You will despise me, Sir. CHARLES. No; any one who goes astray, and returns again to virtue, merits our respect. LANDBERGEN. Will you retain any regard for me, when I tell you, that on leaving my father I stole a small sum he had saved, in order to try my fortune at cards; I had already lost a great deal of money with the same people, whom I now wished to play with again. CHARLES. Yes, certainly; you weep; those tears do you honour; your heart is not bad, but it has been too weak to resist the allurements of vice in bad company. LANDBERGEN. Yes, I have acted a base part, and by neglecting my duty, have lost an eligible employment. And yet I never deliberately did wrong. I have always intended to reform for I hated myself when I thought a moment; and shunned my father’s eyes as if I dreaded they would dart death on me. I frequently ran out, to avoid thought, and forget remorse, at the gaming-table. Nay, even when I have only gone to take a walk, and determined not to spend any money, or lose my time, the sight of one of my companions, a single word, banished all my good resolutions, and I followed him wherever he chose to lead me. CHARLES. The only means to conquer this weakness, is resolutely to determine to employ yourself, and never to allow your imagination to dwell on scenes which are likely to inflame it. You were formerly fond of reading, I hear, and have made some progress in music; return to those rational employments; visit us when you have finished your daily task; we have got some new music. I have sometimes heard my tutor advise a young man, who, like yourself, had a good heart, to frequent the company of modest women; there are many young ladies at the Hague who will be glad of your company if you act with propriety: and their society will make you feel disgust when you mix with young people who have lost the charm of innocence. LANDBERGEN. But can this ever wash out the stain of a false signature? CHARLES. Undoubtedly it may; forget this signature, as I shall. (Saying so, he tore the note.) See there the small offering which I make to your repentance and return to virtue. Your father knows nothing of this: let us conceal it from him. Landbergen embraced his young benefactor. We both observed that he was very much moved: he grasped Charles’s hand, and could only say, I owe my preservation, my peace, to you. Had you seen, at this moment, your brother, Miss Emilia, you would have been delighted. The most heart-felt satisfaction seemed painted on his countenance. We then left the house, and during our walk home, we endeavoured in vain to raise Landbergen’s spirits; he appeared oppressed by a sense of his fault.