the twins of table mountain-第22部分

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Hatto　of　the　story？〃

〃His　enemies　made　it　the　subject　of　a　vile　slander　of　an　old　friend
of　mine；〃　said　the　baron；　〃and　those　cursed　poets；　who　believe
everything；　and　then　persuade　others　to　do　so；may　the　Devil　fly
away　with　them！kept　it　up。〃

Here　were　facts　quite　to　Mr。　Clinch's　sceptical　mind。　　He　forgot
himself　and　his　surroundings。

〃And　that　story　of　the　Drachenfels？〃　he　asked　insinuatingly；〃the
dragon；　you　know。　　Was　he　too〃

The　baron　grinned。　　〃A　boar　transformed　by　the　drunken　brains　of
the　Bauers　of　the　Siebengebirge。　　Ach　Gott！　　Ottefried　had　many　a
hearty　laugh　over　it；　and　it　did　him；　as　thou　knowest；　good　service
with　the　nervous　mother　of　the　silly　maiden。〃

〃And　the　seven　sisters　of　Schonberg？〃　asked　Mr。　Clinch　persuasively。

〃'Schonberg！　　Seven　sisters！'　　What　of　them？〃　demanded　the　baron
sharply。

〃Why；　you　know；the　maidens　who　were　so　coy　to　their　suitors；　and
don't　you　remember？jumped　into　the　Rhine　to　avoid　them。〃

〃'Coy？　　Jumped　into　the　Rhine　to　avoid　suitors'？〃　roared　the　baron；
purple　with　rage。　　〃Hark　ye；　nephew！　　I　like　not　this　jesting。
Thou　knowest　I　married　one　of　the　Schonberg　girls；　as　did　thy
father。　　How　'coy'　they　were　is　neither　here　nor　there；　but　mayhap
WE　might　tell　another　story。　　Thy　father；　as　weak　a　fellow　as　thou
art　where　a　petticoat　is　concerned；　could　not　as　a　gentleman　do
other　than　he　did。　　And　THIS　is　his　reward？　　Ach　Gott！　　'Coy！'　　And
THIS；　I　warrant；　is　the　way　the　story　is　delivered　in　Paris。〃

Mr。　Clinch　would　have　answered　that　this　was　the　way　he　read　it　in
a　guidebook；　but　checked　himself　at　the　hopelessness　of　the
explanation。　　Besides；　he　was　on　the　eve　of　historic　information；
he　was；　as　it　were；　interviewing　the　past；　and；　whether　he　would
ever　be　able　to　profit　by　the　opportunity　or　not；　he　could　not　bear
to　lose　it。　　〃And　how　about　the　Loreleiis　she；　too；　a　fiction？〃
he　asked　glibly。

〃It　was　said；〃　observed　the　baron　sardonically；　〃that　when　thou
disappeared　with　the　gamekeeper's　daughter　at　ObercasselHeaven
knows　where！thou　wast　swallowed　up　in　a　whirlpool　with　some
creature。　　Ach　Gott！　　I　believe　it！　　But　a　truce　to　this
balderdash。　　And　so　thou　wantest　to　know　of　the　'coy'　sisters　of
Schoenberg？　　Hark　ye；　Jann；　that　cousin　of　thine　is　a　Schonberg。
Call　you　her　'coy'？　　Did　I　not　see　thy　greeting？　　Eh？　　By　St。
Adolph；　knowing　thee　as　she　does　to　be　robber　and　thief；　call　you
her　greeting　'coy'？〃

Furious　as　Mr。　Clinch　inwardly　became　under　these　epithets；　he　felt
that　his　explanation　would　hardly　relieve　the　maiden　from　deceit；
or　himself　from　weakness。　　But　out　of　his　very　perplexity　and
turmoil　a　bright　idea　was　born。　　He　turned　to　the　baron；

〃Then　you　have　no　faith　in　the　Rhine　legends？〃

The　baron　only　replied　with　a　contemptuous　shrug　of　his　shoulders。

〃But　what　if　I　told　you　a　new　one？〃

〃You？〃

〃Yes；　a　part　of　my　experience？〃

The　baron　was　curious。　　It　was　early　in　the　afternoon；　just　after
dinner。　　He　might　be　worse　bored。

〃I've　only　one　condition；〃　added　Mr。　Clinch：　〃the　young　ladyI
mean；　of　course；　my　cousinmust　hear　it　too。〃

〃Oh；　ay！　　I　see。　　Of　coursethe　old　trick！　　Well；　call　the　jade。
But　mark　ye；　Sir　Nephew；　no　enchanted　maidens　and　knights。　　Keep　to
thyself。　　Be　as　thou　art；　vagabond　Jann　Kolnische；　knight　of　the
road。What　ho　there；　scoundrels！　　Call　the　Lady　Wilhemina。〃

