the country? This appeared to me to be the most probable, when I
collected the facts in my possession; and yet I could not believe it,
for except that system of deceit necessary to carry on his various
professions, I never found anything in Melchior's conduct which could be
considered as criminal. On the contrary, he was kind, generous, and
upright in his private dealings, and in many points, proved that he had
a good heart. He was a riddle of inconsistency it was certain;
professionally he would cheat anybody, and disregard all truth and
honesty; but, in his private character, he was scrupulously honest, and,
with the exception of the assertion relative to Fleta's birth and
parentage, he had never told me a lie, that I could discover. I was
summing up all these reflections in my mind, when Melchior again came up
to me, and desiring the little girl to go away, he said, "Japhet, I have
resolved to grant your request with respect to Fleta, but it must be on
conditions."

"Let me hear them."

"First, then, Japhet, as you always have been honest and confiding with
me, tell me now what are your intentions. Do you mean to follow up the
profession which you learnt under me, or what do you intend to do?"

"Honestly, then, Melchior, I do not intend to follow up that profession,
unless driven to it by necessity. I intend to seek my father."

"And if driven to it by necessity, do you intend that Fleta shall aid
you by her acquirements? In short, do you mean to take her with you as a
speculation, to make the most of her, to let her sink, when she arrives
at the age of woman, into vice and misery?"

"I wonder at your asking me that question, Melchior; it is the first act
of injustice I have received at your hands. No; if obliged to follow up
the profession, I will not allow Fleta so to do. I would sooner that she
were in her grave. It is to rescue her from that very vice and misery,
to take her out of a society in which she never ought to have been
placed, that I take her with me."

"And this upon your honour?"

"Yes, upon my honour. I love her as my sister, and cannot help indulging
in the hope that in seeking my father, I may chance to stumble upon
her's."

Melchior bit his lips. "There is another promise I must exact from you,
Japhet, which is, that to a direction which I will give you, every six
months you will inclose an address where you may be heard of, and also
intelligence as to Fleta's welfare and health."

"To