sily. Then, when we are safe
over the frontier, acknowledge me publicly. But if you don't love me
enough for that,--if this wooden idol is more to you than I,--then go
to the colonel and tell him you consent. And if you go, then go at once,
and spare me the misery of seeing you. I have enough without that."

Montanelli looked up, trembling faintly. He was beginning to understand.

"I will communicate with your friends, of course. But--to go with
you--it is impossible--I am a priest."

"And I accept no favours from priests. I will have no more compromises,
Padre; I have had enough of them, and of their consequences. You must
give up your priesthood, or you must give up me."

"How can I give you up? Arthur, how can I give you up?"

"Then give up Him. You have to choose between us. Would you offer me a
share of your love--half for me, half for your fiend of a God? I will
not take His leavings. If you are His, you are not mine."

"Would you have me tear my heart in two? Arthur! Arthur! Do you want to
drive me mad?"

The Gadfly struck his hand against the wall.

"You have to choose between us," he repeated once more.

Montanelli drew from his breast a little case containing a bit of soiled
and crumpled paper.

"Look!" he said.

"I believed in you, as I believed in God. God is a thing made of clay,
that I can smash with a hammer; and you have fooled me with a lie."

The Gadfly laughed and handed it back. "How d-d-delightfully young one
is at nineteen! To take a hammer and smash things seems so easy. It's
that now--only it's I that am under the hammer. As for you, there are
plenty of other people you can fool with lies--and they won't even find
you out."

"As you will," Montanelli said. "Perhaps in your place I should be as
merciless as you--God knows. I can't do what you ask, Arthur; but I will
do what I can. I will arrange your escape, and when you are safe I will
have an accident in the mountains, or take the wrong sleeping-draught by
mistake--whatever you like to choose. Will that content you? It is all
I can do. It is a great sin; but I think He will forgive me. He is more
merciful------"

The Gadfly flung out both hands with a sharp cry.

"Oh, that is too much! That is too much! What have I done that you
should think of me that way? What right have you---- As if I wanted to
be revenged on you! Can't you see that I only want to save you? Will you
never understand that I love you?"

He caught hold o