The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-04-19

of genii, of demons, nay, even of angels
of beings which, however beautiful, how,
ever divine, are still not human. And now
even this was gone: the cake was eaten at
last, and though he might henceforth reveI
in the very supremest ecstasy OF dreams,
they would henceforth be dreams and
nothing moro. He had lost that which he
had sought to sacrifice to the great Emer.
aid, but to keep which-well, there was nc
avoiding the conclusion it was worth while
to sacrifice even the great Emerald of Kan
dahar. A few hundreds of pounds would
suffice to gain him back his good angel,
even though to acquire them he mad to for
sake his sublime goddess and to deliver her
into worldly and evil hands
When the morning came without Felicia,
his need Of her had acted as an impulse
that carried him with his priceless treasure
straight to the door of Mr.. erode. But
when he had to conclude his heart breaking
bargain, his whole nature felt up-torn by
| the roots. To part with what had for so
! long been the ruler of his life and his soul,
! to which he had sacrificed all things that
men hold dear, was wellnigh impossible.
| This was the contest that went on in his
soul, and which MIR. erode did not see.
| He made frantic appeals to Mr.. erode
Interestingly fell upon flint: to his gener-
osity-they fell upon adamant. But the
harder grew the struggle, the stronger grew
the deeper need: in fact, the worst had long
boon over. Well, even five thousand
pounds would more than suffice to purchase
back the spirit of his new dream.
With a sudden wrench, as if even now he
feared to change his mind, he drew from
coat the precious casket, and without
opening it-ho dared not look upon the
idol that he was forsaking-laid it upon
the table.
"For five thousand then," he said at
last in a voice hoarse with agony. Just
then was heard a knock at the street door.
Mr.. erode, without leaving his seat,
glanced out of the window and then laid
MS DfOaQ mana over lne caSket.
"Levi," he said, "you have brought me
a stone which, you say. is the great Emer-
aid of Kandahar, valued at six millions
sterling. You offer it to me at five thous-
and-that is to say, at just one twelve
hundreth part of its value, or at the rate
of good deal less than one farthing in
the pound. You dare not take it into the
market for fear you should be asked ques-
tions. You say that it has been in your
hands ever since the middle of last winter,
and yet that, though you have been starv-
made the least attempt to raise money upon
it till now; and you admit that you have
been telling lies about its possession. Is
that all true %
every word of i'm, sho. 'elp me
Moshesh"'
"And do you know what British jury
would say to all that? p
"That am damned FOOL
"That you are a damned rogue, you
mean. This is false stone"
Just then came another knock at the
street door. The jew started as if he had
indeed been detected swindler.
Mishter Grode"' he exclaimed, it is
the shtone, on my shout. Do you think
am sheating you p
"That we will soon see. If the stone is
good, it is mine for six thousand. will
add thoushand to the bargain. If not
81 shwear it ish ash true as / shtand
ERE"
thought seemed to strike him, and he
paused. "You assure ME, solemnly, that
it is the stone?'
Nathan Levi put on his hat, as if he
were in court of Justice and were about
to be sworn on the Pentateuch.
Mishter Grode," be said, soemnly,
anxiously, but with an amount of some
thing very like dignity scarcely to be ex-
pected from such man-so like dignity,
in fact, that Mr.. erode himself was i'm
pressed by it as much as he was capable of
feeling the influence Of any nature but his
| own: "Mishter erode, we are both men
of bushinessh, and we both know 'ow to
take care of ourshelves But about thish
cannot decheive you. If you knew what
that shtone ish to me, you would wonder I
do not lie down and die rather than part
With i'm for shiksh million timesh shiksh
million. If you knew Wy part with i'm,
you would know l could not tell you a le
1t ish like dying to let i'm go: and you do
not get hesh from a dying man. 1 will
take your five thoushand poundsh, OF your
shiksh thoushand; vot dosh it matter? and
will only ashk to shee the shtone vonshe
more. And l shwear to you by everything
Won can shwear by that / tell you the
truth, and that the shtone ish true
He was certainly not eloquent: but his
faith in his jewel, his Indignation at Mr..
Grode's doubt, which, whether genuine or
only pretended, amounted in his eyes to
sheer blasphemy, gave to his words the
warmth and earnsstness which form the
chief part of eloquence. His eyes filled
with the tears of one who is about to part
from all he holds dear: his voice trembled
with his eagerness to refute the slanderous
insult which added tenfold bitterness to
his loss. Mr.. erode looked at him with
astonishment; this was Nathan Levi in a
new character with vengeance.
But, if he could not help feeling i'm
pressed in spite of himself, he was not one
to let his feeling be seen.
"Take off your hat and don't be a fool, y
he growled Cuisines is business
You want money, | suppose-that's enough
for me-" He unlocked a drawer in his
table, and took out cheque- book. -
"There," he said, after a minute or two,
" there's my cheque for six thousand
pounds. You see I'm as good as my
word. Give me receipt. Here's a piece
of paper and PEN"
"And you will let me shee the shtone ~
"Why? am not particularly inclined
to let it out of my own hands. But you
shall see it directly. Write the receipt
first, and meanwhile-"
a.. I'LL * T. i