The Storyteller

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11, 18 March 1909, Page 403

The Storyteller

A STRING OF PRARLS

A year ago, August and' Lotte had been an engaged couple, with at last — at long last — their marriage-day in prospect. Tliey had been" so long -engaged " that it seemed a strange and wonderful thing- to think of being married. August would have given up in despair long .ago, would have settled down to a miserable life of teaching the piano to young ladies in schools for a miserable pittance, if Lotte had not been at his elbow-,_to inspire" and uplift him. ' Ah, that is good!' she would say, all her soft face ashine as she. .listened to his music. 'That is good! There must be some to htive ears for such music. Courage, August J The day will come for thee and me. Such a musician as thou art, my -August, can not remain hidden and in obscurity. Thou wilt come 'to thine own one- day, and soon.' • ■ ■ . i A year ago they had married, because a very" small prosperity had come to them. - August had had two or three songs accepted — not of his best, and Lotte had unexpectedly ■ come upon an old friend, a professor ..of the Academy of Music, under whom she had worked a year or two at the violin. He had procured her some engagements to play at concerts and private houses. On the - strength of the achievement and the hope, they married. - They had married- just before Advent. A few weeks later, both being freer than usual because of the clostifg of schools, they took a walk through the. glittering streets to see tlie Christmas shops. were exquisitely happy being together; and they had found out that there were so many delightful treats to be enjoyed in London for so very little money, or no money^at all." -They had, indeed, known that for a long time; but it was another matter when, after a concert or a picture-gallery, or a walk in the Park or down Regent, street, they had . to -go their separate ways, instead of going home together. It was exquisite , Lotte thought, pressing August's arm against lier side, to be going home, after the sight-seeing and the engagements, together to the little room and the little fire and the . .little meal, over which there would be such happy laughter, each insisting upon the other's sitting still and being waited on, , till the dispute should end in the .two preparing and serving the meal, and washing up the dishes afterward. „ Well, on that far-away, exquisite- afternoon of December, with the light haze in the air^ and the touch" of scarlet . in the smoky sky above the high houses, and all the electric lights sparkling like so many jewels, and the happy, present-giving people " skurrying from shop to shop, a wonderful thing had happened. August had pulled up in front of- a jeweller's window. ' Thou* art to have a Christmas present, Lotte,' he said, 'for which I shall pay the sum of two whole pounds. Ask me not if I can spare 'it. — I' have -it here ' — he slapped his pocket proudly — ' and it is for thy present. Not for anything useful nor prudent, little Lotte. A present thou shalt have, so seek not to turn me from my purpose.' All in a happy tremor, Lotte scanned the glittering windows. She had always been prudent, always tried to look at every penny before spending it; but the recklessness was only the sweeter because of that. It was good for once to be reckless, and August — her dear August, her handsome, gifted husband and ,loyer — was laughing- like- a - boy as they scanned the -beautiful things .in ..the shop window, playing at being rich people, -and considering whether a diamond and sapphire bracelet or a diamond and emerald tiara would be more suitable to Lotte's needs and desires. At last they went in without having decided upon anything. The shop was in two parts — one with barred windows, behind which the -precious things blazed in their cases; the other showing only pretty, trumpery things, which Lotte thought every whit as lovely as 'the others. August and Lotte went into the cheap part, .which was crowded with customers, two and three deep in front N of the counter, and the tired-looking, hurry-skurrying assistants. In time August got some one to attend to him — a bewildered-looking, freckled youth, plainly put on for the Christmas pressure. He set before 'them tray" after tray . of brooches an"d rings and such things, all so pretty that Lotte found it more and more- difficult to choose. Suddenly August caught' sight of something in a case ' on the shelf behind the assistant — a pearl necklace which seemed to shine with a soft moving light in the obscurity. Of course, it was imitation, but how excellently done I He pointed it out to the assistant, who took it up in a tired way and dropped it into his hand. He and Lotte bent

