Presents: Guests in the House by Hermynia Zur Mühlen (1883‐195
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http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/ presents: Guests in the House by Hermynia Zur Mühlen (1883‐1951) London: Frederick Muller, 1947. No translator named. No indication that the work was translated. Reproduced with permission of Patrik von zur Mühlen. Original German title: Nora hat eine famose Idee. First serialized in the Vienna magazine Bunte Woche, 6 November 1932 ‐ 14 May 1933. Dr. Patrik von zur Muehlen Trierer Strasse 57 D-53115 Bonn Germany Dear Mrs. Ockerbloom, Professor Gossman asked me to inform you about the copyright problems concerning the books of Hermynia Zur Muehlen. Indeed, these problems seem to be very murky, but I can help you to clear them up. The marriage of Hermynia and my great-uncle Viktor von zur Muehlen was dissolved in 1920, so that neither the family as a whole nor any member of it is entitled to the copyright of her novels, fairy tales, essays etc. In 1938 she married her second husband Stefan Klein, a citizen of Czechoslovakia; he died nine years after her in 1960 – as we know – without a testament. They had no children, and neither had brothers or sisters who could claim the copyright. The Publishing House – the Malik Verlag – where most of her books were published belonged to the Communist Party; it does not exist today. Moreover, German copyright had a validity of 50 years (now 70 years) and Hermynia Zur Mühlen died in 1951; hence no other publisher, such as S. Bermann Fischer, or anybody else, can enter a protest against any form of reprinting, re-editing or republishing of her books; the books are available for everybody. With respect to her translated books there we have the same situation. As I know, all of her books were translated by herself anonymously or under a pseudonym (i.e. Lawrence H. Desberry), perhaps revised by a native speaker. In the last fifty years many of her books have been reprinted or republished without any problems. In many cases the publishers asked me or relatives of mine and always we gave the same answer. I would much appreciate seeing her works published, whether printed or posted to the internet or in any other form. Sincerely yours Patrik von zur Mühlen By the same Author WE POOR SHADOWS CAME THE STRANGER ' • [Juests tn by @ounless C(jfermynia <6t'ur (}!J!z:Uhlen !!, '., , . ~., : ! , " ! ' . ';,~ : , , , I \ i LONDON grede"ick Gnuller cf!imiled , 29 GREAT JAMES STREET W.,C.I , f !._<~,) FIRST PUBLISHED BY FREDERICK MULLER, LTD. IN 1947 PRINTED IN' GREAT BRITAIN BY WYMAN & $ONS LTD. LONDON, READING AND FAKENHAM CHAPTER I /:".-/.- /. yiNC; at ease in an arm-chair, Nom Sternbach yawned L and stretched herself lazily. It was much too sultry to go to bed. Even on. the balcony the heat of the August night was unbearable, and the wind rustling . the leaves in the garden seemed to tome from a furnace. Nora' put out her hand for the paper lying on the small , table and began turning over the pages. In the mellow light of the reading lamp she skimmed the news. Politics bored her; suicides-what a lot of people seemed to commit suicide nowadays; trade-news, a long and dull a~ticle on the Elster Bank; advertisements, perhaps she'd find a cook-Martha's 'cooking had, been vile for the last three weeks; she would have to give her notice. A car came up the hill, stopped before the gate, began humming again. Nora frowned and looked at her watch. Midnight; surely Ottokar .could not be back already? The car had stopped. Nora heard her husband's low voice and the louder one of the chauffeur. The man , , seemed to have a lot to say. After a while Nora heard his " Good night, Count Ottokar," and then the car being driven in the direction of the garage. Nora got up, smoothed her tousled hair and stepped into the sitting-room. , As soon as her husband opened the door, she said impatiently: " Why are you back so early? " ~ He went up to her and kissed her hand. bJl "It's past midllight, dear. I did not want to keep ~ the poor devil of a chauffeur, waiting any longer." . "The chauffeur 1 Ottokar, don't prevaricate, confess TIns BOOK 15 PRODUCED IN that you've once again forgotten to be unfaithful to me." COMPLETE CONFORMITY WITH THE \li! The tall slender, fair-haited man gazed at her in dismay. AUTHORISED ECONOMY STANDARDS "'~' '1L2,1_14r.'