Prose Specimens for Translation into German/Dialogue Form/The deaths

by Friedrich August Schulze

39. THE DEATHS^[1].

Baron de Hinz^[2] had just been presuming to such an extent upon the belief^[3] of an assembly with stories of which he said he had been an eye-witness^[4], that several persons present^[5] expressed their doubts loudly^[6]. This the narrator considered as an offence to himself^[7] and fought for^[8] the truth of his statements^[9] only the more zealously as Major Johnson took his part^[10]. At this last incident^[11] people wondered not a little because the major justly maintained the reputation of especial intelligence^[12] and love of truth. They were even more amazed^[13] when he spoke as follows^[14]:

Indeed^[15] I must share^[16] the indignation of the baron de Hinz, in as much as frequently nothing looks more improbable than the truth. My own experience may here serve as a proof^[17]. As I was still studying at Jena, I once drove with a good friend, the baron Zitzerling, over to Weimar in order to visit the theatre, where the Maid of Orleans was just being represented^[18]. Madme Wolf had the principal part^[19] and was playing it so excellently that several times I broke forth into loud admiration^[20]. That annoyed the baron whose particular inclination for some other actress would not allow him to acknowledge the superiority^[21] of the universally valued^[22] artiste. We got^[23] into a dispute. We proceeded to^[24] the neighbouring park. Favoured by the full moon the duel commenced, and I shot the baron dead.—“But,” began one^[25] of the assembly, “where did you get the fire-arms from all at once^[26]?”

“No interruption now, if I may beg of you^[27]!” said the Major rather angrily^[28]. Let me speak out^[29]! In the end^[30] everything will be cleared up^[31].—I therefore shot, as I have already said^[32], the baron Zitzerling dead. That circumstance compelled me so much the more^[33] not only speedily^[34] to leave Weimar, but Saxony, in as much as the Zitzerlings are, as is well known,^[35] a very ancient family.

“An ancient family?” some one^[36] asked.

“Yes indeed^[37]!—But if I am to finish^[38], I decline^[39] all interruptions once for all^[40], as the conclusion will surely completely^[41] fill up every gap^[42] in the story.”

Surprised^[43] at this expression evidently bordering on incivility,^[44] the company looked at each other; yet the major did not seem to notice anything of it^[45], and henceforth addressed himself^[46] solely to^[47] the baron de Hinz with his narrative.

“I hastened back to Jena, packed up^[48] in the greatest hurry, and travelled with post horses to the Austrian states. Scarcely arrived at Vienna, I went^[49] to^[50] the Apollo Hall^[51], only just then become fashionable. But my wonder at the good carrying out^[52] of the strange idea, which was the foundation of this new institution^[53], had not yet expressed itself in words^[54], when a young man worked his way most incivilly^[55] through the numerous assembly and half out of breath addressed me thus^[56]:

“I beg your pardon^[57], are you not Mr. Johnson?”

“At your service^[58].”

“Did you not shoot, the baron Zitzerling in duel, at Weimar?”

“Your servant^[59]?”

“The baron Zitzerling was^[60] my brother; I intend to avenge his death and request^[61] you to come^[62] tomorrow morning at four o’clock with pistols to the Prater.”

“Very well^[63]!” said I. I rode there next morning, found my opponent at the^[64] entrance and followed him to a somewhat secluded avenue^[65]. We took up the pistols^[66] and I shot him dead.

It was certainly^[67] very annoying^[68] to me to be obliged on account of this occurrence, so soon to leave beautiful Vienna. But my safety required it. In order however to avoid as much as possible^[69] similar interruptions, I this time proposed^[70] to myself at once^[71] a more distant journey; I sped through^[72] a part of Italy and only permitted myself some repose in Rome. One day standing admiringly before the cascade of Tivoli, a young man suddenly taps me on the shoulders and asks:—

“Your pardon, are you not Mr. Johnson?”

“At your service!”

“Did you not in a duel shoot two barons Zitzerling, one at Weimar, the other at Vienna?”

“Your servant!”

“The barons Zitzerling were^[73] my brothers; I intend^[74] to avenge their death, and request you to fight with me yonder close by^[75].”

“Very well^[76]!” said I and followed him. We took up the pistols and I shot him dead.

After this^[77] I went^[78] to Paris. But visiting^[79] the museum there on the second day, a young man joins me^[80] and inquires:—

“Your pardon, are you not Mr. Johnson?”

“At your service.”

“Did you not shoot in duel three barons Zitzerling, one at Weimar, one at Vienna, and one at Rome?”

“Your servitor!”

“The barons Zitzerling were my brothers; I intend to avenge their death and request you to see me with pistols this afternoon, at the stroke of three o’clock at the end of the Bois de Boulogne^[81].”

“Very well,” said I, and rode there in the afternoon. My opponent had already arrived^[82]; we took up the pistols and I shot him dead.

