按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
clear gray eyes and easy gait； he was rather made much of。 Nor could any
fault be decently found with his appetite。
So we passed on from Konigswinter to Coblenz； and from Coblenz to
Heidelberg； and from Heidelberg south to Freiburg； where we bade adieu
to the last of the towns； and laid hold of a trap with a pair of ancient and
angular horses； and plunged into the Hollenthal； the first great gorge of the
Black Forest mountains。 From one point to another we slowly urged our
devious course； walking the most of the day； indeed； and putting the trap
and ourselves up for the night at some quaint roadside hostelry； where we
ate of roe…deer and drank of Affenthaler； and endeavoured to speak
German with a pure Waldshut accent。 And then； one evening； when the
last rays of the sun were shining along the hills and touching the stems of
the tall pines； we drove into a narrow valley and caught sight of a large
brown building of wood； with projecting eaves and quaint windows； that
stood close by the forest。
〃Here is my dear inn！〃 cried Tita； with a great glow of delight and
affection in her face。 〃Here is /mein gutes Thal！ Ich gruss' dich ein tausend
Mal！/ And here is old Peter come out to see us； and there is Franziska！〃
〃Oh； this is Franziska； is it？〃 said Charlie。
Yes； this was Franziska。 She was a well…built； handsome girl of
nineteen or twenty； with a healthy； sunburnt complexion； and dark hair
plaited into two long tails； which were taken up and twisted into a knot
behind。 That you could see from a distance。 But on nearer approach you
found that Franziska had really fine and intelligent features； and a pair of
frank； clear； big brown eyes that had a very straight look about them。 They
were something of the eyes of a deer； indeed； wide apart； soft； and
apprehensive； yet looking with a certain directness and unconsciousness
88
… Page 89…
STORIES
that overcame her natural girlish timidity。 Tita simply flew at her and
kissed her heartily and asked her twenty questions at once。 Franziska
answered in very fair English； a little slow and formal； but quite
grammatical。 Then she was introduced to Charlie； and she shook hands
with him in a simple and unembarrassed way； and then she turned to one
of the servants and gave some directions about the luggage。 Finally she
begged Tita to go indoors and get off her travelling attire； which was done；
leaving us two outside。
〃She's a very pretty girl；〃 Charlie said； carelessly。 〃I suppose she's sort
of head cook and kitchen…maid here。〃
The impudence of these young men is something extraordinary。
〃If you wish to have your head in your hands；〃 I remarked to him；
〃just you repeat that remark at dinner。 Why； Franziska is no end of a swell。
She has two thousand pounds and the half of a mill。 She has a sister
married to the Geheimer…Ober…Hofbaurath of Hesse…Cassel。 She had
visited both Paris and Munich； and she has her dresses made in Freiburg。〃
〃But why does such an illustrious creature bury herself in this valley；
and in an old inn； and go about bareheaded？〃
〃Because there are folks in the world without ambition； who like to
live a quiet； decent； homely life。 Every girl can't marry a Geheimer… Ober…
Hofbaurath。 Ziska； now； is much more likely to marry the young doctor
here。〃
〃Oh； indeed！ and live here all her days。 She couldn't do better。 Happy
Franziska！〃
We went indoors。 It was a low； large； rambling place； with one
immense room all hung round with roe…deers' horns； and with one lesser
room fitted up with a billiard…table。 The inn lay a couple of hundred yards
back from Huferschingen； but it had been made the headquarters of the
keepers； and just outside this room there were a number of pegs for them
to sling their guns and bags on when they came in of an evening to have a
pipe and a chopin of white wine。 Ziska's uncle and aunt were both large；
stout； and somnolent people； very good…natured and kind； but a trifle dull。
Ziska really had the management of the place； and she was not slow to
lend a hand if the servants were remiss in waiting on us。 But that； it was
89
… Page 90…
STORIES
understood； was done out of compliment to our small Queen Tita。
By…and…by we sat down to dinner； and Franziska came to see that
everything was going on straight。 It was a dinner 〃with scenery。〃 You
forgot to be particular about the soup； the venison； and the Affenthaler
when from the window at your elbow you could look across the narrow
valley and behold a long stretch of the Black Forest shining in the red
glow of the sunset。 The lower the sun sank the more intense became the
crimson light on the tall stems of the pines； and then you could see the line
of shadow slowly rising up the side of the opposite hill until only the
topmost trees were touched with fire。 Then these too lost it； and all the
forest around us seemed to have a pale…blue mist stealing over it as the
night fell and the twilight faded out of the sky overhead。 Presently the long
undulations of fir grew black； the stars came out； and the sound of the
stream could be heard distantly in the hollow； and then； at Tita's wish； we
went off for a last stroll in among the soft moss and under the darkness of
the pines； now and again starting some great capercailzie； and sending it
flying and whirring down the glades。
When we returned from that prowl into the forest； we found the inn
dark。 Such people as may have called in had gone home； but we suspected
that Franziska had given the neighbours a hint not to overwhelm us on our
first arrival。 When we entered the big room； Franziska came in with
candles； then she brought some matches； and also put on the table an odd
little pack of cards； and went out。 Her uncle and aunt had； even before we
went out； come and bade us good… night formally； and shaken hands all
round。 They are early folk in the Black Forest。
〃Where has that girl gone now？〃 says Charlie。 〃Into that lon