Short stories, German -- Translations into English
holy, for me to go and play the part of the languishing lover and stand
gazing up at her window, or to fill the role of the lovesick
adventurer. Completely upset, I went away from H---; but, as is usual
in such cases, the brilliant colors of the picture of my fancy faded,
and the recollection of Antonia, as well as of Antonia's singing (which
I had never heard), often fell upon my heart like a soft faint
trembling light, comforting me.
Two years afterwards I received an appointment in B---, and set out on
a journey to the south of Germany. The towers of H---- rose before me
in the red vaporous glow of the evening; the nearer I came the more was
I oppressed by an indescribable feeling of the most agonizing distress;
it lay upon me like a heavy burden; I could not breathe; I was obliged
to get out of my carriage into the open air. But my anguish continued
to increase until it became actual physical pain. Soon I seemed to hear
the strains of a solemn chorale floating in the air; the sounds
continued to grow more distinct; I realized the fact that they were
men's voices chanting a church chorale. "What's that? what's that?" I
cried, a burning stab darting as it were through my breast. "Don't you
see?" replied the coachman, who was driving along beside me, "why don't
you see? they're burying somebody up yonder in yon churchyard." And
indeed we were near the churchyard; I saw a circle of men clothed in
black standing round a grave, which was on the point of being closed.
Tears started to my eyes; I somehow fancied they were burying there all
the joy and all the happiness of life. Moving on rapidly down the hill,
I was no longer able to see into the churchyard; the chorale came to an
end, and I perceived not far distant from the gate some of the mourners
returning from the funeral. The Professor, with his niece on his arm,
both in deep mourning, went close past me without noticing me. The
young lady had her handkerchief pressed close to her eyes, and was
weeping bitterly. In the frame of mind in which I then was I could not
possibly go into the town, so I sent on my servant with the carriage to
the hotel where I usually put up, whilst I took a turn in the familiar
neighborhood to get rid of a mood that was possibly only due to
physical causes, such as heating on the journey, etc. On arriving at a
well-known avenue, which leads to a pleasure resort, I came upon a most
extraordinary spectacle. Councillor Krespel was being conducted by two
mourners, from whom he appeared to be endeavoring to make his escape by
all sorts of strange twists and turns. As usual, he was dressed in his
own curious home-made gray coat; but from his little cocked-hat, which
he wore perched over one ear in military fashion, a long narrow ribbon
of black crape fluttered backwards and forwards in the wind. Around his
waist he had buckled a black sword-belt; but instead of a sword he had
stuck a long fiddle-bow into it. A creepy shudder ran through my limbs:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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