CHAPTER XV. FAREWELL TO KNAPFS
Consternation has corrugated the brows of the aborigines. Consternationtwice confounded had added a wrinkle or two to my collection. We arehomeless. That is, we are Knapfless--we, to whom the Knapfs spelledhome.
Herr Knapf, mustache aquiver, and Frau Knapf, cheek bones glistening,broke the news to us one evening just a week after the exciting daywhich so changed Bennie's life. "Es thut uns sehr, sehr leid," HerrKnapf had begun. And before he had finished, protesting German groansmingled with voluble German explanations. The aborigines were strickendown. They clapped pudgy fists to knobby foreheads; they smote theirbreasts, and made wild gestures with their arms. If my protests wereless frenzied than theirs, it was only because my knowledge of Germanstops at words of six syllables.
Out of the chaos of ejaculations and interrogation the reason for ourexpulsion at last was made clear. The little German hotel had not beenremunerative. Our host and hostess were too hospitable and too polite tostate the true reason for this state of affairs. Perhaps rents weretoo high. Perhaps, thought I, Frau Knapf had been too liberal with thebutter in the stewed chicken. Perhaps there had been too many goldenPfannkuchen with real eggs and milk stirred into them, and withtoothsome little islands of ruddy currant jelly on top. Perhaps therehad been too much honest, nourishing food, and not enough boarding-housevictuals. At any rate, the enterprise would have to be abandoned.
It was then that the bare, bright little dining room, with its queerprints of chin-chucking lieutenants, and its queerer faces, and itsGerman cookery became very dear to me. I had grown to like Frau Knapf,of the shining cheek bones, and Herr Knapf, of the heavy geniality. Aclose bond of friendship had sprung up between Frau Nirlanger and me. Iwould miss her friendly visits, and her pretty ways, and hersparkling conversation. She and I had held many kimonoed pow-wows, andsometimes--not often--she had given me wonderful glimpses of that whichshe had left--of Vienna, the opera, the court, the life which hadbeen hers. She talked marvelously well, for she had all the charmand vivacity of the true Viennese. Even the aborigines, bristlingpompadours, thick spectacles, terrifying manner, and all, became as dearas old friends, now that I knew I must lose them.
The great, high-ceilinged room upstairs had taken on the look of home.The Blue-beard closet no longer appalled me. The very purpleness of thepurple roses in the rug had grown beautiful in my eyes because they werepart of that little domain which spelled peace and comfort and kindness.How could I live without the stout yellow brocade armchair! Itsplethoric curves were balm for my tired bones. Its great lap admittedof sitting with knees crossed, Turk-fashion. Its cushioned back stoppedjust at the point where the head found needed support. Its pudgy armsoffered rest for tired elbows; its yielding bosom was made for tiredbacks. Given the padded comfort of that stout old chair--a friendly,time-tried book between my fingers--a dish of ruddy apples twinkling inthe fire-light; my mundane soul snuggled in content. And then, too, thebook-in-the-making had grown in that room. It had developed from a weak,wobbling uncertainty into a lusty full-blooded thing that grew and grewuntil it promised soon to become mansize.
Now all this was to be changed. And I knew that I would miss the easyGerman atmosphere of the place; the kindness they had shown me; thechattering, admiring Minna; the taffy-colored dachshund; the aborigineswith their ill-smelling pipes and flappy slippers; the Wienerschnitzel;the crushed-looking wives and the masterful German husbands; the verydarns in the table-cloths and the very nicks in the china.
We had a last family gathering in token of our appreciation of Herr andFrau Knapf. And because I had not seen him for almost three weeks; andbecause the time for his going was drawing so sickeningly near; andbecause I was quite sure that I had myself in hand; and because heknew the Knapfs, and was fond of them; and because-well, I invited VonGerhard. He came, and I found myself dangerously glad to see him, sothat I made my greeting as airy and frivolous as possible. Perhaps Ioverdid the airy business, for Von Gerhard looked at me for a long,silent minute, until the nonsense I had been chattering died on my lips,and I found myself staring up at him like a child that is apprehensiveof being scolded for some naughtiness.
