annoy.'

'True, Ambrose,' the other answered. 'Without such criticism a force
would become stagnant, and could never hope to keep level with those
continental armies, which are ever striving amongst themselves for
increased efficacy.'

So pleased was I at these sensible remarks on the part of the strangers,
that I was right glad to have the opportunity of making their closer
acquaintance over a flask of excellent wine. My father's prejudices
had led me to believe that a King's officer was ever a compound of the
coxcomb and the bully, but I found on testing it that this idea, like
most others which a man takes upon trust, had very little foundation
upon truth. As a matter of fact, had they been dressed in less warlike
garb and deprived of their swords and jack-boots, they would have passed
as particularly mild-mannered men, for their conversation ran in the
learned channels, and they discussed Boyle's researches in chemistry and
the ponderation of air with much gravity and show of knowledge. At
the same time, their brisk bearing and manly carriage showed that in
cultivating the scholar they hail not sacrificed the soldier.

'May I ask, sir,' said one of them, addressing Saxon, 'whether in
your wide experiences you have ever met with any of those sages and
philosophers who have conferred such honour and fame upon France and
Germany?'

My companion looked ill at ease, as one who feels that he has been taken
off his ground. 'There was indeed one such at Nurnberg,' he answered,
'one Gervinus or Gervanus, who, the folk said, could turn an ingot of
iron into an ingot of gold as easily as I turn this tobacco into ashes.
Old Pappenheimer shut him up with a ton of metal, and threatened to put
the thumbikins upon him unless he changed it into gold pieces. I can
vouch for it that there was not a yellow boy there, for I was captain of
the guard and searched the whole dungeon through. To my sorrow I say it,
for I had myself added a small iron brazier to the heap, thinking that
if there should be any such change it would be as well that I should
have some small share in the experiment.'

'Alchemy, transmutation of metals, and the like have been set aside by
true science,' remarked the taller officer. 'Even old Sir Thomas Browne
of Norwich, who is ever ready to plead the cause of the ancients, can
find nothing to say in favour of it. From Trismegistus downwards through
Albertus Magnus, Aquinas, Raymond Lullius, Basil Valentine, P