THE CEYLON MUHAMMADANS. 
fain car:y out, for his own special benefit. Do not 
be in a hurry about taking his advice, for you may 
very correctly guess that the indirect, apparently 
very disinterested hints, thrown out, may just mean 
one for you, and two for himself. Remember, it is 
for the personal interest of a mason to say, “ The house 
is not plastered.” But in order that we may not be 
accused of lapsing into a cynical frame of mind, this 
remark may be qualified, by stating that there are 
few rules without exceptions, and the great difficulty in 
life is the same as that in grammar, to know when 
to make the exception. Such knowledge can only be 
acquired and attained by study ; as in grammar, so 
also in the various phases of life, which, on our 
onward progress continually present themselves before 
us. In this, never forget that your eyes and ears 
are of infinitely more importance to you than your 
mouth, unless you are able to use and control that 
tongue inside, as you would a pump. “ In the web 
of life, the warp is born with us, it is we ourselves 
that cast the woof,” in the casting of which, few 
are fully aware of the very great importance on the 
shuttle” of that very small part of the machine, 
the tongue. 
Master walked up and down the verandah for a 
long time, his hands clasped behind his back, his 
eyes fixed upon the mud floor. Hassan Tambi 
stood, with his hands clasped in front, his eyes also 
fixed upon the ground, waiting for a reply. It came, 
and was in his favour, for the whole of Hassan 
Tambi’s remarks were perfectly correct, admitting of 
no dispute whatever. Just at this very particular junc- 
ture, he was too cunning to lay himself open to the 
accusation of untruth or exaggeration. 
The suppliant did not shew any signs of joy, but, 
on the contrary, looked graver than ever, as he bowed 
his head, and said, “Words maybe forgotten, paper 
agreements may be lost, the bargain must be con- 
firmed by some tangible act or deed. I have heard 
that it is the custom with your people, on the 
clinching of a bargain, to give and take money, 
sometimes called luckpenny. Let us act in accordance 
with the customs of your countrymen, in proof that 
both of us will stand to our bargain. Let us ex- 
change a luckpenny : in fact, some money : ^ here is 
mine,” and he counted out upon the table his f of a 
penny, which master swept up, in a sort of amused, 
off-hand way, put in his pocket saying, ”A11 right, 
off you go.” But nothing was further from Hassan 
Tambi’s intention, than going off, without his luck- 
penny, so he said, ‘ * Master has taken my coin, and 
given none in return. As copper in value is to me, 
