bit; and when the second winter began, with repetition of all that
had gone before, I went through the business almost mechanically.
Often I left everything to my assistant, and shut myself up alone to
dream over the project that secretly absorbed my soul. Guy fancied I
was ill, and, as my exertions slackened, redoubled his own, consuming
heart and brain in the resolve to maintain the course at the level of
its original popularity. I was inwardly amused at his devotion to such
secondary considerations, but did not interfere, for it helped to
serve my purpose.

Finally, I believed my pupil to be fully prepared, and decided that
the moment had come for the complete revelation of myself.

One evening,--I selected the evening advisedly, since at that time the
imagination is more susceptible of impressions, and further removed
from the vulgar influences of every-day life,--I entered our study.
Guy was seated at a table, and working in his usual intense fashion,
and I threw myself on a sofa beside him.

"Guy," I exclaimed, "it tires me to look at you. For eight hours you
have not stirred from those books. You will kill yourself."

"Great loss," he answered, "so that it were in your service, and
during the pursuit of knowledge."

"You love me then, Guy?"

"Love you!" He rose from the table, and coming to the sofa, kneeled
and kissed my forehead, without shame, as in France men _can_ kiss
each other.

"My master, my friend!" he said; and I felt that he was mine, bound to
me by a love passing the love of women. I drew him before me, and ran
my fingers through his clustering hair. His affection was pleasant to
me, independent of the use I meant to make of it; and I almost
experienced a feminine desire to trifle with it for a moment, as one
shifts a diamond from one hand to the other to watch its changing
flame.

"How much do you love me? as the children say. What would you do for
me?"

"I would die for you!" he answered vehemently.

That is the first thing youth ever thinks of. From very fulness of
life, it can afford to be on familiar terms with death.

"Tut; that is unnecessary. But would you do anything I asked of you as
a personal favor?"

"Only try me. I would go to the ends of the earth for you."

"_Tenez!_ suppose I was dying King Arthur and you my squire. Would you
hesitate to fling away Excalibur at my command?"

"The paltry bauble! What thought could I have to waste upon it while
you were dying?"

"