be so at all. He lived the wild life of the camps, drinking,
brawling, making fierce love with a vague notion that this was what he
wanted, ever finding the fruit of desire change to ashes in his mouth.
Always the power within him grew; and always he despised those upon whom
he wrought his magic. For it was nothing to master these, to do with
them as he willed; all his art was lost upon them since they could not
understand.

He was then at work with Master Tobias upon a book-cover for the
gospels, which was for Saint Peter's, and very much interested he was
and pleased with his share in it. In the morning he went to work right
willingly, with no thought other than to do as best he might with all
his skill. So he got his tools, and the oil and glass-paper for the
first polishing, and, Master Tobias not having yet appeared, started to
go on himself with the bit of scroll he had begun the day before. Seeing
it with fresh eyes after a lapse of hours, it struck him that a change
might be made in one place with much advantage from the design which
they had planned. So he made the change, and was still more pleased.
When Master Tobias entered, Nicanor pointed to what he had done, and
said:

"Is not this a better way, good sir? That corner needs balancing, and it
is in my mind that the design should work up this way--" he illustrated
with his burin--"and so bring into harmony--"

And then it was that the unexpected happened. For Master Tobias rose
from his stool and stood over him, and said:

"Hast thou changed the design I made?"

Nicanor replied that he had, and wished to show the advantage of his new
idea. But Master Tobias struck his hand aside, and shrill with rage,
exclaimed:

"Thou good-for-nothing clod! Thou hast spoiled the work with thy clumsy
handling! Why canst not leave alone what thou dost not understand? Who
gave permission to change? Body of me! Must I stand over thee every hour
in the day and switch thy hands for disobedience?"

"But it is not spoiled!" Nicanor protested with indignation.

Master Tobias stormed.

"I say it is! I say it is, and must be smoothed out and changed. And
thou'lt stay within and do it, until all is as it was before. I'll show
thee my designs are not to be altered thus unwarrantably!"

And herein he made a mistake. For when he said "Thou shalt!" Nicanor's
impulse was "I will not!" and as yet he acted upon impulse. Master
Tobias could have flogged him if he wished; Nicanor c