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Page 42
At this moment aunty exclaimed, in a tone of alarm:--
"For pity's sake, Oscar! what is that that you are tugging along?"
With a tremendous racket Oscar came into the room, dragging behind him a
drum, which he could not carry, because in one hand he had a large bunch
of bells and in the other a harmonica and a flute.
"Oscar dear, your own good-sense can tell you that you can't get a drum
into this bag; to say nothing of the other instruments. What in the
world do you want with them? Mrs. Stanhope wouldn't thank you for such
music!"
"It isn't for the house, aunty," answered the boy. "It is for the
festival out-of-doors. I've taken only Fred's small drum, because mine
is too large. See if it won't go in here!" and Oscar measured the drum
against his travelling-bag, only to be compelled to acknowledge that it
was too large by half. The bells, too, had to be laid aside, though the
boy complained that they were absolutely needed to call the guests
together at the festival.
"Whose flute is that?" asked the aunt; "it is a beauty."
"It belongs to Feklitus. He is learning to play on it; and he was glad
enough to lend it to me, because while it's gone he can't be made to
practise!"
Mother and aunt agreed that the flute must not be packed without the
consent of Feklitus' parents.
Fred came now with an armful of articles of various kinds for his bag,
and behind him appeared Kathri, saying:--
"Mrs. Bickel wants to see Mrs. Stein."
"This isn't a very good time to choose," said Mrs. Stein, with a sigh.
"I shall have to leave this all to you," she added, turning to her
sister; "and, children, you really must make up your minds what is
necessary to take, and not bring all sorts of useless stuff, that only
has to be carried back again."
With these words Mrs. Stein went into the room where her guest was
sitting. It was easy to see that Mrs. Bickel had something very
important on her mind. She had on her fine red and yellow shawl, and on
her hat a bunch of large white feathers, higher and bushier than Mrs.
Stein had ever seen in her life. The doctor's wife greeted her guest
with the fervent though unspoken hope that that lady would immediately
unfold the object of her coming, so that the visit might speedily come
to a close, and she herself go back to her children's packing. Not so;
Mrs. Bickel opened the conversation with a remark upon the weather,
which she thought was growing worse and worse. Mrs. Stein agreed with
her. Then followed "the cherries"; they had not ripened well this
summer. From "cherries" she came to "apples," a natural association of
ideas. Mrs. Stein burned with impatience. Her mind would run on the
travelling-bags. Could aunty pack them alone? Would not the most
important things be left out, after all, and a great many useless ones
put in? That reminded her of the flute, and she hastened to ask whether
Feklitus had his parents' permission to lend it. This gave Mrs. Bickel
the opening she had been wanting. She said that it was a good thing that
Oscar wanted to take the flute; for her husband had decided to let
Feklitus take the trip to the Rhine; and he could play on the flute to
Mrs. Stanhope; all the more, because none of the doctor's children were
musical.
She and Mr. Bickel thought, too, that it would be pleasant for their son
to be there with the others, and that it would show people that the
doctor's children had other and better acquaintances at home than the
two poor children whom Mrs. Stanhope had taken with her.
But here Mrs. Stein interrupted the stream of words to say that there
was no occasion for that, as Mrs. Stanhope had seen for herself that
Fani and Elsli were her children's most intimate friends. She then
inquired whether Mrs. Bickel wished Feklitus to go with her children.
Mrs. Bickel declared that she should not think of such a thing as that.
In that case Mrs. Stanhope would naturally ask him to stay at her house,
which of course they would not allow; as if he could not afford to pay
for his lodging! But she would be glad if Oscar would write as soon as
convenient and tell Feklitus the best way to go, and also find out the
chief hotel in the neighborhood. Then, if Oscar would meet him on his
arrival, and show him the way to it, Feklitus would take a room there,
and spend the time between meals with the children at Mrs. Stanhope's.
His father meant to go himself very soon to visit his young relatives,
as it was only proper that he should do; and he would bring the boy
home.
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