Nor was this all. The hanging space was so small that several inches of the canvas had to be run into the wall, and the light was wretched. The Chamber of Commerce proceeded at once to make trouble with regard to the paying of Feuerbach's bill. An ugly quarrel arose in which Rüdiger, the geometrician, who had always been an ardent champion of Feuerbach, took the artist's part. It finally reached the point where Rüdiger left the city, swearing he would never return. His daughters had all three loved Feuerbach from the time he lived in their father's house.
"As a matter of fact, if there ever was an amiable artist," Benda said in conclusion, "it was Anselm Feuerbach. Would you like to see him? Come, then."
They were near the Cemetery of St. John. The gate was open, and Daniel followed Benda. They walked along a narrow path, until Benda pointed to a flat stone bearing the name of Albrecht Dürer. After this they came to Feuerbach's grave. A bronze tablet, already quite darkened with age and weather, bore Feuerbach's face in profile. Beneath it lay a laurel wreath, the withered leaves of which were fluttering in the wind.
"What a life he lived!" said Benda in a low tone. "And what a death he died! The death of a hunted dog!"
As they walked back to the city, night came on. Daniel had removed his hat, and was walking along at Benda's side looking straight ahead. Benda was as nervous as he had ever been in his life.
"A German life, and a German death," he exclaimed. "He stretched out his hand to give, and the people spat in it. He gives and gives and gives, and they take and take and take, without gratitude, yea, rather with, scorn. The only thing they study is their consanguinity table. They make the microscope and the catechism copulate; their philosophy and their police systems live in _mésalliance_. Good demeanour they know not; of human agreements they have never heard. They decide to do something, and they do it. That is all. There is no longer a place for me in Germany. I am leaving."
"You are going to leave? Where are you going?" asked Daniel, in faithful amazement. Benda bit his lips, and was silent.
"Do you see these big white spots here? They have neither mountains nor rivers on them. Those are places that have never been trod upon by European feet. There is where I am going." He smiled a gentle smile.