Page:Hoffmann's Strange Stories - Hoffman - 1855.djvu/151

 To repay thee for it, I continue thee in thy office of major-domo. According to thy desire, thy bones shall rest in this castle; if thou wishest gold, stoop and fill thy hands."

Daniel only answered the young baron by a hoarse groan. The justice trembled at the extraordinary sound of that voice, which appeared to sob in an infernal language—"I want none of thy gold—I want thy blood!"

Wolfgang, dazzled by the sight of the treasure which rolled before his eyes, had not observed the equivocal look of Daniel, when the latter, with the cowardliness of a whipped dog, bent down to kiss the hand of his lord, and thank him for his gracious goodness,

Wolfgang shut the coffer, the key of which he put into his pocket; then he came out of the closet, saying to Daniel, with his face suddenly clouded—"Would it then be so difficult to recover the treasure buried under the ruins of the turret?"

Daniel answered by shaking his head, and opened the door which led to the keep. But hardly was it open, when a whirlwind of cold air forced into the room a mass of snow, and from the abyss arose an owl, who made several turns back and forth, and flew away frightened, uttering mournful cries.

The baron advanced towards the edge of the gulf, and could not refrain from shuddering, in measuring with a look its black depths. The justice, fearing a vertigo, drew Wolfgang back, whilst Daniel hastened to shut the fatal door, saying in a piteous tone—"Alas, yes, down there are buried and broken the instruments of the great art of my honored master, articles of the highest value!"

"But," exclaimed the baron, "thou hast spoken of moneyed treasures, of considerable sums"

"Oh," continued Daniel, "I only meant to say that the telescopes, the retorts, the quarter circles, the crucibles, had cost considerable sums. I know nothing more."

No other reply could be elicited from the major-domo.

Baron Wolfgang felt quite joyful in having at his disposition pretty large sums to meet the expense of the construction