IV.

FATHER. “These instruments are not so uncommon as you suppose; I myself _happen to_ know several individuals[1] who[2] are possessed of one or two of[3] them.”

CHARLES. “How large are they, father? Could I hold one in my hand?”

FATHER. “You[4] might; but[5] I should be very sorry to trust[6] mine to you.”

GEORGE. “You must take[7] very great care of it, then[8]?”

FATHER. “Indeed[9] I must. I intend every night to envelop[10] it in[11] the light curtain I mentioned; it must, besides, occasionally be washed in[12] a certain colourless liquid kept[13] for the purpose; but this is such a delicate[14] operation, that[15] persons, I find, are generally reluctant to perform it. But notwithstanding the tenderness[16] of this instrument, you[17] will be surprised to hear that[18] it may be darted to a great distance, without[19] suffering the least injury, and without any danger of losing it.”

[1] individuals = persons.

[2] who — one = who possess one.

[3] of them = of the same.

[4] +Das könntest du wohl.+

[5] but — sorry = but I should be very unwilling.

[6] to trust anything to a person, +einem etwas an´vertrauen+.

[7] to take great care of a thing, +etwas sehr inacht nehmen+.

[8] then = thus, +also+, which place after the object.

[9] +Gewiß muß ich das!+

[10] +umhül´len+.

[11] in — mentioned = with the above-mentioned light curtain.

[12] in = with.

[13] +die man sich zu diesem Zwecke hält.+

[14] delicate = critical, +bedenklich+ or +gefährlich+.

[15] that — it = that one, as I have found, performs (+vollzie´hen+) the same generally but (+nur+) very unwillingly (+ungerne+).

[16] +Empfindlichkeit.+

[17] you — hear = you will hear with astonishment.

[18] that — distance, +daß man es in weite Fernen werfen kann+.

[19] Say ‘without that it suffers the least injury, and without that one runs _any_ danger of losing [to lose] it.’ Comp. S. 1, N. 3.

_Section 92._

A CURIOUS INSTRUMENT.