Doctor Claudius, A True Story

er again. That being done, he reflected that his determination to keep his fortune a secret was a wise one, and that for the present he would abide

irthshaus zum faulen Pelz" on the ascent, he turned in and took a drink of the cool clear ale and a pretzel, an operation termed in Germany the "Frühschoppen," or "early glass," and as universal a practice as the early tea in the tropics before the sun is up, or the "vermouth" of the Italian before the evening meal. Having offered t

down beyond the border of shade; but then, again, beyond there were more trees and more shade. The nameless little crickets and flies and all manner of humming things panted musically in the warm air; the small birds chirped lazily now and then in desultory conversation, too hot to hop or fly

among the ruins on this June day, though he ought to begin considering where his summer foot tour was to take him this year. It might be as well, certainly. Where could he go? There was the Black Forest, but he knew that thoroughly; Bohemia-he had been there; Switzerland; the Engadine-yes, he would go back to Pontresina and see what it had grown into since he was there six years ago. It used to be a delightf

ox, and I have just inherited more money than I know what to do with, and I feel like an old cripple of

a foreign country with whose people he had but a fancied sympathy? There are no folk like our own folk, after all; and there is truly a great gulf between Scandinavians and every other kind of people. But it seemed to Claudius that he loved the Germans and their ways-and indeed he did; but does not everyday experi

t, which he proceeded to fill and to light. The flame of the match was white and transparent in the

slowly on, not from any desire to get out of the way, but merely because he was too well bred to remain seated by the path while a lady passed, and having risen, he could not very well stand still. So he moved on till he stood by the broken tower, and seeing that by climbing down he could reach a more secure resting-place, with the advantage of a

s harmonic sounds are produced as they may be upon a stringed instrument or upon an organ pipe; or whether, again, the secret lies deeper, depending on the subtile folding and unfolding of new-shaped waves of sound to which our ordinary ears are not used-who can tell? And yet there are voices that from the first produce upon us a strange impression unlike anything else in the world. Not that we necessarily

's thoughts on Heidelberg and the scene at her feet. He did not move, for he was sure she had not seen him; and he supposed she would go away in a

edge, and, striking the platform where Claudius was lying, wen

from above, "I can never get it back now;

se of a beautiful woman in black and white staring down at the unlucky parasol in a rather helpless

d had reached the lost parasol before the string of polite protestations had ceased. The ascent was quickly accomplished, and he stood at the summit, hat in hand, to return the object of his search to its rightful owner. There was not a trace of embarrassment on his face; and he looked the foreign lady boldly

ady was who had the crown and the large M carved in the ivory of her parasol stick. But, after all, he came to the conclusion that he did not care, and so went

omfortable in Pontresina." He reached another part of the Schloss, and

e admitted now that he would like to see her again-just for one moment. But he had no principle in the matter. It was choice, and there it ended; and whenever he should take it into his head to associate with the fair sex again, he would consider it a sign that his youth had returned, and he would yield without the smallest struggle. But in this ease-"Pshaw!" tho

he had never been in love. As a consequence of his wishing his little rag of sentiment back again, it came; but artificially this time, and as if expecting to be criticis

e soft burning amber, and her hair was very black. That was all he could recollect of her-saving her voice. Ah yes! he had seen beautiful women enough, even in his quiet life, but he had never heard anything exactly like this woman's tones. There are some sounds one never forgets. For instance, the glorious

with a mouse; only the difference is, that the mouse grows larger and more formidable, like the one in the story of the Eastern sage, which successively changed its shape until it became a tiger, and the wise man was driven to take precautions for his own safety. There is never the least doubt in the mind of an Italian or an Oriental when he is in love; but an En

ose at a love-match. He thinks young women no end of fun; his vanity makes him fancy himself the heartless hero of many an adventure, and if, as frequently happens, he is but an imperfect gentleman, he will not scruple to devise, imagine, and recount (to his bosom friend, of course, in strictest secrecy) some hairbreadth escape from an irate husband or an avenging

ng he will not do to secure her on every possible opportunity for himself. Then perhaps he allows to himself that he really does care a little, and he loses some of his incrustation of vanity. He feels less sure of himself, and his companions observe that he ceases to talk of his alleged good fortunes. Very, very slowly his real heart wakes up, and whatever is manly and serious and gentle in his nature comes uncon

