The count one day would despatch a letter to the
manor, and Baroness Katharina would send her reply the next--each
determined not to remain the other's debtor. The count's epistles were
dictated to Marie; he added only the letter V to the signature.
This battle on paper was not without practical results. The baroness
paid daily visits to her "Children's Home"; and on mild spring days the
count very often saw her sitting on the open veranda, with her companion
and one or two maid-servants, sewing at children's garments until late
in the evening. The count, on his part, sent every day for his little
protege, and spent several hours patiently teaching the lad, in order
that he might compete favorably with the baroness's charges. The task
was by no means an easy one, as the lad possessed a very dull brain.
This was, it must be confessed, an excellent thing for the orphans. If
the motherly care which the baroness lavished on her charges were to be
given to all destitute orphans in children's asylums, then the "convict
system" certainly was a perfect one; while, on the other hand, if a
preceptor like Count Vavel took it upon himself to instruct a forsaken
lad, then one might certainly expect a genius to evolve from the little
dullard growing up in a peasant's cottage.
Pages:
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164