parture disturbed the action of
the great machine in which he--as some small screw or wheel--doubtless
had his modest place and function.

As if to prove to Schrotter that he was no disciple of the "Philosophy
of Deliverance," he turned his attention, more than he had ever done
before, to the realities of life. Dorfling left a remarkable will. He
bequeathed his fortune--most advantageously invested in a house in
Dusseldorf and in public funds--yielding a yearly income of about
thirty-five thousand marks, to his two friends, Dr Schrotter and Dr
Eynhardt, with the sole charge that out of it they should provide a
sufficient competency for his old servant, dating from his father's
time, who had attended him literally from the cradle to the grave. The
fortune was to be theirs conjointly and indivisibly, and should one of
them die, to devolve to the survivor, who in his turn was to make such
arrangements as he thought best to insure its being applied, after his
death, in accordance with the testator's views. He expressed the hope
that his two heirs would use the income derived from the property in
alleviating the misery inseparable from human existence, of which
throughout life they must be witnesses. Dorfling's only near relative
was herself very wealthy and generous-minded, and did not dispute the
will, it was accordingly proved.

Wilhelm declared from the first that he understood nothing of the
management of a fortune, of business papers, and so forth, and wanted
to hand over the administration of the whole to Schrotter. Schrotter,
however, would not hear of it, and after vying with one another in
generous self-disparagement and mutual confidence, they finally agreed
that Schrotter, being a practical man, and conversant with the ways of
business and the world, should take the management of the fortune upon
himself, but that Wilhelm should receive a monthly sum of fifteen
hundred marks out of the income to apply as he thought best to the
relief of the needy. The other half of the income was at Schrotter's
disposal, who put it, of course, to the same use. In his capacity as
member of the deputation for the poor, and also as parish doctor, he
came in contact with much poverty and misery, and was able to direct
Wilhelm's charity into the right channels. It became Wilhelm's regular
afternoon employment to visit the homes of those mentioned to him as in
need of relief, that he might the better judge for himself of the true
sta