hs, and the frightened thoughts would hurry by.
Sometimes they would be led decorously along a smooth highway, pacing
quietly; sometimes they would rise to the sunlight and spread their
wings, and then perhaps take sudden flight, like a flock of startled
birds.

Yes, he needed sympathy, and faith, and love. He had never had anyone to
believe in him before. He had met with hardness and distrust all his
life. She would trust him. He had conquered, step by step, his inimical
conditions. He was lonely, unused to real affection. Let her try to make
up for what he had lost. Let her forget herself and her own little woes,
in the effort to fill his life with all that he had been forced to
forego. (An impish thought danced before her for a second--"Fine talk,
but you know you love to be loved.") If her love were worth anything,
that must be her impulse. Let her beware of considering her own
feelings, her own wishes and fears. If she loved, let it be fully and
freely, generously and without reserve. That or nothing. ("Probably it
will be nothing," jeered the imp.) "Then what, in heaven's name, _is_ it
that I feel?" the other self seemed to cry in desperation.

"An idea has struck me," said the Professor, taking her hand and holding
it closely in his, "Why should you not come up to town, say on
Friday--don't start, dearest--it would be quite simple, and then for
once in our lives we should stand, as it were, alone in the world, you
and I, without this everlasting dread of curious eyes upon us. Alone
among strangers--what bliss! We could have a day on the river, or I
could take you to see--well, anything you liked--we should be free and
happy. Think of it, Hadria! to be rid of this incessant need for
caution, for hypocrisy. We have but one life to live; why not live it?"

"Why not live it, why not live it?" The words danced in her head, like
circles of little sprites carrying alluring wreaths of roses.

"Ah, we must be careful; there is much at stake," she said.

He began to plead, eloquently and skilfully. He knew exactly what
arguments would tell best with her. The imps and the other selves
engaged in a free fight.

"No; I must not listen; it is too dangerous. If it were not for my
mother, I should not care for anything, but as it is, I must risk
nothing. I have already risked too much."

"There would be no danger," he argued. "Trust to me. I have something to
lose too. It is of no use to bring the whole dead stupid weight