a life and death struggle.

"I would have stopped her if I could," he said.

"Were you sleeping, too?" asked Kafka hotly.

"I cannot tell. I was powerless though I was conscious. I saw only Simon
Abeles in it all, though I seemed to be aware that you and he were one
person. I did interfere--so soon as I was free to move. I think I saved
your life. I was carrying you away in my arms when she waked you."

"I thank you--I suppose it is as you tell me. You could not move--but
you saw it all, you say. You saw me play the part of the apostate, you
heard me confess the Christian's faith?"

"Yes--I saw you die in agony, confessing it still."

Israel Kafka ground his teeth and turned his face away. The Wanderer was
silent. A few moments later the carriage stopped at the door of Kafka's
lodging. The latter turned to his companion, who was startled by the
change in the young face. The mouth was now closely set, the features
seemed bolder, the eyes harder and more manly, a look of greater dignity
and strength was in the whole.

"You do not love her?" he asked. "Do you give me your word that you do
not love her?"

"If you need so much to assure you of it, I give you my word. I do not
love her."

"Will you come with me for a few moments? I live here."

The Wanderer made a gesture of assent. In a few moments they found
themselves in a large room furnished almost in Eastern fashion, with few
objects, but those of great value. Israel Kafka was alone in the world
and was rich. There were two or three divans, a few low, octagonal,
inlaid tables, a dozen or more splendid weapons hung upon the wall,
and the polished wooden floor was partly covered with extremely rich
carpets.

"Do you know what she said to me, when I helped her into the carriage?"
asked Kafka.

"No, I did not attempt to hear."

"She did not mean that you should hear her. She made me promise to send
you to her with news of myself. She said that you hated her and would
not go to her unless I begged you to do so. Is that true?"

"I have told you that I do not hate her. I hate her cruelty. I will
certainly not go to her of my own choice."

"She said that I had fainted. That was a lie. She invented it as an
excuse to attract you, on the ground of her interest in my condition."

"Evidently."

"She hates me with an extreme hatred. Her real interest lay in showing
you how terrible that hatred could be. It is not possible to conceive of
anything more diabolica