Master Flea by E. T. A. Hoffmann

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
First Adventure, Part one of Master Flea. This is a
LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
Read by Bob Neufeld, Master Flee by E. T. A. Hoffmann,

(00:23):
First Adventure, Part one Introduction, wherein the gentle reader learns
as much of the life of mister Peregrine Tie as
is requisite for him to know. Presentation of Christmas boxes
at the bookbinders Lemmerhertz in the Kelbecker Street, and beginning
of the first Adventure the two Alinas Once upon a time.

(00:48):
But what author will venture to begin his tale so
nowadays obsolete tedious, such as the cry of the gentle
or rather ungentle reader who wishes to be playing at
once marias in race according to the wise advice of
the old Roman poet. He feels as if some long
winded talker of a guest who had just entered, was

(01:11):
spreading himself out and clearing his voice to begin an
endless discourse. And he angrily closes the book which he
had but just opened. The present editor indeed of the
wonderful Tale of Master Flea thinks this beginning is a
very good beginning, not to say the best, for every history,
on which account the most excellent story tellers, that are,

(01:33):
namely nurses, old women, and so forth, have at all
times made use of it. But as every writer writes
chiefly to be read, he, that is, the aforesaid editor,
will not at any rate deprive the kind reader of
the pleasure of actually being his reader. He tells him therefore,
at once, without more circumlocution, that this same peregrinetise of

(01:57):
whose strange adventures this history is to te ttreat, had
never on any Christmas evening felt his heart so throb
with anxious, joyful expectation. As precisely on that with which
begins the narration of his adventures. Peregrine was in a
dark chamber next to the showroom in which he was
wont to receive his Christmas box. There he crept gently

(02:21):
up and down, listened a little at the door, and
then seated himself quietly in a corner, and with shut
eyes inhaled the mystic odors of the marzipan and gingerbread
which streamed from the sanctuary. Then again there would shoot
through him a sweet mysterious thrill, When, on suddenly reopening them,

(02:42):
he was dazzled by the vivid beams of light which
fell through the crevices of the door, and danced hither
and thither upon the wall. At length sounded the little
silver bell. The chamber door was flung open an in
rushed paragrine, amidst the whole fire flood of variegated Christmas lights.

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Quite petrified, he remained standing at the table on which
the finest gifts were arranged in the most handsome order,
and only allowed, oh forced itself from his breast. Never
before had the Christmas tree borne such splendid fruits, for
every sweet meat that can be named, and amongst them
many a golden nuts, many a golden apple from the

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garden of the Hesperides, hung upon the boughs which bent
beneath their burthen. The provision of choicest playthings, fine leaden soldiers,
hunting trains of the same picture books, and so forth
is not to be told. But as yet he did
not venture to touch any part of the wealth presented
to him. He could only occupy himself in mastering his

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wonder and comprehending the idea of his good fortune in
all this being really his. Oh my dear parents, oh
my good Aleena, so he exclaimed, with feelings of the
highest transport. Well, my little Peregrine replied, Alena, have I
done it? Well? Are you in truth? Rejoiced from your heart,

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my child? Won't you look nearer at these handsome things?
Won't you try the new rocking horse and the beautiful fox,
A noble steed, said Peregrine, examining the bridled rocking horse
with tears of joy, a noble beast of pure Arabian race,
And he immediately mounted his proud courser. But the paragrine

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might else be a capital rider. Yet this time he
must have made some mistake, For the wild pontiffeur so
was the horse called reared and threw him off, making
him kick up his legs most piteously. Before, however, Alena,
who was frightened to death, could run to his assistance,
he had got up again and seized the bridle of

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the horse, who threw out behind and endeavored to run
away again. He mounted, and, using with strength and skill
all the arts of horsemanship, he brought the wild animal
so to his reason that it trembled and panted, and
recognized his master in Peregrine. Upon his dismounting, Alena led

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the conquered horse into his stable. This somewhat violent riding,
which had caused an outrageous noise in the room and
indeed through the whole house, was now over, and Parregrine
seated himself at the table that he might quietly take
a nearer view of the other splendid presents. With great delight,
he devoured some of the marzipan while he set in

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motion the limbs of the different puppets, peeped into the
various picture books, mustered his army, which he with reason
deemed invincible, since not a single soldier had a stomach
in his body, and at last proceeded to the business
of the chase. To his great vexation, he discovered there
was only a hare and fox hunt, and that the

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stag and wild board chase were altogether wanting. These two
ought to have been there, as none better knew than Peregrine,
he himself having purchased the whole with unspeakable care and trouble.
But hold it seems highly requisite to guard the kind
reader against the awkward mistakes into which he might fall

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if the author were to go on gossiping at random,
without reflecting that though he may know the meaning of
these Christmas Eve arrangements, it is not so with his reader,
who would wish to learn what he does not comprehend.
Much mistaken would he be? Who should imagine that peregrine
Tie was a child to whom a kind mother or

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some other well affectioned female called, in romantic fashion Alina,
had been giving Christmas boxes nothing less than that mister
Peregrinetis had got to his sixth and thirtieth year, and
herein had passed almost the best of life. Six years
before he was said to be a handsome man. Now,

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how he was with reason called a man of gentlemanly appearance.
But at all times, then as well as now, it
was the cry of all that he lived too much
to himself, that he did not know life, and was
manifestly suffering under a diseased melancholy. Fathers, whose daughters were
just marriageable, thought that to get rid of this melancholy,

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the good Tease could do nothing better than Mary. He
had a free choice and had little reason to fear
a negative. The opinion of the fathers was at least
correct in regard to the latter points. Insomuch as, mister Teas,
besides being, as before said, a man of gentlemanly appearance,
possessed a considerable property left to him by his father,

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mister barthisol tease a very respectable merchant maidens who have
got beyond the heyday of love, that is, who are
at least three or four and twenty years old. When
such highly gifted men put the innocent question of will
you bless me with your hand, dearest, seldom do otherwise
than answer, with blushing cheeks and downcast eyes. Speak to

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my parents, sir, I shall obey them. I have no will.
While the parents fall their hands and say, if it
is the will of Heaven, we have nothing against it. Son.
But mister Peregrintee seemed inclined to nothing less than marriage.
For besides that he was in general averse to society,

(08:28):
he showed more particularly a strange idiosyncrasy towards the female race.
The mere proximity of any woman would bring the perspiration
on his forehead, and if actually accosted by a tolerably
handsome girl, he would fall into an agony that fettered
his tongue and caused a cramp like trembling through all

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his limbs. Hence, perhaps it was that his old servant
was so ugly that in the neighborhood where mister Peregrintese
lived she passed for a wonder in natural history. The black, rugged,
half gray hair accorded well with the red blear eyes,
and just as well agreed the thick copper nose with

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the pale blue lips, in forming the image of an
aspirant to the Blocksburg, so that two centuries earlier she
would hardly have escaped the stake. Instead of being, as
now esteemed by mister Peregrin and others too, for a
good sort of person, this, in fact she was, and
might therefore well be forgiven if she comforted her body

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with many a little dram in the course of the day,
or perhaps too often took out from her stomacher a
huge black japan snuff box and fed her respectable nose
very richly with pure oppenbacher. The kind reader has already
observed that this remarkable person is the very same Aleena
who managed the business of the Christmas boxes. Heaven knows

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how she came by the celebrated name of the u
the Queen of Galcunde. But if the fathers desired that
the rich, agreeable mister Peregrine should lay aside his horror
of women and marry without much more ado, the old bachelors,
on the other hand, said that he did quite right
to remain single, as his turn of mind was not

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suited to matrimony. It was unlucky, however, that at the
phrase turn of mind not a few made a very
mysterious face, and upon close inquiry gave it to be
pretty plainly understood that mister peregrine tise was at times
a little cracked. The numerous retailers of this opinion belonged

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chiefly to those who are firmly convinced that on the
great highway of life, which is to be kept according
to reason and prudence, the nose is the best guide,
and who would rather put on blinkers than be led
aside by any odorous shrub or blooming meadow that grows
by the way. It was, however, true, that Paragrin had

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many things about him which people could not comprehend. It
has already been said that his father was a rich
and respectable merchant. When to this is added that he
owned a handsome house in the horse Market, and that
in this house, in the very same chamber where the
little Peregrine had always received his Christmas boxes, the grown

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up Peregrine was now receiving them. There is no room
to doubt that the place of the strange adventures to
be narrated in this history is the celebrated city of
Frankfurt am Maine. Of his parents, little more is to
be told than that they were quite honest folks of
whom no one could speak anything but good. The unbounded

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esteem which mister Tess enjoyed upon the exchange he owed
to two circumstances. He always speculated well and safely, gaining
one sum after the other, while at the same time
he never presumed, but remained modest as before, and made
no boast of his wealth, which he showed merely by

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his haggling about nothing and being indulgence itself towards insolvent
debtors who had fallen into misfortune, even though it were deservedly.
For a long time, the marriage of mister Teast was
unfruitful till at length, after almost twenty years, missus Teas
rejoiced her husband with a fine, lusty boy who was

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our identical master, Peregrine Tease. The boundless joy of the
elders may be imagined, and the people of Frankfort yet
talk of the splendid christening given by the old Tease,
at which the noblest hawk was filled out as if
at a coronation festival. But what added still more to
the posthumous fame of mister Teas was that he invited

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to this christening a couple of people who, in their
enmity had often injured him, and not only them, but
others to whom he thought he had injured, so that
the feast was really one of peace and reconciliation. Alas
the good Man did not suspect that this same child,
whose birth so much rejoiced him, would soon be a

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cause of sorrow. At the very first, the boy Peregrine
showed a singular disposition. After he had cried night and
day uninterruptedly for some weeks, without their being able to
find out any bodily ailment, he became, on the sudden
quite quiet, and, as it were, stupefied into a motionless insensibility.

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He seemed incapable of the least impression. The little brow,
which appeared to belong to a lifeless puppet, was wrinkled
neither by tears nor laughter. His mother maintained that it
was owing on her part to the sight of the
old bookkeeper, who had for twenty years sat in the
counting house before the great cash book with the same

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lifeless countenance, and she wept bitter tears over the little automaton.
At last, an old gossip hit upon the lucky thought
of bringing Paragon a very motley and in fact, a
very ugly harlequin. The child's eyes quickened in a strange fashion,
the mouth contracted to a gentle smile. He caught at
the puppet, and the moment it was given to him,

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hugged it tenderly. Then again he gazed upon the Mannikin
with such intelligent and speaking eyes that it seemed as
if reason and sensation had suddenly awakened in him, and
with much greater vigor than is usual with children of
his age. He is too wise, said the godmother. You'll
not keep him. Only look at his eyes. He already

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thinks more than he ought to do. This declaration greatly
comforted the old merchant, who had in some measure reconciled
himself to the idea of having begot an idiot after
so many years of fruitless expectation. Soon, however, he fell
into a fresh trouble, and this was that the time

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had long since gone by in which children usually begin
to speak, and yet Peregrine had not uttered a syllable.
The boy would have been thought dumb, but that he
often gazed on the person who spoke to him with
such attention, nay even showed such sympathy by sad as
well as by joyful looks, that there could be no
doubt not only of his hearing, but of his understanding everything.

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In the meantime, his mother was mightily astonished at finding
what the nurse had told her confirmed. At night, when
the boy lay in bed and fancied himself unnoticed, he
talked to himself single words and even whole sentences, and
so little broken that a long practice might be inferred
from this perfection. Heaven has lent to women a certain

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tact of reading human nature as its growth variously develops itself,
on which account for the first years at least of childhood,
they are the best educators According to this tact, missus
Tease was far from letting the boy see he was observed,
or from wishing to force him to speak. She rather
contrived to bring it about by other dexterous means, that

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he should, of himself no longer keep concealed the beautiful
talent of speech, but should slowly, yet painfully, manifest it
to the world and to the wonder of all. Still, however,
he evinced a constant aversion to talking, and was most
pleased when they left him in quiet by himself. Thus

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was mister ts freed from all anxiety on account of
his want of tongue. But it was only to fall
into a much greater care afterwards. When Peregrine had grown
a boy and ought to have learned stoutly, it seemed
as if nothing was to be driven into him without
the greatest trouble. It was with his writing and reading,
as it had been with his talking. At first the

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matter could not be compassed at all, and then on
a sudden he did it admirably and beyond all expectation.
In the meantime, one master after another left the house,
not from dislike to the boy, but because they could
not enter into his disposition, paragon was still mannerly and industrious.

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And yet it was no use thinking of any systematic
learning with him. He had understanding for that only which
happened to chime in exactly with his genius. All the
rest passed over him without leaving any impression. And that
which suited his genius was the wonderful all that excited

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his imagination in that he lived and moved. So. For example,
he once received a present of a sketch of Beijing,
with all its streets, houses, and so forth, which occupied
the entire wall of his chamber. At the sight of
this city of fables of the singular people that seemed
to crowd through its streets, Peregrine felt as if transported

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by some magic sleigh into another world in which he
was to become at home. With eagerness, he now fell
upon everything that he could get hold of, respecting China,
the Chinese, and Beijing, and having somewhere found the Chinese
sounds described, he labored to pronounce them according to the
description with a fine chanting voice. Nay, he even endeavored,

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by means of the paper scissors, to give his handsome
kalmanco bed gowns the Chinese cut as much as possible,
that he might have the pleasure of walking the streets
of Beijing in the fashion. Nothing else could excite his attention,
to the great annoyance of his tutor, who just then
wished to instill into him the history of the Hanseatic League,
according to the express wish of mister Tees. But the

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old gentleman found to his sorrow that Peregrine was not
to be brought out of Beijing. Wherefore he brought Beijing
out of the boy's chamber. The elder mister Thiess had
always considered it a bad omen that Peregrine, as a
little child, should prefer counters to ducats, and next should
manifest a decided abhorrence of money bags, ledgers and waste book.

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But what seemed most singular was that he never could
hear the word bill of exchange pronounced without having his
teeth set on edge, and he assured them that he
felt at the sound as if someone was scratching up
and down a pane of glass with the point of
a knife. Mister Tis therefore could not help seeing that

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his son was spoilt for a merchant. And however he
might wish to have him treading in his footsteps. Yet
he readily gave up this desire under the idea that
Peregrine would apply himself to some decided occupation. It was
a maxim of his that the richest man ought to
have an employment and thereby a settled station in life.

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People with no occupation were an abomination to him. And
it was precisely to this no occupation that his son
was entirely devoted with all the knowledge which he had
picked up in his own way, and which lay chaotically
confounded in his brain. This was now the greatest and
most pressing anxiety of mister Tees. Peregrine wished to know

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nothing of the actual world the old man lived in
that only from which contradiction it could not but be
that the older Peregrine grew, the worse became the discord
between father and son. To the no little sorrow of
the mother, she cordially conceded to Peregrine, who was otherwise
the best of sons. His mode of life in mere

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dreams and fancies, though to her indeed unintelligible, and she
could not conceive why her husband would positively impose upon
him a decided occupation. By the advice of tried friends,
Tease sent his son to the University of Jena. But
when after three years he returned, the old man exclaimed,

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full of wrath and vexation. Did I not think so,
Hans the dreamer? He went away? Hans the Dreamer, he
comes back again. And so far he was quite right,
for the student was substantially unaltered. Still, he did not
give up all hope of bringing the degenerate paragrind to reason,

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thinking that if he were once forced into some employment,
he might perhaps change his mind in the end and
take a pleasure in it. With this view, he sent
him to Hamburg with commissions that did not require any
particular knowledge of business, and moreover commended him to a
friend there who was to assist him faithfully in all things.

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Peregrin arrived at Hamburg, where he gave into the hands
of his father's friend not only his letter of recommendation,
but all the papers too that related to his commissions,
and immediately disappeared. No one knew whither Hereupon the friend
wrote to mister Tess, I have punctually received your honored
letter by the hands of your son, the same, however,

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has not shown himself since, but set off from Hamburg
immediately without leaving any commission. In Pepper's we are doing
little cotton goes off heavily. In coffee, the middle sort
only is inquired after. But on the other hand, molasses
maintains its price presently, and in indigo there is not
much fluctuation. I have the honor, et cetera. This letter

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would have plunged mister T and his spouse into no
little alarm if by the very same post another had
not arrived from the lost son, wherein he excused himself
with the most melancholy expressions, saying that it had been
utterly impossible for him to execute the received commissions according
to his father's wishes, and that he found himself irresistibly

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attracted to foreign countries, from which he hoped to return
home in the year's time with a happier and more
cheerful disposition. It is well said the old man that
the younger should look about him in the world, he
may get shaken out of his day dreams. And when
Peregon's mother expressed an anxiety lest he should want money

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for his long journey, and that therefore his carelessness was
much to be blamed in not having written to tell
them where he was going. The old gentleman replied, laughing,
ha ha. If the lad be in want of money,
he will sooner get acquainted with the real world. And
if he have not said which way he is going,
still he knows where his letters will find us. It

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has always remained unknown which way his journey really was directed.
Some maintained that he had been to the distant indies,
others declare that he had only fancied it. This much, however,
is certain, he must have traveled a great way, for
it was not in a year's time, as he had
promised his parents. But after the lapse of four three

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years that Peagon returned to Frankfort on foot and in
a terribly poor condition. He found his father's mansion fast
shut up, and no one stirred within, let him ring
and knock as much as he would. At last there
came by a neighbor from the exchange, of whom he
immediately inquired whether mister TEIs had gone abroad. At this question,

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the neighbors started back, terrified and cried, mister Peregrine, tease,
is it you are? You come at last, don't you
then know it? Enough? Peregrine learned that during his absence,
both parents had died, one after the other, that the

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authorities had taken possession of the inheritance and had publicly
summoned him, whose abode was altogether unknown, to return to
Frankfort and receive the property of his father. Peregrine continued
to stand before his neighbor without the power of utterance.
For the first time, the pain of life crossed his heart,

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and he saw in ruins the beautiful, bright world wherein
till now he had dwelt with so much delight. The
a neighbor soon perceived that he was utterly incapable of
setting about the least thing that the occasion called for.
He therefore took him into his own house, and himself
arranged everything with all possible expedition, so that on the

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very same evening Peregrine found himself in his paternal mansion. Exhausted,
overwhelmed by a feeling of disconsolation such as he had
not yet known. He sank into his father's great arm chair,
which was still standing in its usual place, while a
voice said, it is well that you have returned dear

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mister Peregrine, Oh, if you had but come sooner. Peregrine
looked up and saw close before him the old woman
whom his father had taken into his surface cheaply because
she could get no other place on account of her
outrageous ugliness. She had been Peregrine's nurse in his early
childhood and had not left the house since for a

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long time. He stared at the woman, and at last
began with a strange smile. Is it you, Alina? The
old people lived still, do they not? And with this
he got up, went through every room, considered every chair,
every table, and every picture, and then calmly added, yes,

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it is all just as I left it, and just
so shall it remain? And the First Adventure, Part one
of Master Flea. First Adventure Part two of Master Flea.

(26:40):
This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
visit LibriVox dot org. Read by Bob Neffeld, Master Flee
by E. T. A. Hoffmann, First Adventure Part two. From

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this moment, Peregrine adopted the strange life, which was mentioned
at the very beginning of our story, retired from all society,
he lived with his aged attendant in the large, roomy
house in the deepest solitude. Subsequently, he let out a
couple of rooms to an old man who had been
his father's friend and seemed as misanthropical as himself. Reason

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enough why the two should agree remarkably well, for they
never saw each other. There were four family festivals which
Peregrine celebrated with infinite solemnity, and these were the birthdays
of his father and mother, Easter, and his own day
of Christening. At these times, Alina had to set out
a table for as many persons as his father had

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been wont to invite, with the same wine and dishes
which had been usually served up on those occasions. Of course,
the same silver, the same plates, the same glasses, such
as had then been used, and such as they still remained,
were now brought forward in the fashion which had prevailed
for so many years. Peregon kept to this strictly. Was

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the table ready, He sat down to it alone, ate
and drank, but little listened to the conversation of his
parents and the imaginary guests, and replied modestly to this
or that question. As it was directed to him by
any one of the company, did his mother put back
her seats, He too, rose with the rest, and took
his leave of each with great courtesy. Then he retired

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to a distant chamber, and consigned to Elena the division
of the wine and the many untasted dishes amongst the poor,
which command of her master, the faithful soul was wont
to execute most conscientiously. The celebration of the two birthdays,
he began early in the morning that, according to the
custom of his boyhood, he might carry a handsome nosegay

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into the room where his parents used to breakfast and
repeat verses which he had got by heart for the occasion.
On his own day of christening, he naturally could not
sit at table, as he had not then been long born.
Alina therefore had to attend to everything, that is, to
invite people to drink, and in the general phrase, to

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do the honors of the table. With this exception, everything
was the same as at the other festivals. But in
addition to these, Peregrine had yet another holiday in the year,
or rather holy evening, and that was Christmas Eve, with
its gifts, which had excited his youthful fancy more than

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any other pleasure. He himself carefully purchased the Motley Christmas lights,
the playthings, the sweet meats, just as his parents had
presented them to him in his childish years. And then
the presentation took place, as the kind reader has already seen.
It is very vexatious, said Peregrine, after having played with

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them some time. It is very vexatious that the stag
and wild boar hunts should be missing. Where can they be? Ah?
Look there? At this moment he perceived a little box
which still remained unopened, and hastily snatched at it, expecting
to recover the missing treasure. But on opening it, he

(30:22):
found it empty and started back, as if a sudden
fright had seized him. Strange, he murmured to himself, strange,
what is the matter with this box? It seems as
if some fearful thing sprang out upon me that my
eye was too dull to grapple with. Alina, on being questioned,

(30:45):
assured him that she had found the box among the
playthings and had, in vain used every exertion to open it. Hence,
she had imagined that it contained something particular and that
the lid would yield only to the experienced hand of
her master. Strange, repeated, peregrine, very strange. And it was

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with this chase that I had particularly pleased myself. I
hope it may not bode any evil. But who on
a Christmas Eve would dwell upon such fancies which have
properly no foundation. Alena, fetch me the basket. Alena accordingly
brought a large white basket, in which, with much care,

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he packed up the playthings, the sweetmeats and the tapers,
took the basket under his arm, the great Christmas tree
on his shoulder, and set out on his way. It
was the kind and laudable practice of mister Tiste to
surprise some needy family where he knew there were children
with his whole cargo of Christmas boxes, just as he

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had purchased it, and dream himself for a few hours
into the happy times of boyhood. Then, when the children
were in the height of their joy, he would softly
steal away and wander about the streets half the night,
hardly knowing what to do with himself from the deep
emotions which straitened his breast, and feeling his own house

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like a vault in which he was buried with all
his treasures. This time his Christmas boxes were intended for
the children of a poor bookbinder of the name of Lemmerheert,
who was a skillful industrious man, had long worked for him,
and whose three children he was well acquainted with. The
bookbinder Lemmerhirt lived in the top floor of a narrow

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house in the Kalbecher Street, And as the winter storm
howled and raged, and the rain and snow fell with
mingled violence, it may be easily imagined that Peregrine did
not get to his object without great difficulty. From the
window twinkled down a couple of miserable tapers. With no
little toil, he clambered up the steep stairs, knocked the door,

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and called out, open, open, Ristmas sends his presence to
all good children. The bookbinder opened the door in alarm,
and it was not till after some consideration that he
recognized Peregrine, who was quite covered with snow. Worshipful mister Teas,
he exclaimed, full of wonder, how in the name of

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Heaven do I come to such an honor on Christmas Eve?
Worshipful mister Teas however, would not let him finish, but
calling out, children, children, alert, Christmas sends his presence. He
took possession of the flap table in the middle of
the room and immediately began to pull out his presence

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from the baskets the great Christmas tree, indeed, which was
dripping wet he had been forced to leave outside the door. Still,
the bookbinder could not comprehend what it all meant. The wife, however,
knew better, for she smiled at Peregrine with silent tears,
while the children stood out distance, devouring with their eyes

(34:02):
each gift as it came out of the cover, and
often unable to refrain from a loud cry of joy
and wonder. At last, he had dexterously divided and ordered
the presence according to each child's age, lighted all the tapers,
and cried, come, come, children, this is what Christmas sends you.

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They who could yet hardly believe that all belonged to them,
now shouted aloud and leaped and rejoiced, while their parents
prepared to thank their benefactor. But it was precisely this
thanksgiving that Peregrine always sought to avoid, and he therefore
wished as usual to take himself off quietly. With this view,

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he had got to the door when it suddenly opened,
and in the bright shine of the Christmas lights, stood
before him a young female, splendidly attired. It seldom turns
out well when an author undertakes to describe narrowly to
the reader the appearance of this or that beautiful personage
of his tail, showing the shape, the growth, the carriage,

(35:09):
the hair, the color of the eyes. It seems much
better to give the whole person at once without these details.
Here too, it would be quite enough to state that
the lady who ran against the startled peregrine was uncommonly
handsome and graceful, if it were not absolutely requisite to
speak of certain peculiarities which the little creature had about her.

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She was small, and indeed somewhat too small, but at
the same time neatly and elegantly proportioned. Her forehead in
other respects, handsomely formed and full of expression, acquired a
something strange and singular. From the unusual size of the eyeballs,
and from the dark pencilly brows being higher placed than ordinary.

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The little thing was dressed, or rather decorated, as if
if she had just come from a ball. A splendid
diadem glittered amongst her raven locks, rich point lace only
half veiled her bosom. A black and yellow striped dress
of heavy silk sat close upon her slender body, and
fell down in folds just so low as to let

(36:17):
the neatest little feet be seen in white shoes, while
the sleeves were just long enough and the gloves just
short enough to show the fairest part of a dazzling arm.
A rich necklace and brilliant ear rings completed her attire.
It could not but be that the bookbinder was as

(36:38):
much surprised as Peregrine, that the children abandoned their playthings
and stared with open mouths at the stranger. As however,
women in general are wont to be the least astonished
at anything unusual, and are the quickest to collect themselves.
So on this occasion also, the bookbinder's wife was the
first that recovered speech and asked in what she could

(37:01):
serve the lady. Upon this, the stranger came fairly into
the room, and the frightened Peregrine would have seized the
opportunity to take himself quickly off, but she caught him
by both hands, lisping out in a little soft voice.
Fortune then has favored me. I have found you, then,

(37:21):
oh Peregrine, my dear Paragrin, what a delightful meeting herewith
She raised her right hand so that it touched Peregrine's lips,
and he was compelled to kiss it, though in so
doing the cold drops of perspiration stood on his forehead.
She now indeed let go his hands, and he might

(37:43):
have fled, but he felt himself spellbound. He could not
move from the place, like some poor little animal that
has been fascinated by the eye of the rattlesnake. Allow me,
she said, dear Peregrine, to share in this charm treat
that you have sown nobly and with such real goodness

(38:03):
prepared for the children. Permit me also to contribute something
to it from a little basket which hung upon her arm,
and which had not been remarked till now. She took
out all sorts of playthings, arranged them on the table
with graceful bustle, brought forward the children, pointed out to
each the present intended for him, and sported so prettily

(38:27):
withal that nothing could be more delightful. The bookbinder thought
he was in a dream, But the wife laughed roguishly,
fancying that there must be some particular acquaintance between Peregrine
and the stranger. While now the parents were wondering and
the children were rejoicing, the lady took her seat upon

(38:47):
an old, frail sofa and drew down mister Peregrine, who
in fact scarcely knew any longer whether he actually was
this same person. She then gently lisped into his ear.
My dear, dear Peregrine, how happy, how delighted I feel
by your side? But lady stammered. Peregrine honored lady on

(39:12):
a sudden Heaven knows how the lips of the stranger
came so close to his that before he could think
about kissing them, he had really done it. That by
this he lost all power of speech is easily to
be imagined, my sweet friend, continued the lady, creeping up

(39:32):
to Peregrine so closely that she almost sat in his lap.
My sweet friend, I know what troubles you, I know
what has so much afflicted your simple heart this evening.
But take comfort that which you lost that which you
hardly hoped to find again. See, I'd bring it to you.

