Chapter24

professorerlingavephilipalessoneveryday.hemadeoutalistofbookswhichphilipwastoreadtillhewasreadyforthefinalachievementoffaust,andmeanwhile,ingeniouslyenough,startedhimonagermantranslationofoneoftheplaysbyshakespearewhichphiliphadstudiedatschool.itwastheperiodingermanyofgoethe’shighestfame.notwithstandinghisrathercondescendingattitudetowardspatriotismhehadbeenadoptedasthenationalpoet,andseemedsincethewarofseventytobeoneofthemostsignificantgloriesofnationalunity.theenthusiasticseemedinthewildnessofthewalpurgisnachttoheartherattleofartilleryatgravelotte.butonemarkofawriter’sgreatnessisthatdifferentmindscanfindinhimdifferentinspirations;andprofessorerlin,whohatedtheprussians,gavehisenthusiasticadmirationtogoethebecausehisworks,olympianandsedate,offeredtheonlyrefugeforasanemindagainsttheonslaughtsofthepresentgeneration.therewasadramatistwhosenameoflatehadbeenmuchheardatheidelberg,andthewinterbeforeoneofhisplayshadbeengivenatthetheatreamidthecheersofadherentsandthehissesofdecentpeople.philiphearddiscussionsaboutitatthefrauprofessor’slongtable,andattheseprofessorerlinlosthiswontedcalm:hebeatthetablewithhisfist,anddrownedalloppositionwiththeroarofhisfinedeepvoice.itwasnonsenseandobscenenonsense.heforcedhimselftosittheplayout,buthedidnotknowwhetherhewasmoreboredornauseated.ifthatwaswhatthetheatrewascomingto,thenitwashightimethepolicesteppedinandclosedtheplayhouses.hewasnoprudeandcouldlaughaswellasanyoneatthewittyimmoralityofafarceatthepalaisroyal,butherewasnothingbutfilth.withanemphaticgestureheheldhisnoseandwhistledthroughhisteeth.itwastheruinofthefamily,theuprootingofmorals,thedestructionofgermany.

“aber,adolf,”saidthefrauprofessorfromtheotherendofthetable.“calmyourself.”  heshookhisfistather.hewasthemildestofcreaturesandventureduponnoactionofhislifewithoutconsultingher.

“no,helene,itellyouthis,”heshouted.“iwouldsoonermydaughterswerelyingdeadatmyfeetthanseethemlisteningtothegarbageofthatshamelessfellow.”

theplaywasthedoll’shouseandtheauthorwashenrikibsen.

professorerlinclassedhimwithrichardwagner,butofhimhespokenotwithangerbutwithgood-humouredlaughter.hewasacharlatanbutaessfulcharlatan,andinthatwasalwayssomethingforthecomicspirittorejoicein.

“verruckterkerl!amadman!”hesaid.

hehadseenlohengrinandthatpassedmuster.itwasdullbutnoworse.butsiegfried!whenhementioneditprofessorerlinleanedhisheadonhishandandbellowedwithlaughter.notamelodyinitfrombeginningtoend!hecouldimaginerichardwagnersittinginhisboxandlaughingtillhissidesachedatthesightofallthepeoplewhoweretakingitseriously.itwasthegreatesthoaxofthenineteenthcentury.heliftedhisglassofbeertohislips,threwbackhishead,anddranktilltheglasswasempty.thenwipinghismouthwiththebackofhishand,hesaid:

“itellyouyoungpeoplethatbeforethenineteenthcenturyisoutwagnerwillbeasdeadasmutton.wagner!iwouldgiveallhisworksforoneoperabydonizetti.”