ere. This
was Wolfgang's younger brother Hubert, at the sight of whom Wolfgang
had screamed out, with his face as pale as a corpse's, "Unhappy wretch,
what do you want here?" Hubert threw himself into his brother's arms,
but Wolfgang took him and led him away up to a retired room, where he
locked himself in with him. They remained closeted several hours, at
the end of which time Hubert came down, greatly agitated, and called
for his horses. The Justitiarius intercepted him; Hubert tried to pass
him; but V----, inspired by the hope that he might perhaps stifle in
the bud what might else end in a bitter life-long quarrel between the
brothers, besought him to stay, at least a few hours, and at the same
moment the Freiherr came down calling, "Stay here, Hubert! you will
think better of it." Hubert's countenance cleared up; he assumed an air
of composure, and quickly pulling off his costly fur coat, and throwing
it to a servant behind him, he grasped V----'s hand and went with him
into the room, saying with a scornful smile, "So the lord of the entail
will tolerate my presence here, it seems." V---- thought that the
unfortunate misunderstanding would assuredly be smoothed away now, for
it was only separation and existence apart from each other that would,
he conceived, be able to foster it. Hubert took up the steel tongs
which stood near the fire-grate, and as he proceeded to break up a
knotty piece of wood that would only sweal, not burn, and to rake the
fire together better, he said to V----, "You see what a good-natured
fellow I am, Herr Justitiarius, and that I am skilful in all domestic
matters. But Wolfgang is full of the most extraordinary prejudices,
and--a bit of a miser." V---- did not deem it advisable to attempt to
fathom further the relations between the brothers, especially as
Wolfgang's face and conduct and voice plainly showed that he was shaken
to the very depths of his nature by diverse violent passions.

Late in the evening V---- had occasion to go up to the Freiherr's room
in order to learn his decision about some matter or other connected
with the estate-tail. He found him pacing up and down the room with
long strides, his arms crossed on his back, and much perturbation in
his manner. On perceiving the Justitiarius he stood still, and then,
taking him by both hands and looking him gloomily in the face, he said
in a broken voice, "My brother is come. I know what you are going to
say," he proceeded almost