It may be I shall have to hand it over to one of Frederick's creditors bodily.

I had thought to end my days there in peace, with my children's children round me.

But the Almighty is dealing very bitterly with me.

Wife and son are taken away, and now the old home must follow!" Gertrude, who knew his great love for the house in which he had been born, well understood what a fearful wrench this would be, and her heart overflowed with compassion.
"O father! must it be so?
Is there no way else?
Methought you had stores of costly goods laid by in your warehouses.

Surely the sale of those things would save you from this last step!" The Master Builder smiled a little bitterly.
"Truly is it said that wealth takes to itself wings in days of adversity.