took up a piece
of the gold acquired by this means, held it to his nose, and asked:
'num olet?' Roland should not continue to carry on the slave-trade; it
isn't just the thing; it's always unpleasant and dirty; but he mustn't
let what has happened ruin him; he should know that he's the legitimate
owner of the property, and needn't ask how the money was obtained--the
legitimate owner," he repeated once again in a loud voice.

Eric now noticed for the first time that the Doctor was speaking
neither to him nor to the Prince.

The Doctor was aware that Roland was listening to everything, in the
next room, and everything was directed to him. Should he by a protest
interfere with the healing skill of the Doctor, who sought to cure the
effect of the poison by a counter poison?

"Ah! you come in good time," cried the Doctor to the Priest, as he
entered. "I have been fore-stalling you a little in your office, and
now you can give me some assistance."

He repeated hurriedly to the Priest what he had been saying, and he was
surprised when the Priest rejoined:--

"I do not agree with you. Yes, you gentlemen of philosophy and the
self-government of mankind--remember Captain, I told you so the first
time we met--you have nothing but arrogance or dejection; you know no
such thing as equanimity, because the firmly fixed rock of the Positive
is lacking in you."

Eric, who had been holding his breath while the Doctor was holding
forth, was on the point of replying sharply to the Priest, when the
door was thrown open and Roland entered.

"No Doctor," exclaimed he, "you have not converted me. I still know--I
still know--and you, Herr Priest, it does not become me to dispute with
you, but I will not suffer my friend, my brother, my Eric, to be
assailed here. He has given me the Positive, the belief in our duty, in
our activity, in our never-ceasing self-devotion. I will show for his
sake, and for my sake, what I can yet do in life."

The Prince embraced Roland; the Doctor took the Priest outside, and
said to him in a low tone:--

"Don't trouble the young man, a favorable crisis has set in. Come with
me, I beg of you."

He drew the Priest away almost by force.

Eric, Roland, and the Prince still sat a long while together; then they
had the horses saddled, Eric and Roland accompanying the Prince a part
of the way.

After they had ridden a short distance, they saw a strange shape on the
road; Roland cried out suddenly:--

"T