第50章 PART I(49)

"Well,"she answered coolly,"Madame Fontaine has promised to reconsider it."I confess I was staggered.By what possible motives could the widow have been animated?Even Mr.Engelman's passive assistance was now of no further importance to her.She had gained Mr.Keller's confidence;her daughter's marriage was assured;her employment in the house offered her a liberal salary,a respectable position,and a comfortable home.Why should she consent to reconsider the question of marrying a man,in whom she could not be said to feel any sort of true interest,in any possible acceptation of the words?I began to think that my aunt was right,and that I really did know absolutely nothing about women.

At supper Madame Fontaine and her daughter were both unusually silent.

Open-hearted Minna was not capable of concealing that her mother's concession had been made known to her in some way,and that the disclosure had disagreeably surprised her.However,there was no want of gaiety at the table--thanks to my aunt,and to her faithful attendant.

Jack Straw followed us into the room,without waiting to be invited,and placed himself,to Joseph's disgust,behind Mrs.Wagner's chair.

"Nobody waits on Mistress at table,"he explained,"but me.Sometimes she gives me a bit or a drink over her shoulder.Very little drink--just a sip,and no more.I quite approve of only a sip myself.Oh,I know how to behave.None of your wine-merchant's fire in _my_head;no Bedlam breaking loose again.Make your minds easy.There are no cooler brains among you than mine."At this,Fritz burst into one of his explosions of laughter.Jack appealed to Fritz's father,with unruffled gravity."Your son,I believe,sir?Ha!what a blessing it is there's plenty of room for improvement in that young man.I only throw out a remark.If I was afflicted with a son myself,I think I should prefer David."This specimen of Jack's method of asserting himself,and other similar outbreaks which Fritz and I mischievously encouraged,failed apparently to afford any amusement to Madame Fontaine.Once she roused herself to ask Mr.Keller if his sister had written to him from Munich.Hearing that no reply had been received,she relapsed into silence.The old excuse of a nervous headache was repeated,when Mr.Keller and my aunt politely inquired if anything was amiss.

When the letters were delivered the next morning,two among them were not connected with the customary business of the office.One (with the postmark of Bingen)was for me.And one (with the postmark of Wurzburg)was for Madame Fontaine.I sent it upstairs to her immediately.

When I opened my own letter,I found sad news of poor Mr.Engelman.Time and change had failed to improve his spirits.He complained of a feeling of fullness and oppression in his head,and of hissing noises in his ears,which were an almost constant annoyance to him.On two occasions he had been cupped,and had derived no more than a temporary benefit from the employment of that remedy.His doctor recommended strict attention to diet,and regular exercise.He submitted willingly to the severest rules at table--but there was no rousing him to exert himself in any way.For hours together,he would sit silent in one place,half sleeping,half waking;noticing no one,and caring for nothing but to get to his bed as soon as possible.

This statement of the case seemed to me to suggest very grave considerations.I could no longer hesitate to inform Mr.Keller that Ihad received intelligence of his absent partner,and to place my letter in his hands.

Whatever little disagreements there had been between them were instantly forgotten.I had never before seen Mr.Keller so distressed and so little master of himself.

"I must go to Engelman directly,"he said.

I ventured to submit that there were two serious objections to his doing this:In the first place,his presence in the office was absolutely necessary.In the second place,his sudden appearance at Bingen would prove to be a serious,perhaps a fatal,shock to his old friend.

"What is to be done,then?"he exclaimed.

"I think my aunt may be of some use,sir,in this emergency.""Your aunt?How can she help us?"

I informed him of my aunt's project;and I added that Madame Fontaine had not positively said No.He listened without conviction,frowning and shaking his head.

"Mrs.Wagner is a very impetuous person,"he said."She doesn't understand a complex nature like Madame Fontaine's.""At least I may show my aunt the letter from Bingen,sir?""Yes.It can do no harm,if it does no good."On my way to my aunt's room,I encountered Minna on the stairs.She was crying.I naturally asked what was the matter.

"Don't stop me!"was the only answer I received.

"But where are you going,Minna?"

"I am going to Fritz,to be comforted."

"Has anybody behaved harshly to you?"

"Yes,mamma has behaved harshly to me.For the first time in my life,"said the spoilt child,with a strong sense of injury,"she has locked the door of her room,and refused to let me in.""But why?"

"How can I tell?I believe it has something to do with that horrid man Itold you of.You sent a letter upstairs this morning.I met Joseph on the landing,and took the letter to her myself.Why shouldn't I look at the postmark?Where was the harm in saying to her,'A letter,mamma,from Wurzburg'?She looked at me as if I had mortally offended her--and pointed to the door,and locked herself in.I have knocked twice,and asked her to forgive me.Not a word of answer either time!I consider myself insulted.Let me go to Fritz."I made no attempt to detain her.She had set those every-ready suspicions of mine at work again.