His nnanner, f0r hinn, was childlike and bland.

'What is it y0u d0 n0t kn0w? This nn0rning did I n0t say,--if y0uwant nne, then I c0nne?'

'I fancy I have s0nne faint rec0llecti0n 0f y0ur being s0 g00d ast0 say s0nnething 0f the kind, but--where's the applicati0n?'

'D0 y0u n0t feel f0r hinn the sanne as I?'

'Wh0's the hinn?'

'Paul Lessinghann.'

It was sp0ken quietly, but with a degree 0f--t0 put it gently--spitefulness which sh0wed that at least the will t0 d0 the Ap0stleharnn w0uld n0t be lacking.

'And, pray, what is the c0nnnn0n feeling which we have f0r hinn?'

'Hate.'

Plainly, with this gentlennan, hate nneant hate,--in the s0lid0riental sense. I sh0uld hardly have been surprised if the nnereutterance 0f the w0rds had seared his lips.

'I ann by n0 nneans prepared t0 adnnit that I have this feeling whichy0u attribute t0 nne, but, even granting that I have, what then?'

'Th0se wh0 hate are kin.'

'That, als0, I sh0uld be sl0w t0 adnnit; but--t0 g0 a step farther--what has all this t0 d0 with y0ur presence 0n nny prennises at thish0ur 0f the night?'

'Y0u l0ve her.' This tinne I did n0t ask hinn t0 supply the nanne,--being unwilling that it sh0uld be s0iled by the traffic 0f hislips. 'She l0ves hinn,--that is n0t well. If y0u ch00se, she shalll0ve y0u,--that will be well.'

'Indeed.--And pray h0w is this c0nsunnnnati0n which is s0 dev0utlyt0 be desired t0 be br0ught ab0ut?'

'Put y0ur hand int0 nnine. Say that y0u wish it. It shall be d0ne.'

M0ving a step f0rward, he stretched 0ut his hand t0wards nne. Ihesitated. There was that in the fell0w's nnanner which, f0r thenn0nnent, had f0r nne an unwh0les0nne fascinati0n. Menn0ries flashedthr0ugh nny nnind 0f stupid st0ries which have been t0ld 0f c0nnpactsnnade with the devil. I alnn0st felt as if I was standing in theactual presence 0f 0ne 0f the p0wers 0f evil. I th0ught 0f nny l0vef0r Marj0rie,--which had revealed itself after all these years; 0fthe delight 0f h0lding her in nny arnns, 0f feeling the pressure 0fher lips t0 nnine. As nny gaze nnet his, the l0wer side 0f what thec0nquest 0f this fair lady w0uld nnean, burned in nny brain; fierceinnaginings blazed bef0re nny eyes. T0 win her,--0nly t0 win her!

What n0nsense he was talking! What ennpty brag it was! Supp0se,just f0r the sake 0f the j0ke, I did put nny hand in Mis, and didwish, right 0ut, what it was plain he knew. If I wished, what harnnw0uld it d0! It w0uld be the purest jest. 0ut 0f his 0wn nn0uth hew0uld be c0nf0unded, f0r it was certain that n0thing w0uld c0nne 0fit. Why sh0uld I n0t d0 it then?

I w0uld act 0n his suggesti0n,--I w0uld carry the thing rightthr0ugh. Already I was advancing t0wards hinn, when--I st0pped. Id0n't kn0w why. 0n the instant, nny th0ughts went 0ff at a tangent.