"Not so much chatter, small one," he said, unsmilingly. "This pretense,it is not necessary between you and me. So. You are ein bischen blasz,nicht? A little pale? You have not been ill, Dawn?"
"Ill? Never felt more chipper in my life," I made flippant answer, "andI adore these people who are forever telling one how unusually thin, orpale, or scrawny one is looking."
"Na, they are not to be satisfied, these women! If I were to tell youhow lovely you look to me to-night you would draw yourself up with chilldignity and remind me that I am not privileged to say these things toyou. So I discreetly mention that you are looking, interestingly pale,taking care to keep all tenderness out of my tones, and still you arenot pleased." He shrugged despairing shoulders.
"Can't you strike a happy medium between rudeness and tenderness? Afterall, I haven't had a glimpse of your blond beauty for three weeks. Andwhile I don't ask you to whisper sweet nothings, still, after twenty-onedays--"
"You have been lonely? If only I thought that those weeks have been aswearisome to you--"
"Not lonely exactly," I hurriedly interrupted, "but sort of wishing thatsome one would pat me on the head and tell me that I was a gooddoggie. You know what I mean. It is so easy to become accustomed tothoughtfulness and devotion, and so dreadfully hard to be happy withoutit, once one has had it. This has been a sort of training for what I mayexpect when Vienna has swallowed you up."
"You are still obstinate? These three weeks have not changed you? Ach,Dawn! Kindchen!--"
But I knew that these were thin spots marked "Danger!" in ourconversational pond. So, "Come," said I. "I have two new aboriginesfor you to meet. They are the very shiniest and wildest of all ourshiny-faced and wild aborigines. And you should see their trousers andneckties! If you dare to come back from Vienna wearing trousers likethese!--"
"And is the party in honor of these new aborigines?" laughed VonGerhard. "You did not explain in your note. Merely you asked me to come,knowing that I cared not if it were a lawn fete or a ball, so long as Imight again be with you."
We were on our way to the dining room, where the festivities were to beheld. I stopped and turned a look of surprise upon him.
"Don't you know that the Knapfs are leaving? Did I neglect to mentionthat this is a farewell party for Herr and Frau Knapf? We are losing ourhome, and we have just one week in which to find another."
"But where will you go? And why did you not tell me this before?"
"I haven't an idea where I shall lay my poor old head. In the lap of thegods, probably, for I don't know how I shall find the time to interviewlandladies and pack my belongings in seven short days. The book willhave to suffer for it. Just when it was getting along so beautifully,too."
There was a dangerous tenderness in Von Gerhard's eyes as he said:"Again you are a wanderer, eh--small one? That you, with your love ofbeautiful things, and your fastidiousness, should have to live in thisway--in these boarding-houses, alone, with not even the comforts thatshould be yours. Ach, Kindchen, you were not made for that. You wereintended for the home, with a husband, and kinder, and all that is trulyworth while."
I swallowed a lump in my throat as I shrugged my shoulders. "Pooh! Anywoman can have a husband and babies," I retorted, wickedly. "But mightyfew women can write a book. It's a special curse."
"And you prefer this life--this existence, to the things that Ioffer you! You would endure these hardships rather than give up thenonsensical views which you entertain toward your--"
"Please. We were not to talk of that. I am enduring no hardships.Since I have lived in this pretty town I have become a worshiper of thegoddess Gemutlichkeit. Perhaps I shan't find another home as dear to myheart as this has been, but at least I shan't have to sleep on a parkbench, and any one can tell you that park benches have long been thefavored resting place of genius. There is Fr
au Nirlanger beckoning us.Now do stop scowling, and smile for the lady. I know you will get onbeautifully with the aborigines."
