that
he had awakened in her bosom, though convinced of the baseness of the
object, retired from the world, and became an humble sister in a
nunnery.

The worthy alchymist took up his abode with his children. A pavilion,
in the garden of their palace, was assigned to him as a laboratory,
where he resumed his researches with renovated ardour, after the grand
secret. He was now and then assisted by his son-in-law; but the latter
slackened grievously in his zeal and diligence, after marriage. Still
he would listen with profound gravity and attention to the old man's
rhapsodies, and his quotations from Paracelsus, Sandivogius, and
Pietro D'Abano, which daily grew longer and longer. In this way the
good alchymist lived on quietly and comfortably, to what is called a
good old age, that is to say, an age that is good for nothing; and
unfortunately for mankind, was hurried out of life in his ninetieth
year, just as he was on the point of discovering the Philosopher's
Stone.

* * * * *

Such was the story of the captain's friend, with which we whiled away
the morning. The captain was, every now and then, interrupted by
questions and remarks, which I have not mentioned, lest I should break
the continuity of the tale. He was a little disturbed, also, once or
twice, by the general, who fell asleep, and breathed rather hard, to
the great horror and annoyance of Lady Lillycraft. In a long and
tender love scene, also, which was particularly to her ladyship's
taste, the unlucky general, having his head a little sunk upon his
breast, kept making a sound at regular intervals, very much like the
word _pish_, long drawn out. At length he made an odd abrupt guttural
sound, that suddenly awoke him; he hemmed, looked about with a slight
degree of consternation, and then began to play with her ladyship's
work-bag, which, however, she rather pettishly withdrew. The steady
sound of the captain's voice was still too potent a soporific for the
poor general; he kept gleaming up and sinking in the socket, until the
cessation of the tale again roused him, when he started awake, put his
foot down upon Lady Lillycraft's cur, the sleeping Beauty, which
yelped and seized him by the leg, and, in a moment, the whole library
resounded with yelpings and exclamations. Never did man more
completely mar his fortunes while he was asleep. Silence being at
length restored, the company expressed their thanks to the captain,
and ga