dangerous, and gathered his full strength. The conflict began. Itzig
opened it in his own way. "It is a pleasure to me to see you again, Mr.
Wohlfart," said he, with sudden friendliness of manner; "it is long
since I have been fortunate enough to meet you. I have always taken a
great interest in you; we were schoolfellows; we both came to town the
same day; we have both got on in the world. I heard you were gone to
America. People will talk. I hope you will remain in town now. Perhaps
you will return to Mr. Schroeter's office; they say he much regretted
your departure." In this way he ran on, really intent to discover from
Anton's aspect the purport of his call.

He had made an error in pretending not to know where Anton had been of
late, for his avoidance of the name of Rothsattel firmly convinced Anton
that he had cause for peculiar circumspection regarding it.

Availing himself of this mistake of Veitel's, Anton replied as coldly as
though he had not heard a word of the former's introductory flourish, "I
am come, Mr. Itzig, to consult you on a matter of business. You are
acquainted with the circumstances connected with the family property of
Baron Rothsattel, now about to be judicially sold."

"I have the sort of general information respecting it," replied Veitel,
throwing himself back resolutely against the corner of the sofa, "that
people have on such subjects. I have heard a good deal about it."

"You have yourself for many years, in Ehrenthal's office, conducted
transactions with the baron relative to his estate, and therefore you
must have exact information on the subject," returned Anton. "And as
Ehrenthal is too great an invalid to enter upon business topics, I now
apply to you for this information."

"What I heard in Ehrenthal's office when book-keeper there, I heard in
confidence, and can not impart. I am surprised that you should ask me to
do so," added Itzig, with a malicious glance.

Anton coldly replied, "I ask nothing that need interfere with the sense
of duty you profess. I am simply anxious to know in whose hands the
mortgages on the estate now are."

"You can easily ascertain that by reference to the mortgage-book," said
Veitel, with well-assumed indifference.

"You may perhaps have heard," continued the persevering Anton, "that
some of the mortgages have changed hands during the last few months,
and, consequently, the present possessors are not entered in the book.
It is to be presumed that