from the Justice, which was standing on a side-table in
the breakfast-room. Eric readily complied, and they went into the
adjoining room, filled with a great variety of articles found buried in
the ground. Eric, fresh from the study of antiquities, showed himself
so familiar with all the related topics, that Bella could not refrain
from expressing her astonishment.

"You are a good teacher, and it must be a pleasure to be instructed
by you." Eric thanked her, and Bella continued with friendly
affability,--"Yes, indeed! many people give instruction in order to
make a brilliant appearance, and many deal forth their knowledge
reluctantly; but you, Doctor, teach like a beneficent friend who
delights in being able to impart, but takes a yet greater pleasure in
bestowing a benefit upon the recipient; and you impart in such a way
that one is not only convinced you understand the matter, but believes
that he himself does."

Clodwig looked up in amazement, for he had said the evening before
precisely the same thing of Eric's father, while making mention of the
fact that the only little treatise ever published by him had received
the disinterested help of Professor Dournay.

Bella withdrew after having thus shown her friendliness and her
admiring surprise. The two men sat together for a long time after this,
and then went to Eric's room, where Eric handed to the count a copy of
his Doctor's thesis; and it then first occurred to him how strangely it
had happened that he had there discussed the apocryphal treatise of
Plato, "Concerning Riches," and now he was to be called upon to educate
one under conditions of wealth. Eric and Clodwig were greatly struck by
this coincidence.

Clodwig requested Eric to translate the manuscript from Latin into
German. He did so, and it was to them a time of real enjoyment.

When they arose, Clodwig observed to Eric how strange it must appear to
him to find the Medusa and Victoria opposite each other; but he
confessed to a heresy which met with his own approval, though not in
accordance with the received scientific explanation. The Medusa was to
him the expression of all-consuming passion, which stiffens with horror
the sinning beholder who sees therein the image of himself; and it was
very significant that the ancients represented this entire abandonment
of all the higher spiritual nature through a womanly form, the
unrestrained indulgence of passion being opposite to the truly
feminine, and