gold."

"Lady," cried Adam, starting to his feet, "do I hear aright? Art thou,
in truth, the patron I have so long dreamed of? Hast thou the brain and
the heart to aid the pursuits of science?"

"Ay! and the power to protect the students! Sage, I am the Duchess of
Bedford, whom men accuse of witchcraft,--as thee of wizardy. From the
wife of a private gentleman, I have become the mother of a queen. I
stand amidst a court full of foes; I desire gold to corrupt, and wisdom
to guard against, and means to destroy them. And I seek all these in men
like thee!"

Adam turned on her his bewildered eyes, and made no answer.

"They tell me," said the duchess, "that Henry of Windsor employed
learned men to transmute the baser metals into gold. Wert thou one of
them?"

"No."

"Thou knowest that art?"

"I studied it in my youth, but the ingredients of the crucible were too
costly."

"Thou shalt not lack them with me. Thou knowest the lore of the stars,
and canst foretell the designs of enemies,--the hour whether to act or
to forbear?"

"Astrology I have studied, but that also was in youth; for there
dwelleth in the pure mathematics that have led me to this invention--"

"Truce with that invention, whatever it be; think of it no more,--it
has served its end in the explosion, which proved thy power of mischief.
High objects are now before thee. Wilt thou be of my household, one of
my alchemists and astrologers? Thou shalt have leisure, honour, and all
the moneys thou canst need."

"Moneys!" said Adam, eagerly, and casting his eyes upon the mangled
model. "Well, I agree; what you will,--alchemist, astrologist,
wizard,--what you will. This shall all be repaired,--all; I begin to
see now, all! I begin to see; yes, if a pipe by which the too-excessive
vapour could--ay, ay!--right, right," and he rubbed his hands.

Jacquetta was struck with his enthusiasm. "But surely, Master Warner,
this has some virtue you have not vouchsafed to explain; confide in me,
can it change iron to gold?"

"No; but--"

"Can it predict the future?"

"No; but--"

"Can it prolong life?"

"No; but--"

"Then, in God's name let us waste no more time about it!" said the
duchess, impatiently,--"your art is mine now. Ho, there!--I will send
my page to conduct thee to thy apartments, and thou shalt lodge next
to Friar Bungey, a man of wondrous lere, Master Warner, and a worthy
confrere in thy researches. Hast thou any one of kith and kin at home to