The Adventures of Harry Richmond — CompleteMeredith, George
General
The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete
Meredith, George
Adventure and adventurers -- Fiction
I saw her next in a pinewood between Ischl and the Traun. I had climbed
the steep hill alone, while my father and Mr. Peterborough drove round
the carriage-road to the margravine's white villa. Ottilia was leaning
on the arm of Baroness Turckems, walking—a miracle that disentangled
her cruelly from my net of fancies. The baroness placed a second hand
upon her as soon as I was seen standing in the path. Ottilia's face
coloured like the cyclamen at her feet.
'You!' she said.
'I might ask, is it you, princess?'
'Some wonder has been worked, you see.'
'I thank heaven.'
'You had a part in it.'
'The poorest possible.'
'Yet I shall presume to call you Doctor Oceanus,'
'Will you repeat his medicine? The yacht awaits you always.'
'When I am well I study. Do not you?'
'I have never studied in my life.'
'Ah, lose no more time. The yacht is delicious idleness, but it is
idleness. I am longing for it now, I am still so very weak. My dear
Sibley has left me to be married. She marries a Hanoverian officer. We
change countries—I mean,' the princess caught back her tongue, 'she
will become German, not compatriot of your ships of war. My English
rebukes me. I cease to express... It is like my walking, done half for
pride, I think. Baroness, lower me, and let me rest.'
The baroness laid her gently on the dry brown pine-sheddings, and blew
a whistle that hung at her girdle, by which old Schwartzy kept out of
sight to encourage the princess's delusion of pride in her walking, was
summoned. Ottilia had fainted. The baroness shot a suspicious glance at
me. 'It comes of this everlasting English talk,' I heard her mutter.
She was quick to interpose between me and the form I had once raised
and borne undisputedly.
'Schwartz is the princess's attendant, sir,' she said. 'In future, may
I request you to talk German?'
The Prince of Eppenwelzen and Prince Otto were shooting in the
mountains. The margravine, after conversing with the baroness, received
me stiffly. She seemed eager to be rid of us; was barely hospitable. My
mind was too confused to take much note of words and signs. I made an
appointment to meet my father the day following, and walked away and
returned at night, encountered Schwartz and fed on the crumbs of
tidings I got from him, a good, rough old faithful fellow, far past the
age for sympathy, but he had carried Ottilia when she was an infant,
and meant to die in her service. I thought him enviable above most
creatures.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account