and soothing dark would
be the agitation that your presence at this crisis would cause. Confide
in me."

I remained brooding over these lines and over Lilian's message long and
silently, while Amy's soothing whispers stole into my ear, soft as
the murmurs of a rill heard in the gloom of forests. Rousing myself at
length, my thoughts returned to Margrave. Doubtless he would soon awake.
I bade Amy bring me such slight nutriment as I thought best suited to
his enfeebled state, telling her it was for a sick traveller, resting
himself in my hut. When Amy returned, I took from her the little basket
with which she was charged, and having, meanwhile, made a careful
selection from the contents of my medicine-chest, went back to the
hut. I had not long resumed my place beside Margrave's pillow before he
awoke.

"What o'clock is it?" he asked, with an anxious voice.

"About seven."

"Not later? That is well; my time is precious."

"Compose yourself, and eat."

I placed the food before him, and he partook of it, though sparingly,
and as if with effort. He then dozed for a short time, again woke up,
and impatiently demanded the cordial, which I had prepared in the mean
while. Its effect was greater and more immediate than I could have
anticipated, proving, perhaps, how much of youth there was still left in
his system, however undermined and ravaged by disease. Colour came back
to his cheek, his voice grew perceptibly stronger. And as I lighted the
lamp on the table near us--for it was growing dark--he gathered himself
up, and spoke thus,--

"You remember that I once pressed on you certain experiments. My object
then was to discover the materials from which is extracted the specific
that enables the organs of life to expel disease and regain vigour. In
that hope I sought your intimacy,--an intimacy you gave, but withdrew."

"Dare you complain? Who and what was the being from whose intimacy I
shrank appalled?"

"Ask what questions you please," cried Margrave, impatiently, "later--if
I have strength left to answer them; but do not interrupt me, while
I husband my force to say what alone is important to me and to you.
Disappointed in the hopes I had placed in you, I resolved to repair
to Paris,--that great furnace of all bold ideas. I questioned learned
formalists; I listened to audacious empirics. The first, with all their
boasted knowledge, were too timid to concede my premises; the second,
with all their speculative darin