(39:56):
With this, She took out a little wooden box from
her baskets and gave into the hands of Peregrine. In
it was the hunting set that he had missed on
the Christmas eve table. It would be hard to describe
the strange feelings which were now thronging and jostling in
his bosom. The whole appearance of the stranger, in spite

(40:17):
of all her grace and loveliness, had yet something supernatural
about it, which those who had not Peregrines awe of woman,
would yet have received with a cold shudder through every vein.
Of course, therefore a deep horror seized the poor Peregrine,
already in sufficient alarm when he found the lady most

(40:37):
narrowly informed of all that he had been doing in
the profoundest solitude. Still, when he looked up and met
the glance of two bright black eyes flashing from under
the silken lids, when he felt the sweet breath of
the lovely being and the electric warmth of her limbs,
Still with all his terror, there awoke in him the

(40:59):
sadness of unutterable desires such as he had not yet
known for the first time his whole mode of life.
His trifling with the Christmas presents appeared to him absurd
and childish, and he felt ashamed that the stranger should
know of it. But then again, it seemed as if

(41:19):
her gift was the living proof that she understood him
as none else on earth had understood him, And in
seeking to gratify him after his manner had been prompted
by the most perfect delicacy of feeling, he resolved to
treasure up the dear gift for ever, never to let
it go out of his own hands, And carried away

(41:40):
by a feeling which totally overpowered him, he pressed the
casket to his breast with vehemence delightful murmured the maiden.
My gift pleases you, oh, my dearest paragrine, than my
dreams my presentiments have not deceived me. Mister Tease came
somewhat to himself, so that he was able to say,

(42:02):
with great plainness and distinctness, but most respected lady, If
I only knew to whom in all the word I
had the honor cunning man, said the stranger, gently tapping
his cheeks to pretend as if you do not know
your faithful Elena. But it is time that we should
leave the good folks here to their own pleasures accompany me.

(42:26):
Mister Teas, on hearing the name Elena Peregrine, naturally reverted
to his old attendants, and he felt exactly as if
a windmill were going round in his head. The stranger
Lena now took the kindest and most gracious leave of
the family, while the bookbinder, from pure wonder and respect,

(42:47):
could only stammer out something unintelligible. But the children made
as if they had been long acquainted with her, And
the wife said, such a kind handsome man as you are,
mister Tees, well deserves to have so kind and handsome
a bride who, even at this hour assists him in
doing acts of benevolence. I congratulate you with all my heart.

(43:10):
A strange lady thanked her with emotion, protesting that the
day of her wedding should also be a day of
festival to them, and then, strictly refusing all attendants, took
a taper from the Christmas table to light herself down
the stair. It is easy to imagine the feelings of
Peregrine at all this on whose arm she leant accompany me,

(43:32):
mister teess, that is, he thought within himself down the stairs,
to the carriage which stands at the door, and whether
a servant, or perhaps a whole set of servants is
in waiting, for in the end it must be some
mad princess, who Heaven deliver me with speed from this
strange torture, and keep me in my right senses, such

(43:52):
as they are. Mister Tess did not suspect that all
which had yet happened was only the prolog to a
most wonderful adventure, and had therefore, without knowing it, done
exceedingly well in praying to Heaven for the preservation of
his senses. No sooner had the couple reached the bottom
of the stairs than the door was opened by invisible hands,

(44:15):
and when they had got out, was shut again in
the same manner. The Peregrine, however, paid no attention to this.
In his astonishment at finding not the slightest appearance of
any carriage before the house, or of any servant in waiting.
In the name of Heaven, he cried, where is your coach,
Lady coach? Replied the stranger, coach, What coach did you think,

(44:39):
dear Peregrine, that my impatience, my anxiety to find you,
would allow me to come riding here? Quite quietly, no,
hurried on by hope and desire, I ran about through
the storm till I found you. Thank Heaven that I
have succeeded, and now lead me home. My house is
not for Peregrine resolutely avoided all reflection on the impossibility

(45:06):
of the stranger going a few steps, only tricked out
as she was, and in white silk shoes without spoiling
her whole dress in the storm, instead of being as
now in a state that showed not the slightest trace
of discomposure. He reconciled himself to the idea of accompanying
her still farther, and was only glad that the weather

(45:27):
was changed. The storm indeed had passed. Not a cloud
was in the heaven, the full moon shone down pleasantly,
and only the keen air made the midnight to be
felt Scarcely had they gone a few steps, when the
maiden began to complain softly and soon burst out into
loud lamentations that she was freezing with the cold Peregrine,

(45:50):
whose blood glowed through his veins, who had therefore been
insensible to the weather, and never thought of her being
so lightly cloud without even a shawl or a tucker.
Now on, when a sudden saw his folly, and would
have wrapped her in his cloak. This, however, she rejected,
exclaiming piteously, no, my dear Peregrine, that avails me nothing.

(46:11):
My feet, oh, my feet, I shall die with the
dreadful agony. And she was about to drop half senseless
as she cried out with a faint voice, carry me,
carry me, my sweet friend. Without more ado, Peregrine took
up the light little creature in his arms like a child,

(46:33):
and wrapped her in his cloak. But he had not
gone far with his burden before the wild intoxication of
desire took more and more possession of him, and as
he hurried half way through the streets, he covered the
neck and bosom of the lovely creature who had nestled
closely to him, with burning kisses. At last, he felt

(46:55):
as if waking with a sudden jerk out of a dream.
He found himself at a house door, and looking up,
recognized his own house in the horse Market, when for
the first time it occurred to him that he had
not asked the maiden where she lived. He collected himself
therefore with effort and said, lady, sweet angelly creature, where

(47:17):
is your abode? Here, my dear Peregrine, she replied, lifting
up her head, Here in this house, I am your Alena.
I live with you. But get the door open quickly. No, never,
cried Peregrine in horror, and let her sink down, How

(47:38):
exclaimed the stranger, How Peregrine, you would reject me, and
yet you know my dreadful fate, And yet know that
child of misfortune as I am, I have no refuge
and must perish here miserably if you will not take
me in as usual. But perhaps you wish that I

(48:00):
should perish. Be it so, then, only carry me to
the fountain, that my corpse may be not found before
your door. Ah, the stone dolphins may perchance have more
pity than you have. Woe is me, woe is me?
A bitter cold she sank down in a swoon. Peregrine

(48:26):
was seized with despair and exclaiming wildly, let it be
as it will. I cannot do otherwise, He lifted up
the lifeless little thing, took her in his arms, and
rang violently at the bell. No sooner was the door
opened than he rushed by the servant, and instead of
waiting according to his usual custom, till he got to

(48:46):
the top of the stairs, and then, tapping gently, he
shouted out Alena, Alena, Light, and indeed so loudly that
the whole floor re echoed it. Oh what what this?
What does this mean? Exclaimed the old woman, opening her
eyes widely, as Peregrine unfolded the maiden from his cloak

(49:08):
and laid her with great care upon the sofa, Quick Alena, Quick,
fire in the grate, salts, punch beds. Here. Alena, however,
did not stir from the place, but remained staring at
the stranger with her how what what's this? What does
this mean? Hereupon Peregrine began to tell of a countess,

(49:30):
perhaps a princess, whom he had met at the bookbinders,
who had fainted in the streets, whom he had been
forced to carry home. And as Alena still remained immovable,
he cried out, stamping with his feet fire, I tell
you in the Devil's name tea salts. At this, the
old woman's eyes glared like a cat's, and her nose

(49:51):
was lit up with a brighter phosphorus. She pulled out
her huge black snuff box, opened it with a tap
that sounded again, and took a mighty pinch. Then planting
an arm on either side, she said with a scoffing tone. Oh, yes,
to be sure, a countess, a princess who is found

(50:12):
at a poor bookseller's, who fates in the street. Oh oh,
I know well where such tricked out madams are fetched
from in the night time. Here are fine tricks. Here
is pretty behavior to bring a loose girl into an
honest house, and that the measure of sin may be
quite full to invoke the devil on a Christmas night.

(50:33):
And I, too, in my old days, am to be
a betting. No, mister Ties, you are mistaken in your person.
I am not of that sort. Tomorrow I leave your service.
With this, She left the room and banged the door
after her with a violence that made all clatter again.

(50:53):
Peregrine wrung his hands in despair. No sign of life
showed itself in the stranger, But at the moment when
in his dreadful distress. He had found a bottle of
cologne water and was about to rub her temples with it.
She jumped up from the sofa, quite fresh and sound, exclaiming,
at last we are alone. At last, I may explain

(51:16):
why I followed you to the bookbinders, why I could
not leave you to night. Peregrine, give up to me
the prisoner whom you have confined in this room. I
know that you are not at all bound to do so.
I know that it only depends upon your goodness. But
I know too your kind, affectionate heart. Therefore, my good

(51:38):
dear Peregrine, give him up. Give up the prisoner. What prisoner?
Asked Peregrine, in the greatest surprise. Who do you suppose
is a prisoner with me? Yes, continued the stranger, seizing
Peregrine's hand and pressing it tenderly to her breast. Yes,
I must confess that only a noble mind can abandon

(52:01):
the advantages which a lucky chance puts into his hands.
And it is true that you resign many things which
it would be easy for you to obtain if you
did not give up the prisoner. But think that Alena's destiny.
Her life depends upon the possession of this prisoner, that
angelic creature, interrupted Peregrine. If you don't wish that I

(52:23):
should take it all for a delirious dream, or perhaps
become delirious on the spot myself. Tell me at once
of whom you are speaking. Who is this prisoner? Hah,
replied the maiden. I do not understand you. Would you
deny that he is in your custody? Was I not
present when you bought the hunting set? Who cried Peregrine,

(52:48):
quite beside himself, who is this he? For the first
time in my life, I see you, lady, and who
are you? Who is he? Dissolving in grief, the stranger
threw herself at Peregrine's feet, while the tears poured down
in abundant streams from her eyes. Be humane, be merciful,

(53:10):
give him back to me. And at the same time,
her exclamations were mingled with those of Peregrine. I shall
lose my senses, I shall go mad, I shall be frantic.
On a sudden, the maiden started up. She seemed much
larger than before. Her eyes flashed fire, her lips quivered,

(53:30):
and she exclaimed with furious gestures, Ah Barbarian, no human
heart dwells in you. You are inexorable. You wish my death,
my destruction. You won't give him up. No, never, never,
wretched me lost, lost, And with this she rushed out

(53:56):
of the room. Peregrine heard her clattering down the stairs
while her lamentations filled the whole house, till at last
a door below was flung to with violence and the
first Adventure of Master Flea. Second Adventure, Part one of

(54:21):
Master Flea. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
please visit LibriVox dot org. Read by Bob Neufeld. Master
Flee by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Second Adventure, Part One,

(54:43):
The Flea Tamer, melancholy fate of the Princess Gamaire in Famagusta,
Awkwardness of the Genius Tatal and remarkable microscopic experiments and recreation,
the Beautiful Hollandress, and signature adventure of the young mis
mister George Pepouche, a student of Yena. At this time

(55:06):
there was a man in Frankfort who practiced the strangest
art possible. He was called the flea Tamer, from having succeeded,
and certainly not without much trouble and exertion, in educating
these little creatures and teaching them to execute all sorts
of pretty tricks. You saw, with the greatest astonishment a

(55:26):
troop of fleas upon a slab of highly polished marble,
who drew along little cannons, ammunition wagons and baggage carts,
while others leaped along by them with muskets in their arms,
cartouche boxes on their backs, and sabers at their sides.
At the word of command from the artist, they performed
the most difficult evolutions, and all seemed fuller of life

(55:48):
and mirth than if they had been real soldiers. For
the marching consisted in the neatest untrashaw and capers, and
about faces right and left in the most graceful pirouettes.
The whole troop had a wonderful applom and the general
seemed to be at the same time a most admirable
ballet master. But even more handsome and more wonderful were

(56:10):
the little gold coaches, which were drawn by four, six
or eight fleas coachmen and servants were little gold flies,
of the smallest kind, and almost invisible, while that which
sat within could not be well distinguished. One was involuntarily
reminded of the equipage of Queen mab so admirably described

(56:32):
by Shakespeare's Maccuccio, that it is easy to perceive she
must often have traveled athwart his own nose. But it
was not till you overlooked the table with a good
magnifying glass that the art of the flea tamer developed
itself in its full extent. For then first appeared the
splendor and grace of the vessels, the fine workmanship of

(56:53):
the arms, the glitter and neatness of the uniform, all
of which excited the profoundest admiration. It was quite impossible
to imagine what instruments the flea tamer could have used
in making neatly and proportionately certain little collaterals such as
spurs and buttons, compared to which, that matter seemed to
be a very trifling task, which else had passed for

(57:16):
a masterpiece of the tailor, namely the fitting a flea
with a pair of breeches. Though indeed in this the
most difficult part must have been the measuring. The fleet
Tamer had an abundance of visitors throughout the whole day.
The hall was never free from the curious, who were
not deterred by the high price of admission. In the evening, too,

(57:39):
the company was numerous, nay almost more numerous. As then
even those people who cared little about such trickeries came
to admire a work which gave the fleet Tamer quite
another character and acquired for him the real esteem of
the philosopher. This work was a night microscope that, as
the sun microscope by day, like a magic lantern, flung.

(58:02):
The object brightly lit up upon a white ground, with
a sharpness and distinctness, which left nothing more to be wished. Moreover,
the flea Tamer carried on a traffic with the finest
microscopes that could be, and which were readily bought at
a great price. It chanced that a young man called
George Pepouch, the kind reader will soon be better acquainted with him,

(58:25):
took a fancy to visit the Flea Tamer late in
the evening. Already upon the stairs, he heard the clamor
of a dispute that grew louder and louder with each moment,
and at last became a perfect tempest. Just as he
was about to enter, the door of the hall was
violently flung open, and the multitude rushed out in a heap,

(58:45):
upon him, with faces pale with terror. The cursed wizard,
the Satan's brood, I'll denounce him to the Supreme Court.
He shall out of the cities a false juggler. Such
were the confused cries of the multitude, as urged by
fear and terror, they sought to get out of the
house as quickly as possible. A glance into the hall

(59:08):
at once betrayed to the young Pepooh the cause of
this horror, which had driven away the people. All within
was alive, and a loathsome medley of the most hideous
creatures filled the whole room. The race of beetles, spiders, leeches, gnats,
magnified to excess, stretched out their probassies, crawled upon their long,

(59:30):
hairy legs, or fluttered their long wings. A more hideous
spectacle Peppouche had never seen. He was even beginning to
be sensible himself of horror when something rough suddenly flew
in his face, and he saw himself enveloped in a
thick cloud of meal dust. His terror immediately left him,

(59:50):
for he at once perceived that the rough thing could
be nothing else than the round, powdered wig of the
fleet tamer, which in fact it was. By the time
Pepoush had rubbed the powder from his eyes, the disgusting
population of insects had vanished. The free tamer sat in
his arm chair quite exhausted. Leiven Hook exclaimed Pepoush to him,

(01:00:14):
leiven Hook, do you see now what comes of your trickeries?
You have again been forced to have recourse to your
vassals to keep the people's hands off of you. Is
it not so? Is it? You? Said the naturalist in
a faint voice. Is it you good? Pepouche? Ah, it
is all over with me, clean over with me. I

(01:00:37):
am a lost man, Pepouche. I begin to believe that
you really meant it well with me, and that I
have not done wisely in making light of your warnings.
Upon Pepoush's quietly asking what had happened, the flea tammer
turned himself round with his arm chair to the wall,
held both his hands before his face, and cried out

(01:00:59):
piteously to Pepush to take up a glass and examine
the marble slab. Already with the naked eye, Pepush observed
that the little soldiers et cetera, lay there as if dead,
that nothing stirred any longer. The dexterous fleece appeared also
to have taken another shape. But now by means of
the glass, Pepoush soon discovered that not a single flea

(01:01:22):
was there, but what he had taken for them were
nothing more than black peppercorns and fruit seeds that stood
in their uniforms. I know not, began the flea tamer,
quite melancholy and overwhelmed. I know not what evil spirits
struck me with blindness that I did not perceive the

(01:01:43):
desertion of my army till the people were at the
table and prepared for the spectacle. You may imagine Pepoush, how,
on seeing themselves deceived, the visitors first murmured and then
blazed out into fury. They accused me of the wileist deceit,
And as they grew hotter and hotter, and would no

(01:02:04):
longer listen to many excuses, they were falling upon me
to take their own revenge. What could I do better
to shun a load of blows than immediately set the
great microscope into motion and enveloped the people in a
cloud of insects, at which they were terrified, as is
natural to them. But said Pepousch, tell me how it

(01:02:26):
could possibly happen that your well disciplined troops, which had
shown so much fidelity to you, could so suddenly take
themselves off without your perceiving it? At once? Oh, cried
the fleet tamer, Oh, Pepouche, he has deserted me. He
by whom alone I was master, He is to whose

(01:02:48):
treachery I ascribe all my blindness, all my misery. Have
I not, said Pepoosh? Have I not long ago warned
you not to place your reliance upon tricks which you
cannot execute without the possession of the master, And on
how ticklish a point rests that possession, notwithstanding all your
care you have just now experienced. Papoush further gave the

(01:03:11):
flea tamer to understand that he could not at all
comprehend how his being forced to give up these tricks
could so much disturb his life as the invention of
the microscope and his general dexterity in the preparation of
microscopic glasses had long ago established him. But the flea tamer,
on the other hand, maintained that very different things lay

(01:03:33):
hid in these subtleties, and that he could not give
them up without giving up his whole existence. Pepush interrupted
him by asking, where is Dortya Elverding? Where is she?
Screamed Louvin, who bringing his hands, Where is Dortcha Elviding? Gone?

(01:03:54):
Gone into the wide world? Vanish Strike me dead at once, Pepoush,
for I your wrath growing make short work of it
with me. There you see now, said Peppooch, with a
gloomy look. You see now what comes of your folly,
of your absurd proceedings. Who gave you a right to

(01:04:15):
confine the poor Dortcha like a slave? And then again
merely for the sake of alluring people to make a
show of her like some wonder of natural history. Why
did you put a force upon her inclinations and not
allow her to give me her hand? When you must
have seen how dearly we loved each other fled? Is
she well? Then? She is no longer in your power.

(01:04:39):
And although I do not at this moment no where
to seek for her. Yet am I convinced that I
shall find her there? Leven who put on your wig
again and submit to your destiny. That is the best
thing you can do. The Fleetamer arranged his wig on
his bald head with his left hand, while with his
right he Pepoush by the arm, exclaiming, Pepouche, you are

(01:05:04):
my real friend, for you are the only one in
the whole city of Frankfort who knows that I lie
buried in the old church at Deft since the year
seventeen hundred and twenty five, and yet have not betrayed
to anyone, even when you were angry with me on
account of Dortcha Elverdink. If at times I cannot exactly

(01:05:25):
get it into my head that I am actually that
Anton von Leivenho who lies buried at Deaf, yet again
I must believe it when I consider my works and
reflect upon my life, and on that account it is
very agreeable to me that it is not at all
spoken of. I now see, my dear Pepouche, that in

(01:05:46):
regard to Dortcha Elverdink, I have not acted rightly, although
in a very different way from what you may well imagine.
That is I was right to pronouncing your suit to
be an idle struggle, wrong in not being open with you,
in not telling you the real circumstances of do'rtcha elviding.

(01:06:07):
You would then have seen how praiseworthy it was to
talk you out of wishes, the accomplishment of which could
not be other than destructive. Pepouche, sit down by me
and hear a wonderful history that I am likely to do,
replied Pepoush with a malicious glance, sitting down in an

(01:06:28):
arm chair opposite the fleetinger, who thus began. As you
are well versed, my dear friend, in history, you know
beyond doubt that King Siccacus lived for many years in
intimate intercourse with the Flower Queen, and that the beautiful
Princess Gamaheh was the fruit of this passion. But it
is not so well known, nor can I tell you

(01:06:51):
in what way the Princess Gamaha came to Famagusta, many maintain,
and not by that reason that the princess wished to
conceal herself there from the odious leech Prince, the sworn
enemy of the Flower Queen. Be this as it may,
it happened once in Famagusta, that the princess was walking

(01:07:12):
in the cool freshness of the evening and chanced upon
a pleasant cypress grove. Allured by the delightful sightings of
the evening breeze, the murmurs of a brook, and the
soft music of the birds, she stretched herself upon the
moss and quickly fell into a sound slumber. At this moment,
the very enemy whom she had been so anxious to escape,

(01:07:34):
lifted his head out of the marshes, beheld the princess,
and became so violently enamored of the fair sleeper that
he could not resist an inclination to kiss her, and,
creeping forward, he kissed her under the left ear. Now
you know, friend Pepouche, that when the leech Prince sets
about kissing a fair one, she is lost, for he

(01:07:57):
is the vilest blood sucker in the world. So it
happened on this occasion the leech Prince kissed the poor
Gamah so long that all life left her when he
fell back, gorged and intoxicated upon the mosque, and was
forced to be carried home by his servants, who hastily
rolled out of their marshes in vain the route, Mandragora

(01:08:20):
toiled out of the earth and laid itself upon the
wound inflicted by the treacherous kisses of the leech Prince
in vain. All the other flowers arose and joined in
his lamentations. She was dead. Just then it happened that
the Genius Tatle was passing, and he too was deeply
moved by Gamaha's beauty and her unlucky end. He took

(01:08:44):
her in his arms, pressed her to his breast, and
endeavored to breathe new life into her. But still she awoke,
not from the sleep of death. Now too the Genius
perceived the odious Prince, who was so drunk and unwieldy
that his servants had not been able to get him
into his palace, fell into a violent rage and threw

(01:09:04):
a whole handful of rock salt upon him, at which
he poured forth again all the purple blood which he
had drawn from the princess, and then gave up his
spirit in a wretched manner. Amidst the most violent convulsions.
All the flowers that stood around dipped their vestments in
this kle and stained them in perpetual remembrance of the

(01:09:28):
murdered princess with so bright a purple that no painter
on earth had imitated. You know, Pepusch, that the most
beautiful pigs and hyacinths grow in that cypress grove where
the leech prince kissed to death the fair Gamache. The
genius Tato now thought of departing, as he had much

(01:09:48):
to do at Samarcand before night, and cast a farewell
look at the princess. When he seemed as if fixed
by magic to the spots, and gazed on the fair
one with deep Suddenly a thought struck him. Instead of
going on farther, he took the princess in his arms,
and rose with her high into the air. At which

(01:10:11):
time two philosophers, one of whom it should be said
was myself, were observing the course of the stars from
the gallery of a lofty tower. They perceived high above
them the Genius Tatal with the fair Gamahe, and at
the same moment there fell upon one. But that is
nothing to the present matter. Both magicians had recognized the genius,

(01:10:35):
but not the princess, and exhausted themselves in all manner
of conjectures as to the meaning of this appearance. Without
being able to get at anything certain or even probable.
Soon after this, the unhappy fate of the princess became
generally known in Famagusta. And now the magicians knew how
to interpret the vision of the genius with the maiden

(01:10:57):
in his arms. Both imagine that the genius must certainly
have found some means of recalling the princess into life,
and resolved to make inquiries in Samarkan, where, according to
their observations, he had manifestly directed his flight. But in
Samarkand all were silent about the princess. No one knew

(01:11:17):
a word. Many years had passed, the two magicians had quarreled,
as it will happen with learned men, and the more
learned the oftener, and they only imparted to each other
their most important discoveries from the iron force of custom.
You have not forgotten, Pepusch, that I myself am one

(01:11:38):
of these magicians. Well, I was not a little surprised
at a communication from my colleague which contained the most
wonderful and at the same time the happiest intelligence of
the princess that could be imagined. The matter was thus
by means of a scientific friend in samarcand my Colleageig

(01:12:00):
had obtained the loveliest and rarest tulips, and as perfectly
fresh as if they had been just cut from the stalk.
His chief object was the microscopic examination of the interior
portions and in fact of the pedal. With this view
that he was dissecting a beautiful tulip and discovered in
the cup a strange little colonel that struck him prodigiously.

(01:12:23):
But how great was his astonishment when, on applying his
glass he perceived that the little colonel was nothing else
than the princess Cammache, who pillowed in the peddle of
the tulip, seemed to slumber softly and calmly. However great
the distance that separated me from my colleague, Yet I
set off immediately and hastened to him. He had, in

(01:12:47):
the meantime put off all operations to allow me the
pleasure of a sight first, and perhaps too from the
fear of spoiling something if he acted entirely from himself.
I soon convinced myself of the perfect correctness of my
colleague's observations, and like him, firmly believed that it was
possible to snatch the princess from her sleep and give

(01:13:10):
her again her original form. The sublime spirits dwelling within us.
Soon let us find the proper method. But as you,
friend Papoosh, know very little, in fact nothing at all,
of our art, it would be quite superfluous to describe
to you the different operations which we went through to
attain our object. It is sufficient if I tell you that,

(01:13:33):
by the dexterous use of various glasses, for the most
part prepared by myself, we succeeded not only in drawing
the princess uninjured from the flower, but in forwarding her growth,
so that she soon attained her natural dimensions. Now, indeed,
life was wanting, and this depended on the last and

(01:13:55):
most difficult operations. We reflected her image by means of
one of the best solar microscopes, and loosened it dexterously
from the white wall without the least injury. As soon
as the shadow floated freely, it shot like lightning into
the glass, which broke into a thousand shivers. The princess

(01:14:16):
stood before us, full of life and freshness. We shouted
for joy, But so much the greater was our horror
on perceiving that the circulation of the blood stopped precisely
there where the leech prince had fastened himself. She was
just on the point of swooning when we perceived on

(01:14:37):
the very spot behind the left ear, a little black
dot that quickly appeared, and as quickly disappeared immediately the
stagnation of the blood ceased, the princess revived, and our
work had succeeded. Each of us, that is, I and
my colleague knew full well how invaluable was the possession

(01:14:58):
of the princess, and each struck for it, imagining that
he had more rights to it than the other. My
colleague affirmed that the tulip in which he had found
the princess was his property, and that he had made
the first discovery which he had imparted to me, and
that I could only be deemed an assistant who had
no right to demand as a reward of his labor

(01:15:19):
the work itself which he had assisted. I, on the
other hand, brought forward my invention of the last and
most difficult process which had restored the princess to life,
and in the execution of which my colleague had only help.
That if he had any claims of property upon the
embryo in the flower petal, Yet the living person belonged

(01:15:40):
to me. On this ground we quarreled for many hours,
till having screamed ourselves horse, we at last came to
a compromise. My colleague consigned the princess to me in
return for which I gave him an important glass. And
this very glass is the cause of our present deay
determined hostility. He affirms that I have treacherously purloined it

(01:16:05):
impudent falsehood. And although I really know that the glass
was lost in the transferring, yet I can declare, upon
my honor and conscience that I am not the cause
of it, nor have I any idea how it could
have happened. In fact, the glass is so small that
a grain of sand is about ten times larger. See

(01:16:27):
friend Pepouche. Now I have told you all in confidence.
And now you know that Drtya Elverdink is no other
than the revivified Princess Gamahe and must perceive that to
such a high mysterious alliance a plain young man like
you can have no Stop. Interrupted, George, pepush with a

(01:16:48):
smile that was something satanic. Stop. One confidence is worth another,
and Therefore, I, on my side, will confide to you
that I knew all that you have been telling me
much earlier and much better than you did. I cannot
laugh enough at your bigotry and your foolish pretensions. No

(01:17:11):
what you might have known long ago, if your knowledge
had not been confined to glass grinding, That I myself
am the thistle, sir Herit, who stood where the princess
had laid her head, and of whom you have thought
fit to be silent through your whole history. Pepouche cried,
the fleet tamer, are you in your senses? The thistle,

(01:17:33):
Sir Herat, blooms in the distant Indies, in the beautiful
valley closed in by lofty rocks, were at times the
wisest magi of the earth. I want to assemble. Lyndhorst,
the keeper of the records, can best inform you about it.
And you, whom I have seen running about half starved
with study and hunger, you pretend to be the thistle,

(01:17:56):
sir Herit. What a wise man you are, Laivenhuk, said Pepouche, laughing, Well,
think of my person what you will, but do not
be absurd enough to deny that in the moment of
the thistlesherits feeling the sweet breath of gamahe he bloomed
in glowing love and passion, and that when he touched

(01:18:18):
the temples of the sleeping princess, she too dreamt sweetly
of love. Too late, the thistle perceived the leech prince,
whom he else had killed with his thorns in a moment.
But yet, with the help of the root mandragora, he
would have succeeded in becalling the princess to life, if
the stupid genius Tatal had not interfered with his awkward remedies.

(01:18:41):
It is true that in his passion, the genius put
his hand into the salt box which he has used
to carry at his girdle when he travels like Pantagruel,
and flung a good handful at the leech Prince, But
it is quite false that he killed him. In so doing,
all the salt fell into the marsh. Not a single

(01:19:02):
grain hit the prince, whom the thistle toherit slew with
his thorns, And having thus avenged the murder of gamahe
devoted himself to death. It is the genius only who
interfered in matters not concerning him. That is the cause
of the princess lying so long in the sleep of flowers.

(01:19:22):
The thistle awoke much earlier, for the death of both
was but the same sleep from which they revived. Although
in other forms, you will have completed the measure of
your gross blunders if you suppose that the Princess Gamaheed
was formed exactly as dountcha Elverdink now is, and that

(01:19:43):
it is you who restored her to life. It happened
to you, my good louvenher, as it did to the
awkward servant in the remarkable story of the Three Pomegranates.
He freed two maidens from the fruits without having first
assured himself of the means of keeping them in life,
and in consequence saw them perish miserably before his eyes.

(01:20:06):
Not you, but he who has escaped from you, whose
loss you so deeply feel and lament. He it was
who completed the work which you began so awkwardly, A
cried the fleetamer, quite beside himself. Ah, twas so I suspected.

