recovery。　　His　sufferings　were　great；　yet　he　invariably　bore　them
  with　unshaken　fortitude。　　There　was　one　thing　remarkable　connected
  with　his　illness；　notwithstanding　its　severity；　it　never　confined
  him　to　his　bed。　　He　was　wont　to　sit　in　his　little　parlour；　in　his
  easy…chair；　dressed　in　a　faded　regimental　coat；　his　dog　at　his
  feet；　who　would　occasionally　lift　his　head　from　the　hearth…rug　on
  which　he　lay；　and　look　his　master　wistfully　in　the　face。　　And　thus
  my　father　spent　the　greater　part　of　his　time；　sometimes　in　prayer；
  sometimes　in　meditation；　and　sometimes　in　reading　the　Scriptures。
  I　frequently　sat　with　him；　though；　as　I　entertained　a　great　awe　for
  my　father；　I　used　to　feel　rather　ill　at　ease；　when；　as　sometimes
  happened；　I　found　myself　alone　with　him。
  'I　wish　to　ask　you　a　few　questions；'　said　he　to　me　one　day；　after
  my　mother　had　left　the　room。
  'I　will　answer　anything　you　may　please　to　ask　me；　my　dear　father。'
  'What　have　you　been　about　lately？'
  'I　have　been　occupied　as　usual；　attending　at　the　office　at　the
  appointed　hours。'
  'And　what　do　you　there？'
  'Whatever　I　am　ordered。'
  'And　nothing　else？'
  'Oh　yes！　sometimes　I　read　a　book。'
  'Connected　with　your　profession？'
  'Not　always；　I　have　been　lately　reading　Armenian　…　'
  'What's　that？'
  'The　language　of　a　people　whose　country　is　a　region　on　the　other
  side　of　Asia　Minor。'
  'Well！'
  'A　region　abounding　with　mountains。'
  'Well！'
  'Amongst　which　is　Mount　Ararat。'
  'Well！'
  'Upon　which；　as　the　Bible　informs　us；　the　ark　rested。'
  'Well！'
  'It　is　the　language　of　the　people　of　those　regions　…　'
  'So　you　told　me。'
  'And　I　have　been　reading　the　Bible　in　their　language。'
  'Well！'
  'Or　rather；　I　should　say；　in　the　ancient　language　of　these　people；
  from　which　I　am　told　the　modem　Armenian　differs　considerably。'
  'Well！'
  'As　much　as　the　Italian　from　the　Latin。'
  'Well！'
  'So　I　have　been　reading　the　Bible　in　ancient　Armenian。'
  'You　told　me　so　before。'
  'I　found　it　a　highly　difficult　language。'
  'Yes。'
  'Differing　widely　from　the　languages　in　general　with　which　I　am
  acquainted。'
  'Yes。'
  'Exhibiting；　however；　some　features　in　common　with　them。'
  'Yes。'
  'And　sometimes　agreeing　remarkably　in　words　with　a　certain　strange
  wild　speech　with　which　I　became　acquainted　…　'
  'Irish？'
  'No；　father；　not　Irish　…　with　which　I　became　acquainted　by　the
  greatest　chance　in　the　world。'
  'Yes。'
  'But　of　which　I　need　say　nothing　farther　at　present；　and　which　I
  should　not　have　mentioned　but　for　that　fact。'
  'Well！'
  'Which　I　consider　remarkable。'
  'Yes。'
  'The　Armenian　is　copious。'
  'Is　it？'
  'With　an　alphabet　of　thirty…nine　letters；　but　it　is　harsh　and
  guttural。'
  'Yes。'
  'Like　the　language　of　most　mountainous　people　…　the　Armenians　call
  it　Haik。'
  'Do　they？'
  'And　themselves；　Haik；　also；　they　are　a　remarkable　people；　and；
  though　their　original　habitation　is　the　Mountain　of　Ararat；　they
  are　to　be　found；　like　the　Jews；　all　over　the　world。'
  'Well！'
  'Well；　father；　that's　all　I　can　tell　you　about　the　Haiks；　or
  Armenians。'
  'And　what　does　it　all　amount　to？'
  'Very　little；　father；　indeed；　there　is　very　little　known　about　the
  Armenians；　their　early　history；　in　particular；　is　involved　in
  considerable　mystery。'
  'And；　if　you　knew　all　that　it　was　possible　to　know　about　them；　to
  what　would　it　amount？　to　what　earthly　purpose　could　you　turn　it？
  have　you　acquired　any　knowledge　of　your　profession？'
  'Very　little；　father。'
  'Very　little！　　Have　you　acquired　all　in　your　power？'
  'I　can't　say　that　I　have；　father。'
  'And　yet　it　was　your　duty　to　have　done　so。　　But　I　see　how　it　is；
  you　have　shamefully　misused　your　opportunities；　you　are　like　one
  who；　sent　into　the　field　to　labour；　passes　his　time　in　flinging
  stones　at　the　birds　of　heaven。'
  'I　would　scorn　to　fling　a　stone　at　a　bird；　father。'
  'You　know　what　I　mean；　and　all　too　well；　and　this　attempt　to　evade
  deserved　reproof　by　feigned　simplicity　is　quite　in　character　with
  your　general　behaviour。　　I　have　ever　observed　about　you　a　want　of
  frankness；　which　has　distressed　me；　you　never　speak　of　what　you　are
  about；　your　hopes；　or　your　projects；　but　cover　yourself　with
  mystery。　　I　never　knew　till　the　present　moment　that　you　were
  acquainted　with　Armenian。'
  'Because　you　never　asked　me；　father；　there's　nothing　to　conceal　in
