The Argosy — page 240: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

224 At Gastein. We went forth and took our way through the wandelbahn: a room about four hundred feet long, built chiefly of glass, low and narrow. ° It was used by the visitors generally in wet weather, upon which occasion the band took shelter there, and frantically performed Strauss’s waltzes and other popular tunes for an hour at a stretch. Invalids were wheeled about in bath-chairs, and people who were not invalids paraded up and down, backwards and forwards, laughing, gesticulating, talking in tones not particularly subdued, after their manner. The place con- tained a circulating library, separate reading rooms for ladies and gentlemen, and a refreshment room. It overlooked the wildest part of Gastein on the one side, the road on the other ; therefore, everything - that transpired might be seen from its windows. Through this we quietly strolled, glad of a moment’s shelter from the burning rays of the sun, which appeared but to laugh to scorm the powers of an umbrella. We soon found ourselves again’beneath the bare sky, and the doctor’s yellow alpaca was immediately hoisted, whilst his inevitable coat, thrown over his arm, trailed gracefully behind him. A few minutes’ walk, a steep ascent, and we stood on the doctor’s territory. Here he was lord and master: provided his eyes took not too wide a range, monarch of all he surveyed. House, ground, all belonged to him. As we neared the villa a somewhat laughable incident occurred : for to such dignity in this quiet spot was the most trifling event elevated. The doctor was a man at all times ready to do a good turn, and would put himself to trouble in order to be useful. A philanthropist, but at the same time a strict lover of justice, whether in upholding his own rights and privileges or those of others. On this especial afternoon, as we approached the villa, we perceived an army of goats feeding upon his banks and devouring his grass, attended by a sleepy herd. Down went the umbrella; up it shot again as a menacing weapon. “ Ah! ah!” shrieked he, rushing full tilt at the despoilers, something after the manner of Don Quixote charging the windmills: “Ah! ah!” he reiterated, brandishing frantically his deadly instrument, “ das ist nichts ! das ist mein grund!” With so much effect was his power exerted, that the goats one and all scampered off, as if another horned personage had been at their heels ; and the sleepy goatherd had no resource but to follow with alacrity. Then the doctor turned to me, a laugh taking the place of his avenging expression. “YT am compelled to be severe with them,” he said, “or this would be a daily occurrence. And what would my own poor goats do without their grass?” The doctors house was very pleasantly situated, and took in all Gastein from its best point of view. Two or three arbours were scat- tered about the garden, where it was possible to ‘sit: out ‘all days long in the fresh air. He pointed out with some pride various Small slentific (CO)