "that the poor -girl cannot yet have rest, but must do penance for her sinful deed?" - -"I cannot believe it," said Johannes. - -"But yet it was a sin." - -"I would certainly forgive her." - -"By which we perceive, Dolores," broke in Van Lieverlee, "that Johannes -is much more kind-hearted than his beloved Lord." - -"But why, Johannes, can you not assure us about that of which I have so -often asked?" said the countess again. "Can you not put yourself into -communication with her?" - -"No, Mevrouw," replied Johannes. - -"But your Mahatma, Johannes!" said Van Lieverlee. "He can do it all -right. It is child's play for him." - -"Of whom are you speaking?" asked the hostess, looking with quickened -interest at Van Lieverlee. - -"Of his Mahatma. Has he never told you about his Mahatma?" - -"Not a word," said the countess, a little pettishly, while Johannes -maintained a mortified silence. - -"Well, Johannes knows a sage--a Yogi--a great Magician. He saw him come -ashore from over the North Sea--which phenomenon might be termed -levitation--and this Magician traveled with him in disguise." - -"But, Johannes, why have you never told me that? It was not kind of you. -You knew how much I have longed for the advice of such a person." - -Johannes knew very little to tell. That question exactly concerned what -was most perplexing and distressing to him in this situation. - -Something there was that always restrained him from speaking of -Markus--yes, even the thought of him was baffling. And yet how much he -longed for him! But he felt that that longing was opposed to the other -longings which held him where he was. - -"I believe," he said at last, timidly, "that he does not like it when I -talk about him." - -"Of course," said Van Lieverlee, "but only in the case of the -uninitiated--the common herd." - -"Do you count me in with them?" asked his hostess in her most engaging -manner. - -"No, oo!" protested Johannes, with great earnestness. "But neither do I -know where he is." - -"He well knows, however, where _we_ are," said Van Lieverlee, "and if we -desire to see him, he will come to us." - -"He surely will not come here," said Johannes. - -"Why not?" - -Johannes could not explain why, but the countess said: - -"Then we will go to Holland and have him come to our club." - -That gave Johannes a thrill of joy. But ah! he realized at the same time -how cold and unresponsive he had become to the _beautiful_ which had -brought him thither. The two children were indeed just as captivating, -but they did not give him the same happiness as before. And he began -gradually to dislike Van Lieverlee. - - * * * * * - -In Holland, Countess Dolores dwelt in a villa between a large town and -the ocean. And when Johannes was there again, and, though knowing -better, was expecting to re-see his beloved dunes, then, for the first -time, he felt convinced that Pan was indeed dead, and Windekind's -kingdom at an end. - -Civilization had conquered the dunes. Long, straight, barren streets -led out to them, and house after house, all exactly alike--as tedious as -they were ugly--lined the comfortless way. Sand drifted through the -dreary, brick-paved streets, and shavings, bits of tin, and great pieces -of tattered wall-paper were strewn about the intervening spaces. -Buildings were being put up everywhere. Of the beauty and mystery of the -dunes there was nothing left--only dismal, dust-littered heaps of sand. - -The ocean also was spoiled for Johannes, for here there were great -crowds of people, come for the sake of society, or else for the music. -And even when they were gone there still remained the ugly buildings -they had erected. - -Countess Dolores seemed indeed to share Johannes' aversion and -disappointment. Not so Van Lieverlee. Here he was in his -element--dressing himself most gorgeously, making visits, and attending -the principal clubs, restaurants, and concerts. - -"Romance is dead, my friend," said he. "You must have _life_--Life with -a capital letter. Life is Passion. Art is Passion. Life is Art--rude, -real life--one day gloriously luxurious, the next day coarse and -loathsome. You must not dream of the past, Johannes, but live in the -present. And you must experience everything, take a part in and enjoy -everything, and despise everything. You must lead life by the -nose--seize it by the throat and force it to do your bidding. Get tipsy -with life--spew it out of your mouth--strike it flat to earth--sling it -at the clouds--play upon it as upon a violin--stick it in your -buttonhole, like a gardenia--roll with it in the gutter, and consort -with it in orgies of supremest passion. Study it in its hideous -nakedness and vileness, and subjugate it to your dearest dreams of blood -and gold." - -This oration was delivered in the evening after Van Lieverlee had dined -with his friends. Later, Johannes observed that Van Lieverlee liked best -to study the hideous phases of life from a safe distance, and to choose -for himself the easy and pleasant ones. - -Visitors from very respectable circles came to Dolores' villa; and -already, at the receptions preceding the seances of the Pleiades, -Johannes had met the members of that "ideal community of ideals in -common." - -There were, of course, besides the countess and Van Lieverlee, only five -others; and when Johannes hesitated to add to this number of seven, he -was assured that the Constellation was composed of eight visible stars, -besides a great many others not visible to the naked eye. - -The leader was a General with a gold-embroidered collar and a grey, -closely-cut beard. He had a powerful, commanding voice, and spoke with -great respect of the present dynasty. Johannes wondered that he could -think of anything other than cannon and battles; but it appeared that he -had a very gentle heart, and was extraordinarily curious concerning the -immaterial and the life on the other side of the grave. - -He even seemed to be conscious that his blood-thirsty trade did not -tally with his philosophical researches, and therefore preferred that no -one should know he belonged to this ideal community--a weakness common -to all the members of the Pleiades. - -Then there were a senator and his wife--both of them very courtly and -fashionable persons. The husband had exquisitely cut grey hair, and a -handsome white beard, small hands, and thin legs. The wife, who was an -invalid, had a languishing voice, a discontented face, and a manner that -became earnest and excited as soon as things were mentioned of highest -import to the society. - -Then there was Professor Bommeldoos--an impressive man, who certainly -would have been chosen as leader had it not been known that at heart he -scorned and condemned such researches. He took part only at the urgent -request of the countess, to whose beauty he was not insensible, for as a -representative of pure science she desired him to be present. Professor -Bommeldoos was awfully learned--his Greek was as fluent as water, and he -had, so to speak, every conceivable system of philosophy under his -thumb. He was so much taken up with himself that he paid no attention to -any reply he might have received to his discourse. He thought only of -his own words, and if he did not receive instant assent, or if some one, -with a bow, wished to differ from him, he turned himself about, and -declared the hearer to be an ignoramus. - -These bad manners, however, were the exception among the well-bred -Pleiades; but they were endured as being a necessary attribute of his -great erudition. - -The seventh, and last, was an Honorable Lady, no longer young. She was -of noble birth, fat, unattractive, and as ignorant as Professor -Bommeldoos was learned. Every one of her observations was crushed by -him, with cold disdain, under some obscure quotation or other. Whereupon -the Honorable Lady, smiling insipidly, became silent, but with a face -which seemed to say that she was by no means convinced. - -Johannes waited in great suspense for the first seance, above all -because of the possibility that Markus would perceive his longings, and, -as Van Lieverlee surmised, suddenly appear. - -The members of the society gathered just as if they had no other thought -than to make a casual evening visit. The Privy Counselor, who bore a -threefold name, and whom therefore I shall call simply the Privy -Counselor, chatted with the fat Honorable Lady about the climate on the -Riviera, along which he had been traveling with his wife, for her -health's sake, and whence he had brought her back home more ill than -when she left. The General chatted on about the early shell-peas, while -Van Lieverlee talked softly in French to the countess, to the silent -distraction of Johannes. No one appeared to care to know the object of -their meeting. - -But this dissimulation was rudely shaken by Professor Bommeldoos, who, -having scarcely entered, burst out in his frightful voice: - -"Come, followers of Allan Kardec! Where is the keeper of the door--he -who shall unlock for us that portal through which we may step from the -kingdom of the three dimensions into that of the fourth dimension?" - -Thereupon he looked searchingly into the faces of those present. They -smiled in a rather embarrassed way, and glanced at the General. After a -good, thorough clearing of his throat, the General said: - -"If you refer to our medium, Professor, there is none yet; but we -should--ah ... can--ah ... begin to form the circle, in order to prepare -ourselves, in some degree, for...." - -During oppressive silence, a round, marble-topped table was drawn by the -gentlemen into the middle of the room. The assistance of the servants -was not desired. - -"Look! See what a crack was made in it the other time," whispered the -Honorable Lady, "when it rose completely up into the air, you know. We -could not possibly hold it down." - -"Ought not the light to be put out?" asked the Professor, who had not -yet attended a seance. - -"No, no," said the General. "A little lower--just a little lower." - -"Very well! H'm--h'm!" muttered Bommeldoos. - -"The Professor must not counteract with his irony," said the countess, -pleasantly. - -"Mevrouw," declaimed the Professor, solemnly, "in the researches of a -philosopher nothing is trifling, nothing is ridiculous. He stands for -all phenomena like an unbroken mirror. Darwin had the contrabass played -to an audience of sprouting garden-beans, in order to observe the effect -of music on vegetation. And if you have read my book about Plotinus...." - -"Pardon, Professor, I have not." - -"What! Then the one about the material basis of ideas?" - -"Nor that." - -"Then you certainly must read my book upon Magic. Do not forget it, or I -will not come the next time. Plotinus says...." - -Here followed a quotation in Greek that I will spare you, but which was -listened to with respect. Then the Honorable Lady chimed in with: - -"Shall we not sing something? It puts one in such a good frame of mind." - -They all agreed with her, but no one wanted to begin. The General seated -himself mettlesomely at the table, and spread out his hands on the top -of it. - -With simulated unconcern, one after another followed him. At last, -Johannes also was invited to take part. - -"Is the young gentleman a novice in psychical fields?" asked the Privy -Counselor, condescendingly. - -"My friend Johannes ought to have strong mediumistic powers. I hope that -those present will not object...." said the countess. - -"Not at all, not at all," said the General. "In this research we are all -as ignorant as children." - -"I do not in the least agree with you, there, General," blustered -Bommeldoos. "Have you read all the writings of Phillipus Aureolus -Paracelsus Theophrastus Bombastus ab Hohenheim, born in 1493, died in -1541?" - -"I have not, Professor," replied the warrior, meekly. - -"Well, I have, and it was not child's work. Magic is a subdivision--and -only a small subdivision--of philosophy. In my library I have a hundred -and seventy-five volumes, all that subdivision--all of them on magical -subjects, from Apollonius Tyannaeus to Swedenborg, Hellenbach, and Du -Prell. Do you call that childish ignorance?" - -"'Suffer the little children to come unto me,'" said the fat Honorable -Lady, improving the opportunity to make a quotation, also. - -"I am not going to drive them away," said Bommeldoos, "if only they do -not imagine they know as much as I do." - -Johannes did not at all imagine that, and, hands upon the marble top of -the table, he waited very patiently for the manifestations. They sat a -considerable time, however, without anything unusual having happened. -Van Lieverlee said to the countess, softly yet quite distinctly: -"Neither are those magical powers of Johannes very unusual." - -Then came the medium--a demure young woman of the middle class, who made -deep courtesies to right and left, and appeared not to feel quite at -home in this dignified society. - -She had scarcely seated herself at the table, before the wife of the -Privy Counselor cried out in a shrill voice: "I feel it already. There -it goes!" - -"Yes, a genuine shock," declared the Honorable Lady, in an excited tone. - -"Be calm," commanded the General. - -The table began turning and tilting, and now the questions were plied. -The first spirit to put in an appearance gave general advice about -reading the Bible, and about faithful attendance at church. This advice -seemed to make a deep impression on the circle. Asked his name, the -spirit replied, "Moses." This gave Professor Bommeldoos the opportunity -to inquire if Moses himself had written the Pentateuch. "Yes": was the -reply. But when the Professor queried him in Hebrew, Moses said that the -medium needed a brief rest; and after that rest he left it to some one -else to make reply. In succession followed Homer and Cicero, who both -lamented that they had not known the true faith; and after them -Napoleon, who evinced great sorrow for the amount of blood he had caused -to be shed. One could see that this gave the General food for -reflection. - -But, save that all these people urged, in the main, the practice of -purity and piety, it was unanimously demonstrated that Johannes and the -countess were the ones from whose co-operation the greatest results were -to be expected. They would have to study up these matters, and apply -themselves to automatic writing. - -Then Johannes had to sit beside the countess and hold her hand, and -thus, together, write down the communications of the spirits. This was -a bitter-sweet experience for Johannes. Would Markus come now? - -But Markus did not come, nor any news of poor Helene, nor of her father. - -Yet a spirit disclosed itself who treated this ideal society in a very -impolite, bearish manner. He called himself Thomas, and would not reply -when Bommeldoos asked him if he was Thomas the Apostle, or Thomas -Aquinas, or Thomas a Kempis, or Thomas Morus. - -"Do you know us?" asked the Privy Counselor. - -"Yes, you are heathen and malefactors." - -"Will you help us?" - -"Confess, pray, and do penance," said Thomas. - -"Will you tell us something of the hereafter?" asked Countess Dolores, -paling somewhat. - -"Hell, if you go on this way," said Thomas. - -"Then what must I do?" asked Dolores, almost trembling. - -"Be converted," was the reply. - -"That is all well and good," said Bommeldoos, "but I know at least -twelve religions, and twice as many systems of philosophy. To which of -them must we be converted?" - -"Be still, you heretic," was the parting shot. - -Such treatment as that was a bit too much for the learned Professor, and -he declared he had had enough of it, and could better employ his time. - -The society was of one mind--that the manifestations this evening had -not been propitious. The medium ascribed this to her own indisposition. -She had suffered the entire day with a headache, and, moreover, there -were--she was certain of it--unfavorable influences present. Saying -this, she cast a reproachful glance at the Professor. - -"Oh, it was much more lively the last time," said the Honorable Lady. -"Was it not truly extraordinary, General?" - -"Phenomena cannot be forced," replied the General. "One has to practise -patience. We would better stop, for the present." - -So the session ended, and after the medium, with many obsequious airs, -had taken her leave, they partook of a delicious supper. - -Johannes retained his place beside the hostess, and the remembrance of -the soft, warm hand that he had been able to hold in his own for so long -a time made him very happy. He was not disappointed. Oh, no, he was -elated--his excellent friend was so nice, so good, and so kind to him. - -A new Dutch waitress in black and wearing a snow-white cap with long -strings was in attendance. Johannes paid no attention to her, but -noticed that Van Lieverlee looked at her repeatedly. - -"Did you not think it a remarkable evening?" asked the countess, after -the guests were gone and they were alone together. - -"I thought it splendid," replied Johannes, with sincerity. - -"They called it a failure," said the countess, "but it impressed me -quite otherwise. I feel greatly moved." - -"I too," said Johannes. - -"Do you? That makes me happy. So you, also, feel that we need to be -converted?" - -"I do not think that," said Johannes, "but you have been so good to me." - -Countess Dolores made no reply, but she smiled and pressed his hand -kindly. Johannes retained her hand, while he looked into her eyes with -passionate devotion. - -The waitress had been standing at the buffet, placing silver in the -drawer. At this moment she turned round, and when Johannes in some -confusion looked at her to see if she had paid any attention to his -all-too-tender airs and words, he suddenly found himself gazing into a -pair of well-known, light-grey eyes. - -They were Marjon's eyes, and they wore a look of unutterable anguish and -sorrow. - -It seemed to Johannes as if his heart had stopped beating. He sat like -one paralyzed, until his friend's hand slipped from his clasp. He -appeared to wish to rise--to say something.... - -But Marjon put her finger to her lips, and went quietly on with her -work. - - - - -IX - - -Among the visitors at Villa Dolores was a Roman prelate--a friend of -Dolores' deceased husband. He was heavy of build and always cheerful, -and never talked on religious subjects. Sometimes he came sociably, as a -table guest, and besides a fund of anecdotes he also had much to say -that was instructive, to which Johannes listened eagerly. - -He was a far more amiable person than Dominie Kraalboom, and Johannes -liked him much better. He understood all about flowers and animals, -about poetry, paintings, and music; and of special interest were his -observations on beautiful Italy and holy Rome, where he had traveled and -studied. - -Of course he did not belong to the Pleiades; and if by rare exception -the circle was referred to in his presence, he, being both cautious and -courteous, remained silent. - -Yet, after that first meeting of which I have told you in the preceding -chapter, Johannes observed that he came oftener than before, and also at -unconventional hours; and when Johannes came into the room he noticed -that the conversation between the countess and the priest was suddenly -broken off. He saw, also, that his hostess had more color in her cheeks, -as if she had been speaking of weighty matters. - -"Your Mahatma does not come," said Dolores once, when, after such a time -as this, the priest had just taken his leave. "He has turned his back -upon us." - -"Yes, Mevrouw," Johannes was forced to admit. - -"I think myself very fortunate in having found a wise man who can help -me." - -"Do you mean Father Canisius?" - -"Yes. Do you know what he says? That we are on a dangerous road in the -pursuit of our object. It is all the work of the devil, he declares. And -everything he says agrees with what we heard that evening. Would you -not like to have a chat with him?" - -But Johannes hesitated. He had not yet spoken to Marjon, and was hoping -to hear from her something concerning his brother. - -Marjon evaded him, and he had not found an opportunity to meet her -alone. Every morning he went to his room with a beating heart, hoping to -find her there busied in putting it to rights; but generally it was -already in order, and he found merely the traces of her care: his -clothing brushed and folded, his linen looked over and nicely placed in -the linen-press, and fresh flowers in the little vase on his table. He -observed everything, and was deeply touched by it. - -But she seemed careful to be always in company with the other servants, -and to bear herself as stiffly and coldly as the most pert, demure, and -well-trained chambermaid possibly could. Not a word nor a look nor a -sign betrayed her acquaintance with Johannes; and he often heard the -countess declare to her visitors that she had never before found so -quickly a good Dutch servant. - -Neither had Van Lieverlee recognized her, but was simply struck with her -peculiar, somewhat alien manner, which led him to ask the lady of the -house if she knew the origin of the girl. - -"No," said the countess; "she was recommended to me by an old friend, -and apparently she deserves all that was said of her." - - * * * * * - -But Johannes' yearning for Markus grew stronger every day. He both -dreaded and longed for his coming, and he wished that in some way he -might be delivered from his uncertainty. - -Therefore he was ever on the alert to seize an opportunity for speaking -with Marjon alone. One evening he detained her in the hall under the -pretense of inquiring about his shoes. - -"Where did you leave Keesje?" he asked in a low voice. - -"You know very well," replied Marjon, curtly, and in the same low tone. - -Johannes did indeed know, and for that very reason he had asked the -question. - -"Yes, but where is he who has Keesje?" - -"I do not know; and even if I did, I would not tell you. He knows his -time." - -At that moment Countess Dolores passed by. - -"Johannes," said she, "I am having a talk with Father Canisius. If you -wish you may come, too." - -Johannes questioned Marjon with a look; but there fell before her eyes -that impenetrable veil which always completely hid her inmost self from -every stranger. - -Father Canisius was in the parlor, seated in a low chair. His black -soutane fitted tightly over his robust body, and his heavy feet in their -buckled shoes were planted wide apart. He was polishing his spectacles -with a handkerchief, and as Johannes entered the room he put them -quickly in place, and turned his large eyes, full of interest, toward -the door. - -When Johannes came forward he took his hand in a kindly way and drew him -nearer. Johannes looked into the broad, smooth-shaven face with its flat -nose and sagacious eyes. - -"Have you never had good guidance, my boy? Without it life is difficult -and dangerous." - -"I have indeed had good guidance, Mijnheer," said Johannes, "but I have -more than once preferred to go my own way; and then I disregarded my -guidance." - -"But was it _good_ guidance?" asked the priest. - -"I had a good father; later, I found a dear, good friend. But I left -them both." - -"Why did you do that? Were you not satisfied with what they taught you? -What was it that took you from them?" - -Johannes hesitated. - -"Were they too strict?" - -Johannes shook his head. - -"Then what was lacking that you found elsewhere but not with them?" - -"I do not know, Mijnheer, what to call it. It is not pleasure, for I am -willing to endure much suffering. And yet again it is the most glorious -thing I know. I think it is what is meant by 'the beautiful.'" - -On saying this, he bethought himself that it was not merely "the -beautiful" for which he had left his father, and that the emotion which -had led him away from Markus, and which he had felt for the two little -girls, might indeed be called love. - -"Perhaps it is also called love," said he. - -Father Canisius considered a moment, and throwing a glance at the -countess, he said: - -"Then did you not find the love of that good father and the good friend -enough for you?" - -"Oh, yes, yes," said Johannes, with spirit. "But it was from them I had -learned that I ought to follow what seemed to me, in all sincerity, the -most beautiful, and to do what I truly thought best." - -The priest dropped Johannes' hand, and pressed his own fleshy palms -together, while he slowly and sorrowfully shook his great head, gave a -deep sigh, and continued to look at Countess Dolores with a very serious -face. - -"Poor boy!" said he then. "Poor, poor boy!" - -Then, lifting his head and looking Johannes straight in the eyes, he -said: "No, Johannes, they were not good guides. I do not know them, and -I shall not judge them, but I assure you positively that with such -teaching, such guidance, you are bound to be lost unless granted -extraordinary grace." - -A long silence ensued. Johannes was touched, and even startled. - -"What do you mean?" he finally stammered with trembling lips. - -"Listen, Johannes," said Countess Dolores. "Father Canisius is very -wise--a man of large experience in life." - -"Do you believe in God, Johannes?" asked the priest. - -"I know that I have a Father who understands me," said Johannes, slowly. - -"Do you mean a heavenly Father? Very well; so far, so good. But you must -have observed also that there is an evil one--Satan--who goes about -deceiving us." - -"Yes," said Johannes, promptly, thinking of his many disappointments. -"That is so. I have observed it." - -"Well, then, Satan is always lying in wait for us, like a wolf lurking -near the sheep. One who trusts only in his own powers and his own -opinion is like a sheep that strays from the fold. The wolf surely waits -his opportunity, and, unless God perform a miracle, that sheep is lost." - -Johannes felt the fear strike to his heart, and he could not speak. - -"We first notice the approach of this wolf by a terrible sensation. That -is God's warning to us. That feeling is doubt. Have you ever known what -it was to doubt, Johannes?" - -Johannes, with clenched fists and compressed lips, nodded in quick and -utter dismay. Yes, yes, _yes_! He had known what it was to doubt. - -"I thought so," said Father Canisius, calmly. "It is a fearful feeling, -is it not?" Raising his voice, he proceeded: "It is like the sound of -howling wolves in the distance--to the wandering sheep. Let it not be in -vain that you are warned, Johannes." - -After a pause he continued: - -"Doubt itself is a sin. He who doubts is on an inclined plane that -slopes toward a fall. Have you ever heard of the hideous octopus, -Johannes--that soft sea-monster with the huge eyes, and eight long arms -full of suckers which, one by one, he winds around the limbs of a -swimmer, before dragging him down to the deeps? You have? Well, Satan is -such an octopus. Unnoticed, he reaches out his long arms, and twines -them about your limbs--holding them fast with his suckers until he can -stab his sharp beak into your heart. Doubt is not only a warning but -positive proof that Satan has already gripped you. It is the beginning -of his power. The end is everlasting pain and damnation." - -Johannes raised his head and looked at the priest, who was watching the -effect of his words. - -In spite of his distress there was suddenly aroused in Johannes a -feeling of resistance. He felt that an effort was being made to frighten -him; and even if he was but a stripling he would not allow that. - -"My Father does not condemn those who err in good faith," said he. - -Father Canisius observed that by bearing on too hard he had awakened a -rebellious spirit. He therefore became more cautious, and resumed -gently: - -"Certainly, Johannes. God is infinitely good and merciful. But have you -not remarked that there is a justice from which you cannot escape? And -do you believe that one who has been led astray can plead, 'I am not -guilty, for I was deceived'? No, Johannes, you take this matter too -lightly. Punishment attends sin. That is God's inexorable law. And only -if He had failed to warn us--only if He had not accurately revealed to -us His will, could you call that cruel and unjust. But we _are_ -warned--_are_ instructed--and may follow good guidance. If then we -continue to stray, it is our own fault and we must not complain." - -"You mean the Bible, do you not, Mijnheer?" - -"The Bible and the Church," said the Father, not pleased at the tone of -this question. "I very well comprehend, my boy, that you, with your -poetic temperament and your craving for the beautiful, have not found -peace in the cold, barren, and barbarous creed of Protestantism. But the -Church gives you everything--beauty, warmth, love, and exalted poetry. -In the Church alone can you find peace and perfect security. You know, -however, do you not, that the flock has need of a Shepherd? And you know -also who that Shepherd is?" - -"Do you mean the Pope?" - -"I mean Christ, Johannes--our Redeemer, of whom the Pope is merely a -human representative. Do you know this Shepherd? Do you not know Jesus -Christ?" - -"No, Mijnheer," replied Johannes, in all simplicity, "I do not know him -at all." - -"I thought as much; and that is why I said to you, 'Poor boy.' But if -you wish to learn to know him, I will gladly help you. Do you wish me -to?" - -"Why not, Mijnheer?" said Johannes. - -"Very well. Begin, then, by accompanying the countess to the church she -has promised me to attend--Have you, indeed, arranged to go?" - -"Yes, Father," replied the countess. "Oh, I am so happy that you take -such an interest in us! Johannes will surely always be grateful to you." - -Father Canisius pressed very cordially the hands of both of his new -disciples, and, with an expression of calm satisfaction on his face, he -took his leave. - -The children came in, and nothing further was said that day between -Johannes and his friend concerning the matter; but the countess was much -more animated than usual, and wonderfully kind toward Johannes. She even -kissed him again when they said good-night, as once before she had done ---when with her children. - - * * * * * - -Johannes could not sleep. He was full of anxiety, and in a state of high -nervous tension. When the house grew still, and the lonely, mysterious -night had come, came also fear and doubt and faint-heartedness. He -doubted that he doubted, and feared the doubt of the doubt. He heard the -howling of the wolf that lay in wait for the wandering sheep; he felt -the slippery, slimy, crawling grasp of those terrible arms, that -unnoticed, had fastened their suckers everywhere to his limbs; he saw -the great yellow eyes of the octopus, with the narrow, slit-shaped -pupil; and he felt the mouth searching and feeling about his body for -his heart, that it might stab it with the sharp, parrot-like beak. With -chattering teeth he lay wide awake between the sheets--shivering and -shaking, while the perspiration poured from him. - -Then he heard a faint, creaking sound on the stairs, followed by a light -footfall at the doorway. His door was opened, and a slim, dark form came -cautiously up to the bed. - -He felt a soft, warm hand on his clammy forehead, and heard Marjon's -voice whispering: - -"You must be faithful, Jo, and not let them make you afraid. The Father -likes brave and loyal children." - -"Yes, Marjon," said Johannes; and the shivering ceased, while a gentle -warmth stole over and through his entire body. He dropped asleep so soon -that he did not notice when she left the room. - - - - -X - - -"Jump out!" cried Wistik, excitedly, swinging his little red cap. "Come -on--jump!" - -Johannes saw no way of doing so. The window was high and quite too -small. Perhaps by climbing still higher he might find a way out. A -flight of stairs, and another garret. Still another narrow passage, and -another stairway. Then he caught another glimpse of Wistik, astride a -large eagle. - -"Come on, Johannes!" cried he. "You must dare to--then nothing can -happen." - -Johannes was ready to venture, but he could not do it. The little window -was again out of reach. Back again. Empty garrets, steep stairs--stairs -without end. And there was the octopus! He knew it. Again and again he -saw one of the long arms with its hundreds of suckers. Sometimes one of -them lay stretched along the garret floor, so that he had to step over -it. Sometimes one meandered over the stairs that Johannes was obliged to -mount. The whole house was full of them. - -And out-of-doors the sun was shining, and the blue air was clear and -bright. Wistik was circling around the house, seated on the great -eagle--the very same eagle they had come across before, in Phrygia. - -Out-of-doors also rang the voice of Marjon. Hark! She was singing. She, -too, was in the open air. She seemed to have made a little song, -herself--words and melody--for Johannes had never before heard either of -them. - - "Nightly there come to me, - White as the snow, - Wings that I know to be - Strange, here below. - - "Up into ether blue, - Pure and so high, - Mounting on pinions true, - Singing, I fly. - - "Sea-gull like then I soar-- - Not light more swift-- - So near to Heaven's door - To rock and drift!" - -Alas! Johannes could not yet do that. He had no wings. He did, indeed, -see rays of light at times, and here and there a bit of blue sky. But he -could not get to it--he could not get out! And on he went -again--upstairs, downstairs, through doorways, halls, and great garrets. -And the terrible arms lay everywhere. - -Again Marjon sang: - - "Marvelous, matchless blue - I cleave in flight. - The spheres are not so fleet - As my winged feet. - - "World after world speed by - Under my hand, - New ones I ever espy, - Countless as sand. - - "Blue of the skies! - Blue of the deep! - Now make me wise--No - more to weep." - -Johannes also heard the blue calling him; but what the magic word was he -could not guess. He was on his knees now, before a small, garret window -through which he could barely thrust his arm. Behind him he could hear a -shuffling and sliding. It was the long arm again! - -"It's a shame!" said Wistik again, his little face red with anger, "the -way they have maligned me! I ought to be hail-fellow with the Evil One -for not letting you be. What a rascal he is! Do you want to be rid of -me, Johannes?" - -"No, Wistik. I believe that you are good even if you have often -disappointed me and made me very restless. You have shown me so much -that is beautiful. But why do you not help me now? If you call me you -ought to help me. - -"No," said Wistik; "you must help yourself. You must act, you -understand? Act! You know that _It_ is behind you, do you not?" - -"Yes, yes!" shrieked Johannes. - -"But, boy, do not shriek at me! Shriek at _It_. It is much more afraid -of you than you are of It. Try!" - -That was an idea. Johannes set his teeth, clenched his fists, turned -round and shouted: - -"Out, I say! Out with you--you ugly, miserable wretch!" - -I even believe he used a swear-word. But one ought to forgive him, -because it was from sudden excitement. When he saw that the long arms -shriveled and drew away, and that it grew still in the house--when he -felt his distress abating and saw the sunlight burst out, revealing a -spacious deep-blue sky--then his anger calmed down, and he felt rather -ashamed of having been so vehement. - -"That is good!" said Wistik. "But do not be unmannerly--do not scold. -That is hateful. But nevertheless, act, and learn compassion." - -Johannes was now no longer afraid; he shouted for joy. Yes, he was -bathed in tears of thankfulness and relief. Oh, the glorious blue sky! - -"Now you know it, once for all," said Wistik. - -Marjon's voice again in song. But this time very different--the air of -one of her old songs merely hummed: a customary calling sound--a soft -suppressed little tune. And thereupon followed a "tap, tap, tap," at his -chamber door, to tell him that it was half-past eight and time to get -up. - - * * * * * - -Fresh energy, a feeling of high spirits and courage, filled Johannes -that day. At last he was going to act--to do something to end his -difficulties. - -First, he