"I travelled very comfortably, thank you," said Santonio, in reply to some inquiry suggestive of the journey, "and I am glad to see you younger than ever." "Oh! my sort don't die; we are tough as hempen cloth. It is _that_ make which frets itself threadbare,"--he pointed obviously at me. "What is to be done with him, eh?" "To be left here, of course, as we agreed." "Recollect my conditions. I turn him out if he become ill." "Oh! he is very well indeed; they are all pale in England, they have no sun." "_Be_ well then!" said Aronach, threateningly, yet not terrifyingly, "and _keep_ well!" What a silvery stream swept over his shirt-bosom! it was soft as whitest moonlight. "Is that a beard?" thought I--"how beautiful must the high-priest have looked!" This thought still touched me, when in came a boy in a blouse, and I heard no more of his practice as I now recognized it, though the wail still came from above, fitful and woebegone. This boy was tall and slender, and his face, though he had an elegant head, was too formed and adult to be agreeable or very taking for me. His only expression was that of haughty self-content; but there was no real pride in his bearing, and no reserve. His hands were large, but very well articulated and extremely white; there was no spirit in them, and no spirituality in his aspect. He took no notice of me, except to curl his upper lip--which was not short, and which a curl did not become--as he lifted a second stool and carried it up to the table; nor did he wait to be asked to sit down upon it, and having done so, to smooth his hair off his forehead and lean his elbows upon the table. Then Aronach took a chair, and admonished Santonio to do the same. The latter made himself instantly at home, but most charmingly so, and began to help himself from a dish directly. The young gentleman upon the stool was just about to lift the cover from the tureen in the same style, when Aronach roused, and looking grandly upon him said, or rather muttered, "Where are thy manners? Is it thy place in my house to ape my guests? See to thy companion there, who is wearier than thou, and yet he waits. Go and bring him up, or thou shalt give thy supper to the cat's daughter."