adder; but let
us rejoice that we have reached the bottom with sound limbs."

"Well, but where are we?"

"Why, in a wolf's pit."

"A wolf's pit! ten thousand fiery"--

"Softly, softly, uncle; remember the promises you have just made."

"Just made! did I know I was in a wolf's pit? I thought I was in a far
more honourable place. How the tartar are we to get out of this?
Three-and-thirty centuries of devils' livers! how the scorpion can I
annihilate the accursed philosophy which dug a pit here? The leprosy
take the idiot who invented it!--nine bucketfuls of dragons' nails!
how the Alp can we be heard from this infernal hole?" and in this
strain he continued, till the pit resounded with his elocution. At
last, turning to me, "Nephew," he said, "just let me get up on your
shoulders and see if there is any way of getting out of this, and if I
succeed, I will help you up afterwards."

I submitted, and he mounted me, shouting to the full extent of his
voice, while his enormous weight, and the exertions he made at each
shout, made my position somewhat painful.

"You had better not make so much noise, dear uncle," I said, hoping he
would dismount, "for if the wolves come in upon us we shall need no
help out again."

At last my worthy uncle dismounted, and sat down, muttering and
swearing to himself.

"Chains and dungeons! what is this?" he exclaimed, drawing a white
heap from under his feet.

It was the dead goose which was placed on the top of the pit to allure
the wolves, and had made its descent into the pit with us.

"But what are we to do here till the morning?" said my uncle; "the
gnats will devour us. I thought the devils were pinching me with fiery
tweezers!"

"Just do as I do, uncle; light your pipe and fumigate them."

"Well, you are a man, nephew; I swear there's something in you;" and,
seeing there was nothing better to do, he lighted his pipe, and we
smoked together as if for a wager.

"But now, nephew," began my uncle, after some silence, speaking with
his pipe in his mouth, while he stirred the bowl with his little
finger, "what the tartar have you to do in my house, eh?"

"Well, uncle, here or there, why should I deny it, I am in love with
Esztike."

"But the proper way would have been to speak to me first."

"I am not in love with you, uncle."

"Nor I with you; but to come to the point, what business have you with
the girl? love her, if you will, and as much as you like, but don't
come n