With all Paul's self-control he could not quite suppress some expression of the measureless astonishment which he felt at these words. The doctor observed this, and laughed more uproariously than ever, ascribing the look of startled amazement upon Delmar's face to the young man's dismay at finding his schemes discovered,--a view in which he was confirmed by Paul's laconic "Do you think so?" "Do I think so!" he exclaimed, amid peals of stentorian laughter. "Do I think so! I don't think so at all, I know it; I know everything. You're a sly one, and so is the old fellow up there, but Dr. Putzer is slyer than the pair of you together. You can't fool me; I know more than you think. You may look as mild as milk, but I know what I know! The old fellow is rich enough, to be sure, but you won't go to law with him for that. If a man has millions, what does he care for a paltry couple of hundred thousand guilders? You want to be a Herr von Heydeck, a nobleman with an ancient name; that's all you need. Ha, ha, ha!" And he laughed until he brought on a coughing-fit, from which it took him some time to recover. Paul's desire to know more was now aroused to the utmost, but he forced himself to appear quite calm. Replying to Kuno's whispered "Is the fellow only drunk, or is he insane?" by a sign to remain quiet, he went on eating his supper with an air of perfect indifference until the doctor had ceased laughing, and then asked, with a contemptuous shrug, "Can you prevent my getting it, doctor?" "I? On the contrary, I'll help you to it!" exclaimed the doctor, emphasizing his declaration by a blow of his fist upon the table. "The old man will struggle and resist. You will never be able to do anything with him, as I know well enough. But leave him to me; I know how to work upon his fears. If you don't mind a matter of ten thousand guilders or so, I am yours; but if you are such an infernal miser as the old fellow up there, you'll never be a Herr von Heydeck as long as you live. There's nothing to be done with the old man by violence; cunning must be used, and I have more of that than both of you together." "You ask ten thousand guilders? That is a very large sum." "Are you not a millionaire? And you can do nothing without me, nothing!" Paul was prevented from replying by the arrival upon the balcony of several of the village dignitaries. The circuit judge, who had been stationed for about half a year at Tausens, the forester, and the collector, having just returned from a walk, had come to the inn to enjoy the pleasant breeze upon the balcony after the sultry day. They were regular evening guests at the Post, and were a little later to-night than usual on account of the aforesaid walk.