The Lost Manuscript Part 44

"Let me pump," cried Siddy. She seized the handle and tried to move it, but did not succeed; only a few drops ran into the pitcher.

Benno objected. "You are too clumsy," he said, "let me try it." He now took hold of the wooden handle, and Siddy held the bucket. He pumped vigorously, and the water spurted out over the bucket, upon the hands and dress of the Princess. She made a slight exclamation, let the bucket drop, and then both burst out laughing.

"You have made a nice mess of me, you naughty wretch," cried Siddy.

"Oh, it makes no difference, mother," she added, to console the woman, who ran up terrified, clasping her hands. "Now, Benno, an idea has occurred to me: I will put on a gown of our dame Marguerite, and you a smock-frock of her husband, and when our cousin comes he will not know us, and we will surprise him."

"If all only turns out well," rejoined Benno, doubtfully.

"No one sees us," urged Siddy. "Good mother," she said, coaxingly, to the country-woman, "come into your room, and help us to dress."

The young Prince and Princess took the woman by the hand and led her into the house. Benno laid his coat down in the hall, and looked doubtfully at the smock-frock, which was brought to him by a stout maid, who a.s.sisted him in putting it on. The elegant peasant lad seated himself patiently on a bench, while waiting for his companion, and employed his leisure in turning a grinding-stone and inquisitively holding the tips of his fingers close to it. Whilst he was making this experiment, he received a slight blow on his back, and with astonishment beheld, standing behind him, a little peasant maid, in blue petticoat and black jacket, and the usual cap of the country on her head.

"How do you like my appearance?" asked Siddy, crossing her arms.

"Charming," exclaimed Benno. "I had no idea that I had such a pretty sister."

Siddy made a rustic curtsy. "Where have you kept your eyes, you foolish boy? Now we must help in the household. What work can you give your new servants, Mother Marguerite?"

The woman simpered. "There is the fodder for the cows to be steeped in hot water," she said.

"No more water, we have had enough of that. Come, Benno, we will set the table in the garden under the fruit-trees, and then carry out the curds and cream."

They went into the room, and brought out a small bench placing it on the gra.s.s-plot, under an apple-tree; then they hurried back for the plates and spoons. The woman and the maid carried out the table with a large bowl of milk, and some rye bread. Siddy tripped about nimbly, laid the tablecloth, and carefully smoothing it out, placed the colored earthenware upon it.

"Look!" whispered Benno, pointing with a troubled air to the worn pewter spoons.

"We can wash them, and dry them with green leaves," advised his sister.

They ran with the spoons to the pump, and rubbed them hard with leaves, but they could not polish them.

"That's just their way," said Benno, consolingly; "it is part of a country picnic."

The table was laid, and Siddy brought forward some stools and wiped them with her cambric handkerchief.

"You are the Hereditary Prince," said Siddy, "so you must sit on the bench, and we others on each side of you. The rye bread must be crumbled, but every one can do that for themselves. There is no sugar, but that doesn't matter."

They sat waiting before the milk bowl, beating time with the spoons. A little green apple fell plump into the milk, and spattered it about.

Both burst out laughing, jumped up, and collected the unripe apples and plums from the gra.s.s, peering across the hedge at a path which led through the woods to the town.

"There he comes," cried Benno; "hide yourself!"

A horseman rode up at a gallop. It was a young officer. He threw himself off his snorting horse, fastened it to a post, and leaped over the hedge. But he stopped amazed, for he was greeted with a crossfire of unripe apples and plums from each side of the hedge. He quickly collected some of the green shot, and defended himself as well as he could against the a.s.sault. The little peasants sprang forth, and Benno cried out, "You have kept us waiting a long time."

Siddy made him a curtsy, saying, "Prince, the b.u.t.ter-milk is served."

Prince Victor looked with evident admiration at the young peasant.

"Ah!" he said, good-humoredly, "now one sees how small the feet are before which one does homage. All right, children. But first of all I must have satisfaction for the attack."

So saying, he knotted his pocket-handkerchief; the brother and sister laughed, and said, beseechingly, "Be good, cousin, we will not do it again." "Oh, dear Ogre, pardon and compa.s.sion!" implored Siddy, raising the corner of her ap.r.o.n to her eyes.

"Nothing of the kind," cried Victor; "I shall no doubt be arrested again on your account, and shall therefore punish you beforehand." He chased them round the table.

"This is disagreeable, cousin," cried Siddy; "let us leave off this nonsense, and come to the table. I will help you. There is the cream.

Everything must be fairly distributed when Victor is present."

Victor examined the table. "It is all very nice, but there is no sugar."

"There was none to be had," cried the brother and sister, in chorus.

Victor put his hand into his pocket, and placed a silver box on the table. "What would become of you without me? Here is the sugar." He again dipped into his pocket, and brought out a leathern flask with a small drinking-gla.s.s. "Here is another important thing, the cognac."

"What for?" asked Siddy.

"To drink, most gracious cousin. If you will put this cold mess into your interior without cognac, I shall not venture to oppose you; but I advise you, Benno, as a man, to take care of your health."

Both held their spoons with an air of embarra.s.sment.

"Is that necessary?" asked Benno, distrustfully.

"It is a pacifier, as our doctor says," declared Victor; "it calms and quells the rebel substances into quiet submission. If you refuse the cognac, it is just like on the way to h.e.l.l. The path is easy at the beginning, but what follows is chaos. At all events, you would be spared the ballet to-day. Is that clear to you?"

"It is very clear," cried Siddy, "that you are as usual making sport of us. Give him a rap on his fingers, Benno."

Benno tapped his hand with the spoon. Victor sprang up and parried it, in fencing posture, with his spoon; and the brother and sister chased their cousin merrily about among the trees.

They were disturbed by a hasty tread, and a lackey made his appearance for a moment at the garden-gate. "His most Serene Highness is riding this way," he called out.

All three stood still; the spoons fell into the gra.s.s. "We are betrayed," cried Siddy, turning pale. "Away with you, Victor."

"I am an officer, and dare not run away," he replied, shrugging his shoulders. He seized his sword and hastily fastened it.

"You must take it all upon yourself," Benno, exclaimed the sister.

"I would willingly do it," replied he, timidly, "but I have never had any skill in invention."

The Prince dismounted in front of the farm-house, helped by his equerry. The lackey hastened forward to open the doors, and the Prince approached slowly like a threatening storm. He entered the garden, and his sharp eyes rested on the embarra.s.sed Prince and Princess, who stiffy made their obeisances to him.

An ironical smile curled his lip when he saw the dishes on the table.

"Who has arranged this country carnival?" he asked. All were silent.

"Answer, Benno," he said, turning sharply to the young gentleman in the blue smock-frock.

"Siddy and I wished to have a little pastime in the meadow before she left our country. I spilled some water over my sister, and she was obliged to change her dress."

"Where is your lady in waiting, Sidonie?" he asked his daughter.

"I begged her to go to her aunt who lives in this neighborhood, and to return in an hour," replied the Princess Sidonie.

"She has not done right in forgetting, my commands, in order to gratify yours; and she neglected her duty in exposing the Princess to such an adventure. It's not fitting that princesses should enter village houses alone, and disguise themselves."