without thoroughly knowing and fully approving of the purposes to which it
is to be applied. You tell me you are in extreme want of an immediate
supply. Of what nature is your necessity? What has occasioned your
necessity? I will not withhold what will really do you good,--what I am
thoroughly convinced will do you good; but I must first be convinced."

"What would you have more than my word? I tell you it will save your-I
tell you it will serve me essentially. It is surely needless to enter into
long and intricate details, which, ten to one, you will not
understand."

"As you please," said L "I have told you that I will not act in the
dark."

"Well, then, I will explain my situation to you as clearly as
possible."

He then proceeded to state transactions of which I understood nothing.
All was specious and plausible; but I easily perceived the advantages
under which he spoke, and the gross folly of suffering my conduct to be
influenced by representations of whose integrity I had no means of
judging.

I will not detain you longer by this conversation. Suffice it to say,
that I positively refused to comply with his wishes. The altercation that
ensued was fortunately interrupted by the entrance of two or three
visitants, and, after lingering a few minutes, he left the house gloomy
and dissatisfied.

I have gone into these incidents with a minuteness that I fear has