It　was　the　first　time　Mr。　Clinch　had　heard　his　fair　friend's　name；
but　it　was　not；　evidently；　the　first　time　she　had　seen　him；　as　the
very　decided　wink　the　gentle　maiden　dropped　him　testified。
Nevertheless；　with　hands　lightly　clasped　together；　and　downcast
eyes；　she　stood　before　them。

Mr。　Clinch　began。　　Without　heeding　the　baron's　scornful　grin；　he
graphically　described　his　meeting；　two　years　before；　with　a
Lorelei；　her　usual　pressing　invitation；　and　his　subsequent　plunge
into　the　Rhine。

〃I　am　free　to　confess；〃　added　Mr。　Clinch；　with　an　affecting　glance
to　Wilhelmina；　〃that　I　was　not　enamoured　of　the　graces　of　the　lady；
but　was　actuated　by　my　desire　to　travel；　and　explore　hitherto
unknown　regions。　　I　wished　to　travel；　to　visit〃

〃Paris；〃　interrupted　the　baron　sarcastically。

〃America；〃　continued　Mr。　Clinch。

〃What？〃〃America。〃

〃'Tis　a　gnome…like　sounding　name；　this　Meriker。　　Go　on；　nephew：
tell　us　of　Meriker。〃

With　the　characteristic　fluency　of　his　nation；　Mr。　Clinch　described
his　landing　on　those　enchanted　shores；　viz；　the　Rhine　Whirlpool　and
Hell　Gate；　East　River；　New　York。　　He　described　the　railways；　tram…
ways；　telegraphs；　hotels；　phonograph；　and　telephone。　　An　occasional
oath　broke　from　the　baron；　but　he　listened　attentively；　and　in　a
few　moments　Mr。　Clinch　had　the　raconteur's　satisfaction　of　seeing
the　vast　hall　slowly　filling　with　open…eyed　and　open…mouthed
retainers　hanging　upon　his　words。　　Mr。　Clinch　went　on　to　describe
his　astonishment　at　meeting　on　these　very　shores　some　of　his　own
blood　and　kin。　　〃In　fact；〃　said　Mr。　Clinch；　〃here　were　a　race
calling　themselves　'Clinch；'　but　all　claiming　to　have　descended
from　Kolnische。〃

〃And　how？〃　sneered　the　baron。

〃Through　James　Kolnische　and　Wilhelmina　his　wife；〃　returned　Mr。
Clinch　boldly。　　〃They　emigrated　from　Koln　and　Crefeld　to
Philadelphia；　where　there　is　a　quarter　named　Crefeld。〃　　Mr。　Clinch
felt　himself　shaky　as　to　his　chronology；　but　wisely　remembered　that
it　was　a　chronology　of　the　future　to　his　hearers；　and　they　could
not　detect　an　anachronism。　　With　his　eyes　fixed　upon　those　of　the
gentle　Wilhelmina；　Mr。　Clinch　now　proceeded　to　describe　his　return
to　his　fatherland；　but　his　astonishment　at　finding　the　very　face　of
the　country　changed；　and　a　city　standing　on　those　fields　he　had
played　in　as　a　boy；　and　how　he　had　wandered　hopelessly　on；　until　he
at　last　sat　wearily　down　in　a　humble　cottage　built　upon　the　ruins
of　a　lordly　castle。　　〃So　utterly　travel…worn　and　weak　had　I
become；〃　said　Mr。　Clinch；　with　adroitly　simulated　pathos；　〃that　a
single　glass　of　wine　offered　me　by　the　simple　cottage　maiden
affected　me　like　a　prolonged　debauch。〃

A　long…drawn　snore　was　all　that　followed　this　affecting　climax。
The　baron　was　asleep；　the　retainers　were　also　asleep。　　Only　one
pair　of　eyes　remained　open；arch；　luminous；　blue；Wilhelmina's。

〃There　is　a　subterranean　passage　below　us　to　Linn。　　Let　us　fly！〃
she　whispered。

〃But　why？〃

〃They　always　do　it　in　the　legends；〃　she　murmured　modestly。

〃But　your　father？〃

〃He　sleeps。　　Do　you　not　hear　him？〃

Certainly　somebody　was　snoring。　　But；　oddly　enough；　it　seemed　to　be
Wilhelmina。　　Mr。　Clinch　suggested　this　to　her。

〃Fool；　it　is　yourself！〃

Mr。　Clinch；　struck　with　the　idea；　stopped　to　consider。　　She　was
right。　　It　certainly　WAS　himself。

