pression?"

He spoke as any physician might do who inquired after a patient's
health. I was surprised and relieved. I had prepared myself for
something darkly mystical, almost cabalistic; but there was nothing
unusual in the demeanour of this pleasant and good-looking gentleman
who, bidding me be seated, took a chair himself opposite to me, and
observed me with that sympathetic and kindly interest which any
well-bred doctor would esteem it his duty to exhibit. I became quite at
ease, and answered all his questions fully and frankly. He felt my
pulse in the customary way, and studied my face attentively. I
described all my symptoms, and he listened with the utmost patience.
When I had concluded, he leaned back in his chair and appeared to
ponder deeply for some moments. Then he spoke.

"You know, of course, that I am not a doctor?"

"I know," I said; "Signer Cellini explained to me."

"Ah!" and Heliobas smiled. "Raffaello explained as much as he might;
but not everything. I must tell you I have a simple pharmacopoeia of my
own--it contains twelve remedies, and only twelve. In fact there me no
more that are of any use to the human mechanism. All are made of the
juice of plants, and six of them are electric. Raffaello tried you with
one of them, did he not?"

As he put this question, I was aware of a keenly inquiring look sent
from the eyes of my interrogator into mine.

"Yes," I answered frankly, "and it made me dream, and I dreamt of YOU."

Heliobas laughed lightly.

"So!--that is well. Now I am going in the first place to give you what
I am sure will be satisfactory information. If you agree to trust
yourself to my care, you will be in perfect health in a little less
than a fortnight--but you must follow my rules exactly."

I started up from my seat.

"Of course!" I exclaimed eagerly, forgetting all my previous fear of
him; "I will do all you advise, even if you wish to magnetize me as you
magnetized Signor Cellini!"

"I never MAGNETIZED Raffaello," he said gravely; "he was on the verge
of madness, and he had no faith whereby to save himself. I simply set
him free for a time, knowing that his was a genius which would find out
things for itself or perish in the effort. I let him go on a voyage of
discovery, and he came back perfectly satisfied. That is all. You do
not need his experience."

"How do you know?" I asked.

"You are a woman--your desire is to be well and strong, health being
beauty--to love a