Nevertheless, at the beginning my fondness for the study of human nature
in all its phases induced me to take part in all the manners and customs
of my companions. I joined them at their "kneipe," drank and sang with
them, smoked with them, fought with them. I never refused a challenge,
and sometimes even provoked a duel. I was never behind hand in any
midnight brawl. I wore high boots and enormous spurs; gambled, betted,
serenaded, played practical jokes, and soon got the reputation of a
"flotter bursch" or rowdy fellow. As every German student has his "Liebchen," I, too, had mine. A fair
Teutonic damsel of good family deigned to smile on me, and there was
much talk at one time in the little town of Jena about Fräulein von
Hammelstengel and the handsome Englishman being "verlobt." People will talk at all times, and when news is wanting--what so easy as
to invent? All the inhabitants of the town of Jena thought that they had
a right to know and to talk of my private affairs, and seeing that I was
of a reserved disposition and that they were not likely to extract much
from me by pumping, it began to be rumoured abroad that I had certain
grave reasons for maintaining secrecy, and in a very short time it was
reported that I was a great "my lord," travelling in disguise for
political purposes, and that I possessed a fortune of countless millions
of pounds sterling. This interesting discovery soon reached the ears of the parents of the
already-mentioned young lady, who, by the way, had other admirers
besides myself, and I could not without vanity at that time fairly
consider myself the favoured one. Nevertheless, from the time the report
of my fabulous riches spread throughout the whole university town I
suddenly found Fräulein von Hammelstengel thrust in my way in the most
obtrusive manner. If I went to the theatre she was sure to be blocking up the doorway as I
entered. If I was invited to a party, she was sure to be there. If I
went to a public beer garden, there she was again; in the streets, in
church--everywhere. At the time I speak of I had but little experience of the world, but
that little sufficed for me to see the trap that was laid for me. I was
amused at the farce played before me, but disgusted with the actors, and
resolved to withdraw myself. Now, Miss von H. was a very fair specimen of the German upper classes. Besides being pretty, she could cook, knit stockings, do every sort of
household work, had a very nice voice, and was a very excellent
performer on the pianoforte. She was amiable, and possessed all the
qualities of a good housewife. I may even confess that she was not quite
indifferent to me at this time, but when I saw that her parents were
making a bait of her to catch me, I was awed at the hook, and meditated
escape. I therefore prepared to undeceive the family as to the state of my
finances, giving out that I was only a poor student who, unable to make
both ends meet in my own country, had retired to the continent to live
cheaper. This I confided to the young lady herself, and it was evidently
soon after repeated to the parents, for a marked change in their
behaviour soon manifested itself towards me, which was not only what I
expected, but what I wished for. However, after a time it was reported
in the town that I could not be as poor as I pretended to be, as it was
remarked that I always paid my bills--a somewhat rare occurrence among
German students--that I was always well dressed, lived well, had given
wine parties, and had books expensively bound. Now, when the von Hammelstengels heard this last report, they began
again to believe in all that they had been told of me at first, and
rather than let their prey escape so easily, they resolved to make
another effort, and commenced to weave their meshes around me again. In vain I repeated that I was only a poor student, and could not hope to
marry. I saw that I was not believed, and was persecuted more than ever
with attentions. Mrs. von Hammelstengel grew so amiable, that I was
quite alarmed. Her husband so cordial and obsequious, that I grew
disgusted. The "fräulein" herself so languishing and sentimental that I
saw that there was nothing open for me but flight, so informing them all
that important family affairs had called me suddenly back to England, I
bade them a hasty farewell, and shut myself up in my own lodging for a
time. Now, this stratagem was discovered by the brother of Miss von
Hammelstengel, an officer in the army. He met me about two months after
I had taken leave of the family, and having ascertained that I had been
in Jena all the time, and had never mentioned to anyone else my
intention of returning to my country, he came to the conclusion that my
retirement was nothing but a "ruse" to free myself from the clutches of
his family. He could not let me slip without playing his last card, which was to
frighten me into marriage if possible. With this object he managed to
pick a quarrel with me, asking me if I thought it was behaving like a
gentleman to excite hopes in the breast of a young and innocent girl,
and then absconding, saying that he could not see his sister pining
away day by day without taking her cause in hand, etc. There was nothing left me, he said, but to marry his sister or to fight
him. My decision was soon made. I told him that I would never be forced
into marriage through fear of a wound, and I resolved to fight him. An officer in the army is the only grade of man that a German student
deigns to fight with. All others are beneath his notice. Now, as my
adversary was an officer, it was considered no degradation on my part to
accept the challenge, so weapons were provided, compliments exchanged
between seconds, and the adversaries met. The offence towards his family was seen in such a grave light by my foe,
that instead of the ordinary method adopted by German students--the use
of the customary leaden collar, and pads to protect the more vital
parts--nothing would satisfy him but a duel with the sabre, without pads
and bandages. This is the most terrible challenge, save that with the pistol, but I
did not shrink from it. I left a letter directed to the gentleman in
England who had lent me the money to pursue my studies at the university
in the hands of my second, to be posted in case of my death, and
hastened to meet my adversary. The fight was short, though desperate. My
adversary fell severely wounded in the arm. Parties tried to hush up the
matter, but of course the town was soon full of it. The story of the
duel was variously told. Some said that I had vanquished the captain,
and others that he had vanquished me; but the truth soon oozed out. Fräulein von Hammelstengel subsequently married an old count, who was
supposed to be rich, but who proved afterwards not to possess a penny. But to return to myself. Disgusted with my experience of human nature,
and of womankind in particular, I set to work now more diligently than
ever.