In a month after, he came and asked for his four thousand five hundred drams of silver. I told him they were ready, and should be told down to him in a minute: he was mounted on his ass;, so I desired him to alight, and do me the honour to eat a mouthful with me before he received his money. No, said he, I cannot alight at present; I have urgent business that obliges me to be at a place hard by here; but I will return this way, and take the money, which I desire you would have in readiness. This said, he disappeared; and I still expected his return, but it was a full month before he came again. I thought with myself, the young man reposes a great trust in me, leaving so great a sum in my hands without knowing me; another would have been afraid lest I should have run away with it. To be short, he came again at the end of the third month, and was still mounted on his ass, but finer in his clothes than before. As soon as I saw him, I entreated him to alight, and asked him if he would not take his money? It is no matter for that, said he, with a pleasant easy air, I know it is in good hands; I will come and take it when all my other money is gone: adieu, continued he, I will come again towards the latter end of the week. He then clapped spurs to his ass, and away he went. Well, thought I to myself, he says he will see me towards the latter end of the week, but it is likely I may not see him for a great while; will go and make the most of his money, and get a good penny by it. As it happened, I was not out of my conjecture, for it was a full year before I saw my young merchant again. Then he appeared indeed with richer apparel than before, but very thoughtful. I asked him to do me the honour to walk into my house: for this time, replied he, I will go in; but upon this condition, that you shall put yourself to no extraordinary charge upon my account. That shall be as you please, said I; only do me the favour to alight and walk in. He accordingly complied, and I gave orders for some sort of entertainment; and, while that was getting ready we fell into discourse together. When the victuals were got ready, we sat down at table. When he ate the first mouthful, I observed he fed himself with the left hand, and not with the right; I could not tell what to think of it; I thought within myself, ever since I knew this young man, he always appeared very polite: is it possible he can do this out of contempt? What can the matter be that he does not make use of his right hand? After we had done eating, and every thing was taken away, we sat down upon a sofa, when I presented him with a lozenge that was excellent for giving a sweet breath, but he still took it with his left hand. Then I accosted him in this manner: Sir, pray pardon the liberty I take in asking you what reason you have for not making use of your right hand; it is likely you have some disorder in that hand. Instead of answering, he fetched a deep