The dwarf made no reply, but covering his face with his hands, seemed a prey to deep emotion. After a few moments' pause, Ginger repeated the question. "If you won't believe what I tell you, it's useless to give an answer," said Old Parr, somewhat gruffly. "Oh yes, _I_ believe you, deputy," observed the Tinker, "and so does the Sandman." "Well, then," replied the dwarf, "I'll tell you how it comes to pass. Fate has been against me. I've had plenty of chances, but I never could get on. I've been in a hundred different walks of life, but they always led down hill. It's my destiny." "That's hard," rejoined the Tinker--"werry hard. But how d'ye account for livin' so long?" he added, winking as he spoke to the others. "I've already given you an explanation," replied the dwarf. "Av, but it's a cur'ous story, and I vants my friends to hear it," said the Tinker, in a coaxing tone. "Well then, to oblige you, I'll go through it again," rejoined the dwarf. "You must know I was for some time servant to Doctor Lamb, an old alchemist, who lived during the reign of good Queen Bess, and who used to pass all his time in trying to find out the secret of changing lead and copper into gold." "I've known several indiwiduals as has found out that secret, wenerable," observed Ginger. "And ve calls 'em smashers, nowadays--not halchemists." "Doctor Lamb's object was actually to turn base metal into gold," rejoined Old Parr, in a tone of slight contempt. "But his chief aim was to produce the elixir of long life. Night and day he worked at the operation;--night and day I laboured with him, until at last we were both brought to the verge of the grave in our search after immortality. One night--I remember it well,--it was the last night of the sixteenth century,--a young man, severely wounded, was brought to my master's dwelling on London Bridge. I helped to convey him to the laboratory, where I left him with the doctor, who was busy with his experiments. My curiosity being aroused, I listened at the door, and though I could not distinguish much that passed inside, I heard sufficient to convince me that Doctor Lamb had made the grand discovery, and succeeded in distilling the elixir. Having learnt this, I went down-stairs, wondering what would next ensue. Half-an-hour elapsed, and while the bells were ringing in the new year joyfully, the young man whom I had assisted to carry up-stairs, and whom I supposed at death's door, marched down as firmly as if nothing had happened, passed by me, and disappeared, before I could shake off my astonishment. I saw at once he had drunk the elixir." "Ah!--ah!" exclaimed the Tinker, with a knowing glance at his companions, who returned it with gestures of equal significance.