BUDDENBROOKS
so I’ve come, yer honour ’n’ ladies ’n’ gentlemen, to congratulate the Herr Consul ’n’ the Frau Consul, ’n’ the whole respected family, from a full hairt, ’n’ that the child may prosper, for that they desarve fr’m God ’n’ man, for such a master as Consul Buddenbrook there aren’t so many, he’s a noble gentleman, ’n’ our Lord will reward him for all. . . .”
“Splendid, Grobleben! That was a beautiful speech. Thank you very much, Grobleben. What are the roses for?”
But Grobleben has not nearly done. He strains his whining voice and drowns the Consul out.
“. . . ’n’ I say th’ Lord will reward him, him and the whole respected family; ’n’ when his time has come to stan’ before His throne, for stan’ we all must, rich and poor, ’n’ one’ll have a fine polished hard-wood coffin ’n’ ’tother ’n’ old box, yet all on us must come to mother earth at th’ last, yes, we must all come to her at th’ last—to mother earth—to mother—”
“Oh, come, come, Grobleben! This isn’t a funeral, it’s a christening. Get along with your mother earth!”
“. . . ’n’ these be a few flowers,” concludes Grobleben.
“Thank you, Grobleben, thank you. This is too much—what did you pay for them, man? But I haven’t heard such a speech as that for a long time! Wait a minute—here, go out and give yourself a treat, in honour of the day!” And the Consul puts his hand on the old man’s shoulder and gives him a thaler.
“Here, my good man,” says the Frau Consul. “And I hope you love our blessed Lord?”
“I be lovin’ him from my hairt, Frau Consul, thet’s the holy truth!” And Gobleben gets another thaler from her, and a third from Frau Permaneder, and retires with a bow and a scrape, taking the roses with him by mistake, except for those already fallen on the carpet.
The Burgomaster takes his leave now, and the Consul accompanies him down to his carriage. This is the signal for
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