You have been an apt scholar.

Of late, however, I have seen little of you--what is the reason ?" The youth made no answer.
"You think, probably, that you have learned all I can teach you?
Well, perhaps you are right." "Not so, not so," said the young man eagerly; "before I knew you I knew nothing, and am still very ignorant; but of late my father's health has been very much broken, and he requires attention; his spirits also have become low, which, to tell you the truth, he attributes to my misconduct.
He says that I have imbibed all kinds of strange notions and doctrines, which will, in all probability, prove my ruin, both here and hereafter; which--which--" "Ah, I understand," said the elder, with another calm whiff.

"I have always had a kind of respect for your father, for there is something remarkable in his appearance, something heroic, and I would fain have cultivated his acquaintance; the feeling, however, has not been reciprocated.

I met him, the other day, up the road, with his cane and dog, and saluted him; he did not return my salutation." "He has certain opinions of his own," said the youth, "which are widely different from those which he has heard that you profess." "I respect a man for entertaining an opinion of his own," said the elderly individual.

"I hold certain opinions; but I should not respect an individual the more for adopting them.