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Stories by Foreign Authors: German — Volume 2 by Various
page 85 of 160 (53%)
however, about the opinion of the people; I knew better than they that
I profited after all by the bargain.

Impatiently I awaited the night. At the same hour as before I went with
the cloak under my arm towards the Ponte Vecchio. With the last stroke
of twelve the figure appeared out of the darkness, and came towards me.
It was unmistakably the man whom I had seen yesterday. "Hast thou the
cloak?" he asked me. "Yes, sir," I replied; "but it cost me a hundred
sequins ready money." "I know it," replied the other "Look here, here
are four hundred." He went with me towards the wide balustrade of the
bridge. and counted out the money. There were four hundred; they
sparkled magnificently in the moonlight; their glitter rejoiced my
heart. Alas, I did not anticipate that this would be its last joy. I put
the money into my pocket, and was desirous of thoroughly looking at my
kind and unknown stranger; but he wore a mask, through which dark eyes
stared at me frightfully. "I thank you, sir, for your kindness," I said
to him; "what else do you require of me? I tell you beforehand it must
be an honorable transaction." "There is no occasion for alarm," he
replied. whilst winding the cloak around his shoulders; "I require your
assistance as surgeon, not for one alive, but dead."

"What do you mean?" I exclaimed, full of surprise. "I arrived with my
sister from abroad." he said, and beckoned me at the same time to follow
him. "I lived here with her at the house of a friend. My sister died
yesterday suddenly of a disease, and my relatives wish to bury her
to-morrow. According to an old custom of our family all are to be buried
in the tomb of our ancestors; many, notwithstanding, who died in foreign
countries are buried there and embalmed. I do not grudge my relatives
her body, but for my father I want at least the head of his daughter,
in order that he may see her once more." This custom of severing the
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