(01:20:27):
But you, Pepouche, you to whom I have shown so
much kindness, you are my worst enemy. I see it
well now, instead of advising me, instead of assisting me
in my misfortunes, you amuse me with all manner of
nonsensical stories, nonsense yourself, cried Papoosh, quite indignantly. You'll rule

(01:20:51):
your folly too late, you dreaming Charlatan. I go to
seek dortcha elverdink, but that you may no longer miss Leah,
honest people. He grasped at the screw which set all
the microscopic machinery in motion. Take my life. At the
same time roared the flea tamer. But at that instant

(01:21:12):
all crashed together, and he fell senseless to the ground.
And of Second Adventure, Part one, Second Adventure, Part two
of Master Flea. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox

(01:21:33):
recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Read by Bob Neufeld,
Master Flee by E. T. A. Hoffman, Second Adventure, Part two.

(01:21:53):
How is it, said George Pepusch to himself, when he
had got into the street. How is it that one
who has the command of a nice, warm chamber in
a well stuffed bed wanders through the streets at night
in the rain and storm, because he has forgotten the
house key, and he has driven moreover by love. He

(01:22:15):
could answer himself no otherwise, and indeed his whole conduct
seemed silly. In his own estimation. He remembered the moment
when he saw dortcha Elverdink for the first time. Some
years before, the flea tamer had exhibited his arts in
Berlin and had found no slight audiences as long as
the thing was new. Soon, however, people had seen enough

(01:22:38):
of the educated and well disciplined fleas, and even the
paraphernalia of the diminutive race began not to be thought
so very wonderful. Although at first attributed almost to magic,
and Leuvenhoch seemed to have fallen into total oblivion. Suddenly
a report was spread that a niece of the artist,
who had not appeared before, now now attended the exhibitions,

(01:23:01):
a beautiful, lovely little maiden, and withal so strangely attired
as to baffled description. The world of fashionables, who like
leaders in the concert, are accustomed to give the time
and tune to society, now poured in. And as in
this world everything is in extremes, the niece excited unparalleled astonishment.

(01:23:24):
It soon became the mode to frequent the flea tamer.
He who had not seen his niece could not join
in the common talk, and thus the artist was saved
in his distress. As to the rests, no one could
comprehend the name Dortya. And as at this time a
celebrated actress was displaying in the part of the Queen

(01:23:44):
of Galconda all those high yet soft attractions which are
peculiar to the sex, they called the fair Hollander by
the royal name Eileena. When George Papouche came to Berlin,
Leivenhuk's fair niece was the talk of the day, and
hence at the table of the hotel where he lodged,
scarcely anything else was spoken of but the little wonder

(01:24:06):
that delighted all the men, young and old, and even
the women themselves. Every One pressed the newcomer to place
himself on the pinnacle of the existing mode at Berlin
and see the hollandress. Pepouche had an irritable, melancholy temperament.
In every enjoyment, he found too much of the bitter
after taste, which indeed comes from the stygian brook that

(01:24:29):
runs through our whole life, and this made him gloomy
and often unjust to all about him. It may be
easily supposed that in this mood he was little inclined
to run after pretty girls. But he went nevertheless to
the flee tamers, less on account of the dangerous wonder
than to confirm his preconceived opinion that here, too, as

(01:24:53):
so often in life, a strange madness was predominating. He
found the Hollandress fair, indeed, and agreeable, but in considering her,
he could not help smiling with self satisfaction at his
own sagacity, by the help of which he had already
guessed that the heads which the little one had so
perfectly turned must have been tolerably crazy before they left home.

(01:25:18):
The maiden had that light, easy manner which evinces the
best education, a mistress of that delightful coquetry, which, when
it offers the finger tips to any one at the
same time, takes from him the power of receiving them.
The lovely little creature knew how to attract her numerous visitors,
as well as to restrain them within the bounds of

(01:25:40):
the strictest decorum. None troubled themselves about the stranger, who
had leisure enough to observe all the actions of the
fair one. But while he continued staring more and more
at the beautiful face, there awoke in the deepest recesses
of his mind a dark recollection, as if he had
somewhere before seen the hollandress, although in other relations and

(01:26:01):
in other attire, and that he himself had at one
time worn a very different form. In vain. He tormented
himself to bring this recollection to any clearness. Yet still
the idea of his having really seen the little creature
before became more and more determinate. The blood mounted into
his face, when at last some one gently jogged him

(01:26:23):
and whispered in his ear, the lightning has struck you, too,
mister philosopher, has it not. It was his neighbor of
the ordinary, to whom he had asserted that the ecstasy
into which all had fallen was no better than madness,
which would pass away as quickly as it had arisen.
Pepouche observed that while he had been gazing so fixedly

(01:26:45):
on the little one, the hall had grown deserted. Now,
for the first time, she seemed to be aware of
his presence, and greeted him with graceful familiarity. From this
time he could not get rid of her idea. He
tormented himself through a sleepless night, only to come upon
the trace of a recollection, but in vain the sight

(01:27:10):
of the fair one, he brightly thought, could alone bring
him to it. And the next day and all the
following days he never omitted visiting the flea tamer and
staring two or three hours together at the beautiful do'rtya elfredink.
When a man cannot get rid of the idea of
a beautiful woman who has riveted his attention, he has

(01:27:32):
already made the first step towards love. Who would now
trouble himself about the fleas over whom Elena had gained
so splendid a victory, attracting all within her own circle.
The master himself felt that he was playing a somewhat
silly part with his insects. He therefore locked up the
whole troop for other times, and with much dexterity, gave

(01:27:56):
to his play another form, in which his niece played
the principal character. He had hit upon the happy thought
of giving evening entertainments at a tolerably high rate of subscription,
in which, after he had exhibited a few optical illusions,
the farther amusement of the company rested with his niece.
Here the social talents of the fair one shown in

(01:28:18):
full measure, and she took advantage of the least pause
in the entertainment to give a new impulse to the
party by songs which she herself accompanied on the guitar.
Her voice was not powerful, her manner was not imposing,
often even against rule, but the sweetness and clearness of
tone completely answered to her appearance. And when from her

(01:28:41):
dark eyelashes she darted the soft glances like gentle moonbeams
amongst the spectators, every breast heaved, and the censure of
the most confirmed pedant was silenced. Pepouche diligently prosecuted his
studies in these evening entertainments. That is, he stared for
two hours together at the hollandress, and then left the

(01:29:04):
hall with the rest of the company. Once he stood
nearer to her than usual, and distinctly heard her saying
to a young man, tell me who is that lifeless
specter that every evening stares at me for hours? And
then disappears without a syllable. Pepouche was deeply hurt and
made such a clamor in his chamber, and acted so

(01:29:27):
wildly that no friend could have recognized him. In his
mad freaks, he swore high and low never again to
see the malicious hollandress. But for all that did not fail,
appearing at Leuvenhuch's on the very next evening at the
usual hour, to stare at the lovely Dortcha more fixedly,

(01:29:47):
if that were possible, than ever. It is true, indeed
that even upon the steps he was mightily alarmed at
finding himself there, and in all haste adopted the wise
resolution of keeping quite a distance from the fascinating creature.
He even carried this plan into effect by creeping into
a corner of the hall. But the attempt to cast

(01:30:09):
down his eyes failed entirely, and as before said, he
gazed on the Holland dress more determinedly than ever. Yet
he did not know how it happened that suddenly Dortya
Elverdink was standing in his corner, close beside him. With
a voice that was melody itself. The fair one said,

(01:30:29):
I do not remember, sir, having seen you anywhere before
our meeting here at Berlin. And yet I find in
your features, in all your manner, so much that seems familiar. Nay,
it is as if in times long past we had
been very intimate, but in a distant country and in

(01:30:50):
other relations. I entreat you free me from this uncertainty,
and if I am not deceived by some resemblance, let
us renew the friendship which floats in dim recollection like
some delightful dream. George Pepusch felt strangely at this address.
His breast heaved, his forehead glowed, and a shudder ran

(01:31:13):
through all his limbs, as if he had lain in
a violent fever. Though this might mean nothing else than
that he was overhead and ears in love. Yet there
was another cause for this perturbation, which robbed him of
all speech and almost of his senses. When Dorcha Elverdink
spoke of her belief that she had known him long before,

(01:31:34):
it seemed to him as if another image was presented
to his inward mind, as in a magic lantern, and
he perceived a long removed self which lay far back
in time, the idea that by much meditation had assumed
a clear and firm shape flashed up in this moment,
and this was nothing less than that Dorcha Elverdink was

(01:31:56):
the Princess Gamache, daughter of King Sakhon, whom he had
loved in a remote period when he flourished as the Thistle,
Sir herrit It was well that he did not communicate
this fancy to other folks, as he would most probably
have been reckoned mad and confined as such, although the
fixed idea of a partial maniac may often perhaps be

(01:32:20):
nothing more than the illusions of a preceding existence. Good God,
you seem dumb, sir, said the little one, touching George's
breast with the prettiest finger imaginable, and from the tip
of it shot an electric spark into his heart, and
he awoke from his stupefication. He seized her hand in

(01:32:41):
a perfect ecstasy, covered it with burning kisses, and exclaimed heavenly,
angelic creature, et cetera, et cetera. The kind reader will
easily imagine all that George pappushe would exclaim in such
a moment. It is sufficient to say that she received
his love proteo tests as kindly as could be wished,

(01:33:02):
and that the fateful moment in the corner of Leuvenhuck's Hall,
brought forth a love affair that first raised the good
George Pepoush up to heaven, and then again plunged him
into hell, as he happened to be of the melancholy temperament,
and withal pettish and suspicious Dorche's conduct could not fail

(01:33:23):
of giving rise to many little jealousies. Now it was
precisely these jealousies that tickled Dortch's malicious humor, and it
was her delight to torment the poor George Pepoush in
a variety of ways. But as everything can be carried
only to a certain point, so at last the long
smothered resentment of the lover blazed forth. He was speaking

(01:33:47):
of that wondrous time when he, as the Thistle's a Herait,
had so dearly loved the fair Hollandress, who was then
the daughter of King Sicacus, and was reminding her with
all the fire of love, that the circumstance of his
battle with the leech Prince had given him the most
incontestable right to her hand. On her part, she declared

(01:34:09):
that she well remembered it, and had already felt the
foreboding of it. When Pepoush gazed on her with the
thistle glance, she spoke too, so sweetly of these wonderful matters,
seemed so inspired with love to the thistles, a herat
who had been destined to study at Jena and then
again find the Princess Gamaha in Berlin, that George Peppoush

(01:34:31):
fancied himself in the El Dorado of all delight. The
lover stood at the window, and the little one suffered
her enamored friend to wind his arm about her. In
this familiar position. They caressed each other, for to that
at last came the dreamy talk about the wonders in Famagusta,

(01:34:51):
when it chanced that a handsome officer of the guards
passed by in a brand new uniform and familiarly greeted
the little One, whom he knew from the evening entertainments.
Dorta had half closed her eyes and turned away her
head from the streets, so that one would have thought
it was impossible for her to see the officer. But
great is the magic of a fine new uniform. The

(01:35:15):
little one, roused, perhaps by the clatter of the saber
on the pavement, opened her eyes broad and bright, twisted
herself from George's arm, flung upon the window, threw a
kiss to the officer, and watched him till he had
disappeared round the corner. Go mah, shouted George Pepusch, quite
beside himself, Go mah, what is this? Do you mock me?

(01:35:40):
Is this the faith you have promised to your thistle?
The little one turned round upon her heel, burst into
a loud laughter, and exclaimed, Oh, go George. If I
am the daughter of the worthy old king Secoccus, if
you are the thistle to Herod, that dear officer is
the genius Tait, who in fact pleases me much better

(01:36:02):
than the sad thorny thistle. With this she darted away
through the door, while George Pepusch, as might be expected,
fell immediately into a fit of desperation and rushed down
the steps as if he had been driven by a
thousand devils. Fate would have it that he met a
friend in a post chaise who was leaving Berlin, upon

(01:36:26):
which he called out, halt, I go with you, flew home,
donned a greatcoat, put money in his purse, gave the
key of his room to the hostess, seated himself in
the chaise, and posted off with his friend. Notwithstanding this
hostile separation, his love for the fair Haundress was by

(01:36:46):
no means extinguished, and just as little could he resolve
to give up the fair claims, which, as the thistles
a Herod, he thought he had to the hand and
heart of Gamahe he renewed therefore his pretensions, when some
years afterwards he met with liven Hook again at the Hague,
and how zealously he followed her. In Frankfurt's the reader

(01:37:07):
has learnt already, George Papoush was wandering through the streets
at night, quite inconsolable, when his attention was attracted by
an unusually bright light that fell upon the street from
a crevice in the window shutter in the lower room
of a large house. He thought that there must be
fire in the chamber, and swung himself up by means

(01:37:29):
of the iron work to look in Boundless was his
surprise at what he saw. A large fire blazed in
the chimney which was opposite to the window before which sat,
or rather lay, the little Hollandress in a broad old
fashioned arm chair, dressed out like an angel. She seemed

(01:37:50):
to sleep, while a withered old man knelt before the fire, and,
with spectacles on his nose, peeped into a kettle in
which he was probably brewing some pepoush was trying to
raise himself higher to get a better view of the group,
when he felt himself seized by the legs and violently
pulled down. The harsh voice exclaimed, now only see the

(01:38:13):
rascal to the watchhouse, my master. It was the watchman
who had observed George climbing up the window, and could
not suppose otherwise than that he wanted to break into
the house. In spite of all protestations. George Pepusch was
dragged off by the watchman, to whose help the patrol
had hastened, and thus his nightly wandering ended merrily in

(01:38:37):
the watchhouse and of Second Adventure, Part two, Third Adventure,
Part one of Master Flea. This is a LibriVox recording.
All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more

(01:38:58):
information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Read
by Bob Neufeld, Master Flea by E. T. A. Hoffmann.
Third Adventure, Part one appearance of a little monster, further

(01:39:19):
explanations respecting the fate of Princess gamaheh remarkable bond of
friendship entered into by mister Peregrintie, and discovery of who
the old gentleman is that launches in his house, very
wonderful effects of the tolerably small microscopic glass, unexpected arrest
of the hero of the history. He who has experienced

(01:39:44):
such things in one evening as mister Peregrintie, and who
is consequently in such a state of mind, cannot possibly
sleep well. He rolled about restless on his bed, and
when he fell into that sort of delirium which usually
precedes sleep, he again held the little creature in his
arms and felt warm, glowing kisses on his lips. Then

(01:40:06):
he would start up and fancy, even when awake, that
he heard the sweet voice of Elena. He would burn
with desire that she might not have fled, and yet
again would fear that she might return and snare him
in a net from which he could not extricate himself.
This war of contrary feelings straightened his breast and filled

(01:40:28):
it at the same time with a sweet pain such
as he had never felt before. Sleep not Peregrine, Sleep
not generous, man, I must speak with you directly, was
lisped close by Peregrine, and still the voice went on
with sleep, not sleep, not till at last he opened

(01:40:51):
his eyes, which he had closed, only to see Elena
more distinctly. By the light of the lamp. He perceived
a little monster skined peres, a span long that sat
upon the white counterpane, and which at first terrified him.
But in the next moment he grasped boldly at it
with his hand to convince himself whether he was or

(01:41:12):
was not deceived by his fancy. But the little monster
had immediately disappeared, without leaving a trace behind. Though it
was not requisite to give a minute description of the
fair Alina dortje Elverdink or Princess Gamaheh, for the reader
has long ago known that these were one and the
same person, apparently split into three, it is, on the contrary,

(01:41:37):
quite requisite to narrowly portray the little monster that sat
upon the counterpane and caused so much terror to mister
Peregrine Tease. As already mentioned, the creature was scarcely a
span long in his bird shaped head gleamed a pair
of round, sparkling eyes, and from his sparrow beak protruded

(01:41:58):
a long, sharp thing like a rapier, while two horns
came out from the forehead close beneath the beak. The
neck began close under the head, also in the manner
of a bird, but grew thicker and thicker, so that
without any interruption, the former grew to the shapeless body,
almost like a hazel nut, and seemed covered with dark

(01:42:20):
brown scales like the armed dillo. But the strangest part
was the formation of the arms and legs. The two
former had joints and were rooted in the creature's cheeks
close by the beak. Immediately under these arms was a
pair of legs, and still further on another pair, both
double jointed. Like the arms. These last feet appeared to

(01:42:43):
be those on which the creature really relied, for besides
that they were longer and stronger than the others. He
wore upon them very handsome golden boots with diamond spurs.
The little monster having so completely vanished upon Peregrine's attempt
to seize it, he would have taken the whole for

(01:43:03):
an illusion of his excited fancy. If directly afterwards, a
thin voice had not been audible, exclaiming, good Heavens, mister
peregrine tee, have I really been mistaken? Yesterday? You acted
so nobly towards me, and now that I want to
show you my gratitude, you grasp at me with a
murderous hand. But perhaps my form displeased you, and I

(01:43:27):
did wrong in showing myself to you microscopically that you
might be sure to see me, which, as you well
may suppose, is no such easy matter. In fact, I
am still sitting upon your white counterpane, and yet you
cannot perceive me. Don't take it to miss Peregrine, but
in truth your optical nerves are a little too gross

(01:43:50):
for my thin form. Only promise me, however, that I
shall be safe with you, and that you will not
make any hostile attempts upon me, and I will come
close to you and tell you many things, which it
would be as well that you knew now in the
first place, replied mister Tess to the voice. Tell me,

(01:44:12):
my good unknown friend, who you are, and the rest
will easily follow of itself. In the meantime, I can
assure you beforehand that anything hostile is not at all
in my disposition, and that I will continue to act
nobly towards you, though at present I cannot comprehend in
what way I have evinced my nobleness. Keep However, your

(01:44:37):
incognito for your appearance is not the most agreeable. The voice,
after a little hemming and coughing, continued, You are, I
repeat it with pleasure, A noble man, mister peregrine, but
not particularly deep in science, and above all a little inexperience,

(01:45:00):
or you would have recognized me at the first glance.
I must boast a little and say that I am
one of the mightiest of kings and rule over many,
many millions. But from a natural modesty, and because after
all the expression king is not exactly correct, I will

(01:45:21):
pass it over amongst the people at whose head I
have the honor to be. A Republican constitution prevails a Senate,
which at most can consist of forty five thousand, nine
hundred and ninety nine members, for the greater facility of
voting holds the place of regent. And he who presides

(01:45:43):
over this Senate has the name of Master, because in
all the affairs of life he must really be a Master.
Without further circumlocution, I will now confess to you that I,
who now speak to you without your seat me, am
no other than this master Flea. That you know my people,

(01:46:06):
I do not make the least due for most assuredly worthy. Sir,
you have already nourished many of them with your own blood.
Hence you must needs be aware that they are animated
by an untamable love of freedom, and indeed are a
set of spring olds who are inclined to keep off

(01:46:26):
anything like solidity of form. By a continual leaping and skipping,
you will easily perceive what talents must be requisite to
govern such a people, and will therefore feel for me
a becoming respect. Assure me of that, mister Peregrine, before
I proceed any farther. For some moments it seemed to

(01:46:49):
mister Tisse as if a great mill wheel were turning
round in his head. But he soon became more composed
and began to think that the appearance of the strange
lady at the book bind was just as wonderful as
the present one, which was perhaps, after all, nothing more
than a natural continuation of the singular history in which

(01:47:10):
he had become involved. He therefore declared to Master Flea
that he respected him prodigiously for his uncommon talents, and
was the more anxious to know him better. As his
voice sounded very sweetly, and there was a certain delicacy
in his speech which betrayed a delicate form of body

(01:47:30):
whereat Master Flea continued, I thank you very much, my
best mister Tisse, for your favorable opinion, and hope soon
to convince you that you are not mistaken in me.
In the meantime that you may learn what service you
have rendered me, it is requisite that I should impart
to you my whole history. Know then that my father

(01:47:54):
was the renowned yet stay, it just occurs to me
that the beautiful gift of patience has become remarkably rare
of late amongst readers and auditors, and that copious memoirs,
once so much admired, are now detestable. I will therefore

(01:48:14):
touch lightly and episodically that part only which is more
immediately concerned with my abode with you. In knowing that
I am really Master Flea, you must know me for
a man of the most extensive learning, of the most
profound experience in all branches of knowledge, but hold, you

(01:48:36):
cannot measure the degree of my information by your scale,
since you are ignorant of the wonderful world in which
I and my people live. How you would feel astonished
if your mind could be opened to that world. It
would seem to you a realm of the strangest and
most incomprehensible wonders. And hence you must not feel surprised

(01:48:59):
if all which originates from that world should seem to
you like a confused fairy tale invented by an idle brain.
Do not therefore allow yourself to be confounded, but trust
my words. See, in many things my people are far
superior to you men, for example, in all that regards

(01:49:22):
the penetrating into the mysteries of nature, in strength dexterity,
spiritual and corporeal dexterity. But we too have our passions,
and with us, as with you, these are often the
sources of great disquietudes, sometimes even of total destruction. Loved,

(01:49:44):
nay adored as I was by my people, my mastery
might have placed me upon the pinnacle of happiness had
I not been blinded by an unfortunate passion for a
person who completely governed me, though she never could be
my wife. But our race is a general reproached with
a passion for the fair sex that oversteps the bounds

(01:50:07):
of decorum. Supposing, however, this reproach to be true. Yet
on the other hand, everyone knows, but hold without more circumlocution.
I saw the daughter of King Secaccus, the beautiful GAMAI,
and instantly became so desperately enamored of her that I

(01:50:30):
forgot my people myself, and lived only in the delight
of skipping about the fairest neck, the fairest bosom, and
tickling the beauty with kisses. She often caught at me
with her rosy fingers, without ever being able to seize me,
And this I took for the toying of affection. But

(01:50:52):
how silly is any one in love, even when that
one is master flee Suffice it to say that the
odious leech prince fell upon the poor gamahe whom he
kissed to death. But still I should have succeeded in
saving my beloved if a silly boaster and an awkward

(01:51:12):
idiot had not interfered without being asked and spoiled. All
the boaster was the thistle sir herat, and the idiot
was the genius Tatle. When, however, the genius rose in
the air with the sleeping princess, I clung fast to
the lace about her bosom, and thus was Gamahe's faithful

(01:51:35):
fellow traveler, without being perceived by him. It happened that
we flew over to magi who were observing the stars
from a lofty tower. One of them directed his glass
so sharply at me that I was almost blinded by
the shine of the magic instrument. A violent giddiness seized
me in vain I sought to hold fast. I tumbled

(01:51:58):
down helplessly from the monstrous height, fell plump upon the
nose of one of the mage eye, and only my lightness,
my extraordinary activity, could have saved me. I was still
too much stunned to skip off his nose and place
myself in perfect safety. When the treacherous Leivenhuk, he was
the magician, caught me dexterously with his fingers and placed

(01:52:22):
me in his microscope. Notwithstanding it was night and he
was obliged to use a lamp. He was by far
too practiced an observer and too great an adept, not
immediately to recognize in me the master Flea, delighted that
a lucky chance had delivered into his hands such an
important prisoner, and dissolved to draw every possible advantage from it.

(01:52:47):
He flung poor me into chains, and thus began a
painful imprisonment from which I was yesterday freed by you.
The possession of me gave the abominable leuven Hook full
power over my vassals, whom he soon collected in swarms
about him, and with barbarian cruelty, introduced among us that

(01:53:12):
which is called education, and which soon robbed us of
all freedom, of all enjoyment of life. In regard to
scholastic studies and the arts and sciences in general. Leuven
Hook soon discovered, to his surprise and vexation, that we
knew more than himself. The higher cultivation which he forced

(01:53:34):
upon us consisted chiefly in this that we were to
be something, or at least represent something. But it was
this being something, this representing something, that brought with it
a multitude of wants which we had never known before,
and which were now to be satisfied with the sweat

(01:53:55):
of our brow. The barbarous leuvinh Hook converted us into
states soldiers, professors, and I know not what. Besides, all
were obliged to wear the dress of their respective ranks,
and thus arose amongst us tailors, shoemakers, hair dressers, blacksmiths, cutlers,

(01:54:16):
and a multitude of other trades, only to satisfy a
useless and destructive luxury. The worst of it was that
liven Hook had nothing else in view than his own
advantage in showing us cultivated people to men and receiving
money for it. Moreover, our cultivation was set down entirely

(01:54:36):
to his account, and he got the praise which belonged
to us alone. Life and Hook well knew that in
losing me he would also lose the dominion over my
people the more closely. Therefore he drew the spell which
bound me to him, and so much the harder was
my imprisonment. I thought with ardent desire on the beautiful Gamach,

(01:55:00):
and pondered on the means of getting tidings of her fate.
But what the acutest reason could not affect the chance
of the moment itself brought about the friend and associate
of my magician, the old Swamerdam had found the princess
in the pedal of a tulip. And this discovery he
imparted to his friend, by means which my good Peregrine,

(01:55:25):
I forbear detailing to you, as you do not understand
much about these matters, he succeeded in restoring Amah to
her natural shape and bringing her back to life. In
the end, however, these very wise persons proved as awkward
idiots as the genius Tatal and the thistles a Herod.

(01:55:45):
In their eagerness, they had forgotten the most material point.
And thus it happened that, in the very same moment
the princess awoke to life, she was sinking back again
into death. I alone knew the cause. Love of the famine,
which now flamed in my breast stronger than ever, gave

(01:56:06):
me a giant's strength. I burst my chains, sprang with
one mighty bound upon her shoulder. A single bite sufficed
to set the freezing blood in motion. She lived. But
I must tell you, mister peregrinetise, that this bite must
be repeated if the princess is to continue blooming in

(01:56:28):
youth and beauty. Otherwise she will dwindle away in a
few months to a shriveled little old woman. On this account,
as you must see, I am quite indispensable to her.
And it is only by the fear of losing me
that I can account for the black ingratitude with which
she repaid my love. Without more ado, she delivered me

(01:56:52):
up to my tormentor, who flung me into heavier chains
than ever, but to his own destruction. In spite of
all the vigilance of Loiven Hook and Gamahe, I at
last succeeded in an unguarded hour in escaping from my prison.
Although the heavy boots, which I had no time to

(01:57:14):
pull off, hindered me considerably in my flight. Yet I
got safely to the shop of the toy man of
whom you bought your ware. But it was not long before,
to my infinite terror, Gamahe entered the shop. I held
myself lost. You alone could save me. I gently whispered

(01:57:37):
to you my distress, and you were good enough to
open a little box for me, into which I quickly sprang,
and in which you as quickly carried me off with you.
Gamahey sought in vain for me, and it was not
till much later that she learned how and whither I
had fled as soon as I was free, louven Hook

(01:57:58):
lost all power over my people, who immediately slipped away
and in mockery left the tyrant peppercorns, fruit stones and
such like in their clothes. Again, Then, my hearty thanks
kind noble mister Peregrine, for the great benefit you have
done me, and which I know as well as any

(01:58:19):
one how to estimate. Permit me, as a free man,
to remain a little time with you. I can be
useful to you in many important affairs of your life,
beyond what you may expect. To be sure, there might
be danger if you should become enamored of the fair one.
What do you say, interrupted Peregrine, What do you say,

(01:58:42):
Master I I enamored even so, continued Master Flea. Think
of my terror, of my anxiety when you entered yesterday
with the Princess in your arms, glowing with passion, and
she employing every seductive art as she well knows how

(01:59:04):
to persuade you to surrender me. Ah, then I perceived
your nobleness in its full extent, when you remained immovable,
dexterously feigning as if you knew nothing of my being
with you, as if you did not even understand what
the princess wanted, and that was precisely the truth of

(01:59:24):
the matter, said Peregrine, interrupting Master Flea. Anew, you are
attributing things as a merit to me of which I
had not the slightest suspicion. In the shop where I
bought the toys, I neither saw you nor the fair
damsel who sought me at the bookbinders, and whom you
are strangely pleased to call the Princess GAMAI. It was

(01:59:47):
quite unknown to me that amongst the boxes where I
expected to find leaden soldiers, there was an empty one
in which you were lurking. And how could I possibly
guess that you were the prisoner whom the pretty child
was requiring with such impetuosity. Don't be whimsical, master Flea,
and dream of things of which I had not the

(02:00:08):
slightest conception, Ah, replied Master Flea. You would dexterously avoid
my thanks kind mister Peregrine. And this gives me, to
my great consolation, a farther lively proof of your noble
way of thinking. Learn, generous man, that all the effects

(02:00:29):
of Loivenhook and Gamal hay to regain me are fruitless.
So long as you afford me your protection, you must
voluntarily give me up to my tormentors. All other means
are to no purpose. Mister Peregrintiae, you are in love.
Do not talk so, exclaimed Peregrine. Do not call by

(02:00:52):
the name of love a foolish momentary ebullition which is
already past. Peregrine felt the color brushing up into his
cheeks and forehead, and giving him the lie. He crept
under the bedclothes. Master Flea continued, It is not to
be wondered at if you were unable to resist the

(02:01:14):
surprising charms of the princess, especially as she employed many
dangerous arts to captivate you. Nor is the storm yet over.
The malicious little thing will put in practice many a
trick to catch you in her love toils, as indeed
every woman can without exactly being a princess Gama. She
will try to get you so completely in her power

(02:01:37):
that you shall only live for her and her wishes.
And then, oh to me will come to this question,
is your nobleness strong enough to conquer your passion? Or
will you prefer yielding to Gamah's wishes? And thus replunging
into misery, not only your little protege, but the whole

(02:01:59):
people whom you have released from a wretched slavery. Or again,
will you resist the allurements of a treacherous creature and
thus confirm my happiness and that of my subjects? Oh
that you would promise me the last that you could master,
replied Peregrine, drawing the bedclothes away from his face. Dear master,

(02:02:22):
you are right. Nothing is more dangerous than the temptations
of women. They are all false, all malicious. They play
with us as cats with mice, and for our tenderest
exertions we reap nothing but contempt at mockery. Hence it
is that formerly a cold, deathlike perspiration used to stand

(02:02:44):
upon my brow as soon as any woman creature approached me.
And I myself believe that there must be something peculiar
about the fair Alina or Princess gamaheh as you will
have it, although with my plain human reason I do
not come. I apprehend all that you are saying, but
rather feel as if I were in some wild dream

(02:03:06):
or reading the thousand and one Nights. Be all this, however,
as it may, you have put yourself under my protection,
dear Master, and nothing shall persuade me to deliver you
up to your enemies. As to the seductive maiden, I
will not see her again. This I promise solemn, and

(02:03:29):
will give my hand upon it, had you one to
receive it and return the honorable pledge. With this, Peregrine
stretched out his arm far upon the bedclothes, Oh, exclaimed
the little invisible. Now I am quite consoled. Why at ease,
if I have no hand to offer you, at least

(02:03:51):
permit me to prick you in the right thumb, partly
to testify my extreme satisfaction, and partly to seal our
bond of friendship. More sh ssurately, at the same moment,
Peregrine felt in the thumb of his right hand a
bite which smarted so sensibly as to prove it could
have come only from the first master of all the fleas.