sought an opportunity to speak with Van Lieverlee. He went to -brave him in his own rooms where he had never yet been. There he saw a -confused medley of dissimilar things: some rare old pieces of furniture, -and oriental rugs; a large collection of pipes and weapons; a few modern -books; on the wall some picture-studies of which Johannes could not -glean the meaning; some French posters picturing frivolous girls. With -the same glance he saw mediaeval prints of saints in ecstasy, and plaster -casts of wanton women, and the heads of emaciated monks. There were -images of Christ in hideous nakedness, and lithographs and casts so -blood-curdling, crazy, and bizarre that they made Johannes think of his -most frightful dreams. - -"What are you here for?" asked Van Lieverlee tot Endegeest who, with an -empty pipe in his mouth and a face full of displeasure, lay stretched -out languidly on the floor. - -"I have come to ask something," said Johannes, not exactly knowing how -to begin. - -"Not in the mood for it," drawled Van Lieverlee. - -The day before, Johannes would have wilted. Not so to-day. He seated -himself, and thought of what Wistik had said--"Act!" - -"I will not wait any longer," he began again. "I have waited too long -already." - -"The big priest has had you in hand, has he not?" said Van Lieverlee, -with a little more interest. - -"Yes," replied Johannes; "did you know it? What do you think of him?" - -Van Lieverlee gaped, nodded, and said: "A knowing one! Just let him -alone. Biceps! you know--biceps! All physique and intellectuality. -Representative of his entire organization. Can't help respecting it, -Johannes. How those fellows can thunder at the masses! One can't help -taking off his hat to them. The whole lot of the Reformed aren't in it -with them! Theirs is only half-work; they are irresolute in everything -they give or take; _krita-krita_, as we say in Sanscrit. Whether you do -good or do ill, aways do it wholly, not by halves; otherwise you -yourself become the dupe. If you would keep the people down, hold them -down completely. To establish a church, and at the same time talk of -liberty of conscience, as do the Protestants--that is stuff and nonsense ---nothing comes of it. You may see that from the results. Every dozen -Protestants have their own church with its own dogmas, with its own -little faith which alone can save, and with its little coterie of the -elect! No, compared with them the Roman Church is at least a respectable -piece of work--a formidable concern." - -"Do you believe in it?" asked Johannes. - -Van Lieverlee shrugged his shoulders. - -"I shall have to think it over a while longer. If I think it agreeable -to believe in it, then I shall do so. But it will be in the genuine old -Church, with Adam and Eve, and the sun which circles around the earth; -not in that modernized, up-to-date Church, altered according to the -advancement of science--with electric light and the doctrine of -heredity. How disgusting! No, I must have the church of Dante, with a -real hell full of fire and brimstone, right here under our earth, and -Galileo inside of it." - -"But I did not come to inquire about that," said Johannes, sticking to -his point. "I am not content, and you ought to help me. What I have -heard in the Pleiades, and from Father Canisius does not satisfy me. I -am sure, also, that it is not in this way I shall find my friend again; -and now I am determined to find him." - -"Where, then, do you wish to look for him?" - -"I believe," said Johannes, "that if he is to be found anywhere, it is -among the poor--the laborers." - -"Ah! Would you take part in the labor agitation? Well, you can do so, -but I do not agree to go with you. You know what I think about that. -Socialism has got to come, but I am not going to concern myself with it. -It smells too much of the proletariat. I am very glad of the birth of a -new society, but a birth is always an unsavory incident. I leave that to -the midwife. I'll wait until the infant is thoroughly washed and tidy -before making its acquaintance." - -"But I wish to look for my friend." - -Van Lieverlee stood up and stretched himself. - -"You bore me," said he, "with that eternal chatter about your friend." - -"Act!" thought Johannes, and he went on: - -"You promised to show me the way to what I am seeking, and to give an -explanation of my experiences. But I know no more than I knew before." - -"Your own fault, my friend. Result of pride and self-seeking. Why have -you had so little to do with me? You kept yourself with those two little -girls. Did they enlighten you?" - -"Quite as much as you did," replied Johannes. - -Van Lieverlee looked up in surprise. That was insubordination--open -resistance. However, he thought it better to take no notice, so he said: - -"But since you will join the labor movement, then you must find out for -yourself. I won't hold you back. Go, then, and look for your Mahatma!" - -"But how am I to begin? You have so many friends--do you know some one -who can help me?" - -Van Lieverlee thought about it while looking steadily at Johannes. Then -he said, deliberately: - -"Very well. I know of one who is in the middle of it. Would you like to -go to him?" - -"Yes, at once, if you please." - -"Good," said Van Lieverlee. Together they set out. The friend referred -to was the editor of a journal--a Doctor of Laws. Felbeck was his name. - -His office was far from luxurious in appearance. The steps were worn, -and the door-mat was trodden to shreds. It was a dreary and sombre -place. Large posters and caricatures were pasted on the walls, and on -the table, lay many pamphlets and papers. Also there were writing-desks, -letter-boxes, and rush-bottomed chairs. Two clerks sat there writing, -and a few men, with hats on and cigars in their mouths, were talking. -There was a continual running to and fro of people--printers' devils, -and men in slouch hats. - -Dr. Felbeck himself had a pale, thin face, square jaws, bristling hair, -and a black goatee and moustache. His eyes were deep-set, and they -looked at Johannes keenly, in a manner not fitted to put him into a -restful and confiding state of mind. - -"This young person," said Van Lieverlee, "wishes, as you express it, to -turn his back upon his bourgeois status, and to swell the ranks of the -struggling proletariat. Is that what you call it?" - -"Well!" said Dr. Felbeck. "He need not be ashamed of it, and you might -follow his example, Van Lieverlee." - -"Who knows what I may yet do," said Van Lieverlee, "when the proletariat -shall have learned to wash itself?" - -"What!" said Felbeck. "Would you, a poet, have washed and combed -proletarians, with collars and silk hats? No, my friend; with their vile -and callous fists they will smash your refined and coddled civilization, -like an _etagere_ of bric-a-brac in a parlor!" Dr. Felbeck vented his -feelings in a blow at the imaginary _etagere_. The attention of a clerk -on the other side of the room was arrested, and he stopped his work. Van -Lieverlee, too, looked somewhat interested. - -"A revolution appeals to me," said Van Lieverlee. "With barricades, and -fellows on them with red flags, straggling hair, and bloodshot eyes. -That isn't bad. But you people of the Society of the Future!--Heaven -preserve us from that tedious and kill-joy crowd! I would ten times over -prefer an obese, over-rich banker with his jeweled rings, who, waxing -fat through the misfortunes of simpletons, builds a villa in Corfu, to -your future citizen." - -"You do not at all understand it yet," said Felbeck, with a slighting -laugh. "You are bound to have such notions because you belong to the -bourgeois class of which you are an efflorescence. You are obliged to -talk like a bourgeois, and versify like one. You cannot do otherwise. -You cannot possibly comprehend the proletarian civilization of the -future. It is to be evolved from the proletarian class to which we -belong, and with which your young friend wishes to connect himself, as I -perceive with pleasure." - -The clerk across the room came nearer, to listen to the speech of his -chief. He was an under-sized young man whose pomaded black hair was -parted in the middle. He had a crooked nose straddled by eye-glasses, -and thick lips from between which dangled a cigar--even while he spoke. -He wore a well-fitting suit, and pointed shoes with gaiters. - -"May I introduce myself," said he. "I am Kaas--fellow-partner Isadore -Kaas." - -"Pleased to meet you," said Van Lieverlee. And Johannes also received a -handshake. - -"Have you come to register yourself?" the partner asked. - -"In what?" asked Johannes, who had not yet exactly gotten the idea of -things. "In the proletarian class?" - -"As a member of the party," said Kaas. - -"What does that imply?" asked Johannes, hesitating. - -"It implies," said Felbeck, "that you renounce the privileges of the -class to which you are native, and that you range yourself, under the -red flag, in the ranks of the International Workingmen's Party--with the -struggling proletariat--the party of the future." - -"Then what have I to do?" - -"Sign your name, make a small contribution, attend the meetings, read -our paper, spread our doctrines, and vote for our candidates in the -elections." - -"Nothing else?" asked Johannes. - -"Well, is not that enough?" - -"Did you not speak of privileges I must renounce?" - -"There, there!" said partner Kaas, "do not make too much of that, to -begin with. Don't be frightened. For the present, nothing further is -required of you." - -"Oh, I was not afraid," said Johannes, a trifle vexed that he should -have been misunderstood. "I was even hoping that I might be able to do -more." - -"So much the better! So much the better!" said Kaas, stepping hurriedly -over to his desk again, and eagerly hunting for a pen. "That settles it. -Your name, if you please." - -But Johannes was not, for the time being, in a very compliant mood. -Since he had dared the octopus he had found that he had more than one -string to his bow. - -"No, I came for something else. I have a dear friend who lives and works -for the poor and oppressed. I am looking for him. I saw him last, at the -great strike of the miners, in Germany. Since that time I have heard -nothing from him, but I know, surely, that he is with the working -people. Mijnheer van Lieverlee has told me that you were in the midst of -the labor movement. Could you not help me?" - -"What's his name?" asked Dr. Felbeck. - -"They know him as Markus," replied Johannes, although it cost him an -effort to speak the dear name in that place. - -"Markus?" repeated the gentleman, considering. "Markus only?" - -"Markus Vis," said Johannes, with yet more reluctance. - -"Oh! He!" exclaimed partner Kaas. - -"Markus Vis?" said Felbeck, turning round to the others in the office. -"Is that--?" - -"Yes, yes!" interrupted Kaas, "the very same who caused that row at the -Exchange." - -"Gee! That confounded anarchist!" cried one of the soft-hatted smokers. - -"Is he a friend of yours?" asked Dr. Felbeck, with a disdainful sniff. - -"Yes, Mijnheer, my best friend," said Johannes, firmly. - -"Well, young man, you consort with odd and dangerous friends. - -"Do you know where he is?" asked Johannes, quite undisturbed. - -"Not I," declared Felbeck, scornfully. "Do any of you happen to know?" - -"I rather think somewhere in the neighborhood of Bedlam," said another -man. - -"Trommel," called Felbeck to a clerk who had kept on writing, "where -does Vis hang out at present?" - -"Markus Vis?" said partner Trommel. "Well, for the nonce, at the office -of an iron foundry. He has a job there." - -"That's a neat berth for him," remarked one of the smokers. "You'll see -what a boot-licker he'll be after he puts on a collar." - -"What foundry is that?" asked Van Lieverlee. - -"In the 'de Ruiter,' of your uncle Mijnheer van Trigt," replied partner -Trommel. - -"How long has he been there?" asked Van Lieverlee. - - -"For two or three weeks past." - -"Is he a tall dark fellow with a beard, and curling hair, and a jumper?" - -"That is it--exactly!" said various voices. - -Van Lieverlee swung round, strode up to the window, threw back his head, -pulled out his handkerchief, and snorted into it. The bystanders could -hardly tell whether he was sneezing, or laughing, or indisposed. - -"Excuse me!" he cried out. "Something comical occurred to me." - -Then he snorted again, and one could plainly see that he was laughing. - -"A Mahatma!" they heard him murmur, in the middle of his laughing. "Oh! -Oh! but that is good! A Mahatma!" - -Those present looked rather perplexed at this outburst, as if waiting -for further explanation. - -"If I only had had that description earlier, Johannes," said Van -Lieverlee, recovering from his fit of laughter, "we need not have -annoyed these gentlemen. Your friend is in my uncle's office. I have -seen him several times." - -"Then will you go there with me?" asked Johannes. His voice was still -firm, but I assure you his eyes were full of tears. However, he -controlled himself in the presence of those men and partners. - -"Of course, of course! Sometime!" said Van Lieverlee, in high glee; and -he actually began laughing again. He made a pretense of trying to -control this outburst, but such was his manner that Johannes would have -liked to strike him straight in the face. - -He did not do it, however, but went down the steps with Van Lieverlee -without having enrolled in the proletarian class. - -"Well, good-by!" said Van Lieverlee, when they were in the street, -giving Johannes' hand an immoderate shake. "I must go to the Soos.[1] -Sometime we will go to the foundry. I'll make some inquiries, first. -We'll go sometime--of course--of course!" - -With his mouth still twisted in irony, and humming a song, he passed on, -in affected indifference. That evening--alone--Johannes hunted for the -foundry. But the office was closed and dark, and there was no one about -to give him information. - -He found in his own little room a small bit of cheer--a vase of -forget-me-nots, from Marjon. - - -[1] Soos = Abbreviation of _Societeit_, or Club. - - - - -XI - - -"Wistik, dear," said Johannes, "let me hold your hand. You are such a -good and true friend. I am not sorry any more that I slipped from under -Windekind's mantle to listen to you." - -"One must not admire oneself--I have always said that," replied Wistik, -"but it is very true that I am good, and do not deserve all those mean -things said of me. And what is the truth may be acknowledged, even if it -be called boasting. Neither bragging nor decrying, but the truth--that -is my idea." - -Thereupon the little fellow nodded proudly, and set his cap on more -firmly. - -They were sitting on a rocky coast. To the left the sun was shining -brightly upon a steep wall of rose-red rocks. To the right was a gentle -upward slope, where trees were growing, with delicate silver-grey -foliage. In front of them lay the wide waters of the sea--almost -motionless, but slightly stirring with the fresh wind, and sparkling in -the light. There was nothing to be seen save red rocks, blue sky, and -water. The blue, crystal-clear water lapped and gurgled and splashed -about the hollows and chinks in the stone at their feet, and then -disappeared in the clefts and caves, where the sea-weed and the coral -were. How bright it was! How fresh and spacious! - -"I never see Windekind, now," said Johannes. "It is truly sad, for -Father Pan's kingdom was most beautiful. But I am resigned, and I -believe you when you say that still more beautiful things are to be -found. Did I not once think the dunes the most beautiful of all, and -fear I never should feel at home anywhere else? But now this strange -land seems to me even greater, and I feel at home here also. Where are -we, dear Wistik?" - -"What difference does it make?" said Wistik, who never willingly -admitted he did not know a thing. - -"It does not matter," replied Johannes. "The main thing is that I know -that I am I--Johannes, and that I see things good and clear; that -yesterday I was at that office, and that I sought for Markus at the -foundry. And I know too that I might now be seen lying asleep. But yet I -am not dreaming, for I am wide awake--quite wide awake, and I remember -everything." - -"Exactly," agreed Wistik. "Do you recollect what Markus said about -remembering?" - -He paused a moment, and then went on in a tone that grew softer and more -solemn. - -"Remembrance, Johannes, is truly a holy thing; for it makes the -past--_present_. Now the future to it ... and then we should be...." - -"Where, Wistik?" - -"In that still autumn day, where the gold on the tree-tops never fades, -and a branch never breaks. Do you remember?" asked Wistik, hardly above -a whisper. - -Johannes nodded, in silence. After a while he said: - -"It is splendid, Wistik, that I still remember, even in the night, and -stay awake and knowing things, even although my body is asleep in bed. I -will not be dead and lie down like a log, forgetting everything, as some -do in sleep. Neither will I dream all sorts of nonsense, as if every -night I grew foolish. That is shameful. I will not do so." - -"Right, Johannes! No one wishes to be dead, and no one wishes to be -foolish. And when human beings sleep they are dead, and when they dream -they are foolish. None of that for me!" - -"I shall try to live in my sleep, and to be wise in my dreams," said -Johannes. "But it is hard, and time flies so fast!" - -He gazed at his hands, his limbs, and his whole body. He had on his -handsomest suit. In amazement, he asked: - -"What body is this I have on, Wistik? And how silly to wear clothes. -What clothes are these?" - -"Do you not see? They are your own clothes." - -So it was. Johannes recalled them precisely. And he held in his hand one -of Marjon's blue forget-me-nots. - -"I do not understand it, Wistik! That I have a dream-life--that I -travel with you in the night, that I do understand. But how did my -clothes get here? Do my clothes dream, too?" - -"Why not?" asked Wistik. - -Astonished, Johannes continued to meditate. The water swirled and -splashed all about the hollows in the rocks. The exquisite warbling of a -yellow-finch rang sweet and plaintive from between the clefts. - -"But if everything can dream, then everything must be alive--my -trousers too, and my shoes." - -"Why not?" said Wistik again. "Just prove to me that they are not." - -The way to do that was not clear to Johannes. - -"Or perhaps," he resumed, "perhaps I make everything--rocks, sea, light, -and clothing. One or the other; _I_ dream it and make it, or it dreams -everything itself and makes itself." - -"It cannot be any other way," assented Wistik. - -"But then, I could make something else if I wished to." - -"I think so, too," said Wistik. - -"A violin? Could I make a violin, and then play on it?" - -"Just try it," said Wistik. - -Behold! There was the violin--all ready for him. Johannes took it, and -passed the bow over the strings as if he had handled it all his life. -The most glorious music came from it--as fine as any he had ever heard. - -"Oh, Wistik! Do you hear? Who would ever have thought that I could make -such music!" - -"'Vraagal can do all that Vraagal wills,' said Pan." - -"Yes," said Johannes, musing an instant, and forgetting his violin, -which forthwith vanished. "Pan also spoke of the real Devil, you -remember. He said that I must ask you to show him to me." - -Wistik had drawn up his little knees and placed his arms about them, his -long beard hanging down in front to his shins. Sitting thus, he threw a -sidelong glance at Johannes, to see if he intended to do it. Then his -entire little body began to tremble. "Shall we not take a little fly out -over the ocean?" he asked. - -But Johannes was not to be diverted. - -"No, I want to see the real Devil." - -"Are you sure, Johannes?" - -"Yes," replied the latter. He felt himself a hero, now, after having -defied the octopus. - -"Think well about it," said Wistik. - -"What does he look like?" - -"What do you think?" - -"I think," said Johannes, beginning to look stern and angry, "I think he -looks like Marjon's sister." - -"Why?" asked Wistik. - -"Because I hate her! Because whatever I think beautiful she always -spoils for me, and spoils it through the remembrance alone. She looks -like Marjon, and she also looks like that dear friend about whom I am -always thinking; and yet she is not the same--she is ugly and common. -She kissed me once, and it has spoiled my life." - -"Wrong, Johannes! He does not look in the least like that," said Wistik. - -Suddenly, Johannes noticed that the bright light was growing dimmer, and -that the great firm rocks began to quiver and shake as if seen through -heated air, uneven glass, or flowing water. - -Then, all at once, he knew, without descrying it, through an inner -feeling of nameless distress, that _It_ was sitting behind him. - -It! You know well, do you not, what it was? It--the same that sat by -the pool when that poor young girl was drowned--It was sitting behind -him, huge and deathly still. Sunlight, sea, and rocks--the whole -beautiful land, grew hazy and vague. - -"He is here," whispered Wistik, "behind us. Bear up, Johannes! You -yourself wanted it." - -"What shall I do?" asked Johannes, now very nervous and terrified. - -"Do not be afraid! For God's sake, do not be afraid! If you do you are -lost." - -"Shall I cry to God, or to Jesus? Or cross myself?" - -"He cares not a bit for such things; he laughs at them; he knows all -about them. He makes fun of prayers and the sign of the cross. The main -thing is to keep on the alert, and not to be afraid. He will be very -friendly, and show you all kinds of pretty and interesting sights, and -he will try to make you sleepy and afraid. But you must not fear and -must not forget. Above all, keep fast hold of Marjon's flower. And here -... look!" - -With his nervously trembling little fingers Wistik fumbled in the small -satchel that always hung by a strap over his shoulder, and took from the -jumbled lot of pebbles, scissors, lead-pencils, and dried plants, a -little mirror on the frame of which his name was neatly engraved. Then -in a voice shaken and nearly speechless with emotion, he said: "Hold -that good and fast! It is your salvation. Go now, dear boy. Go!" - -And the good little fellow wept. - -"Are you not going with me?" asked Johannes, in agitation. - -"I am his greatest enemy," said Wistik; "he cannot endure the sight of -me. But I will stay in the neighborhood. Call me once in a while, and I -will answer you. Then you will know that you are safe...." - -"Welcome, Johannes!" said a gentle, friendly voice, and a soft warm hand -clasped his own. "You are not embarrassed in my presence, I hope." - -Could that be the Evil One? A nice, polite person like that, with such -taking manners, and such a caressing voice? Johannes looked round, in -amazement, to the place where _It_ was. He could not distinguish -clearly, nor look straight at the speaker, but he seemed to be an -ordinary, modish gentleman, with a frank, smiling face--well dressed in -a brown suit and a straw hat. - -"Would you not like to make acquaintance with me and my Museum?" -continued the speaker. "It is an excellent collection--sure to please -you. But what have you in your hand? Not a mirror, is it? Fie! You must -throw it away. I have no patience with such mirrors. I abhor them! They -foster only conceit." - -The soft hand essayed to take away the mirror, but Johannes held it -fast, and said firmly: "I will keep the mirror." - -He had scarcely said this when there flitted across that smiling, -honest-looking face a shade of indescribable malice. It was very brief, -but plain enough to cause Johannes a shudder, and to convince him that -truly the Evil One stood before him. - -But instantly the face became again most frank and winning, and he -heard: - -"Very well, then, as you please. We will begin by making the -acquaintance of my subjects--all of them friends, comrades, or -relatives." - -Just then Johannes heard again the well-remembered whispering and -giggling which he had heard while watching the little hands. On all -sides, amid much rustling and shuffling, he heard breathing, coughing, -and sniffling--all sorts of queer human sounds, as if the place was -thronged with people. But still he could see nothing. - -"You fancied I was very different, did you not, Johannes? That I had -horns and a tail? That idea is out of date. No one believes it now. -Thank God we are forever above that foolish separation of good and evil. -That is untenable Dualism. My kingdom is as good as the other." - -"What is your name?" asked Johannes. - -"They call me King Waan.[1] Yes, indeed! I am a king, if I do appear so -humble. Besides, external pomp is out of fashion. I am a constitutional, -bourgeois, democratic king. Here, Bangeling![2] Come here! This is my -most trusty helper--my right hand, in fact." - -Johannes shuddered at the sight of Bangeling--a shrinking, stooping, -pale, and loathsome youngster. His eyes were red-rimmed, and glanced -shiftingly right and left--never straight in front. His lean knees -knocked against each other, and every moment his rag-covered body -twitched with terror, and he cried: "Oh, Heaven! Oh, God! Now you will -catch it! It is too late! Too la-a-ate!" - -To hear and see this repeatedly, without becoming frightened oneself, -was not easy; but Johannes pressed his flower close to his breast and -cried: - -"Wistik!" - -"Ay, ay!" he heard his good little friend shout. - -But the voice sounded from above, and far away. And suddenly Johannes -had a very distinct sensation of falling, fast as lightning, down -fathomless depths, although everything around him remained the same. - -"Are we falling down below?" he asked. - -King Waan gave Johannes a falsely-sweet smile. "One should not ask such -impolite questions when making a visit," said he. - -"Get away!" cried Johannes to Bangeling, who was now standing close -beside them, twitching and whining. Then a throng of frightful figures -pushed forward, trying to approach him, grinning, twisted, misformed -faces--some with big purple noses, others with drooling lips--still -others pale, and passive, with closed eyes, but with scornful muttering -mouths. - -Johannes knew these figures well; he had often when a child seen them in -his dreams. And doubtless you also have seen many of them in the -night--just before the measles broke out, or after you have eaten too -much pie for dinner. - -And you were very much afraid of them, were you not? Perhaps as much as -formerly Johannes was. But this time he was not in the least afraid. -When they came too near, he called out in a fierce voice: "Back!" Then -they grew pale, and crumpled up like withered toadstools. - -"This one is Ginnegap!"[3] said the Devil, pointing out a girl-like -being with open mouth, dull eyes, and a finger in each nasty nostril, -who was constantly tittering. "Another excellent assistant of mine. Here -are Labbekak[4] and Goedzak;[5] charming twins, compact of goodness and -charity. Just look! They quiver and quake like jelly. They have no -bones, and they never did any wrong. If they do not belong in heaven, -who does?" - -"Of course they have no sense," said Johannes. - -"But here, then--this one--an old acquaintance of yours. Maybe you think -he has no wits, either?" - -Who was it Johannes saw there? Pluizer, in truth--his old enemy Pluizer! -But he lacked a good deal of looking so pert and fierce as formerly. -Upon seeing Johannes he hid himself behind the back of a stout, dumpy -demon. - -"A little to one side, Sleur!" said the king to the bulky devil. "Give -Johannes a peep at his old friend." - -But Sleur did not budge. He was very sluggish. Pluizer called out: - -"Does Death know about it, Johannes--that you are already here?" - -"What is this place, really?" asked Johannes. "Hell? Is it here that -Dante was?" - -"Dante?" asked the Devil. And all his retainers whispered and tittered -and chattered: "Dante? Dante? Dante?" - -"Surely," resumed the king, "you must mean that nice place full of light -where it is so hot and smells so bad; where sand melts; where rivers of -blood are seething, and the boiling pitch is ever bubbling; where they -scream and yell and curse and lament, and swear at one another." - -"Yes," said Johannes. "Dante told about that." - -"But, my little friend!" said the Devil, affably, "that is not here, as -you can very well see. That is not my kingdom. That is the kingdom of -another who, they say, is called Love. With me, no one suffers. I am not -so cruel as that. I cause no one pain." - -"I know that well," said Johannes, "for so long as I have pain I am -alive and am warned. Is it not so, Wistik?" - -"Yes!" cried the little fellow, his voice now sounding as if far in the -distance--up above. - -"We are falling all the time!" said Johannes, in great alarm. - -"Do not think about it. Does it make you dizzy? I thought you were so -level-headed. Just give this a look. This is my cabinet of curiosities." - -And before Johannes knew that he had entered anything he found himself -in a very small, close room. It was exactly like a bathroom with low -ceilings, and was brightly lighted. - -"You did not think to find it so well lighted here, _did_ you?" - -"Trick-light!" shouted Wistik, his voice coming faintly from above. - -"Look! Here lies an acquaintance of yours." - -And King Waan pointed to a straight white form that lay on the stone -floor. It was Helene; and Johannes saw that she was calmly sleeping. - -Two imps stood looking at her; one was Bangeling; the other, equally -small and dirty, stood gnawing his nails. His head, with its misshapen -ears, was much too big for him. He had on a barret-cap of aniline blue -velvet, with russet ribbons, a pale-green blouse of Scotch plaid, and -short trousers, as purple as spoiled berry-juice. - -"That is Degeneracy," said Waan. "These two brought her here; a -deserving deed. We hope to keep her. Look! See how peacefully she -sleeps." - -The sight of the pale, still sleeper, with her outspread black hair, -made Johannes also feel drowsy. But he looked in his little mirror, -holding his eyes open, hard, and called: "Helene!" - -The long dark lashes were lifted just a little. - -"Pst! Not a word!" said the king. "Here we come to number two--a pretty -and clever piece of work." - -By a little door, so low and narrow that Johannes had to wriggle his way -through it, they entered the next place. They were in an extremely smart -little church--a dolls' church. The walls were bare and white, and -little candles were burning. In the pulpit stood a tiny little dominie, -preaching fervidly, gesticulating with hand and head. - -"Dominie Kraalboom!" cried Johannes, in astonishment. "Who is he raving -at?" - -"Look at him, Johannes!" said Waan. "Only do not think he is dead. In -order to come here one does not have to wait till death. And do you not -see at whom he is raving? Take a good look." - -"Reflectors!" exclaimed Johannes. In reality the little church was -empty, but it was everywhere furnished with pretty little mirrors, and -in each one of them was reflected the dominie's little face surrounded -by a halo. - -"Those mirrors are of peculiar manufacture. I make much use of them. The -imported article alone I cannot endure. Look! here is the counterpart." - -Another little church--just as smart and neat and light. But here there -were many more candles, also flowers and images. The walls were gaudily -painted with pictures, and Father Canisius stood in glittering, -gold-embroidered garments, praying and mumbling before the altar. - -Johannes looked up at the stained-glass windows. It was as dark as pitch -behind them. - -"What is outside there?" he asked. "Just let me look out." And he -thought he could hear the snickering and giggling of the imps who were -peering through the windows. - -"Keep away! Silence!" cried the king, sternly. - -"Wistik!" called Johannes. - -"Ay!" sounded the voice, now very fine, and far away. And they kept -falling, falling. - -Through a long, narrow passage they went to the next number. It did not -smell very fresh there, and Johannes soon noticed that this -stale-smelling apartment corresponded with what they usually called at -home "the best room." - -In the middle of the white-wood floor stood an overturned waste-water -pail. A puddle of thick, offensive fluid lay trickling around it. - -"Under this," said King Waan, "sits one of the most remarkable specimens -in my collection. It is a little creature having the habit of describing -precisely everything it sees. His watchword is: '_Truth Above -Everything_!' He could not have a finer one. I make very interesting -experiments with him. Sometimes I put him here, sometimes there. Just -now he is under this pail. Listen to him!" - -A light little voice came monotonously out from under the pail: - -"A rich, soft greyish violet shading off through brown into cream-white, -clot-curdling stripe coagulations; long flittery-fluttery down-trickling -welter-whirls filtering through pale-yellow toned-down dully shining -topazy vaults; faint phlegmy greyish-green dozing off...." - -And thus the voice went on until Johannes began to get quite qualmish -and drowsy. - -"Is not that nice? Lately, I had him in a cuspidor. You should have -heard him then. Here is his label." - -And he pointed to a trim little tag on which was marked: _Division, Fine -Arts. Naturalist, var. Word-Artist. Locality: Terra Firma of Europe. -Rather rare._ - -"Is Van Lieverlee here, also?" asked Johannes. - -"To be sure! I have him a few centuries farther on, composing sonnets," -said the Wicked One. "This is a very large place although you might not -think so. I can show you only a small part of it." - -Then they came to a division called "Sciences," and the Devil said: - -"Look! That concerns you, Wisdom-Seeker!" - -And he had Johannes look through the crack of the door, into a little -room brightly lighted, cram-full of books. Professor Bommeldoos was -there, standing on his head. - -"Pluizer taught him that," said the Devil. "And do you see that clever -contrivance he has made of mirrors and copper tubes? That is to look -into his own brains with. He thinks to become still wiser." - -The professor was utterly absorbed in his intricate apparatus, and gazed -and gazed, with all his might, into an odd sort of twisted tubing, the -end of which was attached to the back part of his head. - -Johannes heard a low rushing and roaring, as if made by a gust of wind. - -"Silence!" cried the Devil, testily. - -But the roaring sound continued and grew louder. - -"What is that?" asked Johannes. - -"That is Death," said the Devil, spitefully. "He is called an ally of -mine, but he often muddles up my affairs here, and he steals by the -thousand the choicest specimens in my collection--especially the -crack-brained." - -"Here they are all crack-brained," said Johannes. - -"Yes; but those you in the awake-life call that, he snatches away from -me. Here we come to the division, "Happiness." This is the richest man -in the world. Would you like a magnifying glass?" - -The pen wherein sat the richest man in the world was all of gold, but so -small that Johannes could not possibly enter it. The richest man in the -world had a large head, quite bare and bald, above a very small -insignificant body. He moved slowly back and forth, like a caterpillar -incasing himself; and out of his little lips there driveled golden -threads with which he made a cocoon of himself. - -"Poor fellow!" said Johannes, shuddering. - -"Nonsense! Nonsense!" returned the Devil. "Here they are all happy. They -know no better. I never torment as does the Other with his Love -eternal. I have also here the classification 'War.' You would naturally -think that these must be unhappy. But quite the contrary. In general, I -am an enemy of war. I prefer peace, as you will presently see. But this -is a pleasant 'War.' In fact, the people enjoy it. For that reason it -belongs here." - -And now they came to a long row of very small pens in which was just -such a bustle as one hears at night in a chicken-coop when the fowls are -going to sleep. Over each little pen was: "_Religious War," "Party -Strife," "Class Strife_," and as Johannes looked in through a small -window, he saw a solitary little fellow, much excited and red in the -face, who stood skirmishing in front of a mirror. The reflection of his -own figure was so queer that it looked like someone's else. - -In the third pen Johannes saw Dr. Felbeck. With furious fists, the -little fellow rushed up to the mirror again and again, and stamped and -scolded and raved until the foam flew from his mouth. - -Then they came to a very long and diminishing little room that bore the -words Love and Peace. - -"There!" said the Devil. "Now we can talk aloud. They are not easily -wakened here. Snug and cozy, is it not? A section of it also is _Pure -Living_, and _Piety_, and _Benevolence_." - -In the little ward stood many tiny beds, as in a hospital; and Johannes -saw Labbekak and Goedzak in slovenly felt slippers, shuffling back and -forth, distributing cups of warm tea and spoonfuls of a syrupy mixture. -The beings in the little beds licked off the spoons, and fell asleep -again. - -Outside, the demons yelled and screeched still louder, and the downward -motion was so apparent that Johannes grew dizzy. - -"Here, also," said the Devil, "Death does me much harm." - -Johannes looked at him. He now appeared wholly different. His brown suit -had disappeared, and his smooth supple body--as shiny as a -snakeskin--was as iridescent as water stirred by dripping tar. His -face, too, was far less affable. Hollow and grinning, it began to look -like a death's head. - -"You are the real Death!" exclaimed Johannes. "The other is a good -friend of mine. I have no more fear of him." - -The Devil laughed and reached out his hand toward Johannes' little -flower. But Johannes caught it up close to his breast. The flower hung -limp and seemed to be perishing. The little mirror shook like a leaf in -his hand, so that he could scarcely hold it. - -"Wistik!" he cried. - -He listened, but could hear nothing. And now he seemed to be falling -with whizzing speed. Johannes was greatly alarmed. The long ward with -its rows of little beds grew ever longer, ever narrower. - -"Wistik! Marjon! Let me out! Let me out! Set me free!" - -"I have also a classification 'Freedom'," remarked the Devil, pointing -out a mannikin who, busy with a long ribbon inscribed with the words -"_Freedom and 'Justice_," kept winding it around his head, arms, and -legs until he could not move a muscle. - -"No!" cried Johannes, banging with both hands--in which were still -clutched his flower and mirror--at a hard, spotted door. This door was -marked "_Sin and Crime_." - -"Look out!" said the Devil. "Do you not see what it says over it?" - -"I do not care what it says!" cried Johannes, pounding away. - -"Take care! For God's sake, take care!" shouted Bangeling. - -"Help! Wistik! Marjon! Markus! help!" cried Johannes, crashing through -the door. - -Before him he saw a black and bottomless night; but it was more -spacious, and he felt his distress diminishing. - -And now he saw the imps all racing after him, and they were playing -with something. It glittered as they threw it, one to another, and they -tugged and pulled and spit on it, and did things still worse--such as -only very vile and impudent beings could do. - -It was a book, and Johannes saw his name upon it--his own and his family -name. Johannes was called the "Traveler" of his family. - -At last one of the imps caught hold of it by a leaf, and flung it high -up in air to tear it to pieces. The leaves fluttered and glittered, but -held together. And the book, ceasing to fall, went higher and higher up -into the dark night until it seemed in the far distance to be a little -star. - -Johannes kept looking at it with all his might, and it seemed to him as -if he were a light bit of wood, or a bubble, rising swifter and swifter -to the surface--from out the awful depths of the sea. Then, slowly, the -heavens grew blue and bright. - -At last he was drifting in the full light of day. His eyes were still -closed, but he felt that he had returned to his _day_ body, and he -rested--still a little longer--in the light, motionless, blissful -slumber of a convalescent, or of one come home again after a long and -weary journey. - - -[1] Waan = Error. - -[2] Bangeling = Little coward. - -[3] Ginnegap = Giggler. - -[4] Labbekak = Duffer. - -[5] Goedzak = Goody-goody. - - - - -XII - - -"Shall we go to the beach this morning?" asked Countess Dolores after -breakfast. "It will be fresh and cool there now." - -It was a merry morning trip. Both of the little girls went with them, -and Johannes carried a small folding chair, and his friend's book. The -countess took a seat in a beach-chair, and Johannes sat at her feet and -read aloud to her, while the two children--their skirts tucked up, and -their little feet and legs bare and pink in the clear light--busied -themselves in the water and sand, with their pails and shovels. - -Everything was flooded with sunshine, and clearly, beautifully -tinted:--the knotted blonde tresses of the little girls--beneath their -broad-brimmed white beach-hats--against the delicate blue of the -horizon; the still deeper blue of the sea wherein could be seen the -bright figures of the bathers in their red and blue bathing-dresses; and -right and left the pure white sand, and the snowy foam. - -Johannes had indeed become quite accustomed to what had so pained him at -first--the profanation of the sea by human beings--so they were happy -hours. - -He resolved this morning to resume his inquiries after Markus, as soon -as he was at liberty to do so. - -They had not been sitting long on the beach when Van Lieverlee came -sauntering-up, arrayed in white flannel. He was without a waistcoat, but -wore a lilac shirt, and a wide, black-silk girdle, and had on a straw -hat. - -He gave the countess a graceful cordial greeting, and immediately said -to Johannes, this time without irony: - -"I sent to my uncle, this morning, for information. Your friend is not -there now. He received his discharge last Saturday on account of his -disorderly conduct." - -"What had he done?" asked Johannes. - -"He had delivered an address at the exchange when, mark you, he had gone -there on a matter of business. Now," said Van Lieverlee, looking at the -countess with a smile, "it is quite obvious that a man of affairs could -not retain such a clerk as that. It takes my uncle Van Trigt, who is so -jealous of his good name, to deal with such cases." - -"Yes, I understand," said Dolores. - -"It depends, though, upon what he said," ventured Johannes. - -"No! One talks about business at the exchange--not about reason and -morality. There is a time and a place for everything. My uncle was well -satisfied with him in all else. He had taken him for a rather well-bred -person, he said. But the man has a remarkable propensity for discoursing -in public places." - -"Where is he now?" - -"Where is any idler who has received his discharge? Off looking for an -easy berth, L should say." - -"Is your friend so very poor?" asked the countess, in a serious whisper, -as one would speak over the shame of a kinsman. - -"Of course," replied Johannes, with a positiveness that was a challenge. -"Indeed, he would be ashamed not to be poor." - -"I think such men insufferable!" exclaimed Van Lieverlee. "As Socrates -said, their conceit can be seen through the holes in their clothes. -Without even opening their mouths they--every one of them--seem to be -forever preaching morals and finding fault. I hate the tribe. They are -of all men the most turbulent and dangerous." - -Johannes had never yet seen Van Lieverlee so angry, but he remained cool -throughout the tirade, and kept his temper. - -The countess said in a languid voice: - -"He certainly is very immoderate. I cannot say, either, that such -pronounced types are to my taste." - -Johannes was silent, and the other two talked together a while longer. -The children came up nearer, and lying down in the clean, clear sand, -they listened to the conversation. It was a bright group, for they were -all dressed in white, except Johannes. - -At last Van Lieverlee rose to go, and the countess, clinging to his -hand, with a certain warmth of manner said: - -"Of course you are coming to dinner?" - -"Most assuredly!" replied Van Lieverlee. - - * * * * * - -After he had gone, there were several moments of constrained silence--a -sort of suspense so obvious that even the children did not resume their -chatter as usual, but continued silently playing with the sand, as if -waiting for something to be said. - -Johannes also began to comprehend that something was pending, but he had -no idea of what it could be. - -At last the lady said, rather hesitatingly, while tracing all kinds of -curious figures in the sand, with her parasol: - -"Have you not observed anything, Johannes?" - -"Observed anything? I? No, Mevrouw," replied Johannes, with some -discomposure. He surely had observed nothing. - -"I have!" said Olga, decidedly, without looking up. - -"I, too!" lisped Frieda after her. - -"Hear the little smarties!" said Mevrouw, laughing in confusion, and -blushing. "Well, what have you observed?" - -"A new papa!" replied Olga. - -"A new papa!" repeated Frieda. - -Johannes looked up in some surprise and perplexity, into the beautiful, -laughing eyes, and exquisite, blushing face of his friend. - -Her laugh was a confirmation; and accompanying her question with a shake -of the head, she continued: - -"Really, do you not understand yet?" - -"No," replied Johannes, in all seriousness. "Who is the new papa?" - -"There he goes," said Olga, pointing with her little white finger after -Van Lieverlee. And Frieda, too, stretched out her little hand in his -direction. - -"Fie, children! Do not point," said Mevrouw. - -And Johannes began to comprehend--much as one does who has fallen out of -a window, or has been struck on the head with a stone. As in the latter -case, his first thought was astonishment at the cause of the blow, and -that he could possibly survive it. - -The blue air, the sea, the sand, the series of light-green dunes, the -houses, the white figures--everything reeled and whirled, and then grew -altogether black. He could not think, but only felt that he was -extremely uncomfortable and qualmish. He was obliged to go. - -As he stood up, he heard the words: "How pale you are!" That was the -last. Then he walked away, beside the sea, hearing nothing save the -washing of the waves upon the sand and the rushing of the blood in his -ears. - -He staggered a little back and forth, as if he had been drinking too -much, and he wondered how that could be. - -At last he could no longer see the people or houses--only water, sky, -and sand. - -It seemed to have been his intention; for, weak and limp, he went and -lay down in the loose sand, and fell into a drowse. - - - - -XIII - - -Such drowsing is not real sleep, neither does it refresh. When Johannes -awoke after a quarter of an hour, his throat was parched, and he felt as -if his heart were shriveled in his breast. He essayed to think over what -had happened, but it was too bitter and too frightful. He looked at the -imprinted sand where he had been lying, as if he would go to sleep -again. But now he could not sleep, and must stay awake. - -He sat up and stared at the sea, and then again at the dunes. What was -it that had befallen him? A very long time--he knew not himself how -long--he sat looking. Then he stood up, feeling stiff and sluggish, as -if dead tired from a long journey. Slowly and aimlessly he dragged -himself into the dunes, and tried to take an interest in the beetles and -the flowers. Sometimes, from force of habit, he succeeded; but -immediately there returned the shudderings which that cruel blow had -caused. - -It had never entered his head that he himself would marry his friend. -Why, then, should it go to his heart as if he were flung aside and -trampled upon, now that another was about to take the place of her -husband? - -"It must not--_must_ not be!" was all he could say. He very well knew -that the world did not always concern itself with his thoughts, and that -his day-life was conducted quite differently from his night-life where -everything proceeded from his will and wish. But this was so squarely -against his desires and ideas that it seemed to him as if the world -_must_ care about it. - -Naturally, the world continued not to mind anything about it, because -the world is a far greater and stronger thought than that of Little -Johannes. - -And if he had been sensible he would have modestly admitted it, because -it is true. Then, at the most, that truth would only have saddened him. - -But he was not yet very wise, and he did not wish to admit that his mind -and thought were still weak and small compared with the great -world-thought. And therefore he was not only sad, but angry as well. - -Do not judge him too harshly, for he was still more boy than man. And -how few _men_ even there are with such clear good sense that they impute -the variance solely to their own weakness and stupidity, and do not -become dismayed and embittered when the world differs from them. - -Johannes, then, was angry--furiously angry. That surely was not -sensible, but yet it proved that he had more stamina than had Labbekak -and Goedzak. - -And all his anger was directed against that person who had thrust him -aside from the place which he had so long, without being aware of it, -considered his own. He thought Van Lieverlee not only a tiresome fool, -but also an odious, abominable monster that ought to be exterminated. - -And as his fancy pictured other figures, and he thought of that other -hated being, Marjon's sister, and then again of Van Lieverlee, and his -dear, beautiful, winsome friend, he found himself closely and -frightfully besieged by insupportable thoughts--as if in a fire-begirt -city, all aglow and scorching, with ever narrowing streets. - -It was impossible to cry. At other times, as you surely must have -observed, his tears came quickly enough. But now his eyes seemed to have -been cauterized. Eyes, heart, brains, and ideas--all were equally hot -and dry, and strained and distressed. - -He went home at night with no idea of the hour. He had eaten nothing, -but felt neither hunger nor thirst. Where he had been for so long, he -was unable to tell. He went to his room and began trifling with his -knickknacks--his souvenirs, books, and little treasures--for he was a -collector. - -His hostess came to rap at his door and to ask what was the -matter--where he had been, and why he had been absent from his afternoon -lessons. But Johannes did not invite her in, and said that he wished to -be alone. And she, half surmising the truth, and distressed about it, -did not insist. - -Then, among his treasures, Johannes found a pair of compasses--a large -pair, one arm of which could be loosened for the attachment of a -tracing-pen. And that single, loosened compass-arm was a shining, -three-cornered bit of steel, about a finger long, and as sharp as a -lancet. - -With some wood and leather he contrived a handle for that bit of steel, -and then he had a dagger--a real, wicked, dangerous dagger. - -Apparently he did this merely to pass away the time, but after it was -finished he began to think what could be done with it. Then what he -_wished_ to do with it. And at last _how_ he should do it, _if_, indeed, -he was to do it. - -Thus, he was already a good bit on in an ugly way. - -The octopus that he had defied so bravely had laid for him a trap of -which he was not aware; for it has many more than eight arms, and there -are many more demons than those whose acquaintance Johannes had already -made. - -He was going to step up to Van Lieverlee and say to him, "You or I." And -if Van Lieverlee should then laugh at him, as he most likely would, he -would stab him to death. - -Such thoughts as that actually took possession of Little Johannes' head; -for, I have told you, indeed, that Love is nothing to be ridiculed. -Fortunately, a wide gulf yawns between thought and deed, otherwise there -would be a great many more accidents upon this earth. - -It was already past midnight, and he still sat pottering and burnishing -and sharpening, when he heard again the creaking of the stair, that he -now instantly recognized, and Marjon's step at the door. - -She opened the door, and Johannes looked into her distended, anguished -eyes. Her blonde hair fell straight and free over her shoulders, and her -long white night-dress reached down to her bare feet. - -"What are you doing, Jo?" she asked. "You make me so anxious! What has -happened? Where have you been the whole long day? Why do you eat -nothing? And why are you still sitting up, with a light, till after -midnight?" - -Startled and distressed, Johannes made no reply. The dagger was still in -his hand. He tried to hide it, without being observed, under his -handkerchief. But Marjon saw it, and asked excitedly: - -"What is that?" - -"Nothing," said Johannes, in shame and confusion, like a detected child. - -Marjon snatched away the handkerchief, and looked from the shining -little object to Johannes with an expression of mingled pain and fright. - -In silence they looked into each other's eyes a long time--Marjon with a -searching, beseeching gaze, until Johannes lowered his lids and let his -head droop. - -"Who is it for?" she whispered. "Yourself?" - -Without speaking or looking up, Johannes shook his head. Marjon sighed -deeply, as if relieved. - -"For whom, then?" again she asked. "For ... him?" - -Johannes nodded. Then she said: - -"Poor Jo!" - -That sounded strangely to him, for when irritated one is not apt to be -compassionate toward others nor toward one's self. He thought, rather, -to find abhorrence of his blood-thirsty plan. But she said it so -sincerely and fervently that he began to weaken, although not to the -point of crying. - -"You will not do it, will you? It would not help at all. And you would -... you would make me so frightfully unhappy." - -"I cannot endure it, Marjon--I _cannot_ endure it!" - -Marjon kneeled down by the table, and rested her chin in her hands. Her -clear, true eyes were now looking steadily at Johannes, and as she spoke -they grew more tranquil. Johannes continued to look at her with the -irresolute expression of one in despair who yet hoped for deliverance. - -"Poor Jo!" repeated Marjon. And then, slowly, with frequent pauses, she -said: "Do you know why I can speak so?... I know exactly how you feel. I -have felt that way, too. I did not think that this would be the way of -it--the way it now is. I only thought, 'She is going to have him, not -I.' And then I too said, 'It cannot--_cannot_ be!' But yet it might have -been. And now _you_ say, 'It cannot be.' But it can, just the same." - -Here she waited a while, and Johannes looked at her more attentively, -and with less irresolution. - -"And now listen, Jo. You want to stab that prig, don't you? And you well -know that I never had any liking for him. But now let me tell you that I -myself, for days and for weeks, have wanted to do the same thing." - -"What!" exclaimed Johannes, in astonishment. - -Marjon hid her face and said: "It is the truth, Jo. Not him, of course, -but ... but her." - -"You do not mean it, Marjon," said Johannes, indignantly. - -"I am in earnest, Jo. I am not even sure whether I came into her service -for that very reason, or for a better one." - -"My God! How frightful!" exclaimed Johannes, deeply moved. - -"There you are--alarmed and probably angry. Naturally you think her -lovely, and are fond of her. And I am ashamed of myself--heartily -ashamed." - -Again they were silent, and in both those young heads were many -turbulent thoughts. - -"And do you know what helped me most to give it up? Not fear of -punishment, nor of judgment, for I dreaded nothing so much as, worst of -all, that she might succeed in getting you. But it helped me when I -thought how much you loved her, and how you would cry and suffer if you -should see her lying dead." - -Again they looked at each other, steadily and frankly, and their eyes -were dimmed with tears. Then said Marjon: - -"And now, Jo, think of this. I care nothing about that man, nor do you; -and doubtless he would not be a great loss. But to her he would be, and -indeed if you should kill him, you would bring it about that she would -see him dead, and would have to cry. Do you wish to do that?" - -Johannes' eyes opened wide, and he looked into the lamplight. - -"Yes," said he, deliberately. "He deceives her and she deceives herself. -He is altogether different from what she fancies." - -Then Marjon, taking both hands from the table, and resting them upon -Johannes' arm, said with rising voice: - -"But Jo, Jo--indeed everything is different from what we think! Who can -see just how and what people and things are? I thought that woman -hateful, and you thought her lovely. You think that fellow odious, while -she thinks him charming. Really, only the Father, knows how things are. -Believe me, the Father only. We are poor, poor creatures. We know -nothing--nothing." - -Then, resting her head, with its fair, fine hair, upon his arm, she -sobbed bitterly; and Johannes, now completely broken down and mollified, -wept with her. - -Then they heard a door open in the hall. Probably, in their agitation, -they had been talking too loudly. - -Marjon took flight. In a moment of less excitement she would have been -too shrewd for that. Johannes did indeed quickly put out the light, but -he saw, through the crack of the door, that some one with a candle was -standing in the hall. There was a meeting, and Johannes overheard a -brief exchange of angry words, in vehement, suppressed tones. - -The last he understood was: "To-morrow morning you leave." - - - - -XIV - - -About the time all this was taking place, something else occurred which -most of you will readily recall. It happened at the time the King and -Queen were married. - -That was a time of many processions, when arches of honor were erected -in all the squares, and when there arose, everywhere, the peculiar odor -of spruce-boughs and of burning illuminants. - -And the life of the King and Queen was far different from that of Little -Johannes. They had to be decked often with beautiful clothes, and then -as often to be undressed, to parade, to sit in state, to listen to -wearisome harangues, to live through long dinners, and to be forever -bowing and smiling. Such was their life. - -To Johannes all this excitement and these joyful festivities seemed but -a motley background against which his own sombre trouble was all the -more sharply in relief. Although everybody was concerned about the King -and Queen, and no one at all about Little Johannes, he yet found himself -and his own sorrow none the less important. - -You are aware that these festivities lasted for several weeks, and took -place in every town in the land. In the evening of the day about which I -last told you, there was a great display of fireworks on the beach, and -Johannes, with the entire household, went to see it. - -And there, in the midst of all that crowding and shouting, he had, for -the first time, a chance to speak with the beloved friend who had caused -him so much suffering. Marjon he had not seen, and he knew not if she -was gone; but the countess seemed as friendly and as cheerful as ever, -and she had not questioned him. - -On the terrace from which they watched the golden columns rush skyward -with a hiss, and the "pin-wheels" sizzle and fizz, accompanied by the -"a-a-a-ahs!" of admiration from the dark, moving mass of people--there, -he ventured in an undertone to speak to her. - -"What did you really think of me yesterday, Mevrouw?" - -"Well," replied the countess, rather coldly, continuing to look at the -fireworks, "you have not come up to my expectations, Johannes." - -"What do you mean? Why not?" asked Johannes, sick at heart. - -"Oh, you know very well. I was aware that you had plain connections, and -were not descended from a distinguished family; but I hoped to make that -good, in some degree, through my own influence. Yet I had not thought -you so ordinary as that." - -"But what do you mean?" - -The lady cast a disdainful glance upon him. - -"Would you care to hear it spoken, word for word? Liaisons, then--with -inferiors. And at your age, too. How could you?" - -In a flash Johannes comprehended. - -"Oh, Mevrouw--but you mistake--completely. I am not in the least -enamored of that girl, but formerly she was my little comrade, and she -thinks a great deal of me. She saw that I was unhappy yesterday, and -then she came to sympathize with me." - -"Sympathize?" asked the countess, hesitatingly, and not without irony, -of which Johannes, however, was unconscious. - -"Yes, Mevrouw. But for her, I should have done desperate things. She -prevented me. She is a brave girl." - -Then he told her still more of Marjon. - -Countess Dolores believed him, and became more friendly. In that -caressing voice which had caused Johannes so much unhappiness, and which -even now completely fascinated him, she asked: - -"And why were you so desperate, my boy?" - -"Do you not understand? It was because of what you told me yesterday." - -She understood well enough, and Johannes thought it charming in her to -be willing to listen so kindly. But although she felt flattered she -pretended not to know what he meant--as if such an idea were -unthinkable. - -"But how can that make you feel so desperate, my boy? I have not said, -however, that you must leave my house on account of it." - -"If that should take place, Mevrouw, do you fancy that I could remain -with you? Did you think I could endure that? But it is not going to be, -is it? It was only a jest. Tell me that it was! You were only teasing -me! Tell me that you were only teasing me!" - -It was all too clear now, and she could dissemble no longer. Half in -kindness, half in compassion, she said: - -"But, my boy, my boy, what has got into your head?" - -Johannes rested his hand on her arm, and asked, imploringly: - -"You were not in earnest, were you?" - -But she freed her arm gently, saying: - -"Yes, Johannes, I was in earnest." - -And now he knew that he was hoping against hope. - -"Is there no hope for me?" - -The countess smilingly shook her head. - -"No, dear boy, not the least. Put the thought quite away from you." - - * * * * * - -The last of the rockets rushed up with a startling hiss, to burst in the -black sky with a soft puff, and expire in a shower of brilliant sparks. -Then it was all over. The band played "Wilhelmus of Nassau," and the -dark throng surged and pressed more vehemently, while on all sides the -street-boys whistled shrilly and shouted to one another: "J-a-a-a-n!" -and "Gerret!" - -Johannes, stunned by renewed pain, passed on through the cheering like -one deafened and stupefied. - -His hostess, now full of sympathy, said: - -"Do you remember, Johannes, what we promised Father Canisius? He was to -teach you who Jesus is, was he not? Will you go to church with me -to-morrow? That will best console you." - -A wicked thought passed through Johannes' head. He wished to ask a -question, but he could not utter the hated name. - -"Is any one else going?" - -"Yes, the man to whom I am engaged. He also is now convinced that peace -is only to be found in the Holy Church. He is Catholic, as are myself -and my children." - -Johannes said not another word that evening; but he slept more -peacefully than the night before. - - - - -XV - - -The church was full when Johannes, with the entire family, entered it. -He and the others were in their best attire, and Van Lieverlee had on a -very long black coat and a high hat. As he passed in he removed his hat -respectfully, and his white face, now smoothly shaven, wore a serious, -even stern, expression. - -It was cool and dark and solemn in the building. The rays of the sun, in -passing through the window-glass, were tinged with yellow and blue, and -cast queer fleckings over the faces and forms of those who stood waiting -or were securing seats. The fragrance of incense floated about the -altar, and the organ was playing. It was not really an old church, but, -with its paintings and floral adornments, was beautiful enough to move -Johannes to tenderness; for he felt so sad and disheartened, listening -to the solemn music in that richly-colored twilight, that he had to make -an effort to keep from sobbing. - -Father Canisius, smiling kindly, and with priestly seriousness in face -and tread, although not yet in his robes, stopped on his way to the -sacristy to speak with them. Johannes could feel his sharp, penetrating -look through the thick glasses of his spectacles. - -"You see, Father," said the countess, "we have come to seek Jesus. -Johannes, also." - -"He is waiting for you," replied the priest, solemnly, pointing out the -great crucifix above the altar. Then he disappeared in the sacristy. - -Johannes immediately fastened his eyes upon that figure, and continued -to contemplate it while the people were taking their places. - -It hung in the strongest light of the shadowy church. Apparently it was -of wood stained a pale rose, with peculiar blue and brown shadows. The -wounds in the side and under the thorns on the forehead were distinct -to exaggeration--all purple and swollen, with great streaks of blood -like dark-red sealing-wax. The face, with its closed eyes, wore a look -of distress, and a large circle of gold and precious stones waggishly -adorned the usual russet-colored, cork-screwy, woodeny locks. The cross -itself was of shining gold, and each of its four extremities was -ornamented, while a nice, wavy paper above the head bore the letters -I.N.R.I. One could see that it was all brand-new, and freshly gilded and -painted. Wreaths and bouquets of paper flowers embellished the altar. - -For a long time--perhaps a quarter of an hour--Johannes continued to -look at the image. "That is Jesus," he muttered to himself, "He of whom -I have so often heard. Now I am going to learn about Him, and He is to -comfort me. He it is who has redeemed the world." - -And however often he might repeat this, trying seriously to convince -himself--because he would have been glad to be convinced and also to be -redeemed--he could nevertheless see nothing except a repulsive, ugly, -bloody, prinked-up wooden doll. And this made him feel doubly sorrowful -and disheartened. Fully fifteen minutes had he sat there, looking and -musing, hearing the people around him chatting--about the price they had -paid for their places, about the keeping on or taking off of women's -hats, and about the reserved seats for the first families. Then the door -of the sacristy opened, and the choir-boys with their swinging censers, -and the sacristan, and the priests in their beautiful, gold-bordered -garments, came slowly and majestically in. And as the congregation -kneeled, Johannes kneeled with them. - -And when Johannes, as well as all the others, looked at the incoming -procession, and then again turned his eyes to the high altar, behold! -there, to his amazement, kneeling before the white altar, he saw a dark -form. It was in plain sight, bending forward in the twilight, the arms -upon the altar, and the face hidden in the arms. A man it was, in the -customary dark clothes of a laborer. No one--neither Johannes nor -probably any one else in the church--had seen whence he came. But he was -now in the full sight of all, and one could hear whisperings and a -subdued excitement run along the rows of people and pass on to the rear, -like a gust of wind over a grain-field. - -As soon as the procession of choir-boys and priests came within sight of -the altar, the sacristan stepped hastily out of line and went forward to -the stranger, to assure him that, possibly from too deep absorption in -devotion, or from lack of familiarity with ecclesiastical ceremony, he -was guilty of intrusion. - -He touched the man's shoulder, but the man did not stir. In the -breathless stillness that followed, while every one expectantly awaited -the outcome, a deep, heart-rending sob was heard. - -"A penitent!" "A drunken man!" "A convert!" were some of the whispered -comments of the people. - -The perplexed sacristan turned round, and beckoned Father Canisius, who, -with impressive bearing, stepped up in his white, gold-threaded garb, as -imposingly as a full-sailed frigate moves. - -"Your place is not here," said the priest, in his deep voice. He spoke -kindly, and not particularly loudly. "Go to the back of the church." - -There was no reply, and the man did not move; yet, in the still more -profound silence, his weeping was so audible that many people shuddered. - -"Do you not hear me?" said the priest, raising his voice a little, and -speaking with some impatience. "It is well that you are repentant, but -only the consecrated belong here--not penitents." - -So saying, he grasped the shoulder of the stranger with his large, -strong hand. - -Then, slowly, very slowly, the kneeling man raised his head from his -arms, and turned his face toward the priest. - -What followed, perhaps each one of the hundreds of witnesses would tell -differently; and of those who heard about it later, each had a different -idea. But I am going to tell you what Johannes saw and heard--heard -quite as clearly as you have seen and heard the members of your own -household, to-day. - -He saw his Brother's face, pale and illumined, as if his head were shone -upon by beams of clearest sunlight. And the sadness of that face was so -deep and unutterable, so bitter and yet so gentle, that Johannes felt -forced, through pain, to press both hands upon his heart, and to set his -teeth, while he gazed with wide, tear-filled eyes, forgetting everything -save that shining face so full of grief. - -For a time it was as still as death, while man and priest regarded each -other. At last the man spoke, and said: - -"Who are you, and in whose name are you here?" - -When two men stand thus, face to face, and address each other with all -earnestness in the hearing of many others, one of them is always -immediately recognized to be the superior--even if the listeners are -unable to gauge the force of the argument. Every one feels that -superiority, although later many forget or deny it. If that dominance is -not very great, it arouses spitefulness and fury; but if it is indeed -great, it brings, betimes, repose and submissiveness. - -In this case the ascendancy was so great that the priest lost even the -air of authority and assurance with which he had come forward, and did -that for which, later, he reproached himself--he stopped to explain: - -"I am a consecrated priest of the Triune God, and I speak in the name of -our Lord Jesus Christ--our Saviour and Redeemer." - -There ensued a long silence, and Johannes saw nothing but the shining, -human face and the eyes, which, full of sorrow and compassion, continued -to regard the richly robed priest with a bitter smile. The priest stood -motionless, with hanging hands and staring eves, as if uncertain what -next to say or do; but he listened silently for what was coming, as did -Johannes and all the others in the church--as if under an overpowering -spell. - -Then came the following words, and so long as they sounded no one could -think of anything else--neither of the humble garb of him who spoke, nor -of the incomprehensible subjection of his gorgeously arrayed listener: - -"But you are not yet a man! Would you be a priest of the Most High? - -"You are not yet redeemed, nor are these others with you redeemed, -although you make bold to say so in the name of the Redeemer. - -"Did your Saviour when upon earth wear cloth of silver and of gold? - -"There is no redemption yet--neither for you nor for any of yours. The -time is not come for the wearing of garments of gold. - -"Mock not, nor slander. Your ostentation is a travesty of the Most High, -and a defamation of your Saviour. - -"Do you esteem the kingdom of God a trifle, that you array yourself and -rejoice, while the world still lies in despair and in shackles? - -"So