(~) 1 :\.; 6 GUESTS IN THE HOUSE G U EST SIN- ,T H E HO USE 7 "Good gracious, Nora, I really did forget. You see, " A pretty kettle of fish. The woman's got engaged I met Professor Brown and we went to his house. He's and is afraid her fiance might come to hear of it. She discovered a most interesting fact likely to revolutionize really might know by now how hopelessly virtuous you the whole doctrine of heredity. I must tell you about it." are. But she won't listen to reason, and the whole thing's . " I don't want to hear about congenital idiots and that off. What are we to do ? " kind of thing. You know it bores me to tears. You'd Ottokar looked guilty. better think of poor Miss Grey who has been waiting "I'm so sorry, dear. You must forgive me. If for you at the Regina bar ever since ten o'clock. That's only we could manage some other way. But the the foufth time you've phnted her. How am I evel: to law . ." get my divorce if you will forget to be unfaithful to " Don't for goodness' sake deliver· a lecture on the law me?" of divorce. I'.m frantic. I really believe you do it on " Heavens! Poor Miss Grey! How abominably rude purpose. You don't want me to divorce you." of me. I must send her some flowers to-morrow." He looked at her wistfully. " You won't. You'll take her up the Semmering "I want you to do whatever you think best, dear. to-morrow and trot her about all over the place. You'll Even if it hurts m.e." dine with her and spend the night at the hotel with her. Her voice grew gentler. I won't let you put it off for ever." "You're a dear. I can quite imagine another woman Sitting down with a sigh, Ottokar gloomily lit a cigar" being happy with you. But I . ." ette. Nora went over to her writing table and took off She shrugged nervously. the telephone receiver. Her thin fingers nervously dialled "I know I bore you. I'm too quiet; you ought to the number. After a short while she heard a familiar have a live wire for a husband, not a dull fellow like me. voice. But you'll get your divorce. I promise not to keep you "Nora Sternbach speaking. You really must forgive 'w~iting any ~onger. ),' my husband, dear Miss Grey. He was unable to come. "You'd better make a note of it: IO p.m. be unfaithful He had a most important business appointment"; making to my wife." a face at her husband, she whispered: "I'm sure you've " I wish you would not laugh, Nora. The whole thing never had one in your life." She went on talking into is disgusting." the telephone. "What did you say? Oh no, to-morrow. •.' . "I think so too. It would be much nicer to separate He'll come and fetch you in the car. At eleven. Will in, a friendly way. Because we. really are good friends, , that suit you? You can't? But surely it's only a for- aren't we? But it can't be done. You refuse to beat mality .... No, he'll sit in an easy chair and read, and me, and I suppose you don't want me to--" you can sleep all night long .... Dear Miss Grey.... " He interrupted her, betraying temper for the first time. Nora began to coo. "Darling Miss Grey, you're not going " Certainly not. I would never allow you ..." to leave me in the lurch? After all, you promised. ." She gave him a searching look. She went on talking for another minute, then she slammed " What makes you hate the idea so? Love for me or down the receiver. ...... consideration for the family name?" :ji; GUES.TS IN THE H,OUSE 9 8 GUESTS IN THE HOUSE-- He opened the door for her and she left the room with- He 'hesitated, and she watched him with growing out another word. irritation. How she had come to hate his eternal Th~ indetermination during the two years of her married Ottokar ptlt out the light and sat down again. room was very quiet. From time to time he heard the life. sle~py "Maybe both," he said at last. "You know I don't honk of a passing car, and once a bird woke up care a hang for my title. That kind of thing is growing and twittered in the branches of an old walnut-tree. After a while he got up and went out on to the balcony. In obsolete. But the'Sternbachs were always decent,. arid their women never got talked about. And as we're the Nora's room the light was still on. last of the family I really should prefer " ~, You'll marry again." * * * " No." Nora could not sleep. She tossed from side to side " Was marriage with me so odious that you don't want and even the thin silk blanket seemed too heavy.