be in
love.

"Thou art mighty fluent with thy guesses," replied he, not at all
relishing these unpleasant truths; "and what if I am doomed to pine
after the good I can never attain? I will bear my miseries, if not
without repining, at least without thy pity;" and he arose to depart.

"All that thou pinest after is thine. All!" said the stranger.

"Mine! By what process?--whose the gift? Ha, ha!" and he drained the
brimming glass, waiting a solution of his interrogatory.

"I will be thy instructor. Behold the renowned Doctor Gabriel Ras
Mousa, who hath studied all arts and sciences in the world, who hath
unveiled Nature in her most secret operations, and can make her
submissive as a menial to his will. In a period incredibly short I
engage to make thee the most renowned painter in Christendom."

"And the time requisite to perform this?"

"One month! Ay, by the wand of Hermes, in one month, under my
teaching, shalt thou have thy desire. I watched thy bargain with the
dealer yonder, and have had pity on thy youth and misfortunes."

"Humph--compassion! And the price?" again inquired Conrad, with an
anxious yet somewhat dubious expression of tone.

"The price? Once every month shalt thou paint me a picture."

"Is that all?"

"All."

Now Conrad began to indulge some pleasant fancies. Dreams of hope and
ambition hovered about him; but he soon grew gloomy and desponding as
heretofore. He waxed incredulous.

"One month? Nothing less than a miracle! The time is too short.
Impossible!"

"That is my business. I have both the will and the power. Is it a
bargain?"

Conrad again drained the cup, and things looked brighter. He felt
invigorated. His courage came afresh, and he answered firmly--

"A bargain."

"Give me thy hand."

"O mein Herr--not so hard. Thy grip is like a smithy vice."

"Beg pardon of thy tender extremities. To-morrow then, at this hour,
we begin." Immediately after which intimation the stranger departed.

Conrad returned to his own dwelling. He felt restless, uneasy.
Apprehensions of coming evil haunted him. Night was tenfold more
appalling. Horrid visions kept him in continual alarm.

He arose feverish and unrefreshed. Yesterday's bargain did not appear
so pleasant in his eyes; but fear gave way apace, and ere the
appointed hour he was in his little workroom, where the mysterious
instructor found him in anxious expectation. He drew the requisite
materials from under his cloak, a well-pri