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CHAPTER X.
Laertes visited his friend. He had not been present during that lively scene at
the inn, being then confined to bed in an upper chamber. For his loss he was
already in a great degree consoled: he helped himself with his customary, “What
does it signify?” He detailed various laughable particulars about the company;
particularly charging Frau Melina with lamenting the loss of her stillborn
daughter, solely because she herself could not on that account enjoy the Old-
German satisfaction of having a Mechthilde christened. As for her husband, it
now appeared that he had been possessed of abundant cash, and even at first had
by no means needed the advances which he had cajoled from Wilhelm. Melina’s
present plan was, to set off by the next post-wagon, and he meant to require of
Wilhelm an introductory letter to his friend, Manager Serlo, in whose company,
the present undertaking having gone to wreck, he now wished to establish
himself.
For some days Mignon had been singularly quiet: when pressed with
questions, she at length admitted that her right arm was out of joint. “Thou hast
thy own folly to thank for that,” observed Philina, and then told how the child
had drawn her sword in the battle, and, seeing her friend in peril, had struck
fiercely at the freebooters, one of whom had at length seized her by the arm, and
pitched her to a side. They chid her for not sooner speaking of her ailment; but
they easily saw that she was apprehensive of the surgeon, who had hitherto
looked on her as a boy. With a view to remove the mischief, she was made to
keep her arm in a sling, which arrangement, too, displeased her; for now she was
obliged to surrender most part of her share in the management and nursing of our
friend to Philina. That pleasing sinner but showed herself the more active and
attentive on this account.
One morning, on awakening, Wilhelm found himself strangely near to her. In
the movements of sleep, he had hitched himself quite to the back of the spacious
bed. Philina was lying across from the front part of it: she seemed to have fallen
asleep on the bed while sitting there and reading. A book had dropped from her
hand: she had sunk back; and her head was lying near his breast, over which her
fair and now loosened hair was spread in streams. The disorder of sleep
enlivened her charms more than art or purpose could have done: a childlike
smiling rest hovered on her countenance. He looked at her for a time, and
seemed to blame himself for the pleasure this gave him. He had viewed her
attentively for some moments, when she began to awake. He softly closed his
eyes, but could not help glimmering at her through his eyelashes, as she trimmed
herself again, and went away to see about breakfast.
All the actors had at length successively announced themselves to Wilhelm;
asking introductory letters, requiring money for their journey with more or less
impatience and ill-breeding, and constantly receiving it, against Philina’s will. It
was in vain for her to tell our friend that the huntsman had already left a
handsome sum with these people, and that accordingly they did but cozen him.
To these remonstrances he gave no heed: on the contrary, the two had a sharp
quarrel about it; which ended by Wilhelm signifying, once for all, that Philina
must now join the rest of the company, and seek her fortune with Serlo.
For an instant or two she lost temper; but, speedily recovering her composure,
she cried, “If I had but my fair-haired boy again, I should not care a fig for any
of you.” She meant Friedrich, who had vanished from the scene of battle, and
never since appeared.
Next morning Mignon brought news to the bedside, that Philina had gone off
by night; leaving all that belonged to Wilhelm very neatly laid out in the next
room. He felt her absence; he had lost in her a faithful nurse, a cheerful
companion; he was no longer used to be alone. But Mignon soon filled up the
blank.
Ever since that light-minded beauty had been near the patient with her friendly
cares, the little creature had by degrees drawn back, and remained silent and
secluded in herself; but, the field being clear once more, she again came forth
with her attentions and her love, again was eager in serving, and lively in
entertaining, him.
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