Courts and courtiers -- Fiction; German fiction -- Translations into English; Germany -- Fiction
When Imma Spoelmann and the Countess came back to the winter garden they
were dressed for riding, Imma in a close-fitting black habit with
breast-pockets and a three-cornered felt hat, the Countess in black
cloth with a man's starched shirt and high hat. They went together down
the steps, through the mosaic hall, and out into the open air, where
between the colonnade and the big basin two grooms were waiting with the
horses. But they had not yet mounted when with a loud barking, which was
the expression of his wild excitement, Percival, the collie, prancing
and leaping about, tore out of the Schloss and began a frenzied dance
round the horses, who tossed their heads uneasily....
"I thought so," said Imma, patting her favourite Fatma's head, "there
was no hiding it from him. He found it all out at the last moment. Now
he intends to come with us and make a fine to-do about it too. Shall we
drop the whole thing, Prince?"
But although Klaus Heinrich understood that he might just as well have
allowed the groom to ride in front with the silver trumpet, so far as
calling public attention to their expedition was concerned, yet he said
cheerfully that Percival must come too; he was a member of the family
and must learn the neighbourhood like the rest.
"Well, where shall we go?" asked Imma as they rode at a walk down the
chestnut avenue. She rode between Klaus Heinrich and the Countess.
Percival barked in the van. The English groom, in cockaded hat and
yellow boot-tops, rode at a respectful distance behind.
"The Court Kennels are fine," answered Klaus Heinrich, "but it is a bit
farther to the 'Pheasantry,' and we have time before lunch. I should
like to show you the Schloss. I spent three years there as a boy. It was
a seminary, you know, with tutors and other boys of my age. That's where
I got to know my friend Ueberbein, Doctor Ueberbein, my favourite
tutor."
"You have a friend?" asked Miss Spoelmann, with some surprise, and gazed
at him. "You must tell me about him some time. And you were educated at
the 'Pheasantry,' were you? Then we must see it, because you're
obviously set on it. Trot!" she said as they turned into a loose
riding-path. "There lies your hermitage, Prince. There's plenty for the
ducks to eat in your pond. Let's give a wide berth to the Spa-Gardens,
if that does not take us far out of our way."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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