250 The Tutor-Fiend and his three Pupils. [Sept. 



the youths — " But to our business. Enter ; here we must lose nothing, 

 and we have squandered away ten minutes without a purchase." 



" I marvel/' said Topaz, " at your exact calculation — for I see no 

 dial here." 



" Nature's clock, young man — thus," answered Rapax, as he placed 

 his finger to his wrist. " Can there be a better monitor than our pulse ? 

 - — spurs it not to action ? — clamours it not against idleness ?" 



" No," replied Scowl ; " it rather tells us of the uselessness of employ- 

 ment, for every pulsation is but the knell of life gone by." 



" Prithee, good father, what are you to teach us > Come, whistle for 

 your dragon, and let us to the moon." 



" My business is not in the clouds, young man." 



" Shall we sail with you in a cockle-shell ? Are you a sea-magician > 

 I should like to string pearls with mermaids mightily," said Blithe- 

 heart. 



" Nor can I fathom the ocean," observed Rapax. 



" Will you then take us into the mines of earth ? Shall we play at 

 hustle-cap with diamonds .'' Shall we go into the earth }" asked 

 Scowl. 



" Ay, in good time." 



" Truly, yes," sneered Topaz, " and without your necromancy. — ■ 

 Come, what will you teach us .''" 



" To be rich." 



" Then why art not rich thyself.''" said Scowl. 



" How know you that I am not ? I am rich." 



" Are you so ?" answered Scowl, with bitterness. — " Poor man !" and 

 he looked sneeringly at the wretched abode. 



" He who hoards gold," replied Rapax, " does it not for the insensi- 

 ble love of its glitter ; but he looks abroad — he sees of what the emi- 

 nence of human flesh is composed — he scrapes together wealth — and 

 knowing that he can be splendid when he may, cares not to be so. Such 

 am I." 



" And this mystery," said Scowl, " you are to teach us } — How .''" 



" Enter, and learn." 



The youths entered the hut, and they seemed as though struck with 

 sudden plague. The old man took from a little box a piece of brilliant 

 gold, impressed with cabalistic figures ; and, throwing it upon the table, 

 desired the youths to look at it. " What think you of this metal ? Each 

 answer me. What is it ?" 



Scowl unceremoniously took it from the table, and throwing it up, 

 and catching it in his hand, again cast it down scornfully, muttering, 

 " Gold — the price of human brains !" 



" But do you not value it ?" demanded Rapax. 



" I hate myself and all the world, that I must sometimes value this 

 piece of ore beyond the flower or pebble trodden under foot. I value it 

 not — but scorn it as I bow to it." 



" And you, young man ?" said Rapax, glancing at Topaz. 



" I look on this metal," answered the youth, " and I say to myself— 

 ' This life is a mockery ; man hath made it a miserable one ; and then 

 he forms a partial antidote to its wretchedness, to be obtained by guilt, 

 folly, or craft.' Well, I have this antidote. I ask, ' How can I use it 

 to pleasure me ?' Fancy gives the answer, and — farewell gold !" 



" For me," said Blitheheart, " were I in a meadow, or by a road- 



