Uncle Christian knew exactly how I was situated, and yet had never sent
me a kreutzer. So when I learned that he had left me owner of two hundred
acres of rich land in orchards and vineyards, a good bit of woodland, and
his large house at Lauterbach, I could not help shedding tears of
gratitude.
"My dear uncle," I cried, "now I can appreciate the depth of your wisdom,
and I thank you most sincerely for your judicious illiberality. Where
would now the money be, supposing you had sent me anything? In the hands
of the Philistines, no doubt; whereas by your prudent delays you have
saved the country, like another Fabius Cunctator--
"'Qui cunctando restituit rem--'
I honour your memory, Uncle Christian! I do indeed!"
Having delivered myself of these deep feelings, and many more which I
cannot enter into now, I got on horseback and rode off to Lauterbach.
Strange, is it not, how the Spirit of Avarice, hitherto quite a stranger
to me, came to make my acquaintance?
"Caspar!" he whispered, "now you are a rich man! Hitherto vain shadows
have filled your mind. A man must be a fool to follow glory. There is
nothing solid but acres, and buildings, and crown-pieces, put out in
safe mortgages.
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