plays a little girl with a doll, and calls herself a mother. She -tosses and pets and prinks her little one, but it is all wood and paint -and bran. And the real mother smiles--she who knows the anguish and the -gladness. - -"But you abandon the naked, living child for the bedizened doll. And the -mother sheds tears of blood. - -"Like peacocks, you strut through your marble churches, glittering in -tinsel; but you let the kingdom of God lie like an uncleansed babe upon -unclean linen--naked and languishing. - -"And the Devil delights in your churches, your masses, and prayers and -psalms--your treasure and fine linen; for the child lies naked at your -back door, with the dogs, and it wails for its mother. - -"Weep--as do I! Weep bitter tears--for that child is two thousand years -old. And still it lies, unwashed and uncherished. - -"Why do you vaunt your consecration, and prate of your Redeemer? Your -Holy One still toils beneath His grievous cross, yet all your splendid -churches have you built upon that heavy cross. - -"You bear the mitre of Persians, and Egyptians, and the tabard of the -Jews. And you also make use of the scourge wherewith the Jews did -scourge Him. - -"They bound and spat upon--they scourged and crucified and speared Him; -but for two thousand years you have been roasting Him before a slow -fire--before the fire of your lies and misrepresentations; of your -treachery and arrogance; of your cruelties and perversions; of your pomp -and oblations; of your transgressions, and of your attacks upon and -strivings against the God who is Truth. - -"You are commanded to serve your Father in spirit and in truth, and you -have served Him with the letter and with lies. - -"His prophets, who loved the truth better than their lives, you have -burned at the stake, and have made them martyrs. - -"Yet you have bent your proud neck to the world which you affect to -despise. In the name of the Father you have burned and imprisoned sages; -but at last you were forced to eat the bread of their wisdom, for the -knife of the scornful was at your throat. - -"The world you have disdained and denounced is wiser than you--more -beautiful and even more holy. - -"Black as the raven--black as the beetles, the moles, the creatures that -live in the slime--black and vile, you burrow your secret way through -the clear, bright world. But in your churches you enthrone yourselves -and parade like kings--in violet and yellow and purple, and gold -brocade. - -"You were not commanded to found a kingdom solely for yourselves--a -kingdom of the sacred and the elect in a world of the unholy and -immature. - -"You were commanded to spread abroad the kingdom of God over the whole -earth--over all that weep and are oppressed. - -"You were not commanded to despise the world and to forsake it, but you -were commanded to hallow the world. - -"You rend the world in twain, speaking of the sanctified and the -unsanctified. Your Saviour lived among thieves, and died between -murderers, nevertheless he promised them Paradise. - -"Not until every man is sanctified, until every day is a holy day, and -every house a House of God---not until then may you speak of redemption, -and array yourself in white and gold. - -"Woe unto you, forsakers of the world! Was not the world bestowed upon -you by the Father as the noblest and most precious gift of the dearest -of friends? - -"How dare you despise it? - -"Will you openly preserve the penny of your enemy, and reject the -noblest gift of the Most High? - -"Do you speak in the name of the Triune God? But you have smitten the -Father's face--you have martyred the Son, and the Holy Ghost have you -violated. - -"You have been told that God is Truth. Yet you have striven against the -truth with torture-tongs, with dungeons, and with burnings at the stake. - -"You have made the Son of man an object of ridicule--a shield for lying -and violence, a pretext for strife and bloodshed, a monstrous idol. - -"And of all sins, the worst is the sin against the Holy Ghost--which is -the bread that you eat, and the water wherein you swim. - -"You shackle and restrain the Spirit. This is of all sins the worst, and -this you know. - -"Where God alone may reign--in the free human heart--there you establish -yourselves with your laws and dogmas, your writings and your imageries. - -"Think you, madman, that the wisdom of the Eternal can be comprised -within the limits of written or printed pages? - -"To Him your sacred books are as cobwebs and sweepings; for He lives and -moves eternally, and book nor brain can compass Him. Like to flowing -water, you are told, is the wisdom of God. Forever changing, forever the -same, no finite word can picture His progressive wisdom. - -"There is more of the Father's wisdom in the shy, faltering whisper of a -poor heathen child, than in all your bulls and councils and decretals. - -"Would you put a tube to the lips of the Father, that He may speak at -your pleasure? Yet will He speak as seems best to Himself. - -"Would you point with the finger and say to Him: 'Here! These shall -speak in thy name, and to these shalt thou give wisdom, and these shalt -thou inspire with understanding, and these shalt thou save, and these -condemn!' - -"But He will reply: 'There!' and will regard your pointings even as the -lava of a volcano regards the guide-posts and little crosses on the -slopes. - -"But your opinions and your pride are avenged, for the world commands -you as the hunter his hound, as the show-man his monkey. You pull the -carriage of prince and monied man, and make grimaces before the -powerful. - -"They build you churches, and you say masses for them, although they be -Satan himself. - -"The world is sanctified without you, and you sanctify yourselves -because of the world. - -"That your Popes are not more dissolute, your prelates more prodigal, -and your friars more slothful, is because the world has constrained you. -But you have constrained the world to no purpose. - -"You have set yourself against the usurer, but the world will practise -usury, and you practise usury with the world. Thus are you the ape and -the servant of the world. - -"Where you have rivals, you show yourself discreet; but where you are -without competitors, there as ever you corrupt the land. - -"You follow after the world, as a captive shark follows a sailing ship. -You turn and twist, but the world points out the way--not you. - -"Like a kettle tied by mischievous boys to the tail of a dog, so do you -rattle with hollow menaces behind the course of the world. You scare, -but do not guide. - -"Yes, you strive against the sanctifying of the world, for with your -hands you would conceal the godlike fire of knowledge; but the flame -bursts through your fingers, and consumes you. - -"What have you done for the sheep committed to your care--for the poor -and bereaved--for the oppressed and the disinherited? - -"Submission you have taught them--ay--submission to Mammon. You have -taught them to bow meekly to Satan. - -"God's light--the light of knowledge--you have withheld from them. Woe -be to you! - -"You have taught them to beg, and to kiss the rod that smote them. You -have cloaked the shame of alms-receiving, and have prated of honor in -servitude. - -"Thus have you humbled man, and disfigured the human soul. - -"With the fruit of their hands you have decorated your churches and -adorned your unworthy bodies. - -"You have aroused the devil in the heart--the devil of fear--fear of -hell and everlasting punishment. The aspiration of the free heart toward -God you have deadened; and with indulgences and the confessional have -you lulled the waking conscience. - -"Of the love of the Father you have made commerce--a sinful merchandise. -Not because you love virtue do you preach it, but because of the sweet -profit. You promise deliverance to all who follow your counsel; but as -well can you make a present of moon and stars. - -"Are you not told to recompense evil with good? And is God less than man -that He should do otherwise? - -"It is well for you that He does not do otherwise, for where then were -your salvation? - -"For you, and you only, are the brood of vipers against whom is kindled -the wrath of Him who was gentle with adulterers and murderers." - - * * * * * - -While speaking, the man had risen to his full height, and he now -appeared, to all there assembled, impressively tall. - -When he had spoken, reaching his right hand backward he grasped the foot -of the great golden crucifix. It snapped off like glass, and he threw it -on the marble floor at the feet of the priest. The fragment broke into -many bits. It was apparently not wood, but plaster. - -"Sacrilege!" cried the priest, in a stifled voice, as if the sound were -wrung from his throat. His eyes seemed to be starting out of his great -purple face. - -The man quietly replied: - -"No, but my right; for you are the sacrilegist and the blasphemer who -makes of the Son of man a hideous caricature." - -Then the priest stepped forward, and gripped Markus by the wrist. The -latter made no resistance, but cried in a loud voice that reverberated -through the church: - -"Do your work, Caiaphas!" - -After that he suffered himself to be led away to the sacristy. - -While the congregation still sat, spellbound and motionless, Johannes -hastily writhed his way out between the benches and the throngs of -people. - -Father Canisius returned, now quite calm and far less red. And while the -sacristan with broom and dust-pan swept up the fragments and put them -into a basket, the priest turned toward the audience and said: - -"Have sympathy with the poor maniac. We will pray for him." - -After that, the service proceeded without further disturbance. - - - - -XVI - - -In a dreary district of the city, at the end of a long, lonely street, -stands a long, gloomy building. The windows--all of the same form--are -of ground glass, and the house itself is lengthened by a high wall. What -lies behind this wall the neighbors do not know; but sometimes strange -noises are borne over it--loud singing, yelling, dismal laughter, and -monotonous mutterings. - -On the steps of this house, silent, and with earnest faces, stood -Johannes and Marjon. The latter had on a simple, dark gown, and she -carried Keesje on her arm. - -The door was opened by a porter wearing a uniform-cap. The man gave -them, especially the monkey, a critical, hesitating look. - -"That will not do," said he, drily. "You must leave your little ones at -home when you come here to make visits." - -"Come," said Marjon, without a smile at his jest, "ask the -superintendent. My brother is so fond of him, and I do not dare leave -him at home." - -They had to wait awhile in the vestibule. At first they said not a word, -and Keesje was very still. - -Then, scratching Keesje's head, Johannes quietly remarked, "He has grown -thin." - -"He has a cough," said Marjon. - -At length the doorkeeper came back, with the superintendent. Johannes -instantly recognized in the tall, spare gentleman, the slovenly black -suit, the gold spectacles, and the bushy white hair, his old friend Dr. -Cijfer. - -"Whom have they come to see?" he asked. - -"The new one who was brought in yesterday--working-class," said the -doorkeeper. - -"Violent?" asked the doctor. - -"No, quiet, Doctor. But they want to take their monkey with them." - -"Why so, young people?" asked Dr. Cijfer, frowning at the monkey over -the top of his spectacles in a most objectionable manner, to the -discomfiture of Keesje. - -"Doctor Cijfer, have you forgotten me?" asked Johannes. - -"Wait," said the doctor, giving him a sharp look, "are you the boy who -assisted me some time ago, and then ran away? Your name, indeed, was -Johannes, was it not?" - -"Yes, Doctor." - -"Ah, yes," said the doctor, reflecting. "A rather queer boy, with some -talent. And there is a brother of yours here? I always thought there -were hereditary _moments_ in your family. You were a queer boy." - -"But it can't do any harm if our monkey goes with us, Doctor," said -Marjon. "He is quite still and obedient." - -Slowly shaking his head, the doctor made a prolonged "m-m-m" with his -compressed lips, as if to say that he did not himself think it so -hazardous. - -"I have not yet seen the patient. We will ask the junior physician if he -may receive callers. But only ten minutes--not longer, mind." - -Dr. Cijfer vanished with the doorkeeper, and again the trio waited a -considerable time. - -Then the doorkeeper returned with a man-nurse in white jacket and apron. -The latter led them down long halls, three times unlocking different -doors and gratings with the key that he carried in his hand, until it -seemed to Johannes as if they were pressing deeper and deeper into -realms of error and constraint. - -But it was still there--sadly still--not, as Johannes had expected it to -be, noisy with ravings. Now and then a patient in a dark blue uniform -came toward them, carrying a pail or a basket. He would look back at -them suspiciously, and then go farther on, softly muttering. - -At last they came to a dismal reception-room with a little wooden table -and four rush-seated chairs. It was lighted from above, and there was no -outlook. There they were left by themselves in painful suspense. - -After what again seemed to be a very long time a different door of the -same little room was opened by another nurse; and then, at last, Little -Johannes could rest again on the bosom of his beloved brother. - -But even before Johannes could reach him, Keesje had sprung to his -shoulder and received the first greeting. - -"Hey, Markus, do you greet Kees before you do us?" said Marjon, laughing -through her tears. - -"Are you jealous?" asked Markus. "He has become such a good comrade of -mine." - -Drawing Keesje up to him, he sat down, while Johannes and Marjon -kneeled, one on each side. The two young people regarded him a long -while without saying anything; yet it did them good. - -"Only ten minutes," sighed Johannes, "and I have so much to ask and to -say." - -"Do not be uneasy," said Markus. "I shall not be here long. - -"Is it not frightful here?" asked Marjon. - -"It is the most sorrowful place on earth. But it is without deceit; and -I am happy here, for I can do much to comfort." - -"But it is fearfully unjust to put you here, with crazy folks," said -Marjon. "Those miserable creatures!" and she clenched her slender little -hand. - -"It is only a small part of the great wrong. They act according to their -understanding." - -"Markus," said Johannes, "I want to ask you this: I saw poor Helene in -the kingdom of the Evil One. Do you know whom I mean? You do? What does -that signify? And will she be saved?" - -"I know whom you mean, Johannes; but do not forget that we are all in -the kingdom of the Evil One. Only in the heart of the Father are we -free. The Father allows Waan to have power over all who are away from -Him--even over me. - -"But not for ever, Markus." - -"How can that which is evil avail for ever? The melancholy seem to be -the chosen ones. The burden they bear is a precious one, but only if -they realize that it is of the Father. Then it sanctifies; otherwise it -crushes. Some learn this first through death, as did Helene." - -"Markus," said Marjon then, "we both have had such wicked things in our -heads. Shall we ever be forgiven them?" - -"Tell me about them," said Markus. "I know indeed, but yet tell me." - -"We have wanted to murder, out of jealousy--he and ... and I." - -"That is the way with stags and buffaloes and cocks," said Markus. "They -kill one another on account of their love. The strongest survives, and -feels not the least remorse. And he is forgiven." - -"But we are human, Markus," said Johannes. - -"That is fine, dear Johannes, that you should say it of yourself. And -yet you have not murdered anybody, have you?" - -"No, but I have wanted to." - -"Truly and with all your heart?" - -"Not that way," said Johannes. - -"No, for in that case you would not now be asking forgiveness. -Forgiveness is already there, because insight is forgiveness." - -The two disciples were silent, and looked at him thoughtfully through -half-closed eyes. At last Marjon said: - -"But then if we had done it we would have been forgiven all the sooner; -for then we should have perceived the sooner that it was wrong." - -"You would then have experienced the desire for, and the satisfaction -in, the deed, and have lost the fear of it. That would have been two -more fetters for you, with the power to understand reduced." - -"But yet there are things which we have to do in order to know that they -are wicked," said Johannes. - -"Are there such things?" asked Markus. "Well, then, do them; but do not -complain if the lesson is a hard one. There are children, also, who do -not believe their parents when they tell them that fire will burn, and -that burns are painful. And yet such children cry if they burn -themselves." - -"But why is it so intolerable to think that another will obtain that -which we hold dear? Is that wicked?" asked Marjon. - -"It is not wicked to long for love or power or honor, when those things -are our due because of our being wise and good. But that which he covets -comes not to the jealous one, nor power to him who thirsts for it, nor -honor to the over-ambitious. The things longed for will not satisfy -them. Nor are eating and drinking bad in themselves, but they are only -for those who have need of them." - -At that moment the door was unlocked. As it swung open the nurse said -that the time was up, adding: - -"Perhaps you may come again to-morrow." - -"Will he have to stay here?" asked Marjon, as they were on their way -down the long hall. - -"Well," replied the nurse, "they may indeed shut up quite a lot more. He -can deal with the violent ones better than the professor can. There was -one here who gave us a lot of trouble, because he wouldn't eat. He'd -thrown his plate at me head. Look here! What a cut! But your brother had -him eating inside of ten minutes." - -"Will he soon be free?" asked Johannes. - -"They ought to make him a professor," was the reply. "I've heard they're -to examine him to-morrow." - - * * * * * - -Little was said while Johannes was accompanying Marjon to the -boarding-house in which she now lived. It was kept by one of Markus's -friends, a workman in the iron foundry. The man was called Jan van Tijn, -and was foreman of the hammer-works. He earned sixteen guldens a week, -and had nine children. His dwelling had three small rooms and a kitchen, -and there twelve persons had to sleep--father, mother, nine children, -and the boarder. But Juffrouw van Tijn was still young, with a fresh -face and a pair of strong arms, and she made light of her work. - -"If there are to be still more of us," said Jan, "we must begin to lie -in a row--spoon-fashion." - -Jan had a long blonde moustache and a pair of shrewd eyes, and his -manner of speech was coarse--terribly so. Marjon slept in the little -kitchen, and, as Jan's eldest girl was not yet sixteen, Marjon could be -of great service in the family. - -"Did you get him out?" asked Jan, who had come in his working-blouse to -meet them. And when they shook their heads, he began cursing, -tremendously. - -"Well-! Did ye ever see such scoundrels? I'd like to pitch into the -loons! Can't that perfesser see that Markus knows more in his little -finger than the whole scurvy lot of them--patients, doctors, perfessers, -and all? And because he's given the priest a dressing-down, and broken -an image worth a nickel, must he be shut up in a mad-house? Well-!!!" - -Jan was furious, and proposed, with the aid of a sledge-hammer, to -convince the learned gentlemen that they had made a blunder. - -"He is to be examined to-morrow," said Johannes, thinking to calm him. - -But Jan retorted scornfully, "Examined! Examined! I'll examine their own -cocoanuts with a three-inch gimlet! If anything comes out but sawdust I -hope to drop dead." - -He said much more that I will not repeat. - -Johannes stayed away from the Villa Dolores the entire day, for it was -too dreary for him there. He would now far rather be in this poor -household with its many children. He noticed how the young mother -managed her uproarious little troop, how constantly and cheerfully busy -she was the whole day long--bearing, and getting the better of, -difficulties which would have dismayed and discouraged many another. - -Johannes ate with them, and although not very hungry, because of his -anxiety, he enjoyed his food. And after they had had their late -afternoon coffee, and the younger children had gone to bed--when Van -Tijn had returned from his work, and with a certain solemn -thoughtfulness had filled his pipe and was silently smoking it--then -Johannes felt wonderfully at peace. He had not known such peace in a -long time. Very little was said. Outside, the twilight was falling; -indoors, the only light was from the little flame under the coffee-pot. -The women, too, were tired, and sat listening to the sounds in the -street. And Johannes knew that they were all thinking of the friend in -the asylum. - - * * * * * - -That evening, when he was again in the handsome, luxurious villa, -everything seemed strange and distasteful. In the brightly lighted -drawing-room, chatting in a low tone, Van Lieverlee sat close beside the -lady of the house, with an intolerable air of being the rightful lord of -the manor. Johannes merely wanted to bid them good-night. - -"Have you found your poor friend?" asked Van Lieverlee, in his most -condescending manner. - -"Yes, Mijnheer," replied Johannes. And then, after some hesitation: "Can -anything be done to get him out promptly?" - -"My dear boy," said Van Lieverlee, "it is not to be desired, either for -his own sake or that of society. I am not a doctor, but that he belongs -where he is I can see at once, as could any layman. What do you think, -Dearest?" - -Dolores nodded languidly, and said: "My heart was touched for the -man--he has a fine face. And have you noticed, Walter, what a splendid -baritone voice he has?" - -"Yes," said Van Lieverlee; "it is a pity he is out of his head. What a -good singer of Wagner he might be! An excellent Parsifal! Do you not -think so, Dolores?" - -"A splendid Parsifal! Perhaps he may get well yet," added the countess. - -"Oh, no," said Van Lieverlee. "That sort of prophet-frenzy is incurable. -I know indeed of so many cases." - -For an instant Johannes stood hesitating. Should he give vent to what -was boiling in his breast? - -But he was older now, and he curbed himself. Before he went to sleep he -resolved: "This is my last night here." - - - - -XVII - - -Again they stood on the steps of the gloomy building--the -three--Johannes, Marjon, and Keesje. It was a bleak day, and Keesje's -thin little black face peeped out from under a thick shawl. - -"Just go into the doctor's room, will you?" said the doorkeeper. "The -doctor wishes to speak with you. The professor is there, also," he -added, importantly. And when Marjon would have gone with them, he -extended his hand as if to stay her, saying, "Pardon, but the lady and -the little one weren't invited." - -Without replying, Marjon turned round to Johannes and said, "Then I'll -wait for you at the house. Will you come soon?" - - * * * * * - -In the tiresome, pompous quarters of the doctor, with its bookcases -draped in green, its white gypsum busts of Galenus, Hippocrates, and -other old physicians, sat two dark-coated gentlemen. They were -vis-a-vis, each in an office-chair, and deep in conversation. - -On the large writing-table lay several open books, and some shining -white metal instruments for measuring and examining. - -"Sit down, my friend," said Professor Bommeldoos, in his loud voice and -brusque manner. "We all know one another, do we not? We have already -made an examination together." - -Johannes silently took a seat. - -"Let me explain to you, Johannes," said Dr. Cijfer, in more soft and -moderate tones. "We--Professor Bommeldoos and I--have been charged by -the judicial commission to make a medical investigation of the mental -condition of your brother. He has committed a crime--not a heavy one, -but yet not without significance, and one for which he ought to have -been placed under arrest. Yet the clergyman thought him irresponsible, -and summoned a physician from the asylum. Your brother simply would not -reply to the latter. He was stubbornly silent." - -Johannes nodded. He knew it already. - -"That was the reason for his being temporarily secluded here. Now I have -seen the patient myself once, but I am sorry to have to say that I can -get no further than the other physician. When I interrogate him he looks -at me in a very peculiar way, and remains silent." - -"I do not understand, Colleague," said Bommeldoos, "why you did not -instantly diagnose this as a symptom of megalomania." - -"But, worthy Colleague," replied Dr. Cijfer, "he does talk with the -nurses and his fellow patients, and he is obliging and ready to help. -They all wish him well--yes, they are even singularly fond of him." - -"All of which comports very well with my diagnosis," said Bommeldoos. - -"Does he often have those whims, Johannes," asked Dr. Cijfer, "when he -will not speak?" - -"He has no whims," said Johannes, stoutly. - -"Why, then, will he not reply?" - -"I think you would not answer me," returned Johannes, "if I were to ask -you if you were mad." - -The two learned men exchanged smiles. - -"That is a somewhat different situation," said Bommeldoos, haughtily. - -"He was not questioned in such a blunt manner as that," explained Doctor -Cijfer. "I asked about his extraction, his age, the health of his father -and mother, about his own youth, and so forth--the usual memory -promptings. Will you not give us some further information concerning -him? Remember, it is of real importance to your brother." - -"Mijnheer," said Johannes, "I know as little as yourself about all -that. And even if I knew more I would not tell you what he himself -thought best not to tell." - -"Come, come, my boy," said the professor, "are you trying to make sport -of us? Do you not know whence you came? Nothing of your parents, nor of -your youth?" - -Johannes hesitatingly considered whether or not he should do as Markus -had done, and answer no questions whatever. But still he might reply to -those that concerned only himself. - -"I do, indeed, know all that about myself, but not about him," said he. - -"Then you are not brothers?" asked the doctor. - -"No, not in the sense you mean." - -Dr. Cijfer looked at Bommeldoos as if to see what he thought of this -reply. Then he touched a bell-button, saying: - -"It seems to me, Colleague, that we might better see him face to face. -We can then, perhaps, get on better than when apart." - -Bommeldoos nodded solemnly, and passed his hand over his mighty -forehead. A servant came in. - -"Will you bring the patient Vis from the ward of the calm patients, -working-class?" - -"Very well, Doctor." - -The servant vanished, and for several minutes afterward it was as still -as death in the study. The two learned men stared at the carpet quite -absorbed in thought--not minding delay--after the manner of deep -thinkers. Johannes heard the clock ticking on the mantel, the faint -music from an out-of-doors band playing a merry march, the sound of -hurrahs, and the clatter of horses' hoofs on the cobblestone pavement. -The royal wedding-festivities were still in progress, and Johannes could -mentally see the two people who at that moment were bowing and waving as -they sat in their carriage. There was a knock at the door. The nurse -came and said, "Here is the patient." Then he let Markus in, remaining -himself to look on. - -"I will ring for you," said Dr. Cijfer, with a gesture. The nurse -disappeared. - -Markus had on a dark-blue linen blouse, such as all the patients of the -working-class wear. He stood tall and erect, and Johannes observed that -his face was less pale and sad than usual. The blue became his dark -curling hair, and Johannes felt happy and confident as he looked at -him--standing there so proud and calm and handsome. - -"Take a seat," said Dr. Cijfer. - -But Markus seemed not to have heard, and remained standing, while he -nodded kindly and reassuringly to Johannes. - -"Observe his pride," said Professor Bommeldoos, in Latin, to Dr. Cijfer. - -"The proud find pride, and the gloomy, gloom; but the glad find -gladness, and the lowly, humility," said Markus. - -Dr. Cijfer stood up, and took his measuring instrument from the table. -Then, in a quiet, courteous tone, he said: - -"Will you not permit us, Mijnheer, to take your head measure? It is for -a scientific purpose." - -"It gives no pain," added Bommeldoos. - -"Not to the body," said Markus. - -"There is nothing in it to offend one," said Dr. Cijfer. "I have had it -done to myself many a time." - -"There is a kind of opinionativeness and denseness that offend." - -Bommeldoos flushed. "Opinionativeness and denseness! Mine, perchance? Am -I such an ignoramus? Opinionated and stupid!" - -"Colleague!" exclaimed Dr. Cijfer, in gentle expostulation. And then, as -he enclosed Markus's head with the shining craniometer, he gave the -measurement figures. A considerable time passed, nothing being heard -save the low voice of the doctor dictating the figures. Then, as if -proceeding with his present occupation, taking advantage of what he -considered a compliant mood of the patient, the crafty doctor fancied he -saw his opportunity, and said: - -"Your parents certainly dwelt in another country--one more southerly and -more mountainous." - -But Markus removed the doctor's hand, with the instrument, from his -head, and looked at him piercingly. - -"Why are you not sincere?" asked he then, with gentle stress. "How can -truth be found through untruth?" - -Dr. Cijfer hesitated, and then did exactly what Father Canisius had -done--something which, later, he was of the opinion he ought not to have -done: he argued with him. - -"But if you will not give me a direct reply I am obliged to get the -truth circuitously." - -Said Markus, "A curved sword will not go far into a straight scabbard." - -Professor Bommeldoos grew impatient, and snapped at the doctor aside in -a smothered voice: "Do not argue, Colleague, do not argue! Megalomaniacs -are smarter, and sometimes have subtler dialectic faculties, than you -have. Just let _me_ conduct the examination." - -And then, after a loud "h'm! h'm!" he said to Markus: - -"Well, my friend, then I will talk straight out to you. It is better so, -is it not? Then will you give me a direct reply?" - -Markus looked at him for some time, and said: "You cannot." - -"I cannot! Cannot what?" - -"Talk," replied Markus. - -"I cannot talk! Well, well! I cannot talk! Colleague, you will perhaps -take note of that. You say I cannot talk. What am I now doing?" - -"Stammering," said Markus. - -"Exactly--exactly! All men stammer. The doctor stammers, and I stammer, -and Hegel stammers, and Kant stammers...." - -"They do," said Markus. - -"Mijnheer Vis, then, is the only one who can talk. Is it not so?" - -"Not with you," replied Markus. "In order to talk one must have a hearer -who can understand." - -Dr. Cijfer smiled, and whispered, not without a shade of irony, "Take -care, Colleague! You also err in dialectics." But Bommeldoos angrily -shook his round head with its bulbous cheeks, and continued: - -"That is to say that you consider yourself wiser than all other men? -Note the reply, Colleague." - -"I think myself wiser than you," said Markus. "Decide yourself whether -this means wiser than all other men." - -"I have made a note of the reply," said Dr. Cijfer, while a sound of -satisfaction came from his pursed-up lips. - -Yet the professor took no notice of these ironical remarks, and -proceeded: - -"Now just tell me, frankly, my friend, are you a prophet? An apostle? -Are you perhaps the King? Or are you God himself?" - -Markus was silent. - -"Why do you not answer now?" - -"Because I am not being questioned." - -"Not being questioned! What, then, am I now doing?" - -"Raving," said Markus. - -Again Bommeldoos flushed, and lost his composure. - -"Be careful, my friend. You must not be impertinent. Remember that we -may decide your fate here." - -Markus lifted his head, with a questioning air, so earnest that the -professor held his peace. - -"With whom rests the decision of our fate?" asked Markus. Then, pointing -with his finger: "Do you consider yourself the one to decide?" - -Both of the learned ones were silent, being impressed for the moment. -Markus continued: - -"Why do not _you_ now reply? And would you have decided otherwise had I -not been what you term impertinent?" - -Here Dr. Cijfer interposed: - -"No, no, Mijnheer, you mistake. But it is not nice of you to offend a -learned man like the professor here. We are performing a scientific -task. You impress us as being a person of refinement and advancement, -aside from the question of your being ill or not. For all that, it -behooves you to have respect for science, and for those who are devoting -all their efforts and even their lives to its development." - -"Do you know," asked Bommeldoos, in a voice now near to breaking, "do -you know what the man whom you have scoffed at as opinionated, stupid, -and a ranter--what that man has written and accomplished?" - -Then Markus's stern features relaxed, assuming a softer, more -companionable expression, and he took a chair and sat down close beside -his two examiners. - -"Look," said he, showing both of his open palms, "your naked -sensibilities protrude on all sides--from under the cloak of your -wisdom. How otherwise could I have touched you?" - -"Your wisdom--so much greater--does not, however, make you invulnerable -to our opinion and stupidity," said Professor Bommeldoos, still tartly, -indeed, but yet with far more courtesy. - -"The most high wisdom of God does not make Him invulnerable to our -sorrows and sins," returned Markus. "Wisdom is a covering which makes -its wearer not insensible to suffering, but able to support it." - -"Forever that speaking in metaphor!" exclaimed Bommeldoos. "Figures of -speech do not instruct. A weak and childish mind always makes use of -metaphors. Science demands pure speech and logical argument." - -"Forgive me if I offend still further," said Markus, gently now and -kindly, as he laid his hand on the black cloth enveloping the arm of the -professor, "but it is exactly your own weakness that you cannot -question. Science is the light of the Father. Why should not I respect -it? And I know also what you have written and accomplished. But the most -you did was to question imperfectly, and then to assume the complete -reply. That one should find it so difficult and unsatisfactory to reply -amazes you, because you do not realize the imperfection of your -questions. But the finest and clearest responses--those that are most -satisfying and intelligible to all--await those who have learned better -how to question. If I esteem myself wiser than you, it is solely because -I realize that we have nothing but metaphors, and that we must patiently -and unpretendingly decipher as a communication from the Father the -meaning of all these metaphors. While you imagine that, from your words -and documents, one may comprehend His living Being." - -"With your permission," interrupted the professor. "You seem not to have -read what I have written concerning the logical necessity of an -incomprehensible basis for reality. Did you consider me such a dunce as -not to have perceived that?" - -"To speak of things is not necessarily to understand them," replied -Markus. "And so to speak of them is proof of not understanding." - -"I know very well what the human mind can compass, and what not; and in -my last work, 'On the Essence of Matter,' I think I have defined the -utmost to which the human mind can attain," said Professor Bommeldoos. - -"So did the Egyptians place the farthest reaches of the earth at the -first falls of the Nile, to which the river was said to have flowed from -heaven. And thousands and thousands of years passed away before they -ventured to step beyond that boundary. And now