sion, and who does not know what to
say. The thoughts ran thus: "If I had but held my tongue about the
talisman which the unlucky rascal carries within him, and which gives
him so much power over us that we must all dance to his pipe!--and now
I am to tell him the event on which depends the awaking the strength of
his talisman! Shall I confess to him that I don't know myself, that all
my art fails to loosen the knot in which the lines meet?--nay, that
when I consider the planetary centre of the horoscope, I feel most
piteously, and my own learned head seems to me no better than a painted
block for periwigs? Far from me be any such confession that would lower
me, and put arms into his hands against myself. I will fasten something
upon the ideot who fancies himself so wise,--something that shall make
his blood run cold, and take from him all farther inclination of
teazing me."

"My dearest sir," said the Flea-tamer, putting on a very important
face,--"my dearest Mr. Tyss, don't ask me to speak of this event. You
know that the horoscope does indeed plainly and perfectly instruct us
as to the existence of certain circumstances; but,--such is the wisdom
of Eternal Might,--the event of threatening dangers always remains dark
and doubtful. I esteem you too highly as an excellent kind-hearted man
to put you into disquiet and anxiety before the time; otherwise I
should at least tell you so much, that the event which is to give you
the consciousness of power, would in the same moment destroy your
present form of being with the most horrible agonies of hell. But no!
on that too I will be silent; and now not another word of the
horoscope. Do not, however, fret yourself, although the affair looks
bad enough, and I, with all my knowledge, can hardly see any chance of
a favourable issue to the adventure. Perhaps you may be saved from this
peril by some unexpected constellation, which is now beyond the reach
of observation."

Peregrine was astonished at this deceit, yet still the whole state of
the thing, the peculiar situation in which Leuwenhock stood without
suspecting it, appeared to him so exceedingly pleasant, that he could
not help breaking out into a loud fit of laughter. The microscopist,
somewhat surprised at this, asked, "What are you laughing at so
vehemently, my dear Mr. Tyss?"

"You do wisely," replied Peregrine, still laughing,--"you do very
wisely in keeping secret, out of pure kindness, this threatening event;
for