Short stories, French -- Translations into English
"Karl, give him ten ducats from my purse and tell him I will take him in
my own service, for he has afforded me great pleasure. The outing
to-morrow will be a hundred times more amusing than I had hoped--indeed
more amusing than any I have ever undertaken in my life."
"Your honor will go to Langführ, then!"
"Certainly, Karl. We will go together, and you shall see if I misled you
when I promised you a delightful morning."
As soon as Baron de Trenck had completed his toilet, he visited M.
Scherer, the Russian resident, spent a few moments in private with him and
then returned to his apartments for dinner.
Lieutenant Henry arrived soon afterward. Trenck found delight in the
course of dissimulation to which he stood committed. He overwhelmed his
guest with courteous attentions, pressing upon him the finest wines and
his favorite fruits, meanwhile beaming upon him with an affection that
overspread his whole countenance, and expatiating freely upon the delights
of the morrow's ride.
Henry accepted his attentions with his accustomed dreamy manner.
The next morning, at half past nine, when the lieutenant arrived, he found
Trenck awaiting him.
The two officers rode off, followed by their servants, and took the road
to Langführ. Trenck's audacity was terrifying. Even Karl, who was well
aware of his master's great ability and cleverness, was nevertheless
uneasy, and Franz, who was less familiar with the baron's character, was
in a state of the greatest alarm.
The country, beautiful with its verdant grasslands, its budding bushes and
flowers, its rich fields of wheat, dotted with spring blossoms, revealed
itself to their delighted eyes. In the distance glistened the tavern of
Langführ, with its broad red and blue stripes and its tempting signboard
that displayed a well-appointed festive table.
The low door in the wall that enclosed the tavern courtyard was still
closed. Inside, to the right of that door, was a little terrace, and
against the wall was an arbor formed of running vines and ivy.
Lieutenant Henry, pausing near a clump of trees some two hundred paces
from the tavern, said:
"Baron, our horses will be in the way in that little courtyard. I think it
would be well to leave them here in the care of our servants until our
return."
Trenck assented readily. He sprang from his horse and tossed his bridle to
his valet and Henry did the same.
The path leading to the tavern was enchanting, with its carpet of flowers
and moss, and the two young men advanced arm in arm in the most
affectionate manner. Karl and Franz watched them, overwhelmed with
anxiety.
The door in the wall had been partly opened as they approached and the
young men saw, within the arbor on the terrace, the resident, Herr
Reimer--his three-cornered hat on his powdered wig, his arms crossed on
the top of the adjacent wall, as he awaited their coming.
As soon as the officers were within ear-shot, he called out:
"Come on, Baron de Trenck, breakfast is ready."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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