sold in his presence at Portici.

He then gave me a bill of exchange payable at sight in eight days on M.
Genaro de Carlo. I told him that the ingredients were lead and bismuth;
the first, combining with mercury, and the second giving to the whole the
perfect fluidity necessary to strain it through the chamois leather. The
Greek went out to try the amalgam--I do not know where, and I dined
alone, but toward evening he came back, looking very disconsolate, as I
had expected.

"I have made the amalgam," he said, "but the mercury is not perfect."

"It is equal to that which I have sold in Portici, and that is the very
letter of your engagement."

"But my engagement says likewise without injury to the quality. You must
agree that the quality is injured, because it is no longer susceptible of
further augmentation."

"You knew that to be the case; the point is its equality with the mercury
I sold in Portici. But we shall have to go to law, and you will lose. I
am sorry the secret should become public. Congratulate yourself, sir,
for, if you should gain the lawsuit, you will have obtained my secret for
nothing. I would never have believed you capable of deceiving me in such
a manner."

"Reverend sir, I can assure you that I would not willingly deceive any
one."

"Do you know the secret, or do you not? Do you suppose I would have given