After the fifth dinner, he asked me to lend him fifty pounds; I did _not_ lend him the fifty pounds.' 'He was as ignorant of German as of Hebrew,' said the youth; 'on which account he was soon glad, I suppose, to transfer his pupil to some one else.' 'He told me,' said the elder individual, 'that he intended to leave a town where he did not find sufficient encouragement; and, at the same time, expressed regret at being obliged to abandon a certain extraordinary pupil, for whom he had a particular regard.

Now I, who have taught many people German from the love which I bear to it, and the desire which I feel that it should be generally diffused, instantly said that I should be happy to take his pupil off his hands, and afford him what instruction I could in German, for, as to Hebrew, I have never taken much interest in it.

Such was the origin of our acquaintance.

You have been an apt scholar.

Of late, however, I have seen little of you--what is the reason ?' The youth made no answer.
'You think, probably, that you have learned all I can teach you?
Well, perhaps you are right.' 'Not so, not so,' said the young man eagerly; 'before I knew you I knew nothing, and am still very ignorant; but of late my father's health has been very much broken, and he requires attention; his spirits also have become low, which, to tell you the truth, he attributes to my misconduct.
He says that I have imbibed all kinds of strange notions and doctrines, which will, in all probability, prove my ruin, both here and hereafter; which--which--' 'Ah! I understand,' said the elder, with another calm whiff.