Emil thanked him, and in a very short time he was
completely at home with him and with his room; he
looked at all his things, asked him about almost every
one of them, where he had bought it, and what was
its value. He helped him to shave, observing that
it was a mistake not to let his moustache grow; and
finally told him a number of details about his mother,
his sister, Pantaleone, the poodle Tartaglia, and
all their daily life. Every semblance of timidity
vanished in Emil; he suddenly felt extraordinarily
attracted to Sanin—not at all because he
had saved his life the day before, but because he was
such a nice person! He lost no time in confiding
all his secrets to Sanin. He expatiated with
special warmth on the fact that his mother was set
on making him a shopkeeper, while he knew, knew
for certain, that he was born an artist, a musician,
a singer; that Pantaleone even encouraged him, but
that Herr Klueber supported mamma, over whom he had
great influence; that the very idea of his being a
shopkeeper really originated with Herr Klueber, who
considered that nothing in the world could compare
with trade! To measure out cloth—and
cheat the public, extorting from it ‘Narren—oder
Russen Preise’ (fools’—or
Russian prices)—that was his ideal! [Footnote:
In former days—and very likely it is not
different now—when, from May onwards, a
great number of Russians visited Frankfort, prices
rose in all the shops, and were called ‘Russians’,’
or, alas! ‘fools’ prices.’]
‘Come! now you must come and see us!’
he cried, directly Sanin had finished his toilet and
written his letter to Berlin.
‘It’s early yet,’ observed Sanin.
‘That’s no matter,’ replied Emil
caressingly. ’Come along! We’ll
go to the post—and from there to our place.
Gemma will be so glad to see you! You must have
lunch with us.... You might say a word to mamma
about me, my career....’
‘Very well, let’s go,’ said Sanin,
and they set off.
X
Gemma certainly was delighted to see him, and Frau
Lenore gave him a very friendly welcome; he had obviously
made a good impression on both of them the evening
before. Emil ran to see to getting lunch ready,
after a preliminary whisper, ‘don’t forget!’
in Sanin’s ear.
‘I won’t forget,’ responded Sanin.
Frau Lenore was not quite well; she had a sick headache,
and, half-lying down in an easy chair, she tried to
keep perfectly still. Gemma wore a full yellow
blouse, with a black leather belt round the waist;
she too seemed exhausted, and was rather pale; there
were dark rings round her eyes, but their lustre was
not the less for it; it added something of charm and
mystery to the classical lines of her face. Sanin
was especially struck that day by the exquisite beauty
of her hands; when she smoothed and put back her dark,
glossy tresses he could not take his eyes off her
long supple fingers, held slightly apart from one
another like the hand of Raphael’s Fornarina.
Copyrights
The Torrents of Spring from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.
