"Their first task was to raise out of the vault altogether six
coffins, which it was found would bear removal. By various tokens
it was proved that none of these could be that of which they were in
search. There were several others which could not be removed, but
which held together so long as they were left where they lay. All
the rest were in the direst confusion. Two hours and a half were
spent in subjecting the ghastly heap to a thorough but fruitless
search: not a trace of any kind rewarded their trouble. Only one
conclusion stared Schwabe and Coudray in the face--their quest was
in vain: the remains of Schiller must be left to oblivion. Again
the Gewolbe was closed, and those who had disturbed its quiet
returned disappointed to their homes. Yet, that very afternoon,
Schwabe went back once more in company with the joiner who twenty
years before had made the coffin: there was a chance that he might
recognise one of those which they had not ventured to raise. But
this glimmer of hope faded like all the rest. The man remembered
very well what sort of coffin he had made for the Hofrath von
Schiller, and he certainly saw nothing like it here. It had been of
the plainest sort, he believed without even a plate; and in such
damp as this it could have lasted but a few years.
"The fame of this second expedition got abroad like that of the
first, and the comments of the public were louder than before.
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