heard the harsh and supernatural voice which had before accosted him, pronounce
these words, »Dare not return hither a fourth time!«
    The attempt to kindle the fire with this last coal having proved as
ineffectual as on the former occasions, Martin relinquished the hopeless
attempt, and flung himself on his bed of leaves, resolving to delay till the
next morning the communication of his supernatural adventure to his brothers. He
was awakened from a heavy sleep into which he had sunk, from fatigue of body and
agitation of mind, by loud exclamations of surprise and joy. His brothers,
astonished at finding the fire extinguished when they awoke, had proceeded to
arrange the fuel in order to renew it, when they found in the ashes three huge
metallic masses, which their skill (for most of the peasants in the Harz are
practical mineralogists) immediately ascertained to be pure gold.
    It was some damp upon their joyful congratulations when they learned from
Martin the mode in which he had obtained this treasure, to which their own
experience of the nocturnal vision induced them to give full credit. But they
were unable to resist the temptation of sharing in their brother's wealth.
Taking now upon him as head of the house, Martin Waldeck bought lands and
forests, built a castle, obtained a patent of nobility, and, greatly to the
indignation of the ancient aristocracy of the neighbourhood, was invested with
all the privileges of a man of family. His courage in public war, as well as in
private feuds, together with the number of retainers whom he kept in pay,
sustained him for some time against the odium which was excited by his sudden
elevation, and the arrogance of his pretensious.
    And now it was seen in the instance of Martin Waldeck, as it has been in
that of many others, how little mortals can foresee the effect of sudden
prosperity on their own disposition. The evil propensities in his nature, which
poverty had checked and repressed, ripened and bore their unhallowed fruit under
the influence of temptation and the means of indulgence. As Deep calls unto
Deep, one bad passion awakened another; - the fiend of avarice invoked that of
pride, and pride was to be supported by cruelty and oppression. Waldeck's
character, always bold and daring, but rendered harsh and assuming by
prosperity, soon made him odious, not to the nobles only, but likewise to the
lower ranks, who saw, with double dislike, the oppressive rights of the feudal
nobility of the empire so remorselessly exercised by one who had risen from the
very dregs of the people. His adventure, although carefully concealed