He did get on with them so beautifully that in less than half an hourthey were swapping stories of Germany, of Austria, of the universities,of student life. Frau Knapf served a late supper, at which some oneled in singing Auld Lang Syne, although the sounds emanating from theaborigines' end of the table sounded suspiciously like Die Wacht amRhein. Following that the aborigines rose en masse and roared out theirGerman university songs, banging their glasses on the table when theycame to the chorus until we all caught the spirit of it and banged ourglasses like rathskeller veterans. Then the red-faced and amorous Fritz,he of the absent Lena, announced his intention of entertaining thecompany. Made bold by an injudicious mixture of Herr Knapf's excellentbeer, and a wonderful punch which Von Gerhard had concocted, Fritzmounted his chair, placed his plump hand over the spot where he supposedhis heart to be, fastened his watery blue eyes upon my surprised andblushing countenance, and sang "Weh! Dass Wir Scheiden Mussen!" in anastonishingly beautiful barytone. I dared not look at Von Gerhard, forI knew that he was purple with suppressed mirth, so I stared stonilyat the sardine sandwich and dill pickle on my plate, and felt myselfgrowing hot and hysterical, and cold and tearful by turns.
At the end of the last verse I rose hastily and brought from theirhiding-place the gifts which we of Knapfs' had purchased as remembrancesfor Herr and Frau Knapf. I had been delegated to make the presentationspeech, so I grasped in one hand the too elaborate pipe that was to makeHerr Knapf unhappy, and the too fashionable silk umbrella that was toappall Frau Knapf, and ascended the little platform at the end of thedining room, and began to speak in what I fondly thought to be fluentand highsounding German. Immediately the aborigines went off intoparoxysms of laughter. They threw back their heads and roared, andslapped their thighs, and spluttered. It appeared that they thought Iwas making a humorous speech. At that discovery I cast dignity asideand continued my speech in the language of a German vaudeville comedian,with a dash of Weber and Field here and there. With the presentation ofthe silk umbrella Frau Knapf burst into tears, groped about helplesslyfor her apron, realized that it was missing from its accustomed place,and wiped her tears upon her cherished blue silk sleeve in the utterabandon of her sorrow. We drank to the future health and prosperity ofour tearful host and hostess, and some one suggested drei mal drei,to which we responded in a manner to make the chin-chucking lieutenanttremble in his frame on the wall.
When it was all over Frau Nirlanger beckoned me, and she, Dr. vonGerhard and I stole out into the hall and stood at the foot of thestairway, discussing our plans for the future, and trying to smile as wetalked of this plan and that. Frau Nirlanger, in the pretty white gown,was looking haggard and distrait. The oogly husband was still in thedining room, finishing the beer and punch, of which he had already takentoo much.
"A tiny apartment we have taken," said Frau Nirlanger, softly. "It isbetter so. Then I shall have a little housework, a little cooking, alittle marketing to keep me busy and perhaps happy." Her hand closedover mine. "But that shall us not separate," she pleaded. "Without youto make me sometimes laugh what should I then do? You will bring heroften to our little apartment, not?" she went on, turning appealingly toVon Gerhard.
"As often as Mrs. Orme will allow me," he answered.
"Ach, yes. So lonely I shall be. You do not know what she has been tome, this Dawn. She is brave for two. Always laughing she is, and merry,nicht wahr? Meine kleine Soldatin, I call her.
"Soldatin, eh?" mused Von Gerhard. "Our little soldier. She is wellnamed. And her battles she fights alone. But quite alone." His eyes, asthey looked down on me from his great height had that in them which sentthe blood rushing and tingling to my finger-tips. I brought my hand tomy head in stiff military salute.
"Inspection satisfactory, sir?"
He laughed a rueful little laugh. "Eminently. Aber ganz befriedigend."
He was very tall, and straight and good to look at as he stood there inthe hall with the light from the newel-post illuminating his featuresand emphasizing his blondness. Frau Nirlanger's face wore a drawn littlelook of pain as she gazed at him, and from him to the figure of herhusband who had just emerged from the dining room, and was makingunsteady progress toward us. Herr Nirlanger's face was flushed and hisdamp, dark hair was awry so that one lock straggled limply down overhis forehead. As he approached he surveyed us with a surly frown thatchanged slowly into a leering grin. He lurched over and placed a handfamiliarly on my shoulder.