In as much as it could not be my object^[83] to send still more Zitzerlings into the other world, I resolved, hoping^[84] to be quite safe in my native country^[85] from^[86] the relatives of those already perished^[87], to leave the continent altogether; I therefore went^[88] to Calais, embarked and arrived safely^[89] in Dover. In reality^[90] it also appeared^[91] as if the relations^[92] or at least their knowledge of my differences with the family did not extend^[93] as far as^[94] London; for I lived here some time quite undisturbed^[95] by the Zitzerlings. Once however as I was engaged at Lloyd’s coffee-rooms at a game of chess^[96], I accidentally looked up^[97] and became so confused^[98] through a young man opposite who did not cease staring at me for a moment^[99], that I made^[100] a false move in consequence and my whole otherwise excellent game became imperilled^[101].

“Sir,” said^[102] I jumping up, “why do you stare at me thus incessantly^[103]?”

“Your pardon,” said he, “are you not Mr. Johnson?”

“At your service.”

“Did you not shoot in duel four barons Zitzerling, one at Weimar, one at Vienna, one at Rome and one in Paris?”

“Your servant!”

“The barons Zitzerling were my brothers; I intend to avenge their death. Come out with me into the open^[104] in order to shoot with me^[105].”

“Very well!” said I, “only my game of chess is not yet finished. Let us therefore settle^[106] this trifle^[107] here at once!”

He consented.^[108] I go with him into a distant room, take up the pistol, he also, and —”

“And shoot him dead?” at once interrupted Baron de Hinz smiling, just as the major sneezed.

“No, pardon me,” he answered, “he^[109] shot^[110] me dead.”

This story had^[111] the desired effect; the braggart^[112], tormented by general laughter, soon after took his departure in perfect silence.Fr. Laun.

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1. die Todesfälle.
2. Herr von Hinz.
3. hatte so eben den Glauben . . . . dergestalt in Anspruch genommen.
4. er . . . . Augenzeuge gewesen sein wollte.
5. Anwesende.
6. to express loudly, laut werden lassen.
7. der Errzähler hielt sich dadurch für beleidigt.
8. to fight for, verfechten.
9. statement, Vortrag.
10. auf seine Seite trat.
11. über letzteres.
12. Einsicht.
13. man flaunte vollends.
14. als er sich endlich also vernehmen ließ.
15. in der That.
16. Recht gegen.
17. zum Belege.
18. to represent, aufführen.
19. Hauptrolle.
20. daß ich . . . . ganz laut darüber in Bewunderung ausbrach.
21. Uebergewicht.
22. valued, geschätzt.
23. to get, gerathen.
24. wir suchten . . . . auf.
25. aus.
26. wo kamen Ihnen denn sogleich die Schießgewehre her. (The mode of address is here by the third person of the plural; see Gr. page 62, foot-note).
27. wenn ich bitten darf.
28. nicht ohne Unwillen.
29. Lassen Sie mich ausreden (finish speaking).
30. am Ende (but „im Anfange“).
31. wird sich Alles von selbst finden.
32. wie schon erzählt.
33. denn um so mehr.
34. schleunigst.
35. bekanntlich.
36. einer.
37. ja wohl.
38. doch wenn ich ausreden soll.
39. so verbitte ich mir.
40. ein für allemal.
41. völlig.
42. Lücke.
43. befremdet.
44. über diese an die offenbare Unhöflichkeit streifende Neußerung.
45. davon.
46. to address oneself, sich wenden.
47. an.
48. to pack up, zusammenpacken.
49. to go, sich begeben.
50. in.
51. den damals erst Mode gewordenen Apollosaal.
52. Ausführung.
53. welche der neuen Anstalt zu Grunde lag.
54. war noch nicht zu Worte gekommen.
55. recht unartig.
56. als.
57. um Vergebung.
58. zu dienen.
59. aufzuwarten.
60. perfect tense.
61. to request, ersuchen.
62. sich . . . einzufinden.
63. schön.
64. am.
65. Allee.
66. wir nahmen die Pistolen zur Hand.
67. allerdings.
68. empfindlich.
69. möglichst.
70. dachte ich diesmal.
71. sogleich.
72. to speed through, durchfliegen.
73. perfect tense.
74. to intend, denken.
75. sich dort in der Nähe mit mir zu schießen.
76. schön.
77. hierauf.
78. to go, reisen.
79. allein wie ich . . . besuche.
80. gesellt sich auch schon . . . zu mir.
81. sich diesen Nachmittag Schlag drei Uhr am Ende des bois de Boulogne mit Pistolen einzufinden.
82. war schon da.
83. da mir nichts daran liegen konnte.
84. in der Hoffnung.
85. Heimath.
86. vor.
87. der bereits Umgekommenen.
88. to go, sich begeben.
89. glücklich.
90. in der That.
91. to appear, scheinen (“erscheinen,” to make one’s appearance).
92. die Berwandtschaft.
93. present conjunctive of weichen.
94. bis.
95. unangefochten.
96. als mich eben . . . eine Parthie Schach beschäftigt.
97. to look up, in die Höhe blicken.
98. und werde so irre.
99. der seine starren Augen nicht von mir wendet.
100. present tense of thun.
101. worüber meine ganze, vortrefflich stehende Parthie in Gefahr gerieth.
102. present tense.
103. was starren Sie mich . . . an.
104. ins Freie.
105. um sich mit mir zu schießen.
106. abthun.
107. Bagatelle.
108. er war’s zufrieden.
109. der.
110. perfect tense.
111. to have, thun.
112. Aufschneider.