"Hold your peace," replied Veitel, in feverish anxiety. "You are not to persuade your father to his harm. There is no helping this baron; he is a fly who has burned his wings in the candle; he can only crawl. And even if Ehrenthal be fool enough to follow your evil counsel, he can not maintain for the baron possession of his estate. If he does not eject him, another will. I have no interest in saying this to you," continued he, uneasily listening to a sound in front of the house; "I do so merely out of attachment to your family." Bernhard struggled for breath. "Get out of my sight!" said he, at length; "there is nothing but deceit and falsehood on earth." "I will bring up the baron and your father," said Veitel, and rushed out of the room. Meanwhile Ehrenthal's angry voice sounded loudly on the ground floor. "I will go to the lawyer; I will expose you and your intrigues." Veitel burst open the door. The baron sat on the stool, and hid his face with his hands. Ehrenthal stood before him trembling with rage. On the desk stood the baron's casket, containing the fatal notes of hand and the mortgage. Veitel cried out, "Have done, Ehrenthal; your Bernhard is very ill; he is all alone up stairs, and calls for you and for the baron; he wants you both beside him." "What means this?" screamed Ehrenthal. "Are you intriguing with my son too, behind my back?" "Have you shown him the new mortgage that you have had drawn up for him?" asked Veitel, hurriedly. "He will not even look at it," returned the baron, gloomily. "Give it to me," said Veitel; and he laid a new deed before Ehrenthal. "You want me to take a bit of paper instead of my good money--mere trash, that is not worth my burning." "Will you not give over?" cried Veitel, in greatest distress. "No one is up stairs with Bernhard, and he is calling out for you and the baron; he will do himself a mischief. Do go up stairs; he has groaned out that I am to bring you both to him immediately." "Just God!" cried Ehrenthal, "what is to be done! I can not come to my son; I am in terror about my money." "He will cry himself to death," said Veitel; "you can speak about the money long enough afterward. Do make haste." The baron and Ehrenthal both left the office. Itzig followed. Ehrenthal locked the door, laid the iron bar across it, and fastened the bolts. As they went up stairs a piece of money rang upon the step. Ehrenthal looked round. "It dropped out of my pocket," said Veitel.