tial way began, "See you here, my old
friend Daniel, I have long been wishing to ask you what you think of
all this confused mess into which Hubert's peculiar will has tumbled
us. Do you really think that the young man is Wolfgang's son, begotten
in lawful marriage?" The old man, leaning over the arm of his chair,
and avoiding V----'s eyes, for V---- was watching him most intently,
replied doggedly, "Bah! Maybe he is; maybe he is not. What does it
matter to me? It's all the same to me who's master here now." "But I
believe," went on V----, moving nearer to the old man and placing his
hand on his shoulder, "but I believed you possessed the old Freiherr's
full confidence, and in that case he assuredly would not conceal from
you the real state of affairs with regard to his sons. He told you, I
dare say, about the marriage which Wolfgang had made against his will,
did he not?" "I don't remember to have ever heard him say anything of
that sort," replied the old man, yawning with the most ill-mannered
loudness. "You are sleepy, old man," said V----; "perhaps you have had
a restless night?" "Not that I am aware," he rejoined coldly; "but I
must go and order supper." Whereupon he rose heavily from his chair and
rubbed his bent back, yawning again, and that still more loudly than
before. "Stay a little while, old man," cried V----, taking hold of his
hand and endeavouring to force him to resume his seat; but Daniel
preferred to stand in front of the study-table; propping himself upon
it with both hands, and leaning across towards V----, he asked
sullenly, "Well, what do you want? What have I to do with the will?
What do I care about the quarrel over the estate?" "Well, well,"
interposed V----, "we'll say no more about that now. Let us turn to
some other topic, Daniel. You are out of humour and yawning, and all
that is a sign of great weariness, and I am almost inclined to believe
that it really was _you_ last night, who"---- "Well, what did I do last
night?" asked the old man without changing his position. V---- went
on, "Last night, when I was sitting up above in your old master's
sleeping-cabinet next the great hall, you came in at the door, your
face pale and rigid; and you went across to the bricked-up postern and
scratched at the wall with both your hands, groaning as if in very
great pain. Do you walk in your sleep, Daniel?" The old man dropped
back into the chair which V---- quickly managed to place for him; but
not a soun