their heads over it. The setting was beautiful. August was a person of taste, and he recognised the beauty. To ' be sure, they were copying "all -the old wonderful settings and designs now for the imitation jewellery. ' What price?' he asked. The assistant took it back, found no tab appended, and turned hastily to a whole row .of pearl necklaces for comparison. - ' Thirty-five shillings,', he said. So there would be a whole five shillings over for some fruit and a bottle of white wine to grace the little supper. August did not care for imitations. He had meant Lotte to have a genuine thing, even if it were small. Still, the necklace was lovely. He glanced at Lotte's white neck showing a"bove the fur jacket. The necklace woiild look lovely on it. He bought and paid for the necklace and took it away in its shabby old case, he and Lotte in the seventh heaven - of delight. A year ago! And Christmas was again upon them. But how sadly things were changed! August was ill, very ill, every day growing thinner and paler before Lotte's terrified eyes. 11l clad, ill fed, he had taken a chill at -the beginning of the winter, and had not been able to shake it off. The fogs were particularly heavy . and black tliat Christmas — so different from the last happy one — and tley got into August's throat and chest, half strangling him. • 'If you could only get him away !' said the overworked young doctor. 'It is madness to keep him here. He is a big, strong fellow naturally, but he has run down hill at a pace. It would be life to him.' It would be life! And the utmost Lotte was able to do was to -keep a fire going day and night, and by - incessant pinching and contriving, to procure a little nourishment for August, from which he would turn away with a groan, knowing that Lotte pinched herself in order to feed him. And there was something Lotte had not dared to tell August. She wept when his eyes were not upon, her, and prayed incessantly to the good God; and, meantime, her eyes grew bigger and bigger, and her soft cheeks showed hollow places. She did not dare think of the future. And — August's life might be saved by a few of those pounds the rich people were squandering in the great city every hour of the Christmas-time. Well, Lotte would keep up her heart, for August's sake. With one of the few shillings, she bought a little Christmas-tree, and decked it with the tinsel and colored things, saved over from last Christmas. She dressed it up one afternoon in August's room, while he lay in "bed and smiled at her weakly. ' I do not Icnow what our gifts will be yet,' she said, nodding her hoad at him with a pathetic pretense of gaiety. ' But they will come, August — surely they -will come.' - ' She was to play the violin that night at a big party in a West End Square. She hated to go o\xk .and leave August; but ttere were a few guineas, and they would tide them over Christmas. It was a great thing that somebody's birthday should have fallen at such a slack time, and been celebrated by a dinner party and At Home. But for these few guineas Lotte did not know how she would have got over the Christmas. She fervently thanked the good God for the engagement. - She put on her little shabby black evening dress. She clasped the pearls about her neck, standing before the glass. ' How they become thee, little one !' " August said. ' They are wonderfully pretty, seeing that they are only imitation. It is well thou canst keep them, seeing they have no value.' Lotte smiled at him, although her eyes were bright - with tears. She was thinking how different it had been last year. Hotv strong and well her August, her bridegroom, had been ! And now t His life depended on something she could not give him, although she would have given her own life for it. The pain and^the trouble seemed to have got into the violin, which was a good old instrument. It might come loselling that to procure August tne things he wanted. But the violin was- what they ""lived by; with a cheap violin, Lotte's engagements would dwindle^ and cease. She played . beautifully, with & poignant sweetness. Her thoughts were full of sorrow. The violin sobbed and cried, like a lieart in suffering because it cannot avert trouble and death_ from those it loves. -The audience was moved — some of it too deeply to join in the conventional applause. One or two -came up to thank Lotte for the pleasure she had given them. And Lotte was pleased. She would have something to tell August when she returned „ home. While she put her violin into' its case in a little 'anteroom, from which she_ could see the gleaming supper^ table covered with all the out-of-season delicacies, and was wishing she could have carried home some of the things

