Other games followed, in all of which the Professor showed such
dexterity that the children were quite enchanted, though Franz called
out indignantly that he did not strike Ilse hard enough when he had the
knotted handkerchief. Ilse, however, took the handkerchief, and, much
to the Scholar's astonishment and delight, struck him heartily over the
shoulders.
The Doctor joined in the sports, and looked with pleasure at the
movements of the wild maidens in the games; and when Ilse stood by a
tree and laid hold of a branch with her hand in order to support
herself, her glowing face wreathed by the leaves of the nut-tree, she
looked so lovely and happy that the Doctor was also enchanted.
In such a bacchanalian mood it was not to be wondered at that the
Professor at last called upon Hans to run a race twice around the
square. Amidst the shouts of the children Hans lost the race, because
he had as he sturdily maintained the inner side of the square, but the
others scouted at any such excuse. As the runners dashed up to the
arbor. Ilse handed to the Professor his great coat, which she had
meanwhile fetched from the coat-rack in the hall. "It is late, you must
not take cold while with us." It was not at all late, but he put on the
coat at once, buttoned it up from top to bottom, and, with a look of
satisfaction, shook his opponent Hans by the shoulder. Afterwards they
all sat down again in the arbor, in order to cool themselves. Here, at
the vociferous demands of the little ones, a thaler was passed round
while a song was sung, and the more observant part of the family loudly
declared that the thaler had twice fallen to the ground between Ilse
and the Professor, because they had not passed it firmly enough into
each other's hands. By this game the love of song was awakened among
the young people, and great and small sang together as loud as they
could, such songs as had become familiar to them--"On the Cool Banks of
the Saal," "Song of the Cloak," and the catch of "The Bells of
Capernaum," After that Ilse and Clara, at the request of the Doctor,
sang a folk-song, very simple and unadorned, and perhaps on that
account the melancholy style touched the heart, so that after the song
all were quiet, and the strangers appeared much moved till the
Proprietor called upon the guests to contribute their share. The
Professor, recovering from his emotion, began immediately to sing, in a
rich-toned bass, "In a deep, damp cellar I sat," so that the boys in
their enthusiasm drank up the remains of their glasses of milk and
clinked them on the table. Again the company broke out into a chorus;
they began the dear old song, "What is the German Fatherland," so far
as they knew the verses, and in conclusion they attempted "Luetzow's
Wild Charge." The Doctor, as an experienced chorus-singer, carried the
melody beautifully through the most difficult passages, and the refrain
sounded wonderfully in the calm evening air; the tones passed along the
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