for his skill in making a doubtful cause appear a good one. At first he
had no intention of gaining a fortune by confounding right and wrong. On
the contrary, he had a painful sense of insecurity when retained for a
client whose cause seemed to him unjust. He differed but little, indeed,
from the best of his colleagues; perhaps he had somewhat fewer scruples;
and, certainly, he was too fond of good red wine. He had a caustic wit,
made an admirable boon companion, and, having a subtle intellect, was
fond of paradoxes and skillful hair-splitting. Thanks to the red wine,
he fell into the habit of spending much, and so into the necessity of
making much also. Vanity and the love of excitement led him to devote
the whole energy of his brilliant intellect to winning bad cases, and
thus that frequent curse of barristers overtook him; all who had bad
cases applied to him. For a long time this annoyed him; but gradually,
very gradually, he became demoralized by the constant contact with
falsehood and wrong. His wants went on increasing, temptations
multiplied, and conscience weakened. But, though long hollow within, he
continued outwardly prosperous, and many prophesied that he, with his
immense practice, would die one of the richest men in the city, when,
cunning lawyer as he was, he had the misfortune to provoke inquiry by
appearing in a desperate case. The result was, that he was at once
disgraced, and vanished like a falling star from the circle of his
professional brethren. He soon lost the last remains of respectability.
In reality, he had amassed very little, and his love of drink went on
increasing. He sunk to a mere frequenter of brandy-shops, a promoter of
unfair litigation, and an adviser of rogues and swindlers. Owing to some
of these practices it was that he now found it convenient, under the
pretense of a long journey, to become for a time invisible. Pinkus was
an old ally, and hence the opportunity for Veitel's lessons.

These lessons soon became an absolute necessity to the old man's
heart--ay, to his heart; for, bad as he was, its warmth was not yet
utterly extinguished.

It grew a melancholy pleasure to him to open out his mental resources to
the youth, whose attention flattered him, and gradually he began to
attach himself to him. He would put by a portion of his supper, and even
of his brandy for him, and enjoy seeing him consume it. Once, when
Veitel had caught a feverish cold, and lay shivering under his thi