to tempt August's sick appetite, a little old gentleman with a hooked nose stood beside her. " Allow me to congratulate you,' he said, with a snuffle, ' on your ' N ■ . Lotte expected him to say ' playing,' but the word was ' pearls.' 'My pearls!' she said, in amazement. , . ' There was nothing like them in the room,' he went on. ' I know — I know all about peai-ls. They are unique.' Lotte stared at him. Was he joking? But no; his look and, manner forbade the idea. ' Indeed, sir, you are mistaken,' she said. 'My pearls have no value. They are not real.' 'Not real! No value!' he repeated, in a shriek. 'My dear lady, I will give you for them six thousand pounds.' He lowered his voice as he made the offer, and glanced about him anxiously; but there was no one within earshot. Lotte was frightened. She .thought the old gentleman must be a bit mad-.* She began, to move toward the door, with her violin held .between liim and her. ) 'I will give "you six thousand pounds/ he went on, growing more and more eager. ' Will not that content you? Well, then, I shall make it seven. It is as much as they are worth. Here is my card.' v He forced a card into her hand. » • 'I must ask my husband,' she said, more to pacify him than anything else. ' Ah, yes, -bhe husband ! He will consent. When shall I know? To-morrow?' ' I will let you know to-morrow,' Lotte answered. She was getting into her cab by this time, and the importunate man had followed her to the cab door. ' Your address ?' he shouted, as the cab began to move. But Lotte was glad the cabman had whipped up his horse. She was quite glad to get away from the madman who offered her seven thousand pounds for a string of mock pearls. She had the card still in her hand when she came in on August, whose face brightened at sight of her. 'Thou hast been long, sweetheart 1' he said. jAnd.'l^ have wearied for thee.' - ; • ' And thy fire is low and the fog is in the room,' she replied, kneeling down to replenish the^ fire.' - N While she ate her bread and cheese by his bedside she told him of the madman who had offered her .seven thousand pounds for the pearls. He listened with languid interest till she picked up the card which had fallen on - the floor, and read out the name and address. Then he looked startled. ' Why, Lotte,' he said, 'he is one of the richest Jews in London, and his Park Lane house is filled with beautiful things. Supposing — supposing — he were right about the pearls?' '*■ Lotte uttered a little cry. She saw August strong and well again; she saw prosperity and comfort and freedom from carking cares, and it' was like a mirage in the desert. Suddenly her face fell. - - ' Then, to be sure,' she said, 'we should not really own the pearls at all. It would be some one's mistake.' ' Thou shalt take them back, Lotte. To-morrow thou shalt take them back ta the shop, and tell them 'what has happened. It is strange" if the Jew is mistaken.' . .-,- ' And at least they will give me back what we. paid for the pearls,'- Lotte said. ' Sometime thou wilt_ give me another string, August— perhaps "real ones; , who .knows?' ' . , ---.. . . The next morning after breakfast Lotte' "put on her little fur jacket and cap and went off to the West End. Fortunately, the fog had drifted away^'and the streets were quite bright. Lotte had the case -.inside-" her. muff. She hurried on as well as she could "for the crowded streets. She did not dare glance into the shop windows; thero " were so many things she would- have wanted for August. When she was coming back, she might perhaps be able to get him some little delicacy. If the people at the shop should take back the pearl necklace and return- her the price paid for it. August had told her what to do. She was to march into the shop boldly, and ask_ to see one of the principals, and tell her tale, and hand him back the pearls '. ' ' They may treat thee as a mad woman, Lottchen,' he said. ' I wish I could go in thy place. Yet tell them the name of him who said he would giv« thee seven thousand pounds for the necklace. If the story should be true-r — ' , - ' Oh, August, it it should be true !' she repeated. ' Seven thousand pounds ! Think what' that would mean to thee and me l' ' ■ ' If it is worth so much, 'it is not worth it to us/- • It ,is worth to us just thirty-five shillings.- We are honest folk, thou and I, Lottchen. Come back soon, dear one!' There were as many before Lotte gained

