ladly name, which demanded exceptional
procedure to be successful. If Mr. Spielhagen's method did not allow for
these exceptions, nor make suitable provision for them, then Mr.
Spielhagen's method would fail more times than it would succeed. Did it
so allow and so provide? It would relieve him greatly to learn that it
did.

The answer came quickly. Yes, it did. But later and after some further
conversation, Mr. Spielhagen's confidence seemed to wane, and before
they left the dinner-table, he openly declared his intention of looking
over his manuscript again that very night, in order to be sure that the
formula therein contained duly covered all the exceptions mentioned by
Mr. Van Broecklyn.

If Mr. Cornell's countenance showed any change at this moment, she for
one had not noticed it; but the bitterness with which he remarked upon
the other's good fortune in having discovered this formula of whose
entire success he had no doubt, was apparent to everybody, and naturally
gave point to the circumstances which a short time afterward associated
him with the disappearance of the same.

The ladies (there were two others besides herself) having withdrawn in a
body to the music-room, the gentlemen all proceeded to the library to
smoke. Here, conversation loosed from the one topic which had hitherto
engrossed it, was proceeding briskly, when Mr. Spielhagen, with a
nervous gesture, impulsively looked about him and said:

"I cannot rest till I have run through my thesis again. Where can I find
a quiet spot? I won't be long; I read very rapidly."

It was for Mr. Van Broecklyn to answer, but no word coming from him,
every eye turned his way, only to find him sunk in one of those fits of
abstraction so well known to his friends, and from which no one who has
this strange man's peace of mind at heart ever presumes to rouse him.

What was to be done? These moods of their singular host sometimes lasted
half an hour, and Mr. Spielhagen had not the appearance of a man of
patience. Indeed he presently gave proof of the great uneasiness he was
labouring under, for noticing a door standing ajar on the other side of
the room, he remarked to those around him:

"A den! and lighted! Do you see any objection to my shutting myself in
there for a few minutes?"

No one venturing to reply, he rose, and giving a slight push to the
door, disclosed a small room exquisitely panelled and brightly lighted,
but without one article of furniture in it