the world is beginning to -fraternize, and men to co-operate--now the barriers of the world are -being removed to infinite distance. Who then shall term that which the -human intellect can grasp, the extreme limit?" - -"There remains a barrier, constituted by our material structure, just as -there is a barrier because of our confinement to this terrestrial ball -which we cannot leave," declared Professor Bommeldoos, loudly and -oracularly, encircling his chin with his hand, as was his habit when in -learned discussions. He seemed to have quite forgotten that he had -before him a patient for examination. - -"You read the book of life from the end toward the beginning," said -Markus, "and see the world upside down. Why do you babble of a dead dust -which would establish a limit to the life of the soul? But all matter is -made of living thought, and nothing is lifeless, or formed without life. -Mountains and seas are thoughts of the earth; and planets and suns, and -all life, are the thoughts of God. The stone at your feet seems to you -dead; but neither does the ant that creeps over your hand perceive the -life of it. You have built up your own body--" - -"Out of existent material," cried the professor. - -"There is nothing existent as the effect of other life, that you cannot -search into. And the operations of your life meet on all sides the -counter-influences of other lives. But all is spirit and life. Shall, -then, a builder say that the house he has built defines the boundary -outside of which he cannot go?" - -"But a race like the human race preserves its permanent -characteristics," interpolated Dr. Cijfer. - -"Why do we term permanent the creatures of one day? There is nothing -permanent, and there are no persistent races. Life is a flowing water, a -flaming fire--never the same from one second to another. But in your -ignorance you make fixed definitions, write dead words and dead books, -and imagine that you understand the things that live." - -There was an instant of silence. Then Markus added: - -"You have yourselves created death, and placed the barriers. Your words -are diseased and rotten; and with those words you would analyze life. -Would you perform an operation with unclean knives? But with your dead -words you cut into life, and thus spread death." - -Another silence, and then: - -"Purify your thoughts and your words. Put away that which is -impure--that is, the superfluous. Make a science of words, as you have -made a science of the stars--as exact and as sacred. - -"Through co-operation and fellowship among scholars you have created a -system of relations called mathematics. Make also such a system of -significations, for you miss your mark with words, and fail to find that -life which is the most beautiful and exquisite, as children miss the -moths they would catch with their caps and with bags. And through -co-operation and fellowship you shall create a demand, the response to -which shall ring out like a revelation and an evangel--full, joyous, -marvelous." - -Markus ceased speaking, and gazed as though into the far distance. For a -while they all waited, respectfully, to see if he was going to say more, -for they had been listening eagerly. - -Then Dr. Cijfer said, in a gentle tone: "Your views are surely worthy of -consideration. Neither did I make a mistake when I thought you a person -of advancement and refinement. But let me remind you that we are here -for the purpose of making a medical examination. Without doubt you will -now indeed reply to the simple questions that I shall put to you." - -Markus, throwing a glance and a smile to Johannes, who had been -listening with breathless attention, said to the learned men: - -"I spoke not for you; that were fruitless. I spoke for him." - -After that he uttered not a word. Dr. Cijfer questioned with gentle -stress, Professor Bommeldoos with vehement energy; but Markus was -silent, and seemed not to notice that there were others in the room. - -"I adhere to my diagnosis, Colleague," said Bommeldoos. - -Dr. Cijfer rang, and ordered the nurse to come. - -"Take the patient to his ward again. He will remain, for the present, -under observation." - -Markus went, after making a short but kindly inclination of the head to -Johannes. - -"Will you not tell us now, Johannes, what you know of this person?" -asked Dr. Cijfer. - -"Mijnheer," replied Johannes, "I know but little more of him than you do -yourself. I met him two years ago, and he is my dearest friend; but I -have seen him rarely, and have never inquired about his life nor his -origin." - -"Remarkable!" exclaimed Dr. Cijfer. - -"Once again, Colleague, I stand by my diagnosis," said Bommeldoos. -"Initial paranoia, with megalomaniacal symptoms, on the basis of -hereditary inferiority, with vicarious genius." - - - - -XVIII - - -In all this time the King and Queen were not yet married. That was the -way of things in such lofty circles. They were still to attend many more -banquets, to listen to many more speeches, and to make a great many more -bows. I should judge, indeed, that they were just about half-way -through. - -And while most of the people acted as if they thought the ceremonies -proper and pleasant, and took their part in the celebrations, there were -others, who met to say that they were not altogether pleased. Such -gatherings are called "indignation meetings." Of course they do not -protest against the marriage of those two people--they have nothing to -say against that--but only against the prolonged ceremonials. They -consider the banquets, the fine array, the wine-drinking and the -feasting occasioned thereby, both costly and unnecessary. They also -consider the maintenance of a king and queen costly and unnecessary. - -Such an opinion is, indeed, very uncommon, if not unheard of; for you -remember that even the creatures of the pond into which Johannes dived -with Windekind had found the need of a king who could eat a great deal. -So, when Jan van Tijn and his wife got ready to attend that indignation -meeting, Johannes wished to accompany them; for he was curious to hear -what would be said there. - -Like Marjon, Johannes was now in a boarding-house. He was with some -friends of Jan--a worthy couple without children--who kept a -total-abstinence coffee-house. The man was named Roodhuis, and he was -tall and stout. He had a large, forceful face, light-colored eyes, and a -small, fair moustache. He said little, and had a great dislike of -alcohol and of soldiers. His wife, too, seldom spoke, but was very -kindly and industrious. Through their little business they made a -livelihood, and no more. They were interested in everything that -concerned the labor movement, and received in their small assembly-place -all of the leaders and speakers prominent in the struggle. In that -little hall, too, choir rehearsals were held, and little plays were -given--as often as possible, adverse to war and to alcohol, and in favor -of the so ardently desired Freedom and Fraternity. - -Here Johannes found board and lodging, for which he did not need to pay, -because he lent a helping hand in the work of the place. - -He had just been having a hard experience: he had bidden his little -friends good-by. Although they had grown larger and stronger, and were -therefore no longer so tender and delicate as when he first saw them, -yet the parting was full of sadness. - -"Why do you go away, Johnny, and where are you going to live?" they -asked. - -"I am poor, and must work to earn my bread," replied Johannes. - -"Oh, but Mama will give you money--will you not, Mama? And you can -always eat and live here. Then you will not need to work," said Olga. - -"You can have half of my share of oatmeal every time," said Frieda; "I -get more than I want, though." - -"No, children," said the mother, "it is not nice nor well to live upon -what one gets from another, without working one's self. That is -parasitism, and sinful before God. Johannes knows this, and being poor -he is good to wish to work." - -"Well, then, dear Johnny," said Olga, "I shall pray that God will make -you rich quickly--as rich as we are; and then you will not need to work, -and will come back again." - -"I don't think it nice of God to make Johnny poor and us rich," said -Frieda, pouting. - -"Fie, Frieda, you must not say that," said Mevrouw. And then Johannes -went away swiftly and bravely before the tears came. - -Later, he heard that Van Lieverlee, whom he had not bidden good-by, had -told everybody that Johannes had left in a pet to live with some -proletarians because of his having been repeatedly rebuked by himself on -account of his excessive vanity. - - * * * * * - -In the little public room of the total-abstainers' coffee-house, "The -Future," a large circle of congenial spirits sat waiting. Jan van Tijn -was there, his wife, an infant, and the oldest girl. Marjon was there -also, a neighbor having volunteered to care for the other Van Tijn -children. Besides those named, there were about twenty other men and -women in the little hall with its dirty, dingy hangings. On small tables -in front of the visitors were cups of tea and chocolate. Many mothers -had brought their infants. There was a dearth of talking and a deal of -smoking; for it would have been too much, at the outset, to put a ban -upon both alcohol and tobacco. - -"Well, what did they find with their examination?" asked Jan van Tijn, -as Johannes entered the smoky hall. - -"He is not free yet," replied Johannes, "but he talked with them so -finely and sanely they are bound to let him go." - -"Good!" said Jan. - -"Come here, Jo. Here's a cup of comfort for you, then," said Vrouw -Roodhuis. - -"But all the same," cried a man with a hoarse voice, a sallow face, and -black beard, dressed in a brown Manchester suit, with a loose scarf -around his sweater, and a pair of sandals on his bare feet, "you needn't -think he will be set free. As soon as you begin to oppose that pest of -hypocrites, you'll have the whole crew at your throat. That sort knows -it all, every time--whether it be the pastor, or the dominie, or the -general, or the professor--always the same pack; and if they once get -you into their clutches you never get out again, whether in jail or in -the madhouse or in the hospital; you never get out till they've given -you a good start toward kingdom-come." - -"Are they goin' to poison 'im?" asked a woman, in alarm. "What with? -Ratsbane?" - -"They'll poison him, for sure," answered the man in brown, "or they'll -nag him to death, or starve him. They have methods and tricks -enough--the villains!" - -It was scarcely half-past eight o'clock yet, and the indignation meeting -was to begin at nine. So it was proposed to shorten the time with -recitations and singing. And this was done. First some one sang -alone--the song of a poor conscript who was forced to go to war, and had -conscientious scruples about it. Then they all sang a song of freedom. - -After that, a very young typographer recited, with great fervor, a poem -describing the way the Jews made merry at the crucifixion of Jesus on -Golgotha; how they even took their little children with them, and hoped -the anguish would be prolonged, that they might have the more pleasure. - -The description of that cruelty, vehemently expressed, made a deep -impression, and they sat listening with open mouths notwithstanding that -they had heard it many times before. When it was over they all stamped -uproariously on the floor. - -At that moment the door opened, and Markus stood at the threshold of the -little hall. - -"Hurrah!" cried Johannes; and the others, who had just before been -shouting; "Hurrah for Golgotha!" now shouted "Hurrah for Markus!" They -were all greatly excited and glad to see him free. - -"Good-evening," said Markus, without giving token, himself, of being -particularly glad. He wore again his customary workman's suit. From all -sides hands were held out to him. - -"I hadn't thought it," said Jan, "that they'd let you out of their -clutches again. How did you manage it?" - -"Let 'im have something to eat, first," said Vrouw Roodhuis. "Aren't you -hungry, man? You couldn't have been in clover there." - -"I shouldn't have had any appetite with all those mad folks about," -remarked another woman. "And then, too, when they wanted to poison you!" - -"Yes, I am hungry," said Markus. And then bread and milk were given him. - -"Why did you come here again?" asked Marjon. - -Markus replied simply, "I had something more to say." - -After he had eaten, he asked, "Is there a meeting to-night? Who called -it?" - -"The politicians," replied the young typographer. - -"Felbeck wants to be President of the Republic," said the man in brown. - -"Is there to be a debate?" asked Markus. - -"Listen! Hakkema is coming, too. Oh, there'll be a racket!" said Jan. - -"You might say a little something, too, Markus," said Roodhuis. "You -must give that confounded military set a good thrashing, just such as -you give the pious." - -"I never have given the pious a 'thrashing,'" said Markus. - -"That's a damn shame!" said the man with the sandals. "Religion is the -root of all evil." - -"No, it's militarism," said Roodhuis. - -"No, alcohol," said the young typographer. - -"Neither of them! It's eating meat that does it," said a pale, slim -little woman, not yet twenty. "First you slaughter animals, then you eat -them, then you drink, and then you murder and steal. One thing leads to -another." - -"So long, I say, as the people let themselves be taxed and fleeced by -kings and priests, so long as they bow to a boss--whether they call him -patron or God makes no difference--so long shall we remain in misery." - -"Now, Markus," said Jan, "put in an oar yourself. You know better how to -pull than the rest of 'em, I should say." - -"Well, I will tell you a story," said Markus, "if you will promise to -remember it, and not ask an explanation." - -"Why not an explanation?" asked the man in brown. "What does that mean? -Is it a riddle?" - -"I would just as soon be silent," said Markus. - -"Come, now, Markus, pitch in! We won't ask you any more than you want to -tell us." - -"Listen, then," said Markus; and he began his story in a tone which -constrained them all to silence. - -"Once there were some field-laborers who were very poor--so poor that -when they were asked how, with all their children, they could make both -ends meet, they replied, 'The churchyard helps us out.' - -"They had a rich landlord, and there was an abundance of land. But they -were obliged to work so long every day, and so many days in succession, -that they had no time to learn anything--not even the best way to plow -and sow and reap. They did only the work they were bidden to do. So they -remained dull because they were poor, and poor because they were dull. -It seemed as if it would stay thus until eternity. - -"But the landlord grew richer and richer, through the toil of his many -laborers, and according to the increase of his wealth did he become more -covetous and dissolute and indolent. And he demanded that his laborers -work still harder because his desires were greater. - -"But that they could not do. And the help of the churchyard was so very -great that they were filled with fear. - -"Then, through their great need, there came to one of them a little -spark of light, and he said to the others: 'Brothers, this is all wrong. -At this rate we shall very soon perish ourselves. We have hungered long -enough. Let us slay him and seize the treasure we have collected for -him.' - -"That seemed to the others a good plan, and they wondered they had not -thought of it before. Thereupon they slew the rich landlord, and divided -his wealth. But, because he had lived a prodigal life, and since they -themselves knew not the best way to plow, to sow, and to reap, they were -in a short time still poorer than before. - -"Then the son of the landlord, who had escaped, returned to them, and -said: - -"'You see it was stupid of you to kill your master, for now you are -bound to starve, because you cannot manage for yourselves.' - -"Then they replied: 'Be to us then a better master, and we will let you -live.' - -"And the son of the landlord, who had the knowledge of his father, -directed their work. And he became rich, and they remained poor--so poor -that the churchyard had to help, although not to the former extent. Yet -was there land in abundance. - -"But the spark of knowledge which that extreme need had awakened -continued to shine, and that one laborer said to his fellow-workers: -'Brothers, still is it not well, for, although we do not yet die -ourselves from want, our children die. And although it is not right to -slay one's lord, why should it be right to make him so rich that he -becomes idle and lewd and wanton? We labor hard, and our toil enriches -him. But he saves nothing. When we struck down his father we did not -find enough to feed us for a week. We must not suffer this, for our -wives and children can live upon what he wastes.' - -"Then said another: 'We have no need of the landlord, but of his -knowledge. For when we had slain our lord we found ourselves no richer. -Nor had we the skill to create new wealth. Therefore are we even more -miserable than before.' - -"At that, a third one said: 'Lacking our labor, must he die; but without -his knowledge we must starve. Let us go to him, and say that we will not -give him our labor unless he give us his knowledge. If he refuse, then -we shall die with him; if he assent, then we shall all live.' - -"This the laborers did. And the young landlord, fearful lest he die, -taught all who asked him with what they must fertilize the land, and -what to sow, and how to irrigate, and all the secrets of tilling the -soil, so that they might live. And he also gave to every one that asked -it some land to cultivate, and a handful of grain. 'For my forefathers -also began with no more than this,' said he. - -"Then some of them took the handful of grain and ate it up, because they -were so poor and so greedy. And they squandered away their piece of -land, and asked not for the knowledge wherewith to till it. - -"But others, accepting the knowledge, cultivated their piece of land -with the mouthful of grain. But because they had for so long suffered a -scarcity they were overjoyed at the harvest. And those--the first--who -had again become poor, they pressed into their service. So each became a -landlord, and they each gave to the first landlord a share of what was -theirs. Thus the first landlord remained very rich, while the others -were even richer, and the very poorest remained as miserable as before. -All that resulted was the renewal of slothfulness, prodigality, and -killing. And the churchyard had to keep on helping. - -"But the spark of knowledge, once lighted, continued to burn, and one -laborer said to the others: 'Brothers, still it is not well, for we -remain unhappy beings. The rich are unhappy through their -over-abundance, and the poor through their poverty. What, then, shall be -done that it be otherwise?' - -"Then said another: 'Brothers, we have taken away from our landlord both -his power and his knowledge. We have no further need of him. But what -master is it then of whom we have need? For we are as miserable as -before.' - -"Then said another: 'Brothers, we still need a master, but one who will -teach us wisdom and charity; for is it not ignorance through which some -have eaten up their seed-grain; and a lack of charity that has caused -others to waste all their harvest, and compelled the poorest to serve -them?' - -"Then they chose a master who taught them wisdom and charity, and that -master said: 'You shall not give full possession of the land, for it is -lent to all; and of your harvest shall you not--you and your -household--consume more than is good for your health. And all the -surplus shall you sow again; for there is land enough. And no man shall -work for another who can himself work and yet does not.' - -"And they did according to this command. And under that master they -founded a realm of plenty that was called 'Freedom.'" - -Markus was silent, and so for a while were his listeners. At last, the -man in the brown suit said: - -"Well, now, but they might have done that just as well without master or -mandate." - -"Say, Markus," said Jan van Tijn, "if you happen to know of such a -gentleman, just quietly set me down on the waiting list. My word for it, -if he's boss, I'll not go on a strike." - -"Well, heaven help us! Are you an anarchist?" asked the other. "You -throw the whole principle overboard." - -Jan just glanced at him. "I don't hear anything fall yet," said he, -drily. And then, looking to right and left at his neighbors: - -"D'ye hear anything?" - -The company laughed. Markus, looking earnestly at him, said: - -"You can at once enter that service, Jan, as can every one." - -"What a silly gull!" said he in the brown suit. - - - - -XIX - - -On the way to the Assembly-room they passed the Royal Residence. The -windows were a blaze of light, for another banquet had just been held, -and the marriage was thus brought a step nearer. The lackeys looked down -at the thronging multitude, and smiled disdainfully. In front of the -palace, erect upon their horses, their carbines at their hips, sat the -hussars. The people shouted. They wanted to see the bridal pair do some -more bowing. - -And, verily, after a while, open flew the balcony doors, and out came -the King and Queen--for all the world like the cuckoo of a clock at the -stroke of the hour; and there they bowed and bowed--many times more than -the hours that were struck by the clock. Thus the crowd had its will, -and shouted to hearts' content. At the same time Johannes also felt, -distinctly, a thrill of enthusiasm, although it was mingled with pity; -for it did seem as if the crowd found delight in keeping those two poor -people bowing, without asking if they had the least desire to do so, so -soon after dinner, and after a busy day. - - * * * * * - -At the indignation meeting it was very warm and crowded. People stood -packed at the entrance. Inside, above a haze of tobacco smoke, Dr. -Felbeck could be seen sitting at a table covered with green. In front of -him were a black hammer, a carafe, and glasses. The table stood on a -little stage between side-scenes that represented a forest by moonlight. - -There was a great deal of bustle and noise in the hall. Above the clamor -rose the cries of the colporteurs reiterating the virtues of their -weeklies and pamphlets: "Buy the Pathfinder--three cents!" "Throne, -Exchange and Altar; or the Robber Conspiracy Unmasked--one cent!" -"Hypocrisy; or the Source of all Depravity--one cent!" "Who are the -Murderers?--two cents!" - -Dr. Felbeck looked around the hall, casting piercing, frowning glances, -like a general surveying the field of battle. At times he chatted with -the associate chairman who sat beside him, apparently about this or that -advocate or opponent whom he observed in the hall. At times, also, he -nodded smilingly to some one in the audience. - -The doors were closed, and no one else was permitted to enter. A few -helmeted policemen took their stand at the entrance. - -The chairman--a spruce young gentleman--after straightening his -eye-glasses, grasped with his left hand the old speaker's hammer, rapped -upon the table with it, and spoke a few words. Gradually it grew more -still. Then Dr. Felbeck stood up, resting upon the table with both -hands--his head between his shoulders like a cat about to make a spring. -Then, rising to his full height, and glancing several times at his -audience--challenging, and certain of success--he began: "Comrades!" - - * * * * * - -The speech lasted an hour and a half. What he said accorded very well -with that which Johannes had heard him say when they first met. The -downtrodden proletarian must in the end gird himself against the -oppressor--against the rotten civic society, against the gentry of the -safety-box, who are supported by the soldiers, assisted by priests, and -represented by the Crown. The people must become conscious of their -power, for the people are the source of all wealth, and to the people -belongs the future. If only the laborers would act in unison, they would -be able to make the laws. They were by far the majority. They might -compose the Parliament, command the military, possess the collective -wealth. Then they could make better laws, and could take from the rich -their unmerited privileges. Then would come a time of real liberty and -fraternity. - -Thereupon Dr. Felbeck made an estimate of the number of guldens a minute -that the King had to spend; adding the statement that whole families of -laboring men must live for a week upon no more. He showed how many -people must work hard, continually, to pay for all that festivity and -magnificence. He showed in detail how the rich live, and what splendor -was theirs; and he claimed that such beauty and pleasure were the right -of each and all. And with tears in his voice, he told them how, with his -meagre wages, the poor wage-earner must make both ends meet. - -He said the laborer must learn to hate his enemy, and not let himself be -deluded by oily-tongued preachers of peace who were paid by the rich; -for then he would surely remain in his misery. And yet, in the end, they -must certainly have a share of the pleasure--they who had heretofore -always come out of the little end of the horn. - -All that Dr. Felbeck said was listened to with avidity. The listeners -grew more and more attentive, and the speaker more and more vehement. -There were frequent outbursts of laughter from the audience, and the -hall trembled with the stamping of feet and the clapping of hands. -Sometimes there was cheering to the echo. And when the speaker -ended--with a fiery, well-turned clause in which all were urged to join -the International Social Democratic Labor-Party--Grand Army of -Laborers--there followed such an uproar that Johannes lost all sense of -sight and hearing. - -His duty done, the speaker sat down, yet he looked around with some -anxiety at the succeeding speakers. - -Again the hammer sounded: "Would any one like to add a few words?" - -Three--four--hands went up. - -"Hakkema has the Boor." - -"Oh, indeed!" said Jan. "Now for a Punch-and-Judy session!" - -Hakkema was a small, stocky man, with long hair combed straight back to -his neck. His voice was rough and harsh from much speaking, and as he -spoke he dropped his head back, in such a way that his shaggy beard -stuck out in front. He began very softly, almost hesitatingly--apparently -to flatter the former speaker. But very speedily the audience -observed--what every one had expected--that he was deriding him. His -deep voice grew steadily louder and rougher, and his jokes tarter and -tougher. Part of the audience, carried away, and agog for fresh taunts, -burst out in loud, insulting laughter, while another part enlivened -itself by hissing and whistling, and by shouts of derision. - -The irony chiefly concerned the fact that the former speaker termed -himself a proletarian, while at the same time he owned a villa at -Driebergen, and had a son preparing to be a lawyer. Of course, he -appeared to be quite disinterested and would fight for the people, if -only the people would be so good as to send him to the House of -Representatives, with a salary of forty guldens a week. Certainly, if -the King should make Dr. Felbeck Minister to-morrow, with a salary of -eight thousand guldens, Dr. Felbeck would accept it out of sheer -self-sacrificing devotion to the people. And then the laborer could -demand audience of Dr. Felbeck, and ask why the portion on the table of -the laborer should still remain so small, and also when the general -national distribution would begin. - -After a half-hour of such talk, the speaker ended with a stimulating -appeal for a purified class struggle in which no little lords among the -proletarians should be tolerated, and in which--pointing at Dr. Felbeck, -who, smiling scornfully, sat sharpening a lead-pencil--the wolves in -sheeps' clothing should be restrained; a struggle in which war should be -declared, not only against all tyranny, all coercion, but also against -the despotism of party; a struggle in which there should be strife until -men had a free society where each might take what he pleased, without -lords, without bosses, without safety-boxes, without gods, and without -laws. - -The applause for this speaker was none the less thundering, mingled, -however, with shrill whistlings, and cries of "Throw him out!" - -But Felbeck was a match for the man. With furious gestures and banging -of his fists on the green-covered table, he called his opponent a -deceiver of the people, a man without judgment or conscience, an enemy -of the laborer, a sower of discord who would never bring anything to -pass save disorder and confusion. - -The audience grew more and more excited. Ten, twenty speakers at once, -stood up in their places. Angry words were shouted back and forth. -Everybody thought it time to say something. The women grew nervous, and -the policemen looked at their chief as if only awaiting a signal to put -an end to the row. - -All this time, Markus, without having made a sign either of approval or -of censure, had been sitting between Marjon and Johannes, with the -family of Van Tijn. - -"Have you been listening, Markus?" asked Marjon, for it seemed to her as -if his thoughts were elsewhere. But he nodded "Yes." - -"Say something, then," said Marjon. - -"Yes, do," urged Johannes. "Tell them which one is right." - -"Speak out, Markus. The one who knows ought to tell," said Van Tijn. - -"That is not easy to do," said Markus. Then he stood up. - -His figure now, as always, riveted attention, and the adroit leader of a -tumultuous meeting felt instantly to whom he must yield the floor in -order to re-establish calm. - -Thus Markus' first words rang out, amid the lessening uproar, as in a -subsiding storm. And as he spoke it finally grew very still. But there -was no sign either of assent or of disagreement. - -"There are fathers and mothers here," said Markus, "who know what -spoiled children are. The spoiled child that is always coaxed and -indulged, like the one that is always constrained, becomes at last -capricious, malicious, and sickly. - -"Shall we then treat one another as we may not our children? People are -flattered by undue praise of their power and influence--are carried -away by the sweetness of fine words concerning the injustice they have -too long endured and concerning their right to property and to -happiness. You all listen to that eagerly, do you not? - -"But that to which one listens most eagerly, it is not always best to -say. There are things hard to hear, which must, however, be said and be -listened to. - -"I know that you are not going to applaud me, as yon did those two -others; but yet I am a better friend to you than they are. - -"Among you there are those who suffer injustice. Yet you must not exalt -yourselves. You should be ashamed of it. For whoever continues to suffer -injustice is too weak, too stupid, or too indifferent to overcome it. - -"You must not ask, 'Why is it done to me?' but, 'Why cannot I overcome -it?' - -"The answer to that question is, Weakness, stupidity, and indifference. - -"I do not blame you; but I say, blame not others, only yourselves. That -is the sole way to betterment. - -"Is there one here--a single one--who dares assure me, solemnly, that if -an honorable place were offered him by his master, on account of his -good work and his good judgment, with higher pay than that of his -comrades--that he would, in such case, reply, 'No, my master, I will not -accept; for that would be treachery to my comrades, and desertion to -your party.' Is there one such? If so, let him stand up." - -But no one stirred, and the silence remained unbroken. - -"Well, then," continued Markus, "neither is there here a single one who -has the right to rail at the rich whom he would hate and supplant. For -each of you in their place would do what the rich do. The affairs of the -world would be no better conducted were you, not they, at the helm. - -"How you delude and flatter and fawn upon one another! You continually -hear that you are the innocent, downtrodden ones who have so much to -suffer; who are worthy of so much better things; who are so good and so -powerful; who would rule the world so well; whose turn it now is to have -ease and luxury. - -"Men, even if this were so, would it be well that you should always be -told it? Would it not make of you conceited fools? Would not the reality -revenge itself frightfully upon yourselves, and upon those fawners and -flatterers? - -"It is, instead, falsehood and conceit. - -"You would not rule the world better--you have neither the wisdom nor -the charity to do so. You are no more worthy of pity than are your -oppressors, for when they injure your bodies they injure also their own -souls. The rich are in paths more perilous than are the poor, and it is -always better to suffer wrong than to commit it. - -"The good things of the earth do not yet belong to you, for you would -make the same misuse of them as do those against whom you are being -incited. - -"Wage war, and desist not until death; but the war of the righteous -against the unrighteous, of the wise and charitable against the stupid -and sensual. And question not whence come your companions in arms, for -you are not the only unhappy ones, you are not alone merciful among men, -and good-will and uprightness are not the exclusive possessions of the -poor." - - * * * * * - -Although it seemed to Johannes that Markus' voice was not so wonderfully -impressive as at other times, the people had become very attentive. And -when he stopped, and sat down without having made a particularly -oratorical or cumulative close, they all were still for many seconds. -But not a foot stamped, not a hand stirred. - -And this very silence made Dr. Felbeck angry. - -"Comrades," he began, in his most scornful manner, with an envious, -nasal twang in his voice, "we do net need to ask whence the wind blows. -This is one more of that obsolete little band of old-fashioned, -bourgeois idealists who wish to reform the world with tracts and -sermons, and to keep the toilers content in subjection and resignation. -Laborers, have you not, I ask, practised patience long enough? Have you, -then, no right to the pleasures of life? Must you fill the hungry -stomachs of your little ones with palaver about wisdom and charity?" - -"No, no!" roared the crowd, freed instantly from the spell of respect -under which for a moment they had been held. - -"Do not let yourselves be befogged by those tedious maunderings that -would reason away the strife of the classes. Oh, true! To such the -gentlemen of the safety-box listen eagerly enough, for they are, oh, so -afraid of the War of the Classes! But if they were to hear this -gentleman talk, they would shout their approval. Take notice, this -gentleman will do much to further it. Of course, they have his medal all -ready for him." - -"And a pension," said Hakkema, while the audience laughed. - -"He is an unfrocked priest," said he in the Manchester suit. - -"Damn ye, are ye a workman?" cried a voice at the back of the hall. "And -do ye mean to say it's my fault that my children perish with hunger, and -not the fault of those cursed blood-suckers? You 're a God-forsaken -hypocrite, no laborer!" - -Markus sat very still, gazing straight before him into the flame of a -gas-jet. But Johannes saw that he was deathly pale, and that his eyes -seemed to sink deeper into their sockets. Beads of perspiration were -standing on his temples. - -Hakkema stood up. - -"Now I chance to know, fellow-laborers, that this man has escaped from a -madhouse. That is a mitigating circumstance. Otherwise," Hakkema went -on, drawing his clenched hand from his pocket, and thrusting it out in -front of him, "otherwise I would have my fist at his jaw, and ask him if -he had no feeling at all in his accursed carcass, that he begrudged the -laborer his pittance of the good things of life. It's an enormous -amount of