admittance to the comfortable room where ' Mr. Arthur ' sat by a huge fire, leisurely smoking a cigar ,_ as though he were a royal personage. There was quite time enough for Lotte to feel that if she had come on a fool's errajid it would be an unpardonable matter ,to have insisted on seeing ' Mr.. Arthur,' before she found herself following an assistant dewn a carpeted passage to the great man's door. - " . . ' - > . Mr. Arthur stood up with his back to. the fire, his cigar behind his back, as Lotte came in. It was a concession to her delicate refinement of air; and it said something for Mr. Arthur that he' recognised it, despite her very shabby clothing. ' Well^ madam,' he said, 'what can I have the pleasure of doing for you?' , His manner was a trifle supercilious. He did not see how Lotte could have' important business such as must be dealt with by one of the firm, and he rather suspected an appeal for alms. ' I called about a pearl necklace which I ' Lotte began. „ ' Mr. Arthur flung his cigar into the fire. He jumped at Lotte and snatched the necklace from her. He flew to the door and shouted. Three other gentlemen, as like himself as possible, but a little older or a little\ younger, came in answer to his summons.'The pearls! — the pearls!' he shouted. The other gentlemen shouted, too. To Lotte' s imagi-" : nation the room "seemed full of excited ' Mr. Arthurs.' Presently the excitement calmed down a bit; and the oldest of the gentlemen turned his attention to Lotte, who was waiting to tell her story. _ . ' These were sold to you, madam, by mistake, as a string of imitation pearls, a year ago. We. have been ad- - vertising everywhere for you since.' - ' I never saw the advertisement,' said Lotte. ' But you discovered that the pearls wereTfot what you had supposed them to be? How did you discover it?' ' I was playing the violin at a party this week. A gentleman noticed the pearls. " He said he would give^me seven thousand pounds for them. I thought he was jesting. But I went home and told my husband — who is very ill, or he would have, come to you himself.' ' Who was the gentleman ?' Lotte produced the card which she had brought with her. It passed from one gentleman to another, and they smiled at one another. The youngest said, ' Cute old fox!' - and stroked his fair moustache. ' May I ask what reward you expect for .restoring the pearls?' inquired one. ' Reward, sir ?' Lotte answered, lifting her eyes to the questioner. ' I never thought of reward. The pearls are yours and not mine. I suppose you will let me have the \ money I paid for the necklace ?' ' You have restored this without hope of fee or re- ' ward, although you have been offered seven thousand - pounds for it !' ,' But it was not mine to sell — not ours ; so my husband said when I told him.' All the faces seemed to look wonderfully -kind at Lottp. 'As a master of fact,' said the eldest gentleman, ' the ' necklace is practically priceless. It belongs to the Duchess of Westshire. It has cost lives as well as years and money to find these pearls, perfectly matched, perfectly graduated. Her Grace entrusted it to us to repair the clasp. By some incredible error, it was laid down where an inexperienced assistant found it and sold it to you. Her Grace has been very considerate with us. . . Such a thing never happened before now in our hands. My dear young lady, you have done us an incalculable; service!' ' I vvill go now,' said- Lotte. ' I am very glad, sir, that we found out about the necklace. ' I will wish you good-morning.' She made a little old-fashioned curtesy. Then she remembered and blushed. ' ' Please may I have the thirty-five shillings ?' she said. 'We are poor and my husband is ill.' " Thirty-five shillings ! Good heavens ! Why, the firm is indebted -to you for more than it can pay! And in. any case, there is a reward of a, thousand pounds for the restoration of this.' „.,,. , . „ The room seemed to go round with Lotte. A thousand pounds!' she repeated. 'August would not take it. It is too much for just being honest.' ' I will come with you and see your husband,' the elder man said. 'Itison my way to the Duchess's. I must let her know at once that the pearls are found. It will be better to talk business matters over, with your A few minutes later Lotte found herself flying noise- ') lessly westward in an electric brougham, the gentleman by 1 her side saying little, but looking very kindly at Lotte now and again, while his hand caressed the jewel case which he was carrying.

Lotte waited for him while he "interviewed the Duchess and restored the precious jewels to her keeping. He came from the house radiant. /'.Her Grace is coming to see you,' he, said. ' 'My child, whom the Duchess befriends is fortunate -indeed.' It was like a dream to Lotte. . There was a thousand pounds -in bank "for them, and the jewellers had also insisted on providing August and Lotte' -with their passage to Italy. And before they had got "over these wonders there was a most beautiful young lady in "the doorway of the poor little room, asking for Lotte and. August, " and smiling ' at them with the most bewitching kindness ; while her bright eyes roamed hither and thither, taking, in the evidences of poverty, and refinement in the room. ' You are to -get strong,' she said to August'; ' and next season^ you shall both play at my parties. The Duke adores' music, and so .do I.' Her eye fell on a sheet of manuscript music, on which " August had been working when he fell ill. She seemed to understand_withouf asking questions. * ' You shall dedicate-this to me,' she said; ' I am going to look* after you 'both. I adore 'ariists, and -you. have rendered us an incalculable service. It, would have beenso easy to break it up and scatter the pearls. lam going ', to bring my own doctor to see you. You must be got "away to a good climate as soon as possible, the doctor says.' " . " ' ■ , The Duchess never did things by halves. All sorts of dainties ' and delicacies for a sick man were rained on - August and Lotte. Every hour of the day " a " big van seemed to stop at the door with another- hamper or another ' "parcel. .fortunately, there were the landlady and her -children to share these perishable gifts. She .had been vefy patient with August and Lotte since the bad -times. had come, and the gentleman from Harley street decided r that August might be moved almost at once by easy stages. ■ - - . So Lotte dressed- her Christmas-tree for the landlady's '• children, and loaded it with all manner of wonderful ~ things. - And the little child-angel at the top" of the tree, - with outspread wings, seemed to hover . over them as in the act to Bless them. All the wonderful things had come true. August was going to" be strong and bonny "once more, and the world would listen to his beautiful music. The good God had not -f orgotten them. ' - -And now, with her head on his "breast, and hidden " eyes, wonderful in their obscurity, Lotte might tell Augus^ her mother secret.— Katharine Tynan, in the Aye Maria.