Page:Legends of Rubezahl, and Other Tales (1845).djvu/258

 offence, made use of to distinguish the sufferer from others of the same name, and in this way historians have transmitted the record of them to posterity. The epithets of the Limper, the Stammerer, the Squinter, the One-eyed, the Gross, and most inexpiable of deformities, the Moneyless, still figure gravely on “the high historic page,” side by side with more dignifying appellatives.

The Lord of Kefernburg, though his appearance did not warrant him in expecting any great degree of success with the fair, was endowed with so large a share of confidence in his own merits that the hump on his shoulder was altogether countervailed, as far as he was himself concerned, by the pleasing influence of the largely-developed bump on his head which covered the organ of self-esteem. He therefore, without the slightest distrust as to the result, set about the siege of Lucretia’s heart; and as it happened at this moment that this Janusian Temple, which had been for some time closed, was once more thrown open, his homage was, to all appearance, graciously received, and Goslar at once became to Rupert a perfect terrestrial paradise. The worthy Count little suspected that in reality the hardened coquette was only making use of him as a means of at once gratifying her vanity and her vengeance.

Ulric was now in the situation of a prime minis-