tudy of nervous diseases, deceive himself to such an extent? It
is discouraging, indeed, if the clearest and most vigorous minds can go
so far astray. In his case his own discovery of hypodermic injections
would be excellent. Why does he not use them with himself?"

And as the young girl replied, with a despairing gesture, that he would
not listen to her, that he would not even allow her to speak to him now,
Ramond said:

"Well, then, I will speak to him."

It was at this moment that Pascal came out of his room, attracted by
the sound of voices. But on seeing them both so close to each other,
so animated, so youthful, and so handsome in the sunshine--clothed with
sunshine, as it were--he stood still in the doorway. He looked fixedly
at them, and his pale face altered.

Ramond had a moment before taken Clotilde's hand, and he was holding it
in his.

"It is a promise, is it not? I should like the marriage to take place
this summer. You know how much I love you, and I shall eagerly await
your answer."

"Very well," she answered. "Before a month all will be settled."

A sudden giddiness made Pascal stagger. Here now was this boy, his
friend, his pupil, who had introduced himself into his house to rob him
of his treasure! He ought to have expected this _denouement_, yet the
sudden news of a possible marriage surprised him, overwhelmed him like
an unforeseen catastrophe that had forever ruined his life. This girl
whom he had fashioned, whom he had believed his own, she would leave
him, then, without regret, she would leave him to die alone in his
solitude. Only the day before she had made him suffer so intensely that
he had asked himself whether he should not part from her and send her to
her brother, who was always writing for her. For an instant he had even
decided on this separation, for the good of both. Yet to find her here
suddenly, with this man, to hear her promise to give him an answer, to
think that she would marry, that she would soon leave him, this stabbed
him to the heart.

At the sound of his heavy step as he came forward, the two young people
turned round in some embarrassment.

"Why, master, we were just talking about you," said Ramond gaily. "Yes,
to be frank with you, we were conspiring. Come, why do you not take care
of yourself? There is nothing serious the matter with you; you would be
on your feet again in a fortnight if you did."

Pascal, who had dropped into a chair, continued to look at t