the indiscretion of elsbeth-第2章

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the　passport；　〃scarcely　does　you　justice。　　ACH　GOTT！　it　is　the　same

in　all　countries；　the　official　eye　is　not　that　of　the　young　DAMEN。〃



Hoffman；　though　not　conceited；　had　not　lived　twenty　years　without

knowing　that　he　was　very　good…looking；　yet　there　was　something　in

the　remark　that　caused　him　to　color　with　a　new　uneasiness。



The　Ober…Inspector　rose　with　another　bow；　and　moved　toward　the

door。　　〃I　hope　you　will　let　me　make　amends　for　this　intrusion　by

doing　anything　I　can　to　render　your　visit　here　a　pleasant　one。

Perhaps；〃　he　added；　〃it　is　not　for　long。〃



But　Hoffman　evaded　the　evident　question；　as　he　resented　what　he

imagined　was　a　possible　sneer。



〃I　have　not　yet　determined　my　movements；〃　he　said。



The　Ober…Inspector　brought　his　heels　together　in　a　somewhat　stiffer

military　salute　and　departed。



Nothing；　however；　could　have　exceeded　the　later　almost　servile

urbanity　of　the　landlord；　who　seemed　to　have　been　proud　of　the

official　visit　to　his　guest。　　He　was　profuse　in　his　attentions；　and

even　introduced　him　to　a　singularly　artistic…looking　man　of　middle

age；　wearing　an　order　in　his　buttonhole；　whom　he　met　casually　in

the　hall。



〃Our　Court　photographer；〃　explained　the　landlord　with　some　fervor；

〃at　whose　studio；　only　a　few　houses　distant；　most　of　the　Hoheiten

and　Prinzessinen　of　Germany　have　sat　for　their　likenesses。〃



〃I　should　feel　honored　if　the　distinguished　American　Herr　would

give　me　a　visit；〃　said　the　stranger　gravely；　as　he　gazed　at　Hoffman

with　an　intensity　which　recalled　the　previous　scrutiny　of　the

Police　Inspector；　〃and　I　would　be　charmed　if　he　would　avail　himself

of　my　poor　skill　to　transmit　his　picturesque　features　to　my　unique

collection。〃



Hoffman　returned　a　polite　evasion　to　this　invitation；　although　he

was　conscious　of　being　struck　with　this　second　examination　of　his

face；　and　the　allusion　to　his　personality。



The　next　morning　the　porter　met　him　with　a　mysterious　air。　　The

Herr　would　still　like　to　see　the　Schloss？　　Hoffman；　who　had　quite

forgotten　his　adventure　in　the　park；　looked　vacant。　　JA　WOHLthe

Hof　authorities　had　no　doubt　heard　of　his　visit　and　had　intimated

to　the　hotel　proprietor　that　he　might　have　permission　to　visit　the

model　farm　and　dairy。　　As　the　American　still　looked　indifferent　the

porter　pointed　out　with　some　importance　that　it　was　a　Ducal

courtesy　not　to　be　lightly　treated；　that　few；　indeed；　of　the

burghers　themselves　had　ever　been　admitted　to　this　eccentric　whim

of　the　late　Grand　Duchess。　　He　would；　of　course；　be　silent　about

it；　the　Court　would　not　like　it　known　that　they　had　made　an

exception　to　their　rules　in　favor　of　a　foreigner；　he　would　enter

quickly　and　boldly　alone。　　There　would　be　a　housekeeper　or　a

dairymaid　to　show　him　over　the　place。



More　amused　at　this　important　mystery　over　what　he；　as　an　American；

was　inclined　to　classify　as　a　〃free　pass〃　to　a　somewhat　heavy　〃side

show；〃　he　gravely　accepted　the　permission；　and　the　next　morning

after　breakfast　set　out　to　visit　the　model　farm　and　dairy。

Dismissing　his　driver；　as　he　had　been　instructed；　Hoffman　entered

the　gateway　with　a　mingling　of　expectancy　and　a　certain　amusement

over　the　〃boldness〃　which　the　porter　had　suggested　should

characterize　his　entrance。　　Before　him　was　a　beautifully　kept　lane

bordered　by　arbored　and　trellised　roses；　which　seemed　to　sink　into

the　distance。　　He　was　instinctively　following　it　when　he　became

aware　that　he　was　mysteriously　accompanied　by　a　man　in　the　livery

of　a　chasseur；　who　was　walking　among　the　trees　almost　abreast　of

him；　keeping　pace　with　his　step；　and　after　the　first　introductory

military　salute　preserving　a　ceremonious　silence。　　There　was

something　so　ludicrous　in　this　solemn　procession　toward　a　peaceful；

rural　industry　that　by　the　time　they　had　reached　the　bottom　of　the

lane　the　American　had　quite　recovered　his　good　humor。　　But　here　a

