"Your affairs, sir, are in a desperate state; you are not only a bankrupt, but you have almost from the commencement of your financial existence only concealed your old debts by incurring larger ones, a course which necessarily would bring you to complete ruin in the end." Herr Balzer looked at the count in great surprise. "The moment of unavoidable ruin has come," he said, "I am in possession of a number of demands upon you, which if presented must infallibly overthrow your credit. Beside this, your position is most unhappily compromised, since you have, to save yourself, or rather to stave off the time of inevitable ruin, pursued the plan of forging various bills of exchange." "Count," cried Herr Balzer in a voice whose impudence ill concealed his fear, "I----" With a proud movement the count imposed silence. He drew from his pocket several bills of exchange. "You see," he said, turning them over, "the forged bills are in my hands, a prison will be your destination if I give these into the hands of a magistrate." Every trace of self-confidence had disappeared from Herr Balzer's common-looking face. "With bewildered fear he looked at the count without speaking a word. "You are a lost man," he said coldly, "and if you have a spark of honour left, you will prefer death to the future before you." Herr Balzer raised his hands in speechless agony, as if imploring the count for mercy. He looked at him severely and proceeded: "I will not, however, destroy you, I will give you the opportunity of beginning a new life." A ray of joy shone in the exchange-agent's eyes; he did not yet understand, but he began to hope. "Count," he cried, "command----" "Hear first what I demand; upon your implicit obedience your future will depend." Herr Balzer listened anxiously. "You will go at once to Gmünden," said the count, "from thence you will write a letter to your wife, in which you will say that you cannot bear the disgrace of bankruptcy, and that you prefer death; you will then take care that your hat, your stick, and a glove or pocket-handkerchief are found floating on the water, where the lake is the deepest. After this is accomplished, you will cut off your beard, put on a wig, and go to Salzburg, where at this address a certain person will provide you with a passport and the sum of five thousand gulden." He gave Herr Balzer a card with some writing upon it. "You will then," he continued, "proceed to Hamburg, and embark in the first ship for New York, and there you will go to those who will be pointed out to you by the person in Salzburg. They will give you every information, and assist you in commencing a new life, if you forget your name and the past. Remember that you are watched, and that you will be destroyed if you are not perfectly obedient!" Herr Balzer's face had at first only expressed utter amazement, then a look of scorn and wicked satisfaction passed over his features, finally he gazed thoughtfully before him.