pleasure, isn't it--glorious pleasure--you've been able to get -on two hundred cents a day!" - -"You cad!" cried the young typographer, to Markus--the very same youth -who had recited the poem about Golgotha. - -"I'll invite you sometime to my home--with my six children, and a -seventh one coming, and the clothes in the pawn-shop, and no warm food -for three days--then you can see what a fine time of it the laborer -has." - -"Vile, hateful traitor!" "Hireling socialist!" "I'll ring yer neck for -ye!" "I'll guzzle yer blood, ye hateful cur!" Such cries as these rang -from various sides, and the uproar steadily increased. - -The man in the brown suit shrieked invectives without cessation--"Cad! -Carrion! Thief!" and the worst ones he could think of; while, in his -excitement, the tears ran down his pale, drawn cheeks. - -The din was deafening. - -Johannes clenched his fists, and stared at the pale, passionate faces -with their evil, flashing glances, which threatened them on every side. -He saw Marjon beside him, her eyes distended with terror. Markus sat -immovable. The drops of moisture were so thick upon his forehead and -cheeks that Johannes took his handkerchief and wiped them away. - -Jan van Tijn stood up, but he felt he could do nothing to stem that -tide. He began, "Say, are you people--" But he was shouted down, with -threats of a broken head; and already fists and chairs were upraised. - -Then the chief gave the signal, for which the police had so long waited, -and declared in a hard, impartial voice that the place must be vacated. -And this work was expedited, with the calm satisfaction of officials who -had indeed hoped that matters would end thus--as usual. - -The Roodhuis family and the Van Tijns remained with Markus, while -Johannes and Marjon were a little in the rear. Roodhuis and Van Tijn -wished, they said, to protect Markus if he should need their help. -Markus said, "No need." - -"Please, Markus," pleaded Van Tijn, "don't think it means so much. I -know the workmen. They fly off the handle so easily, but by morning -they'll shriek something else. They're not so bad--only a bit rough, you -know--sort o' half wild yet. Will ye believe me, Markus, and not despise -'em for't, nor turn yer back on 'em for't, Markus?" - -"No, Jan, surely not, if only I have the strength," said Markus, in a -hoarse, unsteady voice. - - - - -XX - - -One chilly autumn day, the three sat together in a gloomy bar-room, just -as formerly they had done in the small mining town. And, also, the -fourth one was there, but in a pitiable condition. - -Keesje lay in Markus' lap, under a covering of faded, old red baize. His -little black face was as full of folds as an old shoe, his body wasted -away, and he was panting and gasping for breath. A hairy little arm came -out from under the red baize, and a long, slim black hand clasped -Markus' thumb; and whenever Markus had occasion to use his hand, one -could see the little black monkey-hand stretch out and feel around, -while the brown eyes looked restlessly backward, as if now all safety -were gone. - -They were in the total-abstainers' coffee-house, for Roodhuis continued -to proffer hospitality to Markus, although this did not help his -business. After that indignation meeting Markus' stay with Roodhuis was -made an excuse by all his friends for their avoidance of the -coffee-house. Except Van Tijn and a few other independent ones, none of -the old customers returned; but Roodhuis would not permit Markus to go -away on that account. - -"Now, you must never again lower yourself for that rabble that doesn't -understand you, anyway, and isn't worth the trouble," said Marjon, with -the pride of one who knows what takes place in high circles, and esteems -one's self of better origin. - -"Tell me, Johannes, what you would do," said Markus, kindly, while he -warmed Keesje's little hand in his own. - -"I do not know, Markus," replied Johannes. "It was a wretched evening, -for I could not endure that it should cost you so dearly. But if they -had done it to me I would not have cared." - -"That is right," said Markus. "And now, my dear Johannes, do not think -that I am less submissive than yourself. Did you indeed fancy it?" - -Johannes shook his head. - -"Well, then, it is not scorn which humiliates, but the doing of unworthy -deeds. And those people are not less worthy of my help than they were -before. Evil inclinations are good inclinations gone astray." - -"Then are there not any wicked people?" asked Marjon. - -"Ay, ay! Because there is not a black light, is there therefore no -night? Calmly call a villain a villain, but take care that you are not -one yourself, Marjon." - -"But are there not, for the Father, any evil-doers?" asked Johannes. - -"Why should there not be for the Father what there is for us? But He -knows--what we do _not_ know--the why and the wherefore." - -"But, Markus, I saw what you endured that wretched evening. And it must -not be. Must you, then, let what is high and noble be so misunderstood -and defiled?" - -Markus bowed his head in silence over the coughing monkey. Then he said -gently: - -"I have suffered, my two dear ones, because my Father has not given me -strength enough. Did you not see how they listened to me, and trusted, -for an instant? But then my Father, in His own way, which is beyond our -comprehension, gave power again to the Evil One. Had I more wisdom I -should have been able so to speak that they would have understood me. -Thus I suffered doubly: on account of their dulness and wickedness, and -from shame, not of them, but because of my own weakness. And this I say, -Johannes, that you may know what weakness also there is in one who is -stronger than you yourself will ever be." - -Johannes, his chin upon his clasped hands, looked at him long and -thoughtfully, and then whispered: - -"Dear Brother, I believe I understand." - -In this way they lived together for some time, and saw one another -frequently. Johannes and Marjon performed their daily tasks in the -boarding-house, and Markus went out every day to look for work. But -Johannes was sad and troubled to see that Markus looked more pale and -weary than formerly; and as Johannes lay awake in the night, he heard -his brother, who slept beside him, sigh often, and softly moan. - -One morning Markus did not go out, for Keesje lay still, looking, and -could neither get up nor eat. When Markus took away his hand Keesje -began to whine; and this brought on a paroxysm of coughing. Markus set -him in a patch of sunshine that fell upon the counter from an upper -window. There he brightened up a bit, and looked at the flies that, -chilled with the cold, crept over the counter near his head. But toward -night, when Marjon came, it was all over with Keesje. - -He was all shriveled up, and as light as a handful of straw. They put -him into a cigar box, and the trio buried him at night, by the light of -a lantern, in the bit of soggy, black ground between the foul fences -that had to represent a garden, and where shavings and papers supplied -the place of flowers and trees. - -Marjon and Johannes tried to control themselves, but did not succeed. -First one and then the other began to cry. - -"Truly, it is silly," said Johannes, "sobbing over such a creature, when -so many thousands of people are starving every day." - -Said Markus, "There are thousands starving here, and infinitely many -more in all parts of my Father's world, but yet none cry a tear too much -who cry as you do now. The tears that the angels will shed for Johannes, -he will need as much as Keesje needs these tears of his." - - - - -XXI - - -At last they had had enough of smiling, of dining, and of bowing, and -the King and Queen were actually to be married in the Cathedral, at -eleven o'clock in the morning. Furthermore, it was to be a great feast -day, with brilliant illuminations at night, in all the towns of the good -Netherlands. - - * * * * * - -What Hakkema had said of Markus--that he had escaped from an asylum--was -not true. He had simply been released because he was not considered -dangerous, and because, nowadays, the asylums, especially those of the -working-class, are already too crowded. - -But he had been warned sternly that a watch would be kept over him, and -that he would be rearrested at the slightest disturbance of the peace. - -Since the indignation meeting, the police had been a number of times to -see Roodhuis, to inquire after Markus. It was further said that he had -been advised not to speak in public, because such speaking might furnish -a pretext for his immediate arrest. - -Markus had not again spoken in public, but had been seeking work. -Sometimes he went afoot to neighboring towns, many hours' distant--but -always fruitlessly. He did not always lodge with Roodhuis, but sometimes -with a kind-hearted and trusted friend, at another place. Johannes -noticed that Markus was very poor, for he was obliged to live upon what -his friends gave him, and they could spare but little. - -"Why do we not travel together, we three," asked Johannes, "just as we -used to? We could surely earn our living." - -"Yes, those were good times," said Marjon. "And if Markus would go with -us, we would have still better ones. He makes even better music than -ours. We shall earn money." - -But Markus shook his head. - -"No, dear children, for us three those good times will not come again. -My singing-time is passed, and I must remain here, for my task is not -yet done. But it soon will be." - -"And then shall we go together?" asked Marjon. - -"No; then I shall go alone," replied Markus, briefly. - -"Why alone?" asked Johannes and Marjon, almost in the same breath. And -there followed a silence of some moments' duration. - -Then said Markus: "You will be faithful and remember me and my words, -and act as if I were with you, will you not?" - -They sighed, and thereafter their words were few and brief; nor did they -sing. - - * * * * * - -But on the morning of that festal day, when the bells of all the -Netherlands were ringing, Markus came into the little tavern with a face -more joyful than Johannes had ever seen him wear. His eyes shone, and a -smile was on his lips. - -"Do you hear the bells, Johannes?" asked he. "It is a holiday." - -Johannes had entirely forgotten about the holiday. - -"How splendid, Markus, to have you so glad. Has something good -happened?" - -"Have you struck it?" asked Juffrouw Roodhuis. "Happy man!" - -"The worst is over," said Markus. "Yes, Juffrouw, to-day I'll 'strike -it', and it is well." - -After eating some bread, said he: "Johannes, go to the Van Tijns and ask -if Marjon may go with us. If you would like to, we will go to see the -King and Queen." - -"Where?" asked Johannes. - -"In the church, Johannes. The sexton is a good friend of mine, and has -promised me a place for you both, near the singers." - -I shall not tell you in detail of the ceremony, for you may read all -about it in the papers: how the church was crammed with the stateliest -and most distinguished citizens of the Netherlands, all of them -beautifully dressed; how the floral decorations were furnished by a -certain firm; how people stood at the door all night that they might be -the first to enter in the morning; how the bridal pair came in to the -music of Mendelssohn's wedding march; how charming the bride looked, -although a little pale; how an impressive train of brilliantly decorated -military men and magistrates followed the royal pair, and grouped -themselves about them, till the church interior seemed truly -magnificent; how respectfully the people stood, and how stirred they all -were; how the Minister made a brief but touching speech, that affected -all profoundly; how finely, during the customary formalities, the King -carried himself, and how winsomely the Queen; how the Queen, moreover, -said "Yes" in a voice that thrilled all present; how the King then spoke -a few words, in which he promised to consecrate all his powers to the -good of his beloved people, and invoked the blessing-of God upon his -difficult but exalted task; and how, finally, a thundering "Long live -the King!" and "Long live the Queen!" burst forth, making the whole vast -edifice resound. - -With all of this the papers have accurately acquainted you. But you -might perhaps recall that a number of journals had something to say of a -slight disturbance caused by the appearance of one who probably was not -quite right in his head. The incident, however--so the papers -averred--had no significance whatever, and was speedily forgotten; such -instances often occurring at ceremonies attended by great crowds. - -The disturber of the peace--so the papers stated--was one whom the -police had long held under surveillance, on account of his peculiar -behavior. He was, therefore, promptly taken into custody, the police, -indeed, having had no little difficulty in protecting him from the fury -of the populace. The royal pair, not in the least agitated by the -occurrence, drove home through the enthusiastic rejoicings of the -people, greeting all with friendly smiles. - -This, then, was the information imparted by some few of the -newspapers--not all of them. But now I will tell you what actually took -place. I know well, because Johannes and Marjon--for whom the sexton had -secured a fine place with the singers in the church choir, and who, -therefore, witnessed everything--told me all about it. - - * * * * * - -In the nave of the cathedral, above the arches of the aisles, and -running beneath the high windows, is a very narrow gallery having a -stone balustrade. The only way to this gallery is through small doorways -called "Monks' Holes." They are so named because from them, in olden -times, the friars could witness the church rites below. - -When the King had ended his brief speech, and all present, being deeply -impressed, held respectful silence, there appeared up above, through one -of these openings, a man in a spacious, dun-grey mantle, with a white -cloth about his neck. And suddenly, in the deep silence, the voice of -this man--much fuller and more powerful than that of the King--cried -out, so that they echoed and re-echoed from every corner of the great -temple, these words: - -"King of men!" - -At once everybody looked up, including the King and Queen, who were -directly opposite. - -But the man was not looking at them. He held his head a little backward, -and his dark hair fell down in curls over the white linen. His eyes, -beneath their half-closed lids, were gazing into the light of the arched -windows opposite him as if to screen the inner vision from the too -fierce outer light. His figure was tall and erect. One hand rested on -the white balustrade, the other was raised to the height of his head, in -a strange and majestic posture of authority. - -Again he cried: - -"Hail to thee, King of men!" - -The master of ceremonies with his white staff, the generals, stiff with -gold, the diplomats and magistrates, all looked with something of -wonder, by turns at the speaker, at one another, and at the royal pair, -not knowing but that it was a special addition to the program, of which -there was no official mention. But since it had made an impression, and -seemed to befit the temper and spirit of the assembly, all continued to -listen. And the conductor of the choir of children, whose turn it now -was to take part, waited and listened as well. And quite without -hindrance, Markus spoke the following: - -"Hail to him who should be called the King of men!-Blessed is he who -merits that name. - -"For he is crowned by the grace of God, which is wisdom. His sceptre is -love, and his seat is righteousness. - -"Among the millions who wander and complain, he is the strong and wise -one, who goes before and lights the way. - -"Blessed is his progress, for without effort he leads the multitude. - -"Blessed are his thoughts, for beyond all others he fore-sees the -marvels of the Father. - -"Blessed is his word, for he is the poet who fashions worlds after the -pattern of the Father. God's mouthpiece he is. - -"Joyful is he in the midst of sadness and happy in all adversity; for -wherever he goes he dwells in the shadow of the Eternal, and hears His -wings above him. - -"Among the countless lame and maimed, in the multitude of the defective -and infirm, he is the only perfect one, showing what it is possible for -man to be. - -"Strong is he, and beautiful in person; proud and unpretentious; daring -and patient; wise in great, and sagacious in lesser, things; stern in -deed, yet tender-hearted; unlimited in love; gentle, but never weak. - -"For he is the only hale flower of perfect bloom in a full field of the -pale and the deformed. Honor be to him! Elect him, and encompass him -with care and with homage; for in him exists the future and the entire -race. - -"He is the director of the ways of men, and bears with ease the burden -of their sorrow and their care, for he knows the issue and the solution. - -"He is the maker and maintainer of order in human relations, because he -knows and comprehends, and beholds in his mind, like an accurate map, -the longings and emotions of men. - -"He operates not through pressure of fear or force, but through the -superiority of his mind, which must be perceptible to all. - -"He is the regulator of the labor of men, teaching them how to bring -forth and to distribute in such manner that none may have overflow while -others suffer scarcity; and also that none may be idle while others -overwork. He plans and confirms the bond through which each finds his -place in the great family, so that life becomes fine and orderly and -easy, like the figures of a well-drilled dance. - -"Such is the King of men. His power is given him, not through the -unreasoning, capricious fancy of the undeveloped who are the slaves of -custom and of idle, impressionable fear, but through the reasonable -views of the multitude who follow and honor, in him, their own best -self. - -"He moves not in the splendor of external pomp, neither wears he a -golden crown; but around his head streams, visible to all, the grace of -God, which is wisdom, love, and beauty." - - * * * * * - -When Markus had said this, people here and there began to be restless. -The master of ceremonies indicated that enough had been said, and sent -one lackey to the choir-conductor to ask why, according to regulations, -there was no singing, and another lackey to the door to see if the -carriages were in waiting. - -But the carriages were not yet there, and the children who were to sing -the chorus now in order, remained, with perplexed faces and open mouths, -gazing at that strange figure speaking as if out of the sky in such a -marvelous voice. The conductor failed to attract their attention, and -realized that all his painstaking, studious preparations for the song -were useless. - -Markus paid not the slightest heed to the increasing unrest and -nervousness, nor to the commanding gestures of the irritated master of -ceremonies that he cease speaking; instead, he now raised his voice -until it reverberated from the high vaultings: - -"Where is he, that King of men? - -"Where is the people's King? Where is the people's Queen--his peer--who -supports and supplements him? - -"Seek them, ye unhappy ones! Never so much as now have you had need of -them. - -"Seek them in every land; for misery and ugliness and barrenness and -confusion are not much longer to be endured. - -"Seek them in the city and in the country. Seek them also in the alleys -and in the hovels. Yes, seek them in the prisons and in the places of -execution. For even so great is your confusion." - -Then, bending his head toward the royal pair below, and fastening upon -them and the surrounding group of splendid notables his flashing glance, -Markus shouted in vehement, resounding tones: - -"But seek them not here. Has the light of the grace of God pointed -hither? - -"Has the grace of God become here evident to all, like a shining aureole -of wisdom and love and beauty? - -"What children and mischief-makers you are--you there, with your robes -of state, and your badges of dignity,--that you think to create a king -without the manifestation of the grace of God! - -"Deluded by an empty sound, by a dynastic name, you in your ignorance -would proclaim, 'Here is a king, and here therefore must God's grace be -manifested, for even so we wish it to be.' - -"Would you, like mischief-makers and frivolous bugle-blowers, dictate to -your God, and show Him where to bestow His grace? - -"Who has beheld in this pair of wretched human beings the wisdom, -beauty, love, and power which are the visible tokens of God's elect? - -"Do you not tremble, then, at the fearful responsibility you take upon -yourselves, and put also upon these two pitiable people, by this -blasphemous child's-play?" - - * * * * * - -The excitement now became more serious. That the King and Queen, counts -and barons, generals, court marshals, state counselors and ministers -should be called mischief-makers and frivolous bugle-blowers, was not to -be tolerated. - -The King grew red, coughed in his glove, and looked angrily at the -master of ceremonies. The Queen, on the contrary, grew pale, and -nervously fingered the folds of her heavy, white-satin train. Half -turning round, a quick-witted courtier beckoned to the organist, and -shouted: "Music!" A general--Johannes recognized him as one of the -"Pleiades"--in an attempt at guarding his Rulers, cried out with all -the dramatic importance and bluffness of a war-charge: - -"Silence, miscreant!" - -But it had to be admitted that this sounded more ridiculous than -impressive. And not one of the courtiers, officers, or magistrates felt -individually powerful enough to set himself by voice and bearing against -that forceful speaker. Each felt that he would appear theatrical. And -the man in the grey cloak, up above there, was not that. Besides, the -assembly gave no countenance to such effort, and was, like every great -gathering of people, under the influence of the most powerful -personality. - -At last, the organist comprehended what was desired of him in this -critical situation, and drawing out all the stops he sent forth a heavy -peal of trembling sound. In the meantime, two policemen were despatched -aloft to silence the undesirable speaker. - -But the majestic music rang out upon the words of Markus as if in solemn -confirmation. So at least it seemed to Johannes, and to many others in -the church. Markus ceased speaking, and appeared to be listening, -pensively. - -The policemen returned without having attained their object. The gallery -could only be reached by climbing over a great beam, having broken and -decayed supports, one hundred feet above the floor. The officers, -becoming dizzy, lost their zest for the affair, and the firemen had to -be sent for. - -The music stopped again, and yet there was no continuance of the -ceremonies. Markus still stood calmly in his elevated place, looking -down upon the throng below with that sad expression of countenance which -Johannes knew so well. And yet again, softer, but with keen and cutting -penetration: - -"Oh, ye poor, poor people! Slaves of the devil, called custom! - -"You know no better, and cannot do otherwise. You mean to perform your -duty, and to reach that which is good and holy. - -"How would you possibly find your King? And how would you maintain -order--holy order--without these two people; without him whom you happen -to have named your king, as you might have named some foundling? - -"But notwithstanding you have felt, every one of you, that I spoke the -truth just now, you yet will continue this unblushing lie because you -dare not do otherwise, and because you know no other way. - -"But bethink yourselves, unhappy beings! Cowardice and weakness shall -not excuse you, if, knowing the lie, you adhere to it, and, seeing the -truth, you accept it not. - -"What you endure is indeed terrible. I esteem you still more worthy of -pity than the neglected people out of whose misery you have extracted -your splendor. - -"You have burdened this poor pair of human beings with royalty--a power -befitting only the strongest and the wisest among men. - -"Thus do you crush their weak spirits under a weight which only the -strongest can bear. You desecrate the name of King--you blaspheme -against God, whose grace is not subject to your command. - -"You dazzle your bewildered people with a blinding glare, as if they -truly had a king. But it is an idle puppet-show, to comply with a hollow -peace and a defective method. There is none among you who has the wisdom -and the might to lead this people into righteousness; and yet you bear -all the responsibility for their confusion, their ignorance, their -crudeness, and their misery. - -"And they are the least guilty, because, in working for your luxury, -they miss the opportunity to learn. - -"But you pride yourselves upon your knowledge and your refinement. You -know how the industrious lack food, and the rich have the privilege of -idleness. You know how an over-abundance flows to you from the -deprivations of the neglected. You know the injustice of all this, and -yet permit it. And on these two unfortunates you impose the -responsibility and the lie. - -"But you know--and you shall not be justified! - -"And you, two unfortunates, corrupted by the burden of your imposed -greatness--poor man, poor, poor little woman! The superhuman power to -break the spell of lies round about you will not be yours. May the Good -Father, who hath not poured out His grace upon you, encompass you with -His compassion." - - * * * * * - -Just then an excited young adjutant drew out a revolver, and cried, "He -insults the Queen!" - -A more moderate diplomat, fearing a panic, held back his hand. The cry -"He insults the Queen!" was repeated at the entrance to the church. And -an uproar was heard outside, for, at the coming of the firemen, the -waiting crowds had overheard something about a murderer, or a madman, -who was in the upper part of the church. - -The helmeted men now appeared in the small gallery, and dragged Markus -aside. They immediately bound him with strong cords, fearing he might -throw them down below. Then one of them first made his way over the big -beam, and ordered Markus to come to him. After that, the other -cautiously followed. - -The assembly could not see this, because it took place in the dark ridge -of the aisle; but all breathed freely once more, now that the powerful -voice up above was silent. Again the organ pealed forth, and the royal -pair, ceremoniously preceded by the court official, at last proceeded -toward the exit, for the carriages were now ready. The singing by the -children was omitted. Everything else went just as the daily papers have -recorded it for you. - - * * * * * - -Markus, tightly bound, was led out through a side door, yet not so -secretly but that the crowd became aware thereof, and a riotous mob soon -encircled the firemen and their prisoner. - -"The Queen insulted!" they shrieked. "Kill him! Orange forever!" And -they pressed closer and closer. - -When Johannes and Marjon, hurried and breathless, had forced their way -out through the disorderly throng, they saw, in the distance, above the -encircling crowds, the shining helmets, swaying and undulating as they -gradually moved farther and farther away. Hands, hats, walking-sticks, -and umbrellas could be seen, now uplifted and then lowered. - -The two followed on, in extreme anxiety, but they were not so fortunate -as to get close by. They saw the red, angry faces of men and women, and -heard the shouts of, "Orange forever!" and "Kill him!" At last, to their -relief, they saw approaching a long file of policemen, who forced their -way through the crowd. The people now pressed closely about the entrance -to a narrow alley in which was the police-station. Then Johannes saw a -man take up a large iron ash-can that stood on a stoop at the corner of -the alley, and toss it so that it came down in the middle of the -clamoring crowd where Markus was. A great cloud of yellow-white ashes -flew from it, and the rabble laughed and cheered. The police cleared the -alley, and the mob slowly scattered, with the triumphant shout: "Orange -forever!" - -When Johannes peered into the alley, between the policemen who would not -let him through, he saw Markus--no longer walking, but only an inert -body under the weight of which the firemen were moving with shuffling -feet. - -Marjon and Johannes waited patiently during what seemed an hour. It -might have been only fifteen minutes. Then they obtained permission to -pass through, and to see their brother in the station-house. - -When questioned, an officer, who was sitting at the entrance, pointed -over his shoulder with his pipe-stem to a dark corner. - -There, upon the wooden floor, unconscious, lay Markus. His clothing was -torn to rags; his hair, his beard, his eyebrows and lashes, were white -with ashes; and over all were dark red clots and streaks of coagulated -blood. He breathed heavily and painfully. There was no one close beside -him, and he lay unwashed and uncared for, with the rope still around his -wrists. - -Johannes and Marjon asked for water, but were not permitted to do -anything. They had to wait until the municipal doctor came. Tightly -clasping each other's hand, they waited, watching their friend. At last -the doctor came, and cut away the rope. It was not a mortal hurt, he -said. - -They saw the ambulance, with its white awning come, and saw Markus laid -therein. Then, hand in hand, they walked behind to the door of the -hospital, without speaking a word. - - * * * * * - -That evening there were great rejoicings and brilliant illuminations in -all the towns and villages of the dear Netherlands. Everywhere there -were flaming torches and exploding fireworks, and on all sides rang -strains of "Wilhelmus!" and "Orange forever!" - -The King and Queen were glad when at last the day was ended. - - - - -XXII - - -Johannes and Marjon both held out bravely until night, doing their daily -work as well as they could, and telling briefly, to the few faithful -friends of Markus, what had occurred. - -But when the lonesome night was come, and they were about to part for -several hours, Johannes said: - -"No, do not go away from me! How can I endure it--alone with my -thoughts--without you!" - -They were in the little kitchen where Marjon slept. A small lamp, -without a shade, stood burning on the table beside an untidy coffee-set. - -When Johannes said this, Marjon looked at him with puzzled, half-closed -eyes, as if she did not understand and was trying to think it out. Then -she threw herself forward upon her pillow, her face in her hands, and -began to cry piteously. - -At that Johannes also broke down, and kneeling beside her poor, rickety -little iron bed, he cried with her like one in desperation. - -Then said Johannes: "What shall we do without him, Marjon?" - -Marjon made no reply. - -"Do you remember that he said he should soon go away from us?" - -"If only I could nurse him," she said. - -"Is he going to die?" asked Johannes. - -"He can die as well as we. Is he not flesh and blood?" - -"He will never really die, though." - -"Nor will we, Jo. But what does that avail us? I can't do without him." - -And she sobbed again, hopelessly. - -"Perhaps it is not so had," said Johannes. "We will call in the morning, -and they surely will let us see him." - -And so they talked on for a time. Then Johannes said: - -"Let me stay with you, Marjon. It really seems as if I never again could -go away from you." - -Marjon looked at him through her tears, and even smiled. - -"But, Jo, we cannot do as we used to. We are no longer children. I am -already eighteen, and are you not that also?" - -"Then let us become husband and wife, so that we can remain together," -said Johannes. - -"Then you no longer love that other one more than me?" - -"I think not, Marjon; for she would understand nothing of this, and -certainly would not join us in our sorrow." - -"But, dear boy, we are far too young to become husband and wife." - -"I do not understand, Marjon. First you find us too old to stay -together, and then you find us too young. And yet I want to remain with -you. How can it be done?" - -"Listen, Jo. Formerly you said to me, 'No foolishness,' and that hurt me -for I cared much more for you than you did for me. Why were you never -more kind to me then?" - -"Because I was forced to remember that ugly, dark woman, your sister. I -cannot bear the thought of her." - -Marjon reflected a while, and then said: - -"But that is no reason for you to be hard toward me, Jo. I am not low, -like her." - -Johannes was silent. Then she resumed: - -"But then I know what, Jo: you may stay here. But now _I_ shall say 'No -foolishness,' and remain unyielding until you shall have forgotten that -ugly woman. Will that do?" - -"Yes, Marjon," replied Johannes. Then a pillow and some covering were -given him, and he lay on the hard floor of the little kitchen the entire -night. And now and then, as one of them became aware that the other was -still awake, they would talk together, softly, about their poor friend, -each trying to comfort the other. - -And thus it happened, as I told you it would, that, before the ending of -the book, they became husband and wife. - -But when Johannes forgot the ugly, dark woman Marjon's sister I do not -tell you; for that does not concern others. - - - - -XXIII - - -The humble little kitchen, in the first pale, glimmering light that -passed through the unwashed, uncurtained window; two rush-bottomed -chairs; the unpainted table with the oil-lamp and the untidy coffee-set; -Marjon's narrow iron bed, which quaked if she merely stirred; her -breathing, now deep and regular, for at last she slept; the first -chirping of the sparrows out-of-doors; continually before Johannes' -mental vision the pale face of his kind Brother, befouled with blood and -ashes; in his ears the powerful voice resounding through the arches of -the church; the howling of the mob; and then--his own body, stiff and -sore, on the hard, wooden boards.... - -Then, all at once, light! Bright, golden sunlight, a mild, refreshingly -fragrant air, all pain away, an elastic, feather-light body--and the -majestic sound of the sea. - -Where was he? Where--where! - -Oh, he knew; he felt in himself where he was. - -He recognized the feeling of self-consciousness, although he had not -recalled his surroundings. - -But he heard the ocean--heard it roaring grandly as only it roars on a -level, sandy coast; and he heard the whistling of wind in the rushes. -And he watched the play of the grey-green waves as they came rolling -in--their long lines of shining breakers crested with combing white, -dashing and splashing and foaming over the flat stretches of sand. - -He had seen it all for years, and every day it was the same, from age to -age. - -And when he glanced round to see if his little friend Wistik, whom he -hoped to find, was also here, he saw, close beside him, a bright little -figure sitting quite still and gazing out over the sea. - -It was not Wistik. No, for this one had the large, gauzy wings of a -dragon-fly, and a little mantle of delicate blue waving gently in the -sea-breeze. - -"Windekind!" exclaimed Johannes. - -Then the bright being looked at him, and he recognized the dear, -enigmatical eyes, and the exquisite hair--a bloom-like blonde like the -mere sheen of gold--with its flower-crown of green and white. - -"Here we are again," said Windekind. - -"Then did you not die with Father Pan?" asked Johannes, in astonishment. - -"I live forever," said Windekind. - -Johannes thought this over. He was tranquil again, as he always was -here. Life, so rude and painful, seemed now very far away. He felt only -calmness and contentment, although he well knew that his body still lay -on the hard floor. - -Then he asked, "Does not that bore you?" - -Windekind laughed, and held out in front of him his flower, which he -used as a staff. It was not an iris, but a strange, splendid blossom--a -lily or an orchid--blue, striped with white and gold. - -"Silly boy!" said he. "To be bored is