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

CHAPTER XIV.

Accordingly, in walking back, he began to think with greater earnestness than

ever  on  his  present  situation:  he  had  reached  home  with  the  firm  purpose  of

altering  it,  when  the  landlord  disclosed  to  him,  by  way  of  secret,  that

Mademoiselle  Philina  had  made  a  conquest  of  the  count’s  Stallmeister,  who,

after executing his commission at his master’s estate, had returned in the greatest

haste, and was even now partaking of a good supper with her up in her chamber.

At this very moment Melina came in with a notary: they went into Wilhelm’s

chamber  together,  where  the  latter,  though  with  some  hesitation,  made  his

promise good; gave a draft of three hundred crowns to Melina, who, handing it

to  the  lawyer,  received  in  return  a  note  acknowledging  the  sale  of  the  whole

theatrical apparatus, and engaging to deliver it next morning.

Scarcely  had  they  parted,  when  Wilhelm  heard  a  cry  of  horror  rising  from

some  quarter  of  the  house.  He  caught  the  sound  of  a  young  voice,  uttering

menacing  and  furious  tones,  which  were  ever  and  anon  choked  by  immoderate

weeping and howling. He observed this frantic noise move hastily from above,

go past his door, and down to the lower part of the house.

Curiosity  enticing  our  friend  to  follow  it,  he  found  Friedrich  in  a  species  of

delirium.  The  boy  was  weeping,  grinding  his  teeth,  stamping  with  his  feet,

threatening  with  clenched  fists:  he  appeared  beside  himself  from  fury  and

vexation. Mignon was standing opposite him, looking on with astonishment. The

landlord, in some degree, explained this phenomenon.

The  boy,  he  said,  being  well  received  at  his  return  by  Philina,  seemed  quite

merry and contented: he had kept singing and jumping about, till the time when

Philina  grew  acquainted  with  the  Stallmeister.  Then,  however,  this  half-grown

younker  had  begun  to  show  his  indignation,  to  slam  the  doors,  and  run  up  and

down  in  the  highest  dudgeon.  Philina  had  ordered  him  to  wait  at  table  that

evening,  upon  which  he  had  grown  still  sulkier  and  more  indignant;  till  at  last,

carrying  up  a  plate  with  a  ragout,  instead  of  setting  it  upon  the  table,  he  had

thrown  the  whole  between  Mademoiselle  and  her  guest,  who  were  sitting

moderately  close  together  at  the  time:  and  the  Stallmeister,  after  two  or  three

hearty cuffs, had then kicked him out of the room. He, the landlord, had himself

helped to clean both of them; and certainly their clothes had suffered much.

On  hearing  of  the  good  effect  of  his  revenge,  the  boy  began  to  laugh  aloud,

whilst  the  tears  were  still  running  down  his  cheeks.  He  heartily  rejoiced  for  a

time, till the disgrace which he had suffered from the stronger party once more

---

came into his head, and he began afresh to howl and threaten.

Wilhelm stood meditating, and ashamed at this spectacle. It reflected back to

him his own feelings, in coarser and exaggerated features: he, too, was inflamed

with a fierce jealousy; and, had not decency restrained him, he would willingly

have  satisfied  his  wild  humor;  with  malicious  spleen  would  have  abused  the

object of his passion, and called out his rival; he could have crushed in pieces all

the people round him; they seemed as if standing there but to vex him.

Laertes  also  had  come  in,  and  heard  the  story:  he  roguishly  spurred  on  the

irritated  boy,  who  was  now  asserting  with  oaths  that  he  would  make  the