Deronda the
monitory and slightly suspicious look with which age is apt to commit
any object to the keeping of youth.

"I shall be more careful of this than of any other property," said
Deronda, smiling and putting the key in his breast-pocket. "I never
before possessed anything that was a sign to me of so much cherished
hope and effort. And I shall never forget that the effort was partly
yours. Have you time to tell me more of my grandfather? Or shall I be
trespassing in staying longer?"

"Stay yet a while. In an hour and eighteen minutes I start for
Trieste," said Kalonymos, looking at his watch, "and presently my sons
will expect my attention. Will you let me make you known to them, so
that they may have the pleasure of showing hospitality to my friend's
grandson? They dwell here in ease and luxury, though I choose to be a
wanderer."

"I shall be glad if you will commend me to their acquaintance for some
future opportunity," said Deronda. "There are pressing claims calling
me to England--friends who may be much in need of my presence. I have
been kept away from them too long by unexpected circumstances. But to
know more of you and your family would be motive enough to bring me
again to Mainz."

"Good! Me you will hardly find, for I am beyond my threescore years and
ten, and I am a wanderer, carrying my shroud with me. But my sons and
their children dwell here in wealth and unity. The days are changed for
us since Karl the Great fetched my ancestors from Italy to bring some
tincture of knowledge to our rough German brethren. I and my
contemporaries have had to fight for it too. Our youth fell on evil
days; but this we have won; we increase our wealth in safety, and the
learning of all Germany is fed and fattened by Jewish brains--though
they keep not always their Jewish hearts. Have you been left altogether
ignorant of your people's life, young man?"

"No," said Deronda, "I have lately, before I had any true suspicion of
my parentage, been led to study everything belonging to their history
with more interest than any other subject. It turns out that I have
been making myself ready to understand my grandfather a little." He was
anxious less the time should be consumed before this circuitous course
of talk could lead them back to the topic he most cared about. Age does
not easily distinguish between what it needs to express and what youth
needs to know-distance seeming to level the objects of memory; and
keenly