(02:04:14):
Hum you bite like a little devil, cried Peregrine. Take it,
replied Masterfley, as a lively token of my honorable intentions.
But it is fit that I should offer to you,
as a pledge of my gratitude, a gift which belongs
to the most extraordinary productions of art. It is nothing

(02:04:36):
else than a microscope made by a very dexterous optician
of my people while he was in Leifenhook's service. The
instrument will appear somewhat small to you, for in reality
it is about a hundred and twenty times smaller than
a grain of sand. But its use will not allow
of any peculiar greatness. It is this I placed the

(02:04:59):
gl glass in the pupil of your left eye, and
this eye immediately becomes microscopic. As I wish to surprise
you with the effect of it, I will say no
more about it for the present, and will only entreat
you that I may be permitted to perform the microscopic
operation whenever I see it will do you any important service.

(02:05:21):
And now sleep well, mister Peregrine, you have need of
rest and of the third Adventure Part one, Adventure three,
Part two of Master Flea. This is a LibriVox recording.

(02:05:45):
All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. From more
information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Read
by Bob Neufeld, Master Flee by E. T. A. Hoffmann,
Venture three, Part two. Peregrine in reality fell asleep, and

(02:06:07):
did not awake till full morning, when he heard the
well known scratching of Old Elina's broom. She was sweeping
out the next room. A little child who was conscious
of some mischief would not tremble more at his mother's
rod than mister Peregrine trembled in the fear of the
old woman's reproaches. At length she came in with the coffee.

(02:06:31):
Peregrine glanced at her through the bed curtains which she
had drawn close, and was not a little surprised at
the clear sunshine which overspread the old woman's face. Are
you still asleep, my dear mister tease, she asked, in
one of the softest tones of which her voice was capable,
and Peregrine, taking courage, answered just as softly, no, my

(02:06:55):
dear Lena. Lay the breakfast upon the table. I will
get up directly. But when he did really rise, it
seemed to him as if the sweet breath of the
creature who had lain in his arms was waving through
the chamber. He felt so strangely and so anxiously he

(02:07:16):
would have given all the world to know what had
become of the mystery of his passion, for, like his
mystery itself, the fair one had appeared and vanished while
he was in vain endeavoring to drink his coffee and
eat his toasts, every morsel of which was bitter in
his mouth. Elena entered and busied herself about this and that,

(02:07:37):
murmuring all the time to herself strange, incredible, what things
one sees? Who would have thought it? Peregrine, whose heart
beat so strongly that he could bear it no longer, asked,
what is so strange, dear Nina? All manner of things,
All manner of things, replied the old woman, laughing cunning,

(02:08:00):
while she went on with her occupation of setting the
rooms to rights. Parragon's breast was ready to burst, and
he involuntarily exclaimed, in a tone of languishing pain. Oh
and Lina, yes, mister tease here I am. What are
your commands? Replied Helena, spreading herself out before Paragrine, as

(02:08:22):
if in expectation of his orders. Peregrine stared at the
copper face of the old woman, and all his fears
were lost in the disgust which filled him. On the sudden,
he asked, in a tolerably harsh tone. What has become
of the strange lady who was here yesterday evening? Did
you open the door for her? Did you look to

(02:08:43):
a coach for her? As I ordered? Was she taken home?
Open doors? Said the old woman, with an abominable grin
which she intended for a sly laugh. Look to a
coach taken home? There was no need to all this.
The fair damsels in the house and won't leave the
house for the present. Peregrine started up in joyful alarm,

(02:09:07):
and she now proceeded to tell him how when the
lady was leaping down the stairs in a way that
almost stunned her, mister chuamersterd below at the door of
his room with an immense branch candlestick in his hand.
The old gentleman, with a profusion of bows, contrary to
his usual custom, invited the lady into his apartment, and

(02:09:29):
she slipped in without any hesitation, and her host locked
and bolted the door. The conduct of the misanthropic Schwamer
was too strange for Elena not to listen at the
door and peep a little through the keyhole. She then
saw him standing in the middle of the room and
talking so wisely pathetically to the lady that she herself

(02:09:51):
had wept, for she had not understood a single word he,
having spoken in a foreign language. She could not think
otherwise than the old gentleman had labored to bring her
back to the paths of virtue, for his vehemence had
gradually increased, till the damosel at last sank upon her
knees and kissed his hand with great humility. She had

(02:10:13):
even wept a little. Upon this. He lifted her up
very kindly, kissed her forehead and doing which he was
forced to stoop terribly, and then led her to an
arm chair. He next busied himself in making a fire,
brought some spices, and, as far as she could perceive,
began to muld some wine. Unluckily, the old woman had

(02:10:37):
just then taken snuff and sneezed aloud, upon which Schwama,
stretching out his arm to the door, exclaimed the terrible
voice that went through the marrow of her bones. Away
with thee listening Satan, she knew not how she had
got off and into her bed, but in the morning,

(02:10:59):
upon her eyes she fancied she saw a specter, for
before her stood mister Schrama in a handsome sable, for
with gold buckle had on his head, his stick in
his hand. My good mistress, Aileen, I must go out

(02:11:19):
on important business and perhaps may not return for many hours.
Take care therefore that there is no noise on my floor,
and that no one ventures to enter my room. A
lady of rank, and I may tell you a very
handsome princess has taken refuge with me long ago at

(02:11:41):
the court of her father. I was her governor. Therefore
she has confidence in me, and I must and will
protect her against all evil machination. I tell you this mistress, Alena,
that you may show the lady the respect which belongs
to her rank. With mister Tyse's permission, she will be

(02:12:02):
waited on by you, for which attendants you will be
royally rewarded, provided you are silent. Do not betray the
Prince's abode to any one. So saying mister Schmamer had
immediately gone off. Peregrine now asked the old woman if
it did not seem strange that the lady, whom he

(02:12:24):
could swear he met at the book binders, should be
a princess seeking refuge with old Schwamer. But she protested
that she believed his words rather than her own eyes,
and was therefore of opinion that all which had happened
at the bookbinders or in the chamber was either a
magical illusion, or that the terror and anxiety of the

(02:12:45):
flight had led the princess into so strange an adventure.
For the rest he would soon learn all from the
lady herself, but objected peregrine in reality, only to continue
the conversation about the lady. But where is the suspicion,
the evil opinion you had of her yesterday, ah replied

(02:13:06):
the old woman, simpering, that is all over. One need
only look at the dear creature to be convinced she
is a princess, and as beautiful withal as ever was princess.
When Shruma had gone, I could not help looking to
see what she was about, Peeping a little through the key.
There she lay stretched out upon the sofa, her angel

(02:13:28):
head leaning upon her hand, so that the raven locks
poured through the little white fingers. A beautiful sight. Her
dress was of silver tissue, through which the bosom and
the arms were visible. On her feet, she had golden slippers,
one had fallen off, and showed that she wore no stockings,

(02:13:50):
so that the naked foot peeped forth from under the garments.
But my good mister Teas, she is no doubt still
lying on the sofa. And if you will take the
trouble will of peeping through the keyhole, what do you say?
Shall I expose myself to her seductive sight, which might
urge me into all manner of follies. Courage, peregrine, resist

(02:14:15):
the temptation, said a voice close beside him, which she
instantly recognized for that of master Flee. The old woman
laughed mysteriously, and after a few minutes silence, said, I
will tell you the whole matter, as it seems to me.
Whether the strange lady be a princess or not, this

(02:14:36):
much is certain that she is of rank and rich,
and that mister Schwammer has taken up her cause warmly
and must have been long acquainted with her. And why
did she run after you, dear mister Tease, I say,
because she is desperately in love with you. And love
makes people blind and mad, and leads even princesses into

(02:14:58):
the strangest and mo most inconsiderate follies. A Gipsy prophesied
to your lady mother, you would one day be happy
in the marriage when you least expect. Now it is
coming true. And with this the old woman began again
describing how beautiful the lady looked. It may be easily

(02:15:20):
supposed that Peregrine felt overwhelmed. At last he broke out
with silence. I pray you of such things that a
lady in love with me? Oh silly, how absurd, oh,
said the old woman. If that were not the case,
she would not have sighed so piteously, She would not

(02:15:41):
have exclaimed so lamentably. Oh, my dear Peregrine, my sweet friend,
you will not. You cannot be cruel to me. I
shall see you again and enjoy all the happiness of
heaven and our old mister Schwarmer, she has quite changed here.
Did I ever used to get anything of him but

(02:16:03):
a paltry sixpence for a Christmas box? Now he gave
me this morning a crown with such a kind look.
No common thing with him as a dozer beforehand. From
my services to the lady, there's something in it all.
Lay you anything that in the end mister Schramer is

(02:16:24):
her ambassador. And again the old woman began to speak
of the grace and loveliness of the lady, with an
animation that sounded strange enough in the mouth of a
withered creature like herself, till Peregrine jumped up all fire
and fury and cried out like a madman, be it
as it will down down to the keel in vain.

(02:16:48):
He was warned by Master Flee, who sat in the
neckcloth of the enamored Peregrine and had hid himself in
a fold. Pegrin did not hear his voice, and Master
Flee learns what he ought to have known long before,
namely that something may be done with the most obstinate man,
but not with a lover. Lady did indeed lie on

(02:17:12):
the sofa, just as the old woman had described, and
Peregrine found that no mortal language was adequate to the
expression of the heavenly charms which overspread the lovely figure.
Her dress of real silver tissue with strange embroidery was
quite fantastic. They might do very well for the negligee

(02:17:33):
of the Princess gamahe which she had perhaps worn in
Famagusta at the very moment of her being kissed to
death by the malicious leech Prince. At all events, it
was so beautiful and so exceedingly strange, that the idea
of it would never have come from the head of
the most genial theatrical tailor, nor have been conceived by

(02:17:56):
the sublimest milliner. Yes it is she is, the Princess.
Kami murmured Peregrine, trembling with anxiety and pleasure. But when
the fair One sighed paragrine, my Peregrine, the full madness
of the passion seized him, and it was only an

(02:18:18):
unnamable anxiety, robbing him of all self possession, that prevented
him from breaking in the door and throwing himself at
the feet of the angel. The friendly reader knows already
how it was with the fascinations the celestial beauty of
the little Dorcha Elverdyk. The editor, however, may safely declare that,

(02:18:40):
after he too had peeped through the keyhole and seen
the fair One in her fantastic dress of tissue, he
can say nothing more than that Dorcha Elverdink was a
very pretty little puppet. But as no young man can
possibly be in love for the first time with any
but an angel with out her equal on earth. It

(02:19:02):
may be allowed also to mister Peregrine, tease to look
upon Dorger Elverdink as something celest you recollect yourself, my
dear misis. Think of your promise you would never see
the seductive Gamahe again. And now I could put the
microscopic glass into your eye. But without such help you

(02:19:24):
must perceive that the malicious creature has long observed you,
and that all she is doing is only deceit to
seduce you. Believe me, I mean it well with you,
so whispered Master Flee in the fold of his collar.
But whatever doubts might arise in mister Peregrine's mind, he
could not tear himself away from the fascinating sight of

(02:19:47):
the little one, who knew well how to use the
advantage of being supposed to fancy herself alone. Flinging herself
into all manner of voluptuous attitudes, she put the poor
Pera Gwin quite beside himself. He would most likely have
been still fixed at the door had it not been

(02:20:07):
for a loud ringing and Alina's crying out that Schamer
had returned. Upon this, he hurried up the stairs into
his chamber, where he gave himself up to his love thoughts.
But with these thoughts returned the doubts which had been
raised in his breast by the admonitions of Master Flea.
There was indeed a flea in his ear. He fell

(02:20:31):
into all manner of disquieting meditations. He thought to himself,
Must I not believe that this lovely creature is the
Princess Kamaiah, the daughter of a mighty king? But if
this be the case, his folly madness to aspire to
the position of so exalted a person. And too, she

(02:20:53):
has begged the surrender of a prisoner on whom her
life depends. And as this exactly agrees with what Master
Flee had said, I can hardly doubt that all which
I would interpret into affection for me is only a
means to subject me to her will. Yet delieve her

(02:21:13):
loser ah, that is hell. At his death in these
painful meditations, he was disturbed by a modest knocking at
his door, and the person who entered was no other
than his lodger, the ancient mister Schrummer. At other times

(02:21:34):
a shriveled, misanthropic, grumbling man, seemed suddenly to have become
twenty years younger. His forehead was smooth, his eye animated,
his mouth friendly. Instead of the odious black periwig, he
wore his natural silver hair, and in the place of
the dark gray upper coat, he had on a sable

(02:21:55):
such as Alena had before described him, with a cheerful
and even friendly mien by no means usual with him.
He came up to Peregrine, protesting that he did not
wish to disturb his dear host in any occupation, but
his duty as a lodger required that he should the
first thing in the morning inform his landlord he had

(02:22:16):
been under the necessity of giving refuge to a helpless
damsel who sought to escape from the tyranny of a
cruel uncle, and would therefore pass some time in the house.
For this he needed the permission of his kind hosts,
she now requested. Involuntarily, Peregrine inquired who the lady was,

(02:22:37):
without reflecting that this, in fact was the best question
he could ask to get a clue to the strange mystery.
It is just and proper, replied Schwamer, that the landlord
should know whom he is lodging in his house. Learn, then,
my respected mister Tisse, and the damsel who has taken

(02:22:58):
refuge with me is no other than the fair hollandress
daughter Elvadink, niece of the celebrated Louvenhook, oh, as you know,
gives here the wonderful microscopic exhibitions. Livenhook was once my friend.
That I must acknowledge that he is a hard man

(02:23:19):
and uses my god daughter cruelly. A violent affair which
took place yesterday compelled the maiden to flight, and it
seems natural enough that she should seek help and refuge
with me. Watcha Elviadink half dreaming Livenhook, perhaps a descendant

(02:23:40):
of the naturalist Antony Livenhook, who made the celebrated microscopes
that our loiven Hook replied Schwamer smiling, is a descendant
of that celebrated man. I cannot exactly say, seeing that
he is the celebrated man himself, and it is a

(02:24:00):
mere fable that he was buried about two hundred years
ago at Delft. Believe it, my dear teas, or else
you might doubt that I am the renowned Schramadam. Although
for the sake of shortness, and that I may not
have to answer the questions of very curious blockhead. I
call myself Schamer. Every One maintains that I died in

(02:24:24):
the year sixteen eighty. But you see, mister Tes, that
I stand before you, alive and hearty, and that I
am really I. I can prove even to the dullest
from my deeplier nottory. You believe me, my worthy, mister Tees.
In a short time, said mister Tes, in a tone

(02:24:46):
that showed his mental perplexity. In a short time, I
have experienced so many wonders that I should be in
perpetual doubts if the whole had not been a manifest
subject of the senses. And now I believe everything, however
wild and fantastic. It may be that you are the
dead you hun Schwamadam, and therefore as a dead alive

(02:25:11):
no more than other common men. But as to the
flight of Datcha Alvadink, or the Princess Gamaheh, or however
else the lady may be called, you are in a
monstrous error. Hear how the matter really happened? Perrgenar related
quite calmly the adventure he had had with the lady

(02:25:32):
her entrance into Leamerhert's room, right up to her reception
with mister Schuamer, who, when he had done, replied, it
seems to me as if all that you have been
pleased to relate were nothing more than a singular, yet
very pleasant dream. I will, however, let that be, and

(02:25:53):
request your friendship. Perhaps I may have much need of
forget my or conduct and let us be more intimate.
Your father was a shrewd man and my good friend,
But in regard to science, depth of understanding, mature judgment,
and practiced insight into life, the son goes before the father.

(02:26:18):
You know not how much I esteem you, my worthy
mister tease. Now is the time, whispered Masterflly, And in
the same moment Peregrine felt a slight passing pain in
the pupil of his left eye. He knew that Master
Flea had placed the microscopic glass in his eye, but

(02:26:39):
he had not before had the slightest idea of its effects.
Behind the tunicle of Schwamer's eyes, he perceived strange nerves
and branches, the perplexed course of which he traced deep
into the forehead, and could perceive that they were Schwamer's thoughts.
They ran much in this way. I did not expect

(02:27:01):
to get off so easily here without being better questioned.
If Papa was an ignoramus of whom I never thought anything.
The sun is still worse, with a greater infusion of childishness,
with the simplicity of an idiot. He tells me the
whole adventure with the princess, not seeing that she must

(02:27:22):
have already told me all as my behavior to her
of necessity presupposes an earlier intimacy. But there is no
help for it. I must speak him fair, because I
want his help. He is simple enough to believe all
I say, and in his stupid good nature, to make

(02:27:42):
many a sacrifice to my interest, for which he will
reap no other thanks. And that when all is over
and gamahe mine again, I shall laugh soundly at him.
Bind his back. It seemed to me, said Schwamer, coming
close to Paragrine. It seemed to me, my dear mister,

(02:28:03):
tis as if a flea were on your collar. The
thoughts ran thus the deuce that was indeed, master flea.
It would be a queer piece of business. If gamahe
should be right after all. Peregrine stepped nimbly back, protesting
that he had no dislike to flease. Then replied Schramer

(02:28:25):
with a profound bow. Then, for the present, I must
respectfully take my leave, my dear mister t The thoughts ran, thus,
I wish the black winged devil had you, idiot. Master
Free took the microscopic glass out of the eye of
the astonished Peagrine, and then said, you have, now, my

(02:28:49):
dear sir, experienced the wonderful effects of the glass, which
has not its equal in the world, and must perceive
what a superiority gives you over men by laying open
before your eyes their inmost thoughts. But if you were
to use it constantly, the perpetual knowledge of their real
sentiments would overwhelm you, for the bit of vexation which

(02:29:13):
you have just now experienced would be too often repeated.
I will always be with you when you leave your house,
sitting either in your collar or in some convenient place.
And if you wish to learn the thoughts of him
who is conversing with you, you will have only to
snap your fingers and the glass will be in your
eye immediately. Parregrine, seeing the manifest advantages of such a

(02:29:38):
gift was about to pour out the warmest thanks when
two deputies from the council entered and announced to him
that he was accused of a deep offense, the consequence
of which must be preliminary imprisonment and the seizure of
his papers. Mister Peregrine swore high and low that he
was not conscious of the slightest offense, but one of

(02:30:00):
the deputies replied with a smile, that perhaps in a
few hours his innocence might be proved, till when, however,
he must submit to the orders of the magistrate. After this,
what was left to mische tis but to get into
the coach and suffer himself to be carried off to prison.
It may be supposed with what feelings he passed mister

(02:30:22):
schrams Chamber. Master Flee sat in the collar of the prisoner.
End of Adventure three, Part two, Fourth Adventure, Part one
of Master Flea. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox

(02:30:46):
recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Read by Bob Neufeld.
Master Flee by E. E. T. A. Hoffmann, Fourth Adventure,
Part One, Unexpected meeting of two friends, Love, despair of

(02:31:11):
the Thistle Sir Herid, optical duel of two major son
ambulant condition of the Princess Gamahe, the thoughts of the dream,
how Dorga Elverdink almost speaks the truth and the Thistle
Sir Harit runs off with the Princess Gamahe. The mistake
of the watchman in arresting mister George Papouche for a

(02:31:34):
thief was soon explained. In the meantime, however, some informalities
have been discovered in his passport, and for this reason
they required that he should produce some resident citizen of
Frankfort as his bay till when he must be contented
with his present place in prison. Here then sat mister

(02:31:54):
George papouch in a very neat room, meditating on whom
he could find in Frankfort to be bay. He had
been away so long that he feared he must be
forgotten by those who had formerly known him well, and
as to foreign recommendations he possessed none whatever. He began
to look out of the window in a very melancholy mood,

(02:32:16):
and cursed his fate aloud. When a window was opened
close by him, and a voice exclaimed, what do I see? Right?
Is it you? George? Mister Pepusch was not a little
astonished at perceiving the friend with whom he had been
most intimate during his residence at Madras f Deuce. He

(02:32:38):
exclaimed that I should be so forgetful, so utterly stupid.
I knew that you had got safely into harbor and
in Hamburg, heard strange things of your way of living,
and when I had got here never thought of paying
you a visit. But he who has such wonderful things
in his head as I have, well, it is lucky

(02:32:59):
that accident brought you to me. You see, I am
under arrest, but you can immediately set me free by
answering from my really being the George Peppooche whom you
new years ago, and not a thief nor a robber. Why,
replied Peregrine, I should be an excellent bale, being myself

(02:33:19):
under arrest in our related at large to his friend,
how since his return to Frankfort, he had found himself
deprived of both his parents and had from that time
led amidst all the bustle of a city a lonely,
joyous life, devoted to the memory of other days. To this,
George replied morosely, Oh, yes, I have heard of it.

(02:33:44):
I have heard of the fool's tricks you play. That
you may waste life in a childish dream. It would
be a hero of innocence, of childishness. And for this
despise the just claims which society has upon you. You
give imaginary family feasts, and bestow upon the poor the
costly viands, the dear wines which you have before served

(02:34:06):
up to the dead. You give yourself Christmas boxes and
act as if you were a child, and then present
to poor children these gifts, which are of the sort
usually wasted in rich houses, upon spoiled young ones. But
you do not reflect that you are doing a scurvy
benefit to the poor in tickling their gums with delicacies

(02:34:29):
that you may doubly feel their wretchedness when afterwards they
are compelled by pressing hunger to eat the vile bits
that would be rejected by many a petted lap dog. Ah,
how this almsgiving disgusts me when I think that what
you thus waste in a day would be sufficient to
support them for months. In a moderate manner, then too,

(02:34:52):
you overload them with glittering geegaws. When a common toy
presented by their fathers or mothers gives them I definitely
more pleasure. They eat themselves sick with your infernal marsy
pan and with the knowledge of your splendid gifts, which
in the end must be denied to them. You sow
in their young minds the seeds of discontent and uneasiness.

(02:35:17):
You are rich, full of youth, and yet withdraw yourself
from all society, and thus frustrate the approaches of well
meaning minds. I will believe that the death of your
parents may have shaken you, But if every one who
has suffered a real loss were to creep into his shell,
by heavens, the whole world would be like a house

(02:35:37):
of mourning, and I would not live in it. But,
my friend, do you know that you are under the
influence of the most determined egotism that ever lurked beneath
a silly misanthropy. Go go Peregon. I can no longer
esteem you, no longer be your friend if you do

(02:35:58):
not change this way of life and give up your
abominable system of housekeeping. Peregrine snapped his fingers and masterfully
instantly placed the microscopic glass in his eye. The thoughts
of the angry Pepouche ran, thus, is it not a
pity that such a kind, understanding man should fall into

(02:36:20):
these dangerous fancies, which at last will completely unnerve him
and deprive him of his best powers. But it is
evident that his delicate mind, which is besides inclined to melancholy,
could not endure the blow inflicted on him by the
death of his parents, and he seeks for consolation in

(02:36:40):
a mode of life which borders upon madness. He is lost.
If I do not save him. The more I esteem him,
the harder I will attack him, and the stronger I
will paint his folly. In these thoughts, Peregrine saw that
he had found his old friend unaltered, and after masterfully

(02:37:02):
had taken the microscopic glass out of his eye, he said, George,
I will not contend with you as to what you
say of my mode of life, for I know you
mean it well with me. But I must tell you
that it gives me real delight when I can make
a day of festival to the poor. Although in this
I do not think of myself a detestable egotism of

(02:37:24):
which at least I feel unconscious. They are the flowers
in my life, which else seems to me like a wild,
melancholy field of thistles. What do you say of thistles?
Interrupted George Rappouch hastily. Why do you despise thistles and
place them in opposition to flowers? Are you so little

(02:37:44):
versed in natural history as not to know that the
most wonderful blossom in the world is that of the thistle,
I mean the Coctus grandiflorus. And again, is it not
the thistles a herit, the most beautiful cactus under the sun? Peregrine,
I have so long kept it from you, or rather

(02:38:06):
was forced to keep it from you, because I myself
had not the full conviction of it. But now learn
that I myself am the thistle, sir Herat, and will
never give up my claims to the hand of the
daughter of the worthy King Secaucus, the heavenly Princess Kamai.
I had found her, but in the same moment the

(02:38:29):
diabolical watchman seized me and dragged me to prison. How
cried Peregrine, half petrified with astonishment. Are you too involved
in the strangest of all histories? What history? Asked Pepouche.
Peregrine did not hesitate to tell his friend, as he

(02:38:49):
had before told mister Schuamer, all that had happened at
the bookbinders, and afterwards at his own house. He did
not even conceal the appearance of Master Flea, Oh the Oh,
as may be easily supposed. He kept to himself the
secret of his possessing the microscopic glass. George's eyes burnt,

(02:39:09):
he bit his lips, struck his forehead, and when Peagrin
had ended, cried out like a maniac, the false one,
the traitress, greedy in the self pangs of despairing love.
To drain the last drop from the poisoned cup which
Paragrine had unconsciously proffered him. He made him repeat every

(02:39:31):
little trait of Dorg's behavior, interrupting him with murmurs of
in the arms on the breast, glory kisses. Then again
he started away from the window and ran about the
room with the gestures of a madman in vain. Peregrine

(02:39:51):
cried out to him to hear the rest, exclaiming that
he had much that was consolatory to say. Pepouche did
not the more leave all his raving. The door was opened,
and an officer of the council announced to Peregrine that
no sufficient cause had been found for his longer imprisonment,
and he might return home. The first use Peregrine made

(02:40:14):
of his regained freedom was to offer himself as bail
for George Pepusch, testifying that he was really George Pepousch,
with whom he had lived in intimacy at Madras, and
who was known to him for a man of fortune
and respectability. Master Flee exhausted himself in very philosophic and
instructive reflections, which amounted to this that the Thistle Sehrit,

(02:40:40):
in spite of his rough exterior, was very kind and reasonable,
but a little too overbearing, and fairly considered, was quite
correct in his center of mister Peregrin's way of life,
though somewhat too harsh perhaps in his expressions he too,
That is, Master Flee would really advise mister Peregrine henceforth

(02:41:02):
to go abroad in the world. Believe me, he said,
it will bring you many advantages to leave your solitude.
You need no longer fear seeming shy and confused. As
with the mysterious glass in your eye, you command the
thoughts of men, and it is therefore impossible that you

(02:41:22):
should not always maintain the right tact. How firmly and
calmly may you stand before the highest while their inward
souls lie open to your eyes. Therefore, move freely in
the world. Your blood will circulate more lightly, All melancholy
brooding will cease, and which is the best of all,

(02:41:44):
motley ideas and thoughts will arise in your brain. The
image of the fair GAMAI will lose its brightness, and
you will soon be better able to keep your word
with me. Peregrine felt that both George Papoush and Master
Flea may him well, and he resolved to follow their
wise advice. But when he heard the sweet voice of

(02:42:07):
his beautiful beloved, he could not think how it was
possible for him to leave the house, which had become
a paradise to him. At length, he brought himself to
visit a public promenade. Master Flea had fixed the glass
in his eye and taken up a place in his
collar where he gently rocked himself to and fro at

(02:42:28):
his ease. Have I at last the pleasure of seeing
my good friend mister Tace again. You make yourself scarce,
My dear sir, and we have all been longing for you.
Let us go into a coffee house and take a
glass of wine together. I am truly rejoiced to see you.
It was thus that he was addressed by a young

(02:42:48):
man whom he had seen scarcely two or three times.
The thoughts ran, Thus, is the stupid misanthrope visible again?
But I must flatter him that I may soon borrow
money of him. He'll not surely be possessed by the devil,
and accept my invitation. I have not a hapenny in

(02:43:09):
my pocket, and no innkeeper will trust me any longer.
Two well dressed girls now crossed him. They were sisters
distantly related to him. Ah cousin, cried one of them, laughing,
do we meet at last? It is not well done
to lock yourself up so that one can never get
a sight of you. You do not know how fond

(02:43:31):
Mamma is of you, because you are such a sensible man.
Promise me to come soon there, kiss my hand. The
thoughts ran thus, how what is this? What has come
to our cousin? I wanted to make him blush and stammer.
And formerly he used to run away from every girl.

