'The old gentleman was in a rapture to find Tom still in the same
mind, and drawing the young lady towards him by little and little,
was joining their hands by main force, when all of a sudden,
gentlemen, the crucible blows up, with a great crash; everybody
screams; the room is filled with smoke; and Tom, not knowing what
may happen next, throws himself into a Fancy attitude, and says,
"Come on, if you're a man!" without addressing himself to anybody
in particular.

'"The labours of fifteen years!" says the old gentleman, clasping
his hands and looking down upon the Gifted, who was saving the
pieces, "are destroyed in an instant!" - And I am told, gentlemen,
by-the-bye, that this same philosopher's stone would have been
discovered a hundred times at least, to speak within bounds, if it
wasn't for the one unfortunate circumstance that the apparatus
always blows up, when it's on the very point of succeeding.

'Tom turns pale when he hears the old gentleman expressing himself
to this unpleasant effect, and stammers out that if it's quite
agreeable to all parties, he would like to know exactly what has
happened, and what change has really taken place in the prospects
of that company.

'"We have failed for the present, Mr. Grig," says the old
gentleman, wiping his forehead. "And I regret it the more, because
I have in fact invested my niece's five thousand pounds in this
glorious speculation. But don't be cast down," he says, anxiously
- "in another fifteen years, Mr. Grig - "

"Oh!" cries Tom, letting the young lady's hand fall. "Were the