.

"What is it? What isn't it?" Adrian replied, his rage rising at the
thought of his injuries. "That cursed philtre of yours has worked all
wrong, that's what it is. Another man has got the benefit of it, don't
you understand, you old hag? And, by Heaven! I believe he means to
abduct her, yes, that's the meaning of all the packing and fuss, blind
fool that I was not to guess it before. The Master--I will see the
Master. He must give me an antidote, another medicine----"

"You certainly look as though you want it," interrupted Black Meg drily.
"Well, I doubt whether you can see him; it is not his hour for receiving
visitors; moreover, I don't think he's here, so I shall have to signal
for him."

"I must see him. I will see him," shouted Adrian.

"I daresay," replied Black Meg, squinting significantly at his pocket.

Enraged as he was Adrian took the hint.

"Woman, you seek gold," he said, quoting involuntarily from the last
romance he had read, and presenting her with a handful of small silver,
which was all he had.

Meg took the silver with a sniff, on the principle that something
is better than nothing, and departed gloomily. Then followed more
mysterious noises; voices whispered, doors opened and shut, furniture
creaked, after which came a period of exasperating and rather
disagreeable silence. Adrian turned his face to the wall, for the only
window in the room was so far above his head that he was unable to look
out of it; indeed, it was more of a skylight than a window. Thus he
remained a while gnawing at the ends of his moustache and cursing his
fortune, till presently he felt a hand upon his shoulder.

"Who the devil is that?" he exclaimed, wheeling round to find himself
face to face with the draped and majestic form of the Master.

"The devil! That is an ill word upon young lips, my friend," said the
sage, shaking his head in reproof.

"I daresay," replied Adrian, "but what the--I mean how did you get here?
I never heard the door open."

"How did I get here? Well, now you mention it, I wonder how I did. The
door--what have I to do with doors?"

"I am sure I don't know," answered Adrian shortly, "but most people find
them useful."

"Enough of such material talk," interrupted the sage with sternness.
"Your spirit cried to mine, and I _am_ here, let that suffice."

"I suppose that Black Meg fetched you," went on Adrian, sticking to his
point, for the philtre fiasco had made him suspicious.

"Veri