"Know you not that holy things lose their virtue if weighed in an unjust balance ?" The Jew hung his head, took from a steel-plated casket a pair of scales beautifully mounted, and said, as he adjusted them for the artist's use, "With these I do mine own experiment--one hair of the high-priest's beard would turn them." "It suffices," said the artist, and weighed out two drachms for himself of the black powder, which he very carefully folded up, and put into his pouch with the other drugs.

He then demanded the price of the Jew, who answered, shaking his head and bowing,-- "No price--no, nothing at all from such as you.

But you will see the poor Jew again?
you will look into his laboratory, where, God help him, he hath dried himself to the substance of the withered gourd of Jonah, the holy prophet.

You will ave pity on him, and show him one little step on the great road ?" "Hush!" said Wayland, laying his finger mysteriously on his mouth; "it may be we shall meet again.

Thou hast already the SCHAHMAJM, as thine own Rabbis call it--the general creation; watch, therefore, and pray, for thou must attain the knowledge of Alchahest Elixir Samech ere I may commune further with thee." Then returning with a slight nod the reverential congees of the Jew, he walked gravely up the lane, followed by his master, whose first observation on the scene he had just witnessed was, that Wayland ought to have paid the man for his drug, whatever it was.
"I pay him ?" said the artist.