thee?
To silver hast thou turned them all, and allowed a short interval
between their golden and silver age. Farewell thou too, Puritan, most
ingenuous of mortals, thou hater of all poetry and lies. Reach me thy
hand at parting, poor Crocodile, that already art swimming in tears. In
the morass of a tavern must thou howl in future. In a better life we
shall all see one another again."

As Edward was pensive, and Dietrich still a stranger in the company,
and the librarian and Puritan made no grimaces, there prevailed, during
and after this harangue, a profound silence, rendered the more solemn
by the sobs and moanings of the bookseller, who had by this time
emptied several glasses. "This is Twelfth night," said Edward, "and as
it is the custom in many parts to make presents on this day, so I wish
my old companions and friends to pass another convivial night with me."

"On this evening," proceeded Eulenboeck, "there is no impropriety in
deviating for once in a way from the usual routine of life. Hence games
of chance were formerly customary at this season, though at other times
they were forbidden. And how happy would it be for thee, friend Edward,
if to-day thy lucky star were to rise again, and the impoverished
spendthrift were favoured with a new fortune. One hears strange tales
how young men, reduced by poverty to despair, have determined to hang
themselves in their family mansion, and behold, down falls the nail
with the beam of the ceiling, and with them at the same time many
thousand gold pieces, which the prudent father had secreted there.
Closely examined, a silly story. Was it possible then for the father to
know that his son would have a particular partiality for hanging? Could
he calculate, that the body of the desperate youth would retain
substance enough to discover and pull down by its weight the hidden
treasure? Might not the prodigal son before have wanted to fix a
chandelier there, and so found the money? In short, a thousand solid
objections may be made by rational criticism to this ill-contrived
tale."

"Without thy returning constantly to this taunt," said Edward, nettled,
"my own conscience upbraids my levity and foolish dissipation. Were it
not for the unruliness of the passions, which take a pride in setting
reason at defiance, the preachers of morality would have light work of
it. It is quite intelligible, that we poor mortals should believe
ourselves possessed by evil spirits. For how is it to