was that he stormed her and consented to be beaten.
He had a thousand occupations, an ambition out of the world of love,
chains to break, temptations, leanings . . . tut, tut! She had not lived
in her circle of society, and listened to the tales of his friends and
enemies, and been the correspondent of flattering and flattered men of
learning, without understanding how a man like Alvan found diversions
when forbidden to act in a given direction: and now that her healthful
new blood inspired the courage to turn two wishes to a will, she saw both
herself and him very clearly, enough at least to pardon the man more than
she did herself. She had perforce of her radiant new healthfulness
arrived at an exact understanding of him. Where she was deluded was in
supposing that she would no longer dread his impetuous disposition to
turn rosy visions into facts. But she had the revived convalescent's
ardour to embrace things positive while they were not knocking at the
door; dreams were abhorrent to her, tasteless and innutritious; she cast
herself on the flood, relying on his towering strength and mastery of men
and events to bring her to some safe landing--the dream of hearts athirst
for facts.

CHAPTER VI

Alvan was at his writing-table doing stout gladiator's work on paper in a
chamber of one of the gaunt hotels of the heights, which are Death's
Heads there in Winter and have the tongues in Summer, when a Swiss lad
entered with a round grin to tell him that a lady on horseback below had
asked for him--Dr. Alvan. Who could the lady be? He thought of too many.
The thought of Clotilde was dismissed in its dimness. Issuing and
beholding her, his face became illuminated as by a stroke of sunlight.

'Clotilde! by all the holiest!'

She smiled demurely, and they greeted.

She admired the look of rich pleasure shining through surprise in him.
Her heart thanked him for appearing so handsome before her friends.

'I was writing,' said he. 'Guess to whom?--I had just finished my
political stuff, and fell on a letter to the professor and another for an
immediate introduction to your father.'

'True?'

'The truth, as you shall see. So, you have come, you have found me! This
time if I let you slip, may I be stamped slack-fingered!'

'"Two wishes make a will," you say.'

He answered her with one of his bursts of brightness.

Her having sought him he read for the frank surrender which he was ready
to match with a loyal devoti