With　a　struggle　he　awoke。　　The　sun　was　shining。　　The　maiden　was
looking　at　him。　　But　the　castlethe　castle　was　gone！

〃You　have　slept　well；〃　said　the　maiden　archly。　　〃Everybody　does
after　dinner　at　Sammtstadt。　　Father　has　just　awakened；　and　is
coming。〃

Mr。　Clinch　stared　at　the　maiden；　at　the　terrace；　at　the　sky；　at　the
distant　chimneys　of　Sammtstadt；　at　the　more　distant　Rhine；　at　the
table　before　him；　and　finally　at　the　empty　glass。　　The　maiden
smiled。　　〃Tell　me；〃　said　Mr。　Clinch；　looking　in　her　eyes；　〃is　there
a　secret　passage　underground　between　this　place　and　the　Castle　of
Linn？〃

〃An　underground　passage？〃

〃Aywhence　the　daughter　of　the　house　fled　with　a　stranger　knight。〃

〃They　say　there　is；〃　said　the　maiden；　with　a　gentle　blush。

〃Can　you　show　it　to　me？〃

She　hesitated。　　〃Papa　is　coming：　I'll　ask　him。〃

I　presume　she　did。　　At　least　the　Herr　Consul　at　Sammtstadt　informs
me　of　a　marriage…certificate　issued　to　one　Clinch　of　Chicago；　and
Kolnische　of　Koln；　and　there　is　an　amusing　story　extant　in　the
Verein　at　Sammtstadt；　of　an　American　connoisseur　of　Rhine　wines；
who　mistook　a　flask　of　Cognac　and　rock…candy；　used　for　〃craftily
qualifying〃　lower　grades　of　wine　to　the　American　standard；　for　the
rarest　Rudesheimerberg。




VIEWS　FROM　A　GERMAN　SPION


Outside　of　my　window；　two　narrow　perpendicular　mirrors；　parallel
with　the　casement；　project　into　the　street；　yet　with　a　certain
unobtrusiveness　of　angle　that　enables　them　to　reflect　the　people
who　pass；　without　any　reciprocal　disclosure　of　their　own。　　The　men
and　women　hurrying　by　not　only　do　not　know　they　are　observed；　but；
what　is　worse；　do　not　even　see　their　own　reflection　in　this
hypocritical　plane；　and　are　consequently　unable；　through　its　aid；
to　correct　any　carelessness　of　garb；　gait；　or　demeanor。　　At　first
this　seems　to　be　taking　an　unfair　advantage　of　the　human　animal；
who　invariably　assumes　an　attitude　when　he　is　conscious　of　being
under　human　focus。　　But　I　observe　that　my　neighbors'　windows；　right
and　left；　have　a　similar　apparatus；　that　this　custom　is　evidently　a
local　one；　and　the　locality　is　German。　　Being　an　American　stranger；
I　am　quite　willing　to　leave　the　morality　of　the　transaction　with
the　locality；　and　adapt　myself　to　the　custom：　indeed；　I　had　thought
of　offering　it；　figuratively；　as　an　excuse　for　any　unfairness　of
observation　I　might　make　in　these　pages。　　But　my　German　mirrors
reflect　without　prejudice；　selection；　or　comment；　and　the　American
eye；　I　fear；　is　but　mortal；　and　like　all　mortal　eyes；　figuratively
as　well　as　in　that　literal　fact　noted　by　an　eminent　scientific
authority；　infinitely　inferior　to　the　work　of　the　best　German
opticians。

And　this　leads　me　to　my　first　observation；　namely；　that　a　majority
of　those　who　pass　my　mirror　have　weak　eyes；　and　have　already
invoked　the　aid　of　the　optician。　　Why　are　these　people；　physically
in　all　else　so　much　stronger　than　my　countrymen；　deficient　in
eyesight？　　Or；　to　omit　the　passing　testimony　of　my　Spion；　and　take
my　own　personal　experience；　why　does　my　young　friend　Max；　brightest
of　all　schoolboys；　who　already　wears　the　cap　that　denotes　the
highest　class；why　does　he　shock　me　by　suddenly　drawing　forth　a
pair　of　spectacles；　that　upon　his　fresh；　rosy　face　would　be　an
obvious　mocking　imitation　of　the　Herr　Papaif　German　children
could　ever；　by　any　possibility；　be　irreverent？　　Or　why　does　the
Fraulein　Marie；　his　sister；　pink　as　Aurora；　round　as　Hebe；　suddenly
veil　her　blue　eyes　with　a　golden　lorgnette　in　the　midst　of　our
polyglot　conv