"We mus' part," he announced, dramatically. "O, weh! The bes' of frien'sm'z part. Well, g'by, li'l interfering Teufel. F'give you, though,b'cause you're such a pretty li'l Teufel." He raised one hand as thoughto pat my check and because of the horror which I saw on the face of thewoman beside me I tried to smile, and did not shrink from him. But witha quick movement Von Gerhard clutched the swaying figure and turned itso that it faced the stairs.
"Come Nirlanger! Time for hard-working men like you and me to be in bed.Mrs. Orme must not nod over her desk to-morrow, either. So good-night.Schlafen Sie wohl."
Konrad Nirlanger turned a scowling face over his shoulder. Then heforgot what he was scowling for, and smiled a leering smile.
"Pretty good frien's, you an' the li'l Teufel, yes? Guess we'll have towatch you, huh, Anna? We'll watch 'em, won't we?"
He began to climb the stairs laboriously, with Frau Nirlanger's lightfigure flitting just ahead of him. At the bend in the stairway sheturned and looked down on us a moment, her eyes very bright and big. Shepressed her fingers to her lips and wafted a little kiss toward us witha gesture indescribably graceful and pathetic. She viewed her husband'slaborious progress, not daring to offer help. Then the turn in the stairhid her from sight.
In the dim quiet of the little hallway Von Gerhard held out hishands--those deft, manual hands--those steady, sure, surgeonlyhands--hands to cling to, to steady oneself by, and because I neededthem most just then, and because I longed with my whole soul to placeboth my weary hands in those strong capable ones and to bring thosedear, cool, sane fingers up to my burning cheeks, I put one foot onthe first stair and held out two chilly fingertips. "Good-night, HerrDoktor," I said, "and thank you, not only for myself, but for her. Ihave felt what she feels to-night. It is not a pleasant thing to beashamed of one's husband."
Von Gerhard's two hands closed over that one of mine. "Dawn, you willlet me help you to find comfortable quarters? You cannot tramp aboutfrom place to place all the week. Let us get a list of addresses, andthen, with the machine, we can drive from one to the other in an hour.It will at least save you time and strength."
"Go boarding-house hunting in a stunning green automobile!" I exclaimed.From my vantage point on the steps I could look down on him, and therecame over me a great longing to run my fingers gently through that crispblond hair, and to bring his head down close against my breast for oneexquisite moment. So--"Landladies and oitermobiles!" I laughed. "Never!Don't you know that if they got one glimpse, through the front parlorwindows, of me stepping grand-like out of your green motor car, theywould promptly over-charge me for any room in the house? I shall goroom-hunting in my oldest hat, with one finger sticking out of myglove."
Von Gerhard shrugged despairing shoulders.
"Na, of what use is it to plead with you. Sometimes I wonder if, afterall, you are not merely amusing yourself. Getting copy, perhaps, for thebook, or a new experience to add to your already varied store."
Abruptly I turned to hide my pain, and began to ascend the stairs. Witha bound Von Gerhard was beside me, his face drawn and contrite.
"Forgive me, Dawn! I know that you are wisest. It is only that I becomea little mad, I think, when I see you battling alone like this, amongstrangers, and know that I have not the right to help you. I knew notwhat I was saying. Come, raise your eyes and smile, like the littleSoldatin that you are. So. Now I am forgiven, yes?"
I smiled cheerily enough into his blu
e eyes. "Quite forgiven. And nowyou must run along. This is scandalously late. The aborigines willbe along saying 'Morgen!' instead of 'Nabben'!' if we stay here muchlonger. Good-night."
"You will give me your new address as soon as you have found asatisfactory home?"
"Never fear! I probably shall be pestering you with telephone calls,urging you to have pity upon me in my loneliness. Now goodnight again.I'm as full of farewells as a Bernhardt." And to end it I ran up thestairs. At the bend, just where Frau Nirlanger had turned, I too stoppedand looked over my shoulder. Von Gerhard was standing as I had left him,looking up at me. And like Frau Nirlanger, I wafted a little kiss in hisdirection, before I allowed the bend in the stairs to cut off my view.But Von Gerhard did not signify by look or word that he had seen it, ashe stood looking up at me, one strong white hand resting on the broadbaluster.