When he arrived the farmer did not waste words , but informed him that he was now his only heir , and would inherit all his lands and money , and that he was to come and live at home , and to help manage the property . Though very pleased at the thought of becoming such a rich man -- for the brothers had never cared much for each other -- the younger would rather have stayed where he was , for he soon got tired of the country , and longed for a town life . However , this he kept to himself , and made the best of things , working hard like his brother before him . In this way the years went on , but the crops were not so good as they had been , and the old man gave orders that some fine houses he was building in the city should be left unfinished , for it would take all the savings to complete them . As to the elder son , he would never even hear his name mentioned , and died at last without ever seeing his face , leaving to the younger , as he had promised , all his lands , as well as his money . Meanwhile , the son whom he had disinherited had grown poorer and poorer . He and his wife were always looking out for something to do , and never spent a penny that they could help , but luck was against them , and at the time of his father 's death they had hardly bread to eat or clothes to cover them . If there had been only himself , he would have managed to get on somehow , but he could not bear to watch his children becoming weaker day by day , and swallowing his pride , at length he crossed the mountains to his old home where his brother was living . It was the first time for long that the two men had come face to face , and they looked at each other in silence . Then tears rose in the eyes of the elder , but winking them hastily away , he said : ` Brother , it is not needful that I should tell you how poor I am ; you can see that for yourself . I have not come to beg for money , but only to ask if you will give me those unfinished houses of yours in the city , and I will make them watertight , so that my wife and children can live in them , and that will save our rent . For as they are , they profit you nothing . ' And the younger brother listened and pitied him , and gave him the houses that he asked for , and the elder went away happy . For some years things went on as they were , and then the rich brother began to feel lonely , and thought to himself that he was getting older , and it was time for him to be married . The wife he chose was very wealthy , but she was also very greedy , and however much she had , she always wanted more . She was , besides , one of those unfortunate people who invariably fancy that the possessions of other people must be better than their own . Many a time her poor husband regretted the day that he had first seen her , and often her meanness and shabby ways put him to shame . But he had not the courage to rule her , and she only got worse and worse . After she had been married a few months the bride wanted to go into the city and buy herself some new dresses . She had never been there before , and when she had finished her shopping , she thought she would pay a visit to her unknown sister-in-law , and rest for a bit .
The house she was seeking was XXXXX a broad street , and ought to have been very magnificent , but the carved stone portico enclosed a mean little door of rough wood , while a row of beautiful pillars led to nothing .
If as at before for in like of that to