Section 91 A Curious Instrument. — IV
Father. “These instruments are not so uncommon as you suppose; I myself happen to know several individuals1 who2 are possessed of one or two of3 them.”
Charles. “How large are they, father? Could I hold one in my hand?”
Father. “You4 might; but5 I should be very sorry to trust6 mine to you.”
George. “You must take7 very great care of it, then8?”
Father. “Indeed9 I must. I intend every night to envelop10 it in11 the light curtain I mentioned; it must, besides, occasionally be washed in12 a certain colourless liquid kept13 for the purpose; but this is such a delicate14 operation, that15 persons, I find, are generally reluctant to perform it. But notwithstanding the tenderness16 of this instrument, you17 will be surprised to hear that18 it may be darted to a great distance, without19 suffering the least injury, and without any danger of losing it.”
Notes
1 individuals = persons.
2 who — one = who possess one.
3 of them = of the same.
4 Das könntest du wohl.
5 but — sorry = but I should be very unwilling.
6 to trust anything to a person, einem etwas an´vertrauen.
7 to take great care of a thing, etwas sehr inacht nehmen.
8 then = thus, also, which place after the object.
9 Gewiß muß ich das!
10 umhül´len.
11 in — mentioned = with the above-mentioned light curtain.
12 in = with.
13 die man sich zu diesem Zwecke hält.
14 delicate = critical, bedenklich or gefährlich.
15 that — it = that one, as I have found, performs (vollzie´hen) the same generally but (nur) very unwillingly (ungerne).
16 Empfindlichkeit.
17 you — hear = you will hear with astonishment.
18 that — distance, daß man es in weite Fernen werfen kann.
19 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.