Delphi Collected Works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe \(Illustrated\) pdfdrive com

HERSILIA TO HER AUNT.

“I  must  and  will  be  very  short,  dear  aunt,  for  the  messenger  shows  himself

disagreeably impatient. I consider it superfluous kindness and quite out of place

to communicate our letters to Lenardo. What business has he to know what good

we  have  said  of  him,  what  business  has  he  to  know  what  evil  we  have  said  of

him, in order to find out from the latter still more than from the former, that we

are  well-disposed  to  him.  Keep  a  tight  hand  on  him,  I  beg  you.  There  is

something  so  cool  and  presumptuous  in  this  demand,  in  this  behavior,  such  as

these  gentlemen  generally  show  when  they  come  from  foreign  lands.  They

always consider those who stay at home as not complete. Excuse yourself with

your headache. He will come fast enough; and if he does not come we will wait

a  little  longer.  Perhaps  in  that  case  it  will  occur  to  him  to  introduce  himself

amongst  us  in  some  queer  secret  fashion,  and  learn  to  know  us  unrecognized,

and I don’t know what all might not enter into the plans of such a clever man.

That  would  be  pretty  and  wonderful  indeed!  It  might  produce  all  kinds  of

complications,  which  could  not  possibly  develop  themselves  under  the

diplomatic entry into the family which he now has in mind.

“The  messenger!  the  messenger!  Instruct  your  old  people  better,  or  send

young ones. This one is not to be bribed either by flattery or wine. A thousand

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times farewell!