(02:43:52):
But now he stands and eyes me so strangely and
kisses my hand without the least shyness. If he should
be in love with me, oh that would be a
fine thing. My mother says that he is somewhat stupid,
but what does that signify. I will have him a

(02:44:12):
stupid man when he is rich, as my cousin is
is the very best. The sister had merely lisped, with
downcast eyes and blushing cheeks. Come to us shortly, dear cousin,
the thoughts ran, Thus, our cousin is a very handsome man,
and I do not understand why Mamma calls him silly

(02:44:35):
and can't endure him. If he should come to our house,
he will fall in love with me, for I am
the prettiest girl in all frankfort. I will have him
because I want a rich man that I may sleep
till twelve o'clock in the day and wear dearer shawls
than my sister. A physician in passing perceived peregrine stopped

(02:44:59):
his marriage, and called out, good morning, my dear sir,
you look uncommonly well. Heaven keep you, sir. But if
anything should happen, think of me, the old friend of
your late father. Such sound constitutions as yours I can
soon set to rights, adiou. The thoughts ran thus, I

(02:45:23):
believe the fellow is constantly well out of pure avarice,
But he looks tolerably pale now, and seems at last
to have something the matter with him. Well, only let
him once come under my hands, and he shall not
suit get up from his bed again. He shall undergo
a sound penance for his obstinate health. Immediately after this,

(02:45:48):
an old merchant cried out to him, My best greetings
to you were themestrties. See how I am forced to
run and bustle and plague myself with business. You have
done wisely in withdrawing from it, though with your quick
sightedness you could not fail of doubling your father's fortune.

(02:46:10):
The thoughts were thus, if the fool would only meddle
with business, he would speculate away his whole fortune in
a short time, and that would be a real delight
his old papa, whose joy was in ruining other people,
that wished to help themselves by a little bankruptcy would
turn himself about in his grave. Many more such cutting

(02:46:33):
contrasts between words and thoughts occurred to Peregrine. He always
directed his answers rather by what people meant than by
what they said, And as he penetrated into their inmost intense,
they themselves were puzzled what to think of him. At last,
he felt wearied, snapped his fingers, and immediately the glass

(02:46:55):
vanished from the pupil of his left eye and the
Fourth Adventure Part one, Fourth Adventure, Part two of Master Flea.
This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in

(02:47:17):
the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
visit LibriVox dot org. Read by Bob Neffeld, Master Flea
by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Fourth Adventure, Part two. On
returning to his house, he was surprised by a strange spectacle.

(02:47:41):
A man stood in the middle of the passage, looking
steadfastly through a strangely formed glass at mister Schramer's door.
Upon this door, sun bright circles played in rainbow colors,
and then met in one fiery point that seemed to
pierce through the wood. As this took place, a deep

(02:48:02):
sighing was heard, broken by cries of pain, which came
as it appeared from the room. To his horror, Peregrine
fancied that he distinguished Gamai's voice. What do you want?
What are you doing here? He exclaimed to the man
who really seemed to be practicing diabolic arts, The rainbow

(02:48:24):
circles growing with every moment, quicker and brighter, the center
point piercing more keenly, and the cries sounding more painfully
from the chamber. Ah, exclaimed the stranger, closing his glass
and hastily putting it into his pocket. Oh, the landlord,
your pardon, my dear sir, that I am operating here

(02:48:45):
without your permission. I did indeed pay you a visit
to request it, but Alina told me you had gone
out and the business here would admit of no delay.
What business, said Peregrine, pretty harshly. What business is it
that will admit of no delay? Don't you know? Replied

(02:49:06):
the stranger with an odious grin. Don't you know that
my ill advised niece Dorcha Elverdink has run away. You
were arrested, though with great injustice as her seducer, on
which score I will, with great pleasure testify your perfect innocence,
if it should be requisite. It is not to you

(02:49:29):
but to Schwamadan, once my friend, now my enemy, that
the faithless Dorcher has fled. She is in that chamber,
I know it, and alone. Since Schwamerdam has gone out,
I cannot get in, as the door is barred and bolted.
That I am too mild to employ force. But I

(02:49:51):
have taken the liberty to torment her a little with
my optical glass, that she may know I am her
lord and master in spite of her imaginary princessship. You
are the devil, exclaimed peregrine in the highest indignation. You
are the devil, but not lord and master of the

(02:50:13):
beautiful Combai out of my house. Practice your devil's tricks
where you will, but here you will fail with them.
I can promise you don't put yourself in a passion.
My dear mister Thiasse, I am an innocent man who
mean nothing but good. It is a little monster, a
little basilisk, that sits in yonder room, in the shape

(02:50:37):
of a lovely woman. If the abode with my insignificance
displeased her. She might have fled, But the traitress should
not have robbed me of my most precious treasure, the
best friend of my soul, without whom I am nothing.
She should not have run away with Master Flea. You

(02:50:57):
will not understand what I mean? Were they say? But
here master Flea, who had planted himself in a secure place,
could not refrain from bursting out into a fine mocking laugh. Huh,
cried Leuvanhok, struck with a sudden terror, Ha, what was that?
Can it be possible here on this spot? Permit me,

(02:51:22):
my dear sir, Thus saying, Livanhok stretched out his hand
and snatched at Peagrine's collar, who dexterously avoided his grasp, and,
seizing him with a strong arm, dragged him towards the door,
to fling him out without further ado. But just as
he had reached the door, it was opened from without

(02:51:44):
an in rush George Pepouche, followed by Shramadan. No sooner
did Liuvanhok perceive his enemy Schwamadam than he burst from
Paragrine with the utmost exertion of his last strength, and
planted himself with his back against the door of the
mysterious chamber where the fair one was imprisoned. Schwamerdam, seeing this,

(02:52:07):
took a little telescope from his pocket, drew it out
at full length, and fell upon his adversary, exclaiming, draw, scoundrel,
if you have courage. Leuvanhuck had quickly a similar instrument
in his hand, drew it out as the other had done,
and cried, come on, I am ready, you will soon

(02:52:31):
feel my prowess. Each now put his glass to his
eye and fell furiously upon the other with sharp murderous glances,
now lengthening and now shortening his weapon. By drawing the
tubes in and out, there were faints, parries, thrusts, in
short all the tricks of the fencing school, and with

(02:52:52):
every moment they seemed to grow more angry. Whenever one
was hit, he cried out aloud, sprang into the air.
The most wonderful capers, made the most beautiful atouches, and
turned to pirouettes as well as the best part of
su Dancer on the Parisian stage, till his adversary fixed
him fast with the shortened telescope. When the other was hit,

(02:53:16):
he did precisely the same, and in this way they
went on interchangeably, with the most violent springs, the maddest gestures,
and the most furious cries. The perspiration dropped from their brows,
the blood red eyes seemed starting from their heads, and
as there appeared no other cause for their Saint Vitus

(02:53:37):
dance than their looking at each other through their glasses,
they might have been taken from maniacs just escaped from
the madhouse. For the rest. It was a very pretty sight.
Schwamadam at last succeeded in driving Louvenhuk from his post
by the door, which he had maintained with obstinate bravery,

(02:53:58):
and thus carrying on the war in the remoter parts
of the ground. George Papoosch saw the opportunity pressed against
the unoccupied door that was neither barred nor bolted, and
slipped into the chamber. But in the next moment he
rushed out, exclaiming she has fled, fled, and then hurried

(02:54:18):
out of the house with the rapidity of lightning. Both
Livenhook and Schwammadan were seriously wounded, for both hopped and
danced about after a mad fashion, and with their howlings
and cryings made a music to it that seemed like
the shrieks of the damned in hell. Peregrine knew not
how to set about separating them and thus ending a

(02:54:41):
contest which was as ludicrous as it was terrific. At last,
the combatants perceived that the door stood wide open, forgot
their duel and their pains, put their destructive weapons into
their pockets, and rushed into the chamber. Mister Teas took
it grievously to heart at the fi one had fled
from his house, and wished the abominable louiven hook at

(02:55:04):
the devil. When the voice of Elena was heard upon
the stairs, she was laughing aloud and muttered between, Oh,
what strange things one does see? Wonderful, incredible? What cried
Peregrine dejectedly. What wonder has happened now? Oh my dear

(02:55:25):
mister Tease, exclaimed the old woman. Only come up stairs
directly and go into your chamber. And she opened the
room door with a cunning titter. On entering, Oh wonder,
oh joy, The little d'rcha Elberdink tripped up to him
in her dress of tissue, as he had before seen

(02:55:48):
her at mister Schwarmer's ah at length. I see you again,
said the little One, and contrived to nestle up so
closely to Peregrine that he could not help embracing her
most tenderly. In spite of all his good resolutions, his
senses seemed ecstasied by love and joy. It has often

(02:56:13):
happened to a man that, in the height of his transports,
he has hit his nose somewhat roughly, and, being suddenly
awakened out of his heaven by the earthly pain, has
tumbled down again into the vulgar world. Just so it
chanced with our mister Tease. In stooping down to kiss
Dorch's sweet mouth, he gave his nose of goodly dimensions

(02:56:38):
a hard blow against the diadem of shining brilliance which
the little One wore in her raven locks. The pain
of the blow upon the sharp points of the stone
brought him sufficiently to himself to perceive the diadem. The
diadem reminded him of the Princess gamaheh and with this
recollection recurred all that Master Flee had told him of

(02:57:00):
the little Siron. He bethought himself that a princess, the
daughter of a mighty king, could not possibly care about
his love, and therefore all her pretended affection must be
a mere trick by which the dissembler hoped to regain
possession of master flee. With this consideration, a cold ice

(02:57:21):
stream seemed to rush through his veins, which, if it
did not quite extinguish, at least damped the love flames.
Peregrine gently freed himself from the arms of the little
one who had lovingly embraced him, and said, with downcast eyes, Oh, heavens,

(02:57:41):
you are the daughter of the mighty king Secoccus, the
beautiful Kamahe your pardon, princess if a feeling which I
could not master hurried me into folly, into madness. But yourself, lady,
what are you saying, my dear friend, interrupted doug elverdink.

(02:58:02):
I the daughter of a mighty king, I a princess.
I am your Alena, who will love you to distraction
if you But how is this Alena, the queen of Golconda.
She is already with you. I have spoken with her,

(02:58:22):
a good kind woman, But she has grown old and
is no longer so handsome as in the time of
her marriage with the French general. Woe is me, I
am not the right one. I never ruled in Golconda,
woe is me. The little one had closed her eyes

(02:58:43):
and began to totter. Peregrine conveyed her to a sofa. Come,
she went on, speaking in a state of sonambulism. COMEI
do you say, Come II, the daughter of King Sycoccus. Yes,

(02:59:04):
I recollect in Famagusta. I was indeed a beautiful tulip.
Yet no, even then I felt desire in love in
my breast. Still on that point she was silent and
seemed to be falling into a perfect slumber. Peregrine undertook

(02:59:25):
the perilous enterprise of placing her in a more convenient position.
But as he gently embraced her, a concealed pin pricked
him sharply in the finger. According to his custom, he
snapped his fingers and master flee taking it for the
concerted signal, immediately placed the microscopic glass in his eye. Now,

(02:59:48):
as usual, Peregrine saw behind the tunicle of the eyes
the strange interweaving of nerves and veins which pierced deep
into the brain. But with these were twined bright silver threads,
a hundred times thinner than the thinnest spider's web. And
it was these very threads that confused him, for they

(03:00:09):
seemed to be endless, branching out into us, something indistinguishable
even by the microscopic eye. Perhaps they were thoughts of
a sublimer kind, the others of a sort more easily comprehended.
Then he observed flowers strangely blended, which took the shape
of men. Then again men who dissolved, as it were,

(03:00:32):
into the earth, and peeped forth again as stones and metals.
Amongst these, all manner of beasts were in motion, who
underwent innumerable changes, and spoke strange languages. No one appearance
answered to the other. And in the plaintive sounds of
sorrow that filled the air, there was a dissonance corresponding

(03:00:56):
with that of the images. It was this very dissonance
that ignoble still more the deep fundamental harmony which broke
out triumphantly and united all that seemed irreconcilable. Do not
puzzle yourself, whispered masterfully. Do not puzzle yourself, my good peregrine,

(03:01:17):
Those which you see are the images of a dream.
Even if anything more should lurk behind them. Now is
not the time for further inquiry. Only call the little
deceiver by her real name, and then sift her as
much as you please. As the lady had many names,
it must have been difficults one would have thought for

(03:01:40):
Peregrin to hit upon the right. But without the least reflection,
he exclaimed, dortya elvidik, dear charming girl, was it no deceit?
Is it possible that you can love me? Immediately the
little one awoke from her dreamy states, opened her and said,

(03:02:01):
with burning glance, what attaped my paragon? Could a man
do as I have done unless her breast were filled
with the most glowing passion? Paragon, I love you more
than any one, and if you will be mine, I
am yours with my whole soul, and remain with you

(03:02:23):
because I cannot leave you, and not merely to escape
from the tyranny of my uncle. The silver threads had disappeared,
and the thoughts properly arranged ran Thus how is this?
At first I feigned a passion for him, only to
brigade master free for myself and life and hook. And

(03:02:46):
now I actually am fond of him. I have caught
myself in my own snares. I think no more of
Master Flea, and will like to be his, who seems
lovelier to me than any man I ever seen. It
may be easily supposed what effect these thoughts produced in
Peregrine's breast. He fell on his knees before the fair one,

(03:03:10):
covered her hand with a thousand burning kisses. Called her
his joy is heaven, his whole happiness. Well said the maiden,
drawing him gently to her side. Well, my love, you
certainly will not deny a request on the fulfillment of
which depends the repose. Nay, the very existence of your

(03:03:35):
beloved demand, replied Peregrine, tenderly, embracing her demand. Anything my life,
anything you will your slightest wish is my command. Nothing
in the world is so dear to me that I
would not, with pleasure, sacrifice it to you and your affection.

(03:03:55):
Woe is me, said masterfully, who could have imagined that
the little traitress would have conquered? I am lost here, then,
replied Kamaheh, after having returned with equal fire the glowing
kisses which Peregrine imprinted on her lips. The door burst

(03:04:17):
open and in rushed George Pepouche. Sir Harrit cried the
little one in despair and fell back on the sofa, senseless.
The thistle Zaharat flew to the princess, took her in
his arms, and ran off with the speed of lightning.
For the time being, Master Flea was saved. End of

(03:04:43):
Adventure four, Part two. Fifth Adventure of Master Flea. This
is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit
LibriVox dot org. Read by Bob Neufeld, Master Flee by E. T. A. Hoffmann,

(03:05:14):
Fifth Adventure, Thoughts of poetical young enthusiasts and female bluestockings,
Peregrine's reflections upon his life, and Master Flea's learning and understanding,
singular virtue and firmness of mister Teeses. Unexpected conclusion of
an event that threatened tragically with the speed of lightning.

(03:05:37):
As the reader has already learned. At the conclusion of
the fourth adventure, George Pepusch snatched the fair One from
the arms of the enamored Peregrine and left him behind,
petrified with astonishment and terror. When at length the latter
came to his recollection and would have followed his robber friend,
all was still and desolate in the house. Upon his

(03:06:01):
repeated calling, the old Elina came pattering up the stairs
from one of the farthest rooms and declared that she
had not observed any the slightest part of the whole business.
Peregrine was nigh going mad at the loss of his daughter,
but Master Flea began to console him in a tone
that must have inspired the most desperate with confidence. You

(03:06:22):
are not quite certain, my dear mister Peregrine, whether the
fair dortcha Elverdink has really left your house. As well
as I can judge of such things, she is not
far off. I seem to feel her nearness. But if
you will follow my friendly counsel, you will leave her

(03:06:43):
to her fate. Trust me, she is as capricious as
the wind. It may be, as you have said, that
she is now really fond of you, But how long
will it be before she plunges you into such misery
that you will be in danger from it of a
lout in your reason? Like the thistle Sir harrit I

(03:07:03):
say again, give up your lonely way of life. You
will be the better for it. How many women have
you known that you should take Dorger for the handsomest
of her sex? What maiden have you approached with love
that you should believe that Dodger alone can love you?
Go to Paragon. Experience will show you better. You are

(03:07:27):
a well made, handsome man. And I should not be
so keenly sighted as Master Flea really is if I
could not see beforehand that love would smile upon you
in a very different way from what you may expect.
Peregrine had already broken the ice by going abroad in
public places, and it was therefore the less difficult for

(03:07:49):
him to visit societies from which he had formerly withdrawn himself.
In this Masterfley rendered him excellent service with his microscopic glass,
and he is said during this time to have kept
a day book, and to have made notes of the
most remarkable and pleasant contradictions between words and thoughts as
they daily occurred to him. Perhaps the editor of this

(03:08:13):
strange tale called Master Flea may find some Perhaps the
editor of this strange tale called Master Flea may find
some future opportunity of bringing to light many worthy impartments
from this same day book. Here, it would only stop
the current of the history, and therefore would not be

(03:08:33):
welcome to the reader so much. However, may be said
that many of the phrases with the corresponding thoughts seem
to be stereotyped, as it were, as for example, favor
me with your advice, the thought being he is fool
enough to think I ask his advice in a matter
that I have long resolved upon and that tickles him.

(03:08:57):
I have the most perfect confidence in you, the thought
being I knew long ago that you were a scandal,
and et cetera. It should also be mentioned that many
folks mightily puzzled Peregrine with his microscopic observations. These were
the young men who fell into raptures upon everything and

(03:09:17):
poured themselves forth in a torrent of splendid phrases. Amongst these,
the most remarkable were the young poets, who were boiling
over with imagination and genius, and were particularly adored by
the ladies. To these were associated the bluestockings, who were
as familiar with metaphysics as the less learned part of

(03:09:40):
their sex. With scandal, and could talk like any parson
in his pulpit. If it seemed strange to paragrine that
the silver threads should twine together out of Gamai's brain
into an undistinguishable something. He was not a little astonished
at what he saw in the heads of those above mentioned.
He saw, indeed the strange weaving of nerves and veins,

(03:10:04):
but remarked at the same time that when the owners
of them spoke most learnedly on art and science, they
did not penetrate the brain, but were reflected outwards, so
that all recognition of the thoughts was out of the question.
He imparted his observation to Master Flea, who usually sat

(03:10:24):
in a fold of his neckcloth. And Master Flea was
of the opinion that what Peregrine took for thoughts were
in reality none but merely words which, in vain endeavored
to become thoughts. If mister Teas began now to amuse
himself in society, his faithful companion also laid aside much

(03:10:46):
of his gravity, and exhibited himself as a knavish little voluptuary,
an amiable rouet. He could not see the fair neck
or the white bosom of any beauty without slipping out
of his hiding place with the first opportunity, and springing
on the inviting spots, where he very dexterously contrived to

(03:11:06):
elude the attacks of pursuing fingers. This maneuver combined a
double interest. In the first place, he found a pleasure
in it for the thing itself, and then he hoped,
by drawing Peregrine's attention to the fair ones, to cast
Dortch's image into shadow. This, however, seemed to be a

(03:11:27):
fruitless labor, for none of all the ladies whom he
now approached without the least timidity, seemed to him so
fair and lovely as his little princess. The great cause, however,
of his continued constancy, was that in none he found
the words and thoughts so united in his favor as

(03:11:48):
with her. He was convinced that he could never leave her,
And this he repeated incessantly. Master Flea was in no
little alarm. One day, Peregrine remarked that the old Elena
laughed very cunningly, took snuff more frequently than usual, muttered strangely,

(03:12:09):
in short, acted altogether like one who is big with
a secret, and would fain be disburthened of it to everything,
she replied, Yes, one can't tell that. One must wait
whether these words were suited to the occasion or not.
Till at last Peregrine, full of impatience, exclaimed, speak it

(03:12:30):
out at once, Tell me what is the matter without
creeping around me with those mysterious looks. Ah, cried the
old woman, clasping her withered hands together. Ah, the dear
little thing, the sweet little puppets. Whom do you mean,
asked Peregrine angrily, Ah, said the old woman, smirking. Ah,

(03:12:52):
whom should I mean? But our princess below here with
mister Schwarmer, your bride, mister Teas. Woman, cried mister Teas,
an lucky woman. She is here in the house, and
you did not tell me till now? Where, replied the
old woman, without in the least losing her composure. Where

(03:13:14):
should the princess be? But here where she has found
her mother? How, cried Peagrin. What is it you say, Alena, yes,
rejoined the old woman, drawing herself up. Yes, Alena is
my right name. And who knows what else may come
to light in a short time before your nuptials Peregrine

(03:13:37):
entreated her by all the angels and devils to go on,
but without paying the least attention to his hurry, she
seated herself snugly in the arm chair, drew out her
snuff box, took a prodigious pinch, and demonstrated to Peregrine
very circumstantially, that there was no worse failing than impatience. Calmness,

(03:13:59):
my son, Calmness is above all things requisites, or otherwise
you run the risk of losing all in the moment
that you think you have gained it. Before you get
a word out of me, you must first promise to
seat yourself there quite quietly, like a pretty behaved child,
and for the life of you not to interrupt me.

(03:14:21):
In my story, nothing was left to Peregrine but to
obey the old woman, who, when he had seated himself,
related things that were strange enough to hear. According to
the old woman's tale, the two gentlemen, namely Schramadame and Leivenhouk,
had another tough struggle in the chamber, and for a

(03:14:43):
time kept up a terrible clatter. Then again all had
become quite still, when a heavy moaning had made her
fancy that one of the two was mortally wounded. But
on peeping through the keyhole, she perceived something quite different
from what she had expected. Schwamerdam and Louvenhuk had seized

(03:15:03):
George Pepusch and stroked and squeezed him with their fists,
so that he grew thinner and thinner, during which operation
he had uttered the moans heard by the old woman.
At last, when he had grown as thin as a
thistle stem, they had tried to squeeze him through the keyhole,
and poor Pepousch was hanging with half his body out

(03:15:25):
when she ran away in terror. Soon afterwards, she heard
a loud laughing and saw Pepoush in his natural form,
quietly led out of the house by the two magicians.
While at the room door stood Dortcha and beckoned her in.
The little one wished to dress herself and needed her assistance.

(03:15:46):
The old woman could not talk enough of the great
heap of clothes which the princess brought out of a
variety of chests and showed to her, each of which
had appeared richer than the other. She declared that none
but an Indian princess could pass as such. Jewels as
the little one her eyes still ate with the glitter.
She then went on to say how during the dressing

(03:16:08):
she had talked of this and that of the late
mister Teese, on the delightful life we had formerly led
in the house, and at last the conversation had fallen
upon her deceased relations. You know, my dear mister Teasse,
and nothing is more valued by me than my late cousin,
the Calico printer's wife. She was in minds, and I

(03:16:31):
believe even in the Indies, and could speak French and sing.
If I owe to my cousin the Unchristian name of Alina,
I will forgive her that in the grave. Then I
came to speak of the country wake when I waltzed
with sergeant drumstick and wore the sky blue stockings with

(03:16:52):
red clocks. Ah, dear God, we were all weak, sinful creatures.
But oh, mister Teas, you should have seen how the
little princess, who at first had laughed and tittered that
it was a pleasure to hear her, now grew more
and more quiet, and gazed on me with such odd

(03:17:13):
looks that I began to be terribly alarmed, And then
think mister teas. Suddenly, before I could prevent it, she
lies on my knees before me and will positively kiss
my hand, exclaiming, yes, it is you. Oh, now I
recognize you. It is yourself. And when quite astonished, I

(03:17:36):
asked what it all meant here, the old woman stopped,
and when Peregrine pressed her to go on, she, with
great gravity and precision, took a mighty pinch of snuff
and said, you'll know in good time, my son. What
further happened? Everything has its time and hour. He was
now more urgent than ever with the old woman to

(03:17:58):
proceed when she burst out into a roaring fit of laughter,
upon which he admonished her with a very sour face
that his room was not exactly the place for her
to play off such fooleries. But the old woman, planting
her hands in her sides, seemed ready to burst. The
burning red of her brow changed to an agreeable mahogany,

(03:18:21):
and Peregrine was upon the point of flinging a glass
of water into the old woman's face when she recovered
her breath and speech at the same time. I can't
help laughing, she said, I can't help laughing at the
foolish little thing. Oh, such love is no longer on earth.
Only think, mister Teas Here she broke out into a

(03:18:44):
fresh fit of laughter, and Peregrine's patience was well nigh exhausted.
At last, with much difficulty, he got out of her
that the little Princess had taken up the whimsical notion
of mister Teese's being positively determined to marry the old
old woman, and had compelled her solemnly to promise to
reject his hand. It seemed to Peregrine as if he

(03:19:08):
were mixed up in a scene of witchery, and he
felt so strangely that even the honest old Elina appeared
to him as a supernatural kind of being from whom
he could not fly with sufficient speed. But she still
detained him, having something to communicate in all haste that
concerned the little Princess. It is now certain, she said confidentially.

