"

"I'll drive the witch-craft out of him," Jason Philip snarled.

Daniel was crouching on the floor behind the organ, and did not stir at
his uncle's call. He was so absorbed that the expression of his eyes
made his uncle wonder whether the boy was really sane. He grasped
Daniel's shoulder, and spoke in a tone of violent command: "Come home
with me this minute!"

Daniel looked up, awoke from his dream, and became aware of the
indignant hiss of that alien voice. He tore himself away, and declared
insolently that he would stay where he was. That enraged Jason Philip
utterly, and he tried again to lay hands on the boy in order to drag him
down by force. Daniel leapt back, and cried with a quivering voice:
"Don't touch me!"

Perhaps it was the silence of the nave that had an admonishing and
terrifying effect on Jason Philip. Perhaps the extraordinary malignity
and passion in the little fellow's face caused him to desist. At all
events he turned around and went without another word.

"The stage-coach is waiting. We'll be late!" his wife called out to him.

He turned a sinister face to Marian. "You're bringing up a fine product,
I must say. You'll have your own troubles with him."

Marian's eyes fell. She was not unprepared for the reproach. She was
herself frightened at the boy's savage obduracy, his self-centred
insistence on his imaginings, his hardness and impatience and contempt
of all restraint. It seemed to her as though fate had inspired the soul
of her child with something of the foolish and torturing hatred which
she had nursed during her pregnancy.

V

Jason Philip Schimmelweis left the dark basement on the square, rented a
shop near the bridge by the museum, and set up as a bookseller. Thus
his old ambition was realised at last.

He hired a shop-assistant, and Theresa sat all day at the till and
learned to keep books.

When she asked her husband what was the source of his capital, he
answered that a friend who had great confidence in his ability had
advanced him the money at a low rate of interest. He added that he had
been pledged not to divulge the name of his friend.

Theresa did not believe him. Her mind was full of dark forebodings. She
brooded incessantly and grew to be watchful and suspicious. In secret
she tried to ferret out the identity of this nameless friend, but came
upon no trace. Now and then she tried to cross-question Jason Philip. On
such occas