Translations from the German (Vol 3 of 3): Tales by Musæus, Tieck, RichterCarlyle, Thomas
General
Translations from the German (Vol 3 of 3): Tales by Musæus, Tieck, Richter
Carlyle, Thomas
German fiction -- Translations into English
What I had long expected, and the Dwarf predicted, now took place:
deeply stooping, through the high Posthouse door, issued the Giant, and
raised, in the open air, a most unreasonably high figure, heightened by
the ell-long bonnet and feather on his huge jobber-nowl. My
Brother-in-law, beside him, looked but like his son of fourteen years;
the Dwarf like his lap-dog waiting for him on its two hind legs. "Good
friend," said my bantering Brother-in-law, leading him towards me and
the stage-coach, "just step softly in, we shall all be happy to make
room for you. Fold yourself neatly together, lay your head on your knee,
and it will do." The unseasonable banterer would willingly have seen the
almost stupid Giant (of whom he had soon observed that his brain was no
active substance, but in the inverse ratio of his trunk) squeezed in
among us in the post-chest, and lying kneaded together like a sand-bag
before him. "Won't do! Won't do!" said the Giant, looking in. "The
gentleman perhaps does not know," said the Dwarf, "how big the Giant is;
and so he thinks that because _I_ go in--But that is another story; _I_
will creep into any hole, do but tell me where."
In short, there was no resource for the Postmaster and the Giant, but
that the latter should plant himself behind, in the character of
luggage, and there lie bending down like a weeping willow over the whole
vehicle. To me such a back-wall and rear-guard could not be particularly
gratifying: and I may refer it, I hope, to any one of you, ye Friends,
if with such ware at your back, you would not, as clearly and earnestly
as I, have considered what manifold murderous projects a knave of a
Giant behind you, a _pursuer_ in all senses, might not maliciously
attempt; say, that he broke in and assailed you by the back-window, or
with Titanian strength laid hold of the coach-roof and demolished the
whole party in a lump. However, this Elephant (who indeed seemed to owe
the similarity more to his overpowering mass than to his quick light of
inward faculty), crossing his arms over the top of the vehicle, soon
began to sleep and snore above us; an Elephant, of whom, as I more and
more joyfully observed, my Brother-in-law the Dragoon could easily be
the tamer and bridle-holder, nay had already been so.
[Note 70: Let Poetry veil itself in Philosophy, but only as the
latter does in the former. Philosophy in poetised Prose resembles those
tavern drinking-glasses, encircled with parti-coloured wreaths of
figures, which disturb your enjoyment both of the drink, and (often
awkwardly eclipsing and covering each other) of the carving also.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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