(03:19:32):
It is now certain, my dear mister Tisse, that the
bright star of fortune has arisen. But it is your
business to keep it favorable. When I protested to the
little one that you were desperately smitten with her, and
far from any idea of marrying me. She replied that
she could not be convinced of it, and give you

(03:19:53):
her hand till you had complied with a wish that
had long sat near her heart. She says that she
had a pretty little negro boy in her service who
had fled from her. I have indeed denied it, but
she maintains that the boy is so little he might
live in a nutshell. Nothing will ever come of this,

(03:20:13):
exclaimed Peregrine violently, well knowing what the old woman was
driving at, and rushed out of the room and then
out of the house with great vehemence. It is an
established custom that when the hero of a tale is
under any violent agitation, he should run out into a forest,
or at least into some lonely wood. And the custom

(03:20:36):
is good because it really prevails in life. Hence, it
could not be otherwise with Misrtis than that he ran
from his house without stopping till he had left the
city behind him and reached a remote wood. Moreover, as
in a romantic history, no wood must be without rustling leaves,

(03:20:56):
sighing breezes, murmuring brooks, et cetera. It is to be
supposed that Peregrine found all these things. In his place
of refuge, upon a mossy stone, the lower half of
which lay in a bright brook, Peregrine sat down with
a firm resolution to reflect on his strange adventures and,

(03:21:17):
if possible, find the ariadne clue which might show the
way out of this labyrinth of mysteries. The murmurs of
the lebs, returning at equal intervals, the monotonous babbling of waters,
the constant clap clap of a distant mill, soon formed
a ground which regulated the thoughts, so that they no
longer rushed wildly together without time or rhythmus, but became

(03:21:41):
an intelligible melody. Thus, after sitting some time on this
pleasant spot, he got to reflect calmly in reality. He
said to himself, A fantastic tail rider could not have
invented wilder events than I have actually gone through in
this short space of a few days. Beauty, the love

(03:22:02):
itself visits the lonely misogynist, and a look a word
is sufficient to fan in his breast the flames which
he had dreaded without knowing them. But the time, the place,
the whole appearance of the strange siren are so mysterious
that it seems to be the result of magic, and
that it is not long before a despised little insect

(03:22:24):
evinces knowledge, understanding, nay even a sort of supernatural power.
And this creature talks of things which to common minds
are incomprehensible in a way, as if it all were
nothing more than a familiar to day and yesterday of
usual life. As it appears repeated for the thousandth time,

(03:22:45):
Have I come too near the flywheel that dark, unknown
powers are driving? And has it caught me in its whirlings?
Would not one believe that the reason must be lost
with such things when they cross the path of life? Life?
And yet I find myself quite well withal Nay, it

(03:23:06):
no longer seems strange to me that a flea king
should have sought my protection, and in requital have entrusted
me with a mystery that opens to me the secrets
of thought, and thus sets me above the deceptions of life.
But whither will nor can all this lead? How if
under this singular mask of a flea, an evil demon lurked,

(03:23:31):
who sought to lure me into destruction, who aimed to
rob me of all the happiness that might bloom to
me in the possession of dorture. Were it not better
to get rid at once of the little monster? That
was a very pitiful idea, mister Tease, exclaimed Master Flea,
interrupting Peregrine's soliloquy. Do you imagine that the mystery I

(03:23:52):
have entrusted to you is a trifle? Should not this
gift pass for the most decided proof of our sincere friendship?
Shame on you for being suspicious. You are surprised at
the reason the mind of a little despised insect, and
that proves don't be offended the narrowness of your education

(03:24:14):
in science. I wish, in regard to the thinking, instinctive
soul of animals, you had read the Greek philoh or
at least the treatise of Hieronimus Rorarius quod animaria brutaratiunani
utantur Melius Omene or his oration pro muribus, Or that

(03:24:35):
you knew what Lipsius and the great Leibniz thought of
the mental power of beasts, or that you were aware
what the profound Rabbi my Monides has said about their souls.
You would not then take me for a demon on
account of my understanding or measure the spiritual faculties by
the proportions of the body. I suppose at last you

(03:24:59):
will come to the s shrewd opinion of the Spanish
physician Gomez Pereira, who could find nothing more in animals
than mere artificial machines without thought or freedom of will,
moving arbitrarily and automatically. Yet no, I cannot deem you
so absurd, and am convinced that you have long ago

(03:25:20):
learnt better through my humble person. Moreover, I do not
well understand what you call wonders, or in what way
you are able to divide into the wonderful and natural
the appearances of our being, which in reality are ourselves
as we and they mutually condition each other. Do not

(03:25:41):
therefore wonder at anything because it has not yet occurred
to you, or because you fancy you do not see
the connection of cause and effect. That only proves the
natural or diseased obtuseness of your sight, which injures your perception.
But do not take it amiss to paragrine the drollest

(03:26:02):
part of the business is that you want to split
yourself into two parts, one of which recognizes and willingly
believes the so called wonders. The other, on the contrary,
is mightily astonished at this recognition and belief. Has it
ever occurred to you that you believe in the images
of dreams? I exclaimed, peregrine, my dear fellow, how can

(03:26:27):
you talk of dreams which are only the result of
some disorder in our corporeal or intellectual structure? At these words,
masterfully burst into a laugh as fine as it was mocking,
and then said to mister Tis, who was not a
little confounded, my poor friend, is your understanding so little

(03:26:48):
enlightened that you do not see the folly of such opinions.
Since the time that chaos melted together into plastic matter,
it may be a tolerably long time ago, the spirit
of the universe has formed all shapes out of this
existing material, and from this come also dreams and their images.

(03:27:09):
These images are sketches of what has been, or probably
of what is yet to be, which the soul rapidly
puts together for its amusement, when the tyrant's called body
has released it from its slavish servitude. But here is
neither time nor place to refute you and bring you
to a better conviction. Perhaps too, it would be of

(03:27:31):
no use whatever to you. One thing only I should
like to capture. Dear Master, cried barrign speak or be
silent as you think proper, do what to you seems best.
For I plainly perceive that, however small you may be,
you have deep knowledge and sound understanding. You compel from

(03:27:53):
me unconditional confidence. Although I do not quite comprehend your
figurative modes of speech, learn, then, resumed, Master, fle that
you are very strangely implicated in the history of the Princess.
Kamahe Schwamadame and Louveanhuk, the thistles Ahert and the Leech Prince,
as well as the genius Taitle are all striving after

(03:28:17):
the princess. And even I myself must confess that alas
my old passion is reviving, and I could be fool
enough to share my sovereignty with the false fair one.
But you, you, mister Peregrine, are the principal person, and
without your consent, Gamaheh can belong to no one. If

(03:28:40):
you wish to understand the particular connection of the whole,
which I myself do not know, you must speak to
leeuifenhouk about it. He has found it out and will
certainly let out much if you will take the pains
and know how to question him. Master Flee was about
to continue when a man leaped from the bushes in

(03:29:01):
boiling passion and flew upon Paragrin. Ah cried George Peppoush,
with frantic gestures. For it was he, Ah, faithless, treacherous friend,
have I found you? Found you in the fateful hour? Up,
then pierce this breast or fall by my hand. With this,
he drew a brace of pistols from his pocket, pressed

(03:29:24):
one into Peregrine's hand, and took his ground with the other, crying, Shoot, coward, Shoot.
Paragon placed himself, but declared that nothing should induce him
to the incurable madness of entering into a duel with
his only friend without even a suspicion of the cause.
At all events, he would in no case be the

(03:29:45):
first to begin a murderous attack. At this, Pepoush burst
into a wild laugh, and in the same moment a
ball went through Peregrine's hat. The latter remained staring at
his friend in profound silence, without picking up the which
had fallen to the ground. When Pepusch advanced a few
steps toward him and murmured in a hollow voice. Shoot.

(03:30:09):
Peregrine fired his pistol in the air with the voice
and gestures of a madman. Pepusch now flung himself upon
his friend's breast and cried out in heart rending tones,
she is dying, dying for you, one lucky one, quick
save her, you can do it, Save her for yourself,

(03:30:29):
and let me perish in my despair. Pepouche had ran
off so fast that Peregrine had lost sight of him instantly,
and now a fearful foreboding came over him that his
friend's mad behavior must have been occasioned by something terrible
which had happened to the little one. Whereupon he hastened
back to the city. On entering his house, he was

(03:30:53):
met by the old woman loudly lamenting that the poor
princess was on the sudden taken violently ill and was dying.
Mister Schwarmer himself had gone after the most celebrated physician
in Frankfort. With the feelings of death at his heart,
he crept into mister Schwamer's room that was opened to
him by the old woman. There lay the little one

(03:31:14):
upon a sofa, pale and stiff like a corpse. And
it was not till he knelt down and bent over
her that he perceived her gentle breathing. No sooner had
he touched her icy hand than a painful smile played
about her lips, and she lisped, Is it you, my
sweet friend? Have you come to see her once again?

(03:31:38):
Who loves you so unspeakably? Who it dies alas because
she cannot breathe without you. Dissolving in sorrow, Peregrine poured
himself forth in protestations of the tenderest love, and repeated
that nothing in the world was so dear to him
that he would not sacrifice it to her. Out of

(03:32:00):
words grew kisses. But in these kisses again, words like
the breathings of love, were distinguishable. You know, my paragon,
how much I love you. I can be yours, you mine.
I can recover on the spot. You will see me
bloom again in my faithful splendor, like a flower refreshed

(03:32:21):
by the morning dew, and joyfully lifting up his drooping head.
But give me up the prisoner, my dear beloved Peregrine,
or else you will see me perish before your eyes
in unutterable death pangs. Paragon I can no more. It
is all over with this. She sank back upon the

(03:32:46):
cushions from which she had half raised herself. Her bosom
heaved tumultuously up and down, as if in the death pangs.
Her lips grew bluer, and her eyes seemed to break
in wild anguish. Peregrine, caught at his neckcloth from which
Master flee now leapt of his own accord upon the

(03:33:07):
white neck of the little one, exclaiming, in a tone
of the deepest grief, I'm lost. Peregrine stretched out his
hand to catch the Master, but suddenly it seemed as
if some invisible power held back his arm, and far
other thoughts ran through his head than those which till

(03:33:27):
now had occupied it. Ah thought he. Because you are
a frail man and influenced by a mad passion, will
you therefore betray him to whom you have promised your protection?
Will you therefore plunge a free, harmless people into eternal
slavery and utterly ruin the friend whose thoughts and words

(03:33:48):
agree No, No, recollect yourself, Paragrine, Rather die than be
a traitor. Kive hap the prisoner, I am stammered the
little one with failing voice. No, cried Peregrine, While in
despair he caught her in his arms. No never, but

(03:34:12):
let me die with you. And now a fine penetrating
harmony was heard, as if little silver bells were struck. Dortcha,
with fresh roses on her lips and cheeks, started up
suddenly from the sofa, and, breaking into a convulsive laughter,
skipped about the chamber. She seemed to have been bit

(03:34:33):
by a tarantula. Peregrine gazed in terror on the strange spectacle,
and the same did the physician, who stood at the door,
quite petrified, keeping out mister Schwamer, who had followed him.
End of the Fifth Adventure. Sixth Adventure, Part one of

(03:34:59):
Master Flea. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
please visit LibriVox dot org. Read by Bob Neufeld. Master
Flea by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Sixth Adventure, Part one

(03:35:23):
strange behavior of strolling jugglers in a tavern, together with
a tolerable buffeting. Tragical history of a tailor of Zachsenhausen.
How George Pepusch astonished some honest folks the horoscope pleasant
battle of some well known people in Leefenhouk's apartments. All
the passers by stopped, stretched out their necks, and peeped

(03:35:47):
through the window into the coffee room. With every moment
the crowd grew greater, the pressure more violent, and the
noise louder. All this was occasioned by two strangers who
build sides that their form, their dress, their whole manner
had something extraordinary about it that was repulsive and ridiculous

(03:36:07):
at the same time played off many wonderful tricks such
as never been seen before. The one, an old man
of a dirty, disagreeable appearance, was dressed in a syrotu
of shining stuff. Sometimes he made himself thin and long.
Sometimes he would shrink himself up to a short, fat fellow,

(03:36:28):
winding about all the time like a worm. The other,
with powdered hair, motley silk coats, under dress of the same,
large silver buckles, and all together resembling a petitmetre of
the last half of the foregoing century, repeatedly flew up
to the ceiling and then gently let himself down again,

(03:36:50):
while with a cheerful voice he trilled discordant songs in
a language altogether unknown. According to the host's declaration, they
had both come in in one a short time after
the other, like orderly people than had called for wine.
Then they had gazed more and more keenly on each
other and entered into conversation. And although the language of

(03:37:13):
it was unintelligible to all the guests, yet their tone
and manner showed they were engaged in a dispute which
grew warmer and warmer. Suddenly they had taken their present
form and began these mad tricks, which continually attracted more spectators.
The man who flies up and down so admirably, exclaimed

(03:37:35):
one of the spectators is the clockmaker Dagon of Vienna,
he who invented the flying machine with which he is
constantly contriving to tumble down upon his nose. No, replied another,
that is not the clockmaker. I should rather fancy that
it was the little tailor of Zoxenhausen. If I did

(03:37:55):
not know that the poor thing was burnt. I know
not whether my readers are acquainted with the little Tailor
of Zoxenhausen. Here it is history of the little tailor
of Zoxenhausen. It happened that a pious little tailor at
Zoxenhausen was coming out of church one Sunday with his

(03:38:17):
wife in all his best attire. The air was raw.
The little tailor had taken nothing over night but a
soft boiled egg in a few pickled gerkins, and in
the morning a cup of coffee. Moreover, he had been
singing most vehemently in the church, and hence he began
to feel in a piteous plight and to long for
a dram. As he had worked hard through the week,

(03:38:40):
and had been particularly kind to his better half, making
her a very pretty gown out of the pieces cabbaged
from his customers. She consented into his going into the
apothecary's and getting himself a dram, which she did accordingly.
The awkward apprentice, who was alone in the shop, made
a mistake and took down a bottle which, instead of

(03:39:02):
a dram, contained inflammable gas, wherewith balloons are filled. Of this,
the apprentice poured out a full glass, and the tailor,
putting it at once to his mouth, swallowed off the
gas as an agreeable reviver. It made him, however, feel
very strangely, as if he had got a pair of

(03:39:22):
wings on his shoulders, or as if some one were
playing at football with him, For he felt himself compelled
to jump up and down in the shop, and with
every moment the impetus increased. Ay, jimminy, jimminy, he cried,
what a nimble dancer I have grown. The apothecary's apprentice

(03:39:43):
stood with his mouth gaping wide from pure wonder, when
it chanced that some one opened the door so hastily
that the opposite window flew open. Also, a strong current
of air poured in, caught up the little tailor, and
away he sailed through the window. Since when he has
not been seen. But it happened some time after that

(03:40:06):
the people of Zaxenhausen observed in the air a fireball
which lighted the whole country with its brightness, and then,
being extinguished, fell to earth. All were eager to know
what had dropped and ran to the place, but found
nothing more than a little heap of ashes. But with
this the tongue of a shoe buckle, a little piece

(03:40:27):
of yellow satin with flowers, and something black which to
look at was like the horn top of a walking stick.
All were in deep council how such things could fall
down from heaven in a fire ball. When the wife
of the departed tailor came up, and, on seeing these things,
wrung her hands, took on most piteously and cried out, Ah, whoa,

(03:40:53):
that is my husband's buckle. Oh, whoa, that is my
husband's sunday waistcoat. Oh woah, that is my husband's cane top.
A very learned man, however, has declared that the cane
top was no cane top, but a meteoric ball or
an abortive globe. Thus was made known to the people

(03:41:17):
of Zoxenhausen and to all the world, that the poor
little tailor to whom the apothecary's apprentice had given inflammable
gas instead of a dram was burnt in the air
and had fallen to earth as a meteoric ball or
an abortive globe. End of the history of the little
Tailor of Zoxenhausen. The taverner was at length impatient that

(03:41:42):
the odd guest did not cease making himself now larger,
now smaller, without paying him any attention, and held the
flask of Burgundy, which he had ordered close to his nose.
The stranger caught fast hold of it immediately and did
not let go till he had drained the last draw up.
Then he sank, as if fainting, into an arm chair,

(03:42:04):
and would scarcely move himself. The guests observed with astonishment
that he swelled more and more during the drinking, and
now appeared quite thick and shapeless. The fly work of
the other seemed also to be at a stand. He
was about to sit down, panting and breathless, but perceiving
how his adversary lay there half dead, he flew suddenly

(03:42:27):
upon him and began to belabor him soundly with his fists.
The host, however, pulled him off and declared that he
would turn him out of the house if he did
not keep quiet. If they both wished to show their
juggler's tricks, they were welcome to do so, but without
quarreling and fighting like blackguards. The flying gentleman seemed to

(03:42:50):
take it somewhat ill that the host should suppose he
was a juggler. He protested that he was nothing less
than a vagabond who went about playing off legendimide. He
had formerly been ballet master to a celebrated king, but
now practiced in private as an amateur, and was called,
as his functions required, he should be legenie. If in

(03:43:14):
his just indignation at the abominable fellow there he had
sprung somewhat higher than was fitting, that was his own
business and concerned no one else. The host, on his part,
opined that all this did not justify any fisticuffs, to
which the amateur replied that mine host did not know
the malicious fellow, or he would willingly allow his back

(03:43:37):
to be drubbed black and blue. He had formerly been
the French custom house officer, and now gained a livelihood
by blood letting, cupping and shaving, and was called monsieur Leech,
a nuisance to everybody by his awkwardness, stupidity and gluttony.
It was not enough that the scoundrel, wherever he met him,

(03:44:00):
whisked away the wine from his very lips, as he
had done just now, but he was plotting to carry
off his bride, whom he intended to carry home from Frankfort.
The duignier had heard all that the amateur advanced, and
glancing at him with his little malicious eyes said to
the host, don't believe a syllable. At the gallows bird,

(03:44:22):
there is chattering an admirable balley master, truly, who with
his elephant feet crushes the legs of the fair dancers,
and with his piroet knocks a tooth out of the
manager's jaw at the wing and his verses too, they
have as awkward feet as himself, and tumble here and
there like drunkards. Treading the thoughts to pap. Because he

(03:44:46):
flutters heavily in the air at times like a drowsy gander,
the conceited peacock fancies he is to have the fair
one for his bride. At this the indignant amateur cried out,
thou Satan's worm, Thou shalt feel the gander's beak, and
would have fallen upon the duinnier again when the host

(03:45:07):
seized him from behind with strong arm, and amidst the
rejoicing of the assembled crowd, flung him out of the window.
No sooner was the amateur gone. When Monsieur Leech resumed
the plain, solid form in which he had entered, the
people without took him for quite another person than the
juggler who had played such strange tricks, and quietly dispersed,

(03:45:32):
the Duandier thanked mine host in the most obliging terms
for his aid against the amateur, and to prove his gratitude,
offered to shave him for nothing, and more pleasantly than
he had ever been shaped in his life before. The
host felt his beard, and it seemed to him at
the moment as if the hairs were terribly long. He

(03:45:54):
accepted mister Leech's offer, who accordingly set about it at
first with a light, dexterous hand. But suddenly he cut
his nose so shrewdly that the blood streamed down. The host,
deeming this to be nothing else than malice, seized the Duagnier,
who flew as nimbly out of the door as the

(03:46:15):
amateur through the window. Immediately after there arose a loud tumult.
Without and scarcely allowing himself time to stop the bleeding
of his nose with lint, he flew out to see
what devil was raising this new uproar. There, to his
no little astonishment, he saw a young man who with

(03:46:36):
one hand grasped the amateur and with the other the Duagnier,
and with rolling eyes exclaimed ah Satan's brood. You shall
not cross my way, You shall not rob me of gamaheh,
while his prisoners intermixed their cries of a madman, save
save us. Host, he mistakes us, he will murder us. Hey,

(03:47:00):
cried the host. What are you about, my good mister Pepouche.
Have you be offended by these strange people? Perhaps you
are mistaken in them. This is the ballet master, Monsieur
le Genie, and this is Duanier, monsieur Leech. Balais master Lecheny,
Duanier Loch, repeated Pepouche in a hollow voice. He seemed

(03:47:22):
as if waking out of a dream and trying to
recollect himself. And in the meantime, two honest citizens of
his acquaintance came out of the inn, who joined in
persuading him to be quiet and let the fellows go
about their business. Again, Pepouche exclaimed, palais master Legenie, Duinier Leech,

(03:47:45):
and let his arms drop powerless by his side. With
the speed of wind, the released prisoners were off, and
it seemed to many in the streets as if the
amateur fled over the roofs of the neighboring houses, and
the barber was lost in a puddle that had collected
itself between the stones before the door. The two citizens

(03:48:07):
invited the distracted pepush to come in and drink a
glass of old Hawk with them, an offer which she
readily accepted and seemed to enjoy the generous wine, though
he sat silent and abstracted, and answered not a word
to all that could be said to him. At last, however,
his features brightened up, and he said, very kindly, you

(03:48:29):
did well, my friends, in hindering me from killing on
the spot those wretches who were in my power. But
you know not what dangerous creatures look beneath their masks.
Pepouche paused, and it may be easily supposed with what
eagerness the citizens waited for what he had to discover.
The host also had approached them, and all three poked

(03:48:51):
their heads together with their arms crossed upon the table,
and held in their breath that they might not lose
a syllable from Pepusch's mouth. See, my good people, he
continued solemnly. See he whom you call the ballet master Legenie,
is no other than the evil, awkward, genious title. The

(03:49:14):
other whom you took for the douanier Leech, is the
hateful blood succor the leech Prince. Both are in love
with the Princess Kabai, who as you know, is the
daughter of the mighty King Secaccus, and are here to
make her false to the Thistle sa Herat. This is
the greatest folly that ever entered into a foolish brain,

(03:49:36):
for besides the Thistle sa Herat, there is but one
person in the world to whom she can belong, and
this person would perhaps vainly enter into the contest with Sahrat,
For soon the thistle will bloom at midnight in full
splendor and strength, and in death of love dawns the
morning of a higher life. Aw I myself am the

(03:50:01):
thistle sa Harat. And therefore, my good friends, you cannot
blame me if I am indignant with these traitors, and
altogether take the whole affair much to heart. The three
listeners opened their eyes wide and stared speechlessly at Pepouche
with open mouths. They had tumbled out of the clouds,

(03:50:21):
as people say, and their heads were humming with the fall.
The Pepouche emptied a bump. Turning to the host, said yes, yes, mine, host,
you will soon see that I shall bloom as the
cactus grandiflorus, and the whole country round will be impregnated
with its perfume. You may believe me, friends, The host

(03:50:46):
had utter nothing but an exclamation of stupid surprise. Ah,
that would be the deuce. The two citizens exchanged mysterious glances,
and one, taking George's hand, said, with a doubtful smile,
you seem to be somewhat disquieted, my good Pepoush. How
if you were to take a glass of water and

(03:51:08):
not a drop exclaimed Pepoush, interrupting the well met counsel.
Not a drop has water ever been poured upon boiling
oil without increasing the fury of the flames. I am disquieted,
do you say in truth? That may well be the case.
How the devil can I be otherwise? After having exchanged

(03:51:29):
shots with my bosom friend, and then sending a bullet
through my own brain here into your hands, I deliver
up the murderous weapons. Now that all is wolf. Pepoush
drew a brace of pistols from his pocket. Whereat the
host started back, the citizens snatched at them, but no
sooner had they fairly hold of them, than they burst

(03:51:51):
out into immoderate laught. The pistols were of wood, a
plaything from the Christmas fair. Pepoush to pay no attention
to what was going on about him. He sat in
deep thoughts and continually cried out if I could but
find him. The host took courage and modestly asked, whom

(03:52:12):
do you mean, my good mister Pabush, whom can you
not find? Know? You? Said Papoush, solemnly, and fixing the
host with a keen gaze, Know you any one to
be compared in might and wondrous power with the King?
Sircoccus the name his name, and I will kiss your feet.

(03:52:34):
But for the rest I would ask you if you
know any one who is acquainted with mister parrag and tease,
and can tell me where I may meet him at
this present moment. To this, the host replied, smirking amiably,
here I can serve you respected mister Papoush, and inform
you that he was with me an hour ago taking

(03:52:56):
a glass of wine. He was very thoughtful, and when
I asked, what's news on exchange? He suddenly cried out, yes,
sweet gamahey, I have renounced you be happy in my
George's arms. Pon this, a thin curious voice said, let
us now go to life and Hooks and peep into

(03:53:17):
the horoscope. Immediately mister t S emptied his glass and
they went away together. That is mister Ts and er
the voice without a body. Probably they have gone to Luivenhook's,
who is lamenting that his well disciplined fleas have one
and all deserted him. The words were scarcely out of

(03:53:37):
the host's mouth than George started up in a fury,
and seizing him by the throat, cried out, scoundrel, what
do you say? Renounced renounced her comhe Paraquine circoccus. The
host's story, however, was perfectly correct. He had heard master Flee,

(03:53:58):
who was summoning Parago in his fine silver tones, to
go to the microscopist Leuvenhouk for what purpose, the reader
knows already. Peregrine had really gone thither and was received
by Louven Hook with that soft, odious friendliness and that
humility of compliment, which announced the burthensome and reluctant recognition

(03:54:21):
of superiority. But as mister Tees had the microscopic glass
in the pupil of his eye. All this complimenting and
subservience availed Antony Vonnlauvenhuk nothing in the world. On the contrary,
Peregrine only the more discovered the hatred which filled the
heart of the microscopist. While he protested how much he

(03:54:45):
felt honored and rejoiced by mister Tees's visit, the thoughts ran, thus,
I wish that the devil had plunged you ten thousand
fathoms deep in the abyss. But I must feign friendship
and submission towards you, as the cursed constellation has placed
me under your dominion, and my whole being in some

(03:55:06):
sort depends upon you. But perhaps I may be able
to outwit you, for in spite of your high decent,
you are a simple fool. You fancy that Dortcha Elverdink
loves you and will perhaps marry her. Only come to
me about it, and you fall into my hands in
spite of the power that dwells within you without your

(03:55:29):
knowing it, and I will employ everything to ruin you
and gain possession of Dorcha and Master Flea Peregrine naturally
regulated his conduct by these thoughts, and took good care
not to say a syllable about dorcha Elverdink, and pretended
that he came to see Louvianhok's collection of natural rarity.

(03:55:51):
While now Louvian Hook opened the great drawers, Master Flee
whispered very gently in Peregrine's ear that his Peregrine's horoscope
was lying on the table by the window. Here he
saw all manner of lines that mysteriously crossed each other,
and many other wonderful signs. But as he was entirely

(03:56:13):
deficient in astronomical knowledge, all remained confused and dark to him.
Look as keenly as he would, Yet it seemed strange
to him that in the bright red points in the
middle of the table on which the horoscope was drawn,
he plainly recognized himself. The longer he looked at this point,

(03:56:33):
the more it gained the shape of a heart, and
the more brightly it reddened. Still it only sparkled as
through a web with which it was overspread. Paragon plainly
saw that Leeuvenhuck wanted to draw off his attention from
the horoscope, and as he ran no risk of being deceived.
Very rationally resolved to question his friendly enemy at once

(03:56:56):
and without any circumlocution, as to the meaning of the
mysterious table, Leeuvenhouk assured him with a malicious smile that
nothing would give him greater pleasure than the explaining to
his respected friend the signs upon the table, which he
himself had drawn according to his slight knowledge in such matters.

(03:57:16):
The thoughts ran, thus, oh are you after that, my
wise sir in truth masterfully has not advised you? Ill?
I myself am to explain the table and help you
to the understanding of the magic might that dwells in
your worthy person. I might invent some lies for you,

(03:57:39):
but of what use would it be, For if I
were to tell you the truth, you would not understand
a syllable, but would remain stupid as ever from pure convenience. Therefore,
and not to put myself to the trouble of invention,
I will tell you so much of the signs of
the table as seems good too. Peregrine, n you now

(03:58:00):
that if he was not to learn all, at least
he would not be deceived with falsehood. Leuven Hook placed
the table on something like an easel, which he brought
forward from a corner of the room, and both seating
themselves before it, considered it for a time in silence.
At length, living hook began with much solemnity. You perhaps

(03:58:23):
do not suspect that these lines, these characters on the table,
which you are so attentively considering, are your own horoscope,
drawn by myself with mysterious astrologic art, under the favorable
influence of the stars. How came you to such a
presumptuous idea? What could make you wish to unravel the

(03:58:46):
web of my feet to read my destiny? So might
you ask, my friend, and with perfect justice, if I
were not able to show you my inward call there too,
I know not whether you have heard of the celebrated
Rabbi is Sach ben Haravad. Among other profound knowledge, he
had the strange gift of reading by men's faces, whether

(03:59:08):
the soul had previously inhabited another body, or whether it
was to be considered quite fresh and new. I was
yet very young when the Rabbi died of an indigestion
brought on by eating a dish highly seasoned with garlic.
The Jews ran away with the body so quickly that
the deceased had not time to collect and carry off

(03:59:29):
all his knowledge, which the illness had scattered. Laughing airs
divided the property. But I had fished off that wonderful
seer gift in the very moment that the angel of
death had set his sword upon the Rabbi's breast. In
this way, the wonderful faculty has come to me, and I,

(03:59:50):
like the Rabbi Isak ben Hahravad, can read in the
faces of men whether the soul has before occupied another
body or not. Your brow, mister Teeth, when I saw
it the first time, excited the strangest thoughts and doubts.
I was certain of the previous existence of your soul
long ago, and yet the form prior to your present

(04:00:13):
life remained a perfect mystery. I was forced to have
recourse to the stars and draw your horoscope to solve
the difficulty. Well, exclaimed Paragon, And have you discovered anything,
mister louvan Hook, certainly replied Louvanhok, assuming a still more
solemn tone. Certainly, I have discovered that the physical principle

(04:00:38):
which now animates the agreeable body of my very worthy
friend mister peregrinetiis existed long ago, although only as a
thought or consciousness of a shape. Look here, consider attentively
the red point in the center of the table. This
is not only yourself, but the point is the form

(04:01:01):
of which your physical principle once could not be conscious,
as a sparkling carbuncle. You then lay in a deep
mine of the earth, but stretched over you, on the
green surface of the ground, slept the beautiful Gamai and
her form also passed away in unconsciousness. Strange lines and

(04:01:23):
foreign constellations crossed your life from the point of time
when the thought first put on a form and became
mister peregrine tease. You are in possession of a talisman
without knowing it. And this talisman is that very red carbuncle.
It may be that King Secaucus wore it as a

(04:01:44):
precious jewel in his crown, or perhaps in some measure
was the carbuncle itself enough You possess it now, but
a certain event must take place if its slumbering power
is to be awakened. And this waking of the power
of your talisman will be decided the fate of an

(04:02:05):
unhappy creature who hitherto has led a shadowy life between
fear and changing hope. Alas, Alas, it is only a
shadowy life that the sweet Kamaha could gain by the
profoundest magic. As the operative talisman was stolen from us,
you alone have killed her. You alone can breathe fresh

(04:02:28):
life into her. When the carbuncle glows again in your breast.
And can you, interrupted, Peregrine, Can you explain what that
event is, which is to awake the power of the talisman.
The microscopist stared with open eyes at Peregrine, like a
person who is suddenly surprised into confusion, and who does
not know what to say. The thoughts ran. Thus, if

(04:02:52):
I had but held my tongue about the talisman which
the unlucky rascal carries with him, and which gives him
so much power over us that we must all dance
to his pipe. And now I am to tell him
the event on which depends the awakening of the strength
of his talisman. Shall I confess to him that I
don't know myself, that all my art fails to loosen

(04:03:16):
the knot in which the lines meets, Nay, that when
I consider the planetary center of the horoscope, I feel
most piteously, and my own learned head seems to me
no better than a painted block of periwigs far from me.
Be any such confession that would lower me and put
arms into his hands against myself. I will fasten something

(04:03:40):
upon the idiot who fancies himself so wise, something that
shall make his blood run cold, and take from him
all further inclination of teasing me, My dearest sir, said
the free tamer, putting on a very important face. My
dearest mister tease, don't ask me to speak of this event.