new　astonishment　awaited　him。　　Nestling　before　him　in　a　green

amphitheater　lay　a　little　wooden　farm…yard　and　outbuildings；　which

irresistibly　suggested　that　it　had　been　recently　unpacked　and　set

up　from　a　box　of　Nuremberg　toys。　　The　symmetrical　trees；　the

galleried　houses　with　preternaturally　glazed　windows；　even　the

spotty；　disproportionately　sized　cows　in　the　white…fenced　barnyards

were　all　unreal；　wooden　and　toylike。



Crossing　a　miniature　bridge　over　a　little　stream；　from　which　he　was

quite　prepared　to　hook　metallic　fish　with　a　magnet　their　own　size；

he　looked　about　him　for　some　real　being　to　dispel　the　illusion。

The　mysterious　chasseur　had　disappeared。　　But　under　the　arch　of　an

arbor；　which　seemed　to　be　composed　of　silk　ribbons；　green　glass；

and　pink　tissue　paper；　stood　a　quaint　but　delightful　figure。



At　first　it　seemed　as　if　he　had　only　dispelled　one　illusion　for

another。　　For　the　figure　before　him　might　have　been　made　of　Dresden

chinaso　daintily　delicate　and　unique　it　was　in　color　and

arrangement。　　It　was　that　of　a　young　girl　dressed　in　some　forgotten

medieval　peasant　garb　of　velvet　braids；　silver…staylaced　corsage；

lace　sleeves；　and　helmeted　metallic　comb。　　But；　after　the　Dresden

method；　the　pale　yellow　of　her　hair　was　repeated　in　her　bodice；　the

pink　of　her　cheeks　was　in　the　roses　of　her　chintz　overskirt。　　The

blue　of　her　eyes　was　the　blue　of　her　petticoat；　the　dazzling

whiteness　of　her　neck　shone　again　in　the　sleeves　and　stockings。

Nevertheless　she　was　real　and　human；　for　the　pink　deepened　in　her

cheeks　as　Hoffman's　hat　flew　from　his　head；　and　she　recognized　the

civility　with　a　grave　little　curtsy。



〃You　have　come　to　see　the　dairy；〃　she　said　in　quaintly　accurate

English；　〃I　will　show　you　the　way。〃



〃If　you　please；〃　said　Hoffman；　gaily；　〃but〃



〃But　what？〃　she　said；　facing　him　suddenly　with　absolutely

astonished　eyes。



Hoffman　looked　into　them　so　long　that　their　frank　wonder　presently

contracted　into　an　ominous　mingling　of　restraint　and　resentment。

Nothing　daunted；　however；　he　went　on：



〃Couldn't　we　shake　all　that？〃



The　look　of　wonder　returned。　　〃Shake　all　that？〃　she　repeated。　　〃I

do　not　understand。〃



〃Well！　I'm　not　positively　aching　to　see　cows；　and　you　must　be　sick

of　showing　them。　　I　think；　too；　I've　about　sized　the　whole　show。

Wouldn't　it　be　better　if　we　sat　down　in　that　arborsupposing　it

won't　fall　downand　you　told　me　all　about　the　lot？　　It　would　save

you　a　heap　of　trouble　and　keep　your　pretty　frock　cleaner　than

trapesing　round。　　Of　course；〃　he　said；　with　a　quick　transition　to

the　gentlest　courtesy；　〃if　you're　conscientious　about　this　thing

we'll　go　on　and　not　spare　a　cow。　　Consider　me　in　it　with　you　for

the　whole　morning。〃



She　looked　at　him　again；　and　then　suddenly　broke　into　a　charming

laugh。　　It　revealed　a　set　of　strong　white　teeth；　as　well　as　a

certain　barbaric　trace　in　its　cadence　which　civilized　restraint　had

not　entirely　overlaid。



〃I　suppose　she　really　is　a　peasant；　in　spite　of　that　pretty　frock；〃

he　said　to　himself　as　he　laughed　too。



But　her　face　presently　took　a　shade　of　reserve；　and　with　a　gentle

but　singular　significance　she　said：



〃I　think　you　must　see　the　dairy。〃



Hoffman's　hat　was　in　his　hand　with　a　vivacity　that　tumbled　the

brown　curls　on　his　forehead。　　〃By　all　means；〃　he　said　instantly；

and　began　walking　by　her　side　in　modest　but　easy　silence。　　Now　that

he　thought　her　a　conscientious　peasant　he　was　quiet　and　respectful。



Presently　she　lifted　her　eyes；　which；　despite　her　gravity；　had　not

entirely　lost　their　previous　mirthfulness；　and　said：



〃But　you　Americansin　your　rich　and　prosperous　country；　with　your

large　lands　and　your　great　harvestsyou　must　know　all　about

farming。〃



〃Never　was　in　a　dairy　in　my　life；〃　said　Hoffman　gravely。　　〃I'm　from

the　city　of　New　York；　where　the　cows　give　swill　milk；　and　are　kept

in　cellars。〃



Her　eyebrows　contracted　prettily　in　an　effort　to　understand。　　Then

she　apparently　gave　it　up；　and　said　with　a　slanting　glint　of

mischief　in　her　eyes