"
So saying Johann Schmidt made for the door and got out of the house this
time without any attempt on the part of his amiable hostess to detain him
further. She had indeed omitted to tell him that her last speech was not
merely founded on a supposition, since Fischelowitz had really been very
much annoyed and had declared that he would not come home but would spend
the evening with a friend of his who lived in the direction of Schwabing,
one of the suburbs of Munich farthest removed from the places in which she
advised Schmidt to make search.
The stout housewife disliked and even detested the Count for many reasons
all good in her own eyes, among which the chief one was that she did
dislike him. She felt for him one of those strong and invincible
antipathies which trivial and cunning natures often feel for very
honourable and simple ones. To the latter the Count belonged, and Akulina
was a fine specimen of the former. If the Count had been literally
starving and clothed in rags, he would have been incapable of a mean
thought or of a dishonest action. Whatever his origin had been, he had
that, at least, of a nobility undeniable in itself. That his character was
simple in reality, may as yet seem less evident. He was regarded as mad,
as has been seen, but his madness was methodical and did not overstep
certain very narrow bounds. Beyond those limits within which others, at
least, did not consider him responsible, his chief idea seemed to be to
gain his living quietly, owing no man anything, nor refusing anything to
any man who asked it.
Pages:
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111