They knew that the schoolmaster, whose profession had been pretty lucrative, owing to the numerous population of the village, had died worth some considerable property; but that he had named a distant female relation as his sole heiress, leaving his only son an extremely scanty pittance.
“My father,” continued Calzolaro, “did not behave to me as he ought: and I cannot but think I should be justified in availing myself of some important informalities in his will, and endeavouring to set it aside, which is my present intention. But excuse, I pray you, my having tired your patience with relations to which the conversation has involuntarily given rise. I have still one more request to make: Permit me to return you my best thanks for your gracious condescension, and to shew you some of the exercises for which my troop is famous.”
The colonel acceded to Calzolaro’s request, and a day was fixed for the performance.
Calzolaro went that very evening to the village pastor, and communicated to him his intentions relative to his father’s will. The worthy minister condemned such procedure, and endeavoured to convince Calzolaro that his father’s anger was just. “Picture to yourself, young man,” said he, “a father who has grown old in an honest profession, and who rejoices in having a son to whom he can leave it: added to which, this son has great talents, a good
