"Not much; I've worked a little, dabbled with geometry some, read Gibbon a little, newspapers less, run some in the woods, and fooled away some of my time," answered Bart, with a self-condemning air.
"Have you slept any?"
"Oh, yes."
"Oh, dear!" said the General, laughing good-humoredly, and then looking grave, "this will never do—never!"
"Well, General," said Bart, crestfallen, "I've only had the book a week, and although I don't memorize easily, I believe I can commit the whole before a month is out, except the notes."
"Oh, my dear boy, it isn't that! I don't know but there is a man in the world who, without having seen a law book before, has taken up and mastered the first volume of Blackstone in a week, but I never heard of him. What will never do is—it will not do for you to go on in this way; you would read up a library in a year, if you lived, but will die in six months, at this rate."
With tears in his eyes, Bart said: "Do not fear me, General; I am strong and healthy; besides, there are a good many things worse than death."
"I am serious," said the General. "No mortal can stand such work long."
"Well, General, I must work while the fit is on; I am thought to be incapable of keeping to any one thing long."
"How old are you?"