  the　matter　…　I　will　tell　you　in　a　moment　how　I　came　to　learn
  Armenian。　　A　lady　whom　I　met　at　one　of　Mrs。　…'s　parties　took　a
  fancy　to　me；　and　has　done　me　the　honour　to　allow　me　to　go　and　see
  her　sometimes。　　She　is　the　widow　of　a　rich　clergyman；　and　on　her
  husband's　death　came　to　this　place　to　live；　bringing　her　husband's
  library　with　her：　　I　soon　found　my　way　to　it；　and　examined　every
  book。　　Her　husband　must　have　been　a　learned　man；　for　amongst　much
  Greek　and　Hebrew　I　found　several　volumes　in　Armenian；　or　relating
  to　the　language。'
  'And　why　did　you　not　tell　me　of　this　before？'
  'Because　you　never　questioned　me；　but；　I　repeat；　there　is　nothing
  to　conceal　in　the　matter。　　The　lady　took　a　fancy　to　me；　and；　being
  fond　of　the　arts；　drew　my　portrait；　she　said　the　expression　of　my
  countenance　put　her　in　mind　of　Alfieri's　Saul。'
  'And　do　you　still　visit　her？'
  'No；　she　soon　grew　tired　of　me；　and　told　people　that　she　found　me
  very　stupid；　she　gave　me　the　Armenian　books；　however。'
  'Saul；'　said　my　father；　musingly；　'Saul。　　I　am　afraid　she　was　only
  too　right　there；　he　disobeyed　the　commands　of　his　master；　and
  brought　down　on　his　head　the　vengeance　of　Heaven　…　he　became　a
  maniac；　prophesied；　and　flung　weapons　about　him。'
  'He　was；　indeed；　an　awful　character　…　I　hope　I　shan't　turn　out　like
  him。'
  'God　forbid！'　said　my　father；　solemnly；　'but　in　many　respects　you
  are　headstrong　and　disobedient　like　him。　　I　placed　you　in　a
  profession；　and　besought　you　to　make　yourself　master　of　it　by
  giving　it　your　undivided　attention。　　This；　however；　you　did　not　do；
  you　know　nothing　of　it；　but　tell　me　that　you　are　acquainted　with
  Armenian；　but　what　I　dislike　most　is　your　want　of　candour　…　you　are
  my　son；　but　I　know　little　of　your　real　history；　you　may　know　fifty
  things　for　what　I　am　aware：　　you　may　know　how　to　shoe　a　horse　for
  what　I　am　aware。'
  'Not　only　to　shoe　a　horse；　father；　but　to　make　horse…shoes。'
  'Perhaps　so；'　said　my　father；　'and　it　only　serves　to　prove　what　I
  was　just　saying；　that　I　know　little　about　you。'
  'But　you　easily　may；　my　dear　father；　I　will　tell　you　anything　that
  you　may　wish　to　know　…　shall　I　inform　you　how　I　learnt　to　make
  horse…shoes？'
  'No；'　said　my　father；　'as　you　kept　it　a　secret　so　long；　it　may　as
  well　continue　so　still。　　Had　you　been　a　frank；　open…hearted　boy；
  like　one　I　could　name；　you　would　have　told　me　all　about　it　of　your
  own　accord。　　But　I　now　wish　to　ask　you　a　serious　question　…　what　do
  you　propose　to　do？'
  'To　do；　father？'
  'Yes！　the　time　for　which　you　were　articled　to　your　profession　will
  soon　be　expired；　and　I　shall　be　no　more。'
  'Do　not　talk　so；　my　dear　father；　I　have　no　doubt　that　you　will　soon
  be　better。'
  'Do　not　flatter　yourself；　I　feel　that　my　days　are　numbered；　I　am
  soon　going　to　my　rest；　and　I　have　need　of　rest；　for　I　am　weary。
  There；　there；　don't　weep！　　Tears　will　help　me　as　little　as　they
  will　you；　you　have　not　yet　answered　my　question。　　Tell　me　what　you
  intend　to　do？'
  'I　really　do　not　know　what　I　shall　do。'
  'The　military　pension　which　I　enjoy　will　cease　with　my　life。　　The
  property　which　I　shall　leave　behind　me　will　be　barely　sufficient
  for　the　maintenance　of　your　mother　respectably。　　I　again　ask　you
  what　you　intend　to　do。　　Do　you　think　you　can　support　yourself　by
  your　Armenian　or　your　other　acquirements？'
  'Alas！　　I　think　little　at　all　about　it；　but　I　suppose　I　must　push
  into　the　world；　and　make　a　good　fight；　as　becomes　the　son　of　him
  who　fought　Big　Ben；　if　I　can't　succeed；　and　am　driven　to　the　worst；
  it　is　but　dying　…　'
  'What　do　you　mean　by　dying？'
  'Leaving　the　world；　my　loss　would　scarcely　be　felt。　　I　have　never
  held　life　in　much　value；　and　every　one　has　a　right　to　dispose　as　he
  thinks　best　of　that　which　is　his　own。'
  'Ah！　now　I　understand　you；　and　well　I　know　how　and　where　you
  imbibed　that　horrible　doctrine；　and　many　similar　ones　which　I　have
  heard　from　your　mouth；　but　I　wish　not　to　reproach　you　…　I　view　in
  your　conduct　a　punishment　for　my　own　sins；　and　I　bow　to　the　will　of
  God。　　Few　and　evil　have　been　my　days　upon　the　earth；　little　have　I
  done　to　which　I　can　look　back　with　satisfaction。　　It　is　true　I　have
  served　my　king　fifty　years；　and　I　have　fought　with　…　Heaven　forgive
  me；　what　was　I　about　to　sa