ter, Alphonse, says he is very busy finishing a
picture for the Salon--something that we have never seen. I shall
intrude myself into his studio soon on some pretence or other, and will
then let you know all about it. In the meantime, believe me,

"Your ever devoted friend, AMY."

I answered this letter, and then spent a pleasant evening at the
Pension, chatting sociably with Madame Denise and another cheery little
Frenchwoman, a day governess, who boarded there, and who had no end of
droll experiences to relate, her enviable temperament being to always
see the humorous side of life. I thoroughly enjoyed her sparkling
chatter and her expressive gesticulations, and we all three made
ourselves merry till bedtime. Acting on the advice of Heliobas, I
retired early to my room, where a warm bath had been prepared in
compliance with my orders. I uncorked the glass tube No. 1, and poured
the colourless fluid it contained into the water, which immediately
bubbled gently, as though beginning to boil. After watching it for a
minute or two, and observing that this seething movement steadily
continued, I undressed quickly and stepped in. Never shall I forget the
exquisite sensation I experienced! I can only describe it as the poor
little Doll's Dressmaker in "Our Mutual Friend" described her angel
visitants, her "blessed children," who used to come and "take her up
and make her light." If my body had been composed of no grosser matter
than fire and air, I could not have felt more weightless, more buoyant,
more thoroughly exhilarated than when, at the end of the prescribed
five minutes, I got out of that marvellous bath of healing! As I
prepared for bed, I noticed that the bubbling of the water had entirely
ceased; but this was easy of comprehension, for if it had contained
electricity, as I supposed, my body had absorbed it by contact, which
would account for the movement being stilled. I now took the second
little phial, and prepared it as I had been told. This time the fluid
was motionless. I noticed it was very faintly tinged with amber. I
drank it off--it was perfectly tasteless. Once in bed, I seemed to have
no power to think any more--my eyes closed readily--the slumber of a
year-old child, as Heliobas had said, came upon me with resistless and
sudden force, and I remembered no more.

CHAPTER VII.

ZARA AND PRINCE IVAN.

The sun poured brilliantly into my room when I awoke the next morning.
I was free from all