Page:Legends of Rubezahl, and Other Tales (1845).djvu/190

 disobedience of his exhortations to peace and union, the good priest had restored conjugal quiet to many a house; even the surly Stephen had been fain, more than once, at his remonstrance, to make an effort and be less morose to his wife. To him, therefore, the anxious woman now repaired, related to him without reserve her adventure with Rubezahl, explained to him her anxious uncertainty how most safely to dispose of the treasure, so that neither Stephen nor any one else should for the present be at all aware of its extent; and finally, as an undeniable proof of the truth of what she had been stating, showed him the treasure itself, which she had brought at her back in a sack. The good priest crossed himself over and over again, as the wonderful narration proceeded, and crossed himself more than ever when he saw the heap of gold. He then, after cordially congratulating his parishioner on her happy change of fortune, began to pull his night-cap to and fro on his forehead, by way of rubbing up his ideas, so as to discover the best possible expedient for securing to her the quiet possession of her treasure, without any noise or talk about the singular manner in which she had acquired it, and at the same time without allowing the avaricious Stephen to put his clutches upon it.

After considering awhile: “Listen, my daughter,” said he; “I have thought of a capital plan; we will weigh this gold, which I will then get converted into