(04:04:02):
You know that the horoscope does indeed plainly and perfectly
instruct us as to the existence of certain circumstances. But
such is the wisdom of eternal might, the event of
threatening dangers always remains dark and doubtful. I esteem you
too highly as an excellent, kind hearted man to put

(04:04:24):
you into disquiere an anxiety before the time. Otherwise I
should at least tell you so much that the event
wishes to give you the consciousness of power, would in
the same moment destroy your present form of being with
the most horrible agonies of hell. That no, or that too,
I will be silent, and now not another word of

(04:04:47):
the horoscope. Do not, however, fetch yourself. Although the affair
looks bad enough, and I, with all my knowledge can
hardly see any chance of a favorable issue to the adventure.
Perhaps you may be saved from this para by some
unexpected constellation which is now beyond the reach of observation.

(04:05:08):
Peregrine was astonished at this deceit, Yet still the whole
state of the thing, the peculiar situation in which Livenhuk
stood without suspecting it, appeared to him so exceedingly pleasant
that he could not help breaking out into a loud
fit of laughter. The microscopist, somewhat surprised at this, asked,

(04:05:30):
what are you laughing at so vehemently, my dear mister
tes You do, wisely, replied Peregrine, still laughing. You do
very wisely in keeping secret out of pure kindness this
threatening event. For besides that you are too much my
friend to put me into fear and terror, you have
yet another excellent reason for your silence, which is nothing

(04:05:53):
else than that you do not know a syllable about
the matter. In vain was all your labor to unreddle
that not your whole astrology goes but to little, and
if Master Flea had not fallen upon your nose, all
your arts would have helped you. Little Louvan Hook's brow
was red with rage. He clenched his fist, gnashed his teeth,

(04:06:17):
and trembled so violently with agitation that he would have
tumbled from his seat if Paragrin had not held him
as firmly by the arm as George Pepusch grasped the
unlucky Tavernah by the throat, who at length succeeded in
saving himself by a dexterous side spring. Hereupon, George rushed
out and entered Louvanhook's room, just as Paragrin was holding

(04:06:41):
him fast upon his seat while he muttered furiously between
his teeth, cursed Schramataron, Is it you that have done this?
End of Sixth Adventure Part one, Sixth Adventure, Part two

(04:07:02):
of Master Flea. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Read by Bob Neefeld,
Master Flea by E. T. A. Hoffmann. Sixth Adventure Part two,

(04:07:27):
No sooner did Peregrine perceive his friend, than he let
go of the microscopist, and going up to him, asked
anxiously if that strange frenzy were over which had so
dangerously possessed him. Papouche seemed softened almost to tears, and
protested that he had not, in all his life committed

(04:07:47):
so many follies as in the course of that one day.
Amongst these, not the least was that, after he had
sent a ball through his head in the forest, he
had gone into a tavern where he did not know,
had talked to people of strange things, and murderously set
upon the host, because from his broken speech he gathered

(04:08:10):
that which was the very happiest thing that could befall him.
All his paroxysms would now soon have reached the highest pitch,
for the bystanders had taken his words for insanity, and
he had to fear, instead of reaping the fruit of
the happiest event, that he would be confined in a
mad house. With this, he explained what the host had

(04:08:33):
let drop concerning Peagrine's conduct and declarations, and asked, with
downcast eyes whether such an act of self denial in
favor of an unhappy friend was probable, or even possible
in the present day, when heroism had vanished from the earth.
At these declarations from his companion, Paragon revived in his

(04:08:55):
inmost heart. He protested with warmth that for his part,
he was far removed from doing anything that might in
the least annoy his tried friend, that he solemnly renounced
all pretensions to the heart and hand of the fair
do'rtcha alfadink, and willingly gave up a paradise, though it
had indeed opened upon him most seductively. And it was you,

(04:09:20):
said Paboush, rushing into his friend's arms. It was you
that I would have murdered, And because I did not
believe you, I therefore shot myself. Oh the madness of
a mind ill at ease. I pray, you, said Peregrine.
I pray you come to your senses. You speak of

(04:09:43):
having shot yourself, and yet stand fresh and sound before me.
How do these things agree? You are right, replied Pebouche.
It seems as if I could not speak to you
so rationally as I really do, if I had actually
sent to bore through my brain. The people too maintained

(04:10:03):
that my pistols were not particularly dangerous, nor indeed of iron,
but of wood, in fact mere toys, and so neither
the duel nor the suicide could have been anything more
than a pleasant mockery. We must have changed our parts,
and I have begun to mystify myself and play the

(04:10:24):
child at the moment you have left the world of
dream to enter into real life. But be this as
it may. It is requisite that I should be certain
of your generosity and my fortune, and then the clouds
will dissipate which trouble my sight or perhaps deceive me
with the illusions of the Fata Morgana. Come, my Paragrine,

(04:10:47):
accompany me to the fair daughter Elfadink. Pepusch took his
friend's arm and was hastening off with him, but their
intended walk was spared, for the door opened an entree
dortcha Elvedink, lovely as an angel, and behind her the
old Schamer Leuwanhook, who had so long remained dumb casting angry,

(04:11:10):
looks first at pepus and then at Peregrine seemed upon
seeing the old Schwamadam, as if struck by an electric shock.
He stretched his clenched hands towards him and cried out
in a voice hoarse with rage, Ha ha do you
come to buck me, you old deceitful monster. But you

(04:11:32):
shall not succeed defend yourself. Your last hour has struck.
Schwamerdam started a few steps back, and as Louvanhok was
ready to fall upon him with his telescope, drew the
like arms for his defense. The duel which had begun
at Peregrine's seemed about to be renewed. George Pappush threw

(04:11:55):
himself between the combatants, and while with his left hand
he beat down a murderous glance of liiven hooks, which
would have stretched his adversary to the earth. With the
left he turned aside the weapon of Schwamedaan, so that
he could not injure leivenhook He then declared that he
would not allow of any battle between them till he

(04:12:16):
thoroughly knew the cause of their dissension. Peregrine found this
protest so reasonable that he did not hesitate to throw
himself between the champions. With a similar declaration to this,
the combatants were forced to yield. Schwamdah moreover asserted that
he had not at all come with hostile intentions, but

(04:12:38):
merely to enter into some composition with Liifn Hook, and
thus to end a feud which had so long divided
two similarly created principles, whose united researches only could exhaust
the deepest springs of knowledge. With this, he looked smilingly
at Peregrine, into whose arms Dortscha had fled, and expressed

(04:13:00):
the wish that he would mediate. Leuvenhook, on the other hand,
admitted that Dortia was indeed the apple of contention, but
that he had just now discovered a new trick of
his unworthy colleague. It was not only that, to revive
his unjust pretensions to Dortsia, he denied the possession of

(04:13:20):
a certain microscope, which he had received on a certain
occasion as acquittance, but the more to torment him Louveanhuk,
he had given it to another. In answer to all this,
Schwamendam swore high and low that he had never received
the microscope, and had great reason to believe that Louvanhuk
had shamefully purloined it. The fools softly whispered masterfully to Peregrine.

(04:13:47):
The fools they are talking of the microscope which is
in your eye. You know that I was present at
the treaty of peace concluded between them about the possession
of the princess, And when Schwamadam was flinging in to
the pupil of his left eye the microscopic glass, which
he had in fact received from Loufenhouok, I snapped it

(04:14:08):
up because it was not Leuifenhooks, but my lawful property.
Tell them plainly at once that you have the jewel.
Upon this Peregrine made no hesitation in declaring that he
was in possession of the microscopic glass which Schwamaedame should
have received but did not receive from Loufenhouk, and moreover,

(04:14:30):
that the union was not yet settled, and neither Leeufanhok
nor Schwamadame had at present the unconditional right to look
on Dorger Elvadink as his foster daughter. After much argument,
it was agreed by the disputants that mister Ties should
marry Dodger Elvidink, who tenderly loved him, and then, after

(04:14:52):
seven months, should decide which of the two microscopists was
the most desirable father in law. However, beautiful if Doutchy
appeared in a dress so admirable that it might seem
to have been fashioned by the loves, and whatever burning
looks of passion she might cast at Peregrine, yet he
still thought of his protegee as well as of his friend,

(04:15:14):
and remained true to his plighted word, declaring again that
he renounced Doug's hand. The microscopists were not a little
astonished when Paragrine announced George Pepouche for the man who
had the justice claims to the princess, and that he,
at all events, had no right to interfere with her choice.

(04:15:36):
With tears in her eyes, the maiden staggered towards Paragrine,
who caught her in his arms. As she was sinking,
senseless to the earth ingrate. She sighed, you break my
heart in thrusting me from you, but you will have it.
Take then my parting kiss and let me die. Fragrant

(04:16:00):
bent down to her, but when his mouth touched her mouth,
she bit his lips so violently that the blood started.
At the same time, exclaiming, merrily, monster, it is so
one must punish you. Be reasonable, be civil, and take me.
Let the other cry out as he will. During this

(04:16:23):
the two microscopists had fallen together by the ears again.
Heaven knows wherefore while George Pepusch flung himself quite disconsolately
at Gamahe's feet and cried out in a voice that
sounded wretched enough for any lover. Oh, gamh is then
your passion quite extinguished? Do you no more remember the

(04:16:46):
glorious times in Famagusta, no more the pleasant days in Berlin.
No more? You are a fool, interrupted the little one, laughing,
You are a fool, George, with your Gamma hayes, your thistle,
z a herat, and all the other nonsense that you
must once have dreamed. I did like you, do like you,

(04:17:10):
and will have you, although the tall one yonder pleases
me better if you solemnly promise they swear to bend
all your mind to here. She softly whispered something to Papouche,
and Peregrine thought he collected that Master Flea was the
subject of it. In the meantime, the dispute between the

(04:17:31):
microscopists had grown hotter and hotter. They had again recourse
to their weapons, and Peregrine was busy in trying to
soothe their wrath. When the company was again augmented, the
door was burst open amidst a strange screaming and croaking,
and in brush the amateur Monsieur Lejernie, and the barber

(04:17:53):
Leech with wild furious gestures. They flew upon the princess,
and the barber had already caught her by the shoulder
when Papousche thrust away. The odorous assailant, with irresistible might,
wound about his whole flexible body and squeezed it together
in such a manner that he shot up into the air,

(04:18:14):
quite thin and long, roaring aloud with pain all the time.
While this was going on with the barber, the two
microscopists had reconciled themselves in an instant on the appearance
of the common enemy, and made a united attack on
the amateur with much success. It availed him nothing that

(04:18:34):
when he was sufficiently drubbed below, he rose up to
the ceiling. For Leivenhok and Schwamadam had both seized short,
thick sticks, and whenever the amateur descended, they drove him
up again by blows dexterously applied to that part of
the body which best can bear them. It was a
pretty game of racket, at which the amateur, by compulsion

(04:18:57):
indeed played the most fatigue, and at the same time
the most ungracious part, namely that of the ball. This
war seemed to inspire the little one with the greatest terror.
She clung to Peregrine and entreated him to bear her
away from such an abominable uproar. This he could the

(04:19:20):
less refuse, as there seemed to be no need of
him on the field of battle, and he therefore carried
her home, that is, into the apartments of his lodger.
But no sooner had she got there and found herself
alone with Peregrine, than she employed all the arts of
the most refined coquetry to allure him into her snares. However,

(04:19:42):
firmly he bore in mind that all this was merely falsehood,
and aimed at bringing his protege into captivity. Yet such
a dizziness of the senses seized him that he did
not even think of the microscopic glass, which might have
served him as an active antidote. Master Flea was again
in danger. He was, however, saved, this time by mister Schwamer,

(04:20:06):
who entered with George Pepouche. The former appeared to be
exceedingly delighted, but the latter had wrath and jealousy in
his burning glances. Peregrine left the room, and with wounded heart,
he strode through the streets of Frankfort. He went through
the gate and onwards till he reached the very spot

(04:20:27):
where the strange adventure had happened with his friend Papouche.
Here he again thought over his wonderful destiny. The image
of Gemai appeared to him lovelier than ever. The blood
rolled more quickly in his veins, his pulse beat more violently,
and his breast seemed ready to burst with feverish desire.

(04:20:48):
He felt only too painfully the greatness of the sacrifice
which he had just made, and with which he fancied
that he had lost all the happiness of life. The
night had drawn in when he returned to the city,
without being aware of it, perhaps from an unconscious dread
of going back to his own house, he wandered through

(04:21:10):
many by lanes and at last into the Kalbecher Street.
A man with a knapsack on his back asked him
if the bookbinder Lemmerhitz did not live there, and on
looking up, Peregrine saw that he was actually standing before
the narrow dwelling. The windows of the industrious binder, who
worked through the night were shining brightly and loftily, and

(04:21:34):
the door was opened to the man with a knapsack,
who entered immediately. Peregrin now recollected with vexation that in
the tumult of the last few weeks he had forgotten
to pay the bookbinder for several jobs that he had
executed for him. He resolved to go and settle all
the very next morning. End of the Sixth Adventure, Part two.

(04:22:04):
Seventh Adventure, Part one of Master Flea. This is a
LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
Read by Bob Neufeld, Master Flee by E. T. A. Hoffmann,

(04:22:28):
Seventh Adventure, Part one, Hostile Snares of the Allied Microscopists
and their continued stupidity, New temptations of mister Peregrine Teeth
and New Perils of Master Flea Rose Lemmerhirt, The decisive
dream and conclusion of the tale. Although we are wholly

(04:22:53):
deficient in any certain information respecting the result of the
battle in Leivenhook's chamber, yet we cannot suppose otherwise than
that the microscopists, with the help of George Pepusch, had
obtained a complete victory over the hostile confederates. It had
else been impossible that the old Schwamer had returned so
friendly and contented as he really did with the same

(04:23:17):
glad face. Schwamer, or rather mister John Schwamendam, came the
following morning to Peregrine, who was still in bed and
earnestly conversing with his protege Master Flee. Upon seeing this visitor,
Peregrine did not fail putting the microscope glass into the
pupil of his eye. After many long and tedious excuses

(04:23:40):
for his early visits, Schwamadam at last took his place
on the bed, positively refusing to let Peregrine rise and
put on his dressing gown. In the strangest phrases, he
thanked his landlord for the great civilities he had experienced,
which it seems consisted in his having been received as
a lodger, and also in that mister Tess had allowed

(04:24:04):
his household to be increased by the addition of a
young female who was sometimes too loud and vivacious. But
the greatest favor shown by mister Peregrine, and not without
some self sacrifice, was in his having effected a reconciliation
between him Schwamendam and his old friend Antony Vondneuvenhuk. In fact,

(04:24:27):
as Schwamadam went on to say, both hearts had inclined
to each other at the moment when they were attacked
by the amateur and the barber, and had to protect
Dorgia Elverdink from those monsters. The serious reconciliation of the
Microscopists had soon after followed. Leeuwanhuk had perceived, as well

(04:24:48):
as Shwamerdam the paramount influence which Paraguine had over both
of them, and the first use which they made of
their renewed friendship was to consider in unison the strange
horoscope of mister Tess, and as far as possible to
interpret it what my friend life and hook could not
do alone. Continued, the Microscopist was affected by our united powers.

(04:25:12):
And thus this was the second experiment, which, in spite
of all the obstacles opposed to us, we undertook with
the most splendid results. The short sighted, fool lisped Master Flea,
who sat upon the pillow close to Peregrine's ear. He
still fancies that the princess Kamahe was restored to life

(04:25:34):
by him. A pretty life. Indeed, is that to which
the awkwardness of the two microscopists has condemned the poor thing,
My dear friend, continued Schamadam, who had the less heard
Master Flea, as he had just then begun to sneeze loudly.
My dear friend, you are particularly chosen by the spirit

(04:25:57):
of the creation, a pet child of nature, for you
possess the most wonderful talisman, or, to speak more correctly
and scientifically, the most splendid silmanaha or tilzimot that was
ever fed by the dew of heaven and has sprung
from the lap of earth. It is an honor to

(04:26:19):
my art that I, and not Leuveanhuk, have discovered that
this lucky talisman sleeps for a time till a certain
constellation enters, which finds its center points in your worthy
person with yourself, my dear friend, something must and will happen, which,

(04:26:40):
in the moment the power of the talisman awakes, may
make that waking known to you. Let Leuvanhuok have told
you what he will, it must all be false, for
in regard to that point, he knew nothing at all
until I opened his eyes. Perhaps he tried to frighten you,
my dear friend, with some terrible catastrophe, where I know

(04:27:02):
he likes to terrify people without reason. But trust to me,
mister tes, who have the highest respect for you, and
swear it to you most solemnly, you have nothing to fear.
I should like, however, to learn whether you do not
as yet feel the presence of the talisman, and what

(04:27:22):
you think of the matter altogether. At these last words,
Schwamadam eyed his host as keenly, as if he would
pierce his deepest thoughts. But of course he did not
succeed so well in that as peregrine with his microscopic glass,
by means of which the latter learned that it was
not so much the United War with the Amateur and

(04:27:44):
the Barber as the mysterious horoscope that had brought about
the reconciliation of the microscopists. It was the possession of
the mighty talisman that both were striving after. In regard
to the mysterious lines in the horoscope of Peregrine, Swamadam
remained in as vexatious ignorance as Louvenhuk, But he fancied

(04:28:05):
the clue must lie within Parregrine, which would lead to
the discovery of the mystery. This clue he now sought
to fish out of the novice and then rob him
of the inestimable treasure before he knew its value. He
was convinced this talisman was equal to that of the
wise Solomon, since like that, it gave him who possessed it,

(04:28:27):
the perfect dominion over the kingdom of the spirits. Peregrine
paid like with like himself mystifying schwamedan who thought to
mystify him. He contrived to answer so dexterously in such
figurative speeches that the microscopist feared the initiation had already

(04:28:48):
begun and that soon the mystery would be revealed, which
neither he nor Louvenhuk had been able to unravel. Schromadam
cast down his eyes, hemmed and stammered a few unintelligible words.
He was really in a bad plight, and his thoughts
were all in confusion. The devil, what's this is this paragrine?

(04:29:12):
Who speaks to me? Am I the learned schwam Adam
or an ass in despair? He at last collected himself
and began but to come to something else most respected,
mister Tis, and as it seems to me, something much
more agreeable. According to what Schwamba now went on to say,

(04:29:34):
both he and Louvenhuk had perceived with great pleasure the
strong inclination which Doucha Elverdink had conceived for him. If
they had both formerly been of a different opinion, each
believing that Douche should stay with himself and not think
of love and marriage. Yet they had now both come
to a better conviction. They fancied that they read in

(04:29:57):
Peregrin's horoscope. He positively thus take Dautcha Elverting for his
wife as the greatest advantage in all the conjunctures of
his life, and as neither doubted for a moment that
he was equally enamored of her. They had looked upon
the matter as fully settled. Dromadam, moreover, was of opinion

(04:30:17):
that Peregrine was the only one who, without any trouble,
could beat his rivals out of the field, and that
the most dangerous opponents, namely the amateur and the barber,
could avail nothing against him. Peregrine found from Schwamadam's thoughts
that both the microscopists actually imagined that they read in

(04:30:39):
his horoscope the inevitable necessity of his marriage with Torta.
It was to this supposed necessity only they yielded, thinking
to draw the greatest gain from the apparent loss of
the little one, namely by getting possession of mister Tesse
and his talisman. But it may be easily supposed how

(04:31:00):
little faith he must have in the science of the
two microscopists, when neither of them was able to solve
the center point of the horoscope. He did not therefore
at all yield to that pretended conjunction which conditioned the
necessity of his marriage with Gamai, and found no difficulty
whatever in declaring positively that he announced her hand in

(04:31:23):
favor of his best friend, George Pepusch, who had older
and better claims to the fair one, and that he
would not break his word upon any condition. Schivamudam raised
his green eyes, which he had so long cast down,
stared vehemently at Peregrine, and grinned with the cunning of

(04:31:43):
a fox. As he said, if the friendship between him
and Pepusch were the only scruple which kept him from
giving free scope to his feelings, this obstacle existed no longer.
Pepouch had perceived, although slightly touched with madness, his marriage
with Dortcher was against the stars, and nothing could come

(04:32:04):
from it but misery and destruction. He had therefore resigned
all his pretensions, declaring only that with his life he
would protect gamahe who could belong to no one but
his bosom friend tis against the awkward dolt of an
amateur and the bloodthirsty barber. A cold shudder ran through

(04:32:27):
Peregrine when he perceived from Schwammerdam's thoughts that all was
true which he had spoken. Overpowered by the strangest and
the most opposite feelings, he sank back on his pillow
and closed his eyes. The microscopist pressed him to come
down himself and hear from Dortch's mouth, from George's the

(04:32:48):
present state of things, and then took his leave with
as much ceremony as he had entered. Master Flee, who
sat the whole time quietly on the pillow, suddenly leaped
up to the top of Peregrine's nightcap. There he raised
himself up on his long hind legs, wrung his hands,
stretched them imploringly to Heaven, and cried out, in a

(04:33:12):
voice half stifled with tears, Oh woe to poor me.
I already thought myself safe, and now comes the most
dangerous trial. What avail me the courage, the constancy of
my noble patron. I surrender myself. All is over? Why

(04:33:36):
said mister Tas in a faint voice. Why do you
lament so on my night cap, my dear master? Do
you fancy that you alone have to complain that I,
myself am not in the unhappiest situation in the world.
For my whole mind seems broken up, and I neither
know what to do nor which way to turn my thoughts.

(04:34:00):
But do not fancy, my dear master, I am foolish
enough to venture near the rock upon which all my
resolutions might be shipwrecked. I shall take care not to
follow Schwamerdam's invitation, and to avoid seeing the alluring dortcha
Elvadink in reality, said Master Flea, after he had taken

(04:34:21):
his old post upon the pillow by Peregrine's ear. In reality,
I am not sure that I ought not to advise
you to go at once to Schwamerdam's however destructive it
may appear. To myself. It seems to me as if
all the lines of your horoscope were running quicker and
quicker together, and you, yourself were upon the point of

(04:34:43):
entering the red center. Well, let the dark destiny have
decreed what it would I plainly perceive. Even a master
flee cannot escape such a conclusion. And it is as
simple as useless to expect my safety from you. Go
then take her hand, deliver me to slavery, and that

(04:35:06):
all may happen as the stars will it, without any interference.
Make no use of the microscopic glass. Formerly, Masterfully, your
heart seems stout, your mind firm, and now you have
grown so faint hearted. You may be as wise as
you will, but you have no good idea of human resolution.

(04:35:30):
And at all events rate it too meanly. Once more,
I will not break my word to you, and that
you may perceive how fixed my determination is of not
seeing the little one again. I will now rise and
betake myself as I did yesterday to the bookbinders. Oh Paracrine,

(04:35:53):
cried masterfully. The will of a man is a frail thing.
A passing air will break it. How immense is the
abyss lying between what man wills and what really happens.
Many a life is only a constant willing, and many
a one, from pure volition at last does not know

(04:36:13):
what he will. You will not see Dorta Elvadink, And
yet who will answer for it that you do not
see her in the very moment of your declaring such
a resolution. Strange enough, the very thing really happened which
Master Flee had prophesied. Peregrine arose, dressed himself, and, faithful

(04:36:37):
to his intention, would have gone to the bookbinder. In
passing Schwamerdam's chamber. The door was wide open, and he
knew not how it happened. He stood, leaning on Schwamerdam's arm,
close before Dorta Elverdink, who sent him a hundred kisses
and with her silvery voice cried out, jolly good morning,

(04:37:02):
my dear Peregrine. George Papoosh too was there, looking out
of the window and whistling. He now flung the window
too with violence and turned round. Ah, he exclaimed, as
if he had just then seen Peregrine. Ha, look you
come to see your bride. That's all in order, and

(04:37:25):
any third person would only be in the way. I too,
will take myself off. But let me first tell you,
my good friend Peregrine, that George Papoosh scorns every gift
which a compassionate friend would fling to him, as if
he were a beggar. Curse it be every sacrifice. I

(04:37:45):
will have nothing to thank you for. Take the beautiful
Gamah who so warmly loves you, but take care the
thistles o harts, do not take roots and burst the
walls of your house. George's voice and manner bordered upon brutality,
and Peregrine was filled with vexation when he saw how

(04:38:08):
much his whole conduct was mistaken. Without concealing his disgust,
he said, it never has entered into my head to
cross you in your path, but the madness of jealousy
speaks out of you, for you would see how innocent
I am of all you have been bruting in your
own soul. Do not ask of me to kill the

(04:38:30):
snake which you have been nourishing in your breast, For
in your own torment, learn too, I gave you no alms.
I made you no sacrifice in giving up the fair one,
and with her perhaps the greatest blessing of my life,
other and higher duties, an irrevocable promise compelled me to it. Papouche,

(04:38:53):
in the wildest wrath, raised his clenched hand against his friend,
when Gmai sprang between them and catching Peregrine's arm, exclaimed
that the foolish thistle girl he has nothing but nonsense
in his prey, and, as is the way with thistles,
is surly and obstinate, without well knowing what he means,

(04:39:14):
You are mine and remain mine, mine own, dearest Paragrine,
Thus saying, the little one drew paragon upon the sofa,
and without farther ceremony, seated herself upon his knees. Baboushe,
after having sufficiently gnawed his nails, ran wildly out of

(04:39:35):
the door, dressed again in the fairy dress of tissue.
She appeared as lovely as ever. Peregrine felt himself streamed
through by the electric warmth of her body, and yet
amidst it all, a cold, mysterious shudder thrilled through him,
like the breathing of death. For the first time, he

(04:39:56):
thought that he saw something singular and lifeless, deeply seated
in her eyes, while the tone of her voice, nay,
even the rustling of her dress, betrayed a strange being
who was never to be trusted. It fell heavily upon
his heart that when she had spoken her real thoughts,
she had been in this same silver tissue. He knew

(04:40:20):
not why he should fancy anything menacing in it. Yet
the idea of his dress was intimately blended with that
of the supernatural, as a dream unites the most heterogeneous
things and all passes for absurd, the deeper connection of
which we are unable to comprehend. Far from wounding the

(04:40:41):
fair when with a suspicion which was perhaps false, Peregrine
violently suppressed his feelings and only waited for a favorable
opportunity of freeing himself and escaping from the snake of paradise.
At last, Dorta said, how is it, my sweet friend?
You see seems so cold and insensible to day? What

(04:41:04):
have you got in your head? My life? I have
a headache, replied Peregrine, as indifferently as he was able. Headache, whims, may, grims,
nothing else, my sweet child. I must go into the
open air, and all will be over in a few minutes. Besides,
I am called away by a particular business. It is

(04:41:26):
all invention, exclaimed gamahe starting up hastily. But you are
a malicious monkey that must be tamed. Peregrine was glad
when he found himself in the open streets. But as
to Master Flea, he was quite extravagant in his joy,
tittering and laughing incessantly in Peregrine's neckcloth, and clapping together

(04:41:50):
his fore paws till they rang again. This merriment of
his little protegee was somewhat troublesome to mister Teas as
it disturbed him in his meditations, and he begged of
him to be quiet, for many grave people had already
glanced at him with looks of reproach, fancying it was
he who tittered and laughed and played such foolish pranks

(04:42:12):
in the open streets. Foo that I was exclaimed, masterfully
persisting in the ebullitions of his extravagant joy. Foo, that
I was the doubt of the victory when no battle
was needed. Why you had conquered in the moment where
even the death of your beloved could not shake your resolution.

