at least, entitled to dispute
with them the palm. Indeed, to my mind, there is more genuine poetry
contained in the old Danish book which I came so strangely by, than has
been produced in Germany from the period of the Niebelungen lay to the
present.'

'Ah, the Koempe Viser?' said the elderly individual, breathing forth an
immense volume of smoke, which he had been collecting during the
declamation of his young companion. 'There are singular things in that
book, I must confess; and I thank you for showing it to me, or rather
your attempt at translation. I was struck with that ballad of Orm
Ungarswayne, who goes by night to the grave-hill of his father to seek
for counsel. And then, again, that strange melancholy Swayne Vonved, who
roams about the world propounding people riddles; slaying those who
cannot answer, and rewarding those who can with golden bracelets. Were
it not for the violence, I should say that ballad has a philosophic
tendency. I thank you for making me acquainted with the book, and I
thank the Jew Mousha for making me acquainted with you.'

'That Mousha was a strange customer,' said the youth, collecting himself.

'He _was_ a strange customer,' said the elder individual, breathing forth
a gentle cloud. 'I love to exercise hospitality to wandering strangers,
especially foreigners; and when he came to this place, pretending to
teach German and Hebrew, I asked him to dinner. After the first dinner,
he asked me to lend him five pounds; I _did_ lend him five pounds. After
the fifth dinner, he asked me to lend him fifty pounds; I did _not_ lend
him the fifty pounds.'

'He was as ignorant of German as of Hebrew,' said the youth; 'on which
account he was soon glad, I suppose, to transfer his pupil to some one
else.'

'He told me,' said the elder individual, 'that he intended to leave a
town where he did not find sufficient encouragement; and, at the same
time, expressed regret at being obliged to abandon a certain
extraordinary pupil, for whom he had a particular regard. Now I, who
have taught many people German from the love which I bear to it, and the
desire which I feel that it should be generally diffused, instantly said
that I should be happy to take his pupil off his hands, and afford him
what instruction I could in German, for, as to Hebrew, I have never taken
much interest in it. Such was the origin of our acquaintance. You have
been an apt scholar. Of late, however, I have seen littl