Page:Foreign Tales and Traditions (Volume 2).djvu/227

Rh the exception of this unhappily irremediable step, her whole life had been highly creditable and praise-worthy. From farther explanations, furnished by the loquacious Recorder, it apppeared, that while my grandmother had most liberally aided the funds of the various hospitals and benevolent institutions in Klarenburg, she had most inconsiderately passed over the merits of that highly deserving body of men, the civic rulers of the place. Not a groschen had she destined for the worshipful town-council, under whose magisterial protection she had passed the latter years of her life in so much peace and comfort: although many of them—and she must have known the fact—were needy enough. “I had flattered myself,” continued the garrulous Recorder, “that I at least, would have got a few of the old lady’s louis d’ or, seeing I had written all my ten fingers stiff upon her will, her legacies, and her codicils. They would have come in excellent time just now while on the route for Carlsbad, whither my physician sends me to recover the tone of my stomach, which has got a little out of order from my long association with dusty old deeds, and such mouldy stuff. But there was not a word to this effect in all the windings and turnings of the old lady’s will; we got our fees, and that was all; with the exception of what was due to me in strict justice, I never fingered a groschen of her property.”

“But tell me now, Mr Sander,” began the host, “is it really true that old Mrs Milbirn left all the money that people say? As you were employed in making the will, you must of course know all about it.”

“Is it really true!” ejaculated Mr Sander, seemingly amazed that such a thing could be questioned; “why, my dear sir, there was not a landed proprietor, or even a considerable farmer in the whole country round about, for a distance of forty miles, who did not hold some six thousand or