affrighted you'-How? terribly affrighted !' interrupted the soldier; would you have Sergeant Annibal Antonio Quebrantador own such a thing as fear? I had rather ten thousand devils should'— 'That's not absolutely necessary,' interrupted Guillermo; and after all it is not much matter what you say, provided you second my design. And when I have married Juanna and am settled, I promise to treat you and all your friends nobly for nothing every day.'- 'You are a very tempting person, Mr. Guillermo,' said the soldier. You propose to me to support a tribe: it is a serious affair, which requires mature deliberation; but the consequences hurry me on. So continue your noise; give your account to Juanna, and I will take care of the rest.'

"Accordingly, next morning he said to his landlord and landlady: I have seen the spirit and have talked with it. It is a very honest fellow. "I am," said he, "the great-grand

father of the master of this house. I had a daughter whom I promised to the father of the grandfather of this drawer. However, neglecting the word I had given him, I married her to another, and died soon after, and ever since am tormented as the punishment of my perjury, and shall never be at rest till one of my family shall marry one of Guillermo's; and it is for this reason I walk here every night. Yet it is to no purpose that I bid them marry Juanna to their head drawer. The son of my grandson and his wife turn the deaf ear to all I can say. But tell them, if you please, Mr. Sergeant, that if they do not immediately comply with my desires, I shall proceed to action and will torment them both in an extraordinary manner.”'

"The host, being silly enough, was terrified at this discourse; but the hostess, yet more silly than her husband, fancying that the spirit was always at her heels, consented to the match, and Guillermo married Juanna the next day, and set up in another part of the town. Sergeant Quebrantador did not fail to visit him often; and he, in acknowledgment of the service he had done him, gave him as much wine as he cared for. This so pleased the soldier that he brought thither not only all his friends, but listed his men there, and made all his recruits drunk.

"But at last Guillermo, grown weary of satiating such a crew of drunkards, told his mind to the soldier; who, without ever thinking that he had exceeded his agreement, was so unjust as to call Guillermo a little ungrateful rascal. The host

answered; the sergeant replied; and the dialogue ended with several strokes with the flat side of the sword, which Guillermo received. Several persons passing by took the vintner's part; the sergeant wounded three or four, but was suddenly fallen on by a crowd of alguazils, who seized him as a disturber of the public peace and carried him to prison. He there declared what I have told you: and upon his deposition, the officers have also seized Guillermo; the father-in-law requires the annulling of the marriage; and the Holy Office being informed that Guillermo is rich, have thought fit to take cognizance of it."

"As I hope to be saved," said Don Cleofas, "this same Holy Inquisition is very alert. The moment they see the least glimpse of profit"

66

Softly," interrupted the cripple; "have a care what freedom you take with this tribunal, for it has its spies everywhere, even of things that were never spoken. I myself dare not speak of it without trembling."

GOTTHOLD EPHRAIM LESSING.

GOTTHOLD EPHRAIM LESSING, a celebrated German dramatist and critic, born at Kamenz in 1729; died at Brunswick in 1781. At the age of seventeen he was sent to the University of Leipzic to study theology. But he found the stage more attractive than the pulpit, and wrote several dramatic pieces. At twenty he went to Berlin, when he devoted himself to literary pursuits. He early conceived the project of freeing German literature from the preva lent imitation of that of France, and giving it a new and original character. In conjunction with Nicolai he founded the Literaturbriefe, a periodical. About 1763 he produced the admirable drama "Minna von Barnhelm." In 1772 he put forth the tragedy "Emilia Galotti;" this still remains one of the best tragedies on the German stage. In 1776 he published "Laocoön" a treatise upon Painting and Poetry. In 1779 he put forth the dramatic poem "Nathan the Wise." His latest work, published in 1780, was "The Education of the Human Race." All the foregoing have been excellently translated into English. A complete edition of his "Works," in 30 vols., was published at Berlin in 1771-1794.

Saladin-Thou dost not think, forsooth, that I

Nathan

The people's voice do scornfully disdain?
Indeed, I have long wished to know the man
The people call the Wise.

What if they mean

By wise that he is only shrewd, and knows
His own advantage craftily to gain?

Saladin-His true advantage meanest thou thereby?
Nathan-Then the most selfish were the shrewdest too;

Then were indeed "crafty" and "wise" the same.
Saladin-I hear thee prove what thou wouldst contradict.
Man's truest gain, which people do not know,
Thou knowest or at least has sought to know;
This thou hast pondered, and 'tis this alone
That makes man wise.

Of all shalt thou receive, and have it at
The fairest price.

Saladin

Not of thy wares!

Shall be my sister.

What dost thou speak of, Jew?

The chafferer with thee

[Aside: That for the eavesdropper.]

With thee as merchant have I naught to do.

Nathan Then doubtless thou thyself wouldst know what I
Have on my journey, of the foe, who seems
To stir again, observed or happened on?
If plainly I-

Saladin

Nathan

That too is not my drift
With thee. Of that I know already what
I require. In short-

Command me, Sultan.

Saladin-In something else that's wholly different

I now desire thy teaching. · Since thou art
So wise, pray tell me once what faith, what law
Has seemed to thee most genuine.

Nathan

Religions, one alone can be the true.

A man like thee remains not standing there,
Where merely chance of birth has cast his lot;
Or if he there remain, then he remains

Through insight, reason, or through better choice.
Come now, impart to me thy insight, let

Me hear the reasons which I've lacked the time
Minutely to examine. Let me know

Of course in strictest confidence

- the grounds

That have availed to fix thy final choice,

That I may make it mine. How? Thou dost start?
Dost weigh me with thy eye? It may well be

That I'm the first of Sultans who e'er had

A whim like this, which yet methinks is not
Unworthy of a Sultan. - Is't not so?

Give answer! Speak! Or wishest thou to have
A moment to reflect? I give it thee.
Reflect, quickly reflect. I shall return
Without delay.

[Retires to an adjoining room.]

Hm! hm! How very strange!

How dazed I am! What does the Sultan want?
What? I thought 'twas money, and he wishes-Truth.
And wishes it cast down and unalloyed,

As though 'twere coin - yes, ancient coin-that's weighed.
And that perhaps might do; but coin so new,

Which by the stamp alone is made to pass,
And may be counted out upon the board,
That it is surely not. Can truth be put
Into the head like coin into a bag?

Who then is here the Jew? Is't I or he?

How then? If he in truth demand the truth?
For the distrust that he employs the truth
But as a trap, would be too mean! Too mean?
And what then for a magnet is too mean?
He rushed into the house and burst the door,
'Tis true
people should knock and listen first,
If they approach as friends. I must proceed
With care.
But how? To be a downright Jew
And not to be at all

Will never do.

A Jew, will do still less. If I'm no Jew,

Might he then ask why not a Mussulman?

That's it! That can save me! Not children only

Are fed with tales. - He comes.

SALADIN returns.

Well, let him come.