in him--and suddenly burst out with this extraordinary question: "I
suppose you were in earnest when you preached that sermon in London?"

"I am astonished that you should doubt it," I replied.

He paused again; struggled with himself again; and startled me by a
second outbreak, even stranger than the first.

"I am one of the people you preached at in your sermon," he said.
"That's the true reason why I asked you to take me for your pupil.
Don't turn me out! When you talked to your congregation of tortured and
tempted people, you talked of Me."

I was so astonished by the confession, that I lost my presence of mind.
For the moment, I was unable to answer him.

"Don't turn me out!" he repeated. "Help me against myself. I am telling
you the truth. As God is my witness, I am telling you the truth!"

"Tell me the _whole_ truth," I said; "and rely on my consoling and
helping you--rely on my being your friend."

In the fervor of the moment, I took his hand. It lay cold and still in
mine; it mutely warned me that I had a sullen and a secret nature to
deal with.

"There must be no concealment between us," I resumed. "You have entered
my house, by your own confession, under false pretenses. It is your duty
to me, and your duty to yourself, to speak out."

The man's inveterate reserve--cast off for the moment only--renewed its
hold on him. He considered, carefully considered, his next words before
he permitted them to pass his lips.

"A person is in the way of my prospects in life," he began slowly, with
his eyes cast down on his book. "A person provokes me horribly. I feel
dreadful temptations (like the man you spoke of in your sermon) when I
am in the person's company. Teach me to resist temptation. I am afraid
of myself, if I see the person again. You are the only man who can help
me. Do it while you can."

He stopped, and passed his handkerchief over his forehead.

"Will that do?" he asked--still with his eyes on his book.

"It will _not_ do," I answered. "You are so far from really opening your
heart to me, that you won't even let me know whether it is a man or a
woman who stands in the way of your prospects in life. You used the word
'person,' over and over again--rather than say 'he' or 'she' when you
speak of the provocation which is trying you. How can I help a man who
has so little confidence in me as that?"

My reply evidently found him at the end of his resources. He tried,
tried desperately, to say m