ngs, he
had always looked upon them as so much flummery. To his great
astonishment and dismay, however, he found every chest and coffer empty.
Money-bags there were in plenty; but torn and moneyless, and the very
little ready cash that remained in the house was by no means sufficient
to satisfy the disappointed lawyers, whose bills, drawn out respectively
to the loss which they had suffered through the sudden demise of Mike,
were large enough, as you may believe.

This discovery and turn of affairs sensibly interfered with the
rejoicings of Klaus; and no wonder! For whilst he was still warm with
the idea of bringing his bride home to a well-stocked property, he had
to learn that he was actually as poor as a church-mouse. What could he
do? He was not long in forming a resolution. House and farm, field and
coppice, were in pretty good condition; no mortgages, as far as he knew,
cumbered the estate. Surely, till better times came, there would be no
difficulty in borrowing? At all events, the effort should be made. Klaus
went to Zittau to beg the loan of a thousand dollars from the trustees
of pious legacies. He stammered out his request to the board with as
much confidence as he could command; but whether his awkward way and
manner, or his unsteady look, or the wealth which it was supposed he
possessed, or the nickname which he bore--whether one or all of these
gave rise to suspicion and alarm, it is very certain that although
friend Nicholas received fine words enough to tear his pocket open, not
one farthing of money did he catch, but was fain to return home as rich
as he had come.

This was a heavy blow to the young farmer. As usual with him in seasons
of trouble, he thought of the Dwarf, and cursed him. Then he prayed for
a sight of the monster, only till he had wreaked his vengeance on him;
and then he went like a drunken man homeward. To his intense vexation,
as often as he relieved himself of an execration, his ear was assailed
with a scornful peal of laughter. It escorted him to his very door, and
there left him mad with rage, because he could by no means perceive
whence the mockery proceeded. Once at home again, he repeated the
rummaging of rooms, cellars, and corners, in the still unextinguished
hope of finding something, were it only paper bonds, of which he had
known his father, at one time, to possess several. His search availed
him nothing--the chests were empty--there was not an atom of money left.
As if t