Memoirs of Remarkable Misers (Volume 1) - Tapa blanda

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1863. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III. Foscue--Mme. Lahorre--Unknown Female Miser--Mme. Poncy--Thomas Cooke--Rev. Mr. Jones--St. Pierre and the Creoles--The Exeter ostler. A Farmer-general of France, named Foscue, resident in Languedoc in 1762, had accumulated a large property by every species of extortion among the people of that province, adopting any step for the purpose. Meanness and scoundrelism of all kinds were familiar to him, so that he was universally detested. He had been ordered by the Minister of the Government to raise a considerable sum of money to remit by a particular time. He pleaded poverty, and fearing lest some of the people in his neighbourhood should let the contrary be discovered and that his house might be searched, he determined to conceal the money in his possession, so that the hoard should not be discovered even if ever so minutely sought after by strangers. He had a vault made in his wine-cellar, so large that he could descend into it himself by means of a ladder. At the entrance, there was a springlock which would cause a trap-door to shut, and it could not be opened except on the outside. Foscue was one day found missing, and every search after him proved to be vain. His ponds were dragged, and all other means taken to discover him. He was given over for lost, and his property duly disposed of. His house was soon afterwards sold. The purchaser being about to make some alterations in it, the workmen discovered the vault in the cellar, and the key in the lock outside. It was opened, and on descending, Foscue was found lying dead on the ground, with a candlestick near him, but no candle, for that it appeared he had eaten. On looking round, they discovered his enormous treasure. It was supposed that, when he went down into his vault, the door had by som...