Translations from the German (Vol 3 of 3): Tales by Musæus, Tieck, RichterCarlyle, Thomas
General
Translations from the German (Vol 3 of 3): Tales by Musæus, Tieck, Richter
Carlyle, Thomas
German fiction -- Translations into English
Next day he got in readiness everything that is required for
treasure-digging. The unessential equipments, conjurations, magic
formulas, magic girdles, hieroglyphic characters, and suchlike, were
entirely wanting: but these are not indispensable, provided there be no
failure in the three main requisites: shovel, spade, and, before all, a
treasure underground. The necessary implements he carried to the place a
little before sunset, and hid them for the mean while in a hedge; and as
to the treasure itself, he had the firm conviction that the Goblin in
the Castle, and the Friend on the Bridge, would prove no liars to him.
With longing impatience he expected the rising of the moon; and no
sooner did she stretch her silver horns over the bushes, than he briskly
set to work; observing exactly everything the Invalid had taught him;
and happily accomplished the raising of the treasure, without meeting
any adventure in the process; without any black dog having frightened
him, or any bluish flame having lighted him to the spot.
Father Melchior, in providently burying this penny for a rainy day, had
nowise meant that his son should be deprived of so considerable a part
of his inheritance. The mistake lay in this, that Death had escorted the
testator out of the world in another way than said testator had
expected. He had been completely convinced, that he should take his
journey, old and full of days, after regulating his temporal concerns
with all the formalities of an ordinary sick-bed; for so it had been
prophesied to him in his youth. In consequence he purposed, when,
according to the usage of the Church, extreme unction should have been
dispensed to him, to call his beloved son to his bed-side, having
previously dismissed all bystanders; there to give him the paternal
blessing, and by way of farewell memorial direct him to this treasure
buried in the garden. All this, too, would have happened in just order,
if the light of the good old man had departed, like that of a wick whose
oil is done; but as Death had privily snuffed him out at a feast, he
undesignedly took along with him his Mammon secret to the grave; and
almost as many fortunate concurrences were required before the secreted
patrimony could arrive at the proper heir, as if it had been forwarded
to its address by the hand of Justice itself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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