who is now these many years War-Minister, peaceable, and
well accepted, but remembers the flamy youth he had. Landlord of these
Arnolds and their Mill is Major Graf von Schmettau (no connection of our
Schmettaus),--to what insignificantly small amount of rent, I could
not learn on searching; 10 pounds annually is a too liberal guess.
Innumerable things, of no pertinency to us, are wearisomely told, and
ever again told, while the pertinent are often missed out, in that
dreary cart-load of Arnold Law-Papers, barely readable, barely
intelligible, to the most patient intellect: with despatch let us fish
up the small cardinal particles of it, and arrange in some chronological
or human order, that readers may form to themselves an outline of the
thing. In 1759, we mentioned that this Mill was going; Miller of it an
old Arnold, Miller's Lad a young. Here is the subsequent succession of
occurrences that concern us.

In 1762, Young Arnold, as I dimly gather, had got married, apparently
a Wife with portion; bought the Mill from his Father, he and Wife
co-possessors thenceforth;--"Rosine his Spouse" figuring jointly in all
these Law-Papers; and the Spouse especially as a most shifty litigant.
There they continue totally silent to mankind for about eight years.
Happy the Nation, much more may we say the Household, "whose Public
History is blank." But in the eighth year,

In 1770, Freyherr Baron von Gersdorf in Kay, who lies farther up the
stream, bethinks him of Fish-husbandry; makes a Fish-pond to himself,
and for part supply thereof, lays some beam or weir across the poor
Brook, and deducts a part of Arnold's water.

In 1773, the Arnolds fall into arrear of rent: "Want of water; Fish-pond
spoils our water," plead they to Major Graf von Schmettau. "Prosecute
Von Gersdorf, then," says Schmettau: "I must have my rent! You shall
have time, lengthened terms; but pay THEN, or else-!" For four years
the Arnolds tried more or less to pay, but never could, or never did
completely: during which period Major von Schmettau had them up in his
Court of Pommerzig,--manorial or feudal kind of Court; I think it is
more or less his, though he does not sit there; and an Advocate, not
of his appointing, though probably of his accepting, dispenses justice
there. Schlecker is the Advocate's name; acquitted by all Official
people of doing anything wrong. No appearance that the Herr Graf von
Schmettau put hand to the balances of justice in this Court;