ion of souls, and the affair of
the scales--the whole formed a combination which I found myself utterly
unable to comprehend. In a few minutes I looked up, exhausted with vain
thought. All the heads were gone except that of Pythagoras, which he
left lying in its place. He now took up his snuff-box and deposited it
in his waistcoat pocket--drew an old-fashioned watch out of his fob, and
looked at the hour--and, lastly, laying his hand upon the ten gilders,
he dropped them one by one into his green purse. "I believe," said he,
with a smile, "the money is mine." So saying, he snatched up his little
cocked-hat, made me half-a-dozen of bows, and bade me adieu, after
promising to see me at the same time and place two days after.

CHAPTER II.

Again did I bury my face in my hands; again did my fit of meditation
come on; I felt my bosom glowing with perplexity. It was now the scales
which occupied my thoughts, to the exclusion of everything else.
"Sixteen stones!--impossible, I cannot believe it. This old rascal has
cheated me. The weights he has put on must be defective--they must be
hollow. I will see to it in a moment, and if there has been any
deception, I shall break his bones the first time I set my eyes upon
him, maugre his wooden leg; I will at least smash his spectacles, trip
up his heels, and pull his hook nose." Full of these resolutions, I
proceeded to the adjoining room. Guess of my amazement, when, instead of
the great machines in which I had been weighed but ten minutes before, I
beheld nothing but a small pair of apothecary's scales, and a few
drachm, scruple, and grain weights scattered upon the floor.

Not knowing what to make of this, I returned to the study, when,
happening to look into a mirror placed behind the chair on which I had
been sitting, I beheld (joyous sight) the reflection of Wolstang. "Ah,
you have come?" said I, turning round to receive him, but nobody was to
be seen. I looked again through every part of the room; no Wolstang was
there. This was passing strange; where could the man have gone in such a
hurry? I was now in a greater funk than ever, when, casting my eyes a
second time upon the mirror, he again made his appearance. I instantly
looked round--no one was present; in another instant I turned to the
glass, and there stood the reflection as before. Not knowing what this
phenomenon could be, and thinking perhaps that my eyes were dazzled by
some phantom, I raised my hands, and rubbed