Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann Read Free Book Online Page A

you--en avant!" He quenched one flame after another under the little metal cap. There were only two candles left when the elder turned again to his son, whom he could hardly see at the far end of the room. "Eh bien--what are you standing there for? Why don't you say something?" "What shall I say, Father? I am thoroughly taken aback." "You are pretty easily taken aback, then," Johann Budden-brook rapped out irritably, though he knew that the reproach was far from being a just one. His son was in fact often his superior when it came to a quick decision upon the advan-tageous course. " 'Damnable influences,'" the Consul quoted. "That is the first line I can make out. Du you know how it makes me feel, Father? And he reproaches us with 'unchristian behaviour!' " "You'll let yourself be bluffed by this miserable scribble, will you?" Johann Buddenbrook strode across to his son, dragging the extinguisher on its long stick behind him. " 'Un-christian behaviour!' Ha! He shows good taste, doesn't he, this canting money-grabber? I don't know what to make of you young people! Your heads are full of fantastic religious humbug--practical idealism, the July Monarchy, and what not: and we old folk are supposed to be wretched cynics. And then you abuse your poor old Father in the coarsest way rather than give up a few thousand thaler.... So he deigns to look down upon me as a business man, does he? Well, as a business man, I know what faux-frais are!--Faux-frais" he repeated, rolling the r in his throat. "I sha'n't make this high-falutin scamp of a son any fonder of me by giving him what he asks for, it seems to me." "What can I say, Father? I don't care to feel that he ha3 any justification when he talks of 'influences.' As an interested party I don't like to tell you to stick out, but--It seems to me I'm as good a Christian as Gotthold... but still..." " 'Still'--that is exactly it, Jean, you are right to say 'still.' What is the real state of the case? He got infatuated with his Mademoiselle Stiiwing and wouldn't listen to reason; he made scene after scene, and finally he married her, after I had absolutely refused to give my consent. Then I wrote to him: 'Mon tres cher fits: you are marrying our shop--very well, that's an end of it. We cease to be on friendly terms from now on. I won't cut you off, or do anything melodra-matic. I am sending you a hundred thousand marks as a wedding present, and I'll leave you another hundred thou-sand in my will. But that is absolutely all you'll get, not another shilling!' That shut his mouth.--What have our arrangements got to do with him? Suppose you and your 43 sister do get a bit more, and the house has been bought out of your share?" "Father, surely you can understand how painful my position is! I ought to advise you in the interest of family har-mony--but..." The Consul sighed. Johann Buddenbrook peered at him, in the dim light, to see what his expression was. One of the two candles had gone out of itself; the other was flickering. Every now and then a tall, smiling white figure seemed to step momentarily out of the tapestry and then back again. "Father," said the Consul softly. "This affair with Gott-hold depresses me." "What's all this sentimentality, Jean? How does it depress you?" "We were all so happy here to-day, Father; we had a glorious celebration, and we felt proud and glad of what we have accomplished, and of having raised the family and firm to a position of honour and respect.... But this bitter feud with my own brother, with your eldest son, is like a hidden crack in the building we have erected. A family should be united, Father. It must keep together. 'A house divided against itself will fall.' " "There you are with your milk-and-water stuff, Jean! All I say is, he's an insolent young puppy." A pause ensued. The last candle burned lower and lower. "What are you doing, Jean?" asked Johann Buddenbrook. "I can't see you." The Consul said shortly, "I'm calculating." He was standing erect,