here there
was a library. In the stupor of sleep he had mistaken the door, and had
opened the postern, taken a step out, and plunged headlong down. But
after all had been said, there was nevertheless a good deal that was
strained and unlikely in this explanation. If the Baron was unable to
sleep and wanted to get a book out of the library, this of itself
excluded all idea of sleep-stupor; but this condition alone could
account for any mistaking of the postern for the door of the cabinet.
Then again, the former was fast locked, and required a good deal of
exertion to unlock it. These improbabilities V---- accordingly put
before the domestics, who had gathered round him, and at length the
Freiherr's body-servant, Francis by name, said, "Nay, nay, my good Herr
Justitiarius; it couldn't have happened in that way." "Well, how then?"
asked V---- abruptly and sharply. But Francis, a faithful, honest
fellow, who would have followed his master into his grave, was
unwilling to speak out before the rest; he stipulated that what he had
to say about the event should be confided to the Justitiarius alone in
private. V---- now learned that the Freiherr used often to talk to
Francis about the vast treasure which he believed lay buried beneath
the ruins of the tower, and also that frequently at night, as if goaded
by some malicious fiend, he would open the postern, the key of which
Daniel had been obliged to give him, and would gaze with longing eyes
down into the chasm where the supposed riches lay. There was now no
doubt about it; on that ill-omened night the Freiherr, after his
servant had left him, must have taken one of his usual walks to the
postern, where he had been most likely suddenly seized with dizziness,
and had fallen over. Daniel, who also seemed much upset by the
Freiherr's terrible end, thought it would be a good thing to have the
dangerous postern walled up; and this was at once done.

Freiherr Hubert von R----, who had then succeeded to the entail, went
back to Courland without once showing himself at R--sitten again.
V---- was invested with full powers for the absolute management of the
property. The building of the new castle was not proceeded with; but
on the other hand the old structure was put in as good a state of
repair as possible. Several years passed before Hubert came again to
R--sitten, late in the autumn, but after he had remained shut up in his
room with V---- for several days, he went back to Courland.