"What! upon your own responsibility?"
"Upon my own responsibility for a while. I shall try afterwards to enter the office of some lawyer. I shall use every faculty, try every means and improve every opportunity that Heaven grants me for this end. And thus I hope to succeed," said Ishmael gravely.
"Are you aware," inquired the judge, with a little sarcasm in his tone, "that some knowledge of the classics is absolutely necessary to the success of a lawyer?"
"I am aware that a knowledge of the classics is very desirable in each and all of what are termed the 'learned professions'; but I did not know, and I do not think, that it can be absolutely necessary in every grade of each of these; but if so, it is well for me that I have a fair knowledge of Latin and Greek," replied Ishmael.
"What did you say?" inquired the judge, with ever-increasing wonder.
Ishmael blushed at the perception that while he only meant to state a fact, he might be suspected of making a boast.
"Did you say that you knew anything of Latin and Greek?" inquired the judge, in amazement.
"Something of both, sir," replied Ishmael modestly.
"But surely you never picked up a smattering of the classics while sweeping out Middleton's family schoolroom!"
"Oh, no, sir!" laughed Ishmael.