The German Classics of The Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Vol. II | Page 4

kept it to myself."
"What is it, then" asked Charlotte, turning affectionately toward him.

"It concerns our friend the Captain," answered Edward; "you know the
unfortunate position in which he, like many others, is placed. It is
through no fault of his own; but you may imagine how painful it must
be for a person with his knowledge and talents and accomplishments, to
find himself without employment. I--I will not hesitate any longer with
what I am wishing for him. I should like to have him here with us for a
time."
"We must think about that," replied Charlotte; "it should be considered
on more sides than one."
"I am quite ready to tell you what I have in view," returned Edward.
"Through his last letters there is a prevailing tone of despondency; not
that he is really in any want. He knows thoroughly well how to limit his
expenses; and I have taken care for everything absolutely necessary. It
is no distress to him to accept obligations from me; all our lives we
have been in the habit of borrowing from and lending to each other; and
we could not tell, if we would, how our debtor and creditor account
stands. It is being without occupation which is really fretting him. The
many accomplishments which he has cultivated in himself, it is his only
pleasure--indeed, it is his passion--to be daily and hourly exercising for
the benefit of others. And now, to sit still, with his arms folded; or to go
on studying, acquiring, and acquiring, when he can make no use of
what he already possesses;--my dear creature, it is a painful situation;
and alone as he is, he feels it doubly and trebly."
"But I thought," said Charlotte, "that he had had offers from many
different quarters. I myself wrote to numbers of my own friends, male
and female, for him; and, as I have reason to believe, not without
effect."
"It is true," replied Edward; "but these very offers--these various
proposals--have only caused him fresh embarrassment. Not one of them
is at all suitable to such a person as he is. He would have nothing to do;
he would have to sacrifice himself, his time, his purposes, his whole
method of life; and to that he cannot bring himself. The more I think of
it all, the more I feel about it, and the more anxious I am to see him
here with us."

"It is very beautiful and amiable in you," answered Charlotte, "to enter
with so much sympathy into your friend's position; only you must
allow me to ask you to think of yourself and of me, as well."
"I have done that," replied Edward. "For ourselves, we can have
nothing to expect from his presence with us, except pleasure and
advantage. I will say nothing of the expense. In any case, if he came to
us, it would be but small; and you know he will be of no inconvenience
to us at all. He can have his own rooms in the right wing of the castle,
and everything else can be arranged as simply as possible. What shall
we not be thus doing for him! and how agreeable and how profitable
may not his society prove to us! I have long been wishing for a plan of
the property and the grounds. He will see to it, and get it made. You
intend yourself to take the management of the estate, as soon as our
present steward's term is expired; and that, you know, is a serious thing.
His various information will be of immense benefit to us; I feel only
too acutely how much I require a person of this kind. The country
people have knowledge enough, but their way of imparting it is
confused, and not always honest. The students from the towns and
universities are sufficiently clever and orderly, but they are deficient in
personal experience. From my friend, I can promise myself both
knowledge and method, and hundreds of other circumstances I can
easily conceive arising, affecting you as well as me, and from which I
can foresee innumerable advantages. Thank you for so patiently
listening to me. Now, do you say what you think, and say it out freely
and fully; I will not interrupt you."
"Very well," replied Charlotte; "I will begin at once with a general
observation. Men think most of the immediate--the present; and rightly,
their calling being to do and to work; women, on the other hand, more
of how things hang together in life; and that rightly too, because their
destiny--the destiny of their families--is bound up in this
interdependence, and it is exactly this which it is their mission to
promote. So now let us cast a glance at our present and our