ly, friend Adrian, you can suppose what you will; and now, as I
have little time to spare, be so good as to set out the matter.
Nay, what need, I know all, for have I not--is this the case? You
administered the philtre to the maid and neglected my instructions to
offer yourself to her at once. Another saw it and took advantage of
the magic draught. While the spell was on her he proposed, he was
accepted--yes, your brother Foy. Oh! fool, careless fool, what else did
you expect?"

"At any rate I didn't expect that," replied Adrian in a fury. "And now,
if you have all the power you pretend, tell me what I am to do."

Something glinted ominously beneath the hood, it was the sage's one eye.

"Young friend," he said, "your manner is brusque, yes, even rude. But I
understand and I forgive. Come, we will take counsel together. Tell me
what has happened."

Adrian told him with much emphasis, and the recital of his adventures
seemed to move the Master deeply, at any rate he turned away, hiding
his face in his hands, while his back trembled with the intensity of his
feelings.

"The matter is grave," he said solemnly, when at length the lovesick
and angry swain had finished. "There is but one thing to be done. Your
treacherous rival--oh! what fraud and deceit are hidden beneath that
homely countenance--has been well advised, by whom I know not, though
I suspect one, a certain practitioner of the Black Magic, named
Arentz----"

"Ah!" ejaculated Adrian.

"I see you know the man. Beware of him. He is, indeed, a wolf in sheep's
clothing, who wraps his devilish incantations in a cloak of seditious
doctrine. Well, I have thwarted him before, for can Darkness stand
before Light? and, by the help of those who aid me, I may thwart
him again. Now, attend and answer my questions clearly, slowly and
truthfully. If the girl is to be saved to you, mark this, young friend,
your cunning rival must be removed from Leyden for a while until the
charm works out its power."

"You don't mean--" said Adrian, and stopped.

"No, no. I mean the man no harm. I mean only that he must take
a journey, which he will do fast enough, when he learns that his
witchcrafts and other crimes are known. Now answer, or make an end, for
I have more business to attend to than the love-makings of a foo--of
a headstrong youth. First: What you have told me of the attendances of
Dirk van Goorl, your stepfather, and others of his household, namely,
Red Martin and you