KENILWORTH - Penn State University

Sir Walter Scottwith circumspection a cabinet which seemed more stronglysecured than the other cases of drugs and medicines amongstwhich it stood, he drew out a little secret drawer, having aglass lid, and containing a small portion of a black powder.This he offered to Wayland, his manner conveying the deepestdevotion towards him, though an avaricious and jealousexpression, which seemed to grudge every grain of what hiscustomer was about to possess himself, disputed ground inhis countenance with the obsequious deference which he desiredit should exhibit.“Have you scales?” said Wayland.The Jew pointed to those which lay ready for common usein the shop, but he did so with a puzzled expression of doubtand fear, which did not escape the artist.“They must be other than these,” said Wayland sternly.“Know you not that holy things lose their virtue if weighedin an unjust balance?”The Jew hung his head, took from a steel-plated casket apair of scales beautifully mounted, and said, as he adjustedthem for the artist’s use, “With these I do mine own experiment—onehair of the high-priest’s beard would turn them.”“It suffices,” said the artist, and weighed out two drachmsfor himself of the black powder, which he very carefully foldedup, and put into his pouch with the other drugs. He thendemanded the price of the Jew, who answered, shaking hishead and bowing, —“No price—no, nothing at all from such as you. But youwill see the poor Jew again? you will look into his laboratory,where, God help him, he hath dried himself to thesubstance of the withered gourd of Jonah, the holy prophet.You will ave pity on him, and show him one little step onthe great road?”“Hush!” said Wayland, laying his finger mysteriously on hismouth; “it may be we shall meet again. Thou hast already theschahmajm, as thine own Rabbis call it—the general creation;watch, therefore, and pray, for thou must attain the knowledgeof Alchahest Elixir Samech ere I may commune furtherwith thee.” Then returning with a slight nod the reverentialcongees of the Jew, he walked gravely up the lane, followedby his master, whose first observation on the scene he hadjust witnessed was, that Wayland ought to have paid the manfor his drug, whatever it was.159