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 secret, for every eye was turned up with a look of curiosity to my window as the vehicle drove past.

I felt now disposed to hug myself on the felicitous idea which had occurred to me, of appearing at Klarenburg under an assumed character. I would thus, I thought, be able to escape all the hideous concerts, balls, fireworks, and other atrocious designs which were forming against my peace and quietness. I would become acquainted with the ground before I ventured to do battle upon it. I would have an opportunity of personally observing the real or pretended merits, not only of the seven adjutants, but of every pretty girl in the town; and though doubtless there would be a good deal of assumed complaisance shown towards the intimate friend of the rich young councillor, yet there was reason to hope that I would at least see things under a less artificial colouring than they would have presented to the heir himself, against whom so many designs and complots were hatching.

I now called for pen and ink, and wrote a letter in my own name to the councillor Ruderick, the executor of my grandmother’s testament, in which I excused my absence on account of unavoidable engagements, but begged to introduce my friend, the secretary, Straguw, whom I had fully authorised to transact all business for me, and to whom I desired he would communicate the tenor of my grandmother’s testament. This lying epistle I concluded with another lie, to the effect that I would endeavour, in the event of my presence being judged indispensable, to follow my friend at as short a period thereafter as I could make at all convenient.

With this letter in my own pocket, I stept into the post-chaise, and pursued my way to Klarenburg; but the nearer we approached the town the more did my heart quake and fail within me. Not that I was at all embarrassed at the prospect of my assumed incognito, for that I could easily throw off by the plan I had formed, which was: To move about for some days in my feigned character as the secretary