Page:Hoffmann's Strange Stories - Hoffman - 1855.djvu/150

 The baron Wolfgang narrated to his counsellor the violent scene in which he had struck Daniel, and showed some fear that, to revenge himself, he would not discover the hiding-place where reposed, probably, the ducats of the old lord. The counsellor, like a sensible man, and like a skilful lawyer who knows how to make people communicative in spite of themselves, told Wolfgang not to trouble himself, and declared that he would take it upon himself to interrogate Daniel. But his first essays were unsuccessful. To every question Daniel answered, with a satanic smile—"Good heavens! Master Justice, I have no desire to make a mystery concerning a few miserable crowns! You will find a goodly number in a closet belonging to the bed-chamber of my poor master. As for the remainder," added he with flashing glances, "you must go and seek for them under the ruins of the turret. I engage that there could be enough gold found there to purchase a province."

Conformably to his directions, the closet was searched in presence of Daniel. There was found a large iron trunk, full of pieces of gold and silver, with a folded parchment under the cover. They read there the following lines, written by the old baron's own hand:

"He who shall inherit, after my death, the castle of R—sitten, will find here one hundred and fifty thousand ducats, of which it is my last wish that he should make use to construct, at the western angle of this castle, in the place of the turret that he will find destroyed, a light-house, whose light should burn every night, to warn those who sail upon the lake."

This singular will was signed with the name and seal of Roderick, baron of R—sitten, and dated St. Michaels eve, 176–.

After having verified the account of the ducats, Wolfgang turned towards Daniel.

"Thou hast been," said he to him, "a faithful servant, and I regret the violence with which I have used thee unjustly.