voring to take in what lay round the corner of the head as well as
objects directly in front. His long palm-leaved study-gown and tasselled
velvet cap lent him a reverend appearance; and he bore in his hand what
seemed a curiously shaped dipper, as if he were some wise man coming to
slake a disciple's thirst with water from the fountain-head of
knowledge.

"Has he guessed my pretended errand?" wondered Nicholas to himself,
feeling a little ashamed of his innocent ruse, for he was not in the
least thirsty; but the old man began at once to address him, after
motioning him to a seat. He spoke abruptly, and with a restrained
impatience of manner:--

"So you received my letter appointing this hour for an interview. Well,
what do you expect me to do for you? You compliment me, in a loose sort
of way, on my contributions to philological science, and tell me that
you are engaged in the same inquiries with myself"--

"Sir," said Nicholas, in alarm,--"I ought to explain myself,--I"----

But the old gentleman gave no heed to the interruption, and
continued:----

--"And that you have published an article on the Value of Words. You
sent me the paper, but I didn't find anything in it. I have no great
opinion of the efforts of young men in this direction. It contained
commonplace generalities which I never heard questioned. You can't show
the value of words by wasting them. I told you I should be plain. Now
you want me to give you some hints, you say, as to the best method of
pursuing philological researches. In a hasty moment I said you might
come, though I don't usually allow visitors. You praise me for what I
have accomplished in philology. Young man, that is because I have not
given myself up to idle gadding and gossiping. Do you think, if I had
been making calls, and receiving anybody who chose to force himself upon
me, during the last forty years, that I should have been able to master
the digamma, which you think my worthiest labor?"

"Sir," interrupted Nicholas again, thinking that the question, though it
admitted no answer, might give him a chance to stand on his own legs
once more, "I really must ask your pardon."

"The best method of pursuing philological researches!" continued the old
scholar, deaf to Nicholas's remonstrance. "That is one of your foolish
general questions, that show how little you know what you are about. But
do as I have done. Work by yourself, and dig, dig. Give up your
senseless gabbling in the