ingdom on that young scapegrace Schopper's head!"

So Ann took courage, and told him that Ursula had, of her deep malice,
declared that Herdegen was one of the richest youths of Germany, and
that by reason of this the Sultan had demanded the great price of
twenty-four thousand sequins.

The truth was out; I marvelled to mark that my grand-uncle was not
dismayed as I had looked to see him; nay, but he laughed aloud and said:
"That would indeed be somewhat new and strange! You children would ever
rack your brains over the Italian poets rather than over matters of
mine and thine, albeit that is the axis on which the world turns. There
would, in truth, be no justice in so vast a sum, but that in the markets
of Egypt they reckon in Venice sequins with none but the Franks; nigh
upon thirteen of their dirhems go to the gold sequin, and thus we
have-let me reckon--the old trader has not forgotten his skill on his
sick-bed--we have one thousand eight hundred and forty and six sequins;
and that is a vast ransom still such as is never paid but for lords
of the highest degree. Four and twenty thousand sequins!" And again he
laughed aloud. "It is easily spoken, children, but you cannot even guess
what it would mean. Believe me when I tell you that many a well-to-do
merchant in Nuremberg, who is at the head of a fine trade, would be
at his wits' end if he were desired to pay down half of your four and
twenty thousand sequins in hard coin!"

Then I took up my parable and told him how Eppelein had stamped the sum
on his mind, and that he for certain was in the right, both as to the
sum and as to the Venice sequins, forasmuch as that Herdegen, to the end
that he might know it rightly, had told him that they should be ducats
such as he had three in a red stuff wrapper, and Kunz and I likewise
each two, in our money-boxes as christening-gifts.

Now while I thus spoke the old man was sorely troubled, and his
wax-white face turned paler at each word. He raised himself up, leaning
on the arms of the great chair, so high that we were filled with
amazement, and he gazed about him with his glassy eyes and then
said, still holding himself up: "That, that.... And yesterday, only
yesterday.... The captive himself.... Four and twenty thousand sequins,
do you say?... and I--oh, what were my words?... But what old Im Hoff
promises that he will do.... And yet.... If you maids had but been
duteous children, if you had but come to me first, as trustf