CHAPTER XXII
關燈
小
中
大
Theordinaryyoungman,Germanorotherwise,hungrilyemergingfromboyhoodintoatoothsomeworldmadetobeeaten,cureshimselfofhisappetitebyindulgingittillheisill,andthenonafirmfoundationofhisownfoolishcorpse,or,asthepoetputsit,ofhisdeadself,beginstobuildupthebetterthingsofhislateryears.
Klutzwasanordinaryyoungman,andarrivedatearlymanhoodashungryashisfellowsbuthisfatherwasaparson,hisgrandfatherhadbeenaparson,hisuncleswereallparsons,andFate,comingcruellytohiminthegloomyrobesoftheLutheranChurch,hisnaturalfollieshadhadnoopportunityofgettingout,developing,anddissolving,butremainedshutupinhisheart,wheretheyamusedthemselvesbyseethinguninterruptedly,tohisgreatdiscomfort,whilethegoodparson,inwhosecarehewas,talkedtohimoftheworldtocome.
"Theworldtocome,"thoughtKlutz,hungeringandthirstingforatasteoftheworldinwhichhewas,"mayormaynotbeverywellinitswaybutitswayisnotmyway."AndhelistenedinasilencethatmightbetakeneitherforawedorboredtoManske'sexpatiations.Manske,ofcourse,interpreteditasawed."Ouryoungvicar,"hesaidtohiswife,"thinksmuch.Heisseriousandcontemplativebeyondhisyears.Heisnotamanofmanyandvainwords."Towhichhiswiferepliedonlybyasniffofscepticism.
ShehadnodirectproofsthatKlutzwasnotseriousandcontemplative,butduringhisfirstwinterintheirhousehehadfallenintoherbadgracesbecauseofacertainindelicatelyappreciativeattitudehedisplayedtowardsherapplejelly.Notthatshegrudgedhimapplejellyinjustquantitiesbothsheandherhusbandwerefondofit,andtheeatingofitwasluckilyoneofthosepleasureswhoseindulgenceisinnocent.Buttherearelimitsbeyondwhichevenjellybecomesvicious,andtheselimitsHerrKlutzcontinuallyoverstepped.Everyautumnshemadeasufficientnumberofpotsofittolastdiscreetappetitesawholeyear.Therehadalwaysbeenvicarsintheirhouse,andtherehadneverbeenadearthofjelly.Butthisyear,soearlyasEaster,therewereonlytwopotsleft.Shecouldnotconvenientlylockitupandrefusetoproduceany,forthensheandherhusbandwouldnothaveitthemselvessoallthroughthewintershehadwatchedthepotsbeingemptiedoneaftertheother,andthethinnertherowsinherstoreroomgrew,themorepronouncedbecameherconvictionthatKlutz'spietywasbutskindeep.Ayoungmanwhocouldbehaveinsounbridledafashioncouldnotbereallyserioustherewassomething,shethought,thatsmackedsuspiciouslyofthefleshandthedevilaboutsuchconduct.Great,then,washerastonishmentwhen,thepenultimatepotbeingplacedatEasteronthetable,Klutzturnedfromitwithloathing.Nordidheeverlookatapplejellyagainnordidhe,ofotherviands,eatenoughtokeephiminhealth.Hewhohadbeensovoraciousforgothismeals,andhadtobecoaxedbeforehewouldeatatall.Hespenthissparetimewriting,sittingupsometimesallnight,andconsumingcandlesatthesamehead-longratewithwhichhehadpreviouslyconsumedthejellyandwhentowardsMayherhusbandoncemorecommentedonhisseriousness,FrauManske'sconsciencenolongerpermittedhertosniff.
"Youmustbeill,"shesaidtohimatlast,onadaywhenhehadsatthroughthemealsinsilenceandhadrefusedtoeatatall.
"Ill!"burstoutKlutz,whosebodyandsoulseemedbothtobeinonefierceblazeoffever,"Iamsick—sickevenuntodeath."
Andhedidfeelsick.OnlytwodayshadelapsedsincehehadreceivedAnna'spoemandhadbeenthrownbyitintoatumultofdelightandtriumphforthediscouragementitcontainedhadbutencouragedhimthemore,appearingtobemerelythebecomingself-depreciationofawomanbeforehimwhohasbeenbynatureappointedlord.Hewasperfectlyreadytooverlooktheobstaclestotheiruniontowhichshealluded.Shecouldnothelpheryearstherewere,truly,moreofthemthanhewouldhavewished,butluckilytheywerenotvisibleonthatstilllovelyface.Astoposition,hesupposedshemeantthathewasnotadeligbutaman,hereflected,comparedtoawoman,isalwaysadelig