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A heavy drag the auctioneer persuaded, pleaded, implored it was useless, everybody remained silent "Well, then going, going one two " "Five hundred and fifty!" This in a shrill voice, from a bent old man, all hung with rags, and with a green patch over his left eye. Everybody in his vicinity turned and gazed at him. It was Givenaught in disguise. He was using a disguised voice, too.
They had fought through the wars and retired to private life covered with honorable scars. They were honest, honorable men in their dealings, but the people had given them a couple of nicknames which were very suggestive Herr Givenaught and Herr Heartless. The old knights were so proud of these names that if a burgher called them by their right ones they would correct them.
Three times has she appeared to me in my dreams, and said, 'Go to the Herr Givenaught, go to the Herr Heartless, ask them to come and bid. There, did I not tell you she would save us, the thrice blessed Virgin!" Sad as the old man was, he was obliged to laugh. "Thou mightest as well appeal to the rocks their castles stand upon as to the harder ones that lie in those men's breasts, my child.
Three times has she appeared to me in my dreams, and said, 'Go to the Herr Givenaught, go to the Herr Heartless, ask them to come and bid. There, did I not tell you she would save us, the thrice blessed Virgin!" Sad as the old man was, he was obliged to laugh. "Thou mightest as well appeal to the rocks their castles stand upon as to the harder ones that lie in those men's breasts, my child.
"It was a good stroke. I have saved my brother's pocket this time, in spite of him. Nothing else would have prevented his rushing off to rescue the old scholar, the pride of Germany, from his trouble. The poor child won't venture near HIM after the rebuff she has received from his brother the Givenaught." But he was mistaken. The Virgin had commanded, and Hildegarde would obey.
Half an hour later, Hildegarde was standing in the presence of Herr Givenaught. He heard her story, and said "I am sorry for you, my child, but I am very poor, I care nothing for bookish rubbish, I shall not be there." He said the hard words kindly, but they nearly broke poor Hildegarde's heart, nevertheless. When she was gone the old heartbreaker muttered, rubbing his hands
Givenaught shouldered his way to Hildegarde, whispered a word in her ear, and then he also vanished. The old scholar and his daughter embraced, and the former said, "Truly the Holy Mother has done more than she promised, child, for she has given you a splendid marriage portion think of it, two thousand pieces of gold!"
"I tell you," said Givenaught, "you will beggar yourself yet with your insane squanderings of money upon what you choose to consider poor and worthy objects. All these years I have implored you to stop this foolish custom and husband your means, but all in vain. You are always lying to me about these secret benevolences, but you never have managed to deceive me yet.
Meantime Herr Givenaught and Herr Heartless were having an early breakfast in the former's castle the Sparrow's Nest and flavoring it with a quarrel; for although these twins bore a love for each other which almost amounted to worship, there was one subject upon which they could not touch without calling each other hard names and yet it was the subject which they oftenest touched upon.
Half an hour later, Hildegarde was standing in the presence of Herr Givenaught. He heard her story, and said "I am sorry for you, my child, but I am very poor, I care nothing for bookish rubbish, I shall not be there." He said the hard words kindly, but they nearly broke poor Hildegarde's heart, nevertheless. When she was gone the old heartbreaker muttered, rubbing his hands
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