"In his business room! The Count had suspected the steward for some days, and therefore sent for him this morning. He called him to account, and finally charged him to his face with the robbery. Brand attempted to deny it at first, but at last confessed to it, and begged for mercy, which, of course, could not be granted to him; and as the Count turned to ring the bell, in order to have him taken into custody, he drew out a pistol and shot himself before his Excellency's eyes." "Did you hear this from his Excellency himself?" asked one of the older members of the Count's household. "From his own lips." "Indeed?" "What do you mean?" asked the Doctor, surprised at the strange tone of this "indeed?" "O, nothing! Only I cannot understand how Brand could be a thief. Brand, the most punctual, most conscientious of all men, who would never allow the slightest irregularity in his work--" "Appearances deceive sometimes. Just this apparent conscientiousness must have been the cloak for his villany." The old man shook his head. "And yet--it cannot be. I would have believed any one capable of it, sooner than Brand! Has it been proved already then, that--" The Doctor made a movement of impatience. "My dear Weiss, I am no judge in a court of law. Of course an examination will disclose all particulars; for the present the papers of the deceased have been seized, and I hear that Count Arnau has himself undertaken to look over them--but I have no time to waste. I must attend the Countess." "Ah, yes, poor lady!" said a third, joining in the conversation. "How is she?" The Doctor shrugged his shoulders gravely. "Very unwell! which is, unfortunately, only what we can expect. Such an event in one's own house is enough to make any one ill, and when one is in the last stage of consumption, and ought to be carefully guarded from all agitation, it is enough to cause one's death. Adieu, gentlemen!" So saying, he lifted his hat, and with a hurried greeting, left the steward's office, where the conversation had taken place, and hurried towards the house of the chamberlain, Count Arnau, which lay about midway between the former and the Prince's residence.