conversation a turn so as to cause it to
fall on the family Von Zwenken, and you need only keep your ears open."

This idea took my fancy; I accepted the invitation with pleasure,
for a little society would help me to pass the evening more agreeably
than I could spend it at my hotel.

We dined quietly en famille, and Overberg and his wife--hospitable,
jovial people--seemed to me to belie the French verse--

"De petits avocats,
Qui se sont fait des sous,
En rognant des ducats."

Mr. Overberg is a shrewd, clever lawyer, who perfectly understands his
business and the way to treat his clients politely and persuasively;
he always discourages lawsuits, recommends delay and an attempt at an
arrangement, and thus quietly brings about the desired result without,
as it were, seeming to interfere. Aunt Sophia respected him highly for
his discretion and foresight, though she took care never to let him
see through her intentions, since he was not the man to take sharp
and decisive measures. For any such business she employed Van Beek,
who is a man to carry out the law to the letter, without feeling any
pity for the sufferer.

It was therefore in keeping with Overberg's character that he
recommended me to temporize with the General, to give him time to
pay his debts, and not to drive such an old man to despair, though
he was a foreigner. The good man little knew he was preaching to one
who already shared his views, and whose inmost wish was to deal as
gently as possible with Von Zwenken.

I must acknowledge that what I heard at the soiree did not make a
favourable impression on me. The past life of the young lady must
have been a singular one, if there be any truth in the gossip I heard
about her. I know much must be set down to slander in a small town,
where people are at a loss what to talk about when not criticising
their neighbours.

But, however, you must judge for yourself from what follows.

Among the ladies to whom I was introduced was a charming young
widow with jet-black eyes and lively features; she is a niece of
the Roselaers, I am told, and at first I felt very sorry her name
was not Francis Mordaunt, the niece-elect of Aunt Sophia. However,
when Overberg had drawn her out a little on the subject of the Von
Zwenkens, I felt exceedingly glad to think our acquaintance would
not extend beyond the present evening.

I began to feel a most intense hatred again