Page:Hoffmann's Strange Stories - Hoffman - 1855.djvu/159

 reading of the will. Three months from that time, the parchments were opened at K, in the presence of the magistrates of the city. Besides the witnesses necessary to this reading, justice V had brought a good looking young man, but simply dressed, and who might have been taken for his secretary. The future possessor of the title presented himself arrogantly, and claimed the immediate reading of the will, not having, as he said, much time to lose in foolish formalities.

The deceased baron Hubert of R—sitten declared that he had never possessed the title as the real inheritor, but that he had managed for the interest of the only son of his brother Wolfgang of R—sitten. This child bore, like his grandfather, the name of Roderick; he alone could be the legitimate heir to the title. The will related, besides, that the baron Wolfgang, in his travels, had been united at Geneva, by a secret marriage, with a young lady of noble family, but without fortune. His wife, at the end of a year, had left him a widower with a son, whose rights of birth no one could contest, and who found himself thus called to inherit the title. Finally, to explain his perpetual silence during his lifetime on the subject of this revelation, Hubert declared that a private agreement between Wolfgang and himself, had made this silence a sacred obligation.

The reading of the articles of the will being ended, the justice V arose and presented to the magistrates the young unknown that he had brought with him.

"Gentlemen," said he, "this is the baron Roderick of R, legitimate son of Wolfgang of R, and lord by right of the inheritance and title of R—sitten."

Hubert, hearing these words, appeared annihilated as if stunned by a thunder clap; then recovering himself by a kind of convulsion, he stretched out his hand like a threat against the young man who thus suddenly stood between him and his fortune, and sprang out of the hall with all the signs of a furious delirium.