land's collection of old German songs--his
own poems I knew long before--the _Nibelungen_ and _Hero-Book_, and a
great variety of other works. I had dropped the Occulta, and for a year
or two read nothing of the kind except casually the works of
Eckhartshausen and Justinus Kerner. I can now see that, as I became
healthy and strong, owing to the easy, pleasant existence which I led, it
was best for me after all. "Grappling with life" and earnestly studying
a profession then might have extinguished me. My mental spring, though
not broken, was badly bent, and it required a long time to straighten it.

Colquhoun was only eighteen, but far beyond his years in dissipation, and
well-nigh advanced to cool cynicism. With him I made many an excursion
all about the country. Wherever a _Kirclweih_ or peasants' ball was to
be held, he always knew of it, and there we went. One morning early he
came to my rooms. There was to be a really stunning duel fought early
between a Senior and some very illustrious _Schlager_, and he had two
English friends named Burnett who would go with us. So we went, and
meeting with Rucker at the _Pawkboden_, it was proposed that we should go
on together to Baden-Baden. To which I objected that I had only twenty
florins in my pocket, and had no time to return home for more. "Never
mind," said Colquhoun; "Rucker has plenty of money; we can borrow from
him."

We went to Baden and to the first hotel, and had a fine dinner, and saw
the Burnetts off. Then, of course, to the gaming-table, where Colquhoun
speedily lost all his money, and I so much that I had but ten florins
left. "Never mind; we'll pump on Rucker," said Colquhoun.

We went up to visit the old castle. While there, Rucker took off his
overcoat, in which he had his pocket-book, and laid it over a chair. When
we returned to the hotel the pocket-book was gone! There we were, with a
hotel-bill to pay and never a cent wherewith to pay it. I had, however,
still ten florins. Colquhoun suddenly remembered that he had seen
something in the town, price ten florins, which he _must_ buy. It was
something which he had promised to buy for a relative in England. It was
a very serious case of necessity.

I doubted my dear friend, but having sworn him by all his gods that he
would _not_ gamble with the money, I gave it to him. So he, of course,
went straight to the gaming-table, and, having luck, won enough to pay
our debt and take us home.