gency will always possess a certain interest,
but beyond this there was not anything attractive in my present pursuit.
A peremptory message to sell this or buy that, to push on vigorously
with a certain enterprise or to suspend all action in another, would
perhaps form the staple of a day's work. When disasters occurred, too,
it was their monetary feature alone was recorded. The fire that consumed
a warehouse was told with reference to the amount insured; the shipwreck
was related by incidents that bore on the lost cargo, and the damage
incurred. Still it was less monotonous than the work of the office,
and I had a certain pride in converting the messages--sometimes
partly, sometimes totally unintelligible--into language that could be
understood, that imparted a fair share of ambition to my labor.

My duty was to present myself, with my book in which I had entered the
despatches, each evening, at supper-time, at Herr Ignaz's house. He
would be at table with his daughter when I arrived, and the interview
would pass somewhat in this wise: Herr Oppovich would take the book from
my hands without a word or even a look at me, and the Fraulein, with a
gentle bend of the head, but without the faintest show of more intimate
greeting, would acknowledge mc. She would continue to eat as I stood
there, as unmindful of me as though I were a servant. Having scanned the
book over, he would hand it across to his daughter, and then would ensue
a few words in whisper, after which the Fraeulein would write opposite
each message some word of reply or of comment such as, "Already provided
for," "Further details wanted," "Too late," or such like, but never
more than a few words, and these she would write freely, and only
consulting herself. The old man--whose memory failed him more and more
every day, and whose general debility grew rapidly--did no more than
glance at the answers and nod an acceptance of them. In giving the book
back to me, she rarely looked up, but if she did so, and if her eyes
met mine, their expression was cold and almost defiant; and thus, with a
slight bend of the head, I would be dismissed.

Nor was this reception the less chilling that, before I had well closed
the door, they would be in full conversation again, showing that my
presence it was which had inspired the constraint and reserve. These,
it might be thought, were not very proud nor blissful moments to me, and
yet they formed the happiest incident of my day, a