Role

Chapter 2

Some years later, Nikravnek was now sixteen and his father was ill with the
blood-lung. His father spoke to him of his responsibility for the business and
how he must stop chasing skirts and secure his own future. Like most young
men Nikravnek nodded agreeably and appeased the old mans worries. A hack,
a gurgle and a death rattle later and Nikravnek was without his father. He shed
not one tear over the man.

The usual proceedings took place, Grande funeral, lawyers of the estates come
to offer their condolences but more to the point, to appoint Nikravnek the head
of the trading company and all the family wealth. He could not have been a
happier man than if he had awoken to find he had two appendages. I will have
the life I wish and the fancies I like to indulge in all that I should desire.

So full of sin was Nikravnek, pride, rage, greed and vanity that he failed to see
how like his father he was and all he saw was the wealth that would allow him
to feed his gluttonous habits and not what was actually going on around him.