"Gratitude, my friend, cannot be too much towards God, but towards man,
it should be limited. No man can possibly so serve his fellow, as to
merit unbounded gratitude. Over gratitude in the helped person, is apt
to breed vanity or arrogance in the helping one. Now in assisting you
to get home--if indeed I shall prove able to do so--I shall be simply
doing part of my official duty as agent of our common country. So you
owe me just nothing at all, but the sum of these coins I put in your
hand just now. But that, instead of repaying to me hereafter, you can,
when you get home, give to the first soldier's widow you meet. Don't
forget it, for it is a debt, a pecuniary liability, owing to me. It will
be about a quarter of a dollar, in the Yankee currency. A quarter of a
dollar, mind. My honest friend, in pecuniary matters always be exact as
a second-hand; never mind with whom it is, father or stranger, peasant
or king, be exact to a tick of your honor."

"Well, Doctor," said Israel, "since exactness in these matters is so
necessary, let me pay back my debt in the very coins in which it was
loaned. There will be no chance of mistake then. Thanks to my Brentford
friends, I have enough to spare of my own, to settle damages with the
boot-black of the bridge. I only took the money from you, because I
thought it would not look well to push it back after being so kindly
offered."

"My honest friend," said the Doctor, "I like your straightforward
dealing. I will receive back the money."

"No interest, Doctor, I hope," said Israel.

The sage looked mildly over his spectacles upon Israel and replied: "My
good friend, never permit yourself to be jocose upon pecuniary matters.