Debit and Credit: Translated from the German of Gustav FreytagFreytag, Gustav
General
Debit and Credit: Translated from the German of Gustav Freytag
Freytag, Gustav
German fiction -- Translations into English; Mercantile system -- Germany -- Fiction; Social classes -- Germany -- Fiction
Lenore was the only one dissatisfied with the change. She continued to
justify her mother's fear lest she should become an original. She found
it difficult to pay proper respect to the numberless elderly cousins of
the family, and still more difficult to refrain from accosting first any
pleasant gentleman she had known in the country, and now chanced to meet
in the streets. Likewise, the Young Lady's Institution, which she had to
attend, was in many ways objectionable to her. She had certain maps and
tiresome lesson-books to take to and fro, and her mother did not approve
of the servants' time being occupied in carrying them after her. One
day, when walking like an angry Juno--the tokens of her slavery upon her
arm, and her little parasol in her hand--she beheld the young gentleman
to whom she had shown her flower-garden coming to meet her, and she
rejoiced at it, for he was pleasantly associated in her mind with home,
the pony, and the family of swans. He was still some way off when her
hawk's eye discerned him, but he did not see her even when he came
nearer. As her mother had forbidden her ever to accost a gentleman in
the street, there was nothing for it but to stand still and to strike
her parasol on the flags.
Anton looked up and saw to his pleasant surprise the lovely lady of the
lake. Blushing, he took off his hat, and Lenore observed with
satisfaction that, in spite of the satchel on her arm, she impressed him
as much us ever.
"How are you, sir?" she inquired, in a dignified way.
"Very well," replied Anton; "how delighted I am to see you in town!"
"We are living here at present," said the young lady, with less
stateliness, "at No. 20 Bear Street."
"May I inquire for the pony?" said Anton, respectfully.
"Only think, he had to be left behind!" was the sorrowful reply; "and
what are you doing here?"
"I am in the house of T. O. Schroeter," said Anton, bowing.
"Oh! a merchant; and what do you deal in?"
"In colonial produce. It is the largest firm in that department in the
whole town," replied Anton, complacently.
"And have you met with kind people who take care of you?"
"My principal is very kind, but I must take care of myself."
"Have you any friends here with whom you can amuse yourself?"
"A few acquaintances. But I have much to do, and I must improve myself
in my leisure hours."
"You look rather pale," said the young lady, with motherly interest;
"you should move more about, and take long walks. I am glad to have met
you, and shall be pleased to hear of your well-doing," added she,
majestically; and, with an inclination of her pretty little head, she
vanished in the crowd, while Anton remained gazing after her, hat in
hand.
Lenore did not consider it necessary to mention this meeting. But a few
days later, when the baroness happened to inquire where they should get
some necessary stores, she looked up from her book and said, "The
largest firm here is that of T. O. Schroeter, dealer in colonial produce."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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