he sick, this same friend could at the very same time
deem me capable of such infamous wickedness. Observe now, observe what
a dangerous thing it is, to admit such dark spirits and phantoms into
ones soul, from which in time they utterly drive out all truth and
love, and strength and faith. O thou bright pure form of Truth! O thou
spotless beauty of Virtue! How changed does this man seem to me since
that calamitous word, how changed am I myself! how fearfully, how
dismally has the relation between us changed! It seems to me as though
the very belief in the possibility of anything like what this man has
believed possible of me, had cast a shade of vice and depravity over
my whole life: for this noble being has hitherto been the mirror of my
own worth, by looking at which I became conscious of my own
well-meaning and integrity. Can everything, everything in our heart be
thus transformed in a single moment? Yes, my dear, my fatherly friend,
I shall evermore honour and love you; I admire you while I mourn over
you; but even without any further cause this conversation would have
parted us; this alone, without regard to my happiness or unhappiness,
must drive me from you into the wide world."

"So then we are now finally severed," said the old man very
sorrowfully, "by destiny, not by my fault. One may master everything,
except ones own innermost self. Suspicion in me is not that bad thing
into which your overstrained sense of honour, such as I never saw in
any man before, converts it by the meaning you assign to it. But, my
dearest friend, without whom my life will long be a mere blank, you
will stay at least a few days, until you can take away the papers that
will secure your fortune to you. For this compensation you must accept
from me as from a father, unless you would quite overwhelm me with
shame."

They embraced, and the old man gave Edward an unlimited permission to
take whatever steps he thought proper for the sake of detecting and
punishing the thief. Edward had regained his self-possession; and the
old man was all kindness and gentleness. They talkt about other
affairs; and Edward took some accountbooks under his arm to look over
and correct.

"Embrace me once more with all your heart," said the old man, "and
forgive me too with all your heart."

Edward turned back, and after embracing him said: "My dearest friend,
what have I to forgive you for, thinking as you do? It is not the
right word. What I have just e