Transcriber's notes:
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http://www.archive.org/details/gertrudesmarria00heimgoog
"Really, Frank, if I were in your place I shouldn't knowwhether tolaugh or cry. It has always been the height of my ambition to have afortune left me, but as with everything in this earthly existence, Ishould have my preferences.
"Upon my word, Frank, I am sorry for you. Here you are with aninheritance fallen into your lap that you never even dreamed of, a sortof an estate, a few hundred acres and meadows, a little woodland, agarden run wild, a neglected dwelling-house, and for stock fourspavined Andalusians, six dried-up old cows, and above all an old auntwho apparently unites the attributes of both horses and cows in her ownperson. Boy, at least wring your hands or scold or do something of thesort, but don't stand there the very picture of mute despair!"
Judge Weishaupt spoke thus in comic wrath to his friendAssessorLinden, who sat opposite him. Before them on the table stood a bottleof Rhine wine with glasses, and the eyes of the person thus addressedrested on the empty bottle with a thoughtful expression, as if he couldread an answer on the label.
It was a large room in which they were sitting, a sort ofgarden-hall,furnished very simply and in an old-fashioned style, with two birchencorner-cupboards, which in our grandmother's time served the purpose ofthe present elegant buffets, and which, instead of costly majolica,displayed painted and gold-rimmed cups behind their glass doors;with a large sofa, whose black horse-hair covering never for amoment suggested the possibility of soft luxurious repose; withsix simply-constructed cane-seated chairs grouped about the largetable, and finally, with several dubious family portraits, amongwhich especially to be noted was the pastel portrait of a youthfulfair-haired beauty, whose impossibly small mouth wore an embarrassedsmile as if to say: "I beg you to believe that I did not really look sosilly as this!" And over all this bright orange-colored curtains shed apeculiarly unpleasant light.
The door of the room was open and as if in compensation forall thiswant of taste, a wonderful prospect spread itself out before the eye.Lofty wooded mountain tops, covered with rich foliage which the autumnfrosts had already turned into brilliant colors, formed the background;close by, the neglected garden, picturesque enough in its wild state,and shimmering through the trees, the red pointed roofs of the village;the whole veiled with the soft haze of an October morning, which therays of the sun had not yet dispersed. The regular strokes of theflails on the threshing floors of the estate had a pleasant sound inthe clear morning air.
The young man's dark eyes strayed away from the wine-bottle;he startedup suddenly and went to the door.
"And in spite of all that, Richard, it is a charming spot," hesaidwarmly. "I have always had a great liking for Nor