CHAPTER V

Stralsundisanoldtownofgabledhouses,ancientchurches,andquaint,roughlypavedstreets,forminganisland,andjoinedtothemainlandbydikes.Itlooksitsbestintheearlysummer,whenthegreenandmarshyplainsonwhoseedgeitstandsarestrewnwithkingcups,andthelittlewhitecloudshangoverthemalmostmotionless,andthecattleareout,andthelarkssing,andtheorangeandredsailsofthefishing-smacksonthenarrowbeltofseathatdividesthetownfromtheislandofRügenmakebrilliantpointsofcontrastingcolourbetweentheblueofwaterandsky.Thereisadivinefreshnessandbrightnessaboutthesurroundingstretchesofcoarsegrassandcommonflowersatthatblestseasonoftheyear.Theairisfullofthesmellofthesea.Thesunbeatsdownfiercelyonplainandcity.Thepeoplecomeoutoftheroomsinwhichmostoftheirlifeisspent,andstandinthedoorwaysandremarkontheheat.Anoccasionalheavycartbumpsoverthestones,heardinthatsleepyplaceforseveralminutesbeforeandafteritspassing.Thereisanhonest,tarry,fishysmelleverywhereandthetravellerofpoetictemperamentinsearchofthepicturesque,andnottooniceabouthiscomforts,couldnotfail,visitingitforthefirsttimeinthemonthofJune,tobewhollydelightedthathehadcome. Butinwinter,andespeciallyinthosedoublygloomydaysattheendofwinter,whenspringoughttohaveshownsomesignsofitsapproachandhasnotdoneso,thosedaysofhowlingwindsanddrivingrainandfrequentbelatedsnowstorms,thisplainismerelyableakexpanseofdreariness,withaforlornoldtownhuddlinginitsfarthestcorner. ItwasatitsverybleakestanddreariestonthemorningthatSusieandherthreecompanionstravelledacrossit."Whataplace!"exclaimedSusie,asmileaftermilewastraversed,andtherewasstillthesamesuccessionofflatploughedfields,marshes,andploughedfieldsagain,withararegroupoffuriouslyswayingpinetreesorofsilverbirchesbentdoublebeforethewind."Whatapartoftheworldtocomeandlivein!Thatolduncleofyourswasascrackedashecouldbetothinkyou'deverstayhereforgood.Andimaginespendingevenasingleshillingbuyinglandhere.Iwouldn'ttakeabarrowfulatagift." "Well,Iamtakingagreatmanybarrowfuls,"saidAnna,"andIamsureUncleJoachimwasrighttobuyaplacehere—hewasalwaysright." "Oh,ofcourse,it'syourdutynowtopraisehimup.Perhapsitgetsbetterfartheron,butIdon'tseehowanybodycansqueezetwothousandayearoutofadesertlikethis." TheprospectfromtherailwaythatdaywascertainlynotattractivebutAnnatoldherselfthatanyplacewouldlookdrearysuchweather,andwasmuchtoohappyinthefirstflushofindependencetobedepressedbyanythingwhatever.HadshenotthatverymorninggiventhechambermaidattheBerlinhotelsobounteousarewardforservicesnotrenderedthatthewomanherselfhadsaiditwastoomuch?ThusmakingamendsforthoseinnumerabledeparturesfromhotelswhenSusiehadescapedwithoutgivinganythingatall.Hadshenotalsoasked,andreadilyobtained,permissionofSusieatthestationinBerlintopayfortheticketsofthewholeparty?Andhaditnotbeenadelightfulandwarmingfeeling,buyingthoseticketsforotherpeopleinsteadofhavingticketsboughtbyotherpeopleforherself?AtPasewalk,alittletownhalfwaybetweenBerlinandStralsund,wherethetrainstoppedtenminutes,sheinsistedongettingout,defyingthesleetandthepuddles,andwentintotherefreshmentroom,andboughteggsandrollsandcakes,—everythingshecouldfindthatwasleastoffensive.AlsoaguidebooktoStralsund,thoughshewasnotgoingtostopinStralsundalsosomepostcardswithviewsonthem,thoughsheneverusedpostcardswithviewsonthem,andcamebackloadedwithparcels,herfaceglowingwithchildishpleasureatspendingmoney. "MydearAnna,"saidSusiebutshewashungry,andatearollwithperfectcomplacency,allowingLettytodothesame,althoughonlytwodayshadelapsedsinceshehadsoenergeticallylecturedheronthegrossnessofeatingintrains. Susiewasinaparticularlyamiableframeofmind,andinspiteoftheweatherwaslookingforwardtoseeingtheplaceUncleJoachimhadthoughtwouldbeafithomeforhisnieceandassheandAnnaweresittingtogetheratoneendofthecarriage,andLettyandMissLeechwereattheother,andtherewasnooneelseinthecompartment,shewasneitherupsetbythetoonearcontemplationofherdaughter,norbytheaspectofothertravellerslunching.MissLeech,alwaysmindfulofherduties,wasmakingthemostofherfivehours'journeybyendeavouring,inalowvoice,toclearawaythehazethathunginherpupil'smindroundthedetailsofherlastwinter'sGermanstudies."Don'tyourememberanythingofProfessorSmith'slectures,Letty?"sheinquired."Why,theywereallaboutjustthispartofGermany,anditmakesitsomuchmoreinterestingifoneknowswhathappenedatthedifferentplaces.Stralsund,youknow,whereweshallbepresently,hashadamostturbulentandinterestingpast." "Hasit?"saidLetty."Well,Ican'thelpit,Leechy." "Nobutmydear,youshouldtrytorecollectsomethingatleastofwhatyouheardatthelectures.HaveyouforgottenthepaperyouwroteaboutWallenstein?" "IrememberIdidapaper.Beastlyharditwas,too." "Oh,Letty,don'tsaybeastly—itreallyisn'taladylikeword." "Why,mamma'salwayssayingit." "Oh,well.Don'tyouknowwhatWallensteinsaidwhenhewasbesiegingStralsundandfounditsuchadifficulttask?" "Isupposehesaidtoothatitwasbeastlyhard." "Oh,Letty—itwassomethingaboutchains.Nowdoyouremember?" "Chains?"repeatedLetty,lookingbored."Doyouknow,Leechy?" "Yes,Istillrememberthat,thoughIconfessthatIhaveforgottenthegreaterpartofwhatIheard." "Thenwhatdoyouaskmefor,whenyouknowIdon'tknow?Whatdidhesayaboutchains?" "Hesaidthathe'dtakethecity,ifitwererivettedtoheavenwithchainsofiron,"saidMissLeechdramatically. "Whatagoat." "Oh,hush—don'tsaythosehorriblewords.Wheredoyoulearnthem?Notfromme,certainlynotfromme,"saidMissLeech,distressed.Shehadaprofoundhorrorofslang,andwasbewilderedbythewayinwhichtheseweedsofrhetoricspranguponalloccasionsinLetty'sspeech. "Well,andwasit?" "Wasitwhat,mydear?" "Chainedtoheaven?" "Thecity?Why,howcanacitybechainedtoheaven,Letty?" "Thenwhatdidhesayitfor?" "Hewasusingametaphor." "Oh,"saidLetty,whodidnotknowwhatametaphorwas,butsupposeditmustbesomethingusedinsieges,andpreferrednottoinquiretooclosely. "Hewasobligedtoretire,"saidMissLeech,"leavingenormousnumbersofslainonthefield." "Poorbeasts.Isay,Leechy,"shewhispered,"don'tlet'sbotherabouthistorynow.GoonwithMr.Jessup.You'dgottowherehecalledyouAmyforthefirsttime." Mr.JessupwasthepersonalreadyalludedtointhesepagesastheonlymanMissLeechhadeverloved,andhishistorywasofabsorbinginteresttoLetty,whonevertiredofhearinghisfirstappearanceonMissLeech'shorizondescribed,withhissubsequentadvancesbeforethestageofopencourtingwasreached,thecourtingitself,anditsmelancholyendforMr.Jessup,aclergymanoftheChurchofEngland,withavicarageallreadytoreceivehiswife,hadsuddenl