problem was itself a myth. No one could require of him that he should
use his money unless he liked. He might let it accumulate without any
trouble to himself; and then, why should he tell any one of his
inheritance? Surely he might go on living as he was living now for an
indefinite period, and nobody would be the wiser. Besides, it would be a
novel sensation to feel that while living like a simple student he
possessed a great power, put away, as it were, on the shelf, whereby he
could, if he liked, at any moment astonish the whole country. Very
novel, indeed, and considering the importance of the question of the
disposal of his income, he could well afford to give it six months'
consideration. And he might move undisturbed about the University and
eat his supper with Dr. Wiener and Dr. Wurst without being the object of
general interest, which he would at once become if it were known that
he, a simple _privat-docent_, with his decent black coat and his
twice-mended shoes, was the richest man in the Grand Duchy of Baden.

These reflections of Dr. Claudius, strange as they must seem in the eyes
of men of the world, were only what were to be expected from a man of
his education and character. He had travelled after a fashion, it is
true, and had frequented society when he was younger; for the Heidelberg
student is a lover of the dance, and many of the wild young _burschen_
become the brilliant officers of the crack regiments of the first army
in the world. He had been in Paris and Vienna and Rome for a few weeks,
and, being of a good family in the North, had received introductions
through the diplomatic representatives of his country. His striking
personality had always attracted attention, and he might have gone
everywhere had he chosen. But he had only cared enough for society and
its life to wish to see it now and then, and he fancied that he
understood it at a glance--that it was all a sham and a glamour and
vanity of vanities. There was, of course, a potent reason for all this.