(04:42:35):
Let me shout, Let me rejoice, for all must deceive
me if a bright morning sun do not soon arise,
which will clear up every mystery. On Peregrine's knocking at
the bookbinders, a soft female voice cried, come in. He

(04:42:55):
opened the door, and a young girl, who was alone
in the room, came for and asked him in a
friendly manner what he wanted. She was about eighteen years old,
rather tall than short, and slim, with the finest proportions.
Her hair was of a bright chestnut color, her eyes
were of a deep blue, and her skin seemed to

(04:43:17):
be a blended web of lilies and roses. But more
than all this were the purity and innocence that sat
upon her brow and showed themselves in all her actions.
When Peregrine gazed on the gentle beauty, it seemed to
him as if he had been hitherto lying in bonds
which a benevolent power had loosened, and the angel of

(04:43:40):
light stood before him. But his enamored gaze had confounded
the maiden. She blushed deeply, and, casting down her eyes, repeated,
more gently than at first, what does the gentleman want?
With difficulty, Peregrine stammered at pray, does the book pinter?
Lemma hit lif here, upon her, replying that he did,

(04:44:03):
but that he was now gone out upon business. Peregrine taught,
confusedly of bindings which he had ordered, of books which
lemmerhert was to procure for him, till at last he
came somewhat more to himself and spoke of a splendid
copy of Ariosto, which was to have been bound in
red Morocco with golden fileting. At this it was as

(04:44:25):
if a sudden electric spark had shot through the maiden.
She clasped her hands, and, with tears in her eyes, exclaimed,
then you are mister tease. At the same time, she
made a motion as if she would have seized his hand,
but suddenly drew back, and a deep sigh seemed to
relieve her full breast a sweet smile beamed on her face,

(04:44:50):
like the lovely glow of mourning, and she poured forth
thanks and blessings to Peregrine for his having been the
benefactor of her father and mother, and not only for this,
no for his generosity, his kindness, the manner of his
making presents to the children, and spreading joy and happiness
amongst them. She quickly cleared her father's arm chair of

(04:45:13):
the books, bound and unbound, with which it was loaded,
wheeled it forward, and pressed him to be seated, and
then presented to him the splendid Ariosto with sparkling eyes.
Well knowing that this masterpiece of bookbinding would meet with
Peregrine's approbation, mister Teas took a few pieces of gold
from his pocket, which the maiden, seeing, hastily assured him

(04:45:37):
that she did not know the price of the work,
and therefore could not take any payment. Perhaps he would
be pleased to wait a few minutes for her father's return.
It seemed to Peregrine as if the unworthy metal melted
into one lump in his hand, and he pocketed the
gold again, much faster than he had brought it out

(04:45:58):
upon his seating himself machanic in the broad arm chair.
The maiden reached after her own seat, and from instinctive politeness,
he jumped up to fetch it, when, instead of the chair,
he caught hold of her hand, and on gently pressing
the treasure, he thought he felt a scarcely perceptible return. Pourspuss,

(04:46:19):
What are you doing? Suddenly cried Rose, breaking from him
and picking up a skein of thread, which the cat
held between her fore paws, beginning a most mystical web.
Peregrine was in a perfect tumult, and the words, oh
Princess escaped him, without his knowing how it happened. The

(04:46:40):
maiden looked at him in alarm, and he cried out,
in the softest and most melancholy tone, my dearest young lady.
Rose blushed and said, with maiden bashfulness, My parents call
me Rose. Pray do the same, my dear mister Teas
for I too, and one of the children to whom

(04:47:02):
you have shown so much kindness and by whom you
are so highly honored, Rose, cried Peagrine. In a transport
he could have thrown himself at her feets, and it
was only with difficulty that he restrained himself. Rose now related,
as she sat quietly on with her work, how the

(04:47:23):
war had reduced her parents to distress, and how since
that time she had lived with an aunt in a
neighboring village till a few weeks ago, when, upon the
death of the old lady, she had returned home. Peregrine
heard only the sweet voice of Rose, without understanding the
words too well, and was not perfectly convinced of his
being awake tell themerher it entered the room and gave

(04:47:46):
him a hearty welcome. Soon after, the wife followed with
the children. And as thoughts and feelings are strangely blended
in the mind of man, it happened now that Peregrine,
even in the midst of all his ecstasy, suddenly recollected
how the sullen Pepooch blamed his presence to this very family.
He was particularly delighted to find that none of the

(04:48:10):
children had made themselves ill by his gifts, and the
pride with which they pointed to a glass case where
the toys were shining proved that they looked upon them
as something extraordinary, never perhaps to recur. The Thistle in
his ill humor was quite mistaken, Oh, Pepouche, said Peregrine

(04:48:32):
to himself. No pure beam of love penetrates thy distempered mind.
In this Peregrine again met something more than toys and
sugar plums. Lammerher approached Peregrine and began to talk in
an undertone of his Rose, elevating her, in the fullness
of his heart, into a perfect miracle. What gave him

(04:48:55):
the most delight was that Rose had an inclination for
the noble art of book by, and in the few
weeks that she had been with him, had made uncommon
advances in the decorative parts, so that she was already
much more dexterous than many an oath of an apprentice
who wasted gold in Morocco for years and set the
letters all awry, making them look like so many drunken

(04:49:18):
peasants staggering out of an ale house. In the exuberance
of his delight, he whispered to Peregrine quite confidentially, it
must out, mister tease. I can't help it. Do you
know that it was my Rose who gilded the ariosto.
Upon hearing this, Peregrine hastily snatched up the book, as

(04:49:39):
if securing it before he was robbed of it by
an enemy leverheer took this for a sign that Peregrine
wished to go, and begged of him to stay a
few minutes longer. And this it was that reminded him
at last of the necessity of tearing himself away. He
hastily paid his bill and set off home, dragging along

(04:50:00):
the heavy quarters as if they had been some treasure.
End of the Seventh Adventure, Part one. Seventh Adventure, Part
two of Master Flea. This is a LibriVox recording. All

(04:50:21):
LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information
or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Read by
Bob Neufeld. Master Flee by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Seventh Adventure,
Part two. On entering his house, he was met by

(04:50:44):
the old Aleena, who pointed to Schwambadam's chamber with looks
of fear and anxiety. The door was open, and he
saw dorscha Elvadink sitting in an armchair, quite stiff, with
a face drawn up as if it belonged to a
court already laid in the grave, just so stiff, so
Corpselike sat before her Pepouche, Schwamadam and Vaivanhuk. The old

(04:51:10):
woman exclaimed, is not that a strange, ghastly spectacle? In
this manner, the three unhappy beings have sat the whole
day long and eat nothing, and drink nothing, and speak nothing,
and scarcely fetch their breath. Peregrine at first felt a
slight degree of terror at this strange spectacle, But as

(04:51:30):
he ascended the stairs, the spectral image was completely swallowed
up by the sea of pleasure in which the delighted
Peregrine swam. Since his seeing Rose, wishes, dreams, hopes were
agitating his mind, which he longed to unburthen to some friend.
But what friend had Peregrine besides the honest Master Flea,

(04:51:53):
And to him he wished to open his whole heart
to tell him all about Rose. All in fact that
can not very well be told. But he might call
and coax as long as he pleased. No Master Flea
would show himself. He was up and away at last
in the folds of his neckcloth, where Master Flea had

(04:52:14):
been wont to lodge. Upon his going abroad, Peregrine found
after a more careful search a tiny box whereon was
written in This is the microscopic glass. If you look
steadfastly into the box with your left eye, the glass
will immediately be in its pupil. When you want to

(04:52:35):
be freed from the instrument, you have only to gently
squeeze the pupil, holding your eye over the box, and
the glass will drop into it. I am busy in
your service and risk no little by it, But for
so kind a protector, I would hazard anything as your
most devoted servant, Master Flea. Now Here will be an

(04:52:58):
excellent opportunity for a genuine romance writer to expatiate on
the difference between lust and love, and, having handled it
sufficiently in theory, to illustrate it practically. In the person
of mister Tes, much might be said of sensual desires,
of the curse of the primal sin, and of the
heavenly Promethean spark, which, in love inflames that true community

(04:53:23):
of spirit of the two sexes, which forms the actual
necessary dualism of nature. Should now the aforesaid Promethean spark.
But the reader will perhaps be glad to escape the
rest of this dissertation, though he may rest assured there
is much in it whereby he might have been edified

(04:53:43):
had he been so inclined. It must be evident to
all that Peregrine only felt desire for Dorga Elverdink, but
that when he saw Rose Lemmerit, the real heavenly love
blazed in his bosom. Little thanks, however, would be due
to the editor of this most wonderful of all wonderful tales, if,

(04:54:05):
adhering to the stiff formal pace of renowned romancers, he
could not forbear in this place exciting the weariness essentially
requisite to a legitimate romance. No let us go to
the point at once. Sighs lamentations, joys, pains, kisses, blisses

(04:54:26):
are all united in the focus of the moments when
the lovely Rose, with the crimson of maiden modesty upon
her cheeks, confesses to the enraptured Peregrine that she loves him,
that she cannot express how much, how immeasurably she loves him,
that she lives in him only, that he is her

(04:54:46):
only thoughts, her only joy. But the crafted demon is
wont to thrust his dark claws into the sunniest moments
of life nay, to utterly obscure that sunshine by the
shadow of his baleful presence. Thus it happened that evil
doubts arose in Peregrine, and his breast was filled with suspicions.

(04:55:09):
A voice seemed to whisper to him, how don't ya
Elverdink confessed her love, And yet it was mere selfishness
and admitted by which she sought to tempt you into
breaking your faith and becoming a traitor to your best friend,
Poor master Flea, you are rich. They say too, that
a certain frankness and good nature by many called weakness,

(04:55:31):
may procure you the doubtful love of men, and even
of women. And she who now confesses a passion for you.
He hastily snatched at the faint fraught box, and was
on the point of opening it to place the microscopic
glass in the pupil of his eye, and thus reading
the thoughts of Rose. But he looked up, and the
pure blue of her bright eyes seemed to be reflected

(04:55:54):
on his inmost soul. Rose saw and wondered at his emotion.
He felt as if a sudden flash of lightning had
quivered through him, and the feeling of his own unworthiness
overwhelmed him. How said he to himself, Would you, with
sinful presumption, penetrate into the sanctuary of this angel? Would

(04:56:17):
you read thoughts which have nothing in common with the
wretched actions of minds entangled in earthly considerations? Would you
mark the spirit of Love himself and try him with
the accused arts of dangerous and supernatural powers. He hastily
put up the box, with a feeling as if he

(04:56:37):
had committed some sin that could never be atoned, and
dissolved in sadness, flung himself at the feet of the
terrified Rose, exclaiming that he was a wretched sinner, unworthy
of the love of so innocent, so pure a being, Rose,
who could not conceive what dark spirit had come over Peregrine,

(04:56:59):
sank down, embraced him, and murmured, with tears, for God's sake,
my dear paragon, what is the matter with you? What
evil enemy has placed himself between us? Oh? Come, come
and sit down quietly by me. Incapable of any voluntary motion,

(04:57:23):
Peregrine suffered himself to be raised by Rose in silence.
It was well that the frail old sofa was loaded
as usual with books and the tools of binding, so
that Rose had many things to clear away to make
room for mister Tas. By this he gained time to
recover himself, and his first wild passion subsided into a

(04:57:44):
milder feeling. But if before he had looked like the
most disconsolate sinner upon whom a sentence of condemnation had
been irrevocally pronounced, he now wore a somewhat silly appearance. This, however,
in such circumstances, is a favorable prognostic. When now both

(04:58:05):
were seated on the aforesaid frail sofa, Rose began with
downcast eyes and a half bashful smile. I can guess
what has affected you, so, dear Peregrin, and will own
that they have told me many strange things of the
singular inhabitants of your house, the neighbors. You know what
neighbors are, how they talk and talk without knowing why

(04:58:27):
or wherefore. These evil minded neighbors have told me of
a strange lady in your house, whom many take for
a princess, and whom you brought home yourself on Christmas Eve.
They say that the old Shrama has indeed received her
as his niece, but that she pursues you with strange
arts and temptations. This, however, is by no means the worst.

(04:58:52):
Only think, my dear Paragon, my old cousin just opposite
with the sharp nose, who sends over such friendly greetings
when she sees you here, she has tried to put
all manner of bad things into my head about you.
Notwithstanding her friendly greetings, she has always warned me against you,
and maintained that nothing less than sorcery was carried on

(04:59:14):
in your house, and that the little Dorcha is an
imp in disguise, who to seduce you, goes about in
a human form, and indeed in a very beautiful one.
But Paragon, my dear Paragon, look at me. Is there
anything like doubt upon my face? I trust you, I

(04:59:37):
trust the hopes of happiness to come upon us when
a firm band has united us forever that the dark
spirits have determined what they will in regard to you.
Their power is fruitless against pure love and unchanging constancy.
What will what can disturb a love like ours? It

(04:59:59):
is the the talisman before which the knightly images all fly.
At this moment, Rose appeared to Peregrine like a higher being,
and each of her words like the consolations of heaven.
An indescribable feeling of the purest delight streamed through him,
like the sweet, mild breath of spring. He was no

(05:00:24):
longer the sinner, the impious presumer, which he had before
held himself. He began to think with joy that he
was worthy of the love of the innocent Rose, the Bookbinder.
Lemma hit now returned with his family from a walk.
The hearts of Rose and Peregrine were overflowing, and it

(05:00:47):
was not till late that he quitted as an accepted bridegroom,
the narrow abode of the Bookbinder, whose joy exalted him
to heaven, while the old woman, from pure delight sobbed
rather more than was necessary. All the authentic records from
which this wonderful history has been taken agree in one point,

(05:01:09):
and the chronicle of centuries confirms it that in the
night when mister Peregrinetee returned home as a happy lover,
the full moon shone very brightly. It seems therefore natural
enough that instead of going to rest, he seated himself
at the open window to stare at the moon and
think of his beloved, according to the usual custom of gentlemen,

(05:01:33):
more particularly if they happen to be somewhat romantic when
under the influence of the tender passion. But however it
may lower mister peregrinteas with the ladies. It must not
be concealed that, in spite of all his enthusiasm he
gaped twice and sold loudly that a drunkard in the

(05:01:54):
streets below called out to him, our ah, you there
with the white night cap, don't swallow me. This, of course,
was a sufficient cause for his dashing down the window
so violently that the frame rattled again. It is even
affirmed that in so doing he cried out loud enough,

(05:02:15):
impudent scoundrel. But this cannot be relied upon, as it
by no means accords with his general suavity of disposition. Enough,
he shut the window and went to bed. The necessity
for sleep, however, seemed to be superseded by that immoderate gaping.

(05:02:36):
Thoughts upon thoughts crossed his brain, and with particular vividness
came before his eyes. The surmounted danger. When a darker
power would have tempted him to the use of the
microscopic glass. And now it became plain to him that
Master Flee's mysterious presence, however well intended, was yet in

(05:02:57):
all respects a gift from hell, How said Peregrine to himself,
for a man to be the most hidden thoughts of
his brothers, does not this fateful gift bring upon him
the dreadful destiny of the wandering Jew, who wandered through
the mouttleiest crowds of life, as through a desert without joy,

(05:03:18):
without hope, without pain, in dull indifference, which is the
copwot mortal womb of despair, always trusting in you, and
always most bitterly deceived. How can it be otherwise than
that distrust, hatred, jealousy, vindictiveness would nestle firmly in the soul,

(05:03:39):
destroying every trace of that human principle which shows itself
in benevolence and gentle confidence. No, your friendly face, your
smooth words, shall not deceive me, you who in your
inmost heart are concealing perhaps unmerited hate against me. I
will hold you for my friend. I will do you

(05:04:00):
as much good as I can. I will open my
soul to you because it gratifies me. And the better
feeling of the moment if you should deceive me, is
little in comparison with the joys of a past dream.
Even too, the real friends who truly mean you well,
how changeable is the mind of man, may not an

(05:04:21):
evil coincidence of circumstances, a misinclination growing out of the
whims of chance, create transitory hatred in the bosom of
the dearest friends. The unlucky glass shows the thoughts distrust
immediately occupies the mind, and in unjust wrath, I push
from me the real friend, and this poison goes on

(05:04:44):
eating deeper and deeper into the roots of life, till
I am at variance with everything, even with myself. Now
it is rank impiety to wish for inequality with the
eternal power who sees through the heart of man, because
he is its master. Away away with the unlucky gift.

(05:05:06):
He caught up the little box which held the magic glass,
and was on the point of dashing it against the
floor with all his might, when suddenly Master Flee stood
before him on the counterpane. He was in his microscopic form,
and looked extremely graceful and handsome in a glittering scale.
Breastplate and highly polished golden boots. Hold, he cried, Hold,

(05:05:31):
most respected friend, do not commit an absurdity. You will
sooner annihilate a sun mout than fling this little indestructible
glass but a foot from you, while I am near
for the rest. Though you were not aware of it,
I was sitting as usual in the folds of your
neckcloth when you were at the honest bookbinders, and therefore

(05:05:54):
heard and saw all that passed. Just so, I have
been a party to your present edifying soliloquy, and have
learnt several things from it. In the first place, you
have shown the purity of your mind in all its glory.
Whence I infer that the decisive moment is fast approaching,

(05:06:15):
then too I have found that in regard to the
microscopic glass, I was in a great error. Believe me,
my honored friend. Although I have not the pleasure to
be a man, as you are, but only a flea,
no simple one, indeed, but a graduate, still I thoroughly
understand human beings, amongst whom I so constantly live. Most

(05:06:39):
frequently their actions appear to me very ridiculous and even childish.
Do not take it ill my friend, I speak it
only as master Flea. You are right. It would be
a bad thing and could not possibly lead to any
good if a man were able to spy thus without ceremony,

(05:07:00):
into the brains of his neighbors. Still to the careless
lively Flea, this quality of the microscopy class is not
in the least dangerous, most honored friend, and as fortune
soon will have it, most happy friend. You know that
my people are of a reckless, merry disposition, and one

(05:07:20):
might say that they consisted of a mere youthful spring awls.
With this, I can, for my part boast of a
peculiar sort of wisdom, which in general is wanting in
you children of men. That is, I never do anything
out of season. To bite is the principal business of

(05:07:40):
my life. But I always bite in the right time,
in right place. Lay that to your heart, my worthy friend,
I will now back from your hands and faithfully preserve
the gift intended for you, and which neither that preparation
of a man called Schwamada, nor louven Hook, who wears

(05:08:02):
himself out with petty envy, could possess. And now, my
honored mister Teeth resign yourself to slumber. You will soon
fall into a dreamy delirium in which the great moment
will reveal itself At the right time, I shall be
with you again. Master Flea disappeared, and the brilliance which

(05:08:26):
she had spread faded away in the darkness of the chamber,
the curtains of which were closely drawn. It fell out
as Master Flea had said. Peregrine fancied that he was
lying on the banks of a murmuring wood stream, and
heard the sighing of the wind, the whispering of the leaves,
and the humming of a thousand insects that buzzed about him.

(05:08:50):
Then it seemed as if strange voices were audible, plainer,
and still plainer, so that at last Peregrine thought he
could make out words. But it was only a confused
and stunning hubbub that reached his ear. At length. These
words were pronounced by a solemn, hollow voice that sounded
clearer and clearer. Unhappy King Secoccus, Thou, who didst despise

(05:09:17):
the intelligence of nature, who blinded by the evil spells
of a crafty demon, didst look upon the false tarifem
instead of the real spirit in that fate fraught spotted
from Augusta. Buried in the deep mine of the earth
lay the talis Man. But when you destroyed yourself, there

(05:09:38):
was no principle to rekindle its frozen powers. In vain,
you sacrificed your daughter, the beautiful Gamai. In vain was
the amorous despair of the thistles a herat. But at
the same time impotent and inoperative was the bloodthirst of
the leech sprint. Even the awkward, genious title was a

(05:10:00):
obliged to let go his sweet prey for so mighty Still,
o King Sircaccus, was thy half extinct idea that thou
couldst return the lost one to the primal element from
which she sprang. And ye insane anatomists of nature, that, ever,
the unhappy one should have fallen into your hands when

(05:10:22):
you discovered her in the pedal of the tulip, that
you should have trebented her with your detestable experiments, presuming
in your childish arrogance that you could affect that by
your wretched arts, which could only happen by the power
of the sleeping talisman. And you master flee. Even to you,

(05:10:43):
it was not granted to pierce the mystery, for thy
clear sight had not yet the power to penetrate the
depths of Earth and see the frozen carbuncle. The stars
now crossed each other in strange motions and fearful constellations
produced the wonderful, the inscrutable to the purblind sight of mind.

(05:11:05):
But still no starry conflict awoke the carbuncle, for the
human mind was not born that could cherish it. But
at last the wonder is fulfilled. The moment is calm.
A bright shine flickered by Paragon. He awoke out of

(05:11:27):
his stupefaction, and to his no little surprise, perceived Master Flea, who,
in his microscopic form, but clad in a splendid drapery
and holding a blazing torch in his forepaws, busily skipped
up and down the chamber and trilled forth the finest
tones imaginable. Peregrine strove to rouse himself from sleep, when

(05:11:51):
suddenly a thousand fiery flashes quivered through the room that
in a short time seemed to be filled with one
single glowing ball of fire. Then a mild aromatic breeze
waved through the wild blaze, which soon died away into
the softest moonlight. Peregrine now found himself on a splendid

(05:12:13):
throne in the rich garments of an Indian king, the
sparkling diadem upon his head, the emblematic lotus flower in
his hand instead of a scepter. The throne stood in
the midst of a hall so large the eye could
not take in its extent, and its thousand columns were
slim cedars, aspiring to the heavens. Between them, roses and

(05:12:38):
the most odorous flowers of every kind lifted up their
heads from amidst a dark foliage, as if longing for
the pure, bright azure that glittered through the twined branches
of the cedars, and seemed to look down upon them
with the eyes of love. Peregrine recognized himself. He felt
that the carbuncle rekinlled into life, was glowing in his

(05:13:02):
own breast. In the farthest background, the genius Tatle was
laboring to rise into the air, but never was able
to reach half the height of the cedars, and fell
back again to earth. Here, the odious leech prince was
crawling with abominable contortions, now blowing himself out and then

(05:13:22):
again extending himself and groaning out all the time Gamah
still mine. In the middle of the hall, upon colossal
microscopes sat Leeuwenhuk and Schwamadam, making more piteous faces and
reproachfully calling out to each other. See now that was

(05:13:42):
the point in the horoscope, the meaning of which you
could not interpret. The talisman is lost to us forever.
Close upon the steps of the throne, Dorga Elverdink and
George Papoosh seemed not so much to sleep as to
be in a deep swoon. Peregrine, or as we may

(05:14:03):
now call him, King Secaccus, flung back the regal mantle
that covered his breast, and from within the carbuncle shot
forth dazzling beams like Heaven's fire through the immense hall.
The genius Tatle again tried to rise, but he fell
away with a hollow groan, into innumerable colorless flocks, which,

(05:14:26):
driven by the wind, were lost in the bushes with
the most horrible cries of agony. The leech Prince shrunk
up and vanished into the earth, where an indignant roar
was heard, as if she reluctantly received into her bosom
the odious fugitive Loeuvenhuk and Schmamadam had sunk down from

(05:14:47):
the microscopes into themselves, and it was plain from their
sighs and groans that they were undergoing a severe punishment.
But Dorcha Alvadink and George papusch Or, as we should
now call them, Princess Kamaheh and the thistle Sahat had
awakened from their swoon and knelt before the King. Their

(05:15:10):
eyes were cast to earth, as if unable to bear
the burning splendor of the carbuncle. Peregrine addressed them all
with solemnity, Thou who shouldst deceive men as the genius
tatle thou wert compounded by the evil demon of clay
and feathers, And therefore the beaming of love destroyed thee

(05:15:32):
empty phantom, and thou wert reduced to thy original nothing,
And thou too, bloodthirsty monster of the knight. Thou wast
forced to fly from the fire of the carbuncle into
the bosom of the earth. But you, poor dupes, unhappy Schwamadam,
wretched Lebanhuk, your whole life was one incessant error. You

(05:15:56):
sought to inquire into nature without suspect the import of
her inward being. You were presumptuous enough to wish to
penetrate into her workshop and watch her secret labors, imagining
that you could, without punishment look into the fearful mysteries
of those depths, which are inscrutable to the human eye.

(05:16:19):
Your hearts remained cold and insensible. The real love has
never warmed your bosom. You imagined that you read the
whole wonders of nature with pious admiration. But in endeavoring
to find out the condition of these wonders, even in
their inmost core, yourself destroyed that pious feeling, and the

(05:16:41):
knowledge after which you strove was a phantom. Merely that
has deceived you, like prying inquisitive children fools. For you,
the beams of the carbuncle no longer have hope or consolation.
Ah ha, there is hope, there is consolation. The old

(05:17:02):
one betakes herself to the old ones as love. There's truth,
that's tenderness. And the old one is now really a
queen and takes her little schwamatan and her little life
and hook into her kingdom. And there they are princes
and wind, gold thread and silver thread and do many
useful things, so spoke the old Alina, who suddenly stood

(05:17:26):
between the two microscopists, clad in a strange dress which
nearly resembled the costume of the Queen of Galconda in
the opera. But Loiven Hook and Shwamadaan had so shrunk
up that they seemed to be scarcely a span high.
And the Queen of Galconda, putting her puppets into two
ivory cradles, rocked and nursed them and sang to them Lallaibai, lallabi,

(05:17:52):
baby mine, et cetera. During this, the Princess Kamaheh and
the this Sahats were still kneeling on the steps of
the throne. Peregrine spoke, Yes, beloved pair, the eber is past,
which disturbed your lives. Come, dear ones, to my breast.

(05:18:13):
The beam of the carbuncle will penetrate your hearts, and
you will enjoy the blessedness of heaven with a cry
of joy and hope. The lovers started up, and Peregrine
pressed them strongly to his glowing heart. When he released them,
they fell transported into each other's arms. The corpse like

(05:18:34):
paleness had vanished from their brows, and the freshness of
youth bloomed on their cheeks and sparkle in their eyes.
Master Flea, who had hitherto stood by the throne with
all the gravity of a guard of honor, suddenly resumed
his natural shape, and with a vigorous spring, he leaped
upon Dorsch's neck, crying out in a shrill voice. Old

(05:18:57):
love never changes, what, oh wonder. In the same moment,
Rose lay upon Paragon's breast in all her youthful beauty,
beaming with the purest love, like a cherub from heaven.
And now the branches of the cedars rustled, the flowers
lifted their heads more loftily. Soft melodies poured from the bushes,

(05:19:21):
and the thousand voices of delight rose from earth and
air and water. Mister Peregrinte had purchased a handsome villa
in the vicinity of the city, and here, on the
same day was to be celebrated the double marriage of
himself with Rose, and his friend George Pepusch, with the
little Dorcha Elvadink. The kind reader will excuse my entering

(05:19:45):
into the details of the nuptial feast and ceremonies. For
my part, I am willing to leave it to my
fair readers to settle the dress of the two brides
according to their own fancy. It is only to be
observed that Peregon and his beautiful Rose were all simple delight,
while George and Dortcha, on the contrary, were meditative and,

(05:20:07):
with mutual gaze, seemed to have thought eyes and ears
for each other. Only it was midnight when suddenly the
balsamic odors of the large blossomed thistle spread through the
whole garden. Peregrine awoke from sleep. He fancied that he
heard the plaintive melody of hopeless desire, and a strange

(05:20:29):
foreboding got possession of him. It seemed to him as
if a friend were violently torn from him. The next morning,
the second bidle pair was missing, namely George Papucian, Dortcha Alfadink.
What added not a little to the general astonishment was
that they had not at all entered the bridal chamber.

(05:20:49):
In this moment of doubt, the gardener came and exclaimed
he did not know what to think of it, but
a strange wonder had happened in the garden throughout the
whole night dreamt of the blooming Coctus grandiflorus, and not
till now discovered the cause of it, they should all
come and see. Paragrin and Rose went into the garden.

(05:21:12):
In the middle of a clump of flowers, a lofty
thistle had shot up, which dropped its withering blossom beneath
the morning sun. About this a variegated tulip wound itself,
and that also had died a vegetable death. Oh my foreboding,
cried Peregrine, while his voice trembled with sadness. Oh my foreboding,

(05:21:37):
it has not deceived me. The beams of the carbuncle,
which have kindled me to the highest life, have given
death to thee thou sweet pear. United by the strange
discords of opposing powers, the mystery is revealed. The highest
moment of gratified desire was all the moment of thy death.

(05:22:03):
Rose too seemed to have a foreboding of the wonder.
She bent over the poor parish tulip and shed a
stream of tears. You are quite right, said Master Flea,
who suddenly appeared in his microscopic form on top of
the thistle. You are quite right, my dear mister Peregrine,

(05:22:24):
it is all as you have said, and I have
lost my beloved forever. Rose was at first somewhat frightened
at the little creature, but seeing that he gazed on
her with such friendly, intelligent eyes, and Peregrine spoke so
familiarly with him, she took heart, looked boldly on his graceful,

(05:22:45):
tiny form, and gained so much the more confidence in him.
As Paragrin whispered to her, this is my kind Master Flea,
my good Paragon, said Master Fly, very tenderly, my dear lady,
I must now leave you and return to my people.
Yet I shall always be your devoted friend, and you

(05:23:09):
shall constantly experience my presence in a way that will
be agreeable to you. Farewell, heartily, farewell to both of you,
and all good fortune be with you. During this he
had resumed his natural form and vanished without leaving a
single trace behind. Here the records suddenly break off, and

(05:23:34):
the wonderful history of Master Flee comes to a joyous
and wished for end. End of the Seventh Adventure, Part
two and of Master Flee