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 eight thousand crowns of the woman’s money; every householder in Klarenburg was her debtor in less or more. There was the smelting furnace—a very mint in itself; and Herzfelde, which she bought some twenty-eight years ago for a mere trifle, is now worth, at least, four times what she paid for it; from her nursery-grounds she drew, at least, three thousand crowns clear rental per annum; her merinoes are esteemed the finest in the whole province; and if you want to see good cattle go to Herzfelde.”

“Now! And all that—” began the host in a strain of admiration.

“All that!” interrupted the eloquent Recorder, “aye, all that is inherited by her only grandson, who resides in the capital, where he holds the office and enjoys the emoluments of a councillor.”

During this conversation, I kept tracing figures with my fork upon my plate, without daring to raise my eyes for a single moment; for I felt the blood mounting to my cheeks, and I was quite sure that my identity with the said lucky heir would be detected by the whole company as soon as they should fix their looks upon me. Luckily, however, all eyes were turned upon the speaker, and I, as a stranger, and one utterly uninterested in the conversation, was allowed to maintain silence.

“Oh how anxiously all our young women are looking out for the councillor’s arrival!” continued the man of parchments. “Report says he is a nice young fellow,—of an easy temper, great flow of spirits, and unmarried. Now with all this income in his pocket, you may easily fancy what a figure he will make amongst us. If he has not already lost his heart in the capital, he must lose it here; there is no help for that; whether he is agreeable to the thing or not, it must be so. Gadzooks, there will be glorious sport on the occasion! Poor young things, there are some fine girls among them too,—I question if he could find the match of some of them in the capital itself! And it’s all in their eye;