. He had soon wearied of the class of women he had met in his student-life-chiefly the daughters of respectable Heidelberg Philistines, of various degrees of south Teutonic prettiness; and the beautiful women of the world, of whom he had caught a glimpse

self, is not old so long as he can love-and be loved-well, so long as he can love, say, and let the rest take care of itself. And by and by the sun went westering down the hill, and he shook himself out of his dreams, and pocketed his book and turned homeward. His day, he thought, had not amounted to much after all, and h

he had experienced a momentary sensation of youth and vitality, where he had discovered, somewhat to his surprise, that he was still alive and full of strength and sanguine hope, when he thought himself so old. And lying among the ruins he called up the scene again and again, and the strange woman gradually got possession of his mind, as a cunning enchantress might, and she moulded his thoughts about her till they clung to her and

he had sat many moments, from sheer force of habit; but he did not read. The sounds of the street rose pleasantly to his ear as the little boys and girls played together across each other's doorsteps. To tell the truth, it all seemed very far off, much farther than three flights of steps from the little crowd below to the solitary nest of learning aloft where he sat; and Dr. Claudi

e evening wind. It creaked again; he turned his head, and his gaze remained riveted on the opening. A beautiful pair of dark eyes were fixed on him, deep and searching, and on meeting his, a

in the streets of Heidelberg-one of those superb favourites of the students who are as well known as the professors themselves to every inhabitant of a university town in Germany. And the Doctor stroked the beautiful head and listened fo

ogated the stranger in a high an

g politely. "Pray be seated, sir," and he offered his one se

He removed his hat and showed a forehead of mediocre proportions, over which his dark hair was conscientiously parted in the middle. Though not in appearance robust, he w

e bed, which was by no means so far removed in the littl

octor nodded gravely. "Dr. Claudius, the nephew

inquire to what good f

m Mr. Barker-Silas B. Barker junior of New Y

rty welcome to any friend of his uncle, even of the most unprepossessing type. Mr. Barker was not exactly unprepossessing; he was certainly not handsome, but there was a look of action about him that

ews, Professor?" inquired Mr. Barker, wi

s death about three w

ews about the will

tor; "I received the inte

can, "do you propose t

tion a rather strange one. However, he reflected that Mr. Barker's father might have some moral claim t

aultless costume,-"that such abundant and unexpected wealth may not be to me a wholly unalloyed blessing." Claudius proceeded to explain how little he cared for the things that his money might bring

would be bored to de

d to study. What corresponds to it is a very different thing. I sometimes fe

added, "I beg your pardon, don't misunderstand me. I can hardly con

e. Mr. Barker did not look like a professor in t

rrived? Have you

e. You had better come around to my hotel, and take dinne

ising to Mr. Barker for the informality. Mr. Barker watch

e carriage. So to the castle they went, and, leaving their carriage at the ent

. Barker, "they would have sent the

ess picturesque after

een more effecti

t care, he told his companion the incident as graphically as he could. His description of the lady was so graphic that Mr. Barker screwed up his

cy I had seen her s

sked Claud

ay," was the American's terse inwar

am mistaken. It was pretty romantic th

wedd

the fascinating creat

t Mr. Barker with

nage things so quick

like, and why not the dark lady? On the whole, though, if I were you, I would like to aston

" ejaculat

and, which is an older and more interesti

but fallaciou

proverbs are g

proverbs are only fallacious w

s that will only go off in some singular and old-fashione

had a strong impression that there was something somewhere, he could not tell what, which Mr. Barker understood thoroughly, and in which he might show to great advantage. He felt that however superficial and unartis

nd Mr. Barker produced a rare brand of cigars, without which, he informed his gu

ed, which protruded from his immense moustache like a gun

not exactly the spot I would choose to disport myself in," repli

ice place for all that. You can

chance, and there is

or taste,

a little when I was a student; but I do not believe in leav

of healthy excitement. You have never known the joys of be

derstand the illust

erhaps if you ever come to New York you w

your methods of business, but that kind of study is not much in my

with me, and if you would rather not go to Baden-Baden, we can go somewhere else. I really th

s quiet life into a very different existence. Mr. Barker, on the other hand, possessed the showman's instinct. He had found a creature who, he was sure, had the elements of a tremendous lion about town; and having found him, he meant to capture him and exhibit him in society, and take to himself ever after the credit of having unearthed the

tes' walk, and exacted a promise that the Doctor should take him on the morrow to a real Ger

an elaborate article on the vortex theory by Professor Helmholtz, with which, having dipped