The Northern Light | Page 5

table, which made her brother wince.
"A man is bound to obey orders under your government," he answered.
"At the same time I would advise you, dear Regine, to do something
more for the intellectual development of your son. I have no doubt that
under your guidance he will become, in time, a most excellent farmer,
but to the education of a future landed proprietor, something more than
that is needed. Willibald has outgrown home instructors and should be
sent away now."
"Sent a--?" Frau Regine laid down knife and fork in unbounded
astonishment. "Sent away," she exclaimed, greatly irritated, "and in the
name of common sense, where?"
"Well, first to the university, and later to travel, that he may learn
something of the world and of men."
"That he may be altogether ruined by this world and these men, and no
comfort to me at all! No, Herbert, I'll never do that, and I tell you so
now, once for all. I have educated my son to be honest and fear God,
and do not think I shall turn him loose in your Sodom and Gomorrah
which the dear Lord in his forbearance has yet spared from the fire and
brimstone which it so richly deserves."
"You only know this Sodom and Gomorrah by hearsay, Regine,"
interrupted Herbert, sarcastically. "You have lived in Burgsdorf ever
since your marriage; you must acknowledge that yourself!"
"I acknowledge nothing at all," declared Frau von Eschenhagen,
obstinately. "Will shall become a capable farmer; he is qualified for
that, and for that he needs no cramming at your universities. Or perhaps
you'd like to educate him in your own school, and make a diplomatist
of him? That would be too great an honor."
She began to laugh loudly, and Will, to whom the whole conversation
had appeared very comical, joined in in the same key. Herr von
Wallmoden took no part in this sudden explosion of gaiety; he only
winced again, as though his nerves were affected, and shrugged his

shoulders.
"No, I had not thought of that. I know full well I should have my
trouble for my pains. But Willibald and I are the only representatives of
our family, and if I should not marry--"
"Should not? You are not thinking of marrying in your old age?"
interrupted his sister, sharply.
"I am in my forty-fifth year, dear Regine, and a man is not usually
considered old at that age," said Wallmoden, somewhat vexed. "Above
all things I consider marriages made late in life by far the happiest; one
is not influenced then by passion, as Falkenried was, to his lasting
wretchedness, but gives to reason the decisive word."
"The saints protect us! What if Willibald should wait to marry until he
is fifty years old and gray-headed?" cried Frau von Eschenhagen,
greatly vexed.
"As an only son and future heir he will have to consider such matters;
as for the rest, the main point will be his own inclinations. What do you
think, Willibald?"
The young heir, who had disposed of his ham and eggs by this time,
and with undiminished appetite was now attacking the sausage, was
evidently much astonished that his opinion had been asked. Such a
thing had never happened before, and he was obliged to reflect deeply
before he could answer at all.
At length he reached a conclusion. "Yes, of course I must marry some
time, but mamma will choose a wife for me when the right time
comes."
"She will indeed, my boy," assented his mother, warmly. "That is my
affair, so you need not trouble your head about it, and until then you
will remain here in Burgsdorf where I can have my eye upon you. As to
the university and traveling, that matter is--settled."

She threw a defiant glance at her brother, but he was gazing with a look
of horror at the enormous sausage to which his nephew and ward was
helping himself for the second time.
"Have you always such a large appetite, Will?" he asked.
"Always," Will assured him complacently, as he helped himself to a
large slice of bread and butter.
"No, we don't suffer thank God, with indigestion or any other stomach
trouble," said the mistress of the house tartly, "but we earn our bread
honestly here. First pray and work, then eat and drink, but what we do,
we do thoroughly, and that keeps body and soul together. Just look at
Will, now, and you will see that what I say is true." She gave her
brother a friendly slap on the shoulder with her last words, but this
token of her good will was so energetic that Wallmoden shrank back in
his chair, and immediately moved it sidewise to be out of the reach of
that muscular hand.