e green line of the sea rise and extend itself on
either hand; in the glory of the scene he forgot his anxieties and his
hopes, they fell from him together, leaving the mind alone with itself
and love. For the memory of Aurora rendered the beauty before him still
more beautiful; love, like the sunshine, threw a glamour over the waves.
His old and highest thoughts returned to him in all their strength. He
must follow them, he could not help himself. Standing where the foam
came nearly to his feet, the resolution to pursue his aspirations took
possession of him as strong as the sea. When he turned from it, he said
to himself, "This is the first step homewards to her; this is the first
step of my renewed labour." To fulfil his love and his ambition was one
and the same thing. He must see her, and then again endeavour with all
his abilities to make himself a position which she could share.

Towards the evening, leaving his escort, he partly ascended the nearest
slope of the hills to ascertain more perfectly than was possible at a
lower level the direction in which the shore trended. It was nearly east
and west, and as the shore of the inland lake ran west, it appeared that
between them there was a broad belt of forest. Through this he must
pass, and he thought if he continued due west he should cross an
imaginary line drawn south from his own home through Thyma Castle; then
by turning to the north he should presently reach that settlement. But
when he should cross this line, how many days' travelling it would need
to reach it, was a matter of conjecture, and he must be guided by
circumstances, the appearance of the country, and his hunter's instinct.

On the way back to Wolfstead Felix was occupied in considering how he
could leave his friends, and yet be able to return to them and resume
his position. His general idea was to build a fortified house or castle
at the spot which had so pleased him, and to bring Aurora to it. He
could then devote himself to increasing and consolidating his rule over
these people, and perhaps in time organize a kingdom. But without Aurora
the time it would require would be unendurable; by some means he must
bring her. The whole day long as he walked he thought and thought,
trying to discover some means by which he could accomplish these things;
yet the more he considered the more difficult they appeared to him.
There seemed no plan that promised success; all he could do would be to
risk the att