to be no longer able to enjoy -anything. I am not a human being, that gets bored after a few years. I -am not weary of happiness." - -"Never?" asked Johannes. - -"That I do not know," answered Windekind; "but not yet. If life were to -bore me, then I should die and return to my Father. He can never grow -weary." - -"And have you grown still wiser?" - -Windekind looked tenderly and very seriously at Johannes. - -"Do you see my flower?" he asked. "This is not my old iris. This is much -more beautiful. Oh, Mother Earth is greatly changed; and so am I." - -Johannes looked about him. But everything appeared as before: the long -lines of delicate green dunes; the sky, all mottled with white clouds; -the graceful sea-gulls rocking in the wind, with their cry of grand and -lonely liberty. But on the water not a sail was to be seen, nor on the -strand a person. - -"How good it is to see you again," said Johannes. "I have been so sorry -about Father Pan. And now I am very anxious about my poor Brother." - -But as Johannes said this he felt quite calm and peaceful; and this -puzzled him. - -Windekind looked at him, and smiled mysteriously. - -"That was a long time ago," he said. - -And when Johannes gazed at him in amazement, he repeated: - -"Long ago--quite a thousand years." - -"A thousand years?" murmured Johannes, mistrustfully. - -"Yes, truly a thousand years," said Windekind, positively. "I have grown -old, although you cannot see it in me. But the longer those of my race -live, the younger they grow, in nature and appearance. Learn that -yourself, Johannes--it is well to. I have grown stronger with the -centuries, and more elastic--wiser and more loving. That's the way. I -have not now an enemy upon earth. I have made up with that small goblin -Wistik. He is a right good fellow, after all." - -"Is he not?" exclaimed Johannes, delighted. "I too have noticed that." - -"Yes," said Windekind, "when he has a leader. I have also become -reconciled to human beings." - -"Oh, splendid, splendid!" cried Johannes. "I know who has done that!" - -"Right!" said Windekind, nodding. "Your good Brother did it." - -Then Johannes saw great numbers of sea-gulls flocking together from all -sides, wheeling and screaming because of something in the distance that -was drawing nearer from out over the sea. It was like a large bird -soaring on vast, silently outspread wings. The fierce sunlight fell upon -it, making it flash like burnished gold, or like some shining metal. As -it came nearer Johannes saw that it had the pretty colors of a swallow, -steel-blue, brown and white, but with gilded beak and claws, and that -long, variegated feathers, or ribbons, were streaming out behind, -because of its rapid flight. The exquisite white of the circling, -screaming sea-gulls was in sharp contrast with the huge, dark-colored -hulk. A soft, clear sound came from above, as of clinking glass attuned -like bells. - -"What is that immense creature?" asked Johannes; for the shadow of it -moved over the sea like that of a cloud. - -"That is not a creature," replied Windekind. "There are human beings in -it, but they are not at all ugly now, nor ridiculous. Only look!" - -And Johannes saw, from its immobility, that it was not a bird, but a -colossal air-ship in the form of a bird. And also he could see, clearly, -that lightly dressed figures were moving to and fro along the decks, -tossing crumbs to the sea-gulls that, fluttering, and crying caught them -up. - -Then the great shining wings altered their course, and with a graceful -movement the colossus dipped gently downward, skimming the level sandy -beach for the distance of a hundred yards. - -At last it was still, and Johannes could admire the splendid structure: -the glittering gold, the gleaming steel-blue decorations, and the -bright-hued banners and pennants with gold-lettered mottoes that -fluttered in the breeze. - -"Climb up," cried Windekind, "it is going away again. It will not stay a -great while." - -"Are you going along?" asked Johannes. - -"Yes," replied Windekind. "I am at home with these people. But remember -they cannot see us yet, any more than could those a thousand years ago. -They are still only human beings." - -Johannes, his hand in Windekind's, floated up to the air-ship, and -nestled in the golden crown upon the head of the bird. Secluded there, -they could see what the people were doing. - -The people were strong and handsome, like those in the realms of Father -Pan; but their hair was darker, and their faces, with thoughtful eyes, -were more earnest. And they all resembled Johannes' Brother--as if they -were all one large family, and akin to him. - -The garments of all of them were much alike--exceedingly simple. They -were of unfigured material, similar to linen, with the pretty, sober -coloring of some birds--the wood-dove and the peregrine; and all were -bordered with fine, bright-colored embroidery. Almost without exception -the passengers carried flowers. And festoons of flowers hung in every -part of the ship; but these were wilted, and diffused the sweet, keen -fragrance of roses. - -All went with heads uncovered, and their waving hair was thick, but not -long. There was little to distinguish the dress of the men from that of -the women; but the men all wore full beards, and the women braids of -hair wound about their heads. - -Now, leaving their vessel for a short time, they raced along the beach, -laughing merrily, and glad of the exercise. Johannes saw that they wore -sandals--just like the man in brown at Roodhuis'; and he had to laugh at -the recollection. The younger ones were barefooted. - -After they had bathed and played, they climbed into the ship again; and, -taking their places, all facing the sea, they sang a song. Although -Johannes did not understand the words, he knew the meaning of them. It -sounded like a psalm, but was more fine and earnest than any he had ever -heard. - -"That is the song of thanks they always sing after a safe passage over -the great water," said Windekind. "Yes, they mean it, for they all know -the Father. See how they mean it." - -And Johannes saw the deep emotion in their earnest faces, and the tears -that glistened beneath the eyes of the younger women. And he heard the -quiver of feeling in their full, pure voices. - -Then the magnificent great bird, with a strange clatter of unfolding -wings, with the whirring of unseen wheels, and the klink-klank of glass -bells, rose slowly, and pointed its golden beak and its fixed, crystal -eyes toward the land. - -"But how does it move?" asked Johannes. - -"Could you have explained to your forefathers how an electric vehicle of -your own time was propelled?" asked Windekind. "Then do not ask that -question, but rather, take a look at your native country, and see how -beautiful it has become." - -The long line of coast was visible as they ascended, and Johannes could -see extending into the ocean at regular distances great dikes of -dark-grey stone, over which the white foam of the waves was splashing. - -"They are not handsome, but necessary," said Windekind. "But here are -our dunes." - -And behold! They were as fair and free as in the olden days--a wide, -open wilderness without hedge or fence, without shavings or paper. The -hollows were full of little green groves; and there the white hawthorn -blossomed, and the singing of hundreds of nightingales ascended to their -high position. Johannes saw, as of old, the little white tails of -thousands of rabbits, flipping over the grey-green stretches of moss. -And also he saw people--sometimes by twos or threes, then in large -groups. But they did not disturb the harmony of the peaceful scene, and -their delicate grey, soft brown, and subdued green clothing was quite in -keeping with the tender tints of the landscape. - -After that came the verdant country. And how excited Johannes was when, -in his flight, he saw it looking like one great, flowery, tree-filled -park! - -The bright green fields were there, the straight ditches and canals; but -everywhere were trees. Sometimes they stood alone--mighty giants casting -broad shadows; sometimes in great forests, each one vast expanse of -foliage, cool and rustling, where the wood-doves cooed, and golden -thrushes whistled. Gorgeous blossoms and thickly flowered shrubs, such -as Johannes had seen only in gardens, were everywhere--growing wild in -such masses that, from above, they sometimes looked like carpets of -glowing red or deepest blue. - -And the small white houses of the people, looking as if some giant had -sawed them out with supple hand, were dotted about in the midst of the -verdure and flowers. But on the borders of the water, by lakes and -rivers and canals, were they strewn most thickly. The shining blue -waters appeared to be the magnet which had attracted the little square -blocks. - -"You see, indeed, Johannes," said Windekind, "it was their own fault -that human beings seemed out of place in Nature. They had no reverence -for her, and harmed her in their stupidity. They have now learned from -Nature how beautiful and like unto her they themselves may be, and they -have made friends with her. They have taught their children, from their -earliest infancy, to do no needless damage to flower or leaf, and to -kill no creature ruthlessly; taught them also to desire to be worthy of -their place in the midst of all those beautiful and charming objects. -Sacred reverence for all that is beautiful, and for everything that has -life, is now strictly enjoined. Thus is peace preserved between man and -Nature, and they live in intimate relations, neither annoying the -other." - -"But, Windekind, where are the cities? I see only scattered houses and -churches. And where are the iron railways and their sooty stations? And -where are the factories, with their tall chimneys and dirty smoke?" - -"My dear Johannes, ought ugly things to be retained any longer than -extreme need for them demands?" - -"Are not, then, railroads and cities and factories necessities?" - -"There are still factories, but they do not have to be ugly. There they -are--finer than many palaces of a thousand years ago. And why tracks of -iron, when the broad ways of the air are open and free to all? And why -swarm in cramped quarters, high over one another, so long as there is -dwelling-room amid the flowers and the verdure? Men were not so stupid -but that they found a way to dispense with all that ugliness, and to -drive their engines without the burning of dusty, deeply buried coal. -But still some roads remain. Look!" - -And Johannes saw that all the dwellings were connected by roads--some of -them fourfold and broad, of a dark russet color; others like narrow -white ribbons winding through the grass from house to house. And people -were passing over them, afoot, or in small, swiftly moving vehicles. - -"It is a holiday," said Windekind. "Such days are now really happy and -holy days, without the deadly dreariness of the former ones." - -Everywhere Johannes saw little churches having pointed spires in the old -Dutch style; but now they were full of statuary and ornament. The doors -stood open, and people were passing through. And now Johannes heard the -sound of music coming out of those little churches--as pure and as fine -as the best he had ever heard. - -"Oh, Windekind, how I should love to go in and listen to that splendid -music! I do so want to," said Johannes. - -But Windekind put his finger to his lips, and said: - -"Hush! We are going to hear still better. Our voyagers are going to a -much larger church, where most beautiful music can be heard. They are -pilgrims, such as go from all countries every year, at this time, to -celebrate the great festival." - -"Do I not see another air-ship, Windekind? And there--still another?" -asked Johannes. - -"Yes; perhaps, indeed, one may be going along with us," said Windekind. -"That will make it lively." - -And very soon there actually came a second air-ship--a big brother-bird, -that flew up to them. Then the flags dipped, and wide dark-blue banners, -bearing silver-lettered mottoes, were unfurled to the breeze. The people -waved, and shouted aloud. And when the twin birds were so close together -that the tips of their great bright wings nearly touched, the people on -Johannes' ship struck up an anthem--a full and powerful song--that was -immediately responded to by an antistrophe from the other ship. And thus -they took turns, first one, then the other, for quite a time. - -Johannes' heart was warmed by this sweet understanding among peoples -wholly unknown to one another. - -"Do all men now speak the same language?" he asked his friend. - -"Do you not hear what they are singing? All people have chosen that -language as the most beautiful and the most natural. It is Greek." - -"I do not know Greek," said Johannes, regretfully. - -"But just look at that pennant, then, on the other ship. What does it -say?" - -"That is Dutch, Windekind--ordinary Dutch," cried Johannes. And he read: -"_There is no Death_," and "_Gladness only endures_." And he also read -the name of the ship, "_he Heron_." - -Then his own ship dropped down again, upon a level meadow close beside -some large buildings of grey freestone, charmingly sculptured, and -there, for some mysterious reason, the vessel lay a long while--to get -up power, thought Johannes. And the pilgrims took advantage of the delay -to dance over the meadows with graceful steps, and also to replace with -fresh flowers the wilted festoons. - -Then they rose again, and whizzed through the still, summer air toward -the south. Johannes noticed that not much more than half the land was -devoted to field and orchard and vegetable-garden, and that all the rest -was forest and park and flower-garden; that there were no hedges nor -fences, nor any walls, except those against which grapes and peaches -were growing. He did indeed still see brown and white sails on lake and -river--that beautiful and ever charming spectacle--but there were no -more of the tall four-armed windmills. And that was a pity. - -"One cannot demand everything," said Windekind. - -Johannes saw colossal wheels, like anchored paddle-wheels, glistening in -the sunlight--turning constantly, and moved by some mysterious force. -That certainly was better than smoking chimneys. - -And nowhere was it dirty, nowhere was there wan poverty, nowhere the -deathly ugliness and monotonous melancholy of the cities. He saw no -ragged nor wretched people, no unsightly regions of refuse and lumber. -In the places where he knew the cities to have been, there were now -verdant tracts vocal with the songs of birds, and fruitful, well-tilled -fields and gardens. - -"The housekeeping of the world is revolutionized, dear Johannes," said -Windekind. "It lasted quite a while, and cost considerable bickering; -but that is all over now, and everything is according to method. I -myself take real pleasure in it." - -And from his golden seat he gazed over the country, like a tiny pretty -king, who, proud and well-satisfied, rules his domain with a floral -sceptre. - -"Watch, now: we are going higher. We have to fly over the mountains." - -And the ship rose until the people below were no longer visible, and at -last even the houses disappeared. It grew chilly as they cut through the -white mists of the great clouds; and, as of old, Windekind threw his -little blue mantle about Johannes. Thus they went on for hours, in fog -and mist, and the mighty vessel quivered with the speed of its flight. -The voyagers were still, and stayed, snug and safe, inside. On they -rushed, through rain and through snow, catching occasional glimpses of -wide tempestuous landscapes, with green fields, foaming rivers, -snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and lakes of gleaming blue. - -"Is the whole world as beautiful now, and as well cared for, as my own -country?" asked Johannes. - -"The work of men is never complete," replied Windekind, "and that is -good for them, else they would become too proud. Asia and Africa are a -long way yet from being in trim, possibly they never will be. But then -it is all very well as it is--very well. A thousand years ago one could -not have said that." - -How long they had been speeding thus, Johannes could not say. It seemed -to him many hours. Then the great billows of cloud grew more and more -transparent, and again the green land beneath them became visible, and -also a deep, deep blue sea. - -"Is it Italy?" asked Johannes. Windekind nodded, and Johannes hoped they -would stay still a while so that he might see the beautiful country of -which the priest had told him. Then the ship descended until people and -houses could again be distinguished, and Johannes saw a scene so grand, -so rich, so overwhelming, that he was startled and almost speechless. He -could only say, thinking of Marjon, "Oh, how shall I describe all this?" - -For the scene was exhibited with a fulness and variety that left no time -for close observation. It was a landscape and a world-city in one--an -extraordinary valley, down which the vessel now drifted, full of trees, -verdure, flowers, buildings, statues, and people. Just before him he saw -a gigantic azalea-tree covered with red flowers; farther on, a long -arcade, overgrown with ivy, extending down to the foot of the vale. Then -a temple with tall, slender, white pillars, also overgrown with ivy. In -the middle of the valley stood a colossal piece of sculpture--simply a -head. Johannes saw the sun shining upon it. And farther on there were -structures unending, and thousands and thousands of people. Altogether, -it gave him an impression of happiness and of beauty indescribable. -Johannes could only cry, "How splendid! How splendid!" doing his utmost -to take in everything, that he might remember and describe it to Marjon. -But he felt that it would be beyond his powers, and so deeply moved was -he by the beauty of the scene that he cried out, "It is too glorious! I -cannot bear it!" And he wondered if the ship was going to stop there. - -It did not stop, but floated farther on--not far now from the -ground--and followed the rocky coast. Johannes remembered the red rocks -and the coast where he and Wistik had sat when the Devil appeared. This -country, also, looked well-tilled and inhabited, after the manner of his -own country. - -Then they put out again, over the blue, deep sea, and observed how it -was navigated by large, swift vessels, without either sail or steam. -They seemed to glide over the water as sledges over the snow, and the -white foam flew high up over the bows. - - * * * * * - -Then after a long voyage there loomed from the sea, like a violet -shadow, a large island; and, although it was broad daylight, it seemed -as if above that island a bright yellow-white star were sparkling. - -"That is our goal," said Windekind. "Take heed, now, you are going to -see something fine." - -And when they came nearer, Johannes could not tell what it was: whether -the island was Nature's work, or some marvel wrought by the hand of man. - -For that whole great island, that from a distance had looked like a -mountain, appeared, when approached, to be entirely covered with -buildings--a piling up of pillars and roofs that soared one above -another, and converged to an awe-inspiring dome. That crowning dome -sparkled in the clear, sunlit air like an arrested cloud--with the -silvery, light green, and dark blue splendor of a glacier covered with -thousands of beautifully sculptured, inverted icicles; and upon the top -shone the yellow-white light which, even in broad daylight, seemed to be -a star. - -So immense and so numerous were the structures, that one could not tell -what the natural form of the island had been, nor what had been made by -human hands. - -Coming still nearer, one could see green masses of foliage filling all -the spaces between the buildings, up to the very top. The whole island -seemed a miracle of art and nature; of columns of pure white, of silver -and silver-blue; of cupolas, bronze-green or golden; while amidst them -all was the dark green of the dense groves and the shrubbery, above -which rose the tufted palms on their slender, slightly curved stems. - -"Oh, Windekind," cried Johannes, "is this a story?" - -"This is a story," said Windekind, "as fine as any I ever told you. But -this one is true. Human beings first heard of it through me, and then -they resolved to build it as soon as they could find time, and -housekeeping was systematized. It could have been somewhat finer, but -still it came out very nicely, especially when you reflect that they -have had merely a hundred years in which to work out the plan; -considering, also, that, when half completed, an earthquake destroyed -it." - -"What is it that glitters on that high dome at the summit of the island? -It looks like a distant star. Is it fire?" - -"That is not fire, Johannes, but metal--a golden flame. It is a piece of -gilded metal, that always glow's in the sunlight as if it were burning. -By means of that flame the people wish to indicate their ardent love." - -"Love for whom, Windekind--for one another, or for God?" - -"They know no difference, Johannes," said Windekind. - -With radiant faces the pilgrims stood gazing at the spectacle; and, -shouting their joy, they sang again. Only a few of the older ones -appeared to have seen the island before. - -The sea was now covered with large white vessels speeding to and fro, -and one could also see air-ships flying thither from all points of the -compass, like herons to their nesting-place. - -Then Johannes vessel settled down upon a great grassy plain close to the -shore, and the pilgrims alighted. They were embarrassed and bewildered -now by all that surrounded them--by the multitude of air-ships, and also -by the people, among whom they felt shy and strange. - -Hundreds of these ships were now at rest--a brilliant spectacle, all -differently rigged and adorned, and patterned after various birds. There -were hawks and eagles, and giant beetles, entirely of bronze, looking -like gold. There were moths of green-reflecting metal; and dragon-flies -with wings of iridescent glass; wasps with bodies ringed with black and -yellow; butterflies having enormous yellow wings, marked with -peacock-eyes of blue, from which long pennants, black and red, streamed -out behind. - -There was now considerable commotion throughout the grassy plain, among -those who, just arrived, were trying to find their way. - -On the coast, around the whole island, was an almost unbroken series of -cool terraces beneath white colonnades shaded by the light lavender -flowers of the _glycine_; and behind them were small, white-stuccoed -recesses overlooking the sea. There the hundreds of thousands of -pilgrims who annually came to the feast were lodged and fed. - -Johannes saw them sitting at long tables on which were bread, fruit, and -flowers. And above the sound of the foaming surf, as the crystalline -blue water broke in white spray over the dull red rocks, cheerful -talking and laughing could be heard, and also the music of guitars. - -Higher up, the island was clear and open. Here were sunny parks with low -flowering shrubs, and now and then a tall palm, and everywhere temples -and buildings for various purposes. - -With his hand in Windekind's, Johannes glided over this, unable to note -all of the many things that met his gaze. He saw, beneath him, close to -the shore, large arenas for the games and the races; also long -buildings, with thousands of columns, for the display of useful and -ingenious articles and implements. - -A little higher were gardens with plants and animals, museums, -observatories, immense libraries, and covered colonnades and -assembly-rooms for scholars. After that came theatres, in Hellenic -form--semicircular--with white marble seats. And every place was -thronged with people, in their tasteful, charming dress. The brown and -the yellow races were represented; also the very dark-colored ones, with -their flashing eyes, haughty bearing, and vigorous frames. These wore -brightly-colored silken garments, green and red, embroidered with gold; -but all who were white or fair were soberly clad in soft, refined -colors. - -Still higher were collections of statues, marble and gilded--many of -them outside in the park, among the flowers, the aloes, and the plashing -fountains; others, beneath long porticoes; and in large, low buildings -there were sketches and paintings, or statuettes wrought in metal or -carved in wood. - -Finally, still higher up the incline, close beside the great middle -temple which was the crown of the island, surrounded by the serious -silences of dark laurel and myrtle groves, were the temples of music. - -There was a variety of them. Some were lighter and more ornamental--of -brighter stone, and with steep, golden roofs; others, massive and -strong, of quiet grey limestone, with green and red granite pillars, and -arched roofs of bronze. - -Windekind pointed out that each temple was dedicated exclusively to one -composer; and Johannes heard with joy names that were well known to him -in his own day. - -"Which one shall we choose?" asked Windekind. "Nowhere else upon earth -can their works be heard as in any one of these temples." - -While he hesitated, with the name Beethoven on his lips, Johannes saw -coming over the grassy path between the rose-colored flowering -oleanders, a group of five majestic persons. They were tall, powerful -figures--four men and a woman. The men were all elderly, one of them -having silver-white, the others thick grey hair. The woman was younger, -and indescribably noble and beautiful. They each wore a mantle of the -same amaranthine red, and upon the head a small wreath of green myrtle, -and each one held a flower. - -They walked slowly and with dignity, and wherever they went the people -all greeted them. Those who had been chatting were respectfully silent; -those sitting or lying down stood up; and those who were in their path -hastily stepped aside. - -"Who are those five people, Windekind?" - -"They are the five kings. Do you not see that they carry my flower in -their hands? It is the blue, white, and gold Lily of the Kings, which -the people have evolved. Formerly it did not exist. These are the -noblest, wisest, strongest, the purest and most worthy among human -beings. In them are united, in most perfect harmony, all of the human -faculties. They are poets, masters of speech, and sages, that purify and -elevate morals. They are regulators of labor, directors in business, in -taste, and in science. Not all are equally excellent, nor are there -always so many. The best are sought for and elevated. But they bear no -rank--they have no court, no palace, no army, no realm. Their throne is -where they seat themselves; their kingdom is the whole world. Their -power consists in the beauty of their words, in their wisdom, and in the -love of their fellowmen. See how they are revered! Look at those adoring -women--doing obeisance as ever. There are still the very same foolish -ones among the young women." - -And Windekind called Johannes' attention to the fair enthusiasts who -attempted not only to kiss the hands of the Five, but also to touch them -with their flowers, which, thereby made sacred as relics, were later to -be cherished as mementoes. But the sages smilingly motioned these aside, -and entered the largest of the music-temples--a mighty structure of -smooth, cream-white marble, without ornament, but pure in line, and -nobly harmonious in its proportions. It was round in form, having a -bronze roof without side-windows, and lighted only from above. Over the -entrance, in large gold letters, was the name "Bach."[1] When the Five -came in all the people stood up, and waited until they were seated in -the chairs reserved for them. - -And then Johannes heard exceedingly fine music. And Windekind said, -"This fountain is not yet exhausted, nor will it be for ages to come." - -When they were again out-of-doors, and Johannes saw the happiness of all -those beautiful people, and the mood of solemn devotion into which the -music had put them, he suddenly became depressed, and said: "Oh, -Windekind, now that I have seen all this, and know what it is possible -for people to be if only they are wise and good, what avails it all when -I have to return to that pitiful land of ugliness and folly and -injustice? And, alas, of what advantage is it to all those poor people -who are perhaps preparing for this lovely life, but who yet are never to -see it?" - -Johannes looked imploringly at his friend, who was silently meditating -while they slowly drifted still higher along a dense grove of dark -laurel, through which the happy, high spirited people were proceeding to -the great, the loftiest temple. - -Said Windekind: "You do not yet comprehend the unity of life, Johannes. -However beautiful all this appears to you, it is only a short step in -advance. These are yet, and will continue to be, human beings--subject -to illness and death, to quarrels and misunderstandings, to superstition -and injustice. All that now seems to you elevated and marvelous is but a -wisp of straw compared with the magnificence of the Father to whom we -all return. The victory is not here, but higher. And whoever has made -preparation, however humble, shall have his rightful part in the final -triumph." - -Johannes did not fully understand, but eagerly drank in the comfort of -these mysterious words. Still musing upon them, he stepped out of the -dark, leafy woods upon an extraordinary plain, and saw before him the -great middle temple that formed the summit of the island. - -The sight of it was overwhelming, for it was almost frightfully and -oppressively grand; and he saw all the oncoming people stop, as though -turned to stone. None ventured to speak unless in whispers. - -The plain was so large that those who had just reached the border of the -woods could not distinguish the hands nor the heads of those who were -entering the temple. The plain was utterly bare--upon it was neither -plant nor statue. It was the leveled top of the natural rock--a -reddish-grey granite, smoothly polished, and rising gradually by low -flights of steps each twelve paces wide and one foot high. - -The base of the temple was sombrely grand. Its shape was oblong, the -greatest length being from north to south, showing an endless series of -massive lotus-columns, close together, and all of the same reddish-grey -stone. The eye was bewildered by them, as if in a dark forest of -pillars. The steady stream of dot-like human forms appeared to be -engulfed in their shade. - -These mighty columns, resting on straight and flat string-courses, -supported a broad terrace that surrounded the entire temple. Upon this -terrace was a layer of earth, whence sprang a luxuriant growth of trees -and shrubs, wide-spreading sycamores, towering cypresses, and slender -palms--all overgrown and bound together by a veil of flowers and leafy -vines. - -Then succeeded, higher up, a second series of pillars, supporting -another terrace covered with smaller shrubs. And above that, still a -third, whose columns were of brighter stone--light-green and grey. The -topmost row was of pure white, against which the green of the plants was -in clear relief. - -And above these, delicate and daring, soared a convergence of groinings, -with a maze of exquisite spires and pinnacles, resembling a forest of -stalagmites. Together they formed an oval whose chief colors--steel-blue, -dark and sparkling, light-grey, and silver--resembled a cloud or a -glacier; yet all harmoniously fashioned by human hands. Above, on a -colossal tripod, glowed the emblem of love and life--the Golden Flame! - -Although thousands of people from every side were ceaselessly pouring -into the temple, and disappearing amid the dark columns, it was very -still there--so still that above the sound of moving feet one could -distinctly hear the babbling of the brooks that, coursing through the -verdant terraces, flowed thence to the four corners of the plain. - -Johannes tried to follow the soft speech of the people, but he did not -understand the language. Then Windekind, calling his attention to a trio -of persons--a vigorous father about fifty years of age, and his two -sons, slender, fine fellows not far from twenty--said, "Listen to them!" -It was Dutch they were speaking--pure, mellifluous Dutch. - -The father said: "Look, Gerbrand; the lowest columns are so large that -ten men could not encircle them. But within the temple, in the great -oval centre, there are a hundred columns, far larger, that reach to the -floor of the third terrace. On the groined arches resting upon those -columns stand twice as many smaller pillars, which, rising somewhat -higher than the gallery of the third terrace, are attached thereto by a -system of buttresses. On these two hundred smaller pillars rests the -enormous middle dome which over-arches the oval hall. The dome is -entirely of metal. The dark blue is steel; the grey, aluminium; the -bright green, bronze. The pinnacles, arches, and ornamentations are all -of silver or silver-plated steel. In the four corner-spaces, between -square and oval, stand four towers, having small gold-covered cupolas. -Within these, elevators move up and down, and through them the water -also is raised for the terraces. - -"The tall tripod at the top of the dome is of bronze, and the flame is -gilded bronze. The flame itself is twelve metres long, and its tip is a -hundred and eighty metres above the plain." - -Gerbrand, the younger son, knitting his brows as he regarded the -awe-inspiring spectacle, asked: "How many people have worked upon it, -father?" - -"Oh, more than a hundred thousand, for nearly a century. But if the -temple should again collapse, as once it did, ten times as many more -would eagerly come, to rebuild it in less than half that time." - -Drawing nearer, Johannes discerned, on the stone band beneath the first -terrace, colossal silver letters, in plain Roman form. On the front a -portion of a proverb was legible. The rest of it probably ran around the -entire temple. Johannes retained the majestic tenor of it, although he -did not comprehend the full meaning. Facing him was: - - REDEUNT SATURNIA REGNA - -and on the eastern side he read the first words, - - IAM NOVA PROGENIES.... - -This was all he could distinguish. - -They entered the forest of columns, and Johannes continued to follow the -trio closely. Through the solemn semi-darkness all pressed gently on -toward the steps that led to the higher terraces. - -On the second terrace stood thousands of statues, representing the great -and famous of all the ages. Johannes was delighted to hear what the sons -and their father said about them. They seemed best acquainted with the -composers, then with the dramatic poets, the sculptors, the painters, -and the scholars. They were most at a loss concerning the statesmen. - -Gerbrand said, "Here is a warrior, father--Bismarck is his name. When -did he live, and what did he do?" - -Then the father said to his elder son, "Do you not know when Bismarck -lived, and what he did, Hugo?" - -Hugo replied, "I think he lived in Bach's time, father; but what he did -I do not know." - -"Yes, he lived about the time of Bach, or rather, that of Brahms. He -created the German Empire." - -Said Gerbrand, "The German Empire, father! Where is that?" - -"There is no longer a German Empire, Gerbrand, although there are -millions of Germans. Such empires do not now exist; but in that day they -were thought to be something very admirable." - -And Hugo: "Was it as fine as the Chromatic Fantasie, father, or the -Pyramids?" - -"It was something very different, my boy, but certainly not so fine, for -it was less lasting." - -On the third and highest terrace, beneath the loftiest of the white -marble columns, and running around the entire temple, was a frieze, -sculptured in bas-relief. Upon it were groups of figures, cut with most -wonderful art, giving representative scenes from the whole history of -mankind. Among them, the spectacle of the battles held the youths the -longest. - -"Look, father! Here again is a man being killed. Why was that? What harm -did he do?" - -"That is Pertinax," replied the father, "a king of Rome, killed by his -soldiers because he was just." - -"A man killed for being just! What strange people!" said Hugo, smiling. - -"They killed Socrates also, because he was wise, did they not, father? -We saw that a little while ago," said Gerbrand. - -"Yes, Gerbrand," said Hugo; "but indeed they also fought for good -reasons, did they not, father? Socrates himself fought, and Sophocles." - -"And AEschylus," added the father. "He lost his hand at Marathon. And -Dante fought, and so did Byron." - -"Shelley too, father?" asked Hugo. - -"No, my boy." - -"But, father," asked Gerbrand, "when is it right to fight, and when is -it not?" - -"It is right, my boys, when that which is the dearest and most sacred -must be protected from attack--whatever is dearer to us than our lives. -That is what AEschylus and Socrates and Dante conceived to be their duty. -They fought for freedom--the greatest freedom of their time. And should -any beings come now and try to attack what we term our liberty and our -rights, we also would fight for them." - -"I wish that would happen," said Gerbrand.--And the others laughed. - -"Did Beethoven fight, father?" asked Hugo. - -"No, although his life, as well as that of Shelley, was a struggle in -the cause of true liberty--at least for what he held to be true -liberty." - -"But Beethoven wore a high, black hat, did he not, father? And Bach had -his hair cut off, and wore a wig," said Gerbrand. - -"Mozart also," added Hugo. "I do not understand how kings could do such -queer things." - -"How was it possible," exclaimed Gerbrand, "for these people in their -high hats and silly black clothes to look at one another and not burst -out laughing?" - -"My dear boys," said the father, "there is not a thing so foolish, so -ugly, or so bad, but even the best of men will do it, or tolerate it, if -only many take part in it, and it is a common error of their time. But -that was a very queer age. At the time such great and wise kings as -Goethe, Shelley, and Beethoven lived, ninety out of every hundred men -lived like the very beasts. Some never bathed their entire bodies.... - -"_Think_ of it!" cried the youths. - -"They wore soiled, hideous clothing, were rude and ill-mannered, and had -no conception of music nor of poetry." - -"How could that be?" exclaimed the two young men. - -"Because it was thought that the best human living was possible for only -an occasional exception--for one in a hundred, or one in a thousand. You -think that very stupid, do you not? But at that time everybody felt so, -even the kings." - -"Not Shelley, though," exclaimed Hugo. - -"No, not Shelley," said the father. "But it is now nearly noon. We must -not miss the Hall of the Hundred Pillars. We agreed to go there, you -remember, while we were still at home with mother and the children." - -The halls were decorated with inscriptions in many languages--each with -its own ornate characters. Johannes recognized Sanskrit, Chinese, -Arabic, Hebrew, and Greek. He could read only a few of the sentences; -but these he retained, without understanding them: - -"IN LA SUA VOLONTADE E NOSTRA PACE," and "MITE ET COGNATUM EST HOMINI -DEUS." - -The Hall of the Hundred Pillars had entrances from all sides, on the -same level, through the lowest and heaviest colonnades, and also along -stairways descending from all the terraces. The floor of the hall looked -like a vast, snow-covered plain, so white was the marble, and the -astronomical figures with which it was inlaid were all of silver. The -hundred pillars that gave the hall its name were of red granite, and -supported the central dome, which, spanning the imposing space by arch -on arch, stood like a miracle of art. There were no windows, but the -light streamed in through the open arches, and past the white and light -blue pillarets of the dome. Yet it was not possible, from below, to see -the sky. - -The hall was already filled with people--thousands upon thousands. -Whispering softly, all pressed forward, and at last stood still in -silent expectation. Johannes followed his fellow-countrymen. - -"Look, boys," whispered the father, "these pillars are of one piece--the -largest stone columns in the world. In remote antiquity, when, also, men -were able to build great structures, there were two like them in Rome; -and we found another one, half hewn, on the coast of Corsica. Then we -ourselves made ninety-seven others, and placed them all here, to the -honor of God." - -"Father," whispered Gerbrand, "surely we are now the happiest and the -mightiest beings in the universe, are we not?" - -But the father looked at him reprovingly, and said: "For shame, boy! We -are only poor blind earth-worms, and all our happiness is misery, and -all our magnificence is a sham, compared with the splendor of the -Truth. It is but a feeble glimmering of the reality. To express this, we -come hither yearly; and it was to teach you this that I brought you with -me. Look up, and read what is written there." - -Johannes' eyes followed the direction of the upraised hand, and he saw a -Greek proverb that ran around the dome in colossal letters of gold. As -interpreted by the father of the two youths it read thus: "To the only -God, who alone is the Truth and the real Existence--our Father, whom we -love with all our hearts and all our understanding, and for whose sake -we love one another as we love ourselves." - -Then the man showed his children a gold figure, at the northern end of -the hall, at which the eyes of all the people were now directed, and -said: - -"Notice! There is the number of the hour; but beneath, it says: '_There -is neither hour nor time_.' Do you see? Remember that as long as you -live. And now consider why we have come here to-day. For a few moments -the sun stands at the summer solstice--its highest point. The temple is -so built that just at that instant the sun's light comes through the -opening in the dome and touches the golden figure of the hour. Then all -of us--thousands on thousands from every region of the world--will again -in song solemnly pledge ourselves to faithful love toward one another, -and toward the Father of us all." - -After this the boys were silent, gazing with all the people at the -golden figure. And now that innumerable throng, in the whole, vast -space, became as still as death--as still as some great forest before a -storm, when not a leaf stirs. - -Then, in mighty, resounding tones, a great bell began to strike the -hour; while the people, all in the utmost suspense, counted the strokes. -Before the last stroke fell, the golden figure burst into flame, in the -bright light of the sun. - -Then, in unison, without any pause, all joined in one mighty chorus, -stately, solemn, and simple, that soared into the spacious vault like a -song of thanks and of promise in one--a renewal for the year to come of -the bond of love between God and man. - -And so strong and deep was their emotion that some sank to their knees -as if overcome, while others rested head or hands upon the shoulders of -those standing in front of them. But the greater number stood erect, and -sang loudly and clearly, regarding the scene with bright, joyful, and -spirited looks. - -Johannes himself felt thankful and happy beyond words--like a child -under his Father's blessing, in the heart of his home. - - * * * * * - -Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt!!! went the alarm-clock on the black mantel-shelf -above the Dutch oven in Marjon's small kitchen. The iron bed shuddered -and creaked; and Marjon sprang up, with the sleepy, mechanical haste of -one accustomed to begin work at dawn, to stop the alarm. - -There stood the unpainted table, the oil-lamp, and the unwashed -coffee-set, and Marjon began to put things in order. - -And out from the stifling, dark alcove came, one by one, the seven -children of Van Tijn--to wash themselves at the kitchen pump and to dry -themselves with one and the same old hand-towel. - - -[1] Bach = Fountain. - - - - -XXIV - - -Already they had been twice to the hospital, on visitors' -days--Wednesday and Saturday--but they had not been permitted to see -Markus. - -He still lay unconscious, and the doctor did not yet know whether an -operation would be necessary. - -And when Johannes implored that they might only look upon the face of -their friend, to know if he was still alive, it availed nothing. Their -acquaintance with Dr. Cijfer or with Professor Bommeldoos had no -influence here. There was no disposition to be indulgent. The feeling of -hostility toward his Brother was general, and permeated the humane, -scientific atmosphere of the hospital to such an extent that Johannes -also was received more coldly because he appeared to be a relative of -this man. For not even doctors and nurses are exempt from the suspicion -of being sensitive to the opinions of others. - -The strain of their sorrow was so great that Johannes and Marjon each -feared lest the other would be ill--they ate so little and looked so -worn, and their cheeks, although never very round and blooming, grew so -pale and sunken. - -At last--at last, they might go, for their third call, and join the -stream of callers on Wednesday afternoon, from two o'clock until four. -Marjon carried some white and purple asters; Johannes, a bunch of grapes -bought with money carefully saved, cent by cent. - -Entering the ward, they looked in great anxiety over the two long rows -of beds. They searched for the face they knew so well, but did not find -it. Timidly, they made inquiry of the nurse who sat writing, in the -middle of the ward, at a little table covered with bandages and -remedies. Without replying, she pointed to a bed. Then they saw the -dark eyes, turned toward them with a kind smile. - -They had not recognized him, for his beard was gone, his head enveloped -with wrappings, and his face covered with plasters. - -He beckoned them, and extended his emaciated white hand. They flew to -him. - -Two young men stood beside his bed. They were students. One of them, who -seemed to have just made an examination of Markus, was rather gross in -appearance, and had a flushed, uneasy face. The perspiration stood in -drops on his forehead. The other stood by, indifferently, his hands in -his pockets. - -"Have you got at it?" asked the latter. - -"Confound it, no," replied the other, wiping his forehead with his -sleeve. "It's a thundering complicated case. There's a fracture of the -skull; but the paralysis I can't account for. It's a mean trick of -Snijman's to pick out such a business for me, just to pester me. I'll be -sure to fail in the examination. - -"Come, come, old fellow, you're in a pet. It's a pretty little chance -for you--one to brag about. Come to-night to the quiz, and go through -the brain anatomy again with me. Bring your _Henle_ along. I'll give you -such a lift you'll astonish them, old man. But we must be off now, for -it's visiting-day." - -And, taking the arm of his comrade, who sighed and packed up his -instruments, he led him out of the ward. - -"What do you think of the way they have fixed me up, children?" asked -Markus, cheerfully, as he took Marjon's flowers--with his left hand, -because he could not move the other. - -But neither Marjon nor Johannes could speak. They stood with trembling -lips, swallowing back their tears. Then they sat down, one each side of -the bed, and Marjon rested her forehead on his helpless hand. - -Johannes held out to him the grapes, and tried to greet him in words; -but he could not. - -"Children," said Markus, gently, yet with a rebuke in his tones, "I -notice that you cry altogether too much. Do you remember, Johannes, when -you sat down in the street beside the scissors'-wheel, and how I -reproved you? When one cries so readily, it looks as if the great sorrow -of mankind were not felt. He who has once realized that, weeps no more -over his own little troubles; for the greater grief should hold him -bathed in tears, both day and night." - -At these words the two controlled themselves in some degree, and Marjon -said: - -"But this is not a trifling thing that they have done to you." - -"It is not a trifling thing that the world is so that this could happen. -_That_ is frightful; but it remains equally frightful whether this -befell me or not. And that it has been done to me, and I have submitted, -is cause for joyfulness, not for weeping." - -Then said Johannes: - -"But, dear Markus, what has it availed, and what will be the good of it? -No one is sorry for it. No one will ever perceive the significance of -it. No one, at this instant, has any further thought of you, nor of your -words." - -Markus, regarding him attentively, with an earnest expression, as if to -urge upon him a deeper reflection, said: - -"But, Johannes, do you not remember the story of that little seed--the -most diminutive of all seeds? It falls to the ground--is trodden under -foot--no one sees it--it appears to be completely lost and dead. But in -good time it begins to germinate, and grows to be a plant. And the plant -bears new seeds, which are scattered by the wind. And the new seeds -become new plants, and the whole terrestrial globe becomes too small for -the might of what proceeds from that insignificant seed. Has Johannes -forgotten me and my words?" - -Johannes shook his head. - -"Well, then, Johannes and Marjon are not the only ones with ears to -hear, are they? The spark has fallen, and shines in secret. The seed -lies in the dark ground, and waits its time." - -Gradually the ward began to fill with visitors. Relatives were now -sitting beside each bed. There were wives and mothers with children, -little and big, and some had babes at the breast. A subdued murmuring -filled the place, where the smell of old and long-worn clothing mingled -with the sharp scent of the disinfectants. - -"Stay with me, children, as long as is permitted. The instrument is -broken, and will soon cease to sound. Listen to it so long; as it -vibrates." - -"Are you going to leave us, Markus?" asked Johannes, setting his teeth -to keep command of himself. - -"I have performed my task," said Markus. - -"Already? Already?" they both asked. "We cannot spare you. We might for -a little while, but not for always." - -"Where is your memory, Johannes? You possess me always, and some time I -shall be still closer to you than I now am." - -"But, Markus, how can I, without you, help people in their sorrow? -Indeed, I am far from knowing the way yet. It seems as though I ought to -be asking the way, for weeks to come, day and night." - -"Dear Johannes, I have said enough. To ask day and night would help you -no more than to think day and night upon what I have already said to -you. It seems--does it not--as if I had spoken little, and done little, -among men. But recall how the same was said of old, and how it has -never, through many words, become clearer, but always more dim. Where -the plain commandments have not enough weight, much speaking has not a -particle of effect. Has not the best already been said--two thousand -years ago? Millions have torn and martyred one another on account of -additions, because of misinterpretations, explanations, and -commentaries; but the simple commandment, known of all, they have not -kept. Concerning the swaddling-cloths they have fought bitterly; but the -babe itself they have left to the swine and the dogs." - -They were permitted to stay throughout the time of visiting, and -Johannes related where he had been during the night of his betrothal. - -Marjon, having listened, asked: - -"Markus, if he really saw the whole world as it is to be, why did he -neither see nor hear anything of Markus himself?" - -But Markus closed his eyes, as if weary of listening, laid back his head -with a contented smile, and said, gently: - -"The faithful architect is not concerned about his own renown, but about -the work itself." - -Then he indicated that he wished to rest; and, exchanging looks, they -slowly stood up, and with reluctant steps, absorbed in deep thought, -they turned away. - - * * * * * - -On Saturday, when they came again, they looked straight over to Markus' -bed, for now they knew where he lay. But an icy fear came upon them when -they caught sight of his face, below the white swathing-cloths. It was -like sallow wax, with insunken eyes, and lay pressed into the pillow. -They thought he was dead. - -And when they stopped, hesitating and trembling, the patient in the cot -next that of Markus motioned to them to come nearer. - -"Come on, you," said the man, a disreputable old fellow with a bandage -around his bald head, a crooked nose, and a shaggy beard stained a -yellow-brown with tobacco-juice. "He isn't cold yet, but he's snoozin' -away's steady's a new-born babe. Isn't that so, Sjaak?" - -And Sjaak, the patient on the other side--a drunkard with a broken leg, -and a face full of red pimples--cried out: "Hear me! I couldn't sleep -better meself--after a couple o' drinks." - -"Just make yerselves easy," said the old fellow. "Don't be upset about -it. He'd be sorry if you went away again." - -"A little less noise, number eight," called the nurse. "Talk quietly." - -"Is he your brother?" asked Sjaak, in a whisper this time. Johannes -nodded. - -"They've given him the very devil," said the old man, "just as they gave -it to me. Though I believe they served me about right." - -"I'm askin' a great deal," said Sjaak; "but if we've both always got to -stay in this here boardin'-house--him and me--why, then, I'd like to -ask the good Lord not to let him kick the bucket before I kicks it. -Because if I've got to stay here alone with that old red-nose there, and -my own damn wicked carcass, then--hi! hi! hi!" - -Then came a sudden outburst of maudlin sobs, due, no doubt, to a -condition of enforced abstinence. - -"Silence!" called the Sister, sternly. - -Markus waked up and greeted his two loved ones. Then he looked at his -neighbors, right and left, and asked: - -"Have you been childish again, Sjaak? I heard you, indeed. No one is -forever doomed, I tell you, neither you nor old Bram--if you take care -from now on to drink water only, and not gin." - -"I swear I will, Marrakus--swear it by God!" said Sjaak, striking -himself on the breast. - -"You cannot do that, Sjaak; neither would it help. After a half-glass of -beer you will have forgotten all your vows." - -"No beer, either," said Sjaak. "So help...." - -"Be quiet now, Sjaak. Do not talk about it, but let it alone." - -"Mar-r-akus," said Old Bram, in a hoarse, quaking voice, at the same -time sitting up, with his griffin-like knuckles stretched out over the -woollen covers, "tell me now, the honest truth: can it be possible for -such a old hulk as me to escape eternal damnation? I'm shy of the -priest, but I was brought up a Christian: and now that I can't get no -booze here, I settle down in me bed o' nights with the jim-jams, and -shake like an earthquake. But if _I_ don't have to go to the devil, they -can go to blazes with their bloomin' damnation! They can use their fires -to dry the shirts of the angels, or to bake butter-cakes!--it's all the -same to me." - -"Listen, my man," said Markus, kindly. "I am going to speak to you from -my heart. Will you believe me?" - -"That I will, Marrakus," replied the old man, seriously, holding up a -withered talon. - -"When I stand before the Father above--if He let me into heaven--I shall -say, I will not enter in until Old Bram also is redeemed from hell--even -if he be the very last one." - -For a time the old fellow continued to gaze into the earnest eyes of -Markus. Then his grotesque face assumed a whimsical grin, and he let -himself fall back on his pillow, with a thud. There he lay, dumbfounded, -staring at the ceiling--grinning, mumbling, and shaking his head. -Johannes heard him whisper, "God-a-mighty!--Jesus Christ--Jesus -Mary--God-a-mighty forever--" and so on and on. - -Gently, yet not without some bitterness, Marjon asked: - -"But, Markus, is he worthy of that? The fellow is half-witted." - -Markus replied, "And Keesje, then? Have you not shed tears over him? -There is more need for them here." - -Thereat the two lapsed into thoughtful silence. At length Johannes, -sighing deeply, exclaimed, "Oh, how many enigmas there are! The golden -key seems farther away than ever." - -"Yet it is nearer," said Markus. "Because you have chosen Me and Life, -instead of Windekind and Death. - -"The lily of eternal wisdom is a tender flower, which needs to grow -slowly, and of itself. - -"The Father hath sent us all forth to search for it; but no one findeth -it alone. - -"Eternal wisdom is like a bashful maiden: she flees from him who pursues -too recklessly; but that one who turns aside, and first follows after -love--him she coyly comes to find." - -When Markus had said this, Marjon blurted out: - -"Johannes and I are husband and wife." - -Markus nodded, without appearing at all surprised. - -"Will you join us in truth, Markus?" asked Johannes. - -"Can I give truth, Johannes, where it is not?" asked Markus. - -"That is not what I mean," said Johannes, in confusion; "but I will -promise to be true to her, in the sense you mean." - -"Consider your words, Johannes. A promise is a prophecy. Who can -prophesy without full knowledge? This man beside me here promised not to -drink. He intended not to; but what is his promise worth, without -knowledge? Have you knowledge of your lasting faith? Then say, 'I desire -to be true,' and show it. But make no promises; for whoever makes an -idle promise is guilty; and whoever keeps a false promise is more guilty -than he who breaks it." - -Then said Marjon to Johannes: "I do not wish you to make any promises, -but I want your loyalty. If you will not remain true without promises, I -do not wish them. Can you love only because you have promised to? For -such love as that I would not thank you." - -"Then I will say that I feel true, so far as I know myself," said -Johannes, "and I will promise that I will do everything in my power to -remain true." - -"That is more considerately said," added Markus. - -"But where we are to set up housekeeping I cannot yet see--he a -_piccolo_, and I only a housemaid! That doesn't bring in much. I think -we shall yet fetch up in a tingel-tangel."[1] - -"It cannot make any difference to me where we find ourselves, if only I -know I am contributing something toward the good life--toward the -happiness of all those fine and dear people whom I have seen. But there -will be small chance of that, either as _piccolo_ or in a -tingel-tangel." - -"Children," said Markus, "out of the word springs the deed, and out of -the deed springs life. And every one who speaks the good word creates -the deed and fosters life." - -"Good," said Johannes. "We will speak the word to all who have ears, so -long as we shall live; and even if in prison, we shall speak it. And I -have not only a mouth, but hands also that are willing to do." - -"Such hands will always find something to do--with more to follow; for -the word and the deed are like the forest and the rain: the forest -attracts the rain, and the rain makes the forest grow." - -"But how, then," cried Johannes, "how? I see no way, no opportunity for -my deeds." - -"Do you remember what I told you about the field-laborers? That tells it -all. And this I say to you, Johannes: constant love makes one -invincible; love, a sure memory, and patience. For him who draws nigh to -the Father, and who forgets not, who remains always the same,--for such -a one, although he still be weak, God always opens the way through every -obstruction and perplexity. He is like one who continues to urge gently, -in one direction, through throngs that go--they know not whither. He -will make progress where others lag behind. And think of it, children, -the highest and noblest thing you can long for is still only sad and -inferior compared with what you can attain through a calm and -steadfastly determined love." - -The bell which warned the visitors that it was four o'clock, and time to -leave, had sounded some time ago, and the ward was nearly empty. The -head nurse softly clapped her hands, to indicate to Johannes and Marjon -that they must pass on. They were obliged to rise. - -Then the door opened, and Professor Snijman came in with two assistants. -The professor was a tall man, with a beardless face, and brown hair -which curled behind his ears and about his carefully shaven neck. He had -a hard and haughty look, with an assumption of stately condescension. -With short steps he walked up to Markus' bed, followed by the two young -men--his assistants--with little pointed, blonde beards, and in spotless -white linen coats. - -"Well, well! Come! Visitors still? Not getting on very fast, are you?" -said the professor. - -At the same time he studied Markus with the cool calculation of a -gardener considering whether he will uproot the shrub or let it remain. -Then he took Markus' paralyzed hand in his own, and moved it -meditatively. - -"It seems to me, gentlemen--don't you think?--that we'll have to try -what the knife can do here. Don't you think so? It's a _casus perditus_, -anyway, isn't it? And who knows?... removal of the bone -splinter--relieving the pressure on the motor-centre.... Possibly -splendid results, don't you think?" - -The assistants nodded, and whispered to each other and to the professor. -Markus said: - -"Professor, will you not let me rest in peace? I am quite resigned to my -condition. I know that it will be labor lost; and I am not willing to be -made unconscious." - -"Come, come," said the professor, half commanding, half in pretended -kindness. "Not so gloomy, not so crest-fallen. We'll just see if you -can't have the use of this arm again, shall we not? You need not be -afraid. Everything is safe, and no pain. Would you not like to be able -again to draw on your own blouse, to cut your meat, and to fill your -pipe? Come, come! Keep up courage--keep up courage. Sister, -to-morrow--ten o'clock--on the operating-table." - -Then to Marjon and Johannes: - -"Hello, young folks, it's after four. Out of the ward, quick!" - -Markus put out his hand, which they both kissed, and said: "Till I see -you again." - - -[1] A kind of cheap music-hall. - - - - -XXV - - -The next Wednesday, at two o'clock, when they came again with the stream -of visitors, and, with the eagerness of those who thirst and know where -they will find water, hastened to the ward where Markus lay, they saw, -as they entered, three green screens around his bed. - -They had not yet learned what that means in a hospital ward, and they -stepped up to the bed as hastily as ever, expecting that Markus might -now be able to speak to them with more privacy. But Sjaak, at number -six, saw them coming, and, thrusting out his lower lip compassionately, -he shook his red head. - -"Gone!" said he. - -And Old Bram, on the other side: - -"Just missed him! Gone--this mornin'!" - -"Gone!" exclaimed Johannes, terrified and not understanding. "Where?" - -"Well," replied Sjaak, "if he'd only come back and tell me where, I'd -know more than I do." - -And Bram, whom Sjaak could not see, on account of the screen, said to -Marjon: - -"He promised me," striking the woolen covers with his fist, "that I'll -not be lost. He promised it, and I count on it. I just do!" - -"What has happened to him?" asked Marjon, gradually comprehending. - -"They operated on him," said Sjaak. "They got the ash-can out of his -brains. If he'd lived, then he'd 'a' walked again. He'd 'a' left the -premises now, if he'd only lived." - -"Come with me, Marjon," said Johannes; and he led her away. Then softly, -"Shall we ask to see him--now?" - -Marjon, pale as death, but calm, replied: "Not I, Jo. I want to keep -the living picture before me as a last remembrance, not the dead one." - -Johannes, as pale as she, silently acquiesced. - -Then he went to the head nurse and asked, softly and modestly: - -"When is the funeral to be, Sister?" - -The Sister, a small, trim, pale and spectacled lady, with a rather sour -but yet not heartless face, gave the two a swift glance, and said, -somewhat nervously and hurriedly: - -"Oh, you mean number seven, do you not? Yes? Well, we know nothing about -him. There is indeed no family, is there? There was no statement of -birth--no ticket of removal--nothing. There is--ah ... there is to be no -funeral." - -"No funeral, Sister!" exclaimed Marjon. "But what then? What--what is to -be done with ... with him?" - -Then the nurse, with a scientific severity probably more cruel than she -purposed, said: - -"The cadaver goes to the dissecting-rooms, Miss." - -For a time the two stood speechless--completely dismayed and horrified. -They had not thought of that possibility--they were not prepared for -such a thing. They both felt it unbearably gruesome, now that they faced -the fact, and were without advice. - -"Is there no help for it, Sister?" asked Johannes, stammering in his -confusion. "Can it not ... can it not ... from the poor fund...?" - -He comprehended that it would be a question of money, but he could see -no relief. - -More practical, Marjon immediately asked, "What would it cost, Sister?" - -"I am sorry, Miss," replied the nurse, her feelings now really touched -for them, "but I fear you have come too late. You ought to have asked -about that in advance. The professor has given express orders." - -"Twenty-five gulden, Sister? Would that be enough?" asked Marjon, -perseveringly. - -The Sister shrugged her shoulders. - -"Possibly, if you ask the professor, and if you can prove that you -belong to the family. But I am afraid it is too late." The two turned -away in silence. - - * * * * * - -"What shall we do, Marjon?" asked Johannes, when they were in the -street. - -"There is no use in going to that professor," said Marjon. "He's a -conceited fool--bound to have his own way. But it's a matter of money." - -"I have nothing, Marjon," said Johannes. - -"Neither have I, Jo--at least, nothing to begin with. But we must go -after the people who _do_ have something. You know who." - -"It is miserable work, Marjon." - -"It is that; but we shall maybe get still harder work on his account. -Don't you think so?" - -"Yes, of course; but neither will I shun it. I am going, now. I know -well where you want me to go." - -"Good! They are the richest, are they not? But I, too, am going out to -get something. You might not succeed there." - -"Where are you going?" - -"Where there is money, Jo,--to the circus, and to Vrede-best." - -"Have you enough to get there with?" - -"Yes. I've enough for that." - - * * * * * - -Great was the indignation in the Roodhuis and Van Tijn households when -they heard of the event. Sentimentality, the enjoyment of the -sensational, and attachment to tradition--all this so moved the good -women that their meagre purses contributed, without delay, three gulden -and twenty-four cents. - -In the meantime Johannes dragged himself to Dolores' villa. In the -drawing-room, beside a brightly flaming wood fire, sat Van Lieverlee -engaged in lively conversation with two young-lady callers, for whom -the countess was pouring tea. Into this circle came Johannes, with his -sad heart and his lugubrious petition. - -He entered hurriedly, awkwardly, abruptly, without heeding the -astonished and disdainful looks of the visitors, nor the very evident -consternation which his poverty-stricken appearance, his untoward -entrance, and his melancholy tidings made upon host and hostess. - -"But, Johannes," said Van Lieverlee, "I thought you were more -philosophical and had higher ideas than that. It seems to me that--for -your friend who claimed to be a magician, and for yourself who believed -in him--it makes a sad lot of bother what happens to the dust out of -which his temporal presence was formed." - -"I thought," replied Johannes, "that as you are now a Catholic, you -might perhaps feel that you could do something for...." - -"Certainly," said Van Lieverlee, scornfully, "if your friend also were a -Catholic. Was he?" - -"No, Mijnheer," replied Johannes. - -"But, Johannes," said the countess, "why was not your friend in a burial -club? Nowadays all people of his class belong to such clubs. Is that not -so, Freule?" - -"Of course," replied the Honorable Lady. "Every decent poor person -belongs to a club. But it's astonishing how people will complain of -their poverty and yet be _so_ thoughtless and careless." - -"Yes, astonishing," sighed the other visitor. - -"Then you will do nothing for me?" asked Johannes, not without a touch -of bitterness in his tones. - -The countess looked at Van Lieverlee, who frowned and shook his head. - -"No, dear Johannes. For anything else, quite willingly; but for this -there seems to be no justification." - - * * * * * - -A whole night and day passed in which nothing could be done, since -Marjon had not yet returned; and the three gulden and twenty-four cents -had only increased by very slow degrees to about five gulden. - -At last, on Saturday forenoon, a carriage drew up to the door of the -little coffee-house, and out stepped a stately figure in black, which, -with its old-time jetted bonnet, heavy rustling black-silk skirt, full -mantilla, and a dainty, lavenderlike suggestion of linen chests, and of -choice silken souvenirs, entirely filled the narrow entrance. - -"Aunt Serena!" cried Johannes. And in a quick impulse of warm affection -he threw his arms around her. - -"It is herself!" said Marjon, excited by her success. "And I've got ten -gulden from the dark woman, who is not so bad as I thought she was." - - * * * * * - -Aunt Serena received a cup of coffee, and was soon on good terms with -the Roodhuis family. - -In the same carriage that had brought her, Marjon and Johannes drove -with her to the hospital. They were sure of success, now, relying upon -Aunt Serena's wealth. - -But you will not be surprised to hear that they arrived too late--that -the doorman, and the doctor on duty, gave them positive assurance that, -for all the gold in the world, there could now be no question of -burial--because no one could reassemble what had once been the body of -their friend. - -"Wretches!" muttered Marjon, as they went homeward. But Johannes cried -out: "Oh, Marjon, Marjon, the time is not yet come for men to honor -their kings." - - * * * * * - -There was mourning only in the dark alcove behind the drinking-room of -the total-abstainers' coffee-house; but there the mourning, the sobbing -and the sighing, were genuine. - -Before going away, Aunt Serena remarked: - -"You see, the golden apples of my little tree were good for something, -after all." - -"Ah, Aunt Serena," replied Johannes, "do not think me proud. I did not -come to you before, because I was ashamed, even though you had said I -need not be. But _he_ has cured me of looking down upon others because -they do not yet think as I do." - -"Then you will not be too proud to cherish my little apple-tree, if I -leave it for you to transplant into your own garden?" - -And she laughingly continued: - -"That is not so kindly intentioned as it appears to be. I have a -mischievous pleasure in thinking of your embarrassment at not knowing -how to use it better than I did." - -"That is naughty of you, Aunt Serena," said Marjon. - -"One thing I know," said Johannes. "I shall spread broadcast, the -'little apples,' that from them new trees may grow; for _he_ taught us -that." - -"Good! You must come, some time, and explain that to me. God bless you -both! And God bless your work, my children." - -"God bless you, Aunt Serena! Give Daatje our greetings." - -And now I have told you all that I had to tell about Little Johannes. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Quest, by Frederik van Eeden - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE QUEST *** - -***** This file should be named 40657.txt or 40657.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/6/5/40657/ - -Produced by Marc D'Hooghe at http://www.freeliterature.org -(Images generously made available by the Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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