Chapter 4

FATHER. “These instruments are not so uncommon as you suppose; I myself happen to know several individuals who are possessed of one or two of them.”

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

FATHER. “You might; but I should be very sorry to trust mine to you.”

GEORGE. “You must take very great care of it, then?”

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

individuals = persons.

who — one = who possess one.

of them = of the same.

+Das könntest du wohl.+

but — sorry = but I should be very unwilling.

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

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

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

+Gewiß muß ich das!+

+umhül´len+.

in — mentioned = with the above-mentioned light curtain.

in = with.

+die man sich zu diesem Zwecke hält.+

delicate = critical, +bedenklich+ or +gefährlich+.

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

+Empfindlichkeit.+

you — hear = you will hear with astonishment.

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

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.