that is true. I succeeded. From this hour I am more
powerful and richer than you. You shall see that I only hated your
house, not yourself; I have come to help you. You must indeed fail;
that I am aware of, and that if you were to put forth all your power,
you could not stand this blow, You must and will fail, and that this
very day."

Gotzkowsky muttered some unintelligible words, and covered his face
with his hands. "Yes," he cried, piteously, "I and all my hopes have
suffered shipwreck."

Ephraim laid his hand suddenly upon his shoulder. "Seek, then, to save
some plank from the wreck, on which you may swim. You can no longer
save your creditors; save yourself."

Gotzkowsky removed his hands slowly from his face, and looked at him
with astonishment and wonder.

Ephraim met his look with a smiling and mysterious expression, and
bending down to Gotzkowsky's ear, whispered: "I think you will not be
such a fool as to give up all you have to your creditors, and to go
out of your house a poor man. Intrust me with your important papers,
and all that you possess of money and valuables, and I will preserve
them for you. You do not answer. Come, be reasonable; do not allow the
world the pleasure of pitying you; it does not deserve it. Believe
me, mankind is bad; and he is a fool who strives to be better than
his fellows." He stopped, and directed an inquiring look toward
Gotzkowsky.

The latter regarded him proudly and with contempt. "This, then, is
your friendship for me? You wish to make me a cheat!"

"Every man cheats his neighbor," cried Ephraim, shrugging his
shoulders; "why should you alone be honest?"

"Because I do not wish to be ashamed of myself. It is the fault of
others that I fall to-day. It shall not be said that Gotzkowsky is
guilty of any crime of his own."

"It will be said, nevertheless," interrupted Ephraim; "for whoever is
unfortunate, is in the wrong, in the eyes of men. And if he can help
himself at the expense of others, and does not do it, do you think men
will admire him for it? No! believe me, they will only laugh at him.
I have often been sorry for you, Gotzkowsky; for, with all your good
sense, your whole life through has been a miscalculation--"

"Or rather say," said Gotzkowsky, sadly, "I have not calculated
enough, and from all the experiences of my life I have not drawn the
sum total."

"You miscalculated," said Ephraim, "for you calculated on gratitude.
That is a bad investment wh