While waiting for Doctor Wilhelm, absorbed in these reflections,
Frederick involuntarily turned away from the edge of the deck, and became
aware of a dark mass not far from the smoke-stack, cowering in a corner
against the wall. The thing looked strange to him. On stepping closer he
saw it was a man on the floor asleep, wrapped in his overcoat with his
cap drawn over his eyes, his bearded head resting on a low camp-chair.
Frederick was convinced it was Achleitner. Why was he lying there in the
freezing cold instead of in bed? Frederick found the right answer. Not
more than three paces away was the door of Ingigerd's cabin; and he was
the faithful dog in three senses, the watchdog, the Cerberus, the dog
crazed with the rabies of jealousy.
"Poor fellow," Frederick said aloud. "Poor, stupid Achleitner!" He felt
genuine, almost tender sympathy; and over him came all the woe of the
deceived lover, as we can trace it from Nietzsche and Schopenhauer down
to Buddha Gotama, whose pupil, Ananda, asks: "Master, how shall we
comport ourselves toward a woman?" Quoth the master: "Avoid the sight of
her, Ananda, because a woman's being is hidden. It is unfathomable as the
way of the fish in the water. To her, lying is as truth, and truth as
lying."
"Sst! What are you doing here?" said Doctor Wilhelm, stepping up softly.
He was carrying something in his hands carefully wrapped up.
"Do you know who is lying here?" said Frederick. "It is Achleitner."
"He wanted to keep his eye on that cabin," Wilhelm remarked cynically,
"to limit the attendance."
"We must wake him up."
"Why?" said Wilhelm. "Later, when we go to bed."
"I am going to bed now."
"Come to my cabin first for a moment."
In his cabin the physician laid a human embryo on the table.
"She has attained her end," he said, meaning the girl travelling second
class, who in his opinion had taken the trip for no other purpose than to
rid herself of her burden and avoid disgrace. At the sight of the little
object, Frederick did not know whether to be born or never to awaken to
life was preferable.
He went out on deck again, aroused Achleitner, and led him to his cabin,
resisting and mumbling incomprehensible words, though half asleep. Then,
in dread of the agonies of insomnia, he went to his own cabin.
XXXII
He fell asleep immediately, but when he awoke, it was only two o'clock.
The ship was still moving easily, and he could hear the screw working
regularly under the water. Life in times of great physical crises is a
fever, which travelling and sleeplessness enhance. Frederick well knew
his own nature, and was alarmed when he saw himself robbed of the peace
of sleep after so short a time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account