hind him a voice whose well-known tones
made his heart jump. "And do you really mean to say that this stock
stands at such a low figure?" Traugott whisked himself quickly round,
and saw, as he had expected, the remarkable old man, who had appealed
to a broker to get him to buy some stock, the price of which had at
that moment fallen to an extremely low figure. Behind the old man stood
the youth, who greeted Traugott with a friendly but melancholy smile.
Then Traugott hastened to address the old man. "Excuse me, sir; the
price of the stock which you are desirous of selling is really no
higher than what you have been told; nevertheless, it may with
confidence be anticipated that in a few days the price will rise
considerably. If, therefore, you take my advice, you will postpone the
conversion of your stock for a little time longer." "Eh! sir?" replied
the old man rather coldly and roughly, "what have you to do with my
business? How do you know that just now a silly bit of paper like this
is of no use at all to me, whilst ready money is what I have great need
of?" Traugott, not a little abashed because the old man had taken his
well-meant intention in such ill part, was on the point of retiring,
when the youth looked at him with tears in his eyes, as if in entreaty.
"My advice was well meant, sir," he replied quickly; "I cannot suffer
you to inflict upon yourself an important loss. Let me have your stock,
but on the condition that I afterwards pay for it the higher price
which it will be worth in a few day's time." "Well, you are an
extraordinary man," said the old man. "Be it so then; although I can't
understand what induces you to want to enrich me." So saying, he shot a
keen flashing glance at the youth, who cast down his beautiful blue
eyes in shy confusion. They both followed Traugott to the office, where
the money was paid over to the old man, whose face was dark and sullen
as he put it in his purse. Whilst he was doing so, the youth whispered
softly to Traugott, "Are you not the gentleman who was sketching such
pretty figures several weeks ago in Arthur's Hall?" "Certainly I am,"
replied Traugott, and he felt how the remembrance of the ridiculous
episode of the letter of advice drove the hot blood into his face. "Oh
then, I don't at all wonder," the youth was continuing, when the old
man gave him an angry look, which at once made him silent. In the
